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

[UTKB]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Thanks lilith for all the encouragement...you only have positive things to say 🙂 ! I think all of our stress is coming to a head and is going to pop like a big green zit 😱 on Feb 1.

Tomorrow is my birthday, I will be 23 😱 😱 😱 AND I'm taking the day off from work 😴 .

 

[txguy]

No call here either 🙁

-tx

 

[ladyybugg]

Wow, congrats on an in-state interview - this is regular MD, right? From what I heard, most out of staters get the MD/ PhD spots, but I think it depends on what school you apply to. Regardless, congrats, cuz you've got to be pretty impressive to get the interview - TX schools take an average of 5-10% of their class from out of state, so you must've impressed them to get in the door.

Everyone, in or out of state (unless you do a special/ dual program), just ranks their preferences and gets their match on February 1st. I've heard of a couple of ppl applying outside of TMDSAS, but I think all the info that you need is on the website you filled out to apply to Texas schools - just be sure to set your preference for UTHSCSA by this Saturday.

Thanks for the support! It totally sucks being from California...all my premed advisors said move to another state! Do you think that it is better to interview early if you're from out of state? I interviewed the beginning of September. I just hope i get in!

 

[dizzydog]

Did anyone recieve any kind of financial aide info for UTHSCSA? I heard a rumor that it was discussed on interview day, but I heard nothing....hmmmmm.


On another note, I'm so anxious I can't sit still. Today I bought some brown paint and painted a room in my house. It looks ugly. 🙁

What have you guys been doing to distract yourselves?

 

[fotolilith]

Thanks for the support! It totally sucks being from California...all my premed advisors said move to another state! Do you think that it is better to interview early if you're from out of state? I interviewed the beginning of September. I just hope i get in!

In Texas when you get the interview doesn't matter so much as GETTING the interview. But yeah, except for the temperate weather, hot people, beaches, mountains, good wines, cultural diversity... it must totally suck to be from Cali. ;-)

 

[true blue]

Thanks lilith for all the encouragement...you only have positive things to say 🙂 ! I think all of our stress is coming to a head and is going to pop like a big green zit 😱 on Feb 1.

Tomorrow is my birthday, I will be 23 😱 😱 😱 AND I'm taking the day off from work 😴 .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UTKB!!!!!!!!!!! 😀

Here's hoping to a happy belated birthday present for you! 👍

 

[true blue]

You guys will all be okay.

🙂

Thanks for the encouragement! 🙂

 

[fotolilith]

On another note, I'm so anxious I can't sit still. Today I bought some brown paint and painted a room in my house. It looks ugly. 🙁

What have you guys been doing to distract yourselves?

Why not "paint it black?"

I've just been crashing my bike into things... I find the searing pain radiating from the side I landed on REALLY does do a lot to distract me from the SEARING thoughts of medical school admission committees. That and double-fisting glasses of wine while prowling the TMDSAS thread. I must be pretty close to being one with the universe by now... Ommm..omm. 😀

 

[true blue]

Why not "paint it black?"

I've just been crashing my bike into things... I find the searing pain radiating from the side I landed on REALLY does do a lot to distract me from the SEARING thoughts of medical school admission committees. That and double-fisting glasses of wine while prowling the TMDSAS thread. I must be pretty close to being one with the universe by now... Ommm..omm. 😀

Wine. Copious amounts of it. This is how I manage to go to work in the morning and survive the idle time in the evenings. 😳

I feel so abnormal these days.

Sad, huh? 😳

 

[fotolilith]

Wine. Copious amounts of it. This is how I manage to go to work in the morning and survive the idle time in the evenings. 😳

I feel so abnormal these days.

Sad, huh? 😳

aww, I think I've found my soul mate.

It's not sad... wine is good for your heart. I love learning that stuff I like (wine, chocolate, olive oil, red meat,blueberries etc) are good for you. 😉

 

[G0S2]

aww, I think I've found my soul mate.

