[TMDSAS] Texas medical schools -> differences b/w them

[Vassili Zaitsev]

The individual school threads are separated, and I'm pretty sure most people applying through TMDSAS will apply to the majority, if not all the schools on the list. I made this thread because I couldn't find one like it, but if there is one, please delete this one and PM me a link to the other one.

What are some differences (besides GPA/MCAT) between these schools? You can split your responses into these categories:
1) the interview
2) the grading system (P/F vs ABCD vs H/HP/P/some other letter/F)
3) the way the curriculum is split up (block, traditional, etc.)
4) special requirements such as learning a second language, conducting mandatory research (I think A&M makes you do this), etc.
5) anything you want to add that doesn't fit into one of the other 4 catagories

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[armybound]

I won't speak for all of the schools, but I can tell you about UT-Houston

1) 2 interviews, 30 minutes each. Your interviewers can be a wide range of people from the director of admissions to a resident who went to UT-Houston, a non-clinical researcher/lecturer, past Deans of the school, etc. We don't do "stress" interviews. I believe it's a completely open interview, as they have your grades, personal statement, etc.
2) H/HP/P/MP/F. There are no curves or quotas, so if everyone earns honors, everyone gets honors.
3) Blocks. 4 classes at a time typically, with 3 blocks in the first semester of first year and 4 blocks in the second semester of first year. At the end of the block there is a week of exams, with 1 class being tested on each day.
4) No special requirements like that
5) I've interviewed at a few of these places (UTHSCSA, A&M, Tech-Lubbock) and I think you'll find that everyone is friendly at most places. You're going to end up liking wherever you go, so choose a school based on things that are important to you like being close to family, access to your favorite hobbies/sports teams, etc. You really can't go wrong with any school in Texas.

 

[obiwan]

i won't 't really add anything specific about each school but i do feel that aside from UTSW and BCM, the other medical schools in texas are doing a good job at closing the gaps between each other in terms of getting get students and having good quality education...

one thing that entering medical students get caught up in is how the courses and grading is done for the first 2 years even though in reality, what you learn in a lot of your basic science courses will mean absolutely nothing to you so one should see how your 3rd and 4th years are set up which is really crucial....

 

[Vassili Zaitsev]

i won't 't really add anything specific about each school but i do feel that aside from UTSW and BCM, the other medical schools in texas are doing a good job at closing the gaps between each other in terms of getting get students and having good quality education...

one thing that entering medical students get caught up in is how the courses and grading is done for the first 2 years even though in reality, what you learn in a lot of your basic science courses will mean absolutely nothing to you so one should see how your 3rd and 4th years are set up which is really crucial....

I'm glad you brought that up. I forgot to add an extra category for schools that make you commute to different campuses for your MS3 and MS4 years. That's actually one of the biggest factors in selection for me.

 

[obiwan]

I'm glad you brought that up. I forgot to add an extra category for schools that make you commute to different campuses for your MS3 and MS4 years. That's actually one of the biggest factors in selection for me.

for UTSW --- you will be doing most of your rotations at Parkland, children's hospital, and st paul hospital which are all on the same campus. rotations that are done at the VA hospital will require an additional 15-20 min drive from the area where parkland and the med school are

for Baylor ----- rotations are pretty much all in the texas medical center which while humongous is walkable throughout and there is also a light rail that runs through the center, the VA is sorta on the outer edges of the medical center but not like UTSW

UTH --------- most of your rotations are at memorial hermann hospital which is on the texas medical center so no problem there

Temple --------- Scott and White is the hospital where you are working at so I don't think there are many extra clinical sites