University of Maryland Class of 2010 part 01

[solacecomes]

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Did it work, LW? My aid package remained unchanged. They're pretty smart, releasing the final packages on a Friday.

 

[LucidSplash]

first inital of first name - then first four letters of last name with 001, 002, 003 ....

give me the persons name and class you are trying to find and I'll get their email address for you

LOL - Definitely a great post LW. Sadly, nothing more for me than the loans I already accepted. Good effort though!

 

[loveumms]

Hey guys, is it me or did UMaryland's 2006 matchlist not seem very impressive (way too many peds/IM) but lots of of orthro.

Not trying to diss UMD, (which is one of my top choices by the way) and not trying to get any of you hardcore Terps to drop their acceptance.

http://medschool.umaryland.edu/osa/pdf/MATCH06.pdf

I think your comment is quite hypocritical. You are saying UMD is your top choice but then criticizing the match list like there is something wrong with the school b/c everyone of the seniors didn’t match into the most competitive residency spots. No offense but you say many times that MD is your top choice, and you are on the waitlist - maybe you should be careful in your disapproving comments.

Or, maybe you are just trying to come up with a reason as to why you don’t want to go there, instead of having to face being waitlisted. Quite, pathetic reasoning in my opinion however; I can understand the logic of it. Getting nervous, you start to criticize UMDs match list, saying that your reconsidering going there. Then when/if you get a rejection letter you can say you didn’t really want to go there anyway instead of having to face not being accepted. On the other hand, I’m sure if/when you get accepted, you’ll throw away all the doubt and disapproval of the match list and say how wonderful UMD is and how you can’t wait to come in August.

If you look closely, the 2006 match list is quite impressive. Look at WHERE many of the fourth years are going, not what they are going into and you might be less judgmental. Most of the programs are very prestigous and I for one am very proud of the class ahead of mine!!!!! I think it is very honorable and commendable to go into peds and IM – since they are primary care fields and that is where the need for new doctors is greatest.

I read a few of your posts and you seem a little too interested in match lists – they really are not that important to your career path at the moment (considering you have not even gotten to med school yet). UMD is a great school and if you are a competitive applicant when applying for residency by getting in the game early - planning and doing certain extracurriculars, research, ect you can match in pretty much whatever you choose. Trying to pick a med school based on a match list is not a wise decision, and honestly it should be one of the least important criteria in your decision on which school you choose. Furthermore, if you are going into IM (which you alluded to) then why make a snide comment about UMDs IM matches? Doesn’t make much sense to me. Then I took a look at your mdapplicant site and understood why you are so obsessed with match lists … you have way too much time on your hands and are trying to overanalyze everything.

In regards to your comment: “Yes, it’s going to take a miracle to get off UMD's waitlist. Then again, looking at UMD's matchlist kinda turned me off because I don't want to go into peds and orthro, but I loved UMD on interview day.”

This is one of the most unreasonable things I’ve read on this forum in quite some time and it is a little insulting to me as a student at UMD. When I read this, I thought to myself that maybe the reason you were waitlisted is b/c someone on the admissions committee saw your lack of reasoning and judgment skills and decided you might not be an appropriate student for UMD – remember, the ADCOM looks very closely at applicant’s ability to fit in with current/prospective students.

If the match list turned you off b/c you don’t want to go into peds or ortho then you need to rethink coming to med school at all b/c that is illogical and immature reasoning. Just b/c a fourth year class matched in fields which you have no interest in, has no bearing on your chances of matching in a different, unrelated field. Those students went for those spots b/c that is what THEY wanted to do – believe it or not, we all have our own agendas and don’t even consider or care what the incoming class wants to go in to b/c it has no bearing on our lives and careers. The world is not revolving around you. I get a sense that you feel entitled to an acceptance at UMD b/c you are going to a very well known undergrad campus in the same city as UMSOM – let me tell you, name only goes so far … most of the time people can see through arrogance and idiocy.

 

[SpeedRacer]

not to be a downer, but is anyone worried about crime? i know we're not hopkins, but remember when they had 2 students murdered in a 9 month period last year?

i was searching for something regarding maryland and stumbled upon this page: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=252373&page=1 the dental students were also talking about it!

anyway, i'm going to maryland regardless. i just don't wanna get shot.

i know someone is gonna say "don't walk alone at night" and "avoid the bad areas" etc. but these 2 kids were murdered in their own homes... how the hell do you avoid that??

 

[loveumms]

not to be a downer, but is anyone worried about crime? i know we're not hopkins, but remember when they had 2 students murdered in a 9 month period last year?

i was searching for something regarding maryland and stumbled upon this page: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=252373&page=1 the dental students were also talking about it!

anyway, i'm going to maryland regardless. i just don't wanna get shot.

i know someone is gonna say "don't walk alone at night" and "avoid the bad areas" etc. but these 2 kids were murdered in their own homes... how the hell do you avoid that??

B-more is much safer then ten years ago. It is a big city with lots of bad areas however, if you live in the 'downtown' area (from the hospital, east); you are much less likely to have problems.

You have to be street smart and always be aware of your surroundings. Don't walk around alone at night - if you are studying late at the library, take the shuttle bus home or call for a campus police escort. Don't carry around a lot of valuables (to be a walking poster for a mugging) and don't leave valuables visible in your car if parking on the street.

The area surrounding the school is patrolled by campus police (instead of the Baltimore City Police Department), and it seems like there is has been a pretty large reduction in crime over the past couple years since the major development push.

It is a major city, so of course there is going to be crime - unfortunately, that comes along with living in a city. I have not heard of any shootings in the vicinity in quite a long time - and I don't recall a student being shot on our campus since a dental student was shot in the Lexington garage several years back (they were walking very late in the evening by themselves). There have been some armed robberies, rapes and assaults but, most of these happen in the middle of the night and are a result of people not taking precautions. I wouldn't be concerned of being shot - I was very scared of moving into the city my first year too but, I quickly learned how to be careful and honestly have not felt threatened anytime (and I've walked around with others at night with absolutely no problems).

