SLU Class of 2011

[msundi83]

Anyone going next fall? I just got my acceptance today and I was really impressed with it at the interview.

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[ntsystematic]

I interviewed at SLU today! How long did it take you to receive a decision?

 

[Whit1113]

I am planning on attending next year also. I admit that before the interview, it wasn't high on my list, but I was really impressed by it. To answer the previous question, I received my acceptance email 2 weeks after my interview.
Good luck!!!

 

[msundi83]

I was the same way. I had Iowa as my first choice being an instate kid and now after the interview and being accepted to SLU I am really excited and will probably pull the trigger and go there. I had my interview on the 16th and was accepted on the 25th

 

[LMarie_MD2b]

I'll be a Billiken next Fall, too! I interviewed December 4th and got my acceptance the 21st, so I had a very merry Christmas! I was also initially considering SLU as a back up, but my mind was completely changed during my interview day! The curriculum, location, and community opportunities are simply outstanding. I can't wait, hope to see you all in August.

 

[Jinterpol]

See you guys in the fall. I was hoping for UIC (illinois resident now), since Missouri no longer claims me, but I think it's getting late.
Yet...SLU still rocks (the casbah) to me.

 

[kyley3k]

msundi83, were you the guy with the nice sport coat on the 16th? Looks like we might be class mates.

 

[msundi83]

Why yes i was! Thanks, and it is looking like we very well could be classmates!

 

[soccermd]

hey guys!
think i may just be going to SLU in the fall as well! absolutely loved it!! still have 2 more interviews and deciding between 3, but i think SLU is my top choice!

 

[msundi83]

Slu is currently my top choice too. Good luck with your decision.

 

[kyley3k]

Personally, I'm really excited about next year. I think St. Louis is a great place to live. I think people from around the area are some of the friendliest I've met. Contrary to some of these threads, there's a lot to do in St. Louis. Although, I'm kind of biased, I'm a pretty big Cardinals fan. Besides the city, St. Louis University Hospital is a teaching based hospital built for the school. The curriculum is block structured, which I'm partial to, and I'm sure there will be tons of research opportunities especially with the new facility. Another great aspect of the school is that it has opportunities abroad. Personally, I'd love to go to another area of the world and get an eclectic experience in medicine. I think there are an overabundance of opportunities at SLU and I can't wait to start.

 

[msundi83]

Personally, I'm really excited about next year. I think St. Louis is a great place to live. I think people from around the area are some of the friendliest I've met. Contrary to some of these threads, there's a lot to do in St. Louis. Although, I'm kind of biased, I'm a pretty big Cardinals fan. Besides the city, St. Louis University Hospital is a teaching based hospital built for the school. The curriculum is block structured, which I'm partial to, and I'm sure there will be tons of research opportunities especially with the new facility. Another great aspect of the school is that it has opportunities abroad. Personally, I'd love to go to another area of the world and get an eclectic experience in medicine. I think there are an overabundance of opportunities at SLU and I can't wait to start.

well ya got me fired up

 

[kyley3k]

I really don't think people give this school enough credit on here. First of all, most people only know their interview impression, or the totally subjective opinions of people they "know". When was the last time any one really listened to hear-say? Especially when they are deciding on something as important as their career path.
My personal physician went to SLU and he's the best physician I've ever had. He has business savvy and is extremely hardworking. But, like I said, the cultural rating of STL is much higher than a 6-7 as is ranked on SDN. I've lived in rural Illinois, suburbia, and Manhattan(on the weekends, my ex-girlfriend went to Parsons), and St. Louis is about right (although, I can only vouch for Clayton, Edwardsville (Metro East) and St. Charles).
BTW, I have an acceptance at my state school so my opinion isn't biased on choice. Oh, and by the way, I know they have a very active trauma unit, if that makes a difference. They flew my friend who was in a serious car accident to STL Uni. Hospital, not Barnes-Jewish.
Finally, (as if this were an essay) I'm pretty sure they have affiliations with a Hispanic clinic. This is a great opportunity to brush up on Spanish and get an experience you might not consider somewhere else. Haha... how's that for an opinion.

 

[msundi83]

preach on

 

[chanjurban]

Hi! SLU MS1 here.

