would anyone happen to know how long it takes for them to assign placement? will it be a letter in the mail? thanks!
UIC Class of 2014
- Thread starter QuinnWatson
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I got my placement in the mail, it took them about 2.5 weeks from when I mailed in my preference card.
Hopefully, this article means that our M1 tuition next year won't be increasing by too much.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/2147875,university-illinois-tuition-040810.article
http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/2147875,university-illinois-tuition-040810.article
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I got a question for any current students at the Chicago campus,
Is it true all lectures are recorded, or only some? Are they posted immediately, on itunes, blackboard, how does it work? Does UIC still do the note taking service?
One more thing, any major changes to the curriculum or scheduling you guys have heard about?
Thanks for the help.
Is it true all lectures are recorded, or only some? Are they posted immediately, on itunes, blackboard, how does it work? Does UIC still do the note taking service?
One more thing, any major changes to the curriculum or scheduling you guys have heard about?
Thanks for the help.
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The majority of lectures are recorded; it is up to the professor whether or not it ultimately is. (Some choose not to because of confidential patient case studies.) Last year, UIC invested in an automated video capture system--so that it records according to our lecture schedules, is processed, and uploaded to blackboard under the specific course within a few hours. Once in a while there is a backlog on the server that delays it--and once in a while the video doesn't capture (due to scheduling glitches--or the mic was accidentally turned off) but those problems are few and far between.
The co-ops (note taking service) have effectively died because of it. They were a student run thing--but, because of the video capture, there wasn't any interest this year.
As for course changes, I haven't heard of any major events.
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Thanks for the quick reply. Is there anyway to get a hold of the old co-op notes? Or do you think that they are pointless/too outdated by now?
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I know some people who bought or acquired them off older students. For some classes, they're still relevant...others not so much.
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Hey - for anyone assigned to Chicago and is looking for a place to live, I'm looking for a roommate to share the condo where I live when my current roommate moves out. It's walking distance to the College of Medicine, as well as on several CTA bus lines and the UIC Intercampus shuttle route.
Quick overview of the place: it's a 1300 sq. ft condo, 2Bed/2bath, so you'd get your own bedroom and bathroom. The place is basically entirely furnished--except for your room. Granite countertops, hardwood floors, fireplace with custom mantle with a flat screen tv, outdoor patio and deck.
PM if you're interested or want more information. Male roommate preferred.
Quick overview of the place: it's a 1300 sq. ft condo, 2Bed/2bath, so you'd get your own bedroom and bathroom. The place is basically entirely furnished--except for your room. Granite countertops, hardwood floors, fireplace with custom mantle with a flat screen tv, outdoor patio and deck.
PM if you're interested or want more information. Male roommate preferred.
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I am trying to complete my immunization form, but I am a bit stumped about the whole polio vaccine. It says, on the form, that we needed a series of three shots, and that it we did not, then we would need a booster shot. I had at least five shots (way back when I was young), so I assume that I would not need the booster. However, one of my other friends said that she heard that everyone needed a polio booster if it was not given within the last ten years ...
Any input on this would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch!
It says, on the form, that we needed a series of three shots, and that it we did not, then we would need a booster shot. I had at least five shots (way back when I was young), so I assume that I would not need the booster. However, one of my other friends said that she heard that everyone needed a polio booster if it was not given within the last ten years ...Any input on this would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch!
I am trying to complete my immunization form, but I am a bit stumped about the whole polio vaccine.
Any input on this would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch!
So according to this website, www.vaccineinformation.org/polio/qandavax.asp, only one booster shot is needed in a person's lifetime. I obtain my immunizations records from my undergrad institution presented them to my primary care physician, he filled out the form, and bada boom, it was complete. UIC accepted the form with no problems.
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I am trying to complete my immunization form, but I am a bit stumped about the whole polio vaccine.
Any input on this would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch!
Hey Quinn, when it came for me to submit my vaccinations, I knew I already had polio done years ago, but I couldnt quite prove it. The easiest solution is to just get the polio booster. Itll make things easier then digging up for past records and figuring out if you got the 3 shots for it. Just get the booster.
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How much did you end up paying for all the boosters etc. to complete your immunizations form?
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Thanks for the help!!!
