UTSW v Baylor 2015

[Jr MD]

Hey guys! I've been blessed to have been accepted to both of these amazing schools. I've done a lot of research by looking through old class threads and old UTSW v Baylor threads but it seemed pointless because of UTSW new curriculum which is now p/f for the whole pre-clinical years and an accelerated 1.5 pre-clinical curriculum. They're old curriculum is a reason why a lot of people I know went to baylor instead. It also added a lot of other stuff. It looks beautiful. I hated to do this and really thought long if I should since some people really dislike comparing the schools but I would really appreciate some updated insight on what ppl thought with the schools. It'd help tremendously. What are yall thinking?

Thanks!!

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[sunnysnow7]

I would be apprehensive about attending a school that is in the process of transitioning to a new curriculum. UTSW may look good on paper, but I certainly wouldn't want to be in the first accelerated curriculum class. Baylor, OTOH, has a tried-and-true 1.5-year pre-clinical curriculum and continues to lead the nation in Step 1 scores.

You're very fortunate to be able to choose between two excellent programs. However, I would definitely pick Baylor over UTSW.

 

[EParker37]

The hospitals that both are associated with are fantastic, even with the change to the new curriculum, I guarantee you SW would not be a bad choice. The area is good, the hospitals are top notch and the faculty and research opportunities are immense. Can't go wrong with either choice. I may be biased towards SW since I am from dallas, but it is a great place. I have first hand experience with the clinical side of UTSW, so if you want to know more PM me.

 

[sliceofbread136]

I picked UTSW over Baylor 2 years ago because I was very impressed with the clinical experience of UTSW, where I was under the impression that you got more responsibility and immersion. As I am not a third year yet I cannot confirm this, but we are getting a ton of new hospitals/facilities and it feels like it is just an exciting time to be a medical student here. Can't wait to start third year.

I have admittedly been frustrated by UTSW's curriculum (little step focus) and limited amount of step study time. They've also been trying to integrate TBL in the curriculum and it has been TERRIBLE. The new curriculum sounds a ton better in every aspect, but obviously we need to see how does next year. I'm not sure I would want to be the first class of a new curriculum to be honest. I forsee alot of roadblocks/mess ups.

Another reason I chose UTSW was because I wanted to see a new city (I'm from Houston). Turns out I don't particularly like Dallas, and I kind of miss Houston. Maybe spend some time in both cities, it might influence your decision.

Honestly I would probably choose Baylor in your position, but they are definitely both good choices.

 

[Jr MD]

I picked UTSW over Baylor 2 years ago because I was very impressed with the clinical experience of UTSW, where I was under the impression that you got more responsibility and immersion. As I am not a third year yet I cannot confirm this, but we are getting a ton of new hospitals/facilities and it feels like it is just an exciting time to be a medical student here. Can't wait to start third year.

I have admittedly been frustrated by UTSW's curriculum (little step focus) and limited amount of step study time. They've also been trying to integrate TBL in the curriculum and it has been TERRIBLE. The new curriculum sounds a ton better in every aspect, but obviously we need to see how does next year. I'm not sure I would want to be the first class of a new curriculum to be honest. I forsee alot of roadblocks/mess ups.

Another reason I chose UTSW was because I wanted to see a new city (I'm from Houston). Turns out I don't particularly like Dallas, and I kind of miss Houston. Maybe spend some time in both cities, it might influence your decision.

Honestly I would probably choose Baylor in your position, but they are definitely both good choices.

Wow. So if you could go back you would choose Baylor over UTSW?? And what don't you like about Dallas?

 

[sliceofbread136]

Wow. So if you could go back you would choose Baylor over UTSW?? And what don't you like about Dallas?

I wouldn't say that (not 100% sure about that to be honest, try not to think like that), I'm mainly saying I wouldn't want to be the first class for the new curriculum.

Main thing I don't like about Dallas is the super dreary area around the medical school and where I live (med park). It's a very poor part of the city with not a lot around. The actual city part is ok I guess, still like Houston better. I also miss many of my friends and family who are in Houston.

My post may have seemed very negative, so I should probably highlight some of our positives some more. I think UTSW is a school very much on the rise (you can obviously see the effort and money being put in). The new curriculum will eventually be MUCH better, we are working to upgrade technology (a current weakness), we have probably the strongest research opportunities in Texas, some of the best clinical rotations, new hospitals (something I'm really excited about!), new simulation centers coming, and the college system which I think is really cool.

