Tulane Class of 2011

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hopefulM.D.

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I am happy to start this thread. :D :D

I believe that I will be in NOLA next year!
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good luck! NOLA is a great city to go to school in! :love:
 
ooooo, i hope i will be officially in here with y'all soon! :) i'm eagerly awaiting my letter. when did y'all interview??
 
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Congrats to everyone! Just found out yesterday i'm in tulane too...and i'm definitely going there. where is everyone from btw?
 
hurray!! i am also in. just got word yesterday. congrats to all of you!

PS I am from chicago...no more cold weather soon!
 
from Buckeyeland, OH. (by way of Huntington Beach, CA)
 
I just got my letter on Saturday! I'm SOOO excited I can't stand it. I'm from Atlanta:love:
 
Hot DAMN!!

I was hoping someone would start this thread. I interviewed with Page on the 6th, and got my letter on October 17th (although father Don emailed me earlier that week and told me to "check my mail obsessively").
I hail from New Mexico, though I wave to you all from my abode near Rice in Houston. By the way Page, congrats on the ed acceptance. After hearing your story when we interviewed, I would have burned down the school had they not accepted you. I gotta say, going in, I didn't think I was gonna like Tulane, but after my interview (and post interview) experience, it's rocketed to one of my top choices.

Here's to maybe seeing you all there next year.

Ciao,
Diego
 
Did you guys already send in the $$$?
 
diegot505 said:
but after my interview (and post interview) experience, it's rocketed to one of my top choices.
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I was wondering if anybody I interviewed with posted here...

Glad to hear you had a good time. I sure as hell did after I got my letter. Nonstop celebration! and this weekend is Halloween parties every night.. my liver hates me.
 
Any of you guys interview on October 2nd? That's when I was there....Goddamn I am so excited about being accepted!!
 
I was beginning to lose hope since most of you guys interviewed after me and found out before me; but I got the letter on Friday! It actually arrived at my old address on Wednesday, but I got it on Friday, which is awsome. My girlfriend got me a bottle of champagne and we hit the bars hard. There was alot of tequilla involved.

I guess we can't celebrate too much though. It said on the letter that the acceptance is contingent on the maintenence of your current academic level. Does that means if I get a C in CalcII, which could happen, I won't be able to go ?:scared:
 
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hey scintillation, i interviewed on 10/2, too! i was so excited when i got my acceptance letter!!! congrats to all of you who have been accepted so far...and it's still so early in the game :)
 
Hey Guys, I got in today!! GLad to finally be posting in on this thread :)

PS: I have the biggest smile on my face right now
 
I'm real excited about Tulane, but the only thing that puts me off a little is the tuition. What is it about Tulane, that sets it apart from other schools, that would justify going there over another school that isn't as expensive?
 
hey guys, i'm glad to join this group! interviewed on 10/23 and from DC.
 
Does Tulane send interview invites by snail mail too?
 
Congrats on getting in and choosing Tulane :) I'm a first year, in your shoes not that long ago, let me know if you have any questions...
 
Green Arrow said:
I'm real excited about Tulane, but the only thing that puts me off a little is the tuition. What is it about Tulane, that sets it apart from other schools, that would justify going there over another school that isn't as expensive?
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So I'm just a first year (take my response with a grain of salt) but here's what I think. Congrats, first of all! I can't tell you how nice it is to not be hovered around a mailbox and thinking about letters of recommendation and undergrad grades.

Negatives about Tulane: tuition really bites. If you have a less expensive option, make sure you consider it. Right now the money just comes right from financial aid, the school gets paid, I have money to live on and I try not to think about the debt. I suppose the real effect will show up when we have to start paying it back (then again, that's not until we have jobs after residency).

Other negatives - the financial aid office is not nice - they are incredibly unhelpful, bordering on rude.

