*****TEXAS CRISIS*******Choosing between PREMATCH ACCEPTANCES!!!

[sebsvenmdc]

---

Members do not see this ad.

JANUARY 15 is the deadline! How the HECK have you people made decisions between prematch offers!!! Personally, I am trying to pick between UTH and UTMB! IT is freaking hard!!!! How have you chosen which school is your best fit? What are your major criteria?

Is not the following the best priority list?

1) Which school is going to help me learn the most and do best on the USMLE Step 1?
Therefore, things to consider: Curriculum, lecture schedule, type of notes/syllabus, other educational resources

2) Which school is going to give me the best clinical experience?
Therefore, things to consider: Facilities, doctors in facilities, range of experiences

3) Where will I be happiest?
Therefore, things to consider: Location, environment, expenses, atmosphere

Which will prep you better in the long run ACADEMICALLY?

TONS of lectures at UTH and less studying or missing some classes or racing thru them at 2X

OR

Less lectures, less guidance academically, but much more time to study at UTMB

?????????????????????

I don't know how to choose between them! 🙁

 

[BellyDancingDoc]

Wow... that's quite a "CRISIS." Multiple acceptances and the inability to chose between them?! My heart breaks for you. 🙄

Seriously, a good rule for life is to not title something "CRISIS" if it's not a crisis. At best, people will be annoyed. At worst... well... ever hear the one about the boy who cried wolf? You don't want to be wolf-boy during a 4 AM emergency in your first week of internship.

 

[mrs.smith]

For me, I rank community, location, lifestyle, less structured time very highly, so for those reasons I would choose UTMB over UTH.

After analyzing your pro/con list for each school, if you still can't decide, just go with your gut. I did this for college - blind feeling led to me to an amazing place I loved!

In the end you will still get a good education, you will still be a doctor, and you will not regret your decision if you make the most of either school while you're there.

 

[HOLDENc]

Who the eff would want to live in Galveston?

Seriously, whats the decision to be made?

UTMB would rank seventh best med school in the state for me.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Who the eff would want to live in Galveston?

Seriously, whats the decision to be made?

UTMB would rank seventh best med school in the state for me.

👍 Completely agree. Galveston seems like a miserable place to spend 4 years. Just going to Medical School will be tough on my family, I'm sure. There's no way that I am subjecting them to 4 years in that sh*thole.

 

[NCF145]

👍 Completely agree. Galveston seems like a miserable place to spend 4 years. Just going to Medical School will be tough on my family, I'm sure. There's no way that I am subjecting them to 4 years in that sh*thole.

 

[msdoc]

As a current med student I would suggest going where you're going to be happiest. Your grades, board scores, etc. are going to reflect how happy you are. You can't thrive academically when you're totally miserable. Seriously, pick the school/city/environment where you're going to be happy and everything else will work out.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Wow... that's quite a "CRISIS." Multiple acceptances and the inability to chose between them?! My heart breaks for you. 🙄

Seriously, a good rule for life is to not title something "CRISIS" if it's not a crisis. At best, people will be annoyed. At worst... well... ever hear the one about the boy who cried wolf? You don't want to be wolf-boy during a 4 AM emergency in your first week of internship.

LOL... I found the post I was going to make myself. But I'll be a little more gentle. sebsvenmdc, go with your gut or you'll make yourself crazy. But, remember - before you call it a "crisis", only 50% of people who apply to medical school in any one year get in at all. Of the 50% who do get in, over 60% received only a single acceptance offer. So... be humble or you may not make many new friends in your SDN audience.

 

[Cirrus83]

Who the eff would want to live in Galveston?

Seriously, whats the decision to be made?

UTMB would rank seventh best med school in the state for me.

lol, good point. I had no idea where UTMB was, but since you pointed it out, definitely Houston all the way.

But then again I'm from NYC and basically wouldn't want to live anywhere in Texas other than the DFW area, Houston, and Austin (hey at least I know my Texas metropolitan areas).

Then again I don't even want to live in the boondocks of NY state so that's not really saying much lol.

 

[Bluemirage]

....

JANUARY 15 is the deadline! How the HECK have you people made decisions between prematch offers!!! Personally, I am trying to pick between UTH and UTMB! IT is freaking hard!!!! How have you chosen which school is your best fit? What are your major criteria?

