TEXAS Med Schools Entering Class *2005* Applicant Thread part 01

[USCTex]

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The lastest news on that (straight from the horses/ UTMB's mouth) is "They cannot ship the island up to Austin" (did anyone else get that corny joke when they visited?). UTMB is "strengthening its professional relationship" with Austin (ie, the women's hospital, seton network).

UTMB serves a valuable function in Galveston and its surrounding areas, and they are really proud of the fact that they own their (public) hospital system (all the money goes into one coffer, basically), so they aren't moving any time soon.

But hey, as much as UTMB has been shifting its focus in the last few years, I guess anything is possible.

Yeah I heard that was the public position as well. But rumors from pretty high up in the UT system persist 😀 I don't know; before medicaid/care that's what Galveston had going for it...it was the only state hospital. Nowadays they don't even get enough patients to support clinicals in Galveston...and it certainly doesn't serve strongly as a regional health care facility (like say A&M and Tech) since Houston is realitively close.

*shrug* Then again moving to Austin for clinicals is certainly not a hinderance in my mind...great city...

 

[mwhou]

What does the Last Master File Update mean?

It is listed on your TMDSAS applicant profile. The date lists the last time the TMDSAS system has made a change to your file. Mine has changed when transcripts have been recieved, GPA recalculated with additional courses, LOR's, etc.

As for why we are talking about it, the theory is that the TMDSAS file records an update when you match, even if it is jan 15, and the info won't be available to applicants until Feb 1.

Quoting from Evo on the front page of this thread:
So on your status page, look at the "Last action date" and follow this guide.
-Aparently, if your date keeps changing up until Feb 1st, you didn't match.
-If your date changes and then stops. That means you matched.
-If your date changes, then stops, then changes again, that means you matched a a higher school that you did the first time.
-If your date doesn't change at all, that means you matched at your #1.

All in all - no one can say how it will work for sure, but it will make the days between Jan 15th and Feb 1st much more interesting!!
52 days 2 hrs till match day 😀

 

[sty]

Some of the schools have posted Dec 17th as the final interview date...is this for sure the last date for interviews or will they be extended into next year? If so, does anyone know the real cut-off date for interviews?

 

[UT-Lilly]

Some of the schools have posted Dec 17th as the final interview date...is this for sure the last date for interviews or will they be extended into next year? If so, does anyone know the real cut-off date for interviews?

a few pages back people posted updates on final interview dates for schools, and i think most schools were covered.

 

[SFAJess]

Yeah, I got the impression from Galveston that the interviews don't really have much to do with an acceptance there.

So you're saying maybe they do numbers more than the interviews? 😕

 

[2tall]

It is listed on your TMDSAS applicant profile. The date lists the last time the TMDSAS system has made a change to your file. Mine has changed when transcripts have been recieved, GPA recalculated with additional courses, LOR's, etc.

As for why we are talking about it, the theory is that the TMDSAS file records an update when you match, even if it is jan 15, and the info won't be available to applicants until Feb 1.

I follow all of that...I think I'll wait until 020105 to start stressin' though. That discussion seems to be about the Validation Date. Mine is still 00000000 + or - a few 0s.

My Last Master File Update has changed on a couple of occasions (at least that I've noticed). Any idea why the Last Master File Update would change after all interview invites and interviews? Does that mean UTH and UTHSCSA are still lookin to invite me?

 

[USCTex]

I follow all of that...I think I'll wait until 020105 to start stressin' though. That discussion seems to be about the Validation Date. Mine is still 00000000 + or - a few 0s.

My Last Master File Update has changed on a couple of occasions (at least that I've noticed). Any idea why the Last Master File Update would change after all interview invites and interviews? Does that mean UTH and UTHSCSA are still lookin to invite me?