See, the problem is, I see on my records that I have had five polio shots done in the past, one of which had to be a booster given that it was past the three normal series shots AND two years later ... but I was five when I got this booster ... and I heard from somebody that it had to be within the past ten years. I wouldn't have a problem getting the booster, it's just that I am having all of my immunizations done here at school and ... well, the lady said that she does not typically give polio boosters unless there was a specific order written up for it ... where did this ten year thing come from??? I don't see it ANYWHERE on the form!!!
As for the cost, I think I paid around 80 dollars. That included a Tdap vaccine, varicella titer, hep B titer, and two step TB (which was free at my school). I am still waiting back for my varicella results, but there is a big chance that I will need a vaccine for varicella, which runs around 40 dollars at my school. See if you can get this stuff taken care of at your school. It will be a lot cheaper. ... not like you can really put a price on good health, though ...
See, the problem is, I see on my records that I have had five polio shots done in the past, one of which had to be a booster given that it was past the three normal series shots AND two years later ... but I was five when I got this booster ... and I heard from somebody that it had to be within the past ten years. I wouldn't have a problem getting the booster, it's just that I am having all of my immunizations done here at school and ... well, the lady said that she does not typically give polio boosters unless there was a specific order written up for it ... where did this ten year thing come from??? I don't see it ANYWHERE on the form!!!
As for the cost, I think I paid around 80 dollars. That included a Tdap vaccine, varicella titer, hep B titer, and two step TB (which was free at my school). I am still waiting back for my varicella results, but there is a big chance that I will need a vaccine for varicella, which runs around 40 dollars at my school. See if you can get this stuff taken care of at your school. It will be a lot cheaper.
... not like you can really put a price on good health, though ... - Joined
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Quinn, if you have proof of three shots then your good to go even if they are really old. You dont need a recent booster. The paper doesnt say anything about needing a recent booster, so Id say dont worry about it.
My insurance covered all the titers, boosters, tb, etc. So I guess I didnt pay anything.
My insurance covered all the titers, boosters, tb, etc. So I guess I didnt pay anything.
I'm also placed in the U/P track and would be interested in the answer to this question.
I'm planning on living off campus though. It's cheaper and there's buses that go everywhere so I don't think it would be inconvenient or anything.
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So I recently found out got the Chicago placement (yes!) after sending in a petition last January. Beforehand, I had always assumed that going to UIC would be cheaper than any private Chicago schools and that if I got the Chicago campus, my decision would be a no-brainer. However, when I looked at the breakdown for in-state students, I was surprised to see that it was not all that much cheaper than other Chicago schools given the tuition you pay for the M2 and M3 summers. Just to be sure, am I missing anything or is UIC not all that much cheaper?
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Hey all! Sent in my deposit yesterday. Hopefully I'll hear campus placement next week. Anxious to be placed in Chicago...here's hoping some April/May decommits will free up some spots! 
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Site placement in Peoria! Any current medical students willing to answer some questions about the Peoria track?
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Ha I just discovered this thread after filling up the Application Thread with campus questions. Oops. 
RandomMS - You're one of the few Rockford students on here, it seems. Could you talk a little about that track? I've heard it's less time-consuming/stressful than Peoria.
However, I notice you're also RMed. Are there a lot of non-RMed students in Rockford? Or is the curriculum rural-focused? And how are the clinical experiences in Rockford?
I'm in Peoria with you, Visionary. Seems like we followed similar paths - interviewed early, were on hold for an agonizing amount of time, and just got in and placed in Peoria.
RandomMS - You're one of the few Rockford students on here, it seems. Could you talk a little about that track? I've heard it's less time-consuming/stressful than Peoria.
However, I notice you're also RMed. Are there a lot of non-RMed students in Rockford? Or is the curriculum rural-focused? And how are the clinical experiences in Rockford?
I'm in Peoria with you, Visionary. Seems like we followed similar paths - interviewed early, were on hold for an agonizing amount of time, and just got in and placed in Peoria.
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Nope, unfortunately you're spot on. I spoke to someone at the financial aid office, and they confirmed that the cost of attendance is actually a lot more for the M2 and M3 years because of summer tuition and fees. In a sense, this almost puts the cost of attendance for all for years (for in-state) to be the same as most private schools.