Positives - I'm only in my first semester and have volunteered in a clinic a few times, met with a preceptor three times and observed in the ER twice(which is hoppin'). All of the people have been interested in showing me what they're doing and helping me learn, even though they're incredibly busy. I can't say too much about the faculty except that some are amazing and some are buttheads, which is true at any school. Two of the professors we had for histology are retiring so it will be different next year, no one knows how.

Other positives - pretty good group of students that range from right out of college to people on their second career and/or married with kids.

The deal with public health (both degrees in four years) is an amazing one and the public health school is great, well known and has plenty of good professors and is a source for research/international experience.

Also, there are plenty of opportunities here (not sure how they compare with other schools) - I just went to a talk about research electives - they are setting up a formal way of getting research experience and possibly a masters degree in the same vein as public health (aka probably both degrees in four years). If the program takes, it'll start next summer.

We can also apply to spend a month in rural Louisiana shadowing/observing/participating in rural medicine and getting a stipend for it.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Let me know if you have any more questions.
 
myrtle said:
So I'm just a first year (take my response with a grain of salt) but here's what I think. Congrats, first of all! I can't tell you how nice it is to not be hovered around a mailbox and thinking about letters of recommendation and undergrad grades.

Negatives about Tulane: tuition really bites. If you have a less expensive option, make sure you consider it. Right now the money just comes right from financial aid, the school gets paid, I have money to live on and I try not to think about the debt. I suppose the real effect will show up when we have to start paying it back (then again, that's not until we have jobs after residency).

Other negatives - the financial aid office is not nice - they are incredibly unhelpful, bordering on rude.

Positives - I'm only in my first semester and have volunteered in a clinic a few times, met with a preceptor three times and observed in the ER twice(which is hoppin'). All of the people have been interested in showing me what they're doing and helping me learn, even though they're incredibly busy. I can't say too much about the faculty except that some are amazing and some are buttheads, which is true at any school. Two of the professors we had for histology are retiring so it will be different next year, no one knows how.

Other positives - pretty good group of students that range from right out of college to people on their second career and/or married with kids.

The deal with public health (both degrees in four years) is an amazing one and the public health school is great, well known and has plenty of good professors and is a source for research/international experience.

Also, there are plenty of opportunities here (not sure how they compare with other schools) - I just went to a talk about research electives - they are setting up a formal way of getting research experience and possibly a masters degree in the same vein as public health (aka probably both degrees in four years). If the program takes, it'll start next summer.

We can also apply to spend a month in rural Louisiana shadowing/observing/participating in rural medicine and getting a stipend for it.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Let me know if you have any more questions.
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Thanks' for answering questions. I've got some more for you, if you don't mind. I asked some of these questions before, but I would like your thoughts on them as well:

How have clinical rotations been effected by Katrina? I know Charity closed down, and rumor has it that a good number of professors are leaving. Is this going to effect students' ability to get good residencies.

Also, does Tulane prepare student for the bussiness side of medicine? (Other places I interviewed offered classes addressing this)

Last one: When I interviewed, Tulane had starting contructing a bunch of new facilities in the new building, Poydras?. Will these be completed by the begining of next year?

Thanks again
 
Green Arrow said:
Thanks' for answering questions. I've got some more for you, if you don't mind. I asked some of these questions before, but I would like your thoughts on them as well:

How have clinical rotations been effected by Katrina? I know Charity closed down, and rumor has it that a good number of professors are leaving. Is this going to effect students' ability to get good residencies.

Also, does Tulane prepare student for the bussiness side of medicine? (Other places I interviewed offered classes addressing this)

Last one: When I interviewed, Tulane had starting contructing a bunch of new facilities in the new building, Poydras?. Will these be completed by the begining of next year?

Thanks again
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It's hard for me to say about clinical rotations 'cause I'm still pretty far from it. I have talked to a few third years and the story I've heard is that they're dispersing people outside of New Orleans for rotations and I've also heard that the facilities at Elmwood are pretty slow - not a lot of activity. I think when it comes to this, you should ask as many 3rd and 4th years as possible and then go with your gut. I think definitely that clinical rotations will be affected for my class, but at this point it's hard to say how - another hurricane could happen or not and tons of residents could move back, etc.

