University of Arizona - Tucson & Phoenix Class of 2014

[lrkoehle]

Due to popular request, I am creating this thread for the both campuses of the University of Arizona class of 2014. Now I know the admissions process is separate for each campus, but many students get into both so we can all post here. This thread should be a good place for those trying to decide which campus they want to attend to ask questions and find answers, especially since they only give us 2 weeks to make this major decision! For those of us who have selected a campus or already attending one of these fantastic medical schools, this thread can function as the battle grounds upon which we can fight to the death to defend our decision to attend either the Tucson or Phoenix campus!

Disclaimer: according to MadEvans, the first part of page 5 is nothing but "sex, drugs, and complete nonsense." Therefore if none of these appeal to you, you should skip the first 20 or so posts of page 5. I, however, love sex and nonsense (no, I don't do drugs!), so I will not be skipping it!

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[lrkoehle]

I decided to post my first question separate from the first post in this thread so it doesn't get lost. I already asked it in the pre-allo forum.

Does UA offer any substantial scholarships or grants? full/half scholarships? Or is it pretty much limited to those listed on their website and whatever else we can find on our own?

Thanks in advance!

 

[lrkoehle]

They don't advertise anything specific, but they encourage every student to fill out the scholarship application ( http://www.financial-aid.medicine.arizona.edu/MedSchoolSchApp 0910 FINAL.pdf ) which seems more or less "need-based". Hope that helps a little.

Thanks MJ! I had taken a look at the scholarships and noticed they were mostly need based. Do they base that "need" off of parent income? If so, then I probably won't be needy enough. I love falling into that category of "your parents make too much for you to qualify, but not enough for them to actually help you at all. So...good luck!" Oh well, that's life I guess.

I also have another question, and I am pretty sure it was already answered in the pre-allopathic thread but I don't want to look for it right now. Are the exams written in a "board-style" format? I'm obviously most concerned with how things are done at the Tucson campus, but I'm sure others would love to know about the Phoenix campus as well.

 

[MadEvans]

I'm obviously most concerned with how things are done at the Tucson campus, but I'm sure others would love to know about the Phoenix campus as well.

The exams in Phoenix are USMLE style, with the clinical stems and all. It's sometimes a stretch though, since we really have to build our basic sciences ground-work before they can test us too clinically. But still, it's kinda nice at least getting familiar with what we'll see for the USMLE.

The testing program we use is supposed to mimic the USMLE as well. You are able to cross out wrong answers, navigate to any question on the exam, and mark/star questions you're unsure about so you can come back to them later.

 

[lrkoehle]

The exams in Phoenix are USMLE style, with the clinical stems and all. It's sometimes a stretch though, since we really have to build our basic sciences ground-work before they can test us too clinically. But still, it's kinda nice at least getting familiar with what we'll see for the USMLE.

The testing program we use is supposed to mimic the USMLE as well. You are able to cross out wrong answers, navigate to any question on the exam, and mark/star questions you're unsure about so you can come back to them later.

That's awesome! I think this is the smartest approach, since the first two years are largely dedicated to teaching to Step I of the boards. I imagine I could have done even better on my MCAT if all my science exams were MCAT format, and I think the same is true for the boards.

I hope the same is true in Tucson Can any Tucson students confirm the testing format down there?

 

[nphnic]

That's awesome! I think this is the smartest approach, since the first two years are largely dedicated to teaching to Step I of the boards. I imagine I could have done even better on my MCAT if all my science exams were MCAT format, and I think the same is true for the boards.

I hope the same is true in Tucson Can any Tucson students confirm the testing format down there?

It is the same in Tucson. We actually have professors who write questions for the board. You can be pretty sure that the questions you are given in Tucson will be similar in format to the ones you will see on the boards.

On a side note, I think it is important to recognize the importance of having a teaching hospital on campus. For instance, I can walk over and shadow any doctor I want without needing any additional clearance. I can also go to conferences from 8-9, class from 9-12, then observe surgery from 1230-5 without having to commute anywhere. You may have other interests, but the point is that you can do it all at UMC. Third and 4th year rotations often involve other hospitals in the Tucson area, or you can elect to do those two years in Phoenix.

 

[lrkoehle]

It is the same in Tucson. We actually have professors who write questions for the board. You can be pretty sure that the questions you are given in Tucson will be similar in format to the ones you will see on the boards.

On a side note, I think it is important to recognize the importance of having a teaching hospital on campus. For instance, I can walk over and shadow any doctor I want without needing any additional clearance. I can also go to conferences from 8-9, class from 9-12, then observe surgery from 1230-5 without having to commute anywhere. You may have other interests, but the point is that you can do it all at UMC. Third and 4th year rotations often involve other hospitals in the Tucson area, or you can elect to do those two years in Phoenix.

