UTMB vs UTH

[Osakhomen]

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Ahhh, I need some help! Got accepted to UT-H today...

I had my mind set on going to UTMB and starting the Prep program they have this next upcoming Monday (5/21).... And today, on my last day of work, I receive an email saying "Congratulations and Welcome to UTH"... I'm in totally shock, this came out of left field... I could hardly concentrate on work the rest of the day....

I like UTMB's curriculum schedule way more than UT-H
UT-H has test week, which really suck
UTMB has half days

But UT-H has the Texas Medical Center!! I'm from Houston and the TMC has always been my dream location to practice medicine when I become an MD.

Any help?

 

[nysw]

Congratulations! That's a tough decision to make, esp. as a Houstonian, haha. I had to pick between the two as well. I went with the choice that appealed more to my study habits and personality/fit..
I think you have the option of doing some clinical rotations in the TMC if you go to UTMB. I don't know how common this is/hard it is to place into the program, but maybe some current students can chime in?

Info: www.[B]utmb[/B].edu/oce/Documents/AustinHoustonMtng.ppt

 

[SoonerFromTexas]

It seems like there are a lot of people who are in this same predicament. Myself included. 🙁

 

[Doc2doc2]

I think the value of the TMC for medical students is highly overrated. You might be better served there as a resident or physician. Go with the school that will give you the happier medical school experience. If it's UTH, go for it.

 

[Doc2doc2]

.

 

[popopopop]

Don't forget to factor in how fun Washington St., midtown/heights, etc etc and the dozens of unique restaurants during those downtimes 😍.

 

[Slack3r]

I really, really liked UTMB when I interviewed there (wasn't interviewed at UTH). I thought the atmosphere was really laid back, their board scores were excellent, and there were a lot of opportunities at Galveston actually relevant to medical students (aka not the TMC).

Personally, I'd pick UTMB and this comes from someone on the alternate list.

 

[Horchow]

it depends on you really. i grew up in the suburbs of dfw, so i'm accustomed to a commute. i'm also accustomed to living in a nice area and having easy access to anything i wanted as far as shopping comforts, restaurants and general entertainment.

that is not the case in galveston. i liken it to living in a third world country. there are the wealthy individuals who can afford to live in the high priced condos and million dollar beach homes and then there is everyone else. unless you're one of those artsy, i hate everything mainstream (starbucks, department stores, etc) you won't like galveston. galveston has lots (an inordinately large number) of art galleries. a few cool coffee shops, but for me this was not enough to distract me from the glaring disparities in socioeconomic status of the average denizens of galveston.

there is nothing to do. you will always have to go off the island for everything if you enjoy shopping, cool restaurants, etc. i'm currently a 4th year and chose to move off the island because i really couldn't take it anymore. from the nasty grime you get on your car from the humidity and salt in the air to the annoying traffic on the seawall from tourists in the summers, it really just was not worth it to me.

while the curriculum may be more challenging in houston, had i had the choice, i would have definitely chosen living in houston over galveston any day. as you can see, my surroundings are very important to me.

 

[Osakhomen]

Thanks everyone, giving me a lot to think about.

 

[dbeast]

When I interviewed at UTMB, I was out as soon as they said the class was graded on a curve.

They did say they were considering changing this, do any current students know if they did?

 

[nenox]

Please go to UTH. They have the most incredible faculty there who are truly interested in teaching students-which I hope you may have caught a glimpse of at interviews. The atmosphere of the TMC is awesome. The students seem very close to each other. The only downside..the curriculum may not be the best-or the way their tests are scheduled. UTMB students seemed highly competitive and not many were happy. The mood on the island is dreary..

 

[SoonerFromTexas]

I suspect some trolling going on. The two really negative posts have been from users who created their accounts this month and their posts in this thread were their first.

On topic: I don't think either of these schools will give you an edge or set you back in the long run. I think it is mostly about the life-style you want to have. I am 95% sure I am going to stay with UTMB because it seems to be a better fit for me. However, I am sure some other people would be a better fit at UTH.

 

[JABWS]

I ranked UT Houston higher than UTMB because of its location in the TMC, and also because I feel like it is an up an coming medical school. There were several aspects of UTMB that I found appealing, but in the end I couldn't shake the feeling that the school may be moving in the wrong direction. Needless to say, the hurricane set them back quite a bit, and my visit to Galveston reminded me that the recovery is still not complete. The UT board of reagents just approved the initiation of two new medical schools, one in Austin and the other somewhere in the southern part of the state, contingent upon the requisite funding. Both of these projects may sit in the pipeline for years to come, but it worries me to think that schools like UTMB could be negatively impacted by the new additions. Galveston was a vibrant, flourishing city when UT first decided to open a medical school there, but it has lost some of its luster in recent years. I may be wrong about the direction UTMB is moving in, but when making these types of decisions, you really have to go with your gut. My gut told me I would have more opportunity in Houston, and that in 10 or 20 years, I would be proud to be a UTH alum. The TMC isn't going anywhere; it's one of the world's major medical hubs, and I anticipate that UTH will continue to benefit from this prime location for years to come.

Disclaimer: I am currently holding a seat at UT Houston, so obviously my opinion is a bit biased. However, I still may have the option of attending UT Southwestern and BCM, and I've used the same rationale to evaluate those two schools. I think UTSW is making great strides towards becoming one of the nation's premier schools, and BCM's recent financial woes along with the loss of the Methodist affiliation has caused me to question their future.

Having said all of that OP, we can't control the future, nor do we have the ability to perfectly predict what will happen in it, so your best bet may be to choose the school you think you'll be happiest at for the next four years. They're both great schools, and you're in a great position to be able to choose between them, so whatever you decide, make the most of it and don't look back. Good luck!

 

[Osakhomen]

I suspect some trolling going on. The two really negative posts have been from users who created their accounts this month and their posts in this thread were their first.

On topic: I don't think either of these schools will give you an edge or set you back in the long run. I think it is mostly about the life-style you want to have. I am 95% sure I am going to stay with UTMB because it seems to be a better fit for me. However, I am sure some other people would be a better fit at UTH.

What makes UTMB a good fit for you? Just wondering.

 

[Cinematographer]

Just FYI, UTMB students have the choice to do ALL of their rotations at the Texas Medical Center if they prefer to do so.

 

[dtiger44]

Osakhoman-Obviously not who you asked but I'll say UTMB is a good fit for me due to their curriculum and the opportunities/flexibility with rotations. Depending on where I am in 2+ years, having the ability to do rotations in multiple places that I'm familiar with was very enticing. I did get the sense that some students at UTMB were more competitive than others--something I think you'll get at nearly every school, but more than competitive I saw that all of them were motivated and that's something I really liked. Galveston is not my favorite, but I think it's important to remember that we are going to school to go to medical school. Galveston offers (I believe) enough to keep me busy when I am indeed not busy with school.

 

[Osakhomen]

Just FYI, UTMB students have the choice to do ALL of their rotations at the Texas Medical Center if they prefer to do so.

Is there a set number of students who can do this? Or is it just if a student chooses to do it, they can do so.