I'm pretty sure at this stage of the game TMDSAS has no idea about interivews who you've interviewed with or who is going to invite you. But my Master File Update changed yesterday...now I'm scared

 

[fotolilith]

So you're saying maybe they do numbers more than the interviews? 😕

Oh yeah. UTMB's "new" (as of a few years ago) assistant dean of admissions has made it her mission to change Texas' famed "party medical school." Last year she came to UT Austin and started ranting about how she was "the gate keeper" for UTMB admissions, and how you could only get in with competitive numbers from "Texas' only 5 good schools" (Rice, UT, A&M, (some smaller place that send a lot of premeds, like Abilene Christian or Austin College?), and Baylor... which is bunk, because I know a LOT of people who go there from places like UT Dallas, Trinity, and SFA, not to mention Texas just has some amazing universities in general. Besides, she's not even from TX, so how would she be any judge? This was in answer to a question about taking community college classes, btw).

Anyways, the rumor among @ least the UTMB 4th years I know there is that now there is an MCAT cutoff, and one of my interviewers told me that he was told by the administration to just get the session done fast (and how are they supposed to get to know me from that?).

I think it's just for this dean's ego, because there really is no justifiable reason for relying more on numbers now. Their students have already been performing very well on the USMLEs in the last 2-3 years. Furthermore I asked the guy in charge of curriculum, Dr. Lieberman, whether he honestly thought the performance was from the students coming in, or their integrated curriculum, and he said that, at least at UTMB, MCAT and Step 1 only correlate by 25%. Thus he firmly believes in the curriculum.

But hey, the assistant dean is only one voice in about a dozen on the adcom, so I don't think UTMB is totally by the numbers. Besides, not everyone wants to live in "Galvatraz," so they do take a good portion of the applicants that rank them high. I just had my eye on the place for years, and was kind of saddened that they see to be getting so serious there. 🙁

 

[fotolilith]

Nowadays they don't even get enough patients to support clinicals in Galveston...and it certainly doesn't serve strongly as a regional health care facility (like say A&M and Tech) since Houston is realitively close.

Yeah, but the faculty/ clinicians don't seem to want to give up the power of owning their hospital, which seems to be harder to do in a big city. And Galveston claims to be the only one in the area that will take *anyone*, regardless of ability to pay (they even supposedly bus in indigent patients from several hundred miles away?).

It would be interesting if they moved...and I've stopped believing what medical schools claim about themselves in public... it's a lot like listening to politicians.

 

[EvoDevo]

Excellent comments vis' a vis' UTMB, fotolith. I've heard many of the same rumors...and from an excellent source, apparently UTMB feels like it's "stuck" in third gear as far as self-image goes.

Just my two cents.

 

[synapse lapse]

Oh yeah. UTMB's "new" (as of a few years ago) assistant dean of admissions has made it her mission to change Texas' famed "party medical school." Last year she came to UT Austin and started ranting about how she was "the gate keeper" for UTMB admissions, and how you could only get in with competitive numbers from "Texas' only 5 good schools" (Rice, UT, A&M, (some smaller place that send a lot of premeds, like Abilene Christian or Austin College?), and Baylor... which is bunk, because I know a LOT of people who go there from places like UT Dallas, Trinity, and SFA, not to mention Texas just has some amazing universities in general. Besides, she's not even from TX, so how would she be any judge? This was in answer to a question about taking community college classes, btw).

Dr. Thompson (I think that is her name) specifically mentioned these five schools today at my table (It was Austin College as the 5th)...she said they were the universities she really liked students from and that had a good premed curric. She was not from texas (Univ. of Wisconson)...She must seriously believe this stuff to have been on teh same 'rant' for over ayear. Well, I can't complain as I am at Rice, but it is still a pretty silly belief that those are the only decent Texas schools.

 

[aggiecrew]

Besides, not everyone wants to live in "Galvatraz," so they do take a good portion of the applicants that rank them high.QUOTE]

so do you think they would take a less competitive applicant who ranks them #1 over an average competitive applicant who ranks them #5?

 

[UT-Lilly]

Besides, not everyone wants to live in "Galvatraz," so they do take a good portion of the applicants that rank them high.QUOTE]

so do you think they would take a less competitive applicant who ranks them #1 over an average competitive applicant who ranks them #5?

our rankings have no effect on their admissions decisions. they'll have no idea who ranked them #1 or who ranked them #5...so they'll "take" the highest ranked (on their list) students they can get (ie the "more competetive" student). but that's not to say that they might not have to dig a little deeper into their ranked list...so the "less competetive" applicant still has a shot (but not because they ranked UTMB higher).

