USF COM c/o of 2012

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ndmed4life

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Hello everyone,

I just figured I'd make a thread for new fellow BULLS!!
I really had a great experience at the interview. Did anyone else feel that way? I felt like they were really welcoming and really cared for the med students and that's what attracted me the most. Well I hope we can get some good conversations going and this can provide a way for our class to communicate.

God bless and good luck on the rest of your senior years!!
 
Wish they would run out of Rockstar applicants to interview and start throwing those of us w/ more human stats a bone🙁 TGH is quite a place though
 
Welcome to USF COM! Go Bulls! If you have any questions as the new year progresses, just ask as there are a few of us lurkers around that can answer from 1st through 4th year medical students.
 
Hello all,

I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on the best priced apartments that are within walking distance of USF COM and ideal for a med student?

Also is there any advice on the type of laptop to get? I'm kind of lost in those aspects. I really appreciate any advice and am looking forward to meeting some fellow BULLS and future doctors.

God bless
 
Hey there class of 2012! I am c/o 2011 Bulls (the best class ever). Congrats on the acceptance!

Now, housing. I recommend New Tampa, but it is pretty expensive, and a little far for your 3rd and 4th yr. rotations at TGH. I have also heard that South Tampa is a pretty good spot for a nice apartment, and it is right next to TGH, but a little farther from the COM. In regards to pricing, there is nothing really cheap that is in a good location. The cheaper you go the worse the area. Keep that in mind if you are searching online. Be careful with areas directly next to USF, some are in pretty bad areas, others are full of undergrads. There are some which are nice, but expensive, which goes back to what I previously said. If you are looking to rent, it would be best to room with someone and split the cost of a nice apartment. But then again thats my opinion. Any other Tampa-inions need to speak up and share their knowledge.

And to my fellow c/o 2011'er LifeTimeDoc....HOLLA!!!😱 Merry Christmas everyone!
 
I really appreciate the advice pharoah.

I was wondering what made USF stand out for you as a med school you wanted to attend?
It does not seem to me that the students are overly competitive with each other but rather really help each other, is that what you found?

Thanks for everything and God bless
 
Everyone is ridiculously nice. Every time before an exam there are at least 2-3 review sheets made by students that are sent out to the entire class. Everyone is really helpful and are always willing to help in any way they can. USF makes a point in selecting students that exhibit these qualities and also greatly encourages it once classes begin. Its really awesome b/c i know i have 4 yrs to go through with everyone and its only going to get better. There were other schools in florida (don't want to mention names) that are regarded as "prestigious" yet their attitudes during my interview completely turned me off, not to mention the negative things I heard from others about those schools.

Bottom line, you can't go wrong with USF COM. The students are great, the curriculum is really geared toward patient contact (which you will get alot of in your first year compared to other schools), and the faculty are extremely helpful and really listen to your concerns. But more importantly, its the home of the BULLS!!!
 
Thanks again Pharoah.

It sounds like USF is really a great place to become a good and caring doctor and that the faculty are more focused on making students doctors and physicians as opposed to scientist. In other interviews, I felt that the focus was more on research than on primary care.

I was just wondering if USF has a second visit so that we can meet other accepted students and start making connections with our future classmates?

Thanks and God bless
 
I believe there is a second visit day, but not sure. You will be notified via email if there is which I think is in the summer. But there are alot of social events scheduled with MSI and MSII students the week before you start and a few weeks in, so you will have plenty of time to get acquainted with everyone. Plus, there is a big Bro/Sis system here where all first years get assigned to a second year student for help throughout the year. No worries, you are covered here.
 
congratulations to all of you! i am a fourth year medical student at USF -- and to answer the question above, I went to USF because of my interview day. Everyone was so nice, and I felt at home. I have NEVER regretted that decision. USF is a wonderful school with incredible people -- everyone from the students to the administration. Also, to put everyone at ease (if this concerns you) you can do whatever you want coming out of USF COM. My class has gotten interviews to all the "top" schools in very competitive fields for residency. If you have questions, please feel free to PM me.