Glad that this thread is going again... A few comments:

1. Just about every physician I know of in the St. Louis area that has a fabulous bedside manner came from SLU. The only one that I can think of that wasn't from SLU was from Mizzou.

2. We are affiliated with La Clinica, though WashU is too.

3. We also have a "student run" free clinic - what does this mean? SLU students are the administrators, pharmacists, phlebotomists, physicians, etc.. Pre-clinical students can take histories and do screenings. Clinical students will actually do physical examinations. Students then present to an attending physician who goes over their work. I know that most medical schools offer clinical volunteer opportunities to students, but how many clinics are actually run by them? Excellent service AND learning opportunity! And you have the opportunity to volunteer starting from your 1st week at school. If you want more info, go to the SLU med school website and look up HRC (Health Resource Center).

4. Our administrative faculty are some of the best. All of the Dr. S's absolutely put student education 1st.

Feel free to PM me if you have questions or concerns.

 

[kyley3k]

Hi! SLU MS1 here.

Glad that this thread is going again... A few comments:

1. Just about every physician I know of in the St. Louis area that has a fabulous bedside manner came from SLU. The only one that I can think of that wasn't from SLU was from Mizzou.

2. We are affiliated with La Clinica, though WashU is too.

3. We also have a "student run" free clinic - what does this mean? SLU students are the administrators, pharmacists, phlebotomists, physicians, etc.. Pre-clinical students can take histories and do screenings. Clinical students will actually do physical examinations. Students then present to an attending physician who goes over their work. I know that most medical schools offer clinical volunteer opportunities to students, but how many clinics are actually run by them? Excellent service AND learning opportunity! And you have the opportunity to volunteer starting from your 1st week at school. If you want more info, go to the SLU med school website and look up HRC (Health Resource Center).

4. Our administrative faculty are some of the best. All of the Dr. S's absolutely put student education 1st.

Feel free to PM me if you have questions or concerns.

I have a few questions that I'll post on here because I'm sure others want to know as well.

How far do you commute to school? What are good areas to live in?

How many extracurriculars (i.e. research, volunteering) do you recommend devoting your time to? As a first year, are you focusing on school only, or are you involved in any of these EC's?

How is your week structured? I know there's block scheduling... and that's about it.

Thanks! Your insight is appreciated. I'll probably have additional questions after I check out the HRC.

 

[chanjurban]

I have a few questions that I'll post on here because I'm sure others want to know as well.

How far do you commute to school? What are good areas to live in?

How many extracurriculars (i.e. research, volunteering) do you recommend devoting your time to? As a first year, are you focusing on school only, or are you involved in any of these EC's?

How is your week structured? I know there's block scheduling... and that's about it.

Thanks! Your insight is appreciated. I'll probably have additional questions after I check out the HRC.

Hi. i'm a rather non-traditional student, so I'll answer your questions as best I can.

I commute about 20-30 minutes to school. I carpool with someone else. Most students live within 10-15 minutes. As for neighborhoods, I'm not the best person to answer for the more traditional students. But there are plenty of decent places to live.

In terms of extracurriculars - you're not going to be overwhelmed with them. There are plenty to choose from, and activities are relatively spread out. We have a lot of different interest groups that meet during lunch hours (lots of people attend b/c of free food). Some of them have associated activites that are held after school hours (weekends, evenings). Some are during school hours (outreach programs like Child Abuse prevention and HIV Task force that go to local schools to give talks). These activities have been scheduled more in the spring semester. You can also volunteer at La Clinica during school hours. And you can volunteer at the HRC on Saturdays.

There aren't a lot of people doing research right now, but we'll be starting electives after spring break. A lot of people doing research electives will choose to continue during the summer.

I personally have been involved with a lot of the ECs, and I haven't felt that it detracts from studying or family too much. But I don't go overboard either. Get involved, but don't dive in headfirst. Get a feel for how you personally are handling med school before you do too much. And only do what you're truly interested in. Resume building can get to be real drudgery.

