The Republic of Texas XIV: Find me a find, Catch me a catch!

[jace's mom]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'll be at the interview on Wed, and I'm 27. We can form an old farts clique and grumble at all the young whipper-snappers.

skyes, have you decided where you'll be attending yet?

BTW...welcome back, AggieSean, and congratulations!

 

[cyclingmo]

I know this has been asked over and over but...does anyone truely know what the validation date means or is it just rumors and conspiracy theories?

The latter.

 

[dd128]

I try to take it with a grain of salt , and I also try to remember that many 21/22 year olds haven't mastered the art of interpersonal communication. Many have, but one always encounters a few who are slow learners. No worries though.

Especially the premeds!

 

[myKuduSlewaZulu]

I try to take it with a grain of salt , and I also try to remember that many 21/22 year olds haven't mastered the art of interpersonal communication. Many have, but one always encounters a few who are slow learners. No worries though.

There's still quite a few people at that age who think its "cool" to be an ass, as opposed to people our age who are that way because they're jaded, and seniors because they didn't get their nap🙂.

How do you know when you're old? When a coke-bottled shaped blonde walks by and your pacemaker opens the garage....

 

[skyes]

looking to get accepted to every single Texas school?

No interviews to SA or UTMB, and I didn't apply to Baylor...so every school is an impossibility at this point.

Besides, it ought to be somewhat fun to interview knowing that I've already got a spot somewhere.

skyes, have you decided where you'll be attending yet?

I had been waiting to find out what Tech offered in the way of scholarship for the MD/MBA program...I got that over Christmas, and it turned out to be not even enough to cover the MBA classes. That made my decision for UTSW an easy one...until Houston decided to interview me. As it stands, I'm accepting UTSW's pre-match and will evaluate Houston's match possibility based on how well I'm impressed by the interview.

armybound, I sent off my decline for Tech's MD/MBA program earlier this week. Hopefully, they'll opt on you for the spot.

 

[jace's mom]

That made my decision for UTSW an easy one...until Houston decided to interview me.

You said that just a few posts ago, and I complete skipped past it. 😳 Maybe I should get some more sleep...

Anyway, best wishes to you wherever you go!

 

[AggieSean]

skyes, have you decided where you'll be attending yet?

BTW...welcome back, AggieSean, and congratulations!

Graz!

 

[PT2MD]

I'm 36. I felt like that old guy in the club. Not too old...just a little to old to be in the club.

 

[dtrainer]

I had been waiting to find out what Tech offered in the way of scholarship for the MD/MBA program...I got that over Christmas, and it turned out to be not even enough to cover the MBA classes.

I assume you received the same scholarship offer that I did. It seemed to not quite cover the tuition but when I looked closer I realized that it would. A lot of the fees in the graduate tuition schedule would be redundant and I assume that they would not have to be included in the calculation. Perhaps I am wrong though.

 

[armybound]

armybound, I sent off my decline for Tech's MD/MBA program earlier this week. Hopefully, they'll opt on you for the spot.

you're the man 😀

 

[skyes]

I assume you received the same scholarship offer that I did. It seemed to not quite cover the tuition but when I looked closer I realized that it would. A lot of the fees in the graduate tuition schedule would be redundant and I assume that they would not have to be included in the calculation. Perhaps I am wrong though.

Yeah, it could have barely covered the MBA stuff if they took out the redundancy fees. Fact was, that for me, it wasn't even close to what Tech would have had to offer to woo me away from UTSW.

 

[cpa2md]

I'm 36. I felt like that old guy in the club. Not too old...just a little to old to be in the club.

39. You're still a pup!😉

 

[Ynowtex]

39. You're still a pup!😉

Turned 39 last week. Feel like a pup, look like an attending! Great combo!

 

[hardworker101]

I'm Out of state, and interviewed at UTSW.
Does it mean I have no shot at acceptance, since it's kinda of late in the game with Texas schools?

Thanks

 

[172858]

Turned 39 last week. Feel like a pup, look like an attending! Great combo!

wow

 

[dtrainer]

Yeah, it could have barely covered the MBA stuff if they took out the redundancy fees. Fact was, that for me, it wasn't even close to what Tech would have had to offer to woo me away from UTSW.

Understood. I feel much the same way about San Antonio.