Hopkins undergraduate and medical campuses are actually on the other side of the city that is much different in makeup then Universities.

 

[cgk]

B-more is much safer then ten years ago. It is a big city with lots of bad areas however, if you live in the 'downtown' area (from the hospital, east); you are much less likely to have problems.

You have to be street smart and always be aware of your surroundings. Don't walk around alone at night - if you are studying late at the library, take the shuttle bus home or call for a campus police escort. Don't carry around a lot of valuables (to be a walking poster for a mugging) and don't leave valuables visible in your car if parking on the street.

The area surrounding the school is patrolled by campus police (instead of the Baltimore City Police Department), and it seems like there is has been a pretty large reduction in crime over the past couple years since the major development push.

It is a major city, so of course there is going to be crime - unfortunately, that comes along with living in a city. I have not heard of any shootings in the vicinity in quite a long time - and I don't recall a student being shot on our campus since a dental student was shot in the Lexington garage several years back (they were walking very late in the evening by themselves). There have been some armed robberies, rapes and assaults but, most of these happen in the middle of the night and are a result of people not taking precautions. I wouldn't be concerned of being shot - I was very scared of moving into the city my first year too but, I quickly learned how to be careful and honestly have not felt threatened anytime (and I've walked around with others at night with absolutely no problems).

Hopkins undergraduate and medical campuses are actually on the other side of the city that is much different in makeup then Universities.

Where is a good area or name of an apt complex to rent a 2 bed apt within walking distance to the school? Thanks for any ideas!

 

[Mixtli]

B-more is much safer then ten years ago. It is a big city with lots of bad areas however, if you live in the 'downtown' area (from the hospital, east); you are much less likely to have problems.

You have to be street smart and always be aware of your surroundings. Don't walk around alone at night - if you are studying late at the library, take the shuttle bus home or call for a campus police escort. Don't carry around a lot of valuables (to be a walking poster for a mugging) and don't leave valuables visible in your car if parking on the street.

The area surrounding the school is patrolled by campus police (instead of the Baltimore City Police Department), and it seems like there is has been a pretty large reduction in crime over the past couple years since the major development push.

It is a major city, so of course there is going to be crime - unfortunately, that comes along with living in a city. I have not heard of any shootings in the vicinity in quite a long time - and I don't recall a student being shot on our campus since a dental student was shot in the Lexington garage several years back (they were walking very late in the evening by themselves). There have been some armed robberies, rapes and assaults but, most of these happen in the middle of the night and are a result of people not taking precautions. I wouldn't be concerned of being shot - I was very scared of moving into the city my first year too but, I quickly learned how to be careful and honestly have not felt threatened anytime (and I've walked around with others at night with absolutely no problems).

Hopkins undergraduate and medical campuses are actually on the other side of the city that is much different in makeup then Universities.

Sorry to break your bubble, but downtown Baltimore is a lot more unsafe than the Hopkins undergraduate, and the Hopkins med campus is near the UMD campus. And, crime has not gone down, it has stayed the same if not increased. Baltimore is still rated as one of the highest crime/drug city in the nation. People get shot up all the time, thats why UMDSOM has the only (penetrating wound) trauma center in Baltimore. But, everything else is pretty much true. Don't leave stuff in your car, or your car is going to get popped, campus police vs. regular police, escort.

 

[Mixtli]

not to be a downer, but is anyone worried about crime? i know we're not hopkins, but remember when they had 2 students murdered in a 9 month period last year?

i was searching for something regarding maryland and stumbled upon this page: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=252373&page=1 the dental students were also talking about it!

anyway, i'm going to maryland regardless. i just don't wanna get shot.

i know someone is gonna say "don't walk alone at night" and "avoid the bad areas" etc. but these 2 kids were murdered in their own homes... how the hell do you avoid that??

Yeah, unfortunately. Both incidences their houses were broken into and the occupants got murdered. But, I think it was more of crime of oppurtunity than premeditated murder. In one instance, it was a murder-rape (I think, she was naked when they found her, he was an acquantaince who broke into her apartment to steal stuff) and the other was a mugging/murder (robber broke in, but victim fought back, but got stabbed to death). Both were very sad events. One lived in a rowhouse and the other in off-campus housing with (security + cameras!), both in relatively safe areas. I have no solution to avoid that. In the crime report at UMD, a UMD student got raped while walking home. So I don't think its isolated to particular parts of Baltimore. I almost got mugged twice in the same night by the same person in the summer, and my roomie was stalked by a stranger for a while recently, so I never walk home at night (take the shuttle).

 

[Mixtli]

I think your comment is quite hypocritical. You are saying UMD is your top choice but then criticizing the match list like there is something wrong with the school b/c everyone of the seniors didn’t match into the most competitive residency spots. No offense but you say many times that MD is your top choice, and you are on the waitlist - maybe you should be careful in your disapproving comments.

Or, maybe you are just trying to come up with a reason as to why you don’t want to go there, instead of having to face being waitlisted. Quite, pathetic reasoning in my opinion however; I can understand the logic of it. Getting nervous, you start to criticize UMDs match list, saying that your reconsidering going there. Then when/if you get a rejection letter you can say you didn’t really want to go there anyway instead of having to face not being accepted. On the other hand, I’m sure if/when you get accepted, you’ll throw away all the doubt and disapproval of the match list and say how wonderful UMD is and how you can’t wait to come in August.

If you look closely, the 2006 match list is quite impressive. Look at WHERE many of the fourth years are going, not what they are going into and you might be less judgmental. Most of the programs are very prestigous and I for one am very proud of the class ahead of mine!!!!! I think it is very honorable and commendable to go into peds and IM – since they are primary care fields and that is where the need for new doctors is greatest.

