I was a student at UTHSCSA. The surgery program...as least 2 years ago, was pretty tough. The prelims basically get used...a lot of work to be done. I seem to remember a bit of a shake up there a few years ago when there was a mild exodus of surgeons there secondary to pay cuts, which damaged some of the educational component. Most of the learning is hands on and the didactic component was, well at that time, pretty nonexsistent. The upside is that at least one categorical left every year I was there...making room for one of the Prelims. As for the training....I think its a good program, esp. for self motivated people and I remember considering staying for surgery when my interests took me elsewhere. The San Antonio Knife and Gun Club keeps the penetrating trauma coming and the population in SA has a goodly amount of elective surgical disease....choles, diabetic feet, PVD, bariatric stuff, etc.
As for life around the Medical center....its really pretty safe. I'd stay away from the apartments and houses immediately off of Wurzbach and Fredricksburg roads partly because of traffic, but also because petty crime in those areas had increase as well a few more serious incidents, but there are a number of subdivisions, especially around Huebner that are very affordable and safe. Housing costs are some of the lowest in the nation for a major city.
