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University of South Alabama College of Medicine

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.
πŸŽ“ The Basics β–Ό

Overall, how satisfied are you with this program?

What was the zip code of your residence in high school?

Response Avg # Responders
33,229.33 3

What do you like most?

  • I like the cooperative spirit of the student body and all the hands on experiences incorporated into the first two years.
  • The independence they encourage and foster.
  • 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?

  • There have been some bumps in the road implementing new curricula. These are getting better as we go though.
  • The hospital and facilities are from state of the art. If that's a deal breaker, would avoid.
  • 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 β–Ό

Does the student body seem cooperative or competitive?

Does the environment seem supportive for underrepresented minorities?

Does the environment seem supportive for lesbian/gay/bisexual/transsexual students?

Does the environment seem supportive for married students?

Does the environment seem supportive for students with disabilities?

Does the environment seem supportive for older/non-traditional students?

Do you/did you feel well prepared for your board exams?

How approachable are faculty members?

What are the facilities and clinics like (old/new, well maintained, etc.)?

How do students from this program do after graduation - are they adequately prepared for practice?

What are rotations like?

How do students from this program do in the Match?

Any other information you want to share?

  • 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.
  • 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.