Why UTSW?

[armykilo]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I would like to know what are the main reasons people list UTSW very high.
Any thoughts?😕

 

[Pancho Villa]

even though people don't like to admit it, the USNEWS rankings play a BIG part.

 

[potato51]

I would like to know what are the main reasons people list UTSW very high.
Any thoughts?😕

when I was applying I was attracted to its dual strengths in clinical training (Parkland, its medicine program) and research. Not to mention it was highly regarded, residency directors know the UTSW name, it was in a city I like, it's cheap, and had the nicest administration I'd come in contact with. Plus, similar to UT Houston, I liked that UTSW and its students were the most honest and upfront about med school life, unlike schools I visited where folks were trying too hard to look laidback. I'm attending there now and couldn't be happier. Good luck with your match~!

 

[Wizard of Oz]

Nobel Laureates,tuition, the only med school in one of the largest cities in the US, Parkland, climate, lack of affiliated undergraduate institution, cost of living, USN ranking, matchlist, class size, curriculum...

Of course this is coming from somebody who wouldn't have gotten in there, but it would have been my second choice behind Baylor if I were accepted to all schools in Texas. Look for a poster who goes by Anastasis for a different viewpoint. She declined UTSW for UT-H.

 

[aggiesarah2007]

Not that I've been accepted. And I had a super late interview date (12-9) when I had finished all 6 other Texas interviews by Aug 25 (leaving out Baylor), but it came down to location (i'm from around there), perception residency programs will have, Parkland (there are so many babies! 😀 ), helpfulness of students, and those silly normal cost things. A lot of it comes down to feeling too. How you feel about the school atmosphere in your gut. Once you compare all the logical things its really good to see how you really felt deep down about the school. I also thought hmmm why after all this time did they give ME, with my stats an interview. Maybe I was being led somewhere. But maybe not. It comes down to gut feeling for someone like me.

 

[OncoCaP]

UTSW has awesome research and an excellent program to start one's medical career. I would say that UTSW's research is really tough to beat. Even if you don't do research, you'll learn a lot if you go there. The students who go there tend to be quite good, and that should be a motivation to do well. Their students are well respected by residency directors around the country. The have a number of strong departments (UTSW is just plain huge). Their internal medicine has high rankings, for example. Some students might want to live in Dallas for any number of reasons, and I'm sure that is a factor. Last but not least, it's a highly ranked school. Hope this provides some insight.

 

[JDovers]

blah, blah, blah---yeah, it's one of the best schools in the country, but to me the big pull was that it's in freaking DALLAS.

Dallas may be the greatest city on earth (I'm given to grand overstatements0, and especially for those our age. UTSW was my #1, and while the face that everyone thinks it's just an amazing school, even if it does have a "bit" of a competition problem among students, it was high on the list because I love Dallas dearly.

....however, I will be going to school in birmingham, alabama....which is cool... =/

 

[Doctor Bagel]

blah, blah, blah---yeah, it's one of the best schools in the country, but to me the big pull was that it's in freaking DALLAS.

Dallas may be the greatest city on earth (I'm given to grand overstatements0, and especially for those our age. UTSW was my #1, and while the face that everyone thinks it's just an amazing school, even if it does have a "bit" of a competition problem among students, it was high on the list because I love Dallas dearly.

....however, I will be going to school in birmingham, alabama....which is cool... =/

Hmm, I'd view living in Dallas as a negative. It's crowded, the traffic's bad, people are rude, it's not pretty, etc. I'm admittedly not a fan of anywhere in Texas, though, and yes, I've been to Austin (lived there for 3 years). 🙂 That being said, I might rather be in Dallas than Oklahoma City, but then who wants to be in Oklahoma City?

 

[armykilo]

Thanks all. I just got a funny feeling from a doctor I was talking with at the interview. She just finished and seemed a bit bitter about her time at UTSW.

 

[Hednej]

Did I mention 4 nobel laureates?

 

[Dr.Watson]

Hmm, I'd view living in Dallas as a negative. It's crowded, the traffic's bad, people are rude, it's not pretty, etc. I'm admittedly not a fan of anywhere in Texas, though, and yes, I've been to Austin (lived there for 3 years). 🙂 That being said, I might rather be in Dallas than Oklahoma City, but then who wants to be in Oklahoma City?

