Well, it was a beautiful sunny day here today in SF. True, the weather isn't exactly southern California's, but it isn't exactly Boston or Baltimore's either. :wink:
The rule for weather in SF: the farther west you go, the cloudier it gets. It's because of that off-shore marine layer fog. It does gives SF that somewhat mystical, London-like feel though. Nothing like seeing fog clouds float down the street at night or mist brush through the trees in Golden Gate Park.
As for parking, yes it is a problem around the school, but many students live nearby and walk, or take public transportation (MUNI). The streetcars and buses are a pretty good option. As you get farther from campus (a few to several blocks), it gets much easier to find street parking.
About rent, while it is definitely true that the cost of living in San Francisco is high, prices are coming down because of the recession and many apartments are available. My apartment is far from a hole-in-the-wall and I pay under $1000 per month. In New York City, you generally pay the same or higher for MUCH smaller places. Plus, San Francisco's Victorian style places can't be beat. 😀
I think UCSF tries to sell itself on the prestige + low cost combo. That is probably the reason you hear it so often. You have to admit that it is quite a deal. I could say lots of good things about the school, ranging from the well-integrated new curriculum and clinical relevance to the excellent teaching hospitals (Moffit-Long, SF General, VA, etc). Or the concern that the administration shows for students in hearing our feedback and implementing solutions. Or the great community involvement, from free clinics to teaching elementary students basic anatomy and science. How about the extremely diverse patient population? Or the excellence in basic and clinical biomedical research. Or the general collaborative and collegial atmosphere between faculty, administrators, and students. I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
Certainly, those are valid concerns about the new curriculum. Most of the bugs will have been ironed out next year. Anatomy is being decompressed and spread out over a longer period of time. Additionally, this year's entering class will have access to our old midterms/finals, plus additional self-assessment materials. You will also have the second years as resources. What is really great is how responsive the administrators and faculty have been. Also, it was very heartening to see how the class has pulled together to write up study notes and to work in small groups to learn the material.
Coop, I'm sorry that the students you met didn't give you a better (i.e. more descriptive) assessment of what UCSF is all about. Congratulations though on making a decision and good luck in medical school! 😀