I do know of a bunch of professors retiring but overall, I've been happy with the professors I've had so far and my favorite ones aren't going anywhere. A lot of them have gone to Tulane med and stayed in NO and probably won't leave, some will probably seek greener pastures but I doubt it would change anything too much and I can't see it affecting residency.

I haven't honestly heard about Tulane preparing students for the business side of medicine and I'm guessing that it's probably something you'd have to seek out. We do have to take an elective class and there are plenty to choose from at public health and the business school - I do know that a lot of students are getting masters in health systems management and that these classes are available to anyone in the school but I'm not sure about the focus of these classes - maybe check out the public health website and course descriptions. http://www.sph.tulane.edu/hsm/courses.htm

The Poydras building is moving along nicely. We've got a great student lounge and our standardized patients are there along with a the admin offices of the school. Right now they're planning on an auditorium, I don't know when that'll be done but I'm happy with the old med school - we have all of our classes in the auditorium, a radiograph room with study rooms across from it, a student lounge with free (yay!) coffee, TV and a pool table, a cafeteria with a good number of options, stinky cadaver rooms on the third floor. I was scared by the run down facilities at first, but honestly there's not much else we need there and there's a free shuttle that comes every half hour to the uptown campus where there's the gym, lots of food options, pretty buildings, etc.

Tough questions!
 
myrtle said:
It's hard for me to say about clinical rotations 'cause I'm still pretty far from it. I have talked to a few third years and the story I've heard is that they're dispersing people outside of New Orleans for rotations and I've also heard that the facilities at Elmwood are pretty slow - not a lot of activity. I think when it comes to this, you should ask as many 3rd and 4th years as possible and then go with your gut. I think definitely that clinical rotations will be affected for my class, but at this point it's hard to say how - another hurricane could happen or not and tons of residents could move back, etc.

I do know of a bunch of professors retiring but overall, I've been happy with the professors I've had so far and my favorite ones aren't going anywhere. A lot of them have gone to Tulane med and stayed in NO and probably won't leave, some will probably seek greener pastures but I doubt it would change anything too much and I can't see it affecting residency.

I haven't honestly heard about Tulane preparing students for the business side of medicine and I'm guessing that it's probably something you'd have to seek out. We do have to take an elective class and there are plenty to choose from at public health and the business school - I do know that a lot of students are getting masters in health systems management and that these classes are available to anyone in the school but I'm not sure about the focus of these classes - maybe check out the public health website and course descriptions. http://www.sph.tulane.edu/hsm/courses.htm

The Poydras building is moving along nicely. We've got a great student lounge and our standardized patients are there along with a the admin offices of the school. Right now they're planning on an auditorium, I don't know when that'll be done but I'm happy with the old med school - we have all of our classes in the auditorium, a radiograph room with study rooms across from it, a student lounge with free (yay!) coffee, TV and a pool table, a cafeteria with a good number of options, stinky cadaver rooms on the third floor. I was scared by the run down facilities at first, but honestly there's not much else we need there and there's a free shuttle that comes every half hour to the uptown campus where there's the gym, lots of food options, pretty buildings, etc.

Tough questions!
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Wow, thanks for taking the time to answer all of my questions. Everybody I have talked to has seemed pretty positive about the school, and New Orleans sounds like a great place to live. Although, I'm not sure what run down facilities you are refering to, but I guess that will be irrelevant once the new building project is completed, right?

I've actually got one more question: For those of us looking for a place to live next year, where is the best place to look? I stayed in Deming during the interview, but I don't think that's the best option. I get the impresssion that there are better places to live for the same amount of money. What part of the city is the best place to look and what are the best resources to use?
 