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I'm a soon to be departing M1 in Urbana, heading to Peoria in a few months. Housing isn't too difficult to come by in Urbana, I found my place July before classes started - it's a large studio apartment within walking distance from campus for ~$400/month. There are some large housing groups (e.g., JSM Management, my 'landlords'), and a lot of apartments to choose from, from studios to 3 bedrooms.
Some of my classmates live in the graduate dorms, but I wouldn't recommend this personally. I think I'm just too old for dorm life, but I prefer my own place.
Cost of living is definitely pretty cheap here, and I believe this is reflected in the slightly lower total cost in your financial aid compared to Chicago. It is also a great town - I'm coming from Ann Arbor, Mich, and it's pretty much exactly the same. In fact, I loved it so much I wanted to stay here, but transfers to Urbana are very very rare if you are not an MD/PhD/MD/JD student. And there is a higher likelihood of getting assigned Urbana if you're traditional MD if you're married (though there are married students on the Rockford and Peoria tracks as well).
As for Peoria, the only things I've heard are from hearsay, but they will work you, hard, in Peoria. There is a myth that all the gunners go there, but I'm not sure if this is true. The few people who switched to Peoria from the other campuses did so because they do have a larger hospital system (OSF St. Francis) and many residency programs (including competitive ones like neurosurgery). No matter your work ethic before you go to med school or your M1 year, you'll need to be prepared to change your study habits before going to Peoria. But, as a tradeoff, you get great resources for learning in the form of two very large, tertiary care centers in OSF St. Francis and Methodist. It is also a pretty tech-savvy campus, with simulations and everything available electronically through ITunes U and such.
Rockford is, from what I've heard, a little more spaced out - you do your rotations in community hospitals and clinics, and much of the 4th year for Rockford track people can actually be spent in rotations in Chicago. Not sure if this is true of Peoria since there are so many clerkship options in-house. Out of the 50 people assigned to Rockford, I believe that about 20 are RMed. Also, it is difficult to transfer to Rockford if you are placed in Peoria or Urbana, usually the only valid excuse is needing to be closer to Chicago for family/SO reasons, not cuz your scared of Peoria's curriculum, haha.
Peoria as a city is nice enough - it's a small city, but it has parks, and a riverfront, and I heard the school sometimes gives free tickets to concerts or plays in the area, something I enjoy and look forward to using.
Yeah I just got back from looking for housing there in Champaign. Campus is definitely not an option. Sunset823 whats the name of your building so I can check that one out. I was kinda hoping that a few medical students rented a house or something. I've lived with people all through undergrad and graduate school, makes for easy study groups. I am from Morton, small town outside of Peoria so I know the area but have never lived in Peoria myself. Was hoping to hear where med students lived there and how they liked it as well. Overall Peoria is nice though. Behind OSF and down by Adams gets a little dicey. Good to hear they don't go easy on ya. I wouldn't want it any other way. We are going to be doctors after all.
If anyone else has advice on where to live or M1 life in Champaign throw it up here on the boards.
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I'm going to add to this because I'm going to Rockford.
The Rockford M2 curriculum is definitely different than Peoria. Classes are 8-5 M-F until late Oct/early Nov then go to morning classes with afternoon labs (not every day). One afternoon a week starting in late Oct/ Early Nov. M2 students will go to a community health clinic in one of 3 locations to start FM rotations. It's designed to get us proficient early on with the medical exam, but it does count toward the FM rotation requirement as well.
The white coat ceremony isn't held until just before we start on our community clinic assignments - again late Oct/early Nov. The semester commences with orientation August 9, at least a week earlier than Peoria/Urbana but we also will have dedicated USMLE study time from mid-late April-June.
One big difference between Peoria and Rockford medicine is that Peoria has residency programs in many fields; Rockford only has FM. M3 Rockford students will rotate through the Rockford hospitals and work 1:1 with the supervising physician (mostly). This is a bonus for Rockford students during rotations because they won't have to worry about competing with residents, and prepares them well for 4th year. 4th year rotations have a lot of built-in "away" time, so you could go to Chicago or anywhere else to do sub-Is or research, etc. And it is encouraged. In M3 it's nice not to compete with residents, but come intern year it's nice to know how to interact in the hierarchy, so doing a rotation at a hospital with many residency programs is encouraged in M4.