I read a few of your posts and you seem a little too interested in match lists – they really are not that important to your career path at the moment (considering you have not even gotten to med school yet). UMD is a great school and if you are a competitive applicant when applying for residency by getting in the game early - planning and doing certain extracurriculars, research, ect you can match in pretty much whatever you choose. Trying to pick a med school based on a match list is not a wise decision, and honestly it should be one of the least important criteria in your decision on which school you choose. Furthermore, if you are going into IM (which you alluded to) then why make a snide comment about UMDs IM matches? Doesn’t make much sense to me. Then I took a look at your mdapplicant site and understood why you are so obsessed with match lists … you have way too much time on your hands and are trying to overanalyze everything.

In regards to your comment: “Yes, it’s going to take a miracle to get off UMD's waitlist. Then again, looking at UMD's matchlist kinda turned me off because I don't want to go into peds and orthro, but I loved UMD on interview day.”

This is one of the most unreasonable things I’ve read on this forum in quite some time and it is a little insulting to me as a student at UMD. When I read this, I thought to myself that maybe the reason you were waitlisted is b/c someone on the admissions committee saw your lack of reasoning and judgment skills and decided you might not be an appropriate student for UMD – remember, the ADCOM looks very closely at applicant’s ability to fit in with current/prospective students.

If the match list turned you off b/c you don’t want to go into peds or ortho then you need to rethink coming to med school at all b/c that is illogical and immature reasoning. Just b/c a fourth year class matched in fields which you have no interest in, has no bearing on your chances of matching in a different, unrelated field. Those students went for those spots b/c that is what THEY wanted to do – believe it or not, we all have our own agendas and don’t even consider or care what the incoming class wants to go in to b/c it has no bearing on our lives and careers. The world is not revolving around you. I get a sense that you feel entitled to an acceptance at UMD b/c you are going to a very well known undergrad campus in the same city as UMSOM – let me tell you, name only goes so far … most of the time people can see through arrogance and idiocy.

You need to chill down. I never was hypocritical of UMD.Why would I diss my one and only state school that I already sent in a LOI and lots of other stuff? I have been a hardcore Redskins fan and Marylander for 16 years. You ain't in my shoes because you got the Texas system + Baylor. I never exhibited entitlement. If you search this thread, I was praying Maryland would let me like anyone else (since November!!!). Yes, I come from a undergrad in Baltimore so the premed office communicates a lot with Baltimore schools and they do it all the time. I can find out why I didn't get in and make my peace. BTW, UMD takes in a lot people from Baltimore county (UMBC, JHU, Towson, Notre Dame, Morgan State, Loyola) so it ain't cool to single me out because I go to school in Baltimore.

I said UMD's matchlist seemed weak based on my personal opinion. This ain't yours opinion, just mine. Your opinion may differ than mine. Thats cool. But, to draw such conclusions upon me is unfounded. I have shown no contempt for nobody, but obviously you don't like me because of my opinions? I don't know where all the hating began. You can ask Cozmosis, we been on this site for a long time, and I ain't like what you said about me.

 

[loveumms]

Sorry to break your bubble, but downtown Baltimore is a lot more unsafe than the Hopkins undergraduate, and the Hopkins med campus is near the UMD campus. And, crime has not gone down, it has stayed the same if not increased. Baltimore is still rated as one of the highest crime/drug city in the nation. People get shot up all the time, thats why UMDSOM has the only (penetrating wound) trauma center in Baltimore. But, everything else is pretty much true. Don't leave stuff in your car, or your car is going to get popped, campus police vs. regular police, escort.

There are several areas of B-more. Downtown (meaning the area surrounding the hospital to the Inner Harbor) has actually had an improvement in major crime. The change in patrol territory has made a difference. If you walk around the two blocks surrounding the hospital you are likely to encounter a patrolman almost every ten minutes, if not more. They have foot patrol and vehicle patrol. Now, if you go outside the two blocks you can run into some bad areas and it is not safe however, during the day I have never felt unsafe walking alone (as long as I use common sense). I actually life on President St which is past the inner harbor and walk home every day. Sometimes it is dark and I have never felt unsafe.

Hopkins is actually pretty far from UMD (if you are talking walking blocks). I didn't literally mean it was on the other side of the city ... I can actually see BayView from my porch.

You really are quite naive - UMD has a shock trauma center b/c Dr. Cowley was a critical care physician and started the trauma center to see if he could find novel ways to treat trauma victims (instead of how they used to be treated ... ie in any hospital whether it was equipped with docs trained in trauma or not). Yes, it has thrived b/c of the crime however, a great deal of trauma patients come from outside the city (that is why they have the medivacs). During my two weeks on trauma I would say that only 50% of the patients had wounds that were a direct result of crime – and that is being liberal. Many of the patients seen in trauma have severe injuries from MVAs, falls and a variety of other causes that have nothing to do with crime.

 

[AGAPE487]

You need to chill down. I never was hypocritical of UMD.Why would I diss my one and only state school that I already sent in a LOI and lots of other stuff? I have been a hardcore Redskins fan and Marylander for 16 years. You ain't in my shoes because you got the Texas system + Baylor. I never exhibited entitlement. If you search this thread, I was praying Maryland would let me like anyone else (since November!!!). Yes, I come from a undergrad in Baltimore so the premed office communicates a lot with Baltimore schools and they do it all the time. I can find out why I didn't get in and make my peace. BTW, UMD takes in a lot people from Baltimore county (UMBC, JHU, Towson, Notre Dame, Morgan State, Loyola) so it ain't cool to single me out because I go to school in Baltimore.

I said UMD's matchlist seemed weak based on my personal opinion. This ain't yours opinion, just mine. Your opinion may differ than mine. Thats cool. But, to draw such conclusions upon me is unfounded. I have shown no contempt for nobody, but obviously you don't like me because of my opinions? I don't know where all the hating began. You can ask Cozmosis, we been on this site for a long time, and I ain't like what you said about me.

LMAO. We all need to take a chill pill. Everything is okay. Let's not have arguing between future UMD students. I think everyone is entitled to their opnions and in such we should respect each other. Mixtli I hope everything works out for you in the future in regards to getting into the school of your choice. And love I hope your rotations are going well. Are you still on your surgery rotation? Love can you PM me so I can ask you some questions about the school. thanx.

