Texas Pre-Meds

Applying to Med School? Get In Or Your Money Back
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I have UTH and UTSA interviews coming up.. any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!
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Originally posted by lakewill
I have UTH and UTSA interviews coming up.. any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!
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San Antonio's interviews will probably focus very heavily on your personal statement. The other questions should be standard fare (current events, etc...)

Houston's interviews are more random in comparison. The interviewers have your entire application but I don't think they get much direction from higher ups as to what to ask.

Best of luck and be sure and check out the interview feedback section, there should be lots for both schools.
 
UTH and UTSA: my two favorite TX schools :)

You'll enjoy both interviews alot. Real laid-back.

At Houston: take extra time to get there! traffic SUCKS and alot of people were late for the interview day. Also, take as many tours as you possibly can. The TMC is amazing.

SA: Real laid-back setting. Nothin too rough. Traffic not nearly as much of a problem :)
 
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I'm assuming there won't be anymore TX interviews for me, so I just finished putting in my rankings.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know how low on the list you can rank a school and still be admitted during the match?

For example, schools ranked 1 and 2 on your list don't rank you high enough to match- Can you still get in to the school you ranked 3rd or would all the seats be already full by the third round?
 
the match is designed to the benefit of the students. if you get 7 interviews, for example, and rank those schools 1-7, there's the possibility that you could get matched with the school you ranked 7th.

the match slots would remain open in the higher 6 schools you ranked, though. if someone dropped their spot at your 6th ranked school in March, for example, you might get that spot.

hope this helps.
 
I put some information on my website (http://charlesbruen.com) for those contempleting their TMDSAS Rankings.
  • List of Texas Trauma Centers
  • Scott & White Clinic Announces New Hospital
The Trauma center list is from 1999, and this year Scott & White was certified as a Level 1 Center. That means that each Texas medical school has an affiliation with a Level 1 center except UTH. Even though Ben Taub is in the TMC, I believe only Baylor students have access to it.
 
UTSA's gain was Tech's loss when Dr Varghese decided to move to SA last summer after teaching at Tech's El Paso campus (where 3rd and 4th year students rotate) for some years. In fact his last book "The Tennis Partner" is based on his relationship with a Tech medical student in El Paso (tragic story). I read the book before starting at Tech this fall and was really looking forward to being taught by Dr Varghese in two years, but that will not happen. Oh well, we'll just have to find another doctor-writer.
 
I'm pretty sure UTH has a Level 1 trauma center. Lifeflight comes into Herman Memorial
 
Your right about Lifeflight. When I was at TMC I remember watching Lifeflight come in and land at Herman. But Air Transport services does not necessairly mean Level 1 Trauma Center. For example Methodist Medical Center here in Dallas has helicopter services and they are classified as Level 2. The data I got was from Texas Health and Human Services Commission Medicaid website.


PS. Seaworth -- Sorry I haven't got back to you sooner Seaworth, I have been in New York at the UN and now to DC working on some evaluation of the Iraqi data. I will be back to AA thread real soon.
 
Originally posted by cabruen
PS. Seaworth -- Sorry I haven't got back to you sooner Seaworth, I have been in New York at the UN and now to DC working on some evaluation of the Iraqi data. I will be back to AA thread real soon.
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Well, since you have been saving the world, I guess I'll have to forgive you........:D
 
Okay, seeing cabruen online reminded me to look it up. UT Houston does have a level 1 trauma center at memorial hermann.
 
hi you all,
I've interviewed at three TX schools, and they were all in August, and it's December now and I figure, interview season is long over, and in my mail, I get an interview at Tech on Jan 10... that's 5 days before you have to submit your rankings...should I really go? wouldn't there only be like a couple of seats left that i'm fighting for?

Thanks for any inputs...
 
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I think you should go...I really liked Tech a lot. Plus, you should go to as many interviews as possible, because you never know what could happen in this crap-shoot process.
 
Originally posted by cabruen
Well I am smart enough to know not to argue with a woman. :)
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Well now, seems like you have learned life's greatest lesson. ;)
 
Wow, Tech is still interviewing in January? I wouldn't have thought that. I would do whatever you felt that you wanted to.
 
just curious, how good of a chance do I got since i'm now going to interview there...all else being equal, except competing against someone who interview way earlier than me? or is that last interview date just looking for someone really really exceptional...

Thanks...
 