There are 18 RMED students in the class of 2013 (me being one) and we have an extra course every year for that, but it's not overly difficult. We usually have a monthly seminar and a writing assignment to follow. There are 2 field trips in M1 and M2 to observe different rural medicine aspects in the state. There's also an option to do a certificate of Public Health at the Rockford site (16 hours) for no extra cost and those courses can be applied toward a future MPH degree if one wants to pursue that. I believe Peoria offers a full MPH degree, but I won't comment on that because I don't know much about it.
Toward the end of your M1 year in Urbana, both deans from Peoria and Rockford will come to talk to the class about what to generally expect in your transition to M2. Each site has their benefits and drawbacks, so if you have been accepted to UIC-COM and have been placed in an Urbana track, don't fret too much about it. The match lists speak volumes and both Peoria and Rockford have excellent match lists. USMLE scores are comparable as well, so it doesn't matter what people say about "gunners" going to either campus.
Regardless of the campus you attend, for the Urbana-track folks, there are also lots of opportunities during your M1 summer to build up your CV. There is a group going to Peru (last year many went to Ecuador) to help with underserved medical communities. You can take advantage of the several paid research programs where you get a small stipend to investigate your own research (I'm doing this!!!), or you can participate in a few different paid shadowing programs (with housing provided) throughout the state. Some students will also TA for a summer prematriculation program for incoming MS1's. These are formal programs to apply to, there are a variety of informal activities you can do to build up your resume as well.
This is a lot of info to take in, but I wanted to give a more in-depth look at Rockford, and some of what you'll encounter in M1. I'm very happy with being on the Urbana-Rockford track, I just wish it was closer to my spouse. We spent the last 2 years being a weekend couple and it's going to be strange to be around each other all the time again in a few weeks. 2nd Honeymoon time, I guess
If any of you reading this are interested in the RMED track, it's actually never too late to apply to RMED. There's no obligation to do rural medicine, although that's sort of what brings us together. Many of us in RMED want to specialize in non-rural disciplines, but want to return to rural IL to practice. I've already toured a ton of different hospitals all over the state and made great contacts for the future, and I'm only finishing M1. If you're applying for the class of 2015 and have application questions, feel free to PM.
Also, for those of you applying with a spouse/kids, who work, etc., I suggest you look at the decompression program. There were about 8 of us in my M1 class that decompressed. I worked full-time in my (soon-to-be former career), one had a baby, one had a sick relative, etc. This is one aspect of the med school that was really nice; options are always good. Basically you split your 1st year among 2 years and it gives you more time for whatever. I was able to continue working and got more clinical experience through my job over those 2 years. It's not for everyone, but it's worth mentioning.
Anyway, congrats, class of 2014, and good luck to the applicants for the class of 2015!
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Hopefully my last post helped a bit.
I just want to stress that while Rockford and Peoria students alike say Rockford is overall less stressful, that doesn't mean it's less rigorous. Please don't think Rockford M2s sleep in til 10 and play ping pong in the afternoon!
As I mentioned earlier, the proof is in the USMLE and match-lists. A bit more on the RMED curriculum -
The RMED students take the same courses as non-RMEDs, but we have one extra course every semester (well, year), and we meet one evening a month for a seminar-style course with an assignment to follow. We also have 2 field trips in M1 and again in M2 where we cover portions of the state looking at different rural clinic and hospital models. In M3 we will spend most of our time preparing for our required M4 project. RMEDs do an extended FM placement (16 weeks) in M4 and are required to complete a research project in this time.
FYI - here's a link to the RMED curriculum.
http://www.ncrhp.uic.edu/curriculum/supplemental.htm
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Hi everyone! I'm an incoming M1 in the Rockford track. Thanks for all the info about Rockford, it has been very useful. Also, just wanted to see if anyone looking for a roommate in Champaign-Urbana?? If you might be interested message me! And btw I'm a girl!
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Any current medical students care to comment on the strength of the administration, based on this?
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/uiccomdeansletter/
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/uiccomdeansletter/
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My site transfer petition to Chicago was approved!
So, now I'm looking for a roommate. Hopefully around medical district/Taylor St., but as long as the commute is reasonable, I'm open. I'm male, very clean, considerate, and I don't smoke.
How are other people finding apartments?