Hi Tulane '11's!
I'm still hoping to be accepted at TU... but I can't complain b/c I'm holding an acceptance elsewhere right now. :)
I would definitely be excited about going to Tulane med! I'm here in NOLA for my Masters at TU, and the city is fantastic! Literally something to do for everyone, and there's ALWAYS a party... no worries about having breaks from work to relax... there's opportunities all over the place for that.
Deming apts are in a kinda shady area, but right next to the med school... you can literally wake up 10 mins before class and walk over there. I live in a studio in Deming now, and rent is pretty good, relatively speaking. if you know someone in the area, though, it might be good to share a room/house/something.
I can't comment on the med school curriculum, obviously, but living-wise, it's amazing here. Plus there's plenty of opportunity in public health/underserved areas.
Les bon temps roulez! Congrats all.
 
Green Arrow said:
Wow, thanks for taking the time to answer all of my questions. Everybody I have talked to has seemed pretty positive about the school, and New Orleans sounds like a great place to live. Although, I'm not sure what run down facilities you are refering to, but I guess that will be irrelevant once the new building project is completed, right?

I've actually got one more question: For those of us looking for a place to live next year, where is the best place to look? I stayed in Deming during the interview, but I don't think that's the best option. I get the impresssion that there are better places to live for the same amount of money. What part of the city is the best place to look and what are the best resources to use?
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If you're thinking Deming's not the best option, it's probably not. I admit that I"m jealous of my labmates that can run across the bridge, shower, and come back after anatomy, but after this semester, they'll probably be jealous of me! I think uptown is the best area for students - near Tulane undergrad/Audobon park is a gorgeous area, close to Whole Foods, the park/zoo and there's an uptown-downtown shuttle that's free and leaves every 1/2 hour. Also near the Garden district there are tons of coffee shops and restaurants/bars. I'm sure there are other good areas, those are the ones I know about.

There are good and sketchy areas right next to each other so make sure that you check out the area or have someone here do it for you. I think it would be a great idea for some Tulane students to volunteer to check out places & send pictures to people out of town, just to make sure you're not getting into some weird area of town. I'd definitely be willing to do it - I love getting the chance to poke around in these houses - there are some beautiful ones.

As far as prices - you can easily find a better deal than deming but there are also others looking to jack up prices a LOT after Katrina, so just shop around and start early. If you are planning to come in the summer for histology/anatomy class or to start public health, you probably have a great shot at finding a good place. The resources I would use are:

http://neworleans.craigslist.org/
http://www.somforum.com/

I'm not sure if you guys can get in to the SOM forum yet, but it's a discussion board for Tulane students of all years and there's a housing message board where students post apartments that they know of, roommates, etc. I'm sure you'll have your own section by the summer and will be able to post, or if you're sure about going to Tulane, maybe email the moderator and see if they can't set up a "future Tulane student" section.
 
myrtle said:
If you're thinking Deming's not the best option, it's probably not. I admit that I"m jealous of my labmates that can run across the bridge, shower, and come back after anatomy, but after this semester, they'll probably be jealous of me! I think uptown is the best area for students - near Tulane undergrad/Audobon park is a gorgeous area, close to Whole Foods, the park/zoo and there's an uptown-downtown shuttle that's free and leaves every 1/2 hour. Also near the Garden district there are tons of coffee shops and restaurants/bars. I'm sure there are other good areas, those are the ones I know about.

There are good and sketchy areas right next to each other so make sure that you check out the area or have someone here do it for you. I think it would be a great idea for some Tulane students to volunteer to check out places & send pictures to people out of town, just to make sure you're not getting into some weird area of town. I'd definitely be willing to do it - I love getting the chance to poke around in these houses - there are some beautiful ones.

As far as prices - you can easily find a better deal than deming but there are also others looking to jack up prices a LOT after Katrina, so just shop around and start early. If you are planning to come in the summer for histology/anatomy class or to start public health, you probably have a great shot at finding a good place. The resources I would use are:

http://neworleans.craigslist.org/
http://www.somforum.com/

I'm not sure if you guys can get in to the SOM forum yet, but it's a discussion board for Tulane students of all years and there's a housing message board where students post apartments that they know of, roommates, etc. I'm sure you'll have your own section by the summer and will be able to post, or if you're sure about going to Tulane, maybe email the moderator and see if they can't set up a "future Tulane student" section.
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I'm probably going to do some traveling before school starts, so I'll probably take a trip out there before I leave to check some places out.