 

[TheRealMD]

I wanna defend the young people but.... you guys give me no hope! 🙁

I just wanna say I feel sorry on behalf of my age-mates (actually..... they just started college). *Never mind*

Let's try that again. I feel sorry for my arrogant classmates that never show up to class, somehow manage to snag an interview, and show their true colors. May you smack them into their senses.

That is all. 😉

 

[cpa2md]

I wanna defend the young people but.... you guys give me no hope! 🙁

I just wanna say I feel sorry on behalf of my age-mates (actually..... they just started college). *Never mind*

Let's try that again. I feel sorry for my arrogant classmates that never show up to class, somehow manage to snag an interview, and show their true colors. May you smack them into their senses.

That is all. 😉

Ok, I'll let you defend your age group. Truth is, I started college early and graduated just after my 20th birthday (actually finished my undergrad when I was still 19).

Thing is, I chose not to got the medical route at that time...I was too impatient and too ready to "get on with life," so here I am 20 years later back-tracking and starting over. I finally realized that if I have to work for the next 30 years, I want to do what I want to do...life is too long to be miserable.

All this is to say that even the best-intentioned traditional student has a lot of growing up to do. Part of me often wonders how I would feel about medicine had I gone into it 20 years ago. Chances are that I would feel the same way I feel about accounting - burned-out and bored, but trapped.

Do I regret the decisions that I made? Absolutely not. I've had a great career which has paid the bills (there are people in my office who make more than most doctors, but no, I am not one of them), and my job has allowed me fabulous flexibility to raise my children and go back to school.

Ooh! I wrote a novel here! Anyway, there are no wrong decisions about things - just detours and circuitous routes.

p.s. will I encourage my kids to become accountants? Absolutely not! The reasons are many, but it is not what I want for them.

 

[CalicoCat]

Awesome!

Also, Happy belated Birthday Sarah.

I've come down with yet another nasty virus (or something along those lines) this season. For a person that rarely got sick, this is the 2nd time i've been sick in the past 2 months. Last night I had two heating pads underneath me, two blankets on top of me, while I was wearing 2 shirts, shorts, pants, socks, and a beanie ........ and I was still shivering. Anyone else heard of or seen anything this bad anytime recently?

Sorry Mo, hope you feel better soon... sounds nasty, whatever it is!

 

[Ynowtex]

I wanna defend the young people but.... you guys give me no hope! 🙁

I just wanna say I feel sorry on behalf of my age-mates (actually..... they just started college). *Never mind*

Let's try that again. I feel sorry for my arrogant classmates that never show up to class, somehow manage to snag an interview, and show their true colors. May you smack them into their senses.

That is all. 😉

Really, it doesn't matter about the age. Each subset will have some advantages and some disadvantages. I just hope each school picks the best set of candidates from their pool of applicants. These will be the people who treat us as we grow older, deliver your babies and guide them through childhood, treat unexpected emergencies, help you deal with illness with your parents and spouses. In short, great physicians can be produced at any age. Lack of life experience doesn't mean that that person won't develop into a caring, compassionate, quality physician. It helps for neither age group to be resentful of the other, just learn from each other to make themselves a better person and physician. I think that admissions committees look for more of a mix so that cross age and experience learning can take place.

I wish everyone luck. It takes a lot to get this far in the process and that is something that people outside of this don't understand. We need to stick together, but be willing to say when something needs to be corrected or an individual can learn from and experience. It takes a certain maturity to be able to do that as well as allocate time an resources to do the best for yourself.

Just my part. . .

 

[TheRealMD]

Ah, it's cool. Besides, according to TMDSAS, my age group has 33 people. 😛

 

[AggieSean]

I'm going to make one comment about the age/maturity thing and then I'll be done with it:

Broad sweeping generalizations about a group of people merely for their age (whether young or *old*) are foolish. Saying that all 20/21 year olds have a lot of growing up to do is kind of ridiculous. I've seen some people younger than myself (I'm 21) who I know have more maturity and wiser outlooks on life than I do, mostly due to their upbringing. I don't mean to sound arrogant, but often times people confuse me for being much older than I am not because of looks (obviously) but because of my maturity. I understand that mature young people are the exceptions, but exception or not they still disprove these ridiculous generalizations some of y'all are making. There are those of us who had to grow up when we left for college, not all of us got a free ride and a new car from mom and dad when we graduated high school. Not all of us got wild and partied on the weekend. I'm 21, married, and work a 50 hour/week job, and I've never been drunk. There are grown men less mature than me, and I understand that they are the exception rather than the rule too. So seriously, quit with this hating on my age group, it's annoying.