So, now I'm looking for a roommate
. Hopefully around medical district/Taylor St., but as long as the commute is reasonable, I'm open. I'm male, very clean, considerate, and I don't smoke. How are other people finding apartments?
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Is there a link to check the status of sending in your transcripts, immunization forms, etc?
Chicago campus btw & thanks
Chicago campus btw & thanks
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Nm found it lol.
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My site transfer petition to Chicago was approved!
So, now I'm looking for a roommate
How are other people finding apartments?
I'd start with craigslist. I've been in contact with plenty of realtors just by contacting people about listings I've seen. If you tell them what you're interested in, what areas and a price range they can send you listings.
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Just got in! So who is looking for a roommate!!! And where do I need to live??? Any help would be appreciated!
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Hey guys, I've gotten a lot of feedback so far, but I realized that it was all from people not actually in medical school yet/people at UIC who despised RFU. I don't like it when people trashtalk, I go to a good undergrad school, and I just wanna smack people who act snobby about the name of their school. So I thought a better perspective would be you guys, who have already crossed the line of deciding on UIC.
I can not actually believe that I'm in a situation where I have to choose between medical schools. I was just surprised to get into one as it was! But I could really really use some people's advice......it' a freakin' hard decision, and I don't have very long to decide.
UIC-Chicago (petition to switch sites here was granted!)
prosIt's in a wonderful location, in terms of opportunities. It has a ton of hospitals right next door to get a great amount of early clinical exposure, and classes are taught by professors who have a lot of great research going on, as shown by a lot more NIH funding than RFU. It's also a much more well-known, reputed medical school, and chicago is a great city. I enjoyed being on campus. I have a lot of friends in the area, which is nice.
cons It's also in a little bit more of a dangerous location, and I keep hearing crime reports about the areas. Housing would cost a ton more, and I'd probably have to sell my car, which I rely on for everything (parking would be atrocious, I hear). I also heard that they're beginning to have problems in administration with faculty:student ratio/relations, as evident by a recent on-line petition to reinstate a faculty member who was laid off. The facilities are kind of ruddy
Rosalind Franklin/Chicago Medical School
pros: I LOVED THIS SCHOOL! Honestly, I just felt so happy and excited when I was on their campus. Wonderful facilities, and it just looks like it caters to its student so much! The faculty are warm and inviting, and I'm told that they have great relations with the faculty. I just pictured myself really enjoying it there. It's not in the city, so you don't have as many distractions. Awesome student housing, as well.
cons It's not in the city, and it has no affiliated hospital. So that kind of sucks, not being able to go into that kind of medical environment as often as other students might, especially in chitown. It's not terribly far away from the city, but it is a bit of a drive. It's also rated a little lower, and a lot less people know it even exists outside of the medical world. Classes are big, mixed in with other professional students, which is nice, but I worry that that's almost too big, no?
Financially, they're now, as of 2010, officially the same (IS), so that's not a factor. Their match lists http://www.rosalindfranklin.edu/dnn/portals/18/documents/admissions/2009MR.pdf and http://www.uic.edu/depts/mcam/osa/careers/MatchData/2010MatchResultsbySpecialty.htm are about the same.
As for the city life, it's nice, but I'll be studying most of the time my first 2 years, and in Chicago for the latter 2, and I like to relax, play guitar, and watch movies anyways, so losing a few bars isn't a big deal. Plus it's just an hour drive to the heart of the city from RFU, which is just fine. =)
I hope I can get some feedback from you guys, I could REALLY use it, anything!!
I can not actually believe that I'm in a situation where I have to choose between medical schools. I was just surprised to get into one as it was! But I could really really use some people's advice......it' a freakin' hard decision, and I don't have very long to decide.