Ever been to the east coast? That's more crowded/rude. Texans are nice and traffic is only bad if you have a long commute on major roads! Most students live practically next door to campus. Traffic is nothing =). Maybe it's the TX/OU thing that's coloring your perspective?

 

[Wizard of Oz]

Did I mention 4 nobel laureates?

I cited this as a draw because it's a reason that some people use, but I can't honestly think of a reason why this would have any impact on medical education. Granted I don't know these guys, but I'd put money on it that they don't teach any of the classes (nor does a scientific award make them good teachers); if by some extremely slim chance these researchers have med students working for them, the competition to get into their labs (only to be working for one of their fellows, not them) would be intense. Of course despite these extreme odds, I'm not really motivated enough to check to see if these people even have active research programs anymore.

Of course one could see why this would be a great billboard ad given the emphasis that the lay public puts on the award, but to be honest 2 of the 4 were collaborators on the same work; and I don't think that the other two did the work that earned them their prizes while they were at UTSW.

Don't get me wrong, I think that it's a great research institution, I just don't think that you should use bench research prizes earned 10-20 years ago for work done 20-40 years ago as a measure of medical education quality today.

 

[sprinkibrio]

Thanks all. I just got a funny feeling from a doctor I was talking with at the interview. She just finished and seemed a bit bitter about her time at UTSW.

I can see how someone would be bitter about UTSW... or about any school for that matter. From what I've heard med school is overwhelming and all-encompassing in a way we probably can't grasp yet. I think keeping a positive attitude, creating a balance, and knowing yourself/staying true to yourself helps (or at least I hope!) Don't let one person ruin your opinion of the school--she's not you, she could have been having a bad day, and she isn't a good representation of the school as a whole.

I chose UTSW because it's a good fit with my aspirations... I'd like to explore both primary care and specializing. Unlike some schools of similar caliber, UTSW isn't a feeder school for specialization so I won't be limited. Right now I want to be the best I can be, and UTSW was the best school I got in. Their hard tests will motivate me to learn the material and rotating through Parkland will be amazing. I think (hope?) I will be well-prepared for the USMLEs because of this. I loved the students... they are the kind of people who will make me a better/stronger person and at the same time I can see myself having fun with them. The location is good for short, cheap flights from St. Louis where my boyfriend is (Houston is 3x as expensive and a longer flight). Dallas is the closest big city to my parents (in W.TX). Um, and it's a big city with hopefully a diversity of people and values that I wouldn't find somewhere small. I can see myself having a life outside of school there. I can see myself being happy and more comfortable there than any other place! 😍

 

[SportsMedMD]

cuz no pain, no gain

 

[aggiesarah2007]

For all the people that don't like research, I don't either. I really don't want to be stuck in a lab, I like PEOPLE that's what I want to be a doctor, not a PhD. But I have realized that students who get into residency often have done some kind of research, but I think often it is clinical research (which UTSW told me a lot about at my interview day). I know research might not seem like the best thing in the world, but research of some kind can play a factor in where you get a residency. (At least that is the way it seemed when I was looking up admissions stuff)

 

[kerplunk112]

i would say texans are more polite...but are more racially biased...(on avg) than east coasters.. and ive def noticed the races seem to "stick to their own" a whole lot more than when i was in NJ. could just be my faulty perception though.. but yeah i chose sw..mainly b/c i was sold after our tourguide told of all the hands on experience she gets at parkland..ie she had delivered more babies than many residents do their first year etc....

thought it was amusing that we get long coats...im assuming its so the indigent (mostly) population at parkland doesnt know we're not doctors yet.. nasty trick we play on them...

 

[SportsMedMD]

Is it possible to go to med school, and do research and have any semblemce of a social life? This is a serious question. I've done undergrad research and it could be all consumming in itself if you went at it 100%.

I'm mainly wondering b/c i've read on SDN that you need research to obtain competetive residencies. Can someone shed some light on this for me?

 

[sunnyjohn]

Having worked at Parkland, Children's, Zale and St Paul, I have to say the training is awesome.

I liked Dallas. I have fond memories of my time in the city.

Stay off the Tollway and Stemmons during "rush hour", don't be silly enough to commute from Plano and you'll be good to go.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

Having worked at Parkland, Children's, Zale and St Paul, I have to say the training is awesome.