Our typical week has classes scheduled in the morning from 9-12 (or 8-12 during the anatomy block). we get at least 1 hour break for lunch. Then there may or may not be afternoon activities scheduled (labs, small group meetings, lectures - depending on what block you're on). The 1st 10 weeks of medschool (the anatomy block), you'll be busy from 8-5. If you're not scheduled to dissect, you'll need the time to study. But once that course is over with, the schedule normalizes and you'll find yourself with a lot more free time to organize however you'd like. We're generally done by about 3.

hope that helps.

Chanjurban

 

[msundi83]

That was very helpful, thanks

 

[taylor6902]

i just got the email. has everyone completed their FAFSA?

 

[kyley3k]

yea. i hope it's accurate enough, it was a little harder to do before my taxes...

 

[msundi83]

yep, got it done today

 

[Whit1113]

I too am excited that this thread got moving again! Like others, I have two more interviews but to be honest don't really care about the outcome. I am really set on SLU!! I am happy to see that there are others as excited as I am. I too have questions about where to live, when to move, roomates, etc but am sure that there will be many more people on here as it gets closer.

 

[Jinterpol]

I'm kind of concerned about SLU b/c tuition is so expensive, and there might be a problem with my fafsa. My income last year was high enough that my EFC is close to $7k, which is $7k I don't have...hopefully I get awarded enough to actually go without having to be a slave to lenders.

 

[msundi83]

I too am concerned with the cost of the attending SLU. The one DO school I applied to is a better deal and I always understood them to generally be really expensive relative to a lot of MD programs (private even). I think I'm just going to bite the bullet and accept the cost. I'm going to have to bite the bullet in some form or another no matter what school I go to and I might as well do it at a program that got me excited (unlike most of my other interviews).

 

[taylor6902]

no one's going to slu w/o going into debt

 

[msundi83]

no one's going to slu w/o going into debt

Or to any school really

 

[Vano]

Still waiting on some schools, but for now deciding between SLU and RFU(it's only 20min away from my house). But I'm 95% sold on attending SLU, oh interviewed on halloween btw and got an acceptance 10 days later, so will probably see some of you on campus/in class in a few months

 

[carn311]

Are lectures posted online in mp3 format? Is there always a transcription service or is it up to the class to organize it?


I am gung-ho SLU for next Aug.; these are just a couple of things that have slipped my mind for some reason.

 

[msundi83]

Is anyone planning on actually living near campus. I have a friend at law school there and he stays at a cool apartment called "The Drake" I think. I spent the night there for my intereview and it was nice as well as convenient. I bet it is pretty expensive though. It's just down the road across the interstate from the med school.

 

[rowan]

I am a current third year at SLU that peruses these boards periodically, so perhaps I can provide some added information to some of these questions. I am always happy to see students who are excited to come to SLU. For reasons that I am not always sure of, it seems to get a poor reputation on boards such as this, probably from people who have little to no personal insight into the school itself. I guess I can only speak of my opinions, so take them for what they are worth, but I think it is a great school and have never regretted my decision to come here. As has been stated, the administrative faculty members are some of the best I have ever encountered in my years of higher education, and Dr. Smith, Dr. Sweirkosz, and Dr. Slavin put nothing ahead of student education, and are great assets to the school. I think some people are under the impression that we are the red-headed stepchild of St. Louis medical schools, and while no one in town confuses us with Wash U, I don't think that should necessarily be looked upon as a bad thing. Without question, Wash U is a phenomenal school with amazing facilities and some of the best faculty in the country, but not all SLU students are at SLU because they couldn't get into Wash U, as I suspect some people think. Some students just look for different attributes in a medical school, and I think SLU has some that are unique, just as Wash U has some that are unique. Anyhow, my point is, I don't think it is fair to compare the two, as they are different schools that provide different educational experiences.

As far as SLU is concerned, our classes are generally non-competitive (although there are a few in every class, in every school) and collegial, and come from all parts of the country. I am always so impressed with the knowledge and clinical skills of my classmates with whom I work on the wards. There are frequent social outings between the classes, mostly after tests and such, and intramural teams seem to be formed early in the first year. Anatomy is the first class of first year, and can be an eye-opening experience for those not used to diligent studying, but everyone seems to make it and the anatomy faculty are always around and helpful with questions. After that, it calms down a bit, and people have more time for out-of-school activities. There are elective opportunities in the spring of first year, and many students will use this as a time to gain research experience or get some early patient exposure. A lot of times, these experiences will be carried over into the summer, and this can be a great time to make some early connections with faculty and residents.

