One question on my mind while interviewing at UCSD was how the California state budget woes could impact my medical education. This question was partly addressed by the dean's opening presentation. Before the budget deadlock, the School of Medicine was set to break ground on a new medical training facility in January 2009. That of course did not happen. It's unclear, now, when construction will begin. How does that impact me? Minimally, I would guess. Even if the new medical training facility were finished on schedule, I would be well into my clinical years by the time it opened.
I also asked this question to my second interviewer. "It'll affect the faculty more than the students," he said. There's a hiring freeze in effect, which means that we can expect the status quo until it's lifted. "The status quo here isn't all that bad." Dr. YYY also said that the hiring freeze will impact the School of Pharmacology since it is new and growing. The thought occurred to me that medical students take Principles of Pharmacology in the first year alongside pharmacology students.
These are definitely issues to be aware of, but when it comes down to whether my medical education might suffer because of the economy or state budget issues, I'm not all that concerned.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Getting into UCSD: no unforced errors
At the end of the interview day, a guy from the admissions office came in and gave the group some practical information, most importantly when we might expect to get a decision. The committee meets every other Monday, we were told, with the next meeting on March 23rd and the following meeting on April 6th. Most likely, we would be discussed in the later meeting. Decisions would be sent out the following day, phone calls for acceptances and e-mails for those who are placed in the "acceptable pool of applicants."
The big catch: we were invited to contact the admissions office and request to be moved up to the earlier meeting. "I really want to know now!" I thought. Should I request an earlier review? This felt oddly like some sadistic social experiment. I decided to ask the opinion of my co-worker who has served on admissions committees. "Don't mess with them," he advised. "Remember, this is a process of elimination, 6000 applications for a hundred or so spots." The game, now, is to lie low and not stick out from the crowd in a bad way. No unforced errors.
The big catch: we were invited to contact the admissions office and request to be moved up to the earlier meeting. "I really want to know now!" I thought. Should I request an earlier review? This felt oddly like some sadistic social experiment. I decided to ask the opinion of my co-worker who has served on admissions committees. "Don't mess with them," he advised. "Remember, this is a process of elimination, 6000 applications for a hundred or so spots." The game, now, is to lie low and not stick out from the crowd in a bad way. No unforced errors.
UCSD Interview: General Information
Interview day started at 8 am with an introductory presentation by the dean of admissions to a total of 7 interviewees, including myself. She gave us some pertinent information about the program and some statistics about the admissions process. Particularly heartening is that UCSD looks well upon the non-traditional applicant such as myself. The mean age of entering first-year students is 24.
Medical schools are able to make more than twice the number of offers as they have room in their entering class because applicants tend to accept offers to multiple schools. Medical schools actually have access to that information: the dean said that one applicant who they accepted holds acceptances to more than a dozen other medical schools. The chances that that person ends up at UCSD is pretty slim. All applicants are required to hold an acceptance to only one medical school by May 15, so around that time there is a "national shuffle" of medical school applicants as they formally turn down their multiple offers. So, additional acceptances are offered to applicants placed in this acceptable pool around May and June, and even into July.
Curriculum
I also got some interesting information about the curriculum. UCSD is on the quarter system with one predominant class per quarter and several smaller classes that are less intensive; most medical schools are on a semester schedule. I asked some students if they felt that being on the quarter system in any way impacted their medical education. The general response I got was that no, it didn't, except maybe for having more frequent tests.
UCSD medical students are evaluated on a strict pass/fail system. Other medical schools also tend to use pass/fail, but it's common to taint that by introducing "honors" or "high honors."
One quirk about the UCSD curriculum is that human anatomy is taken during second rather than the first year. This is in contrast to all other programs that I've seen. Talking to some current medical students about this, it seems that the rationale is to move from microscopic to macroscopic, learning topics such as pharmacology and cell/molecular biology before the rote memorization of human anatomy. None of the students voiced any complaints about taking human anatomy second year. As much as human anatomy is a rite of passage for first-year medical students, I imagine it might feel strange postponing that experience until second year. This is not a deal-breaker, though, and not necessarily even a negative.
UCSD requires students to complete an independent study project (ISP) prior to graduation. They provide an enormous amount of flexibility as to its topic so that it really can be anything I choose. I was wondering whether I might even be able to use the ISP to continue my work in my current lab. It's a possibility worth exploring, but I also see the value of finding new topics that interest me.
Third-year clerkships take place at six different locations around San Diego County:
Student Run Free Clinic
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of the UCSD experience is the Student Run Free Clinic program. The office of admissions goes to great lengths to highlight this program. It is what it sounds like: a clinic that is for the most part run by students. There's a hierarchy of mentorship, of course, with older students having supervisory responsibilities and an attending physician ultimately responsible for all patients that go through the clinic. What particularly appeals to me about this program is the unique opportunity to gain clinical experience - working directly with real patients - even in the first year of medical school. The first two years of all medical schools are heavily weighted in lectures and coursework. Basic clinical skills are taught to a limited degree in the first year, with some schools devoting more time to it than others, but this is no substitute for genuine patient interaction and the experience provided by the Free Clinic.