I liked Dallas. I have fond memories of my time in the city.

Stay off the Tollway and Stemmons during "rush hour", don't be silly enough to commute from Plano and you'll be good to go.

y no commute from plano

 

[Texas Jayhawk]

Residency match-- Southwestern has the reputation and the name.
Dallas is cool, too.

 

[kerplunk112]

"The pathology at Parkland is amazing. There are some weird things that walk through, yet there is still plenty of bread and butter medicine. The hospital is located near a homeless/drug/prositution rough neighborhood maybe 10 minutes from downtown Dallas, so that tells you the types of disease you'll see. Being in Texas, the Hispanic population is extremely high. Extremely. Take this with a huge lump of salt, but patients are 40% hispanic, 35% black, 20% white, 5% other..."
puffedtissue...

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Ever been to the east coast? That's more crowded/rude. Texans are nice and traffic is only bad if you have a long commute on major roads! Most students live practically next door to campus. Traffic is nothing =). Maybe it's the TX/OU thing that's coloring your perspective?

Nah, I'm not even a sooner fan, and I have a degree from UT. The thing I do like about Oklahoma over Texas is that we know we suck. We just straight up admit that we're a cr@ppy state. 🙂 Texas, on the other hand, hasn't gotten the memo. And, yes, again, this is based on living in AUSTIN (supposedly the best Texas has to offer). I'd also prefer crowdedness to sprawl, which is really what I meant by Dallas being crowded. Places aren't crowded, but the roads are. I know individually people are friendly in Dallas and Texas in general, but I didn't find Austin to be very open, and Dallas just gives me a rude vibe. Eh, maybe I've spent too much time in DFW. 😀

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Nah, I'm not even a sooner fan, and I have a degree from UT. The thing I do like about Oklahoma over Texas is that we know we suck. We just straight up admit that we're a cr@ppy state. 🙂 Texas, on the other hand, hasn't gotten the memo. And, yes, again, this is based on living in AUSTIN (supposedly the best Texas has to offer). I'd also prefer crowdedness to sprawl, which is really what I meant by Dallas being crowded. Places aren't crowded, but the roads are. I know individually people are friendly in Dallas and Texas in general, but I didn't find Austin to be very open, and Dallas just gives me a rude vibe. Eh, maybe I've spent too much time in DFW. 😀

Have you ever been to an east/west coast city?

People are rude, cities have sprawl, traffic is horrible, and, in some cities, people (on average) are more pretentious than those in Dallas (i.e. L.A. or most other places in California.)

 

[sunnyjohn]

"The pathology at Parkland is amazing. There are some weird things that walk through, yet there is still plenty of bread and butter medicine. The hospital is located near a homeless/drug/prositution rough neighborhood maybe 10 minutes from downtown Dallas, so that tells you the types of disease you'll see. Being in Texas, the Hispanic population is extremely high. Extremely. Take this with a huge lump of salt, but patients are 40% hispanic, 35% black, 20% white, 5% other..."
puffedtissue...

Some of the things I saw walk into Parkland I'd wonder, "How are you NOT DEAD?" (or ¿Cómo está NO muerta?)

 

[baylormed]

Nobel Laureates,tuition, the only med school in one of the largest cities in the US, Parkland, climate, lack of affiliated undergraduate institution, cost of living, USN ranking, matchlist, class size, curriculum...

Of course this is coming from somebody who wouldn't have gotten in there, but it would have been my second choice behind Baylor if I were accepted to all schools in Texas. Look for a poster who goes by Anastasis for a different viewpoint. She declined UTSW for UT-H.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes...all of these are pretty good reasons.

Parkland is one of the largest hospitals in the nation, and from what I hear the clinical training is amazing.

Having Nobel Laureates, good USNews ranking, and the reputation doesn't hurt either.

Tuition is great, after all, it's a top 20 school.

No PBL system, which in my book, is a bonus point.

The weather in Dallas is better than that in Houston (Houston is just too hot/humid for me!).

 

[baylormed]

Some of the things I saw walk into Parkland I'd wonder, "How are you NOT DEAD?" (or ¿Cómo está NO muerta?)