CONGRATS AGAIN!!! 🙂
 
Thanks noles925 for the information. I also felt VERY welcomed at the interview and my fellow interviewees were an awesome group of people too. I was wondering what kind of computer do most of the students have? Is it imperative to bring the laptop to class or is it also feasible to just print out the notes before class? Also, I was wondering about the results of residency placement, did most of the students get the choice they wanted? I know that's a lot of questions but I appreciate any input.

Thank you and God bless
 
Hey guys,

I was just wondering how the accepted students get to know other med students prior to class starting so as to possibly find roommates? I am thinking that it would be best to room with another med student who has the same interest and study habits as you.
Anyway, thanks for the help.
God bless
 
Hey all,

I just got a letter in the mail regarding a second look in the Spring. It was from the enrichment and diversity office and said that there will be a second look in the spring. I was wondering if anybody had any input on the second look and what events take place? Also, anybody have any suggestions on where to live in tampa or looking for roommates?

God bless and thanks.
 
Another potential Bull here 🙂 I was accepted to USF... but I never received a notice about a second look weekend. I was wondering if anyone could give me more information. Thanks and I look forward to potentially meeting some of you 🙂
 
Congrats on your acceptance to USF!!!
I'm pretty excited and also nervous about starting med school in the Fall. About the second look, I talked to the director of diversity and she said it is tentative as of right now and more information is on the way.

Again, congrats on your acceptance and perhaps I will meet you soon.

God bless
 
Happy to be a part of the Class of 2012!!!!! (And probably the oldest guy in the class!!!) Feel free to drop me a line with ?'s on the local area, I'm a Tampa resident.
 
Dear SF DOC I was just wondering which apartments are the best ones to live in near school. I understand that the closer you get the more expensive but are there any decently priced ones near the area that would be good for med students to live in?

Thanks and congrats on your acceptance!
God bless
 
I was just accepted to USF last week!!!!! I was impressed with USF and I am looking forward to getting started in the fall. I have two questions though - 1st what is the second look? 2nd- Does anyone have any opinions on the pre-matriculation program? I am a non-trad student and I haven't been in school this year so I am thinking a pre-matriculation program could be very beneficial for getting back into the studying mode. The only thing holding me back from applying to the program is my job. I have a job with a test prep company and I would like to get in as many hours as I can. I am wondering if I would still be able to work during the pre-matriculation program??? Most of the classes I would teach will be in the evening or weekends.
 
Congrats on getting into USF!!!

It seems that in your situation the prematriculation program might be helpful since you have been out of school but I do not know much about it. I'm sure you will be able to get the hang of things pretty quickly. Although I leave the choice up to you, I definitely understand the pressure to come up with some money.

I hope the best for you and will see you in the fall!!

God bless
 
Congrats on getting into USF!!!

It seems that in your situation the prematriculation program might be helpful since you have been out of school but I do not know much about it. I'm sure you will be able to get the hang of things pretty quickly. Although I leave the choice up to you, I definitely understand the pressure to come up with some money.

I hope the best for you and will see you in the fall!!

God bless
 
Thanks ndmed4life! Have you figured out your living situation? I live in Tampa right now and my apartment is within biking distance of USF. The only problem is the noise factor. I live near campus apartments and especially on weekends the partying is almost unbearable because they don't stop until like 3 or 4am. It's not a big deal now, but when exams begin I will not be happy. I'm looking to move in August, possibly renting a house and seeing if I can find 3 or so other students to split the rent. PM if you want any housing suggestions. I'm not sure if I am an expert, but I can give you some advice. Oh, and I remember USF saying that they will help us to find roommates if we need one.
 
Congrats again to those accepted to USF and good lcuk to those waitlisted. As my fellow medical students mentioned above, you CANNOT go wrong with USF. I was debating between USF and UM but I could not be happier with the choice I made. For those debating whether or not to come to USF take my advice and come down one more time and sit in one of the classes. You will find that the students are very approachable and so is the staff.

I can't even find the right words to say how nice everyone is. The program is run nicely and the faculty could not be nicer. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we have the best Deans and staff. If you have already met Dr. Bognar and Dr. Specter you know what I am talking about.