That's great! I am really glad to see that the tests are in the same format as the boards. Are all the tests on the computer in Tucson as well? Also, I know in Phoenix they have three days to take the exam, is this also the case in Tucson? Oh, I just thought of another question. Some one from Phoenix speculated that the Tucson campus takes tests less often, so about how often are exams?

I certainly agree with the importance of having a teaching hospital on campus. That for me was one of the big selling points of Tucson for me, plus I hate driving around central Phoenix (damn one way streets). How often would you say students take advantage of the proximity of the teaching hospital in the manner you described (ie observing surgery from 12:30-5)? Once a week maybe? I've done some shadowing, but I would love to get more exposure to other fields early in med school.

Wow, I am glad people told me to start this thread. So far, its just me getting to ask all of you current students questions. Its awesome!

 

[Sleight]

As far as the scholarships/grants go...I received a note in my acceptance paperwork for phx that they are offering me 3,500 for the first year. I realize in the big scheme of things the amount is not significant but I figured I would throw in any info I had!

 

[lrkoehle]

As far as the scholarships/grants go...I received a note in my acceptance paperwork for phx that they are offering me 3,500 for the first year. I realize in the big scheme of things the amount is not significant but I figured I would throw in any info I had!

Phoenix offered me $1,500, looks like you're $2,000 better than me. Thanks for rubbing it in! Jk.

Have any accepted people out there received the paperwork from Tucson yet? They said in an email to me that they would send it out in early January, and I haven't seen anything yet. I wish I had the option to transfer the $1500 Phoenix offered me down to Tucson.

 

[Salt and Lime]

Thanks for creating this forum!

 

[lrkoehle]

Thanks for creating this forum!

No problem! It seemed like some people on the pre-allo school specific application thread were a little unhappy about all my questions about the school when they did not even know if they would end up getting accepted there. I guess I can kind of understand it, but now that I'm not posting my questions there, that thread is pretty much dead. There is supposed to be another round of acceptances tomorrow, so hopefully it will pick up and we will get more traffic on this thread as well!

Which campus did you decide to attend, S&L? I think I remember you were accepted to both, right?

 

[Salt and Lime]

No problem! It seemed like some people on the pre-allo school specific application thread were a little unhappy about all my questions about the school when they did not even know if they would end up getting accepted there. I guess I can kind of understand it, but now that I'm not posting my questions there, that thread is pretty much dead. There is supposed to be another round of acceptances tomorrow, so hopefully it will pick up and we will get more traffic on this thread as well!

Which campus did you decide to attend, S&L? I think I remember you were accepted to both, right?

Nope, just Phoenix. But I would choose Phoenix anyhow. I'm close to withdrawing my other acceptances, actually. I just want to visit the Phoenix campus one more time to make sure I don't discover any "deal-breakers."

 

[lrkoehle]

Nope, just Phoenix. But I would choose Phoenix anyhow. I'm close to withdrawing my other acceptances, actually. I just want to visit the Phoenix campus one more time to make sure I don't discover any "deal-breakers."

Did you only apply to Phoenix? I almost did that, but as it turns out I'm glad I didn't, since it seems almost 100% likely that Tucson is where I'll be next year!

As for deal breakers at Phoenix, I would strongly suggest checking the basements and such to make sure those buildings aren't haunted. They are pretty old after all, and you wouldn't want a late night study session to be interrupted by a ghost.

 

[Salt and Lime]

Did you only apply to Phoenix? I almost did that, but as it turns out I'm glad I didn't, since it seems almost 100% likely that Tucson is where I'll be next year!

As for deal breakers at Phoenix, I would strongly suggest checking the basements and such to make sure those buildings aren't haunted. They are pretty old after all, and you wouldn't want a late night study session to be interrupted by a ghost.

I applied to both, and interviewed at both, but Phoenix just seemed like a better fit for me. As far as late night study sessions, I think they said that the buildings close at like 7pm!

 

[Brrooother]

I applied to both, and interviewed at both, but Phoenix just seemed like a better fit for me. As far as late night study sessions, I think they said that the buildings close at like 7pm!

Unless I'm mistaken (I usually study at home, plus I go to bed early and get up early), the buildings used to be open until 10 pm on weekdays but now are open until midnight (isn't this right, MadEvans?). As for the haunting, though, there's probably a good likelihood that there are ghosts, but they seem to respect the fact that we need to study and leave us alone.

 

[lrkoehle]

Unless I'm mistaken (I usually study at home, plus I go to bed early and get up early), the buildings used to be open until 10 pm on weekdays but now are open until midnight (isn't this right, MadEvans?). As for the haunting, though, there's probably a good likelihood that there are ghosts, but they seem to respect the fact that we need to study and leave us alone.

I seem to remember hearing on my interview day that the students were petitioning to get the buildings to stay open later. I don't know if that ever ended up happening though.