Is not the following the best priority list?

1) Which school is going to help me learn the most and do best on the USMLE Step 1?
Therefore, things to consider: Curriculum, lecture schedule, type of notes/syllabus, other educational resources

2) Which school is going to give me the best clinical experience?
Therefore, things to consider: Facilities, doctors in facilities, range of experiences

3) Where will I be happiest?
Therefore, things to consider: Location, environment, expenses, atmosphere

Which will prep you better in the long run ACADEMICALLY?

TONS of lectures at UTH and less studying or missing some classes or racing thru them at 2X

OR

Less lectures, less guidance academically, but much more time to study at UTMB

?????????????????????

I don't know how to choose between them! 🙁

....

 

[leahmaria]

As a current med student I would suggest going where you're going to be happiest. Your grades, board scores, etc. are going to reflect how happy you are. You can't thrive academically when you're totally miserable. Seriously, pick the school/city/environment where you're going to be happy and everything else will work out.

thanks...i like that

 

[sprinkibrio]

I understand the "crisis" or at least the crazy worrying going on with you. I also had to decide between my top two choices. What will make me happy (and thus allow me to do my best) has more to do with me living in a cosmopolitan city, ease for my long-distance boyfriend to fly and visit, and feeling at home with the type of students who attend my school. Other things that swayed me were how favorable residencies will see my school and which school would give me the most opportunities to experience both research/academia and primary and indigent care.

In terms of your criteria:
1-I don't think time in class differs highly between UTMB and UT Houston. The only time people at UT Houston are in class "all day" is during first semester. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the other semesters are more or less the same between the two schools.
2-I think in terms of 3rd year, UTMB interacts mainly with prison patients, while Houston sees private patients. Which environment do you prefer?
3-Would you work better in a city with fewer distractions (Walmart doesn't seem to be distracting) or would you be happier and more productive in a city that gives you time to play?

UTMB stood out to me because they have so many unique programs (telemedicine, the very student-centered free clinic), its anatomy lab, and the beautiful architecture of Galveston.
Houston stood out to me because of its new facilities, the TMC, the city, and the student population.

Based on my criteria, I declined UTMB as soon as I was accepted and held on to UT Houston. In the end, though, I chose UTSW.

 

[TexasFool]

those two schools are close together, why not go spend some more time getting to know them in person?

 

[sebsvenmdc]

Hi Folks,

Thank you all for your comments, advice, and suggestions. Sorry about including the "CRISIS" in the subject line...I was desperate and wanted the thread to get attention, but I won't rationalize! I DEFINITELY am NOT full of it! Seriously, I think I'm going to get destroyed in medical school. I am kind of smart and study very hard, but my study habits and time management skills are too inefficient. I'm trying to improve them, but my cerebral cortex might be the rate-limiting factor!

Thanks again for all of your help!!! 🙂

 

[djfir0]

if you are down to earth/fun/cool go to utmb, if you are a nerd go to houston. not that houston people aren't cool, but i just don't want dorks for classmates

 

[aggiesarah2007]

Hi Folks,

Thank you all for your comments, advice, and suggestions. Sorry about including the "CRISIS" in the subject line...I was desperate and wanted the thread to get attention, but I won't rationalize! I DEFINITELY am NOT full of it! Seriously, I think I'm going to get destroyed in medical school. I am kind of smart and study very hard, but my study habits and time management skills are too inefficient. I'm trying to improve them, but my cerebral cortex might be the rate-limiting factor!

Thanks again for all of your help!!! 🙂

Don't downplay yourself because I am sure you are fabulous, as are all of the people on here 🙂 I'm pretty sure both the schools are open by now, and for sure UTH is more than happy to have you visit again. If UTMB is smart they'll be more than happy to host you also. Visiting UTH again sealed the deal for me with my pre-match offers.

Also, write down pros and cons, plus facts for each of the schools and compare. When it comes down to it, as has been said before.... go with your gut!!! You need to go where you can be happy and will feel supported because that's what's really important, as I have seen living with a med student.