That would be great if you, or anybody else, could take some pictures, it would help out alot. I don't know a whole lot about the city. I've been there a couple times but didn't stray too far away from Bourbon street, apart from a swamp tour and a river boat ride. Uptown sounds pretty ideal though.

I'll see what I can do about getting on the SOM forum. I sent in a acceptance of their acceptance, but I havent sent in the deposit yet, maybe they'll ask me to do that first.

Thanks', I really appreciate the time you have been taking to answer my questions.
:thumbup:
 
The forum and the school are two separate entities. The forum is run by students, on a separate website from the school. All you need is a ~.edu email address to register.
 
Samoa said:
The forum and the school are two separate entities. The forum is run by students, on a separate website from the school. All you need is a ~.edu email address to register.
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Samoa,

You posted this on another thread:

a 4th year's perspective on what's important in a school (in no particular order):

Preclinical
1. grading scale (as a good standardized test taker, I prefer P/F)
2. # of tests per month (weekly exams would truly suck)
3. # of required activities per week (the fewer the better)
4. location
5. atmosphere among students
6. Step I average (if the school will tell you)
7. Solid clinical skills training (provided in multiple settings and formats)

Clinical
1. County hospital with lots of great pathology and resident autonomy
2. Ample research opportunities, accessible to MD-only students
3. Smart residents who are interested in teaching
4. Flexible rotation schedule (can take electives in 3rd year)
5. Supportive and well-organized Dean's office

#1,2 and 4 are the only things in the clinical years you'll really be able to assess as an applicant. But try to find some 4th years and ask them what sort of things they now wish the school had that it doesn't.

How does Tulane stack up based on these criteria?
 
Fair enough. I'm not one of the rah-rah-Tulane types, but neither am I bitter and disillusioned about the school. So hopefully I'll be able to present a balanced and fairly accurate opinion.

Tulane does well on all points in the preclinical years. Clinically, it was very solid before the storm, with the exception of #2. I know that they're working on incorporating more research opportunities for future classes, so that's a good thing. The rotation schedule remains flexible, and you can take electives in 3rd year as long as you've taken the prerequisite core for that elective.

Resident quality took a hit in some areas, but not in the most of the core specialties. Staffing in the Dean's office took a hit, and my class did rotations all over the U.S., so they had to work like crazy to get our letters and transcripts out for the residency application season. They won't have that problem with future classes, so it's just a matter of getting my class to graduation and things will get a lot less crazy.

As for the hospital situation, that's been pretty well explained already.

Overall, I think Tulane's a good, solid school. Its strength has always been the quality of the people here, and that hasn't really changed. But it's still recovering from the huge displacement last year, and it's obvious in places. However, once my class is gone, things will settle down tremendously.

Would I come here again? Yes, I would. Would I choose Tulane over another school? Honestly, it depends on the school, but the fact is I would never have gotten in to any school I might choose over Tulane. Do I regret not transferring after the hurricane? No, I don't. It's been a rough couple of years, but that just means I have some good stories to tell on the interview trail.

One thing you can count on: the Tulane you will attend will be a much better school than the one you see today.
 
Hey y'all,

I interviewed on 10/4 and found the acceptance letter in my mailbox on 10/20 after a week of anxious waiting. I've already sent my deposit in since I'm a non-trad who only applied to 5 schools with a shady undergrad GPA (33M/3.1 Overall/2.85 BCMP).

See you in August.
 
juleswinfield said:
Hey y'all,

I interviewed on 10/4 and found the acceptance letter in my mailbox on 10/20 after a week of anxious waiting. I've already sent my deposit in since I'm a non-trad who only applied to 5 schools with a shady undergrad GPA (33M/3.1 Overall/2.85 BCMP).