It's not sad... wine is good for your heart. I love learning that stuff I like (wine, chocolate, olive oil, red meat,blueberries etc) are good for you. 😉

Even though I will never give it up:



Meat Consumption and Risk of Colorectal Cancer

Ann Chao, PhD; Michael J. Thun, MD, MS; Cari J. Connell, MPH; Marjorie L. McCullough, ScD; Eric J. Jacobs, PhD; W. Dana Flanders, MD, ScD; Carmen Rodriguez, MD, MPH; Rashmi Sinha, PhD; Eugenia E. Calle, PhD


JAMA.*2005;293:172-182.

 

[EvoDevo]

What's this "Match" everyone keeps talking about?? 😕

 

[G0S2]

What's this "Match" everyone keeps talking about?? 😕

It's when UTHSCSA picks the students it wants and all the leftovers go to some other medical school.

 

[USCTex]

But yeah, except for the temperate weather, hot people, beaches, mountains, good wines, cultural diversity... it must totally suck to be from Cali. ;-)

Texas girls match up very very well with so cal girls...
But yeah...California sucks...

 

[Brain]

I wonder why they haven't called....are they still making phone calls until the 15th? They can't possibly call all 1200 interviewees....they have to be calling a select few.

I wouldn't worry too much about the phone calls. Here's some info straight from TMDSAS:

"No actions should be taken by a participating school or its representative to persuade applicants to rank the school high on their rank list in exchange for a promise of acceptance or other inducements.
No offer of acceptance or implication of an offer of acceptance should be made, either verbally or through correspondence, by a participating school or its representative prior to the match"

So technically it's illegal for them to call their favorites. Since they probably can't call all 900 of their interviewees, they probably have some sort of random sampling method to select who they call.

 

[Brain]

Go Eagles

Wow! Someone outside the school knows our mascot. We're not exactly famous for our athletics 🙄

 

[SFAJess]

Happy 23rd Birthday UTKB!!

​

I hope you have a fun and relaxing day!

 

[AsianDoc816]

I wouldn't take your interview exerience personal - that seems like a common story for this year, oddly enough. I've gotten the impression from such anecdotes (and from the adcom) that UTMB doesn't put much emphasis on the interview anyways.

And the phone call is not made to favorites - EVERYONE who interviewed is scheduled to get the reminder...I mean "encouragement" call. If you didn't receive one yet, it's probably because the person assigned to call you is taking his or her own sweet time. 🙂

So true--those of you who haven't been called will either
1. get a call tonight (lazy UTMB peeps)
2. were assigned to a phone caller who forgot about you, amidst the one million other things on his/her mind

roja--thank you for the encouragement! I honestly will be okay, but as I've warned my friends, family, and poor, poor boyfriend--things are going to be hectic here until Feb. 1.

UTKB--HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

What I do to relax--I run it off! The more stressed I am, the harder and faster I run. Another thing I've always wanted--a punching bag to release all of my nervous energy! (can you feel the OCD Type 1/Personality vibe illuminating from your computer screen???)

 

[dizzydog]

Why not "paint it black?"

When I see a red door I want to paint it black....

 

[roja]

It's when UTHSCSA picks the students it wants and all the leftovers go to some other medical school.

😀😀😀😀





Made my crazy day! its a zoo here.

 

[SFAJess]

So true--those of you who haven't been called will either
1. get a call tonight (lazy UTMB peeps)
2. were assigned to a phone caller who forgot about you, amidst the one million other things on his/her mind

I sure hope that's true! 🙂

 

[Ylime]

Ok I have had my mind made up with regard to raking for quite some time... Or so I thought. Now that it's the last minute I'm beginning to question myself. I am not sure whether to put UTH above UTMB, or vice versa. I liked the environment at UTH better, but the one thing that bothers me is the class days being so long. It doesn't seem like there's a lot of time left to try to study when you're in class all day. But then again, UTMB's class days are so short, it makes me wonder if we'd have sufficient time to be taught everything that we need to be. Anyone have any input on this??