If you have any other specific questions I would be happy to answer as best as I can.

 

[jqueb29]

As a lover of Dallas and a hater of Houston, I would pick UTSW every time. I can give you no advice in regards to their curriculum or rotations, as I don't know a thing about that.

 

[jd989898]

Congrats on your position. Can't offer any advice, but out of curiosity what were your gpa/mcat? I'm assuming you're a TX resident?

 

[EParker37]

I wouldn't say that (not 100% sure about that to be honest, try not to think like that), I'm mainly saying I wouldn't want to be the first class for the new curriculum.

Main thing I don't like about Dallas is the super dreary area around the medical school and where I live (med park). It's a very poor part of the city with not a lot around. The actual city part is ok I guess, still like Houston better. I also miss many of my friends and family who are in Houston.

My post may have seemed very negative, so I should probably highlight some of our positives some more. I think UTSW is a school very much on the rise (you can obviously see the effort and money being put in). The new curriculum will eventually be MUCH better, we are working to upgrade technology (a current weakness), we have probably the strongest research opportunities in Texas, some of the best clinical rotations, new hospitals (something I'm really excited about!), new simulation centers coming, and the college system which I think is really cool.

If you have any other specific questions I would be happy to answer as best as I can.

Have you not gone up to addison or down to deep ellum yet? There is a lot of culture in the DFW area if you explore a little bit.

 

[NickNaylor]

They are both fantastic institutions. You really can't go wrong by choosing either IMO. I agree that I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig for a curriculum change, but you certainly wouldn't be the first student to have to deal with such a thing.

 

[imymemine]

i would choose whichever is the better money and location combination for you. "fit" is a nice idea and all but i say go with the tangible things in life.

for the curriculum change, the biggest potential problem i could see is that during the first half of your third year both the class of 2019 and 2018 will be doing core clerkships - you will be starting them and they will be finishing them. and same problem the year after that for the beginning of your M4 year. i imagine utsw is working something out to temporarily increase the number of available clerkships spots but that is a HUGE expansion. if i were in your shoes i would ask very specific questions about whether or not the number of medical students per service is going increase and what the administration is doing to address this. if individual attention during your clerkships suffers during this transition phase that is a pretty big bummer.

also, i personally do not think it is important for medical students that utsw is opening beautiful new hospitals. it's a great sell on an interview day but i don't really think better facilities lead to a better education as a student. more important (but still less so than money and location when picking a school) are the culture of teaching, the diversity of pathology, the diversity of settings (public/private/VA/children's/etc), and the leadership of the clerkship directors - in other words, the people working in the hospital >> glitz and technology.

 

[EParker37]

i would choose whichever is the better money and location combination for you. "fit" is a nice idea and all but i say go with the tangible things in life.

for the curriculum change, the biggest potential problem i could see is that during the first half of your third year both the class of 2019 and 2018 will be doing core clerkships - you will be starting them and they will be finishing them. and same problem the year after that for the beginning of your M4 year. i imagine utsw is working something out to temporarily increase the number of available clerkships spots but that is a HUGE expansion. if i were in your shoes i would ask very specific questions about whether or not the number of medical students per service is going increase and what the administration is doing to address this. if individual attention during your clerkships suffers during this transition phase that is a pretty big bummer.

also, i personally do not think it is important for medical students that utsw is opening beautiful new hospitals. it's a great sell on an interview day but i don't really think better facilities lead to a better education as a student. more important (but still less so than money and location when picking a school) are the culture of teaching, the diversity of pathology, the diversity of settings (public/private/VA/children's/etc), and the leadership of the clerkship directors - in other words, the people working in the hospital >> glitz and technology.

They opened a new hospital in December, and Parkland is about done with their new expanded facility as well, I don't think they will have an issue finding spots for extra students. Children's is also a large facility, with a lot of opportunities. The staff are wonderful, I know people who work at the various facilities. The new parkland will definitely make up for the current one, but the opportunity to train with some of the best burn and trauma docs should be a selling point for students.

 

[Whatyousay]

also, i personally do not think it is important for medical students that utsw is opening beautiful new hospitals. it's a great sell on an interview day but i don't really think better facilities lead to a better education as a student.

Hey, don't underestimate the effect of finally having reliable wifi!

 

[I'm not a cat]

Well, I'll go with Grey's Anatomy. The characters on the show tend to favor BCM, and they made a couple of jokes about UTSW.

