UIC pros and cons

[Ossari]

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I have an interview at University of Illinois at Chicago coming up and need some help deciding whether I should go. I have gotten acceptances to quite a few schools I like I wanna know what others that have interviewed there think of the school. From what I have gathered, it's the largest med school in the nation, tradition and great area, great rotations and residency matches. I've heard negative things as well such as the student body being very competitive with each other, out-of-state tuition is crazy! and the faculty are not as aproachable. Also that you don't get much guidance through the clinicals in 1st and 2nd years. My friend who attends there also tells me that they are changing the curriculum to veer off the traditional 2year sci. and 2 year clinical and that they still have a few bugs to work out.
I appreciate any input you guys can offer, thank you.

 

[medicomel]

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[Ossari]

thanks, that's good advise

 

[Cold Penguin]

Does UIC provide notes to the students? Some med schools require all professors to provide students with notes, which is not to say to foster laziness among students but to facilitate students' learning pace and leave more time for clinicals during the first two years. I am curious UIC has such a service available.

Thanks,
CP

 

[Ossari]

from what medicomel told me, lectures are not recorded but they are on powerpoint, leading me to believe that copies are probably available.

 

[nimer1456]

Does UIC provide notes to the students? Some med schools require all professors to provide students with notes, which is not to say to foster laziness among students but to facilitate students' learning pace and leave more time for clinicals during the first two years. I am curious UIC has such a service available.

Thanks,
CP

I am an M2 at UIC. Most of our classes post notes on line prior to lecture. If they do not then handouts will provided in class... depends on the prof

 

[WarnerMD278]

i'm at UIC. if you're out of state, then save your money and don't go to the interview. if you're in-state, however, make the effort to go. i interviewed at a few chicago schools, and i walked away from interview day at UIC knowing that it was my first choice in-state. having been there for a few months, i can say that there are enough faculty out there that are very approachable, friendly, and actually like to teach. as for the students...i would say a large number of them are very friendly. we email each other links to websites, and the M2s consistently hold review sessions before tests. there will always be a few people who like to psyche you out and make you nervous, but that happens everywhere. and you'll hear over and over again at the interview that years M3 and M4 make UIC worth it. they revamped the curriculum this year to make classes overlap subject-wise, and lopped off a few biochem classes. anyway, that's all i'm gonna say about the school right now...PM if you want more details.

the only negative thing about UIC for me is their sorry library and lack of places to eat on campus besides the student union. tons of us can be found at other med school/law libraries in the city.

I got accepted by UIC last year, but defer my enrollment until fall 2009. Is it ever possible for non-Illinois resident to receive in-state tuition (w/o marrying an IL resident)? did any UIC out-of-state people have succeed in getting the in-state tuition?

do we really need to make half of our education expense before class start in mid-august in 2009?

the $73,000 per year tuition is definitely outrageous, not to mention they have a high in-state tuition as well