 

[loveumms]

You need to chill down. I never was hypocritical of UMD.Why would I diss my one and only state school that I already sent in a LOI and lots of other stuff? I have been a hardcore Redskins fan and Marylander for 16 years. You ain't in my shoes because you got the Texas system + Baylor. I never exhibited entitlement. If you search this thread, I was praying Maryland would let me like anyone else (since November!!!). Yes, I come from a undergrad in Baltimore so the premed office communicates a lot with Baltimore schools and they do it all the time. I can find out why I didn't get in and make my peace. BTW, UMD takes in a lot people from Baltimore county (UMBC, JHU, Towson, Notre Dame, Morgan State, Loyola) so it ain't cool to single me out because I go to school in Baltimore.

I said UMD's matchlist seemed weak based on my personal opinion. This ain't yours opinion, just mine. Your opinion may differ than mine. Thats cool. But, to draw such conclusions upon me is unfounded. I have shown no contempt for nobody, but obviously you don't like me because of my opinions? I don't know where all the hating began. You can ask Cozmosis, we been on this site for a long time, and I ain't like what you said about me.

I don't understand what you are talking about – did you read my post? I don't claim to be in your shoes - I don't know what the Texas/Baylor comment is in reference to - I also don't know what you mean when you say the premed office communicates with Baltimore so you can find out why you got rejected.

I didn't single you out b/c you go to school in Baltimore - I went to UMCP so I went to undergrad in MD too. Actually, I didn’t' single you out at all. I read your comment, was offended by your wording and your claim that you were disappointed in our match list and thought I would call you out on it. Of course you are entitled to your opinion however; you should at least educate yourself on what you are talking about before opening your mouth and talking about things that you really don't know much about. When you made that comment you were basically saying that the fourth years didn't match well and I disagree with you.

I think I know that UMD takes a lot of people from Maryland – it’s a STATE school that is what they are supposed to do. Remember, I go there. I never said I dislike you; I dislike what you said and made a point to comment on it. No hating here.

 

[loveumms]

Where is a good area or name of an apt complex to rent a 2 bed apt within walking distance to the school? Thanks for any ideas!

The Redwood - this place is very nice and within a block from the school/hospital

Marlboro Square

University Suites

The Sail Cloth (although I thought the rooms were kinda small)

Innerharbor Lofts

The Greenhouse (they are building the Zenith right next to this building so it might be a last resort choice ... not sure how noisy it is)

 

[loveumms]

LMAO. We all need to take a chill pill. Everything is okay. Let's not have arguing between future UMD students. I think everyone is entitled to their opnions and in such we should respect each other. Mixtli I hope everything works out for you in the future in regards to getting into the school of your choice. And love I hope your rotations are going well. Are you still on your surgery rotation? Love can you PM me so I can ask you some questions about the school. thanx.

I was not trying to start an argument (I'm a third year) - I was just pointing out the flaw in mixtlis post. He/she is not a student at UMD and I felt like his/her comment was a little offensive to the fourth years here considering they would be offended by someone stating they "matched weakly".

Feel free to PM me your questions - I will try to answer them the best I can. I'm actually on OB/GYN ... I did surgery at the beginning of my third year but if that is what your question is about, I can definitely help you out.

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

Hey, I didn't get any more money either 🙁 Booooo

 

[Tater]

The Redwood - this place is very nice and within a block from the school/hospital

Marlboro Square

University Suites

The Sail Cloth (although I thought the rooms were kinda small)

Innerharbor Lofts

The Greenhouse (they are building the Zenith right next to this building so it might be a last resort choice ... not sure how noisy it is)

Is the walk from the Redwood to the hospital pretty safe? I've heard it is, but I'm not sure I can afford to live there...


The match list argument really should be a moot point. You'll understand it when you get there, but a school can hardly be defined by how "good" the match list is. A "good" match list does not equal all ophtho, derm, with a smatter of neurosurgery and plastics. If that's what you are judging a school by, then good luck finding it. And likewise, a "good" match list does not equal everyone getting into Harvard or Baylor-Houston.

This is how I would define a good match list...did the school (including program directors/chairmen, student affairs, mentors and attendings) support the students in getting them where they needed and wanted to go? If so, then they have an excellent match list. Wherever they are and whatever they're doing. 🙂

 

[Mixtli]

I don't understand what you are talking about – did you read my post? I don't claim to be in your shoes - I don't know what the Texas/Baylor comment is in reference to - I also don't know what you mean when you say the premed office communicates with Baltimore so you can find out why you got rejected.

I didn't single you out b/c you go to school in Baltimore - I went to UMCP so I went to undergrad in MD too. Actually, I didn’t' single you out at all. I read your comment, was offended by your wording and your claim that you were disappointed in our match list and thought I would call you out on it. Of course you are entitled to your opinion however; you should at least educate yourself on what you are talking about before opening your mouth and talking about things that you really don't know much about. When you made that comment you were basically saying that the fourth years didn't match well and I disagree with you.

I think I know that UMD takes a lot of people from Maryland – it’s a STATE school that is what they are supposed to do. Remember, I go there. I never said I dislike you; I dislike what you said and made a point to comment on it. No hating here.

I got you confused with someone else, didn't know you were a 3rd year. I don't care if I offend 4th years about their match. Its my humble opinion that UMD was ok in terms of match, but not spectacular. Everybody got an opinion. You are free to comment, but I was just wondering about the preponderence of peds, IM, and family practice and not of certain specialties such as derm (1), plastic (1), optho (0), rads (5). anesthiology (5-6), although orthro seems to be overrepresented (~8). Don't know if this is because this is everyone's top choice or due to another circumstance.

 

[loveumms]

Is the walk from the Redwood to the hospital pretty safe? I've heard it is, but I'm not sure I can afford to live there...


The match list argument really should be a moot point. You'll understand it when you get there, but a school can hardly be defined by how "good" the match list is. A "good" match list does not equal all ophtho, derm, with a smatter of neurosurgery and plastics. If that's what you are judging a school by, then good luck finding it. And likewise, a "good" match list does not equal everyone getting into Harvard or Baylor-Houston.

