Podcast Summary
UT Southwestern: A Leading Medical Institution in Texas: UT Southwestern, founded in 1943, is a leading medical institution in Texas with 5 major hospitals and 3 degree-granting institutions, offering affordable tuition and serving Texas residents.
The University of Texas Southwestern (UT Southwestern) in Dallas, Texas, is a leading medical institution with a rich history and a mission to educate, discover, and heal. Founded in 1943, UT Southwestern started as a medical college in repurposed barracks during World War 2. Today, it is the largest medical school in the University of Texas System and the state of Texas, with 5 major hospitals and 3 degree-granting institutions. UT Southwestern's tuition is relatively affordable for a public medical school, and it is committed to serving the needs of Texas residents. The school received approximately 6,200 applications for the entering class of 2021, interviewing around 755 applicants, and accepting 237 students, including 8 MD-PhDs and 5 OMFS students. Our guests today, Leah Shouten Kressler, the director of admissions recruitment and onboarding, and Dr. Craig Rubin, the chief of the division of geriatric medicine and professor of internal medicine, will share more about UT Southwestern's unique history, programs, and admissions process.
Doctors Mihalik, Leah, and Rubin Share Their Dallas Experiences and Commitment to UT Southwestern: Three accomplished doctors at UT Southwestern, originally from Texas, Vermont, and New York, share their personal experiences and dedication to medical education and patient care in Dallas, highlighting the city's cultural attractions, food scene, and sense of community.
Doctors Mihalik, Leah, and Rubin from UT Southwestern are accomplished professionals with a deep connection to their institution and their community. Doctor Mihalik, originally from Texas, recommends visitors to experience the state fair and AT&T Stadium for its impressive size and sports atmosphere. Leah, who moved to Dallas from Vermont, has been surprised by the city's cultural attractions, including the Dallas Arboretum and Arts District, and has even grown to enjoy the Mavericks basketball team. Doctor Rubin, a native New Yorker, appreciates the food scene and the sense of community in Dallas. Beyond their personal experiences, all three doctors have dedicated their careers to medical education and patient care, with numerous awards and leadership roles to show for it. Their passion for their work and their love for Dallas make them valuable assets to the university and an engaging presence in the community.
Learning Core Sciences with Clinical Context: UT Southwestern's new curriculum integrates core sciences with clinical context through a mix of lectures, labs, and active learning sessions, preparing students for real-life patient cases.
UT Southwestern's new curriculum offers an integrated learning experience, allowing students to learn normal physiology and pathology together, as well as radiology and clinical context. The first two years are primarily focused on building a foundation in core sciences, with some lectures in the mornings and active learning exercises or labs in the afternoons. The academic colleges provide a safe, small group learning environment where students meet weekly with a clinical mentor for guidance and discussion on various topics. The typical days are a mix of lectures, labs, and active learning sessions. This curriculum aims to prepare students for real-life patient cases by integrating modern medicine and simulation into their learning experience.
Mentoring program in medical school: A safe space for growth: Medical school mentoring programs provide a supportive environment for students to build relationships, prepare for clinical rotations, and develop essential skills for a successful career in medicine
The small group mentoring program in medical school is a safe, non-evaluative space where students develop close bonds with their mentors and peers. Over the course of 18 months, mentors help students prepare for clinical rotations by reassuring them that medicine is a lifelong learning experience and encouraging vulnerability and feedback. The program covers various topics, including professionalism, ethics, personal well-being, financial management, cultural humility, and career exploration. The goal is to make students feel supported and confident as they transition from academic learning to clinical practice.
Research Opportunities and Clinical Training at UT Southwestern: UT Southwestern offers early research involvement, a dedicated scholarly pursuit period, and top-notch clinical training at two state-of-the-art hospitals, making it a leading destination for students passionate about research.