Just wanted to let everyone know that UTMB's last interview date is 1/3/03. I got my invite today.

Apparently this last round is for folks that applied late or were otherwise looked over in the first go-round.

We'll see how it goes...
 
Ambrous,


Since Tech (and all of the other public medical schools in Texas) use the TMDSAS matching system, I don't see how interviewing in January puts you at a disadvantage. In other words, all the state med schools in TX are non-rolling; no acceptance offers have been made anywhere in Texas other than Baylor so far. I'm not exactly sure how Tech's admission process works, but I think all schools that use the matching system rank their applicants, and feed that list into the TMDSAS computer, which assigns matches. And that system would give you an equal chance of being admitted according to your preferences, regardless of what day you interviewed.

Hope that helps, and good luck with your interview.
 
Thanks for the good advice. bujji13...now i feel alot better since i thought the very last interview days were just for the last few spots...
 
Right, since each individual schools ranking isn't completed until the last interview, in theory it makes no difference whether you interviewed on the first day or the last day. So, if you have any desire to go to a particular TX school (be it Tech, UTMB etc.) and you get an interview on the last day, definitely go, as you have just as much chance as everyone else! Check out the TMDSAS website for matching information...http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/application/application.htm
 
is anyone else sick of waiting....
 
Originally posted by Pickle Salt
is anyone else sick of waiting....
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Yep, it's worse than waiting for MCAT scores. Especially since my last interview was in the first week of Dec, I have another whole month to wait!:mad:
 
Well, it's almost a month until match day....
 
is anyone else struggling with the ranking? my first choice is clear to me...but i thought each of the schools i visited had some very positive aspects...are you all just going with your gut or do you have some sort of system for the rank?

i'm happy that the interview circuit is over for me...but i'm going to be on pins and needles until i 12:01 feb. 1...wondering whether/where i'll be going to med school next year.
 
Originally posted by rjhtamu
Well, it's almost a month until match day....
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aren't you going to Baylor though?
 
Yeah, but I'm also very interested in seeing my match results, Plus stating the obvious for everyone else. Something I'm good at, ;)
 
Originally posted by amelie
is anyone else struggling with the ranking? my first choice is clear to me...but i thought each of the schools i visited had some very positive aspects...are you all just going with your gut or do you have some sort of system for the rank?

i'm happy that the interview circuit is over for me...but i'm going to be on pins and needles until i 12:01 feb. 1...wondering whether/where i'll be going to med school next year.
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my first choice is also clear. my 2nd is too. after that? kind of a mess. I think your gut is a good thing to go on, after that, consider the curriculum, whether you want block, or more traditional. city, or rural. there are a lot of factors.

I think some people were done interviewing in September. I ended up rescheduling 3 of my interviews, so I didn't finish till the beginning of December. it is annoying, cause I feel like I might already have an acceptance, and hate waiting.
 
I knew pretty much what I wanted as my first choice, and also for my last two choices, but all of the ones in between were a problem for me. I think I finally have it the way I want to keep it though.
 
How many other schools did you fellow Texans apply to?

Maybe I'm not as worried as most because I spent a heck of a lot of money and have some extra tickets for this "med school admissions lottery":D

TMDSAS schools: 4
AMCAS schools: 11
 
AMCAS: 11
TMDSAS: all but TCOM, however many is that, 6?
 
All 7 TMDSAS schools and 4 AMCAS.

Just interviewing at all of the Texas schools was as expensive as I wanted it to get, so I didn't interview out of state.
 
Actually, medical schools tend to select students who applied early rather than later when there are tie-breakers to be made. At least that's what I heard from some people on different admissions committees in Texas.

The gist was that they tend to lean toward students who apply early. I really don't know anymore than that.
 
i was wondering, is there any statistic out between your ranking of #1 and matching with it?
 
That depends on a lot of things, but I've heard from many people that the more interviews that you're invited to, the higher the chances of you matching to your #1, unless something really bad happened at your #1 too keep you from getting in there.
 
i have to admit i'm getting nervous. if this med school thing doesnt come thru, i need to get busy with post-bacc plans so that i'll be doing something to help my app if i reapply next year.

honest opinions: I applied to all the TMDSAS schools and got interviews at 6 (all but southwestern). Do you guys think i have a chance of getting into one? i'm usually a very confident person but as the match day approaches, i cant help but get a little insecure....
 
ps-- i guess im just asking, can i be confident based on number of interviews alone? any thoughts?
 