Good luck with your choice. I understand its overwhelming because you want to make the right choice, but know that what you choose will be right.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

if you are down to earth/fun/cool go to utmb, if you are a nerd go to houston. not that houston people aren't cool, but i just don't want dorks for classmates

Rofl only a dork would have a signature like yours.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

JANUARY 15 is the deadline! How the HECK have you people made decisions between prematch offers!!! Personally, I am trying to pick between UTH and UTMB! IT is freaking hard!!!! How have you chosen which school is your best fit? What are your major criteria?

Is not the following the best priority list?

1) Which school is going to help me learn the most and do best on the USMLE Step 1?
Therefore, things to consider: Curriculum, lecture schedule, type of notes/syllabus, other educational resources

2) Which school is going to give me the best clinical experience?
Therefore, things to consider: Facilities, doctors in facilities, range of experiences

3) Where will I be happiest?
Therefore, things to consider: Location, environment, expenses, atmosphere

Which will prep you better in the long run ACADEMICALLY?

TONS of lectures at UTH and less studying or missing some classes or racing thru them at 2X

OR

Less lectures, less guidance academically, but much more time to study at UTMB

?????????????????????

I don't know how to choose between them! 🙁

Hey man, here's what I have learned. Anytime you ask for advice UTH supporters and UTMB supporters come rushing in to tell you about the great stuff about their schools. They even go as far as to counter the negatives that each say about the other. So first of all, it's hard to do comparisons with those two schools because any information I've read concerning curriculum, location, USMLE stuff, etc is always countered by something else.

In the end, I think both schools are great. Obviously both must be great otherwise you wouldn't have UTH and UTMB supporters running cyberjihads all over the preallo subforum. If these people love their schools so much, that says something right there.

So don't worry about all that location, USMLE, and curriculum crap, because the truth of each for both schools probably lies somewhere in the middle, a middle you would most likely find tolerable if not enjoyable. I agree with the others. Gut feeling. You aren't choosing between heaven and hell. Just the fact you get to choose is heaven enough, I'm sure going to either is like having an orgasm in heaven followed by lucky lady being quiet and making sandwiches instead of nagging about the leaking toilet.

 

[Tired]

If you were a real man, you'd turn them both down and hold out for something even better later on . . .

😀

 

[Teejay]

IF i were all of you, i''ll pick UTMB over UTH without further questions. The facts about that school speaks for itself. Besides they party at UTMB more than any other texas med-school because of the culture of the school and galveston for those of you who love combining medschool with fun.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

IF i were all of you, i''ll pick UTMB over UTH without further questions. The facts about that school speaks for itself. Besides they party at UTMB more than any other texas med-school because of the culture of the school and galveston for those of you who love combining medschool with fun.

I never got where the whole Galveston = Fun thing started. For anyone who has ever been there, Galveston is a sh*thole, plain and simple. Houses in such a state of disrepair that they are almost literally falling down, high crime, high cost of living, 100% humidity, extremely hot in the summer, almost nothing on the island (yay, they got a Chili's last year, woohoo. There are 2 grocery stores, a Kroger on one side of the island, and another store, closer to UTMB that students call the "Ghetto Mart" (their words, not mine).) Oh yeah, the beaches -- I have never, ever seen brown water before I visited Galveston. It's disgusting. You go in the water and there is so much crap in there that you come out looking like Swamp Thing.

Then you get to do your rotations in Seely hospital where they just laid off 1000 (?) workers, one of whom beat up the Medical School Dean's husband, which caused the Medical School Dean to resign.

I almost forgot that Galveston hired a PR firm to try to improve their image. One of the ideas that they came up with was having an annual "Talk like a pirate day." (Waaaay back, Galveston was used as a pirate outpost.)

Sounds like loads of fun to me, matey!

 

[HOLDENc]

WOW😱

 

[Texas Doc]

👍 Completely agree. Galveston seems like a miserable place to spend 4 years. Just going to Medical School will be tough on my family, I'm sure. There's no way that I am subjecting them to 4 years in that sh*thole.

If Galveston is a sh*thole, I’m at a loss for a word or words that properly describes the area around UTSW. There are more strip joints, gay bath houses, peep shows, hookers, massage parlors, XXX movie rentals, and modeling studios, etc. within a few blocks of UTSW, right on Harry Hines, than on the entire island of Galveston. The area around UTSW wasn't exactly carved out of Texas by the right hand of God. 😱

However, the opportunities for off campus stress relielf do appear to be without equal.