I'm SOOOOOO glad I speak Spanish (native). I have a feeling it's going to make my clinical experience much less frustrating.

 

[sunnyjohn]

I'm SOOOOOO glad I speak Spanish (native). I have a feeling it's going to make my clinical experience much less frustrating.

It sure will. Spanish makes the world go 'round at Parkland. Children's has a cool group of translators though!

 

[baylormed]

It sure will. Spanish makes the world go 'round at Parkland. Children's has a cool group of translators though!

That is certainly nice, although I assume more time consuming ("Somebody get the translator!!!").

Also, I've been a translator before in a clinic, and when you deal with children, families, people asking questions, doctors sometimes giving overly-complicated answers...it is very, very difficult. However, it's the best we can do, and those translators are saviors when the need arises!

 

[Dookter]

Why do people really like UTSW? It's a good school. But that's not really specific to UTSW. There are plenty of good schools. It's not the patient care, the clinical training, or the research that really set UTSW apart. Plenty of schools have all these things. I think one of the main reasons to like UTSW is the price. It is basically half the price of most of the other schools in its league.

 

[Gobble Town]

Their hard tests will motivate me to learn the material and rotating through Parkland will be amazing. 😍

The hard tests and highly competitive atmosphere are turnoffs to some as it forces learning for the test/grade and not the material. Many students in similar situations have to reteach themselves for USMLE prep.

 

[baylormed]

The hard tests and highly competitive atmosphere are turnoffs to some as it forces learning for the test/grade and not the material. Many students in similar situations have to reteach themselves for USMLE prep.

It depends on how you work, though.

I am motivated by a more competitive environment, as I tend to be pretty competitive myself (let's pretend I didn't just admit that on SDN, ok?). It gives me the motivation I need to work harder. Also, having motivated people around me also helps a lot.

Other people might not work like that, and that is okay, too. You have to pick whatever school is best for you. However, even then, it is impossible to know how your class will turn out and how curriculum changes (which are constantly introduced) will alter your experience. It's sort of a gamble at the end.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

The hard tests and highly competitive atmosphere are turnoffs to some as it forces learning for the test/grade and not the material. Many students in similar situations have to reteach themselves for USMLE prep.

I never understood the whole "I don't like that school because it is competitive" attitude. Any Medical School is competitive. What do they do at the "non-competitive" medical schools, sing Kumbaya and take tests as a group? Does everybody get the same class rank on their residency applications? You are competing with your peers at every school whether you like it or not.

 

[TexPre-Med]

Residency match-- Southwestern has the reputation and the name.
Dallas is cool, too.

I second this! NAME-RECOGNITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Parkland IMO is just plain trashy. It was ranked in one report to be one of the worst-kept hospitals. But who really cares right. Its UTSW.

In my interview, he tried to persuade me by saying, "Here, not only will you become a superb physician, but our name would give you a much better chance at a political career." My app had some political stuff on it. He ran with it.

Nobel winners. Who really cares? At my interview, 2 students actually argued over it.

Student 1: "We have 4 Nobel winners."
Student 2: "No, we have 5 Nobel winners now."
Student 1: "No, its 4"
Student 2: "No, its 5"
Me: "Who really cares?!"

In all honesty, UTSW has great research, but for the majority of us that just want to practice medicine, name recognition opens doors.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

Have you ever been to an east/west coast city?

People are rude, cities have sprawl, traffic is horrible, and, in some cities, people (on average) are more pretentious than those in Dallas (i.e. L.A. or most other places in California.)

I've lived on teh east coast for 10 years, moved to Texas for 8, and then lived another 5 up east.

I'd say that at least in NJ and Baltimore, the people are much more down to earth than what I have been exposed to in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. However, the majority of DFW people I have been exposed to are overprivileged elitists from rich end of Plano so I might have had a biased sampling of DFW residents. I'd have to say in general the east side of Plano is much more down to earth like the people I've been exposed to in Baltimore/NJ.

The thing that is awesome about TX is costs. Oil money makes everything cheaper. can't beat that.

And what makes UTSW great is that it is UTSW. 👍

 

[sunnyjohn]

I've lived on teh east coast for 10 years, moved to Texas for 8, and then lived another 5 up east.