For instance, one of the second wave interns, whose name I forgot, is from BCM. The famous heart surgeon, who Derrick wanted to replace Dr. Altman as the chief of cardio, declined the job offer to stay at BCM. Karev's temporary gf, the OBGYN, was very excited to get a job offer from BCM. And when the residents were applying for fellowships, Dr. Karev pleaded with Dr. Robbins for him to get a job position at top places like "Yale and Baylor".

And now for the scenes where they put UTSW down. In the episode where Dr. Altman arrives, Yang is questioning her education because she went to a state school (so mean). Then, in a different episode when Yang is interviewing for fellowships, she says she ran laps around the Dallas doctors on her visit.

It's obvious someone helping to write the show is having fun with the BCM/UTSW rivalry. But it's nice to know the doctors of Grey's Anatomy, my favorite show, see BCM so highly with this said, I choose BCM (joking, kinda)

Also, I'm sorry for those of you who have not seen the show; it's the best.

 

[NickNaylor]

They opened a new hospital in December, and Parkland is about done with their new expanded facility as well, I don't think they will have an issue finding spots for extra students. Children's is also a large facility, with a lot of opportunities. The staff are wonderful, I know people who work at the various facilities. The new parkland will definitely make up for the current one, but the opportunity to train with some of the best burn and trauma docs should be a selling point for students.

My understanding is that these facilities are replacing, not adding onto, existing clinical facilities.

There's also a difference between "amount of space" and "ability to get independent teaching." The two really aren't related.

 

[tick_tock400]

Talk to people who go to each! I've definitely heard several critiques from some of the people I know who go to either (i.e. cooperation amongst students), so I'd really talk in depth to students from each school if I were you! I know students at both places study a ton and I've heard opportunities in terms of research definitely differ at both places too. Best of luck!

 

[EParker37]

My understanding is that these facilities are replacing, not adding onto, existing clinical facilities.

There's also a difference between "amount of space" and "ability to get independent teaching." The two really aren't related.

The facilities are replacing older ones, but both are larger than their older counterparts. The staff sizes have grown, so there is more opportunity for clerkship.

 

[redandwhitesox]

Talk to people who go to each! I've definitely heard several critiques from some of the people I know who go to either (i.e. cooperation amongst students), so I'd really talk in depth to students from each school if I were you! I know students at both places study a ton and I've heard opportunities in terms of research definitely differ at both places too. Best of luck!

could you provide some more insight to what you've heard please?

 

[tick_tock400]

could you provide some more insight to what you've heard please?

I don't want to rouse the trolls, but from the M1s I know at least-- at UTSW, competition for opportunities can be intense (so a number of people start looking for research before matriculating there) & at Baylor, it's not true pass/fail so students are still competitive amongst each other & have private little study groups. Of course, different classes can be totally different. All the people I know have complained a lot about the amount of studying they have to do too (which isn't a common complaint I've heard from friends who go to other med schools).

 

[ftp902]

Baylor's on probation. How would that factor into your decision?

 

[BillrothI]

I don't want to rouse the trolls, but from the M1s I know at least-- at UTSW, competition for opportunities can be intense (so a number of people start looking for research before matriculating there) & at Baylor, it's not true pass/fail so students are still competitive amongst each other & have private little study groups. Of course, different classes can be totally different. All the people I know have complained a lot about the amount of studying they have to do too (which isn't a common complaint I've heard from friends who go to other med schools).

Really? I find that surprising. Do you think that relates to the accelerated 1.5-year pre-clinical curriculum? If so, I can't imagine how rough it is for the students at Vanderbilt!

-Bill

 

[tick_tock400]

I think the accelerated curriculum & the fact that Baylor has the highest STEP scores in the country & the fact that M1s so far have really only finished anatomy (the hardest part of many school's curriculums allegedly-- some other med schools break it up more throughout the year that I know of) & the fact that the people I know at these places went from a very noncompetitive/easy undergrad straight to med school, so they're probably far more likely to be struggling than people who didn't go to such a relatively easy undergrad & because Baylor at least isn't true pass/fail.

 

[Jr MD]

Congrats on your position. Can't offer any advice, but out of curiosity what were your gpa/mcat? I'm assuming you're a TX resident?

Pm me I can give you that info. And yes I am a Texas resident.