 

[koob16]

I seem to remember hearing on my interview day that the students were petitioning to get the buildings to stay open later. I don't know if that ever ended up happening though.

When we began the school year, the buildings were open until 10 PM on weekdays and 8 PM on weekends. We successfully petitioned to have the weekday closing time extended to 12 midnight back in November. Hope that clears everything up!

 

[Sleight]

Phoenix offered me $1,500, looks like you're $2,000 better than me. Thanks for rubbing it in! Jk.

haha sorry! I wasn't trying to rub it in at all! just trying to provide information! are you IS or OOS? bc if you are IS I can GUARANTEE the 2000 extra that I get won't make up for how much more I have to pay as an OOSer! lol

 

[lrkoehle]

haha sorry! I wasn't trying to rub it in at all! just trying to provide information! are you IS or OOS? bc if you are IS I can GUARANTEE the 2000 extra that I get won't make up for how much more I have to pay as an OOSer! lol

I'm IS. I know you weren't trying to rub it in, I was just messin' around. How much is OOS tuition? Did they finally come up with a number?

Do you think you'll actually come to UA as an OOSer? I personally like the idea of bringing in some OOSers, I think it will add some diversity to the class. Do you have relatives in AZ, or what led you to apply here?

 

[MadEvans]

When we began the school year, the buildings were open until 10 PM on weekdays and 8 PM on weekends. We successfully petitioned to have the weekday closing time extended to 12 midnight back in November. Hope that clears everything up!

Right, exactly what koob said. I'm glad we were able to petition for that change, even though I haven't been studying on campus much lately... ha.

(isn't this right, MadEvans?). As for the haunting, though, there's probably a good likelihood that there are ghosts, but they seem to respect the fact that we need to study and leave us alone.

Funny you guys mentioned ghosts in the basement. The IT guys who are in the basement have a hilarious video they show us at the beginning of the year that jokes about this.

 

[Sleight]

I'm IS. I know you weren't trying to rub it in, I was just messin' around. How much is OOS tuition? Did they finally come up with a number?

Do you think you'll actually come to UA as an OOSer? I personally like the idea of bringing in some OOSers, I think it will add some diversity to the class. Do you have relatives in AZ, or what led you to apply here?

As far as I know they haven't decided yet but when I interviewed I believe they said it would be at least 10k more than IS...it would be nice to have an actual number though...

I might go to UA as an OOSer...I am not the typical OOSer though bc I go to UA right now for my undergrad. I do however feel like I bring some diversity being from Alaska because our health care up in Alaska is SOOO different from down here...I work up there when I am back home and it is definitely interesting to see how things are handled up there (alaska) compared to here (tucson)...especially when it comes to culturally sensitive care...if you want to know more PM me and I will explain!

 

[lrkoehle]

As far as I know they haven't decided yet but when I interviewed I believe they said it would be at least 10k more than IS...it would be nice to have an actual number though...

I might go to UA as an OOSer...I am not the typical OOSer though bc I go to UA right now for my undergrad. I do however feel like I bring some diversity being from Alaska because our health care up in Alaska is SOOO different from down here...I work up there when I am back home and it is definitely interesting to see how things are handled up there (alaska) compared to here (tucson)...especially when it comes to culturally sensitive care...if you want to know more PM me and I will explain!

I'm quite surprised to see that they haven't set OOS tuition yet, if they are already accepting OOSers. How are you supposed to make a decision if a huge part of that decision, the cost of attendance, isn't even known? Maybe they figure you'll enroll this summer and then they can just charge you whatever they want!

Does Alaska have a medical school? I don't remember ever seeing anything about them having one. That would be rough if they didn't, but I can't imagine a large number of pre-meds coming out of Alaska so maybe they don't see the need for one. Do you think you would end up back in Alaska to practice medicine, or have you fallen for Arizona?

 

[nphnic]

That's great! I am really glad to see that the tests are in the same format as the boards. Are all the tests on the computer in Tucson as well? Also, I know in Phoenix they have three days to take the exam, is this also the case in Tucson? Oh, I just thought of another question. Some one from Phoenix speculated that the Tucson campus takes tests less often, so about how often are exams?

I certainly agree with the importance of having a teaching hospital on campus. That for me was one of the big selling points of Tucson for me, plus I hate driving around central Phoenix (damn one way streets). How often would you say students take advantage of the proximity of the teaching hospital in the manner you described (ie observing surgery from 12:30-5)? Once a week maybe? I've done some shadowing, but I would love to get more exposure to other fields early in med school.

It depends on the block (the organ system we are studying) with respect to how often we take exams. Some blocks it is every 2 weeks others are every 4-6 weeks. It is variable. We do take all the tests on the computer and we have only one day to take them. They are scheduled and if you dont show up at the scheduled time you do not take the exam.