UIC-Chicago (petition to switch sites here was granted!)
prosIt's in a wonderful location, in terms of opportunities. It has a ton of hospitals right next door to get a great amount of early clinical exposure, and classes are taught by professors who have a lot of great research going on, as shown by a lot more NIH funding than RFU. It's also a much more well-known, reputed medical school, and chicago is a great city. I enjoyed being on campus. I have a lot of friends in the area, which is nice.
cons It's also in a little bit more of a dangerous location, and I keep hearing crime reports about the areas. Housing would cost a ton more, and I'd probably have to sell my car, which I rely on for everything (parking would be atrocious, I hear). I also heard that they're beginning to have problems in administration with faculty:student ratio/relations, as evident by a recent on-line petition to reinstate a faculty member who was laid off. The facilities are kind of ruddy
Rosalind Franklin/Chicago Medical School
pros: I LOVED THIS SCHOOL! Honestly, I just felt so happy and excited when I was on their campus. Wonderful facilities, and it just looks like it caters to its student so much! The faculty are warm and inviting, and I'm told that they have great relations with the faculty. I just pictured myself really enjoying it there. It's not in the city, so you don't have as many distractions. Awesome student housing, as well.
cons It's not in the city, and it has no affiliated hospital. So that kind of sucks, not being able to go into that kind of medical environment as often as other students might, especially in chitown. It's not terribly far away from the city, but it is a bit of a drive. It's also rated a little lower, and a lot less people know it even exists outside of the medical world. Classes are big, mixed in with other professional students, which is nice, but I worry that that's almost too big, no?
Financially, they're now, as of 2010, officially the same (IS), so that's not a factor. Their match lists http://www.rosalindfranklin.edu/dnn/portals/18/documents/admissions/2009MR.pdf and http://www.uic.edu/depts/mcam/osa/careers/MatchData/2010MatchResultsbySpecialty.htm are about the same.
As for the city life, it's nice, but I'll be studying most of the time my first 2 years, and in Chicago for the latter 2, and I like to relax, play guitar, and watch movies anyways, so losing a few bars isn't a big deal. Plus it's just an hour drive to the heart of the city from RFU, which is just fine. =)
I hope I can get some feedback from you guys, I could REALLY use it, anything!!
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You should re-read this post and I think you'll have a better idea of what is best for you. It seems like you honestly like RFU better. Between the all caps and the multiple exclamation marks that seems pretty clear to me. If you don't mind being in North Chicago for a couple of years (which it appears you don't) then go for it! RFU might not be as "well known" or have as much research opportunity but if you LOVED the school then it seems like you'd be happiest there.
Are you interested in research? It sounds nice that UIC has great opportunities in that area, but if you're not truly interested in academic medicine then I wouldn't let that weigh in too heavily. Do you have family in Chicago? It would be great to have a strong support system as you go through medical school, but as you said RFU isn't THAT far away. I know for me that was one of the major reasons why I chose to be in Chicago and why UIC is best for me. They were also the only school that had a formal program/curriculum for individuals interested in urban medicine.
As sweetpea said in the other thread, I would look to things such as curriculum. I'm excited and honored to be attending UIC this fall but I really am not thrilled about how the curriculum is currently set up. I know many people across all medical schools don't formally attend lecture and just watch them online, but I feel like I'll essentially be forced to do this in order to maximize my time since they have so much lecture. They are talking about changing it but I doubt any of the huge changes will affect our class, so that is something to think about. I do like how they have anatomy set up. Many of the students that I've talked to so far say they really enjoy how anatomy lab is formatted. Which place would help you learn best?
I wouldn't read too much into the match lists. That's not necessarily indicative of the school and for us MS-0 who don't know much about top programs for a particular specialty it's hard to tell what is a "good match". If you put in the work you will be fine no matter which school you choose.
Good luck!
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2 other things you might consider - class size and where you ultimately plan on practicing medicine. Both schools are fairly well known in the Chicago area, so the reputation may be a greater factor if you don't plan on practicing in IL. UIC's large class size can mean a lot of special interest groups & programs. However, it may be easier to feel 'lost', and the administration is not known for hand-holding. Both are great schools, so I'm sure you'll be fine either way.
Congrats!
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Thanks for the help, Random, that post helped a lot! I'm bad about checking this thread so sorry for the delayed response.
I'm looking for a roommate, so if any male Urbana students are interested, please PM me. I've already done quite a bit of apartment-searching in Champaign and have found a few really nice ones for around $500/month (reasonable price considering the clubhouse, pool/sports facilities, cleanliness, and overall atmosphere of the place). If anyone's interested, let me know. It'd be great if we could get a bunch of med students in the same apt complex (if not rooming together) for late night study groups and just hanging out.
As for roommates, I'm looking for a good study environment, so someone who understands how to use headphones and doesn't throw wild parties the night before an exam.