This is how I would define a good match list...did the school (including program directors/chairmen, student affairs, mentors and attendings) support the students in getting them where they needed and wanted to go? If so, then they have an excellent match list. Wherever they are and whatever they're doing. 🙂

I agree but, I think it offensive to say a school matched weakly b/c they were heavy on IM and peds - especially if you want to go into IM (duh).

The walk is pretty safe. I lived in Redwood Square (which is literally a seconds walk from The Redwood) and I walked from the library home at night and felt fine ... granted I was always aware of my surroundings and didn't take any side streets (stayed on Lombard to Pratt to Redwood). It is pretty expensive but you are paying for the area. B-more is really changing and trying to make a name for itself and the rent has increased b/c of this.

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

Maryland, we're all behind you,
Raise high the Black and Gold.
For there is nothing half so glorious
As to see our team victorious.

We've got the team, boys,
We've got the steam, boys,
So keep on fighting, don't give in;
M-A-R-Y-L-A-N-D
Maryland will win!




Fight, fight, fight for Maryland!
Honor now her name again,
Push up the score, keep on fighting for more,
For Maryland. GO TERPS!

Go on and fight, fight, fight for Terrapin,
Keep on fighting 'til we win,
So sing out our song as we go marching along
To Victory!

 

[LadyWolverine]

Wow, look at all the drama! Looks like it's time for a big frickin GROUP HUG!! I'm a bit loopy, because I have to be at WORK on a frickin SUNDAY. But at least I can waste some more time on SDN! Yay.

I think that we all agree that Maryland is a great school that will prepare you to do whatever you want to do. I don't really give 2 shiits about the match list. I don't know if it should impress me or not. The only thing that impresses me is if people excel in what they love, and manage to stay happy and grounded in the things that are important, like family & friends. What do I care if Joe Schmo matched into (INSERT HIGHLY COVETED RESIDENCY FIELD AND PROGRAM HERE), if he's an a$$hole who alienated himself, screwed his classmates over for 4 years, and has no friends/no life? That's why this matchlist stuff is a crock. It says nothing about the kind of person that the student is, or what interests they have. What about all those folks at UMD who aspire to be great family practice docs and go to Christiana Care in DE? Do you consider that to be unimpressive, just because it's a field that you don't necessarily want to go into, or because you've never heard of the program?

I think that getting into ANY residency is pretty amazing. Getting into medical school and completing it successfully in the first place is pretty amazing. Mixtli, How do you even KNOW which residencies are impressive and which aren't? Is there a ranked list, similar to the USNWR for med schools? Furthermore, how do you know you're not interested in Primary Care or Orthopedics? Have you ever done a FP rotation? An IM rotation? How about Ortho? I know that I haven't. But I haven't yet ruled out any of these fields because I "don't like them," or because I "already know I don't want to go into them." Shadowing a doc for a couple of days isn't going to make you an expert. Doing UG research in a certain field won't, either. I think there's a lot to be said for keeping an open mind...otherwise your "lack of interest" in these fields may become a self-fulfilling prophecy during your rotations, and you'll end up miserable. On the other hand, if you go into it with the mindset that you will enjoy and learn something from each of them, maybe you'll decide that you love IM/ortho/etc the most out of all of your other experiences.

But, then again, I've never been a med student before, so I could just be talking out my a$$.

Several of us are turning down "higher ranked schools" with "more impressive match lists" (if you base your level of impressivity? impressiveness? on specific matches, e.g. how many went to derm, ophtho, MGH, B&W, blah blah blah, who really cares, it's pretty subjective anyway!) to go to Maryland because we know we can still get into these programs if we work hard enough. I think it's great to have specific interests going in (for example, I'm really interested in ID, immunology, and cardio), but I don't think it's cool to rule something out or label it as "unimpressive" before you've even tried it.

 

[LadyWolverine]

Maryland, we're all behind you,
Raise high the Black and Gold.

Btw, I think Maryland has the best-looking flag of any of the states! Hooray for those Calverts, and for Maryland pride!!

PS who knows MD's state flower? We had to learn all this stuff in grade school!

 

[loveumms]

Wow, look at all the drama! Looks like it's time for a big frickin GROUP HUG!! I'm a bit loopy, because I have to be at WORK on a frickin SUNDAY. But at least I can waste some more time on SDN! Yay.

I think that we all agree that Maryland is a great school that will prepare you to do whatever you want to do. I don't really give 2 shiits about the match list. I don't know if it should impress me or not. The only thing that impresses me is if people excel in what they love, and manage to stay happy and grounded in the things that are important, like family & friends. What do I care if Joe Schmo matched into (INSERT HIGHLY COVETED RESIDENCY FIELD AND PROGRAM HERE), if he's an a$$hole who alienated himself, screwed his classmates over for 4 years, and has no friends/no life? That's why this matchlist stuff is a crock. It says nothing about the kind of person that the student is, or what interests they have. What about all those folks at UMD who aspire to be great family practice docs and go to Christiana Care in DE? Do you consider that to be unimpressive, just because it's a field that you don't necessarily want to go into, or because you've never heard of the program?

I think that getting into ANY residency is pretty amazing. Getting into medical school and completing it successfully in the first place is pretty amazing. Mixtli, How do you even KNOW which residencies are impressive and which aren't? Is there a ranked list, similar to the USNWR for med schools? Furthermore, how do you know you're not interested in Primary Care or Orthopedics? Have you ever done a FP rotation? An IM rotation? How about Ortho? I know that I haven't. But I haven't yet ruled out any of these fields because I "don't like them," or because I "already know I don't want to go into them." Shadowing a doc for a couple of days isn't going to make you an expert. Doing UG research in a certain field won't, either. I think there's a lot to be said for keeping an open mind...otherwise your "lack of interest" in these fields may become a self-fulfilling prophecy during your rotations, and you'll end up miserable. On the other hand, if you go into it with the mindset that you will enjoy and learn something from each of them, maybe you'll decide that you love IM/ortho/etc the most out of all of your other experiences.