Office of Student Affairs
The Office of Student Affairs also gave a presentation. I was very impressed by the lengths to which UCSD goes to make life just a little easier for their students. There are organized events such as outings to the theater or opera, or wine and cheese social mixers that include both students and faculty. When I toured Drexel and Colorado, I didn't get the impression that their students had nearly as much in the way of such life-balancing experiences provided by the school.
The mentoring system, too, is extensive and structured. All incoming first-year students are paired with a faculty mentor, in a casual-type relationship, and with a second-year Big Sib. Third- and fourth-year students can become "senior mentors" to the Big Sibs, which creates a sort of "family tree" of medical students. This structure is rather common across medical schools, probably because such a social arrangement is effective in supporting students throughout medical school. Students also choose a faculty mentor for their ISP, and finally, students choose another faculty adviser at the end of their third year specifically to help them navigate the process of applying to residency programs.
- >5500 Primary applications
- ~Secondary applications
- 600 interviews
- ~300 offers of acceptance
- 134 students in the entering class
Medical schools are able to make more than twice the number of offers as they have room in their entering class because applicants tend to accept offers to multiple schools. Medical schools actually have access to that information: the dean said that one applicant who they accepted holds acceptances to more than a dozen other medical schools. The chances that that person ends up at UCSD is pretty slim. All applicants are required to hold an acceptance to only one medical school by May 15, so around that time there is a "national shuffle" of medical school applicants as they formally turn down their multiple offers. So, additional acceptances are offered to applicants placed in this acceptable pool around May and June, and even into July.
Curriculum
I also got some interesting information about the curriculum. UCSD is on the quarter system with one predominant class per quarter and several smaller classes that are less intensive; most medical schools are on a semester schedule. I asked some students if they felt that being on the quarter system in any way impacted their medical education. The general response I got was that no, it didn't, except maybe for having more frequent tests.
UCSD medical students are evaluated on a strict pass/fail system. Other medical schools also tend to use pass/fail, but it's common to taint that by introducing "honors" or "high honors."
One quirk about the UCSD curriculum is that human anatomy is taken during second rather than the first year. This is in contrast to all other programs that I've seen. Talking to some current medical students about this, it seems that the rationale is to move from microscopic to macroscopic, learning topics such as pharmacology and cell/molecular biology before the rote memorization of human anatomy. None of the students voiced any complaints about taking human anatomy second year. As much as human anatomy is a rite of passage for first-year medical students, I imagine it might feel strange postponing that experience until second year. This is not a deal-breaker, though, and not necessarily even a negative.
UCSD requires students to complete an independent study project (ISP) prior to graduation. They provide an enormous amount of flexibility as to its topic so that it really can be anything I choose. I was wondering whether I might even be able to use the ISP to continue my work in my current lab. It's a possibility worth exploring, but I also see the value of finding new topics that interest me.
Third-year clerkships take place at six different locations around San Diego County:
- Hillcrest
- VA
- Thornton
- Children's
- Balboa Naval
- Scripps-Mercy
Student Run Free Clinic
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of the UCSD experience is the Student Run Free Clinic program. The office of admissions goes to great lengths to highlight this program. It is what it sounds like: a clinic that is for the most part run by students. There's a hierarchy of mentorship, of course, with older students having supervisory responsibilities and an attending physician ultimately responsible for all patients that go through the clinic. What particularly appeals to me about this program is the unique opportunity to gain clinical experience - working directly with real patients - even in the first year of medical school. The first two years of all medical schools are heavily weighted in lectures and coursework. Basic clinical skills are taught to a limited degree in the first year, with some schools devoting more time to it than others, but this is no substitute for genuine patient interaction and the experience provided by the Free Clinic.
Office of Student Affairs
The Office of Student Affairs also gave a presentation. I was very impressed by the lengths to which UCSD goes to make life just a little easier for their students. There are organized events such as outings to the theater or opera, or wine and cheese social mixers that include both students and faculty. When I toured Drexel and Colorado, I didn't get the impression that their students had nearly as much in the way of such life-balancing experiences provided by the school.
The mentoring system, too, is extensive and structured. All incoming first-year students are paired with a faculty mentor, in a casual-type relationship, and with a second-year Big Sib. Third- and fourth-year students can become "senior mentors" to the Big Sibs, which creates a sort of "family tree" of medical students. This structure is rather common across medical schools, probably because such a social arrangement is effective in supporting students throughout medical school. Students also choose a faculty mentor for their ISP, and finally, students choose another faculty adviser at the end of their third year specifically to help them navigate the process of applying to residency programs.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
UC Irvine: Rejected
On the same day as my UCSD interview, UC Irvine sent me their rejection. It was waiting for me in my inbox when I returned from the interview. Yes, my e-mail inbox. It struck me as cheap and unprofessional that, after pouring so much time and energy into my application, they didn't even have the common courtesy to send me a formal letter of rejection through regular mail. I hope that other medical schools don't follow their poor example.