 

[USCTex]

On a completely unrelated topic what does everyone think of Houston's step child complex.

I really don't wan to seem shallow but Houston's relationship with Baylor concerns me. I love Houston I just wish the entire interview day spiel didn't feel like it had been shaped by living in Baylor's shadow. I know even Baylor students talk about cooperation and how in the end the two schools really have two different goals but they kept beating into my head at the Houston interview date "we're not competitive", it seemed like their main selling point, and you can't help but think it wouldn't be their main selling point if Baylor wasn't next door.

I really really loved Houston but am just concerned about this. Did anyone else get this feel at Houston? What do you think?

 

[2tall]

I'm pretty sure at this stage of the game TMDSAS has no idea about interivews who you've interviewed with or who is going to invite you. But my Master File Update changed yesterday...now I'm scared

Exactly! What could it mean?

I'll speculate that they're so excited to Match me that they want to get an early start.

 

[SFAJess]

I'm pretty sure at this stage of the game TMDSAS has no idea about interivews who you've interviewed with or who is going to invite you. But my Master File Update changed yesterday...now I'm scared

Mine did, too. Maybe everybody's did.

I think that lady at UTMB is crazy! How can you say that those schools produce good med students....every undergrad school is going to produce great student and mediocre students. The difference is in the number that they are producing. SFA only sends about 2-3 students a year to med school and that's because only 3-4 apply. Oh well...I shouldn't worry so much about UTMB. Every year they have accepted someone from SFA who has done great. Plus, I don't plan on ranking them very high (#5). But I still get a little concerned about it in case I don't get in to any of the other schools in my top 4 rankings.

 

[UT-Lilly]

Exactly! What could it mean?

I'll speculate that they're so excited to Match me that they want to get an early start.

i'm pretty sure the master file update isn't really an "update" per se. it shows the last time your application was used for any reason--by TMDSAS or any school. schools are probably beginning to develop their formalized rank lists (if they haven't done it by now), so they'll be accessing their interviewed applicants' files from now until january...

 

[USCTex]

schools are probably beginning to develop their formalized rank lists (if they haven't done it by now), so they'll be accessing their interviewed applicants' files from now until january...

Is this the way it works most places?
At the adcom meeting after the interview date they take all the interviewees go through and go accept, maybe, reject? And then after all the interviews they go through the accepted pile and rank all the students???

So that means maybe my file was accessed to put me in an accept, reject, or maybe pile! OMG my fate has already been determined!! And I won't know for another two months!

Wild speculations pass a boring saturday monring

 

[SFAJess]

Is this the way it works most places?
At the adcom meeting after the interview date they take all the interviewees go through and go accept, maybe, reject? And then after all the interviews they go through the accepted pile and rank all the students???

So that means maybe my file was accessed to put me in an accept, reject, or maybe pile! OMG my fate has already been determined!! And I won't know for another two months!

Wild speculations pass a boring saturday monring

This is more fun than studying for finals! 👍 How are we ever going to make it through the holidays and all the way to Feb 1 without giving ourselves ulcers or something?

 

[fotolilith]

Mine did, too. Maybe everybody's did.

I think that lady at UTMB is crazy! How can you say that those schools produce good med students....every undergrad school is going to produce great student and mediocre students. The difference is in the number that they are producing. SFA only sends about 2-3 students a year to med school and that's because only 3-4 apply. Oh well...I shouldn't worry so much about UTMB. Every year they have accepted someone from SFA who has done great. Plus, I don't plan on ranking them very high (#5). But I still get a little concerned about it in case I don't get in to any of the other schools in my top 4 rankings.

I'm sure you will... each school has their own flavor, and there is always some dingbat in the administration who is trying to make a name for themselves or "complete their vision." It's the "Peter Principle:" someone is promoted to their level of incompetence. ;-P

But she's just one voice... who rankled me pretty hard when I met her (cuz it totally blew the image I had of UTMB), but then I talked to students at UTMB who say her bark is worse than her bite (unless you fail the step 1, in which case she sends ppl to "step 1 bootcamp" in missouri *l*).