But, then again, I've never been a med student before, so I could just be talking out my a$$.

Several of us are turning down "higher ranked schools" with "more impressive match lists" (if you base your level of impressivity? impressiveness? on specific matches, e.g. how many went to derm, ophtho, MGH, B&W, blah blah blah, who really cares, it's pretty subjective anyway!) to go to Maryland because we know we can still get into these programs if we work hard enough. I think it's great to have specific interests going in (for example, I'm really interested in ID, immunology, and cardio), but I don't think it's cool to rule something out or label it as "unimpressive" before you've even tried it.

Well said sista! I am not sure if you are coming to MD but, you would fit in very well here - I can tell that you are laid back and just go with the flow and that is the kind of students that MD needs and tries to recruit.

That was the whole point I've been trying to make and mixtili just doesn't get it. By him saying that the match list was weak he was talking about something that he knows NOTHING about. Granted, he is entitled to his opinion but, his opinion is totally uneducated. I guarantee that he has no idea which residencies are really top notch and which are not and his whole argument that the match is weak b/c many went into IM and peds is ludicrous and totally asinine. That is something you learn when you are in med school - he seems to think that just the most competitive residencies are prestigious (derm, rads, ortho, optho) but, there are several residencies in peds/IM/FP that are also competitive and prestigious. Also, not everyone wants to go into derm/rads/ortho/optho/ect. Some of us want to go into IM/peds and FP.

I understand that sometimes people have to make excuses for themselves b/c it is easier to say "oh, well UMD has a weak match list so I don't really want to go there anymore" then to say "well I'm on the waitlist and I have to figure out WHY I was waitlisted". It’s a defense mechanism. It is very sad that someone would try to say they don't want to go to a certain med school b/c a match list (actually its REALLy sad) but, if thats what you are basing decisions on then you really don't make good decisions.



MDs state flower is the black eyed susan.

 

[LadyWolverine]

Well said sista! I am not sure if you are coming to MD but, you would fit in very well here - I can tell that you are laid back and just go with the flow and that is the kind of students that MD needs and tries to recruit.

Thanks, love! I dunno about being laid back...I try to be in most regards, but certain situations can make me uptight...for example, buying a house 🙂 But it's usually nothing that can't be fixed by a glass or 2 of wine.

I, for one, am so jazzed about coming to UMD and meeting everyone. I love getting to know new & interesting people, and the students and faculty that I met at Maryland really, really made me want to go there. Then again, I had a positive experience at most of my interviews. Despite the negative press they often get, it seems that med students as a whole are a happy bunch who are pretty outgoing. Of course, that's in my limited experience 🙂 I do consider myself to be one of those applicants who looks beyond the rankings/matchlist/name, because I have grown up enough in the past few years to realize that I have no idea what any of these things really mean. Nor do I believe they will have much, if any, influence on my drive and ultimate goals. I think that these would be the same anywhere. My main agenda is to get the best bang for my buck, and to go somewhere that I can be proud of, where my classmates are cool and aren't afraid to work hard and play hard.

That was the whole point I've been trying to make and mixtili just doesn't get it. By him saying that the match list was weak he was talking about something that he knows NOTHING about. Granted, he is entitled to his opinion but, his opinion is totally uneducated. I guarantee that he has no idea which residencies are really top notch and which are not and his whole argument that the match is weak b/c many went into IM and peds is ludicrous and totally asinine. That is something you learn when you are in med school - he seems to think that just the most competitive residencies are prestigious (derm, rads, ortho, optho) but, there are several residencies in peds/IM/FP that are also competitive and prestigious. Also, not everyone wants to go into derm/rads/ortho/optho/ect. Some of us want to go into IM/peds and FP.

First of all, you said ASININE!! You rock!! I LOVE that word! (Yes, I will be the one in the back of the lecture hall snickering every time the prof says words like "penis chancre" or "breast exam" or "colonoscopy". It's just the way I am.)

I like Mixtli. He seems like a nice guy, if a little young & misguided. (Why are pre-meds so focused on these match lists, when they really know nothing about them? I guess it's just another thing to obsess over, since we don't have the MCAT or interviews anymore. 🙂 ) But part of the fun of being young is that we are allowed to be naive about things like this. I was the same way when I was fresh out of undergrad. We figure out soon enough that not everything in life can be reduced to a ranked list, even though our pre-med tendencies make us long for some sort of order. 🙂 So, Mixtli, relax. You've already got at least 1 acceptance in hand, right? Some people don't even have that much. Count your blessings and stop worrying about trivialities like match lists and how many people have been accepted to UMD already. I would've killed to have been in your position 2 years ago.

I agree that people are entitled to their opinion, as long as they aren't openly hating another person. I also see where you could be offended by the "less impressive" comment, love. But you're probably going to be facing that for the rest of your professional life. You went to a state school, not #1 private U. Regardless of whether the education you received is the same/worse/better (I believe that this often depends on the individual, not always the school), it might not be viewed by others that way because it wasn't a big, recognizable name. And that's something that probably 90%+ of docs out there have to deal with. Not everyone can go to a top 10 school. But that doesn't mean you can't thrive at one of the 117 others.

As long as you feel competent, and proud of what you accomplished, and went into a field that interests you, who gives a flying fig what the rest of the world does? Just because dermatolgy is really competitive and tough to get into, does that mean you want to spend the rest of your life poking at people's nasty skin diseases? Maybe that's not for some folks. 🙂


And 2 points to love for knowing about the black-eyed susan!!

How about our state bird? (this one should be easy)

 

[LucidSplash]

👍 on posts by both LW and loveumms -

LW and loveumms, I 😍 both of you. I can't wait to meet the UMD people and I hope they are mostly like you guys. Ok, I'm being a little effusive and over the top, but seriously, reading the kind of things I think being written by other people on SDN gives me warm fuzzies. 😳 I am SO looking forward to next year, even though I will have no life, just to know I will be surrounded by a few people who have similar outlooks and life goals.

Wow, that was way too mushy. I'll try to refrain from further displays of affection in the near future.