UT Southwestern offers a comprehensive learning experience beyond the main curriculum, with a strong emphasis on research opportunities. Students can get involved in research as early as their first year, and this experience can be carried out throughout their scholarly activity, which is a dedicated 12-week period for scholarly pursuit. UT Southwestern is known for its unparalleled clinical training, with two state-of-the-art hospitals providing students with hands-on experience. Research opportunities are abundant, with various tracks to choose from, and students can even earn an MD with distinction in their chosen subject area. The school is a research powerhouse that attracts students passionate about research, and the opportunities for scholarly activity and clinical training set it apart.
Learning Environment at UT Southwestern Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical School offers students diverse patient populations, hands-on training, strong community involvement, and global health opportunities for a well-rounded education and impactful career.
UT Southwestern Medical School offers students an exceptional learning environment with diverse patient populations, hands-on training opportunities, and strong community involvement. The school's partnerships with various hospitals, Children's Medical Center, VA, and Texas Health Resources, provide students with a broad range of experiences. Students are actively involved in patient care, writing notes, putting in orders, and participating in procedures. The school also encourages community engagement through student-run free clinics, service-based student organizations, and community-based research tracks. UT Southwestern's global health office offers numerous opportunities for students to gain international experiences, and students can find and approve their own opportunities through the global health committee. Overall, UT Southwestern Medical School provides students with a well-rounded education and ample opportunities to make a positive impact on their communities and the world.
UT Southwestern: A Supportive Community for Students: UT Southwestern provides high-quality projects, mentorship opportunities, and affordable student housing, fostering a diverse, supportive, and inclusive learning environment.
UT Southwestern offers a supportive community for students both academically and socially. The university provides high-quality projects and mentorship opportunities, ensuring sustainable growth. Additionally, student housing, known as MedPark, is popular due to its affordability, safety, and proximity to campus. The student body is diverse and supportive, with students engaging in collaborative learning and celebrating each other's achievements. Despite the challenges of virtual interviews, the vibe at UT Southwestern is described as inclusive, passionate, and fun. The university is known for its strong sense of collegiality, with students helping each other through study guides and celebrating birthdays. The lack of in-person visits is missed, but the current students continue to impress with their dedication and commitment to serving others.
UT Southwestern values human qualities in medical students: UT Southwestern prioritizes compassion, motivation, teamwork, and leadership in medical students during holistic admissions process, considering academic background initially but focusing on human qualities for potential to become caring physicians, attracting students committed to diverse and supportive communities and serving others.
UT Southwestern values not only academic ability but also compassion, motivation, teamwork, and leadership in their medical students. The admissions process is holistic, with a focus on interviewing candidates who demonstrate the potential to become compassionate and caring physicians. Academic background is considered initially but then set aside, as human qualities become the primary focus. UT Southwestern also looks for applicants who may pursue underserved areas or primary care, but this is not a strict requirement. Overall, the university prioritizes attracting students who will contribute to a diverse and supportive community, and who are committed to serving others.
Understanding Medical Careers and Compassion for Patients: Medical schools prioritize applicants with a clear career goal, compassion, and ability to reflect on experiences. Traditional healthcare exposure disrupted by pandemic, but alternative experiences valued. Research experience not required, but can enhance applications. Demonstrate determination and reasoning for pursuing medical career.
Medical schools, like UT Southwestern, prioritize applicants who have a clear understanding of what a medical career entails and are compassionate towards patients and the profession. The disruptions caused by the pandemic have affected applicants' ability to gain traditional healthcare exposure, but schools are open to alternative experiences and value applicants' ability to reflect on their motivations for pursuing a medical career. Research experience is not a requirement for admission, but it can be a valuable addition to an application. Applicants are encouraged to follow their passions and explore various opportunities, as they will have ample research opportunities during medical school. Medical schools are committed to graduating competent, caring, and successful physicians, and applicants should be able to demonstrate their determination and reasoning for pursuing this career.
Exploring Research Opportunities at UT Southwestern: UT Southwestern offers valuable research opportunities for students, regardless of prior experience. The application process is similar to AMCAS and involves a high number of applicants and interviews on Saturdays.