You will get into the place you fit the best at, so don't worry too much. Besides, MOST of the adcom really wants to find the best doctors, not just the best medical students, so I'm sure you'll get good news in February.

 

[fotolilith]

Excellent comments vis' a vis' UTMB, fotolith. I've heard many of the same rumors...and from an excellent source, apparently UTMB feels like it's "stuck" in third gear as far as self-image goes.

Just my two cents.

Well, every school has problems/ quirks. You can find a stickler for pretty much any of the Texas schools (ie, Baylor's strained relationship with Methodist, UTH's inferiority complex about "not being competitive" with the competition next door, UTSW's getting blamed for Parkland's poor reviews, Tech is in Lubbock/ El Paso, A&M is in College Station (coincidently, did anyone else get an interview with Dean Filo Maldenado in which he asked "You're white, who will you serve?!" A friend of mine did ;-P), etc, etc).

It's a pretty crazy world out there. For the most part, most of this affects us indirectly, but sometimes it's good to know what we're up against. I still think most Texas schools, undergraduate and graduate, offer world class educations, and none of this really ignites me to leave the state (because, in the end, my pocketbooks wins over my self-righteousness ;-P ).

 

[roja]

Well, every school has problems/ quirks. You can find a stickler for pretty much any of the Texas schools (ie, Baylor's strained relationship with Methodist, UTH's inferiority complex about "not being competitive" with the competition next door, UTSW's getting blamed for Parkland's poor reviews, Tech is in Lubbock/ El Paso, A&M is in College Station (coincidently, did anyone else get an interview with Dean Filo Maldenado in which he asked "You're white, who will you serve?!" A friend of mine did ;-P), etc, etc).

It's a pretty crazy world out there. For the most part, most of this affects us indirectly, but sometimes it's good to know what we're up against. I still think most Texas schools, undergraduate and graduate, offer world class educations, and none of this really ignites me to leave the state (because, in the end, my pocketbooks wins over my self-righteousness ;-P ).

And san antonio has the spurs. 😀

 

[::Seabass::]

On a completely unrelated topic what does everyone think of Houston's step child complex.

I really really loved Houston but am just concerned about this. Did anyone else get this feel at Houston? What do you think?

You could have just been reading into what they were saying, the interview sessions I've been around have been saying this as a means to say people here are very hard working (which a vast majority are) and work together. I've never heard it being marketed as a comparison to Baylor, just saying what is one of our strengths. Just the other morning I had 10MB of study reviews in my email different classmates had put together that I had received since checking my mail the previous night. People here really help each other out but of course I can't compare the level to any other school because I've only attended one med school. If it was said in reference to Baylor, it shouldn't have been, I personally believe the inteview day should be about Houston and thats it.

Honestly, we forget they are even there most of the time. I've had some very positive (just one today in fact) and some pretty negative interactions with Baylor students/faculty, thats probably how it is with any two schools sitting next to each other. You're too busy in med school to worry about what is going on across the street.

If you want more detail or have other questions about UTH, feel free to pm. 🙂

 

[penguinol]

And san antonio has the spurs. 😀

Tmac spanked the spurs Thursday night! :>

 

[::Seabass::]

Tmac spanked the spurs Thursday night! :>

I know 🙁

 

[roja]

see that's the beauty of the Spurs. Doesn't matter if they win are lose. They are still the best. And we san antonians love them.


😍 manu 😍 tim 😍 parker 😍

 

[2tall]

Does any1 know when the adcoms meet?

 

[USCTex]

see that's the beauty of the Spurs. Doesn't matter if they win are lose. They are still the best. And we san antonians love them.


😍 manu 😍 tim 😍 parker 😍

GO SPURS! You ask TMac to make 4 threes like that 100 time and watch him fail 99 times...I'll take games like that knowing the Rockets are losing in the 1st Rnd and the Spurs are going all the way 😀 😀

It is hell being a Spurs fan in LA...well up until this year

 

[USCTex]

You could have just been reading into what they were saying...