I'd say that at least in NJ and Baltimore, the people are much more down to earth than what I have been exposed to in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. However, the majority of DFW people I have been exposed to are overprivileged elitists from rich end of Plano so I might have had a biased sampling of DFW residents. I'd have to say in general the east side of Plano is much more down to earth like the people I've been exposed to in Baltimore/NJ.

The thing that is awesome about TX is costs. Oil money makes everything cheaper. can't beat that.

And what makes UTSW great is that it is UTSW. 👍

Plano people are the Texas equivalent of 90210. New money. Have you ever seen the student parking lot at Plano High... WOOOH!

 

[decal]

yes, competition inherently follows ranking, but there are clear gradation in competitiveness here in texas (and everywhere else, i'd imagine). some people like it hot, others shine in cooler climes. i'm on the fence about sw in that respect.

that said, sw ended up atop my rank list. short of baylor you can't beat the accesibility of its research. undergrad has left me longing for a more structured starting point in med school.

p.s. dallas sucks

 

[sprinkibrio]

The hard tests and highly competitive atmosphere are turnoffs to some as it forces learning for the test/grade and not the material. Many students in similar situations have to reteach themselves for USMLE prep.

From what I've heard from 2nd year student I stayed with during the interview UTSW has made their tests harder by increasing questions based on understanding rather than those on memorization. Personally, I can retain information much better if I have a deep understanding of it than if I had just memorized it. Although, I understand what you mean... UTMB has great USMLE scores because they teach to the test. Tech has even followed suit. I plan to study and take notes in high yield books so I won't get lost in the detail and won't have to reteach myself as much when the USMLE comes.

 

[Dr.Watson]

I never understood the whole "I don't like that school because it is competitive" attitude. Any Medical School is competitive. What do they do at the "non-competitive" medical schools, sing Kumbaya and take tests as a group? Does everybody get the same class rank on their residency applications? You are competing with your peers at every school whether you like it or not.

Pass/Fail systems tend to promote more cameraderie and students appear a bit less stressed out (IMHO at interviews). You don't need to beat the person next to you for the A; you don't need to 'beat' the test. You need to learn the material and kick arse on the boards (which for me is enough of a motivator, that and not wanting to be 007). Having been in an environment where mastery didn't always equal A and a curve is killer (scoring in the 90s on a test and still getting a B?), it can be demoralizing and frustrating despite your best efforts and not reflect what you really know (ie average grades, but then doing well on a standardized test like mcat and later boards).

In P/F, the ranking and letter grades happen in year 3 and 4, which is arguably a better indicator of how you'll be as a doctor versus how you are at taking a test and massive memorization (year 1-2 plus you have boards to prove yourself). Most residency directors care about the latter 2 yrs and board scores anyway - why stress out more than necessary and fight a curve for 2 years?

All that being said, UTSW is awesome for research (always expanding, nobel prize winners etc) and for clinical skills (seriously, the amount of patient interaction and forced autonomy - personnel #s are low for patient load- at Parkland will leave everyone incredibly well trained at a resident level rather than fourth year at most schools). I think these factors really put UTSW high on any list. My concerns are the first two years and the way they seem to be slow to change with updating/integrating their curriculum versus many other schools.

 

[Dr.Watson]

Plano people are the Texas equivalent of 90210. New money. Have you ever seen the student parking lot at Plano High... WOOOH!

What about Highland Park? It's where many of your profs will be live, and you'll have more interaction with that area since it's down the street from UTSW.

 

[sprinkibrio]

p.s. dallas sucks

Oo explain?! Does this apply to the city? (not intersted in the suburbs) I've never lived in Dallas.. or even close. Although I'm a resident, I technically haven't "lived" in Texas since I was 13.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Have you ever been to an east/west coast city?

People are rude, cities have sprawl, traffic is horrible, and, in some cities, people (on average) are more pretentious than those in Dallas (i.e. L.A. or most other places in California.)

Yep. Lived on the West Coast for 4 years, and I've spent lots of time in L.A. We've disagreed about Texas before, and we'll continue to do so, I guess. Obviously our perspectives are vastly different, but I did my time there and feel like my thoughts are valid, too.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

What about Highland Park? It's where many of your profs will be live, and you'll have more interaction with that area since it's down the street from UTSW.

Isn't Highland Park a little older money than Plano? It's been richville forever, whereas Plano's a relatively recently developed town.