I think the preclinical curriculum is very student-oriented, and teaches very well to prepare students for Step I of the USMLE, particularly the organ modules in the second year. I haven't seen the data yet, but I have heard the class average for the current third years was approximately 225, which is 8-10 points above the national average, and I think historically, SLU students have done very well on Step I. The curriculum is set up such that, some of the material covered in year one is covered again in year two in the relevant organ module, particularly things such as micro, pharm, and path. I am a firm believer that students learn by repetition, and the more times you see something, the more likely you are to remember it, so I think this type of curriculum is very student-friendly and can be very helpful in learing a large mass of information. There are also adequate opportunities for EC activities in the first two years, and opportunities for patient contact (such as the HRC, La Clinica, clinical electives in the first and second year, etc.). Every year, about 10-12 second year students are chosen to be members of the admissions committee, and this is a valuable experience to be involved in the choosing of the first year class, and the interaction with the interviewees is an opportunity to let them know the positive aspects of the school that may not otherwise come across in the interview. The new research building is nearing completion, and will provide more modern labs for the research faculty and students interested in research, and should help to attract more NIH money.

SLU hospital is an inner-city hospital that caters to an inner-city patient population. It is not the nicest hospital you will have ever seen, but also not the worst. That being said, I think the location and mission of the hospital is an asset to students, as it provides a broader clinical experience than might be had in a more rural setting, and consequently a broader range of pathology. We serve patients that are mostly from lower socioeconomic classes, and that provides the opportunity for students to learn the social aspect of patient care. We provide care for many patients who are homeless, HIV positive, substance abusers, etc. and part of the clinical experience for students is learning how to take care of patients such as this and utilizing resources to piece together a history that the patient cannot always provide. We are a very active level I trauma center, and receive all trauma from east of the hospital, which includes East St. Louis, which is historically a pretty rough place, so we see a lot of penetrating trauma, such as gunshot wounds and the like. During third year, you will do two weeks of trauma, and one of those is working nights, during which you will be busy all night, dealing with multiple traumas, and if you are squeamish before, you will not be after. In general, I have been nothing but impressed with the clinical skills and bedside manner of the residents and attendings I have worked with so far. I think that the Jesuit mission of the school attracts physicians that are aware of the impact of compassion and bedside manner, and this is evident in their patient care, and I think being exposed to that as a student is a valuable experience in learning to take care of patients.

As an aside, I am not Catholic, and have never felt pressured to conform to a certain religious belief, as I often hear cited as a concern about the school. There are parts of the school that make you aware of its Catholic affiliation, but I have never felt uncomfortable as a result. Father Baker is perhaps the nicest man I have ever met, and he is an omnipresence around the school, and his office is a student-favorite (you'll see when you get here).

As far as where to live, a lot of students live in the central west end, which is about a mile west of SLU and close to Wash U. It is a bit pricey (by St. Louis standards), and I have heard of problems with car break-ins, so I think gated parking is a good investment if you choose this area. Some married students with children seem to move to the county for the benefit of better schools, and even then, I don't think the commute is horrible. Traffic is generally not a concern, except for I-64/US-40, which can be problematic at rush hour. I-44 and I-55 are more managable, but I think 40 is going to be closed for construction soon, so the others may be more hectic during this time...I don't think anyone really knows what to expect concerning that. Other areas to check out are those of St. Louis Hills, where you can find a nice (probably older) apartment for about 500-550 per month, but these typically aren't advertised, as they are privately owned and you may have to just drive around and look for rent signs. Clayton is nice, but also more expensive I think. I don't think the area around the school is popular for students to live, but I also think it is over-played as far as how dangerous it is. Granted, it is not in the best part of town, but the actual campus is well-lit and I have never felt unsafe walking on the campus itself. I would not advise parking on the city streets around the campus, as many students do to avoid the parking costs (which aren't bad compared to most college campuses). We get an email every couple of months about a car break-in, but it is always someone who was parked on one of the side streets, and never in the actual parking garage. So, I would advise to just pay for the parking, and avoid the stress of worrying about your car. As I said, I have never felt unsafe walking to or from the parking garage, even when I was getting to work at 4:30 am on surgery.

