The interesting little facts about medical schools you don't read in the MSAR

[docjolly]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi All,

I went to UMDNJ-RWJ's open house today. I read about the school in the MSAR, and was very impressed by what I read...When I visited the school today, I still found it to be a great school..BUT, I did find out a few things that weren't published in the MSAR or found online..

1. There is NO HOUSING for medical school students... 👎
If you want housing, you will have to find it during their "Apartment Hunting" week, where accepted students come to campus to begin searching for places to live...

2. The students are divided into two campuses: The Cambden campus, and the Piscataway campus. There is NO SHUTTLE to take you between the two campuses, and so you will HAVE TO BUY A CAR!! (Even to simply get around the city).. 👎

If you've gone to another medical school's open house, is there anything you learned about the school that isn't found in the MSAR or on the web? Positive or negative, I'd truly appreciate your responses 🙂


Thanks!

 

[docjolly]

BUMP,

could one of the moderators please switch my thread to the "Pre-Allo" forum? I accidentally placed it with the MCAT Discussion forum..

 

[vr4nut]

For most of my schools, I didn't know the exact price or average MCAT of incoming students until I got there. I also found out about a scholarship that made the school infinitely more attractive to me, yet there was no information on this in any of the pre-med books or anything. It was positive news though.

Sorry to hear that the school isn't working out for you; I know it can be a pain to have to drive everywhere.

 

[hypersting]

Hi All,

I went to UMDNJ-RWJ's open house today. I read about the school in the MSAR, and was very impressed by what I read...When I visited the school today, I still found it to be a great school..BUT, I did find out a few things that weren't published in the MSAR or found online..

1. There is NO HOUSING for medical school students... 👎
If you want housing, you will have to find it during their "Apartment Hunting" week, where accepted students come to campus to begin searching for places to live...

2. The students are divided into two campuses: The Cambden campus, and the Piscataway campus. There is NO SHUTTLE to take you between the two campuses, and so you will HAVE TO BUY A CAR!! (Even to simply get around the city).. 👎

If you've gone to another medical school's open house, is there anything you learned about the school that isn't found in the MSAR or on the web? Positive or negative, I'd truly appreciate your responses 🙂


Thanks!

Why would you want a shuttle between campuses (you do realize they are an hour away from each other?)? If you do the Camden option (yrs 3+4 only), you do not need a car, as you can live in Philadelphia and take the train in the morning and at night. At the other option you may need a car, since the rotations are not all in one hospital. For the first 2 yrs a car might be convenient, but not absolutely necessary. I'm sure many Rutgers students do not have cars. The NJTransit line runs straight to NY (and will also get you between campuses if need be).

 

[MErc44]

most schools don't give you housing, the only ones I know of are Tulane, FInch, NYU and Einstein

 

[Zweihander]

most schools don't give you housing, the only ones I know of are Tulane, FInch, NYU and Einstein

There are definitely more schools than that which offer student housing. NYMC and Upstate are among them.

 

[Samoa]

Yeah, somebody needs to write a book cataloguing all the stuff you REALLY need to know about a school. Like, is there a note service and who runs it? Is attendance required? If not, do students generally go to class anyway? Are Step 1&2 mandatory for clerkship or graduation? What's the grading scale, and how does it affect the atmosphere at the school? Can you stay there for all your required clerkships, or is it likely you'll have to move someplace else for any period of time? What kind of social life and activities are available for students of various ages and interests? Is there a formal dress code for the first two years? If not, how do students dress for class? Do you need a car, or access to a car, or is the public transportation sufficient? What's the parking situation for students? etc.

 

[pinkey]

Yeah, somebody needs to write a book cataloguing all the stuff you REALLY need to know about a school. Like, is there a note service and who runs it? Is attendance required? If not, do students generally go to class anyway? Are Step 1&2 mandatory for clerkship or graduation? What's the grading scale, and how does it affect the atmosphere at the school? Can you stay there for all your required clerkships, or is it likely you'll have to move someplace else for any period of time? What kind of social life and activities are available for students of various ages and interests? Is there a formal dress code for the first two years? If not, how do students dress for class? Do you need a car, or access to a car, or is the public transportation sufficient? What's the parking situation for students? etc.

Those are great questions! I'll definitely ask these when I interview. Thanks!