Friday, March 13, 2009
UCSD Interview: Nerves
My UCSD interview is coming up quickly: next Tuesday, St. Patrick's Day. I should wear a green tie. Or not. I'm getting kind of nervous, not quite the same breed of nerves that I felt before Colorado but a little edgier.
I keep reminding myself how fortunate I am to have so many people within UCSD actively pushing my application forward. A coworker asked me, "Do you know who your interviewers are?" Medical school applicants typically don't find out who their faculty interviewers are until the morning of the interview. It's better that way, in my opinion, because otherwise a whole Pandora's box opens, with applicants obsessively researching their interviewers' academic careers and memorizing their curriculum vitae. I told my coworker, no, I don't know who they are, and she offered to try to find out for me. I'll take any little advantage I can get! Well, I didn't get that particular advantage, but her friend on the admissions committee instead gave me this advice, which, from my perspective, is much more valuable:
I keep reminding myself how fortunate I am to have so many people within UCSD actively pushing my application forward. A coworker asked me, "Do you know who your interviewers are?" Medical school applicants typically don't find out who their faculty interviewers are until the morning of the interview. It's better that way, in my opinion, because otherwise a whole Pandora's box opens, with applicants obsessively researching their interviewers' academic careers and memorizing their curriculum vitae. I told my coworker, no, I don't know who they are, and she offered to try to find out for me. I'll take any little advantage I can get! Well, I didn't get that particular advantage, but her friend on the admissions committee instead gave me this advice, which, from my perspective, is much more valuable:
- Be relaxed. Most interviewers are not going to give you a hard time.
- The ability to relate to another person you just met is important.
- Know yourself: a) destined for primary care; b) destined for research; c) interested in a specific program.
- Know your application: what about it is special; what about it is typical for students accepted to the school; what about it is less than typical for the school. Be able to talk with passion about the first category. Be able to succinctly answer questions about the former in a positive way.
- Prepare questions, but do not ask questions about things that are readily obtained from the website or catalog; rather ask questions that draw upon the interviewer's personal experience.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
George Washington: Rejected
Another rejection. Though I'm used to it by now, and less fazed because I have already gotten into a good program, I am rather disappointed that I won't at least have the option to live in DC close to my older sister. It would've been a fun city to live in while going to medical school.
Friday, March 6, 2009
University application for financial aid
Each medical school has their own university-specific application for institutional aid. Today I turned in Colorado's University Application for Financial Aid. This application is for institutional grants and scholarships to supplement FAFSA support. The form was very short, just a few pages, plus a copy of the first two pages of my 2008-2009 tax return. I also submitted a form saying, in effect, that my 2009-2010 income will be less than my 2008-2009 income. For incoming medical students who had a job prior to matriculation (like myself), this is necessarily the case.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
This is the mountain I want to be on
A good friend told me a story of a guy who was afraid of heights. He decided to climb a mountain to conquer his fear and brought along a friend to help him through this journey. The guy did climb a mountain, and he did make it to the summit, but a blizzard hit while he and his friend were up there. Huddled in the tent together, the friend asked the guy who had been afraid of heights, "Are you happy right now?" The guy answered, "No, but I'm still glad that I climbed the mountain."
Medical school is my mountain. If a friend were to ask me sometime during the next four years if I'm happy, there's a very good chance that I'll answer "No." Not right in this moment, but this is where I want to be.
Medical school is my mountain. If a friend were to ask me sometime during the next four years if I'm happy, there's a very good chance that I'll answer "No." Not right in this moment, but this is where I want to be.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Filing the FAFSA
If I end up going to Colorado, I will be paying about $50,000 for tuition and fees for the 2009-2010 academic year, plus around $20,000 for living expenses. Multiply that by 4 years and I'm looking at a minimum potential debt of $270,000 by the time I finish medical school. Needless to say, I won't be paying for my medical education with cash upfront.
Almost all medical students have to apply for financial aid of some sort or another, and I can be fairly confident in saying that all medical students who do need financial aid apply through the Free Application for Federal Student Aide application (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov).
Filing the FAFSA seems a lot scarier than it actually is. The FAFSA is completed and submitted entirely online. Apparently, there are professional "preparers" who help you prepare your FAFSA for a fee. I am lucky to have had help from my father, who is good with finances. They say on the FAFSA website that it should take under an hour to fill out the application (if you have all the necessary information at hand); I did indeed finish my FAFSA application in less than an hour, and I feel very relieved that it's out of the way.
Almost all medical students have to apply for financial aid of some sort or another, and I can be fairly confident in saying that all medical students who do need financial aid apply through the Free Application for Federal Student Aide application (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov).
Filing the FAFSA seems a lot scarier than it actually is. The FAFSA is completed and submitted entirely online. Apparently, there are professional "preparers" who help you prepare your FAFSA for a fee. I am lucky to have had help from my father, who is good with finances. They say on the FAFSA website that it should take under an hour to fill out the application (if you have all the necessary information at hand); I did indeed finish my FAFSA application in less than an hour, and I feel very relieved that it's out of the way.
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