I know this is long, so I will stop. I just wanted to provide some information about positive aspects of the school to those thinking of coming here. I think it is a wonderful school, with tremendous faculty who are great clinical teachers, and it is often overlooked for one reason or another. I think students who choose to come here are universally pleased with their educational experience, and are often surprised that such a great school doesn't get more attention.

Hope this helps. I would be happy to answer any additional questions.

 

[kyley3k]

Is anyone planning on actually living near campus. I have a friend at law school there and he stays at a cool apartment called "The Drake" I think. I spent the night there for my interview and it was nice as well as convenient. I bet it is pretty expensive though. It's just down the road across the interstate from the med school.

I'm not for sure yet. I'm thinking about going down there during April-May and scouting things out. I have a few friends that go to grad school at SLU and I'll ask them as well. I'll make sure to post whatever I find out on here.

Wash U is a phenomenal school with amazing facilities and some of the best faculty in the country, but not all SLU students are at SLU because they couldn’t get into Wash U, as I suspect some people think. Some students just look for different attributes in a medical school, and I think SLU has some that are unique, just as Wash U has some that are unique. Anyhow, my point is, I don’t think it is fair to compare the two, as they are different schools that provide different educational experiences.

I agree with this. I did not apply to Wash U, because I had no first-hand experience with the school. I had read/heard a lot, but I actually knew physicians from SLU, including my own, and they gave me a lot of insight to the school. I tried to make a decision based on experience.

Also, just because SLU is considered dangerous by some, doesn't mean that if you're careful you'll have a bunch of problems. Every time I've visited, I felt perfectly safe.

 

[chanjurban]

Are lectures posted online in mp3 format? Is there always a transcription service or is it up to the class to organize it?


I am gung-ho SLU for next Aug.; these are just a couple of things that have slipped my mind for some reason.

One thing you will not have to worry about is a note transcription service. Each course has a designated syllabus which contains comprehensive notes on every lecture.

As for lectures posted on-line: Most professors will post their powerpoint presentations on-line. But there is not an official recording of the lecture posted,with the exception of pre-lab demos in anatomy and cell bio. In these cases, they actually have videos posted on-line or on reserve in the library. Our class this year has a student who is podcasting the lectures as a service to his fellow classmates, and posting them on his website, but it's not "official".

 

[donair]

As an aside, I am not Catholic, and have never felt pressured to conform to a certain religious belief, as I often hear cited as a concern about the school. There are parts of the school that make you aware of its Catholic affiliation, but I have never felt uncomfortable as a result. Father Baker is perhaps the nicest man I have ever met, and he is an omnipresence around the school, and his office is a student-favorite (you’ll see when you get here).

Don't let the religious aspect of SLU scare you off. I'm not Catholic either - I'm not even Christian, but I feel comfortable at school. You will know that you are in a Jesuit school and hear about various religious programs, but it is never forced upon you and you are not made to feel uncomfortable about it. I never have. At the cadaver memorial service (a service to honour those who donated their bodies for our anatomy program) there are prayers from ALL religions represented in our class.

And Fr. Baker is awesome! You can talk to him about anything, not only about religion. And his office has FREE coffee/tea/hot chocolate and frequently has snacks as well. When you are busy studying in the library for an exam, going to Fr. Baker's for some coffee and a cookie makes for a great study break.

 

[donair]

As for the safety issue, it's not a really big thing to me. It's pretty much like any city, you need to be aware of your surrounding and not do stupid things like walk around dark alleys flashing wads money.

There are security escorts available from the school to the parking garage if you feel you need one. I've never been afraid of walking around outside, but then again most people say I look scary. I also took the bus during first semester and never had ANY problems. (I should note that this one random guy thought I was "packing". The only weapons I had concealed was my heavy binder. And the worst thing he made me do was hug him... he was sticky...) People in this city are generally very friendly.