As for younger people saying idiotic things about older people (the "how will you stay awake" question was the most amusing/inane), just chalk it up to ignorance, and well youth. Again, I'm not saying there is NO truth to the stereotypes about us young'uns, but PLEASE refrain from using the words "all" and "every." It's unfair and you know it.

End rant.

Giggity.

 

[JackDanielMD]

Seriously y'all, when I want to go **** all over someone, I take it to another thread. The Republic of Texas thread is my happy place....don't mess with it.

 

[cpa2md]

Seriously y'all, when I want to go **** all over someone, I take it to another thread. The Republic of Texas thread is my happy place....don't mess with it.

Sorry - I wasn't actually intending to make generalizations! I was, in fact, referring to myself as a best-intentioned traditional student!

It's been a long week! I'm in Ohio at my in-laws' (without my husband). My mother-in-law just got home from the hospital today after aortic valve replacement/mitral valve repair, her 80 year-old sister has just moved in with them, and she is recovering from hip replacement surgery and pretty severe depression (as yet untreated - next project). And, oh, yeah, my father-in-law is sick and has a suspended driver's license!!😱

I'm prepaying my debts.

 

[dtrainer]

Again, I'm not saying there is NO truth to the stereotypes about us young'uns, but PLEASE refrain from using the words "all" and "every." It's unfair and you know it.

AggieSean,

Since I seemed to have started this, I think I will be the one to put it to bed. I agree with you that most young people are reasonably mature, especially those applying to medical school. I also know many older people who don't have a clue about life. That is why I didn't use the words "all' and "every". It would have been unfair if I had said that. Still, I did enjoy your rant. 🙂

 

[cpa2md]

AggieSean,

Since I seemed to have started this, I think I will be the one to put it to bed. I agree with you that most young people are reasonably mature, especially those applying to medical school. I also know many older people who don't have a clue about life. That is why I didn't use the words "all' and "every". It would have been unfair if I had said that. Still, I did enjoy your rant. 🙂

Agreed. You described me to a T until a couple of years ago - I had no clue!!

 

[todbaker37]

Just got back from the SA interview. It was really relaxed. I thought I would post if anyone was wondering what I found out about their match. The assistant dean of admissions told us that 40-60 people will be matched, the rest have already been decided. Good Luck everyone

 

[cyclingmo]

Sorry Mo, hope you feel better soon... sounds nasty, whatever it is!

Thanks, i'm working on it.

Ok, I'll let you defend your age group. Truth is, I started college early and graduated just after my 20th birthday (actually finished my undergrad when I was still 19).

Thing is, I chose not to got the medical route at that time...I was too impatient and too ready to "get on with life," so here I am 20 years later back-tracking and starting over. I finally realized that if I have to work for the next 30 years, I want to do what I want to do...life is too long to be miserable.

All this is to say that even the best-intentioned traditional student has a lot of growing up to do. Part of me often wonders how I would feel about medicine had I gone into it 20 years ago. Chances are that I would feel the same way I feel about accounting - burned-out and bored, but trapped.

Do I regret the decisions that I made? Absolutely not. I've had a great career which has paid the bills (there are people in my office who make more than most doctors, but no, I am not one of them), and my job has allowed me fabulous flexibility to raise my children and go back to school.

Ooh! I wrote a novel here! Anyway, there are no wrong decisions about things - just detours and circuitous routes.

p.s. will I encourage my kids to become accountants? Absolutely not! The reasons are many, but it is not what I want for them.

Wow, I bet your PS made for a good reading. 😉

Seriously y'all, when I want to go **** all over someone, I take it to another thread. The Republic of Texas thread is my happy place....don't mess with it.

haha, AMEN!

Just got back from the SA interview. It was really relaxed. I thought I would post if anyone was wondering what I found out about their match. The assistant dean of admissions told us that 40-60 people will be matched, the rest have already been decided. Good Luck everyone

Thanks for the update, hopefully it will be beneficial to those who interviewed at SA.