Edit - I forgot to mention which apts I was looking at. The best ones I've found (for med students) are One North/South and the Pointe. They have websites if anyone wants to check them out.
I'm looking for a roommate, so if any male Urbana students are interested, please PM me. I've already done quite a bit of apartment-searching in Champaign and have found a few really nice ones for around $500/month (reasonable price considering the clubhouse, pool/sports facilities, cleanliness, and overall atmosphere of the place). If anyone's interested, let me know. It'd be great if we could get a bunch of med students in the same apt complex (if not rooming together) for late night study groups and just hanging out.
As for roommates, I'm looking for a good study environment, so someone who understands how to use headphones and doesn't throw wild parties the night before an exam.
Edit - I forgot to mention which apts I was looking at. The best ones I've found (for med students) are One North/South and the Pointe. They have websites if anyone wants to check them out.
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Check out reviews of the apartments before you settle on any of them.
For One North:
http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/IL-Urbana-One-North.html
I haven't heard too many good things about pointe either. Basically all the apartments you're looking at are off-campus. I spent two years at U of I in Champaign so I know the area very well. A lot of graduate students (including med students) live on the white street in Champaign. All major bus lines run on this street and it is very close to major campus buildings and still far enough from the party noise . It's four blocks north of Green street, where all the night life is. So it's 5-10 min walk to most restaurants and bars there and white street itself is known for its quiteness and quick access to campus. I would suggest you start looking at apartments on white street from as far east as wright street (expensive) to as far west as fourth street (not expensive). Good luck!
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Add another critical such member to the list, Jackie Kurzeja who was recently let go from the Office of Student Affairs because she actually advocates for students and points out inconsistencies in and arbitrariness with which the "rules and regulations" are carried out. I know a lot of you may not have a choice but if there is any choice at all, choose another school. I have been a student in other institutions and have never before encountered the utter disregard the administrators demonstrate for the well-being of its students. The few people who do care about the students are systematically being "let go due to monetary reasons" and the most incompetent and ineffectual people are allowed to thrive. I am so happy to be out of this place and thoroughly feel bad, particularly for future M3 and M4s who are about to enter a very hostile environment.
Sorry to cast a pall over the happy nature of the thread but you should all know what you are getting into. I sincerely hope that your own experiences prove me wrong. You can "friend" Jackie Kurzeja on facebook or try to become a member of the "Rehire Jackie Kurzeja" to see what other current and former students are saying.
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That's good info but you're right, many of us don't have a choice at this point. Do you know how the administration is on other campuses at Champaign-Urbana, Peoria, and Rockford? Any of the current students at these campuses are welcome to comment!
Sorry. I would have to defer to someone from those campuses to answer. In the end though, remember you are better off for having gotten into a US school. Good luck to you through med school and beyond.
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Well, it's kind of disturbing that all you could really say positive about the school is that it is in the US. However, I'm one of those people with no choice.
When you say, "hostile environment", what precisely do you mean? From what I've gleaned from the Facebook group, it seems like she helped people with scheduling. Aside from the administration being more of a clusterf**k, will the layoffs seriously affect the quality of my education?
Instead of my trying to explain it, below are excerpts from Jackie's version of what happened to her position. Just to reiterate, while it may be easy for outsiders to brush this off as a bitter ex-employee's tirade, let me assure you that this merely substantiates the impression that students get when they enter the office of student affairs and is also something that has been voiced by other office insiders who have quit or been fired. Just to put your mind at ease though, the quality of your education, like at most other institutions will depend on you. The problems with the administration is one of resistance to student input, an inherent suspicion of students and the unwillingness to give us the benefit of the doubt when there are problems/conflicts etc.
"Someone asked me what happened with my position in Office of Student Affairs being eliminated. I believe that student affairs should be there to help the students be better educated and have better careers in medicine. That we should try to facilitate the medical school experience for the students and our focus should not be on the creation and enforcement of rules and regulations which do not have that goal as their purpose.
When I started in OSA in the last century, 1997, Dr. Louis Binder (Emergency Medicine) was in charge and he not only cared about the students but because he was an MD, he also had the background to understand the difficulties and challenges that medical students faced in preparing for their careers. He was always available to talk to students who had problems which specifically related to medical school. He made me the M4 Advisor because I shared his enthusiasm in trying to help students trying to understand the policies and procedures that the students would encounter in dealing with ERAS for example. I had enough experience in dealing with uncaring bureaucracies to be able to help students understand the procedures that they needed to get the paperwork done.
