alot of you have some tied feelings about TAMU and UTHSCSA. I've gotten two emails already about the two, and a couple postings on here. here is what i wrote to one of you:
let's see. i interviewed at both schools and really liked both. i will give you positives and negatives (at least, in my subjective opinion), on both schools:
TAMU Positives
- really nice people
- small program = more one-on-one with faculty, closer relationships with classmates
- clean, new facilities in College Station and Temple (i cant tell you how crappy/old some medical school hospitals and buildings can be...i.e. UTMB is ancient...and how this can wear on you after awhile).
TAMU Negatives
- smaller program = dont meet as many people; less well-known than the UT schools.
- Temple, TX: not that much to do, fewer patient load in hospital, fewer neat "rare" patients, though you'll get a good education anyway (the zebras aren't necessarily key to good learning)
- you have to transition to a new place to live after 2nd year...college station was fun with TAMU kids around(went to undergrad there) but temple seemed dull
UTHSCSA Positives
- Our University Hospital is a county hospital and treats a huge chunk of south texas, i.e., you get to see lots of crazy stuff that you wouldnt see at a smaller hospital (people with less income tend to let problems/diseases go longer/further than they should...terrible news for them, but interesting cases for you as a student)
- bigger class = lots of personality types (i personally cant stand the typical med student anal freaks, but thats just me) 🙂
- SA: lots to do, and if you're single, there's a nursing school, a dental school, Allied Health, and UTSA undergrad to meet lots of young single people around. also my favorite thing about UTHSCSA is that it's the only major med school in texas to sit in a suburb...there's hill country to the north and downtown to the south...it's wedged in a great middle-area that is pretty safe and inexpensive.
-good mexican food
UTHSCSA Negatives:
- the Spurs craziness(born in Dallas. mavs til i die, baby)
- UH and our school buildings are getting old (although they did just build a great new student administration building with neat fake-patient facilities...really state-of-the-art)
- big class can mean you never learn some peoples' names. some people prefer the anonymity though.
- good mexican food makes you fat.
hope this helps. lemme know if you have anymore questions.
I know the waiting sucks!