See you in August.
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Congratulations!
 
Got my letter two days ago - could have killed my Mom who opened it and left it on the kitchen table all day without calling me.

Real excited to be in New Orleans next year!

-Joe!
 
Does anyone, or rather, can anyone predict the viability of N.O.?

Also, do you think Tulane's prestige will be able to overcome another God-forbid, natural disaster?

This is directed to those who attend Tulane University SOM.

Thanks
 
hopefulM.D. said:
Does anyone, or rather, can anyone predict the viability of N.O.?

Also, do you think Tulane's prestige will be able to overcome another God-forbid, natural disaster?

This is directed to those who attend Tulane University SOM.

Thanks
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I don't really understand the question of whether New Orleans is viable or not? It's a city. Barring another flood that wipes it all out, it will continue to be here.

And it's not an issue of whether Tulane's prestige can overcome another disaster; it's a question of whether Tulane's pocketbook can handle it. While I understand the hesitancy those outside of NO may have about going to school here, I don't think there is any way to assure you that everything will be 100% ok. We have no more control over hurricanes than people in Cali have over earthquakes or people in the Northeast have over blizzards. Given all that has happened, I do think that Tulane is better prepared in the event that something like Katrina happens again. If I didn't think the school could continue to give me a good education, I wouldn't be here!
 
hopefulM.D. said:
www.som.tulane.edu/admin/DRAFT_Tulane_Strat_Plan_080706.pdf
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Clearly the school understands the task it faces. But it's much easier to delineate the task than to execute it. So the big question in my mind is: does the school have the financial wherewithal and sufficient talent among its personnel to accomplish the task it has set for itself? In some areas, yes. In others, no.

However, that particular question is more relevant for someone deciding where to train for residency than for someone deciding where to go to medical school. I think that for someone choosing a medical school, Tulane is a good choice that's likely to get better with the coming years rather than worse. And true as well for many entering residency. But it will improve much more for some programs than others, because some people are more talented, and also more able to change,than others.

It's no different than anywhere else, except that Tulane now has less of an infrastructure to assist (and also hinder in some ways) its progress.
 
hopefulM.D. said:
Does anyone, or rather, can anyone predict the viability of N.O.?

Also, do you think Tulane's prestige will be able to overcome another God-forbid, natural disaster?

This is directed to those who attend Tulane University SOM.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I do understand how you feel the need to wonder about the viability of New Orleans. While it is a city, NO has undergone something no other city has. In it's favor, NO survived, and has gotten everyone thinking about how they would handle another disaster like this whereas other cities in disaster zones may not have plans that have been put to the test as with NO.

As far as another natural disaster and future of NO, you're not going to get an answer that will satisfy you, I certainly haven't. The best thing to do when considering coming to Tulane and New Orleans is to think about it a lot and reason it out, talk to as many people as possible, and then go with your gut. As far as another natural disaster, I think the more time between Katrina and another, the better chance the city has at putting things back in place quickly. I can't tell you how relieved I am that nothing happened last hurricane season. Now a lot of the repairs to the levees have been completed and plans seem to be moving forward to figure out all of the rest of the problems - of which there are many, no denying that.

If you come, you should definitely keep hurricanes in mind - get an apartment out of the flood zone, on the second floor, have renters insurance and an evacuation plan, make friends with your neighbors and make sure you have their numbers, have a way to keep tabs on the weather channel and think about what you'd take with you in an evacuation. But after that, it's probably not something you'll think about everyday, you'll focus on school, becoming a good doctor and enjoying N.O.
 