Don't be stupid and you'll be safe. If you still have concerns, find a "scary looking" classmate like me to walk around with and you won't have any problems.

 

[msundi83]

Well, it looks like my plans with SLU have solidified after being rejected from my state school (Iowa). While rejections always suck I'm happy that they made my choice to go to a school I was more excited about (SLU) easier. Gotta start looking for apartments....

 

[works151]

I've been accepted to SLU and SUNY Upstate (Syracuse). Any advice? SLU is EXPENSIVE!!! I was very impressed with the school though. I may be joining you this fall...

 

[student101]

Looks like I'll be attending SLU in the fall! I'm pretty excited!

 

[msundi83]

I'm heading down to St. Louis in a couple weeks to look at places to live. Anyone considering their options yet. I'm looking at The Drake apartments (right near campus, lot of undergrads, but mostly graduate students if you get a single BR apt.), West End Terrace, and Hampton Gardens. Those places caught my eye from the website.

 

[LMarie_MD2b]

I'm looking at Theresa Park Lofts and a couple of 1BR apartments near campus (leased by Garcia Properties) this weekend. I'm so excited! I have lost the ability to give a @%*$ about the remaining 2 months of undergrad.

 

[Pewl]

Dean, get back to work! Quit trollin' around here!

 

[Anjlprincezz]

I am seriously considering SLU (my only acceptance) and am just waiting to hear back from a couple of other school where i interviewed (don't really know whether or not i want to be accepted)...

Anyways, i've gained loads of invaluable info about SLU thus far, and am planning on making the trip out to St. Louis in April/May..

I was looking at the website and was wondering whether it's advisable to look for a roommate first or to choose a building/ area first?

Also, anyone have info about SLU and PDAs, or anything else that might be necessary?

Regarding FAFSA if my EFC was 000 does that mean i made a mistake on the FAFSA or that i have no money (i didn't have any personal information to enter as i have no money, but i did enter all my parental info.) Last time i filled out the FAFSA (b4 undergrad) my EFC was 100k (Yeah, like my parents were gonna sell their house to pay for school!)

Anyways thanks for all the help! Sorry for all the random questions i have yet to visit the school and thus have loads of questions!

 

[Anjlprincezz]

oh btw i interviewed on 2/13 and was accepted on 2/20... I had a regional interview in Newport Beach, CA.

 

[kyley3k]

I'll probably be travelling down to STL in April... probably around the 20-21st. I probably won't sign a lease 'til june/july. What are you guys thinking about location? I have some friends out in the 'burbs... but I'm thinking about something closer. I wondered if any of the current students had some input.

 

[msundi83]

I'm looking at singles in the "most popular" section of the housing website. Hampton Gardens and West End Terrace are the big ones. There are a lot of places near the campus that a lot of undergrads live in and I don't want that to be an issue (a lot of noise, etc). I'm planning on going down for a day or two and stopping by as many places as possible. What is important to me is a reasonable distance from the school, parking, good management/maintenence, and location from decent grocery stores and a place to lift. I would also like any current students to chime in if they have any advice on housing or updates to the info provided on the housing page (it appears it is a few years old).

 

[donair]

Yeah Dean... enough with the trolling. Study for once in your life...

 

[Vano]

I'm looking at Theresa Park Lofts and a couple of 1BR apartments near campus (leased by Garcia Properties) this weekend. I'm so excited! I have lost the ability to give a @%*$ about the remaining 2 months of undergrad.

Garcia properties is that the 1bedroom for 375?

 

[student101]

I'm looking at Theresa Park Lofts and a couple of 1BR apartments near campus (leased by Garcia Properties) this weekend. I'm so excited! I have lost the ability to give a @%*$ about the remaining 2 months of undergrad.

Aren't those Lofts rather expensive?

 

[Jinterpol]

Let's get someone to post SLU's 2007 match list.

 

[msundi83]

Let's get someone to post SLU's 2007 match list.

right on, its not on the website yet and i couldn't find it anywhere.

 

[Vano]

right on, its not on the website yet and i couldn't find it anywhere.

They might post it later, March 15th was only couple of days ago give them some time. I've never seen their previous yrs lists though, can you guys provide a link where I can see one of those, please.