As far as classmates, I second whatever was mentioned above as well. There is always students sending out study guides, mnemonics etc to help fellow students. I have to say that some of these study guides have become my bread and butter when studying for exams because they condense all the info into nice study formats.

Now to the negative aspects. With the exception of parking there are none. Parking can be a b**ch, but if you come early enough, or stay home and watch the lectures this solves everything.

If anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to email me or other students for that matter.

Good luck with your decision and be proud of your accomplishments so far.
 
albaniandoc said:
Congrats again to those accepted to USF and good lcuk to those waitlisted. As my fellow medical students mentioned above, you CANNOT go wrong with USF. I was debating between USF and UM but I could not be happier with the choice I made. For those debating whether or not to come to USF take my advice and come down one more time and sit in one of the classes. You will find that the students are very approachable and so is the staff.

I can't even find the right words to say how nice everyone is. The program is run nicely and the faculty could not be nicer. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we have the best Deans and staff. If you have already met Dr. Bognar and Dr. Specter you know what I am talking about.

As far as classmates, I second whatever was mentioned above as well. There is always students sending out study guides, mnemonics etc to help fellow students. I have to say that some of these study guides have become my bread and butter when studying for exams because they condense all the info into nice study formats.

Now to the negative aspects. With the exception of parking there are none. Parking can be a b**ch, but if you come early enough, or stay home and watch the lectures this solves everything.

If anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to email me or other students for that matter.

Good luck with your decision and be proud of your accomplishments so far.
Click to expand...

ive been accepted to miami and usf as well..would you mind sharing why you chose usf over miami?
 
Team Zissou said:
ive been accepted to miami and usf as well..would you mind sharing why you chose usf over miami?
Click to expand...

no problem. I applied to UM-Boca because I didn't want to live in Miami. I was accepted at UM - Boca in October. Now the main campus might be different but I liked Boca campus because of its nice location, small class size (only 32) students and faculty/student ratio.

I chose USF because of:

1. Established curriculum, UM- Boca decided to go PBL, which I hate, not to mention I would have been in the first year trial.

2. USMLE scores: USF 220 (100% passing rate) UM- 217

3. Location - Extremely expensive to live in Boca or Miami

4. Price: USF 20K Miami 30K

5. Classes - 100% mandatory at UM-Boca, 20% mandatory at USF (I study at home, never go to class unless it's mandatory)

There are many other reasons but here are reasons why choose USF.

1. Great residency matching. We have students every year go to Mass General, Vanderbuilt, John Hopkins etc.

2. USMLE scores. My roomate scored 242. Class average last year was 220. So if you try hard enough, you can get any score you want. Not to say that you will do worse at any other university.

3. Research experience - Tons of research opportunities. I have already secured a summer research program. This year we are expecting to be in top 50 research schools. Big deal when you apply to residency from what I understand.

4. Leadership experiences - There are tons of opportunities to volunteer/save the world/ run free clinics/ blah, blah, blah etc.

5. Early clinical exposure. We do 4 hours/week of clinical shadowing. The doctors in the community have been very receptive to students and we have a great experience. Just last week, I sutured my first surgical incision (provided it was a half an inch incision but still good experience). And I have been in school for just a few months. We get a lot of hands on experience.

I can go on and on forever naming the nice things about the school, but bottom line is that USF has become top game. Students are treated in a respectful manner and the faculty is always open to students.

Almost forgot, there are plans to build our own hospital on campus. This will be a huge addition to the school in the next 5 years.

I can honestly say you will not regret it if you chose to come to USF.
 
Hey,

I was just accepted into Vanderbilt this past week and now have to decide between Vanderbilt or USF. I was wondering if anybody could provide me with some insight? I really liked both schools and both have advantages of attending. I am a Florida resident and would love to be back in Fl and closer to my family but at the same time I know Vanderbilt would be a great opportunity. Any advice would be great.

thanks
God bless
 
Congrats on getting accepted to Vanderbilt. As for your decision, I think you should make a pros and cons list. I always do this when I have a big decision to make. Vanderbilt is a very prestigious school, but I think USF has its advantages as well. At Vanderbilt you will see a lot of unique cases; if you are interested in a specialty this will be very helpful. Also, your chances for a better residency may be increased at Vanderbilt, but in the end it comes down to how high you score on the USMLE. The benefits at USF would be lower tuition and less debt when you graduate, less competition among students (this is a big issue for me, but others don't care), being close to home, and (I don't know about Vanderbilt) having faculty that are approachable and care about your well being. Also, I'd also say that if going to a more prestigious program would inspire you to perform better in classes Vanderbilt would be the best option. Bottom line is you don't want to look back in 10 or 15 years and have regrets.
 