 

[Jr MD]

As a lover of Dallas and a hater of Houston, I would pick UTSW every time. I can give you no advice in regards to their curriculum or rotations, as I don't know a thing about that.

Why so much houston hate?? Lol

 

[NickNaylor]

I think the accelerated curriculum & the fact that Baylor has the highest STEP scores in the country & the fact that M1s so far have really only finished anatomy (the hardest part of many school's curriculums allegedly-- some other med schools break it up more throughout the year that I know of) & the fact that the people I know at these places went from a very noncompetitive/easy undergrad straight to med school, so they're probably far more likely to be struggling than people who didn't go to such a relatively easy undergrad & because Baylor at least isn't true pass/fail.

Everyone has the highest step 1 scores in the country. There is no way to verify that this information is accurate.

 

[redandwhitesox]

seems like UTSW had 4 ortho matches out of 260 students last year when baylor had 10 out of 170. does anybody have any insight on whether or not this is a good indicator on success in match? i know not everybody wants to do ortho, but that is a pretty large difference

 

[fightthatebola]

BCM already has a 1.5 year accelerated curriculum, so their summer vacation is just barely 3 weeks. UTSW is moving to this 1.5 year accelerated curriculum, yet they manage to keep summer 3 months. That probably means that they will need to teach all the material at an even faster pace than BCM, which is already too fast for a lot of students. UTSW also had the option of taking Step 1 immediately the spring of MS2 on the powerpoint when I interviewed there, which I don't think is a great idea.

 

[BillrothI]

BCM already has a 1.5 year accelerated curriculum, so their summer vacation is just barely 3 weeks. UTSW is moving to this 1.5 year accelerated curriculum, yet they manage to keep summer 3 months. That probably means that they will need to teach all the material at an even faster pace than BCM, which is already too fast for a lot of students. UTSW also had the option of taking Step 1 immediately the spring of MS2 on the powerpoint when I interviewed there, which I don't think is a great idea.

My understanding is that UTSW will allow students to take Step 1 any time during the "Clerkship" period, which begins after 1.5 years of pre-clinical instruction. That means that students can take six weeks off to study before starting clinical rotations, or they can do a few rotations first and then take the exam. Is that accurate or did I misinterpret the Powerpoint schematic?

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Goro]

Dallas: Hot and dry in summer

Houston: Hot and really, really muggy in summer.

Both excellent schools and research centers. Flip a coin. And enjoy some barbecue and Tex-Mex for me, will ya? Can't get 'em where I am!

Hey guys! I've been blessed to have been accepted to both of these amazing schools. I've done a lot of research by looking through old class threads and old UTSW v Baylor threads but it seemed pointless because of UTSW new curriculum which is now p/f for the whole pre-clinical years and an accelerated 1.5 pre-clinical curriculum. They're old curriculum is a reason why a lot of people I know went to baylor instead. It also added a lot of other stuff. It looks beautiful. I hated to do this and really thought long if I should since some people really dislike comparing the schools but I would really appreciate some updated insight on what ppl thought with the schools. It'd help tremendously. What are yall thinking?

Thanks!!

 

[Jr MD]

Dallas: Hot and dry in summer

Houston: Hot and really, really muggy in summer.

Both excellent schools and research centers. Flip a coin. And enjoy some barbecue and Tex-Mex for me, will ya? Can't get 'em where I am!

Hahaha will do Goro! Where are you anyways?

 

[NickNaylor]

Dallas: Hot and dry in summer

Houston: Hot and really, really muggy in summer.

Both excellent schools and research centers. Flip a coin. And enjoy some barbecue and Tex-Mex for me, will ya? Can't get 'em where I am!

Tex-Mex is one of the things I'm really looking forward to having access to when I get back to Texas. What passes as "Mexican" here in Chicago is laughable (apart from the legitimately authentic stuff you can get occasionally).

 

[Goro]

Somewhere west of the Missouri River.

Hahaha will do Goro! Where are you anyways?

 

[fightthatebola]

My understanding is that UTSW will allow students to take Step 1 any time during the "Clerkship" period, which begins after 1.5 years of pre-clinical instruction. That means that students can take six weeks off to study before starting clinical rotations, or they can do a few rotations first and then take the exam. Is that accurate or did I misinterpret the Powerpoint schematic?

Thanks,
Bill

Ok you're probably right on that. But having a long summer is great for UTSW to pursue research and other great things, but just how fast is the material going to come?