When he left, OSA was headed by people who had no background in medicine and it showed. Instead of a concern for helping the students, their focus was on making sure that the rules were followed with no concern for why the rules were there in the first place. This set the stage for conflict because I still felt that med school was difficult enough without saddling the students with anymore arbitrary rules than were necessary and that it wasn't fair to the students to make them subject to arbitrary decisions.
My first conflict occurred when a student wanted to take a Medical Spanish elective and the petition was denied. I had no idea if the elective was any good, but it was not appreciated when I pointed out that a previous student had been approved to take the same elective earlier in the year. I thought the process should be fair to all the students, but that interfered with the power they had to do whatever they felt like."
"Of course, there is a need for policies and procedures because our students have to take USMLE and they need to be educated to do well on these exams. The University also has requirements that the College must follow. The problem as I see it occurs when the people in charge focus on rule making and rule enforcement without regard to the effect that it has on the students' education. Dr. Binder had been through medical school and residency and he knew what was necessary and what was not for the success of the students as physicians. He left and I think it was because of this kind of conflict between necessary rules and capricious ones, between people who want to enforce their rules and people who want the rules to work for the benefit of the students.
And this comes back to why my position was eliminated. When I argued for the benefit of the students, I was creating problems for those in power who wanted to do things their way just because they wanted to. I was in a position to know when they were being arbitrary and I was willing to let the students know that some of the policies and procedures that were being enforced were not for the benefit of the students, but for the convenience of the administrators. They didn't like that. They didn't have the same problem with Academic Professional staff members because they were subject to contract renewal and even if they cared about the students they could be gotten rid of if they made too many waves. Since I was a Civil Service employee I could not be dismissed so easily. They would have had to provide some reason and "supporting the students" probably did not look like a very good reason to them. With the recent economic problems face by the University, they did not need to provide any reason except budgetary cutbacks. "
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Garden Courts (an apartment complex) is about 3-4 miles away from the medical school building (depends on which roads you take). A few classmates lived her last year and loved it. I just moved in a month ago and have been very happy here. I have an 2br, 1.5 ba apt on the 3rd floor (so it's more expensive) and that runs about $595 + utilities (for just under 1000sq ft though!). Here's the website: http://www.forrent.com/apartment-community-profile/1000002900.php
Hope it helps.
Hope it helps.
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There are going to be some position cuts at the Urbana campus due to statewide budget cuts. The administration does listen to students pretty well, though. I don't know anything about the Rockford campus and administration as of yet.
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First, many well deserved congratulations to you all.
I skimmed through some postings, just thought I would give you my input. I'm a current M1.5 and I came from out of state where a car was essential to life. I didn't really think I would need one being close to a bus and el stop. I lasted less than 2 months without one. It may just be that I'm not used to depending on the trains/bus system to get me around, but I found that it took me anywhere from 45min - hour to get to class every day no matter what combination of routes I used. I shelled out the money for an on campus spot (probably the biggest disadvantage to driving) and now I get to school 10 - 15 minutes. Essential, because you'll find the thing that you never have enough of this year is not money, food, or social life but simply time
Regarding living situations, like I said I'm an import to the Chicago area so all of my searching was done through Craigslist and phone calls. I moved with my boyfriend, so we came up a little over a month before moving and set up appointments for top runners. Saw about 12 places in 3 days, but had an apartment before we returned home. I live about 7 miles north of school in Avondale/Logan square and I love the area, no permit parking and there's always a spot on the street. But I've been to classmate's places and you can find some really nice places near school. A plus is the Red car service if you're worried about safety at night - it's a free service and at night you can call and they will come pick you up and take you places nearby.
And finally, the schedule does look alot more daunting than it is. You'll find your own groove for how much time you want to spend in labs/lectures/libraries/at home studying, so don't worry so much. Just enjoy your time before starting!
Hi, I read what you said about the parking situation and I was wondering if there are spots on the campus that can be bought. Like a parking permit that allows a person who has a car and is commuting to school to park on campus and not have to look for other parking (on the streets). If there is, how much is it? If you know.