Thank you very much for the advice. I will def. be doing a lot of praying and discerning. I know that regardless, both schools are great medical schools and will provide me with a great education.

I def. plan on visiting both schools again. Vanderbilt has an official second visit and I will be going to USF again during Spring Break. Perhaps then I will have a better idea.

God bless and thanks again.
 
ndmed4life said:
Hey,

I was just accepted into Vanderbilt this past week and now have to decide between Vanderbilt or USF. I was wondering if anybody could provide me with some insight? I really liked both schools and both have advantages of attending. I am a Florida resident and would love to be back in Fl and closer to my family but at the same time I know Vanderbilt would be a great opportunity. Any advice would be great.

thanks
God bless
Click to expand...


I'm a 4th yr at USF and thought I'd share my opinion with you. Both USF and Vandy are fantastic programs and you will be trained extremely well at both. I think the main things that you should be thinking about at this point are:

1) Location: How important is being close to home? I'm from Largo and being able to go home (45 min away) and see my parents every once in a while is really nice. If you have kids, having family nearby is important.

2) Residency: I used to think that going to a more well-known med school would help you get into more competitive residencies (derm, rad onc, plastics, etc), but I'm not so sure anymore. Depending on what you think you may want to do, I would probably give the slight advantage to Vanderbilt as far as giving you a better chance at matching into the program of your choice. Name recognition is taken into account by residency programs, and face it, Vanderbilt is more nationally well-known than USF. That said, USF matches students into top programs at Harvard, Hopkins, Yale, etc consistently each year. I have already been chosen by a radiation oncology program outside of the match. My point is that both programs will allow you to do something competitive if you want, but Vanderbilt probably gives you a slightly better chance.

3) Research: Vanderbilt is tradiationally a much stronger basic science research institution than USF, not to say that USF isn't on the rise. There are plenty of research opportunities at USF, but I would say you would have more options at Vanderbilt.

Those are the main things I would consider. I hope this helps.
 
mikedc813 said:
I have already been chosen by a radiation oncology program outside of the match.
Click to expand...

Can you please clarify this statement? How can you get into a program without going through the match. Sorry... I am a naive pre-med 😳
 
Additionally, we need a USF COM 2012 group on Facebook! I am at work and can't go on to facebook... but someone should make it... pronto 🙂
 
I just finished creating the USF College Of Medicine Class of 2012 facebook group😀
 
Thanks for the advice.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about all those issues. However, I do know that I want to be a primary care doctor and not a scientist so the research aspect does not really come into play. I know that both programs will give me a great opportunity to become a good and caring doctor. I am right now leaning more towards USF. Everybody was great there but I still have some time to think about it.

Thanks again.

God bless
 
Are there any medical students on here from USF who have already finished their pediatric clerkship? I am wondering if you can give me any info about the peds program there - what you thought of the residents and attendings, etc. I am planning on ranking it high on my list for residency, but was wondering what some of the students thought. Thanks for any help you an offer. Sorry I know this is for pre-meds, but I am dying to get info 🙂
 
Caddie said:
Are there any medical students on here from USF who have already finished their pediatric clerkship? I am wondering if you can give me any info about the peds program there - what you thought of the residents and attendings, etc. I am planning on ranking it high on my list for residency, but was wondering what some of the students thought. Thanks for any help you an offer. Sorry I know this is for pre-meds, but I am dying to get info 🙂
Click to expand...