Thanks,
Emily

 

[EvoDevo]

Happy Birthday, UTKB!!!

 

[jdovez]

Ok I have had my mind made up with regard to raking for quite some time... Or so I thought. Now that it's the last minute I'm beginning to question myself. I am not sure whether to put UTH above UTMB, or vice versa. I liked the environment at UTH better, but the one thing that bothers me is the class days being so long. It doesn't seem like there's a lot of time left to try to study when you're in class all day. But then again, UTMB's class days are so short, it makes me wonder if we'd have sufficient time to be taught everything that we need to be. Anyone have any input on this??

Thanks,
Emily

I am having a similar dilemma. I like the UTMB curriculum for the first two years better but prefer the opportunities in the latter 2 years at UTH. The class length at UTH is a large deterrent, but I have spoken to a second year student there and he really stresses how beneficial it is to have the classes on streaming video on the web. He tells me that only about 15% of the class (around 30ish students) are still going to the typical classes right now. I know it is similar at some other institutions in which I have friends attending. Therefore, if you want to "attend" lecture you can do so from the convenience of your home if you wish. You only need to go to the labs and whatnot. Hope that helps. Its coming down to the wire and UTH, UTMB and UTSW are all still more or less tied in my mind. I really hope an epiphany strikes.

 

[Ylime]

Oh yeah, I had forgotten about being able to watch the UTH lectures online. That moves it up a little in my mind. Thanks for reminding me!

Emily

 

[::Seabass::]

Oh yeah, I had forgotten about being able to watch the UTH lectures online. That moves it up a little in my mind. Thanks for reminding me!

Emily

well, the reality is you go to class from about 9-3 1st semester 1st year. it is NOT 8-5.

after that, you have about one lab a week in the afternoon and maybe a clinical skills session in the afternoon.

and more than 30 people go to class in my class. the administrators would freak if that few showed up. a huge part of the class is also down in the LRC watching lectures together.

 

[::Seabass::]

I am having a similar dilemma. I like the UTMB curriculum for the first two years better but prefer the opportunities in the latter 2 years at UTH. The class length at UTH is a large deterrent, but I have spoken to a second year student there and he really stresses how beneficial it is to have the classes on streaming video on the web. He tells me that only about 15% of the class (around 30ish students) are still going to the typical classes right now. I know it is similar at some other institutions in which I have friends attending. Therefore, if you want to "attend" lecture you can do so from the convenience of your home if you wish. You only need to go to the labs and whatnot. Hope that helps. Its coming down to the wire and UTH, UTMB and UTSW are all still more or less tied in my mind. I really hope an epiphany strikes.

I posted this a couple pages back:

Do NOT underestimate how awesome it is to have lectures videotaped unless you are 10000000000% sure you will always go to class.

It is soooo nice to 'attend' class whever you want, pause and write stuff down you wouldn't have time to if you were in class, rewind if you zone out, or speed up 1.4 or 2x for the really slow talkers! (who wants to go to class for 50 minutes when you can go in 35??) And don't worry, we have a nice new Learning Resource Center full of computers with headphones and study carrals which almost everyone drops through at least once a day to socialize so you still see all your classmates who do go to class.

 

[UTKB]

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone ! I slept in until 11am...wow I haven't done that in a while. It was great. I think I'm going to go buy myself a birthday lunch at Taco Cabana, then go to Fry's and buy myself a paper shredder (how lame am I 🙄 ?).

To get the match off my mind, I do like AsianDoc does...work out. Then I pass more time staring at myself in the mirror...damn fine specimen! J/k. Then I can fall asleep at night instead of keeping myself up thinking. I've noticed I've been boozin' it a lot more recently.

 

[USCTex]

I think I'm going to go buy myself a birthday lunch at Taco Cabana

Now I wish I was back in TX and could have Taco Cabana 🙁
A very happy birthday too you though...although you have to wait until feb. 1st for your present.

