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Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center School of Medicine

Richmond, VA

Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit

📚 General Info

What graduating class are you in?

2010

Are you pursuing any joint degrees (MD/PhD, MD/MPH, etc.)?

No

Are you considered in-state or out-of-state for tuition purposes?

in-state

What is your race/ethnic background?

Other/Multiracial

Overall, how would you rate this medical program?

3 out of 10

What is the reputation of the school in the medical community?

4 out of 10

What is the reputation of the research that goes on at this school?

2 out of 10

What was your MCAT score?

511

What was your undergrad GPA?

3.8

What was your undergrad science GPA?

3.9

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

24015

What do you like most about this school?

My fellow medical students here are really cool. Most of them are laid-back and have fun when they are working.

What do you like least about this school?

THE ADMINISTRATION!!! They are totally unresponsive to student concerns. Student mistreatment is a HUGE problem at VCU. Anytime student mistreatment occurs here, the administration always sides with the faculty member who is being charged with mistreatment. Also, students are discriminated against here for everything from having ADD to outside activities.

Please provide any other general comments on your school

I am currently interviewing for residency. I have double 99 (averaged over 250 on steps I and II) so I got interviews at competitive programs. i cannot tell you how many interviewers have never heard of VCU. I have to explain at every interview that I do not go to UVA. I would not go here unless you have no other options. I only applied to three medical schools, and ended up going here to save money on in-state tuition. Apply broadly. Good luck.
Curriculum

How is the curriculum structured?

Systems-based

How many courses are taken at a given time?

1

How long are you typically in class per day?

3-4 hours

Are courses recorded for medical students?

Free note taking service Video recording

How many days per week is anatomy lab?

7

How many students per cadaver?

7-8

How long (in months) do you have anatomy?

3 months

Is the curriculum lecture-centric or small-group centric?

2 out of 10

Are standardized patients used?

yes

How much patient interaction is there in the pre-clinical years?

4 out of 10

Are syllabi provided for the student?

yes

How frequently do pre-clinical medical school activities have mandatory attendance?

Infrequently

What books are necessary?

Bates

What books are unnecessary?

All other books are unnecessary

Is the curriculum designed to promote a specialty? If so, which specialty?

No
Location & Housing

How do you feel about the location of the school?

6 out of 10

Do you feel safe on campus?

6 out of 10

How available and convenient is public transportation?

6 out of 10

Is a car necessary at any point during your education here?

All years

If a car is required for education, how available and convenient is the parking provided to students?

4 out of 10

Is on-campus housing available?

yes

What is the quality of available on-campus housing?

5 out of 10

What percentage of your medical school classmates would you estimate live on campus, if on-campus housing is available?

1 out of 10

Is couples housing available?

No responses

Is nearby off-campus housing available?

yes

How expensive is nearby off-campus housing?

7 out of 10

Please describe the on-campus housing if available (i.e., cost, type - studios, 1-br, 2-br, etc.)?

No responses
Cost/Financial Aid

Are fees/tuition expensive?

5 out of 10

How is the cost of living (rent, food, bills, etc.)?

7 out of 10

Are many institutional scholarships/grants available?

4 out of 10

Is institutional aid need-based or merit-based?

Both
Faculty/Grades

Are faculty members very open to students during office hours?

4 out of 10

Are faculty members very available to students via email/message board?

6 out of 10

Are there many opportunities to shadow/work with clinical faculty?

7 out of 10

Are the faculty willing to mentor students in regards to career guidance?

6 out of 10

Is the class ranked?

yes

How is the instructional faculty during pre-clinical years?

Not very approachable

How is the instructional faculty during clinical years?

More approachable

What is the grading scale used during pre-clinical years?

Fail, Marginal, Pass, High Pass, Honors

What is the grading scale used during clinical years?

Fail, Marginal, Pass, High Pass, Honors
Clinical Rotations

Are the desired rotation sites easy to obtain?

4 out of 10

Is desired rotation order easy to obtain?

4 out of 10

Are the elective rotations easy to obtain?

7 out of 10

Is there substantial hands-on experience for medical students?

6 out of 10

Are the rotation sites conveniently accessible for medical students?

4 out of 10

How far are the clinical sites from the main campus?

4 out of 10

How are clinical rotations scheduled? What are the required rotations?

No responses

What responsibility do med students have on the wards?

Pre-rounding on all patients

What is the status/condition of the affiliated hospital(s)?

Average

What is the typical patient population medical students work with?

Poor. Urban. Non-compliant.
Social Environment

Do students do a lot of activities outside of school together?

8 out of 10

How would you rank student involvement in extracurricular clubs?

8 out of 10

What is the range of extracurricular clubs available?

8 out of 10

Is the student body cooperative or competitive?

7 out of 10

Is the environment supportive for underrepresented minorities?

8 out of 10

Is the environment supportive for lesbian/gay/bisexual/transsexual students?

8 out of 10

Is the environment supportive for students with disabilities?

5 out of 10

Is the environment supportive for married students?

9 out of 10

Is the environment supportive for older/non-traditional students?

9 out of 10

What do the students typically like to do in the area?

Drink heavily. Hike. Mountain bike. Go to VA Beach. See live music. Wine tours. Team sports.
Post Graduation

How do graduates from this school fare in residency and clinical practice?

Average

Is this school known for producing physicians strong in a certain area? If so, which area?

No

What do you believe residency directors think about graduates from this program?

Most directors at top programs have not heard of VCU