UCSD question: Soliciting help/opinions

[boardchic]

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I have an interview at UCSD on January 31. I live in Rhode Island, so it's a long, expensive trip for me, so I'm trying to decide whether or not I should keep the interview. Here are my issues:
1) Does anyone know if UCSD has pretty much filled their class? Would I be interviewing for a spot in the class, or pretty much just for the waitlist? I'm from out of state... do I have much of a chance at all?
2) I don't really know too much about the school... I mainly applied because I've heard San Diego is awesome (I've never been). What do you guys think are the best and worst things about the school?
Any input on these or other topics would be greatly appreciated.

 

[opinionkitten]

as for #1, you had better call the adcom office for that one. theyve been admitting people since november, had an adcom meeting very recently, and i have no idea how many seats are left.

as fir #2, san diego is lovely, cant beat the weather. the city is nice but cost of living is kind of outrageous. the facilities are not so hot, the buildings are kind of old and such. there is a kickass biomed library! there is a ton of research at ucsd and its easy to get in labs, and the students do rotations at tons of hospitals, the VA is 200 yards from the campus, there is a huge naval hospital and several other hospitals to get into in SD. its got a good rep (an ortho surgeon that went to upenn with whom i spoke gushed over ucsd) and the students i spoke to at my interview really liked it. its a fairly conservative (read: lots of lecture time) curriculum and there seems to be a lot of hating on the boards about students being unhappy. i made a point to ask about this to everyone i spoke to at the interview, including students, and not much of it was substantiated.

in short i was impressed, would go to the interview if the airfare isnt to nuts. also its absolutely perfect there right now, 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. if nothing more than a parentally subsidized vacation in the sun, i say go!

 

[boardchic]

Thanks for your response, opinionkitten. The vacation in the sun part does seem awfully appealing... especially since it's 5 degrees here ("feels like -12" according to the weather channel).

Does anyone else want to help a poor freezing girl out with some opinions?

 

[the other Dr.]

Thanks for your response, opinionkitten. The vacation in the sun part does seem awfully appealing... especially since it's 5 degrees here ("feels like -12" according to the weather channel).

Does anyone else want to help a poor freezing girl out with some opinions?

Come to San Diego! You can get cheap tickets on Southwest out of Providence. Last month I paid $119 each way when I went out to Boston. I have heard that they save spots along the way for each interview period, so they are still admitting people to the class. If you got offered an interview out of state, then they must be very interested in you! You should definitely check it out!

 

[flyingyeti]

Here's my take on UCSD. I went there in December for an interview. Out of all the places I interviewed at, the location was the nicest, it's definitely an awesome school and you'll get a top notch education. It's very lecture-oriented, so if you're the type of person who likes to learn by lecture, then it's the place to go. The student tour guide showed us the lecture room that they sit in from 8 to 5 with a 2 hour lunch break. That system works for some people, doesn't work for others. As for out of staters, they don't interview that many, last year 10 out of staters entered (I don't know how many were accepted) out of around 80 interviewed. SD's really quick about letting you know if you got in or not, so that's a plus. So my advice is to go if you really like lecture-based learning. If you don't then it's probably not worth it

 

[boardchic]

This is great advice. Thank you guys so much for your input. Are students really in lecture from 8 to 5? I'm not really that into lecture-based learning, so it may not be the place for me...

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

This is great advice. Thank you guys so much for your input. Are students really in lecture from 8 to 5? I'm not really that into lecture-based learning, so it may not be the place for me...

Yes - UCSD's curriculum is (from what students have told me) purely lecture based - no PBL or other small learning groups.

 

[constructor]

This is great advice. Thank you guys so much for your input. Are students really in lecture from 8 to 5? I'm not really that into lecture-based learning, so it may not be the place for me...

it looks like you've already been accepted at better schools, so it might not be worth the trip. i thought i remembered you posting that you got into washu. if that's the case, i don't think there's any point in coming to san diego unless you want to turn the interview trip into a little vacation in san diego.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

it looks like you've already been accepted at better schools, so it might not be worth the trip. i thought i remembered you posting that you got into washu. if that's the case, i don't think there's any point in coming to san diego unless you want to turn the interview trip into a little vacation in san diego.

This is good advice, considering the ever-increasing costs of attending medical school in California. Wash-U would definitely be cheaper for a non-California resident than UCSD would be.

 

[opinionkitten]

Yes - UCSD's curriculum is (from what students have told me) purely lecture based - no PBL or other small learning groups.

i sat in on a small learning group deal while i was there, and students were pretty eager to dispel the 8-5 and class on saturday stuff.

 

[constructor]

i sat in on a small learning group deal while i was there, and students were pretty eager to dispel the 8-5 and class on saturday stuff.

yeah, i got that impression, too. i think they're in denial. there's no other explanation for why EVERY student i saw there looked like he/she hadn't slept in 3 days - they just looked absolutely miserable for a place that is known for its great weather and vacation spots (and i didn't even go there during exam week!).