Typical me 😀 I love UTH very much, defintley my first choice...
Feb. 1st is so far away 🙄

 

[SFAJess]

And san antonio has the spurs. 😀

Great point!!! More specifically....we have Tony Parker!! 😛

 

[frank51]

From what I understand Tech and San Antonio are still inviting people, does anyone know if TCOM is doing the same thing?

 

[synapse lapse]

Mine did, too. Maybe everybody's did.

Mine updated too...

 

[2tall]

LOL@us and this process.

 

[Brain]

On a completely unrelated topic what does everyone think of Houston's step child complex.

I really don't wan to seem shallow but Houston's relationship with Baylor concerns me. I love Houston I just wish the entire interview day spiel didn't feel like it had been shaped by living in Baylor's shadow. I know even Baylor students talk about cooperation and how in the end the two schools really have two different goals but they kept beating into my head at the Houston interview date "we're not competitive", it seemed like their main selling point, and you can't help but think it wouldn't be their main selling point if Baylor wasn't next door.

I really really loved Houston but am just concerned about this. Did anyone else get this feel at Houston? What do you think?

Baylor was not mentioned by any of the students at UTH when I interviewed there. At the Baylor interview, however, there were a couple of the students that made negative comments about UTH and said things like "MD Anderson is not affiliated with UTH" which is not at all true. Nonetheless, these students probably are not representative of all Baylor students and you'll probably find a few of these at any med school.

 

[UTKB]

Just got back from UTSW interview. My butt hurts from driving! There were lots of cute male med students there 😍 . They came out of the woodwork for free lunch (they were all on campus studying for exams). It looked like there were more med students than interviewees!!! I briefly med AsianDoc and MadameLULU, two very lovely girls.

My master file update changed at the end of Nov, about 2 weeks after my Tech interview (we'll see when it changes now that I've interviewed at UTSW). THis is fun!

 

[UTKB]

Oh, I forgot to say that my chances of getting into UTSW don't look so hot. The # of folks they admit drops sharply below MCAT score of 30, according to a bar graph they provided. And color me happy for getting 29! Damn laziness. 👍

 

[synapse lapse]

How do you know you didn't get an interview from UTH, UTKB? They are still inviting until 2 more weeks, are you just assuming?

 

[true blue]

How do you know you didn't get an interview from UTH, UTKB? They are still inviting until 2 more weeks, are you just assuming?

I think UTKB is saying this because UTH usually sends out their invites within 2-3 weeks after your application has been processed by TMDSAS.

Is there anyone with a different experience?

 

[USCTex]

Baylor was not mentioned by any of the students at UTH when I interviewed there. At the Baylor interview, however, there were a couple of the students that made negative comments about UTH and said things like "MD Anderson is not affiliated with UTH" which is not at all true. Nonetheless, these students probably are not representative of all Baylor students and you'll probably find a few of these at any med school.

You already know this of course but WAY MORE Residents from UTH siphon through Anderson than from Baylor. I guess they a FEW of them can't stand that four out of the last five years Anderson has been the number 1 place to be treated for cancer and their top graduate medical accolade is THI sitting at #9.

Oh well...

But on a much more important note MATT LEINHART won the heisman! I can't imagine a better place to be rigth now; as a Texas resident I hate Oklahoma with a passion and now as a USC student not only has Leinhart crushed Adrian Peterson in the Heisman voting but we'll do the same come January 4th in the Orange Bowl.

 

[UTKB]

How do you know you didn't get an interview from UTH, UTKB? They are still inviting until 2 more weeks, are you just assuming?

You are right, I am just assuming it to be true 🙁 . Besides, people get emails before they get the letter in the mail, and I thought they had put all the invites in the mail.

 

[USCTex]

I think UTKB is saying this because UTH usually sends out their invites within 2-3 weeks after your application has been processed by TMDSAS.

Is there anyone with a different experience?

UTH has a reputation as the quickest school to process your app and this is certainly my exprience with them.