 

[BillrothI]

Ok you're probably right on that. But having a long summer is great for UTSW to pursue research and other great things, but just how fast is the material going to come?

That's a totally valid point. I would be curious to see if other schools that use a 1.5-year pre-clinical curriculum also nix summer. An extra nine weeks of vacation seems like it could be detrimental if it means the pace is kicked up a notch.

-Bill

 

[acquiescing]

That's a totally valid point. I would be curious to see if other schools that use a 1.5-year pre-clinical curriculum also nix summer. An extra nine weeks of vacation seems like it could be detrimental if it means the pace is kicked up a notch.

-Bill

Duke has been doing a 1-year curriculum for a long time now with good results (average 235-240 over the last decade). 1 month vacation.
http://medschool.duke.edu/sites/medschool.duke.edu/files/pictures/Duke_Curriculum_7-29.pdf

Vanderbilt just started a 1-year curriculum a few years back and the first Step 1 scores should be back this year. Their average likely will dip at first and then rise back to around what they were before and maybe a little higher. Tends to be the pattern with new curriculums. Also a one month vacation.
https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/ume/curriculum-20-schematic-class-2017-and-beyond

Personally, I still think that match lists are the best empirical evidence for success, Step 1 be damned.

 

[Frosty Glacier]

First off, congratulations and you are indeed very blessed to be in your position of being able to decide between these two fine schools.

For me, it's really a no brainer this year between these two. Baylor has everything that UTSW has, without the guinea pig baggage (which I do think is a huge downside). The only downside that I can think about for Baylor is that this year it's on probation, but I've talked to quite a few reliable sources about this and they all assured me that it's something very minor that is already being resolved and that there is nothing to worry about, citing that Baylor has so much money and resources that they can get themselves out of pretty much anything. Plus, Baylor's match rates and step scores are pretty darn attractive!

Just my opinion. There is just no way I could turn down the Texas Medical Center and the amazing city of Houston!

P.S. I'm still waiting on Baylor right now; hopefully I hear the good news and I can join you there

 

[caffeinemia]

seems like UTSW had 4 ortho matches out of 260 students last year when baylor had 10 out of 170. does anybody have any insight on whether or not this is a good indicator on success in match? i know not everybody wants to do ortho, but that is a pretty large difference

This is so LOL. I don't even... cuz # of ortho match is totally the litmus of medical school adequacy...

Dallas: Hot and dry in summer

Houston: Hot and really, really muggy in summer.

Both excellent schools and research centers. Flip a coin. And enjoy some barbecue and Tex-Mex for me, will ya? Can't get 'em where I am!

GORO, I feel for you. NYC has some dismal BBQ.

Tex-Mex is one of the things I'm really looking forward to having access to when I get back to Texas. What passes as "Mexican" here in Chicago is laughable (apart from the legitimately authentic stuff you can get occasionally).

But but but.. BIG STAR and TOPOLABAMPO and XOCO. Okay, those are not Mexican at all, but they're sooo good. Pretty sure I went to medical school to have income security to OM NOM NOM myself to death.

 

[Zebra Hunter]

.

 

[Chemistry>Physics]

Well, I'll go with Grey's Anatomy. The characters on the show tend to favor BCM, and they made a couple of jokes about UTSW.

For instance, one of the second wave interns, whose name I forgot, is from BCM. The famous heart surgeon, who Derrick wanted to replace Dr. Altman as the chief of cardio, declined the job offer to stay at BCM. Karev's temporary gf, the OBGYN, was very excited to get a job offer from BCM. And when the residents were applying for fellowships, Dr. Karev pleaded with Dr. Robbins for him to get a job position at top places like "Yale and Baylor".

And now for the scenes where they put UTSW down. In the episode where Dr. Altman arrives, Yang is questioning her education because she went to a state school (so mean). Then, in a different episode when Yang is interviewing for fellowships, she says she ran laps around the Dallas doctors on her visit.

It's obvious someone helping to write the show is having fun with the BCM/UTSW rivalry. But it's nice to know the doctors of Grey's Anatomy, my favorite show, see BCM so highly with this said, I choose BCM (joking, kinda)

Also, I'm sorry for those of you who have not seen the show; it's the best.

This kind of research deserves an award

 

[Chemistry>Physics]

First off, congratulations and you are indeed very blessed to be in your position of being able to decide between these two fine schools.