Hey, where are these flood-free zones? Is this in the uptown areas? Also, I'm considering getting an MPH at the school along with the MD. Does anyone here have any experience in the combined degree program? How much of a workload is it (I wont be able to start taking classes this upcoming summer because my program now ends in the summer). How important is the MPH for residencies (I've always wanted to go into surgery- but irregardless the MPH serves for some helpful education about health policy, etc. etc.) How is rent like? I wouldn't mind taking out a loan to bring a car and pay for rent if it means that I'll live in a better area. Thanks! I'm excited to attend in the fall should things work out the way I expect it to work out.
 
braluk said:
Hey, where are these flood-free zones? Is this in the uptown areas? Also, I'm considering getting an MPH at the school along with the MD. Does anyone here have any experience in the combined degree program? How much of a workload is it (I wont be able to start taking classes this upcoming summer because my program now ends in the summer). How important is the MPH for residencies (I've always wanted to go into surgery- but irregardless the MPH serves for some helpful education about health policy, etc. etc.) How is rent like? I wouldn't mind taking out a loan to bring a car and pay for rent if it means that I'll live in a better area. Thanks! I'm excited to attend in the fall should things work out the way I expect it to work out.
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You don't really need to worry about flood zones, if you live anywhere within downtown, quarter or uptown youre fine. The closer you are to the river the better, so if you are one of the many that choose uptown, the riverside of St. Charles, or at least Claiborne is your safest bet. Rent isnt bad, ~500/month for a nice place if you get a good deal and live with others. Single bedrooms are obviously most often more expensive but you should not have to pay over 700-800 unless youre very very picky.

As for the MPH... Im just an undergrad too, so keep that in mind, but.. Ive also considered surgery, and with any competitive specialty in mind I think the MPH isn't the best idea. Schools claim it beefs up your residency apps, but for which residencies and how much isnt as clear. The MPH requires that you give up elective time that you could normally use for further study in your field of interest and research. It also takes up your summers which is prime time for research work which is becoming ever more important for top spots. If you decide somewhere along the line post graduation that you really need the MPH you can get it within a year I hear, so its not like this is your only chance.
 
Hey guys.

Just found this thread.

I have also been accepted to Tulane. I interviewed on the first day of interviews (It was a Monday in September, 9/18??? maybe). Anyone else here interview on that day? I found out about my acceptance on about 11/12.

I am not sure if I will be attending Tulane or not. My biggest concern is the city of New Orleans itself.

Any idea on a 2nd look day? Does Tulane have one? It will play a big role in my decision to attend the school.

The kids I met on my interview day were second to none. That is the biggest draw for me. Everyone was so friendly and helpful and that is what I am looking for in a medical school. Hopefully I will meet all of you in the near future.

-James
 
I'm a third year at Tulane and, like Samoa, am not one who "bleeds green" for Tulane. There are a lot of gung-ho Tulane peeps and I find that you have to use a little discretion with them when you're thinking about coming here. That attitude was necessary for a lot of people to cope with the scope and magnitude of Katrina's effect on the school and the city.

I know that deciding on a med school is tough and sometimes all the little things and all the comments get in the way of the bigger picture. I came to this school because I thought it was the best school for me. I could have gone to higher "ranked" places or places closer to home, but Tulane felt right. I'm 75% happy with that decision. I think if the hurricane didn't happen, I'd be 95% happy with that decision. But remember that the people on this forum, including myself, are just regular people, and our opinions, regardless of enthusiasm, are no more valuable than your own.

That said, here are my 2 cents. I agree wholeheartedly with Samoa's list of enumerated criteria. I would add/emphasize a couple more things:

1. Preclinical courses.
A lot of schools are in the process of integrating curricula. This is a good thing. But you need to be aware that being at the school during this process may not be ideal. This applies to ANY school you're considering. Tulane's pre-clinical years are a little sloppy in terms of management and efficiency. There are a couple of courses in the first and second year that are excellent in terms of organization and content like Physiology, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology. There are other courses that are simply unacceptable in terms of their management. If you're the kind of person who would rather study on your own anyway, then this might not matter to you. Some students aren't bothered by these issues at all while others don't want to have to deal with it. This is to say that you need to think about how important it is for you to feel like the school really has its act together and what you expect in exchange for private school tuition. Regardless, you should know that courses directors are changing, courses are being revamped, and while this is a good thing there is definitely a "guinea pig" effect that students have to deal with in some classes. Some of this is post-Katrina stuff that just can't be helped and some of it isn't.