 

[aprilshyla]

i had a dream last night that every dean from each Texas school that i interviewed at called me up like maybe it was an acceptance phone call, and then laughed at me and told me sorry, not this year kiddo.

i woke up and nearly fell off the bed i was so freaked out! i think the very rapidly approaching Feb. 1 is getting to me!!!!!

 

[Ylime]

I posted this a couple pages back:

Do NOT underestimate how awesome it is to have lectures videotaped unless you are 10000000000% sure you will always go to class.

It is soooo nice to 'attend' class whever you want, pause and write stuff down you wouldn't have time to if you were in class, rewind if you zone out, or speed up 1.4 or 2x for the really slow talkers! (who wants to go to class for 50 minutes when you can go in 35??) And don't worry, we have a nice new Learning Resource Center full of computers with headphones and study carrals which almost everyone drops through at least once a day to socialize so you still see all your classmates who do go to class.

Seabass,
Is there anything you don't like about UTH, or are you completely satisfied with the school and the education you're getting so far?

Emily

 

[txguy]

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone ! I slept in until 11am...wow I haven't done that in a while. It was great. I think I'm going to go buy myself a birthday lunch at Taco Cabana, then go to Fry's and buy myself a paper shredder (how lame am I 🙄 ?).

To get the match off my mind, I do like AsianDoc does...work out. Then I pass more time staring at myself in the mirror...damn fine specimen! J/k. Then I can fall asleep at night instead of keeping myself up thinking. I've noticed I've been boozin' it a lot more recently.

Happy Bday!!

Almost a quarter-century like me 😎 lol j/k

-tx

 

[jdovez]

well, the reality is you go to class from about 9-3 1st semester 1st year. it is NOT 8-5.

after that, you have about one lab a week in the afternoon and maybe a clinical skills session in the afternoon.

and more than 30 people go to class in my class. the administrators would freak if that few showed up. a huge part of the class is also down in the LRC watching lectures together.

I figured the 30ish number was a bit of an overexaggeration, but it did come directly from a second year I saw on the metro the other day.

On another note, I was all set to rank UTH 1 above UTMB and UTSW and then I looked through the old US news and world report "best hospitals". It seems as if parkland is ranked in the top 20 in almost every specialty listed whereas hermann only ranked (rather lowly) in a couple of areas (and methodist wasn't even that hot compared with parkland). Now I generally take rankings with a grain of salt based on the methodology, but it is an interesting thing to consider. Man this ranking blows.

 

[lane]

Wow! Someone outside the school knows our mascot. We're not exactly famous for our athletics 🙄

i played baseball for EU 😳 i know all about the athletics

 

[lane]

I figured the 30ish number was a bit of an overexaggeration, but it did come directly from a second year I saw on the metro the other day.

On another note, I was all set to rank UTH 1 above UTMB and UTSW and then I looked through the old US news and world report "best hospitals". It seems as if parkland is ranked in the top 20 in almost every specialty listed whereas hermann only ranked (rather lowly) in a couple of areas (and methodist wasn't even that hot compared with parkland). Now I generally take rankings with a grain of salt based on the methodology, but it is an interesting thing to consider. Man this ranking blows.

hospital rankings don't tell the whole story when it comes to teaching. just remember in med school you're on the bottom of the totem pole - you'll have a great shot at seeing some rare, cool stuff but you might not get the hands on experience.

 

[SFAJess]

Okay now I'm really frustrated. Today my fiance comes in and says that it's a possibility that I could end up at UTSW since it's my 3rd choice and Dallas would be too far away. 😡 He's going to be servicing oil drilling sites in the areas around College Station to Houston and will be working one week on and one week off.

I'm happy that he got this job b/c it's really going to help us out and now we'll actually be able to set a date knowing that we have a steady income. This is tough!