There is a USF Pediatrics thread on SDN. Look for it in the Pediatrics section. There are current 4th year med student comments. As for my thoughts, I did my rotation at TGH and thought that I had a great experience. All of the attendings and residents were pretty nice and I learned a good amount. All Children's is much busier and you'll see more uncommon stuff there. The main negative is the driving between facilities.
 
Yep, I actually started that thread 🙂. So thanks for the free advertisement 😀. Feel free to head over there and add any helpful information! Good luck with the med school hunt everyone!!

mikedc813 said:
There is a USF Pediatrics thread on SDN. Look for it in the Pediatrics section. There are current 4th year med student comments. As for my thoughts, I did my rotation at TGH and thought that I had a great experience. All of the attendings and residents were pretty nice and I learned a good amount. All Children's is much busier and you'll see more uncommon stuff there. The main negative is the driving between facilities.
Click to expand...
 
Hey guys,

I was just wondering if any of you had any plans for housing and what kind of ideas are out there regarding that situation? In addition, is anybody going to the second look?

Well I hope all of you are doing well and am looking forward to eventually meeting you.

God bless
 
Hey guys,

I was just wondering if any of you had any plans for housing and what kind of ideas are out there regarding that situation? In addition, is anybody going to the second look?

Well I hope all of you are doing well and am looking forward to eventually meeting you.

God bless
 
I strongly encourage you to attend the second look. It will provide a much more in depth look at the medical school than you were afforded during your interview day. You will also be able to speak with medical students from all of the classes.

As far as housing, I suggest either looking in Tampa Palms or South Tampa. Avoid the area around the university if possible. I'd say about half of the people I know rent while the other half own. The housing market as you probably know isn't the best right now, which may let you get some good deals if you are looking to buy.

I personally have a condo I plan on putting on the market soon that is 3 miles north of USF in Tampa Palms. PM me for more info.
 
I am looking forward to attending the preview. My roommate and I live near USF and have a futon that someone could stay on if you need a place to stay for the preview. If you are interested PM me.
 
Hey,

I was just wondering if anybody has lived at or heard any news about Cambden apartments in Tampa Palms? I've been looking online for some apartments and found that this one was close to the school and "appears" nice online but of course there not going to show ugly pics.

Thanks and God bless
 
ndmed4life said:
Hey,

I was just wondering if anybody has lived at or heard any news about Cambden apartments in Tampa Palms? I've been looking online for some apartments and found that this one was close to the school and "appears" nice online but of course there not going to show ugly pics.

Thanks and God bless
Click to expand...


It is close to school, roughly 3-4 miles, in a nice area of Tampa Palms. I know someone who lives there and he says that his place isn't very nice. He and his roommate pay ~$900/month. Take a look at Bristol Place apartments which are right down the street. I know a few people who live there and like it.
 
Hey guys, I was recently accepted... Yay! 😀 And I can't attend second look because I will be in the Dominican Republic. So if there is any interesting information given out, someone please post it on here. I was also wondering about housing. I was hoping to try to buy a condo, or maybe even a house, but I was wondering where the best place to do so would be. Any advice is appreciated!
 
Krystle11 said:
Hey guys, I was recently accepted... Yay! 😀 And I can't attend second look because I will be in the Dominican Republic. So if there is any interesting information given out, someone please post it on here. I was also wondering about housing. I was hoping to try to buy a condo, or maybe even a house, but I was wondering where the best place to do so would be. Any advice is appreciated!
Click to expand...

Congratulations! Sorry to hear you can't attend the second look. I have created a USF COM c/o 2012 facebook page though. I thought this way us Bulls to be can have a chance to get to know each other. As for housing, I do believe USF will provide a list of those students that need a place to live and also I think they provide a list of graduating students that are selling property. Buying a house or condo is probably a good investment. Let's just hope the housing market is in much better shape when we graduate!
 
Hey everyone!

