Mobile, AL
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
Overall, students rated the program a 6 out of 10 for satisfaction. The student body is described as highly cooperative. The environment is considered supportive for underrepresented minorities, LGBTQ+ students, married students, students with disabilities, non-traditional students. Graduates feel very well-prepared for board exams. Faculty members are seen as highly approachable.
🎓 The Basics ▼
What was the zip code of your residence in high school?
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 33,229.33 | 3 |
What do you like most?
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I like the cooperative spirit of the student body and all the hands on experiences incorporated into the first two years.
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The independence they encourage and foster.
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Most of the actual physicians here are excellent professors. The curriculum has been completely redesigned for the new classes and I have heard good things about it so far. The new simulation labs are top-notch and very well facilitated. The clinical teaching staff (physicians, nurses, PAs, etc) are amazingly dedicated and knowledgeable, during the few opportunities you have during MS1 and MS2 to escape the misery of PhD education. If you are an MD/PhD applicant, then you will probably love this school (and my hat is off to you). If you want to become a physician and actually learn medicine (and eventually treat patients), then you will hate everything about this place.
What do you like least?
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There have been some bumps in the road implementing new curricula. These are getting better as we go though.
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The hospital and facilities are from state of the art. If that's a deal breaker, would avoid.
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The majority of professors at this school are PhDs (and all that this implies). To say that these people are out of touch with modern clinical medicine education would be a gross understatement. If you want a PhD oriented education without an actual PhD to show for it, then you should absolutely apply here. The new curriculum may be better implemented, but bear in mind that the same people teach it (i.e. non-physicians). If the administration simply replaced the PhD staff with actual physicians, the vast majority of education issues here would be resolved. Unfortunately, the administration is also comprised almost exclusively of PhDs (the Dean of Medicine is a PhD, for example).
🧾 The Details ▼
What are the facilities and clinics like (old/new, well maintained, etc.)?
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Sadly they're old. This is the only real drawback to South.
How do students from this program do after graduation - are they adequately prepared for practice?
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Yes, students from South are very well prepared for patient interactions and do very well in residencies.
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They do very well. You should feel quite comfortable in a clinical setting and in your abilities by graduation. If not you were not proactive a rough.
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Lots of primary care grads. The ones I've talked to seem to have done very well in residency.
What are rotations like?
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5
How do students from this program do in the Match?
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Mostly regional schools with a few matching in other areas. Many matches are in high demand specialties such as ophthalmology, dermatology, and orthopedics.
Any other information you want to share?
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In recent years more and more clinical and basic science faculty have been interacting and collaborating both for teaching and research. This has helped make the transition to the new curriculum a relatively smooth one. You will be inundated with basic science in the first 2 years as per norm however in the new curriculum you now recieve ample instruction on how this information relates clinically. Conversely in your clinical years you will now have to recall basic science. This all reflects where the NBME has gone in constructing the step exams.
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There are a few excellent professors here (and they are all actual physicians). Unless you are an MD/PhD applicant, avoid this school like the plague.
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