 

[loveumms]

👍 on posts by both LW and loveumms -

LW and loveumms, I 😍 both of you. I can't wait to meet the UMD people and I hope they are mostly like you guys. Ok, I'm being a little effusive and over the top, but seriously, reading the kind of things I think being written by other people on SDN gives me warm fuzzies. 😳 I am SO looking forward to next year, even though I will have no life, just to know I will be surrounded by a few people who have similar outlooks and life goals.

Wow, that was way too mushy. I'll try to refrain from further displays of affection in the near future.

Haha - thanks, spread the luv! You will find MD is a good mix of people ... you can find the super hard cores who do nothing but study 12 hours a day and live, eat, sleep medicine. You can also find people who are fun to hang with and realize that medicine is just a job (like any other) and it isn't your complete life. I like to think that I hang out with a great group of people who are fun to be around and don't take themselves too seriously. We definitely work hard but play even harder. 😛

Lady - really the comments I've made have nothing to do with UMD not being a top 10 school. I couldn't afford to go to any Ivy League and am VERY happy I choose UMD b/c the education I've gotten is something I am proud of. I know that when I go into residency I will be prepared to take care of patients ... I have been told many times that UMD residents are well prepared and easy to work with and I know that it has a lot to do with the school. I love how people often forget that UMD ranks higher then JHU and Cornell in primary care (http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/med/brief/mdprank_brief.php) - not that rankings even matter a lick.

OK, I'll stop talking about it - I think I've tortured you all enough. I just get very offended and defensive when people talk negatively about things they know nothing about (especially when they are trying to get into the school they are talking about ... I mean how much sense does that make?).


State bird - Oriole

 

[LadyWolverine]

👍 on posts by both LW and loveumms -

LW and loveumms, I 😍 both of you. I can't wait to meet the UMD people and I hope they are mostly like you guys. Ok, I'm being a little effusive and over the top, but seriously, reading the kind of things I think being written by other people on SDN gives me warm fuzzies. 😳 I am SO looking forward to next year, even though I will have no life, just to know I will be surrounded by a few people who have similar outlooks and life goals.

Wow, that was way too mushy. I'll try to refrain from further displays of affection in the near future.

Aww!! 🙂

:::LW tackles LS in a giant bearhug, until she remembers that LS is a very tiny ladybug and is prone to squashing, as most insects are, except cockroaches, because they can survive anything, including nuclear fallout. But ladybugs are cute and should not be squished. Sorry. LW picks up LS and places her back on her tree.:::

And love, just when I think I can't get any more excited about starting school, you take my excited state and multiply it by 10. 👍 And I don't find your comments/advice to be torture...of course I want to hear the reasons why you current students 😍 your school!

I know you said that you're a 3rd year...which rotation(s) have you liked the best so far? Which hospitals have you worked at?

OK, the oriole one was too easy. Here's a more difficult one...
State Tree?

 

[LucidSplash]

Aww!! 🙂

:::LW tackles LS in a giant bearhug,

AHHHH SCARY CLOWN!!! AHHHH!!!!

 

[AGAPE487]

Hey Ladywolverine or anyone else ,

Did you guys (the group) get a chance to get together this weekend? If so how was it? Does anyone know what other activities besides going to the bars (Oh yey) that may be scheduled during orientation. i love getting to know my classmates under the influence 🙂.

 

[LucidSplash]

Hey Ladywolverine or anyone else ,

Did you guys (the group) get a chance to get together this weekend? If so how was it? Does anyone know what other activities besides going to the bars (Oh yey) that may be scheduled during orientation. i love getting to know my classmates under the influence 🙂.

If I'm not wrong (and I hope I'm not as I was out of town this weekend), SQ and her husband are coming to Baltimore next weekend and we are getting together then, probably Saturday night.

Someone let me know if I missed out on everything... 🙁

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

this thread got way too lovey dovey. let's get drunk and start some fights!

 

[LadyWolverine]

AHHHH SCARY CLOWN!!! AHHHH!!!!

LMAO!!!

Yes, I was a ***** and got the weekends mixed up. NEXT weekend is when we are all going to B'More to hang out and drink margaritas from hubcaps. I got confused a while back, omitting an entire week from my mind, until LS's husband was good enough to correct me. So, I apologize for any confusion that I may have imparted. Although, you should get used to it, as I get confused quite often.

Coz! I haven't seen you in a while. You're supposed to keep me sane while I am at work! Yes, it is after 9pm on a Sunday, and I'm still at work. Now I remember why I never wanted to go to law school. 🙁

Agape, I'm down with a get-together that doesn't involve drinking...we have just been planning this bar-related shindig for a while!

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

LW, I can't keep you sane at work if I don't know your crazy-ass schedule 🙂 Regardless, I'll be on here nonstop for the next 4 days again! 🙁

Also I am mortified I did not read the board and was too slow for black eyed susan 🙁

 

[Mixtli]

It was just a honest question, which I didn't want to hurt nobody's feeling (hence my forewarning when asking my question that UMD was still my #1). Sorry if I hurt anybody, but its always my philosophy to be humble, open, and honest. One of reasons why I love UMD is because of the friendliness of the students (during interview day, and exact words I wrote in my LOI), but I'm very much hurt by certain comments of an anonymous 3rd year 👎 . I guess I'm seen as a black sheep because I made fun of my one and only state-school which I can't get in because I'm too naive to get in and don't understand nothing about matchlists or nothing about medicine. Nevertheless, I do count my blessings, but my cup overfloweth if Maryland poureth !

 

[supa]

LW, I can't keep you sane at work if I don't know your crazy-ass schedule 🙂 Regardless, I'll be on here nonstop for the next 4 days again! 🙁

Also I am mortified I did not read the board and was too slow for black eyed susan 🙁

Hey Coz, I thnk i found a house in Randallstown. How's the traffic from that side (3 miles west of 695 down Liberty Road) in the morning? And how's that area in general?

 

[LadyWolverine]

Monday bump!!

Let's make today the day that we pass up Oklahoma!!