 

[synapse lapse]

You are right, I am just assuming it to be true 🙁 . Besides, people get emails before they get the letter in the mail, and I thought they had put all the invites in the mail.

Well, I called and they told me they were still inviting, and would be sending out emails until xmas. I am still holding my breath for one!

 

[UTKB]

UTH has a reputation as the quickest school to process your app and this is certainly my exprience with them.

This is true...last year when I got interviewed by UTH (with a crappier app, I might add), I heard from them 2 weeks after I was processed. I think it's safe to assume I've been REJECTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Poop on UTH 😛 j/k!

 

[true blue]

FYI:

I called the admissions office yesterday and they said that invites would be sent out 10 days before your scheduled interview date. The lady told me they will be sending out invites EVEN DURING THE XMAS BREAK.

 

[USCTex]

FYI:

I called the admissions office yesterday and they said that invites would be sent out 10 days before your scheduled interview date. The lady told me they will be sending out invites EVEN DURING THE XMAS BREAK.

😀

Hope. Thanks for posting that man. AND ROOT FOR USC!

 

[AsianDoc816]

Just got back from UTSW interview. My butt hurts from driving! There were lots of cute male med students there 😍 . They came out of the woodwork for free lunch (they were all on campus studying for exams). It looked like there were more med students than interviewees!!! I briefly med AsianDoc and MadameLULU, two very lovely girls.

My master file update changed at the end of Nov, about 2 weeks after my Tech interview (we'll see when it changes now that I've interviewed at UTSW). THis is fun!

UTSW truly impressed me. I'm currrently at a tie between UTSW and UTMB for my #1 ranked school (weird, since they're completely different!). Going to Southwestern has left me even more confused. Every time I come back from an interview, I become very excited and feel like the school that I just interviewed at is simply fabulous. Ranking is going to be even tougher than I originally thought! Grrrrrr....maybe if I sleep on it, I'll have a dream that will tell me what to do. In response to the comments made about UT-Houston, I felt like the only time that the medical students commented about "being in Baylor's shadow" was when the applicants specifically asked about this. They did seem to stress non-competitiveness, and it worries me that the students are not ranked on their applications for residency. How can this be possible when class ranking is so important??? That's almost like applying to medical school without a GPA (okay, not quite, but along the same lines)!

BTW....my last master file update changed on 12/10/04. What the heck does that mean? Something happened to my file yesterday....did this happen to anyone else???

 

[synapse lapse]

BTW....my last master file update changed on 12/10/04. What the heck does that mean? Something happened to my file yesterday....did this happen to anyone else???

We were discussing this earlier. It happened to me too, and a couple of other people. Maybe it means nothing, maybe it means the world. Who knows. It sure doesn't mean anything to me till Feb 1st!

 

[UTKB]

BTW....my last master file update changed on 12/10/04. What the heck does that mean? Something happened to my file yesterday....did this happen to anyone else???

It seems like on the last 2 pages or so people have been posting that their's have been changing also. Probably adcoms looking at our files again for the purpose of ranking.

 

[USCTex]

Every time I come back from an interview, I become very excited and feel like the school that I just interviewed at is simply fabulous.

In response to the comments made about UT-Houston, I felt like the only time that the medical students commented about "being in Baylor's shadow" was when the applicants specifically asked about this. They did seem to stress non-competitiveness, and it worries me that the students are not ranked on their applications for residency.

I'm a much less qualified candidate than you so I was only at San Antonio and Houston but this troubles me very much about Houston as well. On the other hand their Honors, High Pass, Pass, etc. certainly give any program a good idea about your grades...I mean it's almost identical to an A,B,C, etc system.

What I was happy about was the fact that so many Houston students matched residencies in Texas and especially at Houston. I think the fact that Houston doesn't rank is less important for TX schools than it probably is to schools outside of TX. On that note, up until this year at least THI's thoracic residency was affiliated with Houston. That's huge even though it's at least nine years away from me 😀. Well...it's important to me at least 😀.

 

[OrthoFixation]

I refuse to try and make sense out of the TMDSAS profile dates. Way too confusing and stress inducing for me. But I'll be there on Jan. 30 at 11:59p. 😕