I'm leaning towards attending USF, I had some questions for the current students though if any of you are still around this thread:

-How many hours a day/week are you typically in class? What is a typical schedule for you in M1/M2 years?
-How much of class is lecture based vs PBL?
-Where do you study? I thought I remembered the library only being open till like 10pm or something but I'm not sure... I think my 24/7 library in undergrad has spoiled me
-What's the exam schedule like? ie do you have one major midterm and final, or smaller exams every other week, etc.
-Are exams computer based or mixture or all pen/paper?
-Do you have one exam covering the material in every class, or separate tests for separate classes (ie physio, behavioral medicine, neuro, pharmacology, etc)
-Do you get a grade for each actual class (ie physio, neuro, pharm, etc) or for each block (ie renal, cardio, heme, etc)?
-Does the lecture hall have power plugs for laptops? (I find it easier to type my notes rather than handwrite so it's kinda weird but important)
-Wireless internet on campus? (not that important but nice to have)
-What's the grading system? true pass/fail or something else? and if it's like a honors/high pass/pass/fail then do they determine grades by comparing your performance to other students (ie, only 10% of class can get honors) or do they make it theoretically possible for everyone to get honors if they all do well?
-What is your favorite thing about USF? 🙂

sorry I know that was a LOT and I feel like I've heard some of these things at my interview, but all my interview days are blending together... but any info is appreciated!
 
I am currently a MSIV at USF so it has been a while since I was in the basic science classes. I can answer some of your questions though.

-How much of class is lecture based vs PBL?
The majority of the classes in the first two years are heavily lecture based with some small group problem sessions included. Since I was a second year, I know that there has been an effort by the curriculum committee to decrease the traditional lecture hours.

-Where do you study? I thought I remembered the library only being open till like 10pm or something but I'm not sure... I think my 24/7 library in undergrad has spoiled me
There are student labs where you are assigned a desk at the beginning of your first year. You can study there 24/7. The library does have limited hours, but they extend the hours prior to tests by student request. Also, there is a student lounge and multiple conference rooms that are available for students to study.

-What's the exam schedule like? ie do you have one major midterm and final, or smaller exams every other week, etc.
Exams are pretty much every 3-4 weeks during the first two years and are comprehensive of all the courses. This is excellent board preparation.

-Are exams computer based or mixture or all pen/paper?
The block exams were all pen and paper when I took them, but we did have the end of course exams on computers.

-Do you get a grade for each actual class (ie physio, neuro, pharm, etc) or for each block (ie renal, cardio, heme, etc)?
You get a grade for each exam that contributes to you overall grade in that course. During the cardio block you will have physio, anatomy, etc covered. You will be tested on all of these components and your scores will be reflected in your grade in that course respectively.

-Does the lecture hall have power plugs for laptops? (I find it easier to type my notes rather than handwrite so it's kinda weird but important)
Yes there is a power plug and ethernet connection at each seat in the lecture halls.

-Wireless internet on campus? (not that important but nice to have)
Yes it is wireless.

-What's the grading system? true pass/fail or something else? and if it's like a honors/high pass/pass/fail then do they determine grades by comparing your performance to other students (ie, only 10% of class can get honors) or do they make it theoretically possible for everyone to get honors if they all do well?
It is a H, PC, P, F system -- basically an A, B, C system -- everyone can receive an A if they score higher than 90%. B is they are over 80% etc.

-What is your favorite thing about USF? 🙂
The students and family atmosphere. I think USF is a very progressive place to attend medical school. There are many exciting things going on at USF -- the building of the new clinic buildings at USF main campus and down at TGH. You will receive an excellent education at USF. I have never once regretted my decision to attend medical school here. If you have any other questions, please feel free to pm me. Good luck in making your decision on medical school. 🙂

sorry I know that was a LOT and I feel like I've heard some of these things at my interview, but all my interview days are blending together... but any info is appreciated! -- Anytime 🙂
 
I was just wondering if any current USF med students could give me an idea about the amount of free time you have, if any?
I currently work out at the gym everyday for about an hour and a half (by no means am I a bodybuilder, though, I just do it to keep in shape and help deal with the stress of class) and I was wondering if that kind of schedule would be feasible to keep during med school? I was also wondering what kind of gym memberships the med students have? I know the med school has a small gym, have any of you found it useful?

Thanks so much for your input. I know it sounds kind of stupid but going to the gym is one of the only ways I find myself able to cope with the stress of class and allows me to get my mind of things for a lil while.

Thanks again
🙂
 
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