For me, it's really a no brainer this year between these two. Baylor has everything that UTSW has, without the guinea pig baggage (which I do think is a huge downside). The only downside that I can think about for Baylor is that this year it's on probation, but I've talked to quite a few reliable sources about this and they all assured me that it's something very minor that is already being resolved and that there is nothing to worry about, citing that Baylor has so much money and resources that they can get themselves out of pretty much anything. Plus, Baylor's match rates and step scores are pretty darn attractive!

Just my opinion. There is just no way I could turn down the Texas Medical Center and the amazing city of Houston!

P.S. I'm still waiting on Baylor right now; hopefully I hear the good news and I can join you there

Would anyone care to explain why Baylor is on probation?

 

[zathrus]

Would anyone care to explain why Baylor is on probation?

https://www.bcm.edu/education/academic-faculty-affairs/accreditation/lcme

Baylor addresses it here. During the interview day, people asked about probation, and the speaker gave an incredibly vague answer. They weren't trying to hide it or skirt around the issue, but they didn't go into much detail about it either. There are other google-able sources you can find that talk about it. All in all, it sounds like a lot of administrative stuff that would not affect a normal medical student's education or experience.

 

[Shams al Deen]

UTSW has one of the most well-respected IM residency programs in the country. If you're interested in IM, this might be a factor to consider.

 

[Catman21]

Tex-Mex is one of the things I'm really looking forward to having access to when I get back to Texas. What passes as "Mexican" here in Chicago is laughable (apart from the legitimately authentic stuff you can get occasionally).

grab some torchy's and call it a day

 

[DokterMom]

Main thing I don't like about Dallas is the super dreary area around the medical school and where I live (med park). It's a very poor part of the city with not a lot around. The actual city part is ok I guess, still like Houston better.

Very true. The area surrounding the TMC and Baylor is considerably nicer and more hip. Dallas does have some nice/fun parts, but they won't be in your back yard, and Houston's a considerably better place to live cheap.
Weather is better in Dallas, but food is better in Houston.

Either way, you won't go wrong.

 

[sliceofbread136]

I don't want to rouse the trolls, but from the M1s I know at least-- at UTSW, competition for opportunities can be intense (so a number of people start looking for research before matriculating there) & at Baylor, it's not true pass/fail so students are still competitive amongst each other & have private little study groups. Of course, different classes can be totally different. All the people I know have complained a lot about the amount of studying they have to do too (which isn't a common complaint I've heard from friends who go to other med schools).

At least in my experience this isn't true. Research opportunity is definitely not one of utsws weaknesses, there are literally multiple large buildings full of research labs you can work in and I get emails about research for medical students almost everyday. I found a research job easily during my second look weekend.

The student body of utsw is not competitive or cut throat at all, we actually have a very cooperative community. I'm not sure where our cut throat reputation came from.

First off, congratulations and you are indeed very blessed to be in your position of being able to decide between these two fine schools.

For me, it's really a no brainer this year between these two. Baylor has everything that UTSW has, without the guinea pig baggage (which I do think is a huge downside). The only downside that I can think about for Baylor is that this year it's on probation, but I've talked to quite a few reliable sources about this and they all assured me that it's something very minor that is already being resolved and that there is nothing to worry about, citing that Baylor has so much money and resources that they can get themselves out of pretty much anything. Plus, Baylor's match rates and step scores are pretty darn attractive!

Just my opinion. There is just no way I could turn down the Texas Medical Center and the amazing city of Houston!

P.S. I'm still waiting on Baylor right now; hopefully I hear the good news and I can join you there

I thought Baylor had fairly well known financial problems? While I doubt the probation means anything at all, I would definitely not agree with them having the resources to "get them out of anything"

 

[dallasms]

UTSW student weighing in here. I love this place. The area around UTSW might not be the prettiest but its getting much better and its super convenient literally 10 minutes from anywhere you'd want to be in Dallas. Idk how people can have a preference for Dallas vs Houston they seem the same to me equally amorphous masses of sprawl with very poorly thought out urban planning and no sense of walk-ability. The old curriculum kind of sucks because they teach a lot of things that aren't necessarily clinically relevant but the new one should be a lot better because they seem to be trimming a lot of fat from the courses. UTSW also just built two brand new hospitals so everything is cutting edge as far as clinical facilities go and Clements may be the nicest hospital I've ever set foot in. As far as student body/ competitiveness goes its whatever, there are plenty of people like me who don't give a damn about grades or rankings and there are people that have their eyes set on Derm or Plastics whatever the prize field is nowadays. Don't worry about step score averages or residency match lists and just pick the med school that you gel with the most.

