I've been taking the UM at FAU summer gross anatomy series as an undergrad and can vouche for the fact that there are indeed some kinks that need to be ironed out btwn Miami and FAU campus. However, the problem is not btwn branch students, but rather effective professor-professor communication btwn campuses, but one which I feel the are working hard on improving rapidly.
Also, so everyone knows, this year's incoming class at UM at FAU will be the last "2+2" class. Every class thereafter will spend all 4 years at FAU, and at that time, the diploma will still say UM, with at FAU tacked onto it. How that will affect match lists in 5 years, I do not know. No one does. Nor will we know how it will affect USMLE's. That's unpredictable at this point. But you gotta be hopeful
Additionally, the Biomed Dept where the school is now housed, is in the middle of administration overhaul. The current Chair is leaving before fall, and is being replaced, and the Biomed Dept is also being changed to a new College of Biomedicine, so there's a lot of head-wobbling going on with all the new changes happening so quickly. It has, at times, led some med-students to fan flames for being guinea pigs, although I can say the honchos in charge of the program (Dr's Markowitz, Rose, Friedland, Gelb - are truly loved by the students - although I am still an undergrad - I've had my fair exposure to them, and they're great, dedicated doctors).
Moreover, one valid concern heard from the current students is the teaching ability of a few select professors. Some of these professors speak very poor/broken English and thus are highly ineffective as med-school lecturers, despite all of them being brilliant researchers. As a result, many med-students that I'm friends with say that they end up going to those professors' lectures rather infrequently, and watch the UM video-feeds from the Nerdery or from their homes instead.
But - they also say there are a handful of teachers that are absolutely fabulous. I can personally tell you, Bob Blanks, the anatomist for med-students, is a wonderful, sage of a man, who will hold weekend review sessions for you, and will tell you long stories to make you remember random anatomy facts, and likes to associate learning techniques and methodology within his curriculum. Taking his anatomy has been a blessing, and, although rough on the brain, a blast.
Overall, people seem happy. And like I said, the FAU branch is still working hard at improving kinks, and I suspect that will become much easier when it's housed in its own building, and the planned University Hospital is finally built. But I doubt incomings will be around for that. They'll be sleepless residents by then. lol joy oh joy
So - can't say anything about USF, since I'm not familiar with them. But I wish Dr. H would contact me. Although Rel Larkin, as I hear, is simply addicted to his e-mail box to the tune of un-natural levels. lol
I just wish this wait were over; although I find it well worth it, it's a hard one, as I'm sure many of you know, or knew, at one point. It's depressing/frustrating/fear-inducing/nauseating/sweat-pouring all at the same time. lol But, it's what my heart is set on. Hope for the best, right?