As far as shadowing goes, that also depends on the student. I go as often as possible. The huge advantage of being at the hospital all the time is that if I have 3-5 hours to kill I can easily walk over and do some clinic stuff. That may mean 2-3 times a week sometimes. Eliminating the driving aspect frees up as much as an hour for you to learn in a clinic and it reduces the stress of having to travel. If I have class at 12 I know I can leave the OR or a clinic at 1150 and be to class on time. For me, it just made total sense to choose Tuc over Phx. However, everyone is different and this is only one perspective.

 

[Sleight]

I'm quite surprised to see that they haven't set OOS tuition yet, if they are already accepting OOSers. How are you supposed to make a decision if a huge part of that decision, the cost of attendance, isn't even known? Maybe they figure you'll enroll this summer and then they can just charge you whatever they want!

Does Alaska have a medical school? I don't remember ever seeing anything about them having one. That would be rough if they didn't, but I can't imagine a large number of pre-meds coming out of Alaska so maybe they don't see the need for one. Do you think you would end up back in Alaska to practice medicine, or have you fallen for Arizona?

Alaska does NOT have a med school...and yes its definitely kind of rough at times not having in-state preference anywhere...although we are involved in WWAMI at University of Washington so a certain number of Alaska residents get in every year. You spend your first year in your home state and then merge all together in Seattle after that.

 

[lrkoehle]

As far as shadowing goes, that also depends on the student. I go as often as possible. The huge advantage of being at the hospital all the time is that if I have 3-5 hours to kill I can easily walk over and do some clinic stuff. That may mean 2-3 times a week sometimes. Eliminating the driving aspect frees up as much as an hour for you to learn in a clinic and it reduces the stress of having to travel. If I have class at 12 I know I can leave the OR or a clinic at 1150 and be to class on time. For me, it just made total sense to choose Tuc over Phx. However, everyone is different and this is only one perspective.

What do you mean by "clinic stuff?" Sorry if that is a dumb question.

Do you just walk over to the hospital and say something like, "I'm a medical student, I want to see something in the OR"? Is it that simple, or do you have to schedule to shadow in the OR in advance? Either way, I like your point about being able to leave for class like 10 minutes before it starts from the OR. I can't imagine spending 10 minutes to drive to a hospital and 5 minutes to park and get inside, and then have to spend the same amount of time getting back. That's a half hour chunk out of your day right there. Plus, for me, I'm not a big fan of driving more than I have to.

 

[lrkoehle]

Alaska does NOT have a med school...and yes its definitely kind of rough at times not having in-state preference anywhere...although we are involved in WWAMI at University of Washington so a certain number of Alaska residents get in every year. You spend your first year in your home state and then merge all together in Seattle after that.

So you would spend your first year in Alaska, and then have to transfer for the remaining three years? That seems rough. If Alaska already has a system in place for the first year, it couldn't be too much more difficult to put in a 2nd year curriculum and just do clinical rotations elsewhere. At least that way the first two years could be more easily coordinated to work together.

Not sure if you already said this, but since you're currently at UA undergrad, would you prefer to stay in Tucson for med school? Or are you still considering both campuses?

 

[nphnic]

What do you mean by "clinic stuff?" Sorry if that is a dumb question.

Do you just walk over to the hospital and say something like, "I'm a medical student, I want to see something in the OR"? Is it that simple, or do you have to schedule to shadow in the OR in advance? Either way, I like your point about being able to leave for class like 10 minutes before it starts from the OR. I can't imagine spending 10 minutes to drive to a hospital and 5 minutes to park and get inside, and then have to spend the same amount of time getting back. That's a half hour chunk out of your day right there. Plus, for me, I'm not a big fan of driving more than I have to.

So, it does require some planning to shadow. However, when I shadow I literally just go to the surgeons assistant, look at the surgery schedule, and pick which surgery I want to watch. I had to ask the surgeon for permission the first time, and now I am welcome anytime. I also had to get scrub certified at UMC, but they do that several times a semester. Clinic stuff would be things like shadowing clinicians, practicing sutures in the surgery lab, etc. All docs are different. Some let you talk to pts and examine them, some just let you watch them. Either way, shadowing is extremely simple.

 

[Sleight]

So you would spend your first year in Alaska, and then have to transfer for the remaining three years? That seems rough. If Alaska already has a system in place for the first year, it couldn't be too much more difficult to put in a 2nd year curriculum and just do clinical rotations elsewhere. At least that way the first two years could be more easily coordinated to work together.

Not sure if you already said this, but since you're currently at UA undergrad, would you prefer to stay in Tucson for med school? Or are you still considering both campuses?

There are 5 states involved, washington, wyoming, alaska, montana, and idaho and as far as I know they are all on a track with the same program...not sure why they don't do the 2nd year in AK but it has been that way for a long time...