 

[skyes]

Houston interview vets, is the social worth going to?

 

[dd128]

Houston interview vets, is the social worth going to?

lol, did you just get that email too???

From the socials I've seen they're all the same. If you've never been to one I'd probably go to one or two. Haven't been to houston but don't imagine it will be much different

 

[PT2MD]

Holy crap. I'm almost at 1000 posts. I'm either a total stud or complete loser. I think I just figured it out...wife just advised I'm not a total stud.

I'm ready for the 2nd half.

 

[TheRealMD]

lol, did you just get that email too???

From the socials I've seen they're all the same. If you've never been to one I'd probably go to one or two. Haven't been to houston but don't imagine it will be much different

It really depends on the number of people. More people make them more fun!

 

[172858]

Houston interview vets, is the social worth going to?

i stayed with a first year student and we both went. it was actually a lot of fun. it was at two rows (local bar near rice) and the first years had just finished a block so they were all pretty relaxed. they bought us food and a couple of rounds. being my first interview, it TOTALLY loosened me up for the next day.

that's when i knew that i would really fit in there. everyone at the social seemed just so real and genuine. got the same feel when i saw five or six of them the next day at school and every one of them remembered my name.

too bad the UTH curriculum and board score history suck so much. 🙁 other than that, it would be a top choice for me, personally.

 

[mtd0130]

i didn't get an e-mail for the social 🙄

 

[dd128]

i didn't get an e-mail for the social 🙄

Yeah there was something in it about only inviting cool people and to make sure that certain people didn't find out 😎

haha, j/k, there are probably lots of people and maybe they just didn't get to your name yet. If you don't ever get one I can forward the info to you.

 

[TheRealMD]

i stayed with a first year student and we both went. it was actually a lot of fun. it was at two rows (local bar near rice) and the first years had just finished a block so they were all pretty relaxed. they bought us food and a couple of rounds. being my first interview, it TOTALLY loosened me up for the next day.

that's when i knew that i would really fit in there. everyone at the social seemed just so real and genuine. got the same feel when i saw five or six of them the next day at school and every one of them remembered my name.

too bad the UTH curriculum and board score history suck so much. 🙁 other than that, it would be a top choice for me, personally.

You see, without standard deviations, I wouldn't even consider average board scores significantly relevant.

 

[aggiesarah2007]

Houston interview vets, is the social worth going to?

if you go tuesday there are $2 margaritas. and we just started. and today was 8-5 (one of the few,but dang it was long!). so I can't guarantee it, but I'd guess there might be a few people there. like me.

 

[aggiesarah2007]

i stayed with a first year student and we both went. it was actually a lot of fun. it was at two rows (local bar near rice) and the first years had just finished a block so they were all pretty relaxed. they bought us food and a couple of rounds. being my first interview, it TOTALLY loosened me up for the next day.

that's when i knew that i would really fit in there. everyone at the social seemed just so real and genuine. got the same feel when i saw five or six of them the next day at school and every one of them remembered my name.

too bad the UTH curriculum and board score history suck so much. 🙁 other than that, it would be a top choice for me, personally.

I'm not at USMLE expert, but even at UTMB where they appear to have very good scores, every person I talked to told me scores have everything to do with individual student motivation and that it wasn't the school. But if you love somewhere else, don't let me hold you back 🙂

And I personally enjoy our curriculum and it works for me. Which is why I love it here. I can totally understand it isn't your style, but I'd say it is VERY far from sucking.

Me so sleepy me go to bed now 🙂

 

[cyclingmo]

Holy crap. I'm almost at 1000 posts. I'm either a total stud or complete loser. I think I just figured it out...wife just advised I'm not a total stud.

I'm ready for the 2nd half.

Don't worry man, you're a stud here on these forums. 😎

Yeah there was something in it about only inviting cool people and to make sure that certain people didn't find out 😎

Haha, meanie.

 

[CalicoCat]

Houston interview vets, is the social worth going to?