 

[sunnyjohn]

Isn't Highland Park a little older money than Plano? It's been richville forever, whereas Plano's a relatively recently developed town.

Exactamundo!

 

[Dookter]

I never understood the whole "I don't like that school because it is competitive" attitude. Any Medical School is competitive. What do they do at the "non-competitive" medical schools, sing Kumbaya and take tests as a group? Does everybody get the same class rank on their residency applications? You are competing with your peers at every school whether you like it or not.

You're a little off base on this one. You might not ever realize it since you'll only attend one medical school. But being at a non-competitive school rocks. You can be in denial all you want, but your real goal in medical school will be to learn your stuff so you can get the residency you want and become the doctor you want to be. That's it. Anything that gets in the way of that should be avoided. In my opinion, competition gets in the way of that. It may make you work harder, but why do you want to work harder? I personally want to work less and learn the same amount of material since I'm not really compared to my classmates unless it strictly comes down to applying to the same place for the same thing before residency. We work together and watch out for each other. I don't have to worry about taking notes on everything. I can get them from someone else or through our student-run notes group. I don't have to worry about going to personally copy something from the library, b/c someone [including myself at times] will copy it and send it out to everyone. All I really have to worry about in the long-run is learning my stuff. And believe me, if I had to compete with my classmates, I'd be scared....very scared.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Pass/Fail systems tend to promote more cameraderie and students appear a bit less stressed out (IMHO at interviews). You don't need to beat the person next to you for the A; you don't need to 'beat' the test. You need to learn the material and kick arse on the boards (which for me is enough of a motivator, that and not wanting to be 007). Having been in an environment where mastery didn't always equal A and a curve is killer (scoring in the 90s on a test and still getting a B?), it can be demoralizing and frustrating despite your best efforts and not reflect what you really know (ie average grades, but then doing well on a standardized test like mcat and later boards).

In P/F, the ranking and letter grades happen in year 3 and 4, which is arguably a better indicator of how you'll be as a doctor versus how you are at taking a test and massive memorization (year 1-2 plus you have boards to prove yourself). Most residency directors care about the latter 2 yrs and board scores anyway - why stress out more than necessary and fight a curve for 2 years?

All that being said, UTSW is awesome for research (always expanding, nobel prize winners etc) and for clinical skills (seriously, the amount of patient interaction and forced autonomy - personnel #s are low for patient load- at Parkland will leave everyone incredibly well trained at a resident level rather than fourth year at most schools). I think these factors really put UTSW high on any list. My concerns are the first two years and the way they seem to be slow to change with updating/integrating their curriculum versus many other schools.

Funny that you should mention that, because rumor has it that UTSW is going Pass/Fail for 1st year (or maybe it was just first half of 1st year?) starting with EC 2007. But, I agree with you that 3rd and 4th year are more important, and, what do you know, they are weighted more heavily in your class rank at UTSW than the pre-clinical years. I really don't think, at the end of the day, that UTSW is significantly more competitive or misearble a place to be than any other Medical School.

You're a little off base on this one. You might not ever realize it since you'll only attend one medical school. But being at a non-competitive school rocks. You can be in denial all you want, but your real goal in medical school will be to learn your stuff so you can get the residency you want and become the doctor you want to be. That's it. Anything that gets in the way of that should be avoided. In my opinion, competition gets in the way of that. It may make you work harder, but why do you want to work harder? I personally want to work less and learn the same amount of material since I'm not really compared to my classmates unless it strictly comes down to applying to the same place for the same thing before residency. We work together and watch out for each other. I don't have to worry about taking notes on everything. I can get them from someone else or through our student-run notes group. I don't have to worry about going to personally copy something from the library, b/c someone [including myself at times] will copy it and send it out to everyone. All I really have to worry about in the long-run is learning my stuff. And believe me, if I had to compete with my classmates, I'd be scared....very scared.

Yes, but at the end of the day, you are still ranked with all of your peers. That, to me, equals competition.

Also, I don't believe all the crap about no one sharing notes. Do you really think that no one shares notes at UTSW? Give me a break. But, this point is all sort of moot since UTSW provides audio and videotaped lectures.