 

[docjolly]

Yeah, somebody needs to write a book cataloguing all the stuff you REALLY need to know about a school. Like, is there a note service and who runs it? Is attendance required? If not, do students generally go to class anyway? Are Step 1&2 mandatory for clerkship or graduation? What's the grading scale, and how does it affect the atmosphere at the school? Can you stay there for all your required clerkships, or is it likely you'll have to move someplace else for any period of time? What kind of social life and activities are available for students of various ages and interests? Is there a formal dress code for the first two years? If not, how do students dress for class? Do you need a car, or access to a car, or is the public transportation sufficient? What's the parking situation for students? etc.

Samoa,

You're awesome Thanks for your response...
Were you surprised by any thing you learned about an individual med. school when you applied?

 

[Cuteasaurus]

Yeah, somebody needs to write a book cataloguing all the stuff you REALLY need to know about a school. Like, is there a note service and who runs it? Is attendance required? If not, do students generally go to class anyway? Are Step 1&2 mandatory for clerkship or graduation? What's the grading scale, and how does it affect the atmosphere at the school? Can you stay there for all your required clerkships, or is it likely you'll have to move someplace else for any period of time? What kind of social life and activities are available for students of various ages and interests? Is there a formal dress code for the first two years? If not, how do students dress for class? Do you need a car, or access to a car, or is the public transportation sufficient? What's the parking situation for students? etc.

Some of that stuff is on the AAMC website. For example, whether Step 1 is required, or the grading scale (though I think if the school has recently changed something it may not be reflected there).

 

[flighterdoc]

Yeah, somebody needs to write a book cataloguing all the stuff you REALLY need to know about a school. Like, is there a note service and who runs it? Is attendance required? If not, do students generally go to class anyway? Are Step 1&2 mandatory for clerkship or graduation? What's the grading scale, and how does it affect the atmosphere at the school? Can you stay there for all your required clerkships, or is it likely you'll have to move someplace else for any period of time? What kind of social life and activities are available for students of various ages and interests? Is there a formal dress code for the first two years? If not, how do students dress for class? Do you need a car, or access to a car, or is the public transportation sufficient? What's the parking situation for students? etc.

All good points. Also, the technology infrastructure (wifi, etc), the study areas, and some of these questions need to be answered by students, not the administration.

 

[Neuronix]

Is there a formal dress code for the first two years?

Other than the military med school, does this really happen?!

 

[Fermata]

Other than the military med school, does this really happen?!

There is a formal dress code at the Mayo clinic although it is my understanding that the policy is more slack towards females.

 

[Neuronix]

There is a formal dress code at the Mayo clinic although it is my understanding that the policy is more slack towards females.

During the first two years? Interesting... I was considering them too and I had no idea.

 

[Fermata]

During the first two years? Interesting... I was considering them too and I had no idea.

During the "clinical experiences" during the first two years I know they are required. As far as attending class I don't really know. But, what I do know is that tradition is HIGHLY valued at Mayo and the suit/tie thing was a trademark of the Mayo brothers.

 

[flighterdoc]

There is a formal dress code at the Mayo clinic although it is my understanding that the policy is more slack towards females.

Some (one?) of the DO schools requires business attire (ties, slacks) except when in Anatomy, I understand. Wasn't there a thread about this just recently?

 

[trouta]

During the "clinical experiences" during the first two years I know they are required. As far as attending class I don't really know. But, what I do know is that tradition is HIGHLY valued at Mayo and the suit/tie thing was a trademark of the Mayo brothers.

No dress code is required in classes unless patients are present for discussion of their condition (rarely). Suit/sport coat and tie are required for men any time you are seeing patients. Women have to dress up as well, but the requirements are slightly more lax. The reason for the dress code in one of professionalism as well as due to the fact that we dont have white coats.

 

[Celestron2000]

The Prinston Review has a website with lots of good info about all US med schools and some Carribians as well. It won't awnser all those questions for all schools, but it's a good secondary resource after MSAR.
Here's the link:Princeton Review (You don't have to be a TPR customer.)

BTW Jefferson also offers housing to all of it's students. 👍

 

[docjolly]

I went to UMDNJ-New Jersey Med. School in Newark on Saturday..Great school, I think..but they, too, have no housing..

Does anyone know which schools, besides both UMDNJs, DON'T offer student housing?
just curious..