Extracurricular activities, including research, are valuable for students, even if they don't have prior experience. Institutions like UT Southwestern can help students learn research skills and potentially discover a passion for research. Students should not be intimidated by the lack of research background when applying to research-intensive institutions, as they will be taught and given opportunities to explore their interests. UT Southwestern received around 65,100 applications last year, a 20% increase, and is expecting a high number of applications this year through the Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service (TMDSAS). Students need to apply through TMDSAS to be considered by UT Southwestern and most Texas institutions, but the process is similar to AMCAS. The interview process involves around 7-800 interviewees and takes place on Saturdays, and there is no conflict with major football games.
Connecting with faculty in virtual medical school interviews: Prepare for virtual medical school interviews by researching the school, adapting to the virtual format, and being confident in discussing backgrounds, interests, and motivations.
Virtual medical school interviews are an essential part of the application process, providing applicants with the opportunity to connect with faculty and add color to their application. During these interviews, applicants engage in conversations with faculty members, who are not provided with applicant metrics or specific questions to ask. Instead, interviews are conversational and allow applicants to discuss their backgrounds, interests, and reasons for wanting to attend medical school. To prepare for these interviews, applicants should research the school and be confident in their ability to adapt to the virtual interview format. Despite any technical challenges that may arise, interviewers are there to support applicants and ensure a successful interview experience.
Interview days serve dual purpose: Interview days allow students to clarify doubts and confirm reasons for applying, while medical schools assess applicants. Communication from admissions committees starts from October 15th, with rolling basis extending offers. Texas schools use a match process, while out-of-state students do not need to worry about it.
Interview days are not just for the medical schools to assess the applicants, but also for students to clarify any doubts they may have about their application. It's an opportunity for students to ask questions and reaffirm their reasons for applying to the particular institution. After the interview day, communication from the admissions committee is typically on a rolling basis, with offers starting to be extended from October 15th every year. For Texas Medical and Dental Schools (TMD SAS), there is an additional process called the match, where in-state residents rank their preferred schools and the schools rank their preferred applicants. The match results are announced in early March, and rolling admissions resume afterwards. Out-of-state students do not need to worry about the TMDSAS match. The class size is mostly filled by the match, but there is still some movement in the class afterwards due to various deadlines. For out-of-state applicants, UT Southwestern still accepts a significant number of applicants, despite the requirement that 90% of the class comes from Texas.
UT Southwestern Medical School's Competitive and Holistic Admissions Process: UT Southwestern Medical School evaluates applications holistically, considering all components equally for both in-state and out-of-state applicants. Interview updates should be consolidated and the committee values unique factors, like a passion for underserved care, in addition to strong academics.
The admissions process at UT Southwestern Medical School is highly competitive and holistic. Out-of-state applicants are welcome and evaluated in the same way as in-state applicants, based on the same competency-based model. Applicants on the alternate list are encouraged to update their applications with significant changes, but it's best to consolidate these updates into one or two messages. The committee considers all aspects of the application, including interviews, letters of recommendation, and academic metrics, to make its decisions. The school also looks for applicants who may not have strong metrics but have other factors that make them stand out, such as a passion for meeting underserved needs. After the interview, the committee meets to scrutinize the application in great detail, and the interview is just one component of the application review.
Evaluating Medical Applications at UT Southwestern: UT Southwestern's application evaluation process involves a diverse committee discussing and debating impressions to reach a consensus decision. The new School of Public Health will offer a unique educational experience.
The evaluation process for applicants at UT Southwestern Medical Center involves a committee review where impressions of applications are discussed and debated, leading to a consensus decision. The committee is diverse, consisting of faculty from various clinical and basic sciences, races, and genders. UT Southwestern is also expanding its educational offerings with the upcoming opening of a new School of Public Health. This school will provide students with a unique educational experience, as UT Southwestern currently partners with a separate UT Health School of Public Health for public health graduate programs. The diverse backgrounds and experiences of the committee members contribute to a comprehensive evaluation process, ensuring a well-rounded assessment of each applicant.
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