I can turn your one medical school comment back on you. Since you've never attended a so-called "competitive" medical school, you really don't know how competitive it really is (if at all.)

 

[potato51]

You're a little off base on this one. You might not ever realize it since you'll only attend one medical school. But being at a non-competitive school rocks. You can be in denial all you want, but your real goal in medical school will be to learn your stuff so you can get the residency you want and become the doctor you want to be. That's it. Anything that gets in the way of that should be avoided. In my opinion, competition gets in the way of that. It may make you work harder, but why do you want to work harder? I personally want to work less and learn the same amount of material since I'm not really compared to my classmates unless it strictly comes down to applying to the same place for the same thing before residency. We work together and watch out for each other. I don't have to worry about taking notes on everything. I can get them from someone else or through our student-run notes group. I don't have to worry about going to personally copy something from the library, b/c someone [including myself at times] will copy it and send it out to everyone. All I really have to worry about in the long-run is learning my stuff. And believe me, if I had to compete with my classmates, I'd be scared....very scared.

Simple question: Does your school rank its students? If so then you are competing with each other. And everything you just said about Duke applies to Southwestern - we help each other out a ton here. We distribute notes, review sheets all the time, or upload them to a class folder that everyone can access. You can indeed have a competitive student body without having a competitive atmosphere.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Yep. Lived on the West Coast for 4 years, and I've spent lots of time in L.A. We've disagreed about Texas before, and we'll continue to do so, I guess. Obviously our perspectives are vastly different, but I did my time there and feel like my thoughts are valid, too.

But you disagree that LA is a pretentious, expensive, huge (sprawling) city with horrible traffic? I can agree to disagree just fine, but I'm trying to get an idea of to what you are calibrating your experiences. Those were the reasons that you gave for hating Texas cities, and, IMHO, other cities (like LA, for instance) are much worse in those respects.

EDIT: To be fair, I grew up in suburbs of New York City and Newark, NJ. I have lived in Pittsburgh, PA, The SF Bay Area, and Austin, TX. My wife is from Tucson, AZ, so I have visited extensively. Please don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that your experiences are not valid, but, for the reasons that you listed, I've found those other places where I have lived to be much worse.

 

[Mortal_Lessons]

Plano people are the Texas equivalent of 90210. New money. Have you ever seen the student parking lot at Plano High... WOOOH!

If you think Plano Senior High has a nice parking lot, go check out Plano West's parking lot.

 

[Wizard of Oz]

The thing I do like about Oklahoma over Texas is that we know we suck. We just straight up admit that we're a cr@ppy state. 🙂

lol be careful where you say this. 😀 I agree 100% though, Oklahoma yearns to be part of Texas. You can feel the jealousy throughout--just look at the differences in pay between the states despite similar living costs, and it seems like most OK natives I know travel to Dallas somewhat regularly to shop. We try to snare their best football players as a strange sort of defense for Texas taking all of our teachers, engineers, doctors, etc. Only when their best running back picks OU over Texas, Texas wins the national title. There are more Texans on the OU football team than natives of any other state some years in contrast to the 'horns which are nearly exclusively homegrown.

Back on the Nobel debate, here is the E! True Hollywood Story. ONE Nobel Prize has been awarded for work done at UTSW twenty years ago, and it was split between two collaborators. The other Laureates were hired between when they did the work and when they started at UTSW. They can roll it up and spin it to make a nice marketing ad, but the only way to know if the research is as cool today as then judging by this silly criterion would be to look twenty years from now to see if a similar prize is spawned. Time machine, anyone?

Naw, go for the curriculum and residency match. The Nobel thing is nice fluff, but like I said before, it has nothing to do with your education while you're there.

Give us a holla here, Anastasis.

 

[potato51]

Back on the Nobel debate, here is the E! True Hollywood Story. ONE Nobel Prize has been awarded for work done at UTSW twenty years ago, and it was split between two collaborators. The other Laureates were hired between when they did the work and when they started at UTSW. They can roll it up and spin it to make a nice marketing ad, but the only way to know if the research is as cool today as then judging by this silly criterion would be to look twenty years from now to see if a similar prize is spawned. Time machine, anyone?

UTSW's never claimed it was the site of all the Nobel-winning work, just that the number of Laureates speak to the quality of faculty here and the type of scientists they attract and keep.