 

[I'm not a cat]

I thought Baylor had fairly well known financial problems? While I doubt the probation means anything at all, I would definitely not agree with them having the resources to "get them out of anything"

BCM's previous financial problems stem back to when they cut off from Methodist. Afterward, BCM partnered with St. Luke's and they have opened a new hospital where they are 50% owners. By doing so, BCM has placed itself in a unique situation different from other medical schools, meaning they are owners, not affiliates, of the hospital they train in.

Fortunately, it appears BCM has been making great moves, financially, and they will alleviate—and overcome—any financial issues. Certainly, no medical school in the nation has enough money to escape the scrutiny of the LCME and their accreditation process. However, I fully believe BCM has the financial resources to escape the probation, as they have enough money to hire the appropriate staff; with an $800M endowment, they are not going to take even the slightest chances while addressing the probation issues.

Lastly, if I am not mistaken, UTSW's endowment has decreased from $1.3B to $900M. Was this loss in the endowment from construction of those hospitals or from UT-Austin acquiring their programs? Or both?

 

[sliceofbread136]

BCM's previous financial problems stem back to when they cut off from Methodist. Afterward, BCM partnered with St. Luke's and they have opened a new hospital where they are 50% owners. By doing so, BCM has placed itself in a unique situation different from other medical schools, meaning they are owners, not affiliates, of the hospital they train in.

Fortunately, it appears BCM has been making great moves, financially, and they will alleviate—and overcome—any financial issues. Certainly, no medical school in the nation has enough money to escape the scrutiny of the LCME and their accreditation process. However, I fully believe BCM has the financial resources to escape the probation, as they have enough money to hire the appropriate staff; with an $800M endowment, they are not going to take even the slightest chances while addressing the probation issues.

Lastly, if I am not mistaken, UTSW's endowment has decreased from $1.3B to $900M. Was this loss in the endowment from construction of those hospitals or from UT-Austin acquiring their programs? Or both?

I have no clue tbh. You seem to know more than me, thanks for the info

 

[safe]

I don't want to rouse the trolls, but from the M1s I know at least-- at UTSW, competition for opportunities can be intense (so a number of people start looking for research before matriculating there) & at Baylor, it's not true pass/fail so students are still competitive amongst each other & have private little study groups. Of course, different classes can be totally different. All the people I know have complained a lot about the amount of studying they have to do too (which isn't a common complaint I've heard from friends who go to other med schools).

You're right that the Baylor pre-clinical curriculum is not true pass/fail but it hasn't driven up competition in my class, at least not to the degree that you describe. As an MS1 we've taken around ~8 tests so far. Across those, the average has been around an 87. With that high of an average, a prospective "gunner" could only separate themselves so far from the rest of the class. Downplaying competition even further, the entire 18 month pre-clinical curriculum is only worth as much as ~1.5 rotations (a couple months in clinics). So yeah, is the Baylor pre-clinical curriculum true pass/fail? Not quite, but it's pretty close. There's a little bit of pressure to go beyond passing, which I think is a good thing to have, but far from enough to stress students into forming "private study groups." If anything, the most motivated students in our class also happen to be some of the nicest.

And we do study a good amount, but no more than any other school as far as I can tell. We have a pretty good balance here -- I went to the Rodeo twice last week!

 

[redandwhitesox]

You're right that the Baylor pre-clinical curriculum is not true pass/fail but it hasn't driven up competition in my class, at least not to the degree that you describe. As an MS1 we've taken around ~8 tests so far. Across those, the average has been around an 87. With that high of an average, a prospective "gunner" could only separate themselves so far from the rest of the class. Downplaying competition even further, the entire 18 month pre-clinical curriculum is only worth as much as ~1.5 rotations (a couple months in clinics). So yeah, is the Baylor pre-clinical curriculum true pass/fail? Not quite, but it's pretty close. There's a little bit of pressure to go beyond passing, which I think is a good thing to have, but far from enough to stress students into forming "private study groups." If anything, the most motivated students in our class also happen to be some of the nicest.

And we do study a good amount, but no more than any other school as far as I can tell. We have a pretty good balance here -- I went to the Rodeo twice last week!

just curious, what's the point of saying it is pass/fail but then secretly internally ranking?