Well, here's the new list:
1. TAMU
2. UTHSCSA
3. UTH
4. UTSW
5. UTMB
6. TTU

 

[jdovez]

Okay now I'm really frustrated. Today my fiance comes in and says that it's a possibility that I could end up at UTSW since it's my 3rd choice and Dallas would be too far away. 😡 He's going to be servicing oil drilling sites in the areas around College Station to Houston and will be working one week on and one week off.

I'm happy that he got this job b/c it's really going to help us out and now we'll actually be able to set a date knowing that we have a steady income. This is tough!

Well, here's the new list:
1. TAMU
2. UTHSCSA
3. UTH
4. UTSW
5. UTMB
6. TTU

It sucks that you have to change your list based on the job, but look on the bright side, you have the financial means to accomplish what you want. Also, it seems to me that if you could match at UTSW you could probably match to almost all the other Texas schools (at least thats what the stats imply to me). Therefore, if you are to match at SW, you prob will get your 1st or 2nd choice. Anyway, best of luck with the match! Im sure you'll get somewhere you want.

 

[RangerD]

I wanted to get an opinion on something:

I interviewed at A&M a while back. I had a good overall experience until my last interview. The interviewer was very combative with me, which normally I would just think was funny, but in this case, it was different. I am prior military, and the interviewer was of middle eastern decent (as has been several other interviewers that I have had). However, this guy was unique because he seemed pissed off about the Iraqi Prison abuse thing and he was acting like it was me that was over there doing those things. 😱
I don't want to repeat the things he said, but it made me very uncomfortable. I don't think he took me seriously as an applicant at all, because the whole time he kept talking about that same subject in a combative fashion. I tried to stay positive and tried to keep a smile on my face the whole time as I had to keep explaining that I would not have done those things. For a while, I thought maybe this guy was just testing me to see if he could make me lose my cool...so I didn't. However, the tone of the interview never changed, so I left thinking it was not just a test, but rather this guy had a real problem with the fact that I served our country in the military.

I did not say anything to Mr. Maldonado at the time and did not indicate anything negative on the review. As I said, it was all positive up to that point and I didn't want to make waves. I thought if it was a test, this guy may have ended up rating me high because I kept my cool through the whole thing. I did not let this guy's attitude problem affect how I rated A&M and I didn't want to do anything to change how they rate me. If it is meant to be, then it is meant to be. However, if it wasn't just a test, he probably slammed me on the interview rating. I figured I would wait until after the match, then let Mr. Maldonado know so he would be aware of the situation.

Now, however, I am thinking I should bring it to his attention prior to that because if they don't offer me a position solely because this guy rated me poorly, that would suck.

What do you think? 😕 😕 😕

 

[Brain]

I wanted to get an opinion on something:

I interviewed at A&M a while back. I had a good overall experience until my last interview. The interviewer was very combative with me, which normally I would just think was funny, but in this case, it was different. I am prior military, and the interviewer was of middle eastern decent (as has been several other interviewers that I have had). However, this guy was unique because he seemed pissed off about the Iraqi Prison abuse thing and he was acting like it was me that was over there doing those things. 😱
I don't want to repeat the things he said, but it made me very uncomfortable. I don't think he took me seriously as an applicant at all, because the whole time he kept talking about that same subject in a combative fashion. I tried to stay positive and tried to keep a smile on my face the whole time as I had to keep explaining that I would not have done those things. For a while, I thought maybe this guy was just testing me to see if he could make me lose my cool...so I didn't. However, the tone of the interview never changed, so I left thinking it was not just a test, but rather this guy had a real problem with the fact that I served our country in the military.

I did not say anything to Mr. Maldonado at the time and did not indicate anything negative on the review. As I said, it was all positive up to that point and I didn't want to make waves. I thought if it was a test, this guy may have ended up rating me high because I kept my cool through the whole thing. I did not let this guy's attitude problem affect how I rated A&M and I didn't want to do anything to change how they rate me. If it is meant to be, then it is meant to be. However, if it wasn't just a test, he probably slammed me on the interview rating. I figured I would wait until after the match, then let Mr. Maldonado know so he would be aware of the situation.