I don't know where I will go yet...its difficult considering I haven't been accepted to UW yet and there are things that draw me to both campuses...we shall see...

 

[keisler]

Hey, congratulations to those of you who have been accepted, and good luck to everyone else.

I am a first year at the Tucson campus, and I love it! It's a lot of work, but tons of fun too. It is amazing how much you learn.

If you are trying to decide which campus to ultimately attend, you are more than welcome to schedule a return visit, where you can have lunch with some med students and go to a few classes. Just contact the admissions office.

I look forward to seeing you guys in the fall!

-Abi

 

[LiveTheMoment]

I have been accepted to both campuses and I am struggling with this decision. I have spent most of my life in Phoenix and LOVE it... but I think I would prefer being apart of a bigger community.

Where do the medical students live in Tucson? Where should I be looking if I decide to go there?

 

[lrkoehle]

So, it does require some planning to shadow. However, when I shadow I literally just go to the surgeons assistant, look at the surgery schedule, and pick which surgery I want to watch. I had to ask the surgeon for permission the first time, and now I am welcome anytime. I also had to get scrub certified at UMC, but they do that several times a semester. Clinic stuff would be things like shadowing clinicians, practicing sutures in the surgery lab, etc. All docs are different. Some let you talk to pts and examine them, some just let you watch them. Either way, shadowing is extremely simple.

It sounds like the doctors make themselves fairly accessible, which is awesome.

I have been accepted to both campuses and I am struggling with this decision. I have spent most of my life in Phoenix and LOVE it... but I think I would prefer being apart of a bigger community.

Where do the medical students live in Tucson? Where should I be looking if I decide to go there?

The decision is not an easy one to make in two weeks. I felt the pressure big time, cuz I was accepted right before finals and then I was leaving for an interview right after that. Basically it meant I was had to make the decision in a couple of days because of the timing.

I've lived in Tempe my entire life, so I know how it feels to be moving away from there. I'm sure there will be plenty of students like us living down in Tucson for the first time to start med school, so it isn't like you're going to be alone. Plus, if you really can't handle it, I think you can do your last two years up in Phoenix anyways. That way you can have the bigger community feeling during the first two years (when it matters), and then when you start clinical stuff you'll be doing your own thing for the most part anyways, especially 4th year.

As for living, I have never lived in Tucson, but from what I hear it is pretty standard. Some students live in an apartment, some rent a house, some have roommates, some don't, etc etc. It is basically the same at most medical schools. Also, I think I remember some one telling me farther from campus is cheaper (but more driving), so that is something to consider as well. Maybe some current Tucson students will comment on their own living arrangements and how they like it to give you a better perspective than I can provide.

Good luck with the decision!

 

[Sleight]

As for living, I have never lived in Tucson, but from what I hear it is pretty standard. Some students live in an apartment, some rent a house, some have roommates, some don't, etc etc. It is basically the same at most medical schools. Also, I think I remember some one telling me farther from campus is cheaper (but more driving), so that is something to consider as well. Maybe some current Tucson students will comment on their own living arrangements and how they like it to give you a better perspective than I can provide.

Good luck with the decision!

I have a little bit of insight as far as the housing goes since I go to the U of A as an undergrad. The housing really close to the med school/hospital is going to be the most expensive (because it is also close to the main u of a campus so they basically charge double). Just to give you an idea, I lived about 2 miles from the med school and paid 720+utilities for a tiny 1 bedroom (which was one of the cheaper ones) and now live about 4 miles from campus and pay 695+utilities for a 2 bedroom (which is a lot nicer, much bigger, and has a w/d).

The further you go the cheaper it gets and the more you can get for your money. I have a bus that runs directly from where I live now to the University so its fairly convenient if you don't want to drive and Tucson is very bike friendly so if you are into that its a great place. There are plenty of neighborhoods around the hospital but in general they are going to be full of undergrads so if you want a quiet area I would suggest living a little further out.

I hope this helps!

 

[lrkoehle]

There are plenty of neighborhoods around the hospital but in general they are going to be full of undergrads so if you want a quiet area I would suggest living a little further out.

I hope this helps!

Looks like I will plan to live a little further out then! I've never been a big partier, so I tend to just get irritated with people being noisy late. Couple that with stress from med school, and I might end up burning down some one else's house.

Thanks for the insight, that helps!

Has anyone heard anything about second look weekend this year? I saw last year it was in early April, so I imagine that's when it will be again this year. That is when I will probably go check out housing for my wife and I.

 

[Sleight]

Looks like I will plan to live a little further out then! I've never been a big partier, so I tend to just get irritated with people being noisy late. Couple that with stress from med school, and I might end up burning down some one else's house.

Thanks for the insight, that helps!

Has anyone heard anything about second look weekend this year? I saw last year it was in early April, so I imagine that's when it will be again this year. That is when I will probably go check out housing for my wife and I.