 

[Uegis]

yeah, i got that impression, too. i think they're in denial. there's no other explanation for why EVERY student i saw there looked like he/she hadn't slept in 3 days - they just looked absolutely miserable for a place that is known for its great weather and vacation spots (and i didn't even go there during exam week!).

Makes me wonder if I even want to go to my interview, especially considering I don't have UCSD-type stats. Decisions, decisions.

 

[constructor]

Makes me wonder if I even want to go to my interview, especially considering I don't have UCSD-type stats. Decisions, decisions.

uegis, i think you should go. although there are so many negatives, it is still a great school at the end of the day and you will great a great education with lots of opportunities. but if having fun is an important part of who you are, it might not be the place for you. i'm very carefree and don't take much of anything seriously, so that's why i was so affected by what i saw there. so please take what i say with a grain of salt. i really hope we get into davis or ucsf, though.. wouldn't that be sweeet? 😀

 

[wxl31]

hey, i'm debating going too! i'm still figuring out my bank account.

Makes me wonder if I even want to go to my interview, especially considering I don't have UCSD-type stats. Decisions, decisions.

 

[wxl31]

constructor, would you go to ucsd over uc davis?

Makes me wonder if I even want to go to my interview, especially considering I don't have UCSD-type stats. Decisions, decisions.

 

[constructor]

constructor, would you go to ucsd over uc davis?

nah, i would probably choose davis over ucsd and ucsf over both. i don't think i would be able to fit in as well at ucsd. to me, there was a very palpable difference between the kind of students at ucsd and those at davis. they're all extremely intelligent, hard-working, and interesting people, but one big difference was that the students at davis seemed so much more chill and personable.

 

[BananaSplit]

This is great advice. Thank you guys so much for your input. Are students really in lecture from 8 to 5? I'm not really that into lecture-based learning, so it may not be the place for me...

This is our schedule for next week for MS1. It's fairly reflective of our schedule this quarter.

M 8-8:50 Ventricular Function II
9-9:50 Venous Return
10-11:50 Neural Control of Circulation
LUNCH
1-4 Cardivascular Lab I (Groups 1-12)

T 8-9:50 Ionotropic Mechanisms
10:10-11 Vascular Pharmacology - Eicosanoids

W 8-9:50 Case II: The Secretary
10:10-11 Clinical Correlation: Pheochromocytoma
LUNCH
1-4 Cardivascular Lab I (Groups 13-24)

Th 8-9 Exam II
9:15-9:50 Optional Review of Exam
10:30-12 Introduction to Clinical Medicine

F 8-8:50 Free time
9-10:50 Clinical Correlation: Valvular Heart Disease and Heart Failure
11:10-12 Vascular Pharm III - Peptides
LUNCH
1-3 Physiology of the Coronary Circulation

As you can see, we actually don't have lectures from 8-5 every day. On Monday, half the class has cardio lab in the afternoon (the other half on Wed), on Wednesday, we have and friday we have clinical correlates where a clinician comes in and gives us a brief spiel about a certain condition and then patients with that condition are introduced and we ask the patients questions. On Wednesday morning next week, we will have small group session where we review a case of a secretary with an unkown heart defect and try to figure out what it is based on EKGs and rhythm strips (aka CBL). This week, our case was a construction worker with a second-third degree left bundle branch block. On Thursdays, we have ICM, where one student in the group role plays a patient and the other members interview her or we interview standardized patients. So, we have a mix of lectures, labs, and small groups.
If you can get reasonable plane tickets, I encourage you to come and check us out. It's wise to consider the opinions of others, but ultimately, it's about finding a good fit for you.

 

[wxl31]

i'm still paying off my CC for my fall interviews so i'm really debating this one.

i hope you get into ucsf. always makes me happy when ppl get into their first choice.

TO EVERYONE: my status page still shows i dont have an interview. was put on hold in sept so i called this week and the lady said that i was in the queue for an interview but i just wasn't up yet. if you're waiting for this one post-hold, i'd suggest calling too. g' luck!

nah, i would probably choose davis over ucsd and ucsf over both. i don't think i would be able to fit in as well at ucsd. to me, there was a very palpable difference between the kind of students at ucsd and those at davis. they're all extremely intelligent, hard-working, and interesting people, but one big difference was that the students at davis seemed so much more chill and personable.