The night I went to Two Rows for the social, was the night of the Packers-Cowboys game which was not broadcast on a regular channel. Also, it was a week before MS1/MS2 tests so not many current students showed up (about 6 total). The place was packed and it was really hard to 'find' the UTH social since there wasn't a designated spot and none of the waitstaff knew what I (and other interviewees) was talking about. Additionally, there was another private party on patio outside, which just added to the confusion. Needless to say, once I found the UT group, I learned quite a bit about how the students coped through 1st and 2nd year, got to talk to a 3rd year about his rotations, heard about some interesting preceptorships, research opportunities and even about extramural sports. The students were extremely friendly, accommodating, and were very open about the school, their personal likes and dislikes.

About Two Rows: Parking sucks. Park in the garage if you can, and get a validation ticket from Two Rows - they'll ask if you need one at some point. The beer is great, and though I didn't drink that evening (silly antibiotics!), many of the current students kicked back and had a great time. Route 66 and Honey Blonde are two of my favorite beers there. For those who don't drink, Two Rows makes a mean Root Beer that is well worth trying. It's very, very relaxed and I showed up in jeans and casual shirt to show my support of the Cowboys (in case you were wondering about attire). Oh, and I did strategically position myself so that I could see the TV and ended up being the only girl on that side of the table, snugly situated between two very nice guys! Of course we talked football and guy stuff so I missed out on the concerns of the females... oh well... Cowboys won!

If you are an incessant planner, you can go to www.tworows.com to check out their menu. I always feel like there isn't much fare for vegetarians at Two Rows, but that's probably because I don't like salad!!

Wow, I'm chatty this morning...

EDIT: With Sarah there, this social is going to be like no other!! I hope you guys go to Two Rows, and you have a blast while you're there!

 

[CalicoCat]

Holy crap. I'm almost at 1000 posts. I'm either a total stud or complete loser. I think I just figured it out...wife just advised I'm not a total stud.

I'm ready for the 2nd half.

Stud! Stud! Stud!

Wait, is your wife going to be mad at me?

 

[CalicoCat]

I'm 27 but feel like I'm 21... I've been in grad school since undergrad and still live like a poor student. I never partied because I worked all the way through undergrad, and that hasn't changed either. Um, I'm one of the youngest people in my lab, and get treated like a kid by the older techs and post-docs. I get carded the few times a year I do go out and have a drink!

However, I do own a house, am a mom to three dogs and two cats, am married to a wonderful partner, and feel like I'm 80 when my rheumatoid arthritis kicks in!!

I guess it all balances out in the end...

 

[CalicoCat]

Apparently I am a post padder... since I have posted four times... and not just used the multi-quote option!

Last reply for now. Actually have some work to do! Amazing...

 

[dd128]

Anyone happen to know if houston interviews are open file, closed, or that one where they know everything about you except your gpa and mcat?

 

[CalicoCat]

Anyone happen to know if houston interviews are open file, closed, or that one where they know everything about you except your gpa and mcat?

Saw a print out of a TMDSAS-like profile and got asked questions about things I mentioned in my PS. Not sure if GPA and MCAT score were on their profile-looking thing... In any case, I never got the chance to explain why my undergrad GPA leaves a lot to be desired!

 

[skyes]

if you go tuesday there are $2 margaritas. and we just started. and today was 8-5 (one of the few,but dang it was long!). so I can't guarantee it, but I'd guess there might be a few people there. like me.

Well, if the aggiesarah2007 will be there, then I had better get myself over there. 😉

Yeah there was something in it about only inviting cool people and to make sure that certain people didn't find out 😎

That can't be true. I'm like some sort of Nerd God, and I got the email. In fact, it was the second email regarding the social.

 

[midn]

Anyone happen to know if houston interviews are open file, closed, or that one where they know everything about you except your gpa and mcat?

Open-file. One of my interviewers told me that he would not look at my file until after the interview.

 

[PT2MD]

Stud! Stud! Stud!

Wait, is your wife going to be mad at me?

I'll ask her when she stops laughing. She's an elementary school teacher - the meanest and toughest breed of woman there is.

In all seriousness, she is amazing.

 

[TheRealMD]

Open-file. One of my interviewers told me that he would not look at my file until after the interview.

One of my interviews at UTH basically made me repeat my entire interview even though he had read it already. Imagine listing out every single EC you've done.

Anyway, i don't mean to scare anyone. Some interviews are more enthusiastic than others. I think I got a dud.

 

[PT2MD]

My RCW and validation date just changed (now 1/7/08). No clue what that means. Nothing has changed with me since I submitted my application.