Haha I am in the same boat as you! I am not a huge partier so living further is much better for me...I haven't heard about a second look weekend for Tucson yet but Phoenix has one in April....

 

[LiveTheMoment]

Haha I am in the same boat as you! I am not a huge partier so living further is much better for me...I haven't heard about a second look weekend for Tucson yet but Phoenix has one in April....

You two better watch out for me then! Just kidding )

I am leaning towards Tucson, a little change of scenery...cannot wait to meet everyone!

 

[Sleight]

You two better watch out for me then! Just kidding )

I am leaning towards Tucson, a little change of scenery...cannot wait to meet everyone!

haha ok we will make sure not to associate with you if we all end up at the same school!! lol

 

[lrkoehle]

Haha I am in the same boat as you! I am not a huge partier so living further is much better for me...I haven't heard about a second look weekend for Tucson yet but Phoenix has one in April....

So if I were to find a place a decent distance from campus (maybe 10 miles?), I will obviously have to drive. How is traffic in Tucson? Is there much of a freeway system there? I've only driven straight to the campus from Phoenix, so I haven't done much exploring.

You two better watch out for me then! Just kidding )

I am leaning towards Tucson, a little change of scenery...cannot wait to meet everyone!

You should lean hard towards Tucson! How much longer do you have to make the decision?

 

[LiveTheMoment]

So if I were to find a place a decent distance from campus (maybe 10 miles?), I will obviously have to drive. How is traffic in Tucson? Is there much of a freeway system there? I've only driven straight to the campus from Phoenix, so I haven't done much exploring.



You should lean hard towards Tucson! How much longer do you have to make the decision?

I have been making some day trips to Tucson to check it out a bit and getting around is a breeze (IMHO, but I live in Phoenix and frequent LA)

Until next Friday

 

[MadEvans]

You two better watch out for me then! Just kidding )

I am leaning towards Tucson, a little change of scenery...cannot wait to meet everyone!

What! NO!

Come to Phoenix! Don't listen to lrk!

I had a different experience when I visited Tucson last year when it came to traffic. I stayed at a hotel west of the 10, and there was terrible traffic and construction and what seemed like all around poor planning near the 10 when I was down there. It must be a lot better now.

As for Phoenix, I've pretty much just accepted construction as a fact of life. Just as certain as death and taxes.

 

[LiveTheMoment]

What! NO!

Come to Phoenix! Don't listen to lrk!

I had a different experience when I visited Tucson last year when it came to traffic. I stayed at a hotel west of the 10, and there was terrible traffic and construction and what seemed like all around poor planning near the 10 when I was down there. It must be a lot better now.

As for Phoenix, I've pretty much just accepted construction as a fact of life. Just as certain as death and taxes.

The 10 is still a mess... but once that is over it will be nice.

There is construction in Phoenix? ;-) I must not even notice it anymore..hehe.

 

[x4dx]

Phoenix offered me $1,500, looks like you're $2,000 better than me. Thanks for rubbing it in! Jk.

Have any accepted people out there received the paperwork from Tucson yet? They said in an email to me that they would send it out in early January, and I haven't seen anything yet. I wish I had the option to transfer the $1500 Phoenix offered me down to Tucson.

I also was told we would receive a packet in January, but I have not received one. I was accepted Dec. 12th. Anyone else hear anything?

 

[lrkoehle]

I also was told we would receive a packet in January, but I have not received one. I was accepted Dec. 12th. Anyone else hear anything?

I haven't heard anything. I was thinking of emailing them, but I figured I would give them a couple of more days. At this point though a couple more days an we will be in February! Ok, not really, but I would like a welcome packet as I'm pretty sure this is where I will end up.

What! NO!

Come to Phoenix! Don't listen to lrk!

I thought your school's incoming class was like 45% full...shouldn't you be trying to send people away now? Pretty soon it will be Tucson or bust, then what will you do? We'll build our Tucson medical student army to come attack the Phoenix campus! There's nothing you can do to stop it...

 

[Brrooother]

I thought your school's incoming class was like 45% full...shouldn't you be trying to send people away now? Pretty soon it will be Tucson or bust, then what will you do? We'll build our Tucson medical student army to come attack the Phoenix campus! There's nothing you can do to stop it...

Oh snap!

Tucson may be greater in number, but that's all they've got on us!!!

 

[lrkoehle]

Oh snap!

Tucson may be greater in number, but that's all they've got on us!!!

Thems fightin' words!

Do the two schools ever get together, and have any friendly competitions? Maybe like tug-o-war, flag football, etc.?

 

[Salt and Lime]

Ok, so... I'm frustrated and discouraged by my social circle here (where I live, I mean, not on SDN.) I have two separate problems.