 

[constructor]

thanks wxl31! i really wouldn't mind davis, either, so maybe i'll see you there next year. 🙂

 

[Uegis]

uegis, i think you should go. although there are so many negatives, it is still a great school at the end of the day and you will great a great education with lots of opportunities. but if having fun is an important part of who you are, it might not be the place for you. i'm very carefree and don't take much of anything seriously, so that's why i was so affected by what i saw there. so please take what i say with a grain of salt. i really hope we get into davis or ucsf, though.. wouldn't that be sweeet? 😀

Haha, i'm probably still going to the interview. 39 bucks on Southwest one way. Not bad at all. Man, if UCSF will take me off hold and give me an interview, that'll be like a dream for me. Davis would be nice, but you know my situation. I know you're still waiting. I'm sure there's some good news coming your way soon. I still have to wait at least until March to know my status. At least I got into an out of state I won't mind going to, but Davis is still tops in my book.

 

[flyingyeti]

I didn't mean to say that SD was all lecture from 8-5 and nothing else. But from what I understand, there's more lecture time at SD than other schools I've visited so far. Also I had 2 tour guides, an MS1 and a MS2. The MS1 deemphasized the length of lecture time, but the MS2 basically told him, "wait until you get to 2nd year." So what I got out of it was that 1st year isn't as lecture based as 2nd year, but 2nd year had a lot of lecture time. This is anecdotal, so I don't know what most students at SD think about the curriculum.

 

[UCLAstudent]

TO EVERYONE: my status page still shows i dont have an interview. was put on hold in sept so i called this week and the lady said that i was in the queue for an interview but i just wasn't up yet. if you're waiting for this one post-hold, i'd suggest calling too. g' luck!

Oh really? Maybe I should call. I've been on hold since September, too. Thanks for the tip. 👍

 

[Uegis]

Oh really? Maybe I should call. I've been on hold since September, too. Thanks for the tip. 👍

Oh yea, i got my interview by emailing them and got a response within an hour offering me an interview. The earliest available two weeks ago was second week of February, so better call or email! I was never placed on hold though. There was no status change at all and it still doesn't indicate I have an interview.

 

[Newquagmire]

1) the biomed library is being renovated. whoever said the facilities here arent so hot was very right. a lot of that is because the school is so "new" (1970s), and therefore generally hasnt needed to be renovated yet.
2) maaaaaybe there were 10 out of staters in last year's entering class. 3-5 of those would be mstps. the rest, i believe, all got scholarships.
3) providence? there's 4 kids from brown in last year's class. just in case...
4) you don't really *have* to go to all the lectures.
5) san diego >> st louis

 

[opinionkitten]

1) the biomed library is being renovated. whoever said the facilities here arent so hot was very

dude dont hate on the biomed, it is cozy and fantastic.

 

[Newquagmire]

dude dont hate on the biomed, it is cozy and fantastic.

biomed was one ugly mofo that needed to be put out of its misery

 

[scrappysurfer]

I have an interview at UCSD on January 31. I live in Rhode Island, so it's a long, expensive trip for me, so I'm trying to decide whether or not I should keep the interview. Here are my issues:
1) Does anyone know if UCSD has pretty much filled their class? Would I be interviewing for a spot in the class, or pretty much just for the waitlist? I'm from out of state... do I have much of a chance at all?
2) I don't really know too much about the school... I mainly applied because I've heard San Diego is awesome (I've never been). What do you guys think are the best and worst things about the school?
Any input on these or other topics would be greatly appreciated.

I'm a sd resident and ucsd grad. I have mentored a number of med students on their independent study projects so I know a ton of them.

The school just lags in general. No one I know there seems to have gotten in before around May. Many many of their current students interviewed as late as APRIL!!!! It was the last school most people heard from.

In other words if you are interested in UCSD: GO TO THIS INTERVIEW!! You still have a very good chance of getting in. Best of luck and I feel your pain on the $.

 

[DrWorkNeverDone]

nah, i would probably choose davis over ucsd and ucsf over both. i don't think i would be able to fit in as well at ucsd. to me, there was a very palpable difference between the kind of students at ucsd and those at davis. they're all extremely intelligent, hard-working, and interesting people, but one big difference was that the students at davis seemed so much more chill and personable.

i agree 🙂 davis people always seem so happy

 

[personal jesus]

Im always amazed how people who dont go to a school can talk so authoratively about it. UCSD has more lecture hours than some schools but you arnt in class from 8-5 ever. Additionally, most of the time you have lab in the afternoon or small groups not lecture. Anyone who is choosing between UCSD and a private school is crazy not to go to UCSD.

 

[zephyr_97]

As a second year medical student at UCSD, I have to admit that UCSD is fairly traditional in its curriculum. Sometimes I wish there are more PBL cases but then you don't have to go to all the lectures. I remember 2 years ago I was choosing between Davis or SD (like choosing snowboarding and surfing). In the end, I decided to stay close to my family in LA. If I were in that situation again, I'd still choose SD. Regardless of which school you attend, you decide what kind of doctor you will become and being able to stay in CA is just icing on the cake. .

ps. The happiest med students I've seen are at Cornell, UCSF and URochester.

Z.