Which Southern SEC School for a medical student hopeful?

College Search & Lists
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<p>I’m too young in high school to start applying to schools… but I would like to start having an idea about where I want to go. First of all, I want to go to a big Southern SEC school. My family is from the South originally and I am conservative and fit in very well with the preppy sort of students at SEC schools. I live in Northern Virginia right now, which I really dont like! My mom had breast cancer and survived, and I have always been interested in sciences and health, so I would like to be a doctor. I am not sure what type, but that is something that can be decided in medical school. I am a diehard South Carolina Gamecock fan, and I have been there for football games and I love everything about the atmosphere there! Here are my all my choices/considerations though:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>University of South Carolina- Love the gamecocks, love everything about this school. The only downfall is that I like small towns, and Columbia is pretty big. For college it’s cool to have a big city nearby, but I would prefer more of a college town place. I have only been here 2-3 times, but does Columbia have a good college city feel to it? And what about the medical school? School spirit?</p></li>
<li><p>University of Mississippi- Oxford seems like the perfect college town! There is something attractive about this school too, I like the culture and traditions at Ole Miss. I know the medical school is in Jackson though, any words on it?</p></li>
<li><p>University of Alabama- I don’t know too much about Bama. Tuscaloosa seems pretty nice, but is the medical school there or in Birmingham or a different city in Alabama?</p></li>
<li><p>Louisiana State University- I don’t know too about LSU either. But Baton Rouge seems like Columbia in a way. Whats the school spirit and college town feel like? And how about the medical school?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>About me: Like I said, I am conservative and religious (not extreme about it though). I would like to be somewhere were that is not considered bad, like my extremely liberal school. I love the Southern traditions of the girls dressing up for the games and us guys taking dates and how big the SEC games are. I want a big school, I want to be in a fraternity, and I care about the party scene! I know Ole Miss has the best party scene! Carolina has a good party scene too, but how is it at Bama and LSU? I get A’s and B’s, but I need to focus on working harder and turning stuff in on time… I am not an exceptional student, but I work hard. Most of all though, is I want to get away from Virginia and the people here. I would like the school to have a large population of Southern kids, so I guess Ole Miss has the most. Does Carolina get a lot of Northern kids? Or Bama or LSU? Thanks!</p>

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<p>3. University of Alabama- I don’t know too much about Bama. Tuscaloosa seems pretty nice, but is the medical school there or in Birmingham or a different city in Alabama?</p>

<p>The main campus of the med school is in B’ham. There is a part of the SOM in Tuscaloosa…I think for family med and rural med rotations. </p>

<p>It doesn’t matter that the SOM is in B’ham…none at all. However, there is a Medical Center across from the UA campus if you’re looking for volunteering/shadowing experiences. </p>

<p>My son is pre-med at Bama and really likes it. </p>

<p>The campus is gorgeous and it has a brand new mega-sized Science and Engineering Complex. 700,000 square feet of new labs/classrooms…and another 200,000 sq ft is being added this next year.</p>

<p><a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube;
The above is a link about the College of A&S, but also gives you a feel for the school. Shelby Hall is the first phase of the new Science & Engineering Complex. 3 phases are now complete…the 4th will complete in about 16 months. </p>

<p>Tuscaloosa is a wonderful city…named Most Livable City in America this year. We love T-town. A mix of a good-sized city with a College town atmosphere.</p>

<p>Bama has very good pre-med advising and does write Committee Letters.
[The</a> University of Alabama Health Professions Advising Website](<a href=“http://premed.ua.edu/]The”>http://premed.ua.edu/)</p>

<p>The advising is very personable. As a matter of fact, the Director of Advising, Chris Hutt, hosted a Holiday Party in his home last night for all the pre-health majors. :)</p>

<p>I get A’s and B’s, but I need to focus on working harder and turning stuff in on time… I am not an exceptional student, but I work hard.</p>

<p>Will you qualify for any of these schools’ scholarships? Going OOS can be expensive without a scholarship for strong stats.</p>

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<p>“Will you qualify for any of these schools’ scholarships? Going OOS can be expensive without a scholarship for strong stats.”</p>

<p>I should be fine with having to pay. My private high school right now is ridiculously expensive, just like most private high schools in this are (almost 34,000 a year). So when I get to college, it will be cheaper than high school! Plus, my teacher went to Alabama and she said something along the lines of, if you get a job your first summer there or stay for a summer program or something, you can become an Alabama resident and pay in state tuition. I forget what she said, but I can surely find out. A scholarship would be better though… and I would defiantly look into them.</p>

<p>Also, I looked up the Alabama Medical school in Birmingham- Is UAB run by the University of Alabama? Or is it a separate school? The medical center in Tuscaloosa has some good choices too though.</p>

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<p>Also, I looked up the Alabama Medical school in Birmingham- Is UAB run by the University of Alabama? Or is it a separate school? The medical center in Tuscaloosa has some good choices too though.</p>

<p>The SOM is The University of Alabama School of Medicine. It’s in B’ham. It’s a highly ranked medical school. </p>

<p>The UAB school is there as well. That univ is a separate university…just part of the UA system…like UCSD and UCLA is part of the UC system. </p>

<p>UA in Tuscaloosa is the Flagship univ. You should visit…you’ll love it. Since you want a full college life experience, Bama would fit you well. </p>

<p>Don’t think that a person has to go to the med school of their undergrad. Many students go to undergrad at one school, and then go to med school elsewhere. Acceptance rates at ANY med school is very low, so you’d be applying to 15-20 SOMs and then attending one that accepts you…which could be in another state.</p>

<p>Concentrate on getting good grades and good test scores for scholarships. I don’t think getting instate rates (in any state) is as easy as that teacher said. Residency (when under age 24) is based on where your PARENTS live.</p>

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<p>General Information
The University of Alabama School of Medicine was founded in Mobile in 1859 and has been located in Birmingham since 1945. The main campus is in Birmingham, with branch campuses, created in 1969, in Huntsville and Tuscaloosa.</p>

<p>Hope that clarifies. </p>

<p>And, rumor has it, that Dr. Witt (president of UA) wants to expand the SOM branch on the Tuscaloosa campus. I’ve been in that branch and there’s room for expansion…definitely. Lots of space over there. </p>

<p>Also…there is another state SOM in Mobile at University of South Alabama. It’s a good SOM (all US MD SOMs are at least GOOD!!), but it’s not well-ranked like the UA SOM.</p>

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<p>

Talk to your mom and you will quickly find out that the people involved in her treatment were not just doctors. There were a whole host of others involved in her care. The reason I point this out is that when people in HS think of medical careers almost immediately they say “I’m going to be a doctor!” as if that’s the only option. It is an option, and it may be the right choice for you, but without thinking about the other possibilities you’ll never know. </p>

<p>To become a doctor takes 11-15 years after HS (college, med school, residency) and there are plenty of other options that pay decently or better but take far less preparation. Too many kids start out premed, it isn’t right for them for one reason or another, and then they abandon the dream of a medical career.</p>