One is that my so-called "friends" are flaky and not dependable. Like, for example, one of my friends had her 30th birthday party at a restaurant. 16 people RSVPed that they were coming, so she reserved a table for 16. 8 people actually showed up, and half of them were over an hour late. For the first hour, it was just me, my husband, and the birthday girl.

I have other friends whom I haven't seen in months, who just stopped coming to parties or other get-togethers with no explanation. Or we'll plan something weeks in advance, and when I call them the day before to find out what time we're meeting, it's "Oh, we decided to go skiing this weekend instead."

The second problem is one girl who moved here two years ago, who is 25 and acting like a middle school "mean girl." She is dating one of my good guy friends, who has lived here longer. He introduced her to me and I introduced her to my girlfriends, because she didn't know anyone here. At first, she never wanted to come to our get-togethers, because she didn't like my friends, didn't have anything in common with them, thought they were immature, etc, etc... Then she started making plans with them behind my back. When they'd ask where I was, she lied and told them I couldn't make it, when in reality I had never been invited. How f*cking immature is that!?

She has also stolen things from my house, but that has nothing to do with my friendships...

The most recent incident that has me incensed is... For four years, I had been coordinating a monthly girls night at a certain fancy restaurant in town. I stopped arranging them for a while because only about half the people who RSVPed ever came. But then people started begging me to plan them again, so I did, only to have people not show up again. So I stopped for good about 6 months ago. My friend's girlfriend was one of the ones who always declined the invitation. I just found out this morning that she invited some of my friends out to this fancy restaurant last night for the monthly girls night!!! Now she's planning them, but she refused to come when I was planning them.

The good news is that, with a few exceptions, I do not feel like I'm leaving anyone worth missing.

What I could really use from this community is some reassurance that people at COM - Phoenix are not like that. Or even just people in Phoenix. I need some hope that the next place I go, I can make some friends worth having.

 

[lrkoehle]

Ok, so... I'm frustrated and discouraged by my social circle here (where I live, I mean, not on SDN.) I have two separate problems.

One is that my so-called "friends" are flaky and not dependable. Like, for example, one of my friends had her 30th birthday party at a restaurant. 16 people RSVPed that they were coming, so she reserved a table for 16. 8 people actually showed up, and half of them were over an hour late. For the first hour, it was just me, my husband, and the birthday girl.

I have other friends whom I haven't seen in months, who just stopped coming to parties or other get-togethers with no explanation. Or we'll plan something weeks in advance, and when I call them the day before to find out what time we're meeting, it's "Oh, we decided to go skiing this weekend instead."

The second problem is one girl who moved here two years ago, who is 25 and acting like a middle school "mean girl." She is dating one of my good guy friends, who has lived here longer. He introduced her to me and I introduced her to my girlfriends, because she didn't know anyone here. At first, she never wanted to come to our get-togethers, because she didn't like my friends, didn't have anything in common with them, thought they were immature, etc, etc... Then she started making plans with them behind my back. When they'd ask where I was, she lied and told them I couldn't make it, when in reality I had never been invited. How f*cking immature is that!?

She has also stolen things from my house, but that has nothing to do with my friendships...

The most recent incident that has me incensed is... For four years, I had been coordinating a monthly girls night at a certain fancy restaurant in town. I stopped arranging them for a while because only about half the people who RSVPed ever came. But then people started begging me to plan them again, so I did, only to have people not show up again. So I stopped for good about 6 months ago. My friend's girlfriend was one of the ones who always declined the invitation. I just found out this morning that she invited some of my friends out to this fancy restaurant last night for the monthly girls night!!! Now she's planning them, but she refused to come when I was planning them.

The good news is that, with a few exceptions, I do not feel like I'm leaving anyone worth missing.

What I could really use from this community is some reassurance that people at COM - Phoenix are not like that. Or even just people in Phoenix. I need some hope that the next place I go, I can make some friends worth having.

I feel for you. I know what it is like to go through the BS of unreliable people. It is the most frustrating thing in the world to deal with. I think it stems from the fact that most people are quite self-centered, and they really don't think about how their actions are impacting other people. For example, my wife's friend arranged a party for her sorority and had a bunch of people RSVP (on facebook of course), so she planned on them being there. She bought all the supplies, made all the food, and NO ONE showed up who said they'd be there (my wife as a maybe). I can't imagine how frustrating that must have been, but everyone else must have figured it was no big deal.

The only advice I can offer is that you make sure you are not one of these people. I have frequently found myself over committed and unable to make new more appealing plans, because I had already given some one my word that I would do something for them. As I continue to interact with more and more people, I continue to find that reliability is actually a fairly rare trait, but to me it is desirable in a person as much as it is desirable in a sedan.

Sorry to hear about your frustrations, but try to think happy thoughts, like "I'm going to be a doctor in four short years!!!" If that thought doesn't cheer you up, nothing will...