2. Research. For medical students, this is probably the school's weakest point. It's there if you want to hunt it down. But its not the kind of place where you'll be "inspired" by the research going on at your institution. You won't see posters in the lobby about talks or presentations or other kinds of research activity the same way you would at other large medical centers/universities. Again, this may not matter to you. But some residencies more or less demand quality research experience. And if you're one of those people who doesn't know what kind of research you're interested in, or if you want to have the opportunity to "feel it out" while in med school, whether its for your own edification or for professional gain. . .there are better places to be.

3. Infrastructure. The infrastructure here took a big hit after the storm. From staffing in the financial aid office, to attending-student ratios on the wards. . . you don't have to look far to find evidence of this. I'm sure by the time you get here it will all be much improved, but before you go to bed thinking "it'll all work out fine," I believe its important to really think hard about these issues. It will take a long time for things to return to functional again (though it'd be tough to describe New Orleans pre-Katrina as functional, I think you know what i mean). Are there better places to be in this regard? Absolutely. Can you have a good experience here nevertheless? Depending on what you want to get out of it and if you're pro-active. . .Absolutely. Tulane post-Katrina, and New Orleans for that matter, is not for the passive student. This school will not surround you with loads of great clinical, community, or research opportunites. You will have to seek those things out. They are here, but don't expect them to fall into your lap.

These are tangible things that I think applicants should be aware of. On a more subjective note, I think that its also important to be realistic, even though the world of med school apps is anything but. I love New Orleans, and I think Tulane is an incredibly unique school with regard to its relaxed atmosphere and overall friendliness. Its the kind of place where the grading system can change based on student input and access to lecture material can go from noteservice alone to noteservice, audio recordings, and podcasting of almost every lecture in a little under a year. I also am endlessly impressed by how everyone at the school has persevered after the storm.

Nonetheless, the city is less than half its original size. The medical infrastructure took a bad hit. The faculty size is down. Student body size is up. These are realities that you should think about seriously. People can tell you what they want about how its ok or about how its not ok, but on an absolute scale, these are things you simply will not have to worry about at most other schools.

I also disagree with the comment that things will settle down after this year's class graduates. I think the fourth years feel that way, the third years feel that way, and the second years feel that way. These are the classes that were hit the hardest. And unless you're talking to people who took time off and had pre-clinical and clinical experiences here before AND after the storm, just remember that most people are totally clueless about how their situation stacks up, relatively. The third years now have no idea how the storm has damaged or improved their clinical experiences. How could we? There's nothing to compare it to!

All in all, at least for the first years now and the classes that follow, Tulane will give you a solid education. But I do believe that you should be prepared for compromises here that you probably will not have to make elsewhere. If you're cool with that, then go for it. This is still a great city and, eventually, Tulane will be a great med school.
 
Many thanks. That was an informative reply.

Thoughts on places to live? I want to have zero safety concerns with my wife being at home alone.
 
Dry, as in it was never flooded?
 
Im actually seriously considering living in Deming's. My gf won't be moving in with me until probably my rotations start, and living so close to the campus definitely kills off the expenses I'll need to be spending, on things like having a car/gas, furniture, utilities, air conditioning, etc.. etc.. I honestly don't mind living in a dorm type situation, having been in both, its actually seeems less of a hassle, i honestly can live anywhere and have no problem with it unless its in a ghetto or something. It also seems like a good way to get to know a few med students alot better. Suggestions? whats the rent like?
 
Braluk,

Aren't you worried about all of the distractions that come with a dorm? I agree it would be cheaper but so would living at a homeless shelter during med school. I admire your reasons for wanting to do it though.
 
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