👍

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

Can't speak on the traffic, but Randallstown is a decent area. Its considered county, so automatically ++ over the city 🙂

 

[SuzieQ3417]

MDs state flower is the black eyed susan.

Heck yeah...this is definitely my kind of state. Too bad my eyes are blue. 😉

Sorry I missed out on all the excitement around these boards the past few days. It's so difficult to communicate effectively through chatrooms because tone of voice and gestures are gone, thus things often get misinterpreted. Whatever...just glad to see we're all getting along again. Yay for this weekend! Have we decided when we're meeting yet? It seems as though it was definitely decided to go to Nacho Mama's. Just tell me when I need to be there (and give me some directions or give me a ride! haha)

 

[Labslave]

Hey guys! So I'm still trying to decide on where I wanna' go for the next four years, but I am leaning towards going to Maryland. One question: how does grading work? I think it's on a curve (so top 10% get A's, whatever after that...) but I'm not sure. Any and all help is much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[AGAPE487]

Hey guys! So I'm still trying to decide on where I wanna' go for the next four years, but I am leaning towards going to Maryland. One question: how does grading work? I think it's on a curve (so top 10% get A's, whatever after that...) but I'm not sure. Any and all help is much appreciated. Thanks!

Hey Labslave,

In the orange book (Academic Handbook) we recieved during the interview process they have the breakdown of the grading on page 103. I hope this helps. BTW what other school ar you looking at if you don;t mind me asking

 

[solacecomes]

Wow, there really has been drama on this thread since I last read it. I guess insensitivity+hypersensitivity=drama.

I think I like the letter grading system. Working hard and missing an A by 1 percentage point is much better than working hard and missing a high pass or honor by 1%. Of course, the striation can be hella more stressful.

 

[Labslave]

Wow, there really has been drama on this thread since I last read it. I guess insensitivity+hypersensitivity=drama.

I think I like the letter grading system. Working hard and missing an A by 1 percentage point is much better than working hard and missing a high pass or honor by 1%. Of course, the striation can be hella more stressful.

Yeah, I gathered that there are letter grades, but I want to know if the whole class can get A's if they perform well (i.e. a grade of 'A' is set at some arbitrary score) or if you can only get A's if you're at the top of your class (i.e. top 10% get A's, next 35% get B's, etc.).

As others know on this thread from my previous posts, I'm deciding between UMich (which I absolutely love) and UMD (which would be free and I don't necessarily dislike...sorry for the lack of enthusiasm).

 

[SuzieQ3417]

Yeah, I gathered that there are letter grades, but I want to know if the whole class can get A's if they perform well (i.e. a grade of 'A' is set at some arbitrary score) or if you can only get A's if you're at the top of your class (i.e. top 10% get A's, next 35% get B's, etc.).

As others know on this thread from my previous posts, I'm deciding between UMich (which I absolutely love) and UMD (which would be free and I don't necessarily dislike...sorry for the lack of enthusiasm).

Like AGAPE487 said, if you look in the handbook you will see sample grade distributions (I believe this handbook is online if you lost the copy they gave us at our interviews). To me it looked as though an A was a certain score, not a percentage of the class...thus it is possible for everyone to get an A or B, though probably not likely.

Edit: here is the link http://medschool.umaryland.edu/osa/pdf/handbook.pdf

The letter grades fluctuate, but it does appear that they assign you a categorical ranking on your Medical School Performance Evaluation that is done by percentage (ie top 7% assigned "Superior", next 18% assigned "Outstanding" etc.)

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

Yeah, I gathered that there are letter grades, but I want to know if the whole class can get A's if they perform well (i.e. a grade of 'A' is set at some arbitrary score) or if you can only get A's if you're at the top of your class (i.e. top 10% get A's, next 35% get B's, etc.).

As others know on this thread from my previous posts, I'm deciding between UMich (which I absolutely love) and UMD (which would be free and I don't necessarily dislike...sorry for the lack of enthusiasm).

If you love Michigan, go to Michigan! Don't settle.

 

[SpeedRacer]

Like AGAPE487 said, if you look in the handbook you will see sample grade distributions (I believe this handbook is online if you lost the copy they gave us at our interviews). To me it looked as though an A was a certain score, not a percentage of the class...thus it is possible for everyone to get an A or B, though probably not likely.

Well it looks like close to 50% of the class got A's in Neurosci

 

[SpeedRacer]

Yeah, I gathered that there are letter grades, but I want to know if the whole class can get A's if they perform well (i.e. a grade of 'A' is set at some arbitrary score) or if you can only get A's if you're at the top of your class (i.e. top 10% get A's, next 35% get B's, etc.).

As others know on this thread from my previous posts, I'm deciding between UMich (which I absolutely love) and UMD (which would be free and I don't necessarily dislike...sorry for the lack of enthusiasm).

Yeah which would you most regret? I think you'd constantly be thinking about what it could've been like at Michigan.

 

[SuzieQ3417]

If you love Michigan, go to Michigan! Don't settle.

Haha, you just want his/her scholarship. 😛

 

[SpeedRacer]

Haha, you just want his scholarship. 😛

Yeah right I can't get a freakin scholarship!

 

[SpeedRacer]

Haha, you just want his/her scholarship. 😛

I just have a good friend who turned down a top med school for a full scholarship and has regretted it ever since.

 

[Labslave]

Yeah which would you most regret? I think you'd constantly be thinking about what it could've been like at Michigan.

Yeah, I've been thinking about it a lot, and I can't decide which would be more painful: going to Michigan and writing out checks to pay off my loans for twenty years, or going to Maryland and being stuck with wondering "what if?" I wish Maryland had a second look...

In the end, I'm sure I'll look back on these moments when I'm agonizing about this decision and laugh, but right now it's not funny at all. 😉

BTW, thanks for the info guys. The idea that everyone can do well sounds a lot better than making the classes ultra-competitive and having everyone duke it out. 👍

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

Haha, you just want his/her scholarship. 😛

Caught red handed! But seriously, if UMich has your heart you can't do too much about it.