I don't think you (Pickle Salt) have anything to worry about. With 6 interviews, you should have several of the schools ranking you highly.

I ranked Houston my #1 choice for several reasons, and ranked SW #3 for others. I'm not swayed by the whole "Southwestern" is so much of a better school than others because it's ranked. For the same argument, TCOM is ranked as well, but most people don't seem interested in it cause it's DO.
 
Thanks guys. You've made me feel better. I am ranking Houston #1 because I like the urban environment very much, and the TMC is grand. San Antonio is a close second because i loved the laid-back atmosphere there and the cheaper living...and the riverwalk's real nice :)
 
Originally posted by seaworthc
how many are ranking Houston #1? I've been hearing they are going to be getting more #1 rankings this year than elsewhere. I know those ranking it #1 probably didn't get interviews at SW, but some who did will. Just curious.
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Just some FYI for you guys about UTH since there seems to be some brewing interest:

Apparently, UT-Houston is highly competitive because so many students who rank it number #1 end up matriculating. This shows if you look at the number of accepted students vs. the number of matriculants.

For example:

UT HOUSTON
Accepted: 264, Matriculants: 204 (60 off waitlist)

UT SOUTHWESTERN
Accepted: 366, Matriculants: 204 (162 off waitlist)

Seeing that Houston has over 1200 interviewees, they must have one heck of a time ranking a top 200 list. Both UTSW and UTH are amazing schools and I was fortunate to have great interview experiences at both. (Of course, my ranking is strictly confidential):D

Best of luck to you all!
 
Mike59--where did you get your accepted v matriculated v waitlisted stats? Do you have any for the other schools?

Thanks!
 
Hey Texan premeds,

I've been reading some of your questions on this thread, and I thought I should reiterate what the TMDSAS says on their website. The schools don't see how you rank them, so it only benefits you to rank them in order of how you liked them. For example, if you're in the top 200 at each of the 4 UT schools, you WOULD get in to ALL OF THEM. However, the only one that'll send you the acceptance is the one you rank highest. There's no benefit to trying to figure out who liked you best.
 
Question about the Match System for TX schools...

Okay I understand that schools will either accept, waitlist or reject you... so you could technically have all acceptances but you will only receive one, your highest ranked school....

But let's say for example I have Texas Tech ranked #1 on my list and A&M ranked #2. I get accepted to A&M but WAITLISTED at Tech. Do I automatically go to A&M or do I have to "wait it out" for Tech, so I wouldn't know where I'm going until I hear from Tech, which is maybe not until July or so?? How does a situation like this work? Thanks!:)
 
Originally posted by Sparkles
Okay I understand that schools will either accept, waitlist or reject you... so you could technically have all acceptances but you will only receive one, your highest ranked school....

But let's say for example I have Texas Tech ranked #1 on my list and A&M ranked #2. I get accepted to A&M but WAITLISTED at Tech. Do I automatically go to A&M or do I have to "wait it out" for Tech, so I wouldn't know where I'm going until I hear from Tech, which is maybe not until July or so?? How does a situation like this work? Thanks!:)
Click to expand...

You'd get in to A&M on Feb 1 (or whenever the date is this year), and you'd also get a waitlist at Tech. Also, your name is automatically dropped from all schools underneath A&M in your rankings, regardless of your rank on THEIR list. So yeah, in your hypothetical case, you'd have to wait it out until June 1 (this was last year's date...might be different this year) to know for sure which TX school you'd be attending. Last year, on June 1 you were automatically dropped from all TX waitlists if you'd already gotten in to a TX school (but not an out of state school).
 
DrBlueDevil is right, the date is still June 1. you can find all this info and MORE on the TMDSAS site if you just take the time to wander over there. they have it in pretty plain sight.
 
do you guys think that thank you notes from interviewers...or christmas greetings...or emails about financial aid...from texas schools...are just thoughtful correspondences or small slivers of hope?

i am ready for feb 1st to roll around....and maybe intrepreting these nice correspondences (to friends and classmates) a little too much?
 
amelie,

I'd like to think they are but hoping for the best is what is getting me through this time till feb 1st. Did you ever get the invite from utmb? i didn't and was kind of bumed about it at first but oh well. thanks.
 
don't feel badly--i never heard a thing from a&m or utmb. i am disappointed about those schools...but cautiously hopeful that one of the others will work out.

i'm rooting for you, too ;)
 
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