 

[aggiesarah2007]

If Galveston is a sh*thole, I’m at a loss for a word or words that properly describes the area around UTSW. There are more strip joints, gay bath houses, peep shows, hookers, massage parlors, XXX movie rentals, and modeling studios, etc. within a few blocks of UTSW, right on Harry Hines, than on the entire island of Galveston. The area around UTSW wasn't exactly carved out of Texas by the right hand of God. 😱

However, the opportunities for off campus stress relielf do appear to be without equal.

Even though I liked Galveston, I think the problem is people usually think Galveston Island as a whole is crummy, while with UTSW it is that area that's crummy, not all of Dallas (though there are more crummy parts no doubt). Harry Hines is just a special little part of Dallas 😀

 

[Texas Doc]

Even though I liked Galveston, I think the problem is people usually think Galveston Island as a whole is crummy, while with UTSW it is that area that's crummy, not all of Dallas (though there are more crummy parts no doubt). Harry Hines is just a special little part of Dallas 😀

Galveston doesn't have anything as special as Harry Hines and the surrounding area. The island is not big enough to hold that much crap.

Galveston is one of the leading tourist and convention destinations in Texas. Puzzling why so many people want to vacation in a sh*thole. Surely, all these people have it wrong and a few people on SDN have it right.

 

[soonerfan77]

Anybody have an LMFU change today? Mine changed to 01/05. 😎

 

[albondiga93]

did you enter your ranking preferences or send in your new transcript?

 

[Teejay]

I never got where the whole Galveston = Fun thing started. For anyone who has ever been there, Galveston is a sh*thole, plain and simple. Houses in such a state of disrepair that they are almost literally falling down, high crime, high cost of living, 100% humidity, extremely hot in the summer, almost nothing on the island (yay, they got a Chili's last year, woohoo. There are 2 grocery stores, a Kroger on one side of the island, and another store, closer to UTMB that students call the "Ghetto Mart" (their words, not mine).) Oh yeah, the beaches -- I have never, ever seen brown water before I visited Galveston. It's disgusting. You go in the water and there is so much crap in there that you come out looking like Swamp Thing.

Then you get to do your rotations in Seely hospital where they just laid off 1000 (?) workers, one of whom beat up the Medical School Dean's husband, which caused the Medical School Dean to resign.

I almost forgot that Galveston hired a PR firm to try to improve their image. One of the ideas that they came up with was having an annual "Talk like a pirate day." (Waaaay back, Galveston was used as a pirate outpost.)

Sounds like loads of fun to me, matey!

My guess is that you don't have a friend who goes to UTMB. Otherwise, your perception would have changed a long time ago. You also don't know that galveston has the only convertible team park in texas that runs year round. The question is not about what you have in the city but how much wonderful experience you have with your fellow students and people around the city. Houston has a lot of places but albeit you've not been to 1/10000 of those places. Maybe the fact that they are there gives you your vicarious satisfaction. Your words sound like a person who will never have fun regardless of where you are AND trust me, your mouth is more full of ****, clummy and disgusting than the whole city of galveston. Your bite can kill an elephant and thats probably why you''ll never be welcome in a place like galveston. The only place for you over they is their TDCJ hospital.
You need to grow up pal and understand that you make a place what you want it to be for you.

 

[soonerfan77]

did you enter your ranking preferences or send in your new transcript?

No. 😎

 

[albondiga93]

what schools are you waiting for?

 

[soonerfan77]

I interviewed at UTH on 12/01. My LMFU changed on 12/28, but the change may have been a result of a rejection letter from UTMB, with whom I did not interview. My LMFU changed again on 01/05. Someone, on SDN, mentioned a "ranking of the applicants done by the medical school". Wasn't sure what that meant, in terms of good/bad news. Does everyone get on the ranking list or have I made it past another round?

Don't care when you call me, just CALL me. You know what I mean? 😎

 

[albondiga93]

do the schools still rank you if you've had a pre-match offer?

 

[soonerfan77]

I didn't pre-match. That's why I'm hoping the "list" is good news. The 12/28 LMFU change still puzzles me. 😎