Now, however, I am thinking I should bring it to his attention prior to that because if they don't offer me a position solely because this guy rated me poorly, that would suck.

What do you think? 😕 😕 😕

Yikes! Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, the schools have the same deadline that we do to turn in their rankings. Since that is tomorrow, I doubt that informing Filo now will do any good. You could go ahead and tell him to possibly help next years cycle avoid this guy.

 

[::Seabass::]

Seabass,
Is there anything you don't like about UTH, or are you completely satisfied with the school and the education you're getting so far?

Emily

hmmmmm, I've been thinking and trying to come up with stuff:

-I guess an obvious is you can't drive right up to the school and park unless you want to pay. The train thingie you can get a pass for and there are free shuttles circulating (I ride one of those in), many get scooters, bike, walk or bus in. But I went to undergrad where you couldn't park either so I'm not so sure I really notice and it doesn't bother me. Third and fourth year you get reduced parking if you rotate and Hermann or MD anderson (parking is free at lbj and st joes) so its really only a potential problem 1st and 2nd year.

-hmm, they raised our tuition a grand last year (so it is 10k/yr instead of 9k) but as students we were the ones who decided it should go towards recruiting faculty and keeping good people here

-they just started a required ethics course which right now I feel like isn't quite worth the time, they'll tweak it for a yr or two based off student feedback before they get it right so it might still not be quite perfect yet when you would potentially take it.

 

[USCTex]

Just to let everyone know...
Matt Leinhart Returns for Senior Year...Trojan Fans Rejoice...

 

[shock827]

yay, today I got a rejection letter from TCOM... I thought they waited AFTER the match to send them. oh well, screw em.

 

[EvoDevo]

yay, today I got a rejection letter from TCOM... I thought they waited AFTER the match to send them. oh well, screw em.

Wow. 😱

So sorry to hear that, my friend.....

 

[shock827]

Oh, just so people don't get scared, they didn't invite me to an interview or anything. Makes you wonder how they choose the interviewees. My app downright sucked last year but they gave me an interview. But this year every school that didn't invite me last year invited me this year, except UTSA and them.

 

[neoncandle]

Make sure your match list is posted today...

 

[AsianDoc816]

Make sure your match list is posted today...

Oh, the horrible, mind-boggling, can't-concentrate wait begins....personally, I wish that I could just sleep for the next sixteen days and wake up to find that I had matched at _________ Medical School in Texas.

 

[SFAJess]

I think I'm going crazy....last night I took a practice GRE test just in case I need to apply to grad school! 😱 I need a shrink! Why do they put us through this?

 

[G0S2]

I think I'm going crazy....last night I took a practice GRE test just in case I need to apply to grad school! 😱 I need a shrink! Why do they put us through this?

No, you are in fact crazy!! A practice GRE???!! On a Friday night???? I can understand a bottle of JD, but a freakin test!!!!

 

[txguy]

Yikes! Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, the schools have the same deadline that we do to turn in their rankings. Since that is tomorrow, I doubt that informing Filo now will do any good. You could go ahead and tell him to possibly help next years cycle avoid this guy.

Is this true??

-tx

 

[RangerD]

Yikes! Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, the schools have the same deadline that we do to turn in their rankings. Since that is tomorrow, I doubt that informing Filo now will do any good. You could go ahead and tell him to possibly help next years cycle avoid this guy.

Thanks for that info. I didn't know there deadline was the same as ours. So, if our lists and their lists are both in, why would they put off the actual match for another couple weeks?!? What kind of slow computer must they be running if it takes it 2 weeks to run that simple algorithm? ...286? If it would speed things up, I would gladly buy TMDSAS a new Dell!

Well, I guess I'll follow my initial plan and wait until after I get the match results to fill Filo in on my wonderful experience.