 

[MadEvans]

The good news is that, with a few exceptions, I do not feel like I'm leaving anyone worth missing.

What I could really use from this community is some reassurance that people at COM - Phoenix are not like that. Or even just people in Phoenix. I need some hope that the next place I go, I can make some friends worth having.

I wish I could give you reassurance that there are not people like that in Phoenix, or even that no one you go to school with in a small class size of 48 will be like that... but, you may find a few bad apples. However, the ratio of good:bad does get a lot better once you're in medical school. Most of the complaints I have about my fellow students are totally miniscule, and usually it just takes a bit of venting or a joke to shake it off and that's that.

For the most part, I get along extremely well with all of the other students. The guys all get along well; we play poker every few weeks with just med students invited. The girls all seem to get along really well, too, and I've only heard a little bit of harmless gossip a few times... but, everybody does it a little bit, right? I leave most of the event planning to the student government's social chair, who does a really good job. If you're interested in that position then I'd voice it at 2nd look day. All of the planned events have had really good turn out, and everybody always has a good time.

I definitely feel like I've made friends worth having at school, too. Some of the kids are so freakishly similar to me that sometimes it scares me. They are all smart (sometimes a bit on the arrogant side, myself included) and very conversational; most are trustworthy and usually fairly dependable; and not a single one of them is the type that I can't stand being around. I really don't think you'll be disappointed.

I don't know if you've already settled on a house or apartment to rent (or buy, if that's what you're doing), but if you're looking for a really friendly environment, I'd recommend checking out some of the old, historic neighborhoods just north of the I-10 and around the area between central and 16th ave. All of the people in that community are extremely nice and always talk to each other and ask one another how they're doing, etc. It's an expensive area to live, but all my friends who live in those neighborhoods absolutely love it.

 

[Brrooother]

Yeah, Irk's right - just look ahead to the greatness that will be med school and beyond!

And hey, you're going to be starting something huge and life-changing (in a good way!) in the fall, and you're going to meet a lot of great people who you will share both good and bad times with and become very close to. I know you want some reassurance about COM-Phx people, but really, no matter where you go, you're going to meet a fantastic group of people who are all in your same boat and should support each other through it. I can't vouch for everyone in my class, but I can say for myself that I really love all of my classmates. The beauty of a Pass/Fail system and a small class is that you grow quickly to be good friends - everyone is very supportive and encouraging, and it makes for a very positive atmosphere. We also have a great time together and often have social occasions that are well-attended and a blast, and non-flaky! Ha, actually this is Capstone week for us, so we are going to a bar in Scottsdale tonight and going on a ski trip up to Flagstaff this weekend (Capstone ROCKS!!).

I guess I'm trying to say that you are about to enter into one of the best/worst times of your life - something that won't really change you but make you learn more about yourself - and in doing so, you'll gain a whole new family, really. While I love my school and my classmates, I really think you'll find your niche and make some truly devoted and considerate friends in med school. It may sound a bit sad, but while I have kept a few really close friends from pre-med school days, medical school can be pretty isolating and it's likely you'll lose touch with some people. I guess that sounds bad, but honestly, you won't mind much because you'll have a group of people that are all going through the same thing as you that you will become insanely close to. It's great! It feels kind of half like a close-knit family and half like a really cool club! Haha, really, you'll love it, and you'll forget all about your former social disappointments.

Oh, and I could REALLY talk more about how great the students are at COM-Phx, but I'm trying to be respectful and avoid the Phx-Tucson war! I think both schools have similar atmospheres - positive, etc, but I just like how we interact (and become friends) with everyone in our class quite equally (our schedules are strategically set up this way!), which I think is more difficult in a class of over one hundred. And, all I heard as a pre-med from students in Tucson is that Phoenix is the boring, older student campus where all the med students have lives outside the school and don't hang out together - which couldn't be further from the truth! But it's fine, it's apparently a nicely-kept secret that perhaps attracts some unique and creative personalities that mesh well.

 

[Brrooother]

Aaahhhh, Mad beat me!!

 

[MadEvans]

Thems fightin' words!

Do the two schools ever get together, and have any friendly competitions? Maybe like tug-o-war, flag football, etc.?

They have done a U of A phx vs. U of A tucson med vs. U of A tucson pharm vs. U of A tucson nursing half marathon before. The top 10 times from each class is compared at the end to determine the winner.

How those that participated were able to train for a half marathon and do med school simultaneously makes me feel bad about my lazy self. Other than that though, I haven't really heard of anything. I can't really justify traveling 2 hours for a basketball game (at least with my average-at-best skills), so that's probably why.

We've played a lot of intramural sports with ASU just here in phx, though (flag football, volleyball, basketball). Wearing our wildcat gear to the games is fun, although the refs are always pretty biased against us...