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2016-2017 Application Cycle -- UC Davis

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MNscribemaster

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Received the supplemental app twice now lol? I did interview and it was splendid! Also, thank you current students for addressing the concerns over the negative remark above. I have a question for you current students I was hoping you could address. As hilliaryj stated above, she received the invite to the supplemental although she did not attend the candidate day. When we initially received e-mails pertaining to the candidate day visit; they specified that "Applicants are required to attend the in-person Candidate Visit Day to continue to be considered for admission. " I am looking at old forums and see that this was a concern last year as well. The folks who traveled to Sacramento were feeling that this was unfair as other candidates still received secondary applications regardless if they went or not. However, I was reading that the ones who did not go to the interview day, but still filled out the secondary applications - were NOT accepted. Could any current students elaborate on this? Is there anyone from the current class that did not go to the Candidate day, but were still accepted into the program? Thank you for reading.

 

Luke

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ChimichangaPA

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Hey everyone, I'm a 1st year PA also and I just wanted to add my opinion on some of the stuff that was said recently. 

To start, I have the utmost respect for my cohort and their opinions. Nothing I say here diminishes any of their experiences or thoughts on the program. We all come to this with different expectations and past struggles and that's why we are here. Diversity.

With that said, I have to say that I agree that this program is not that great. The resources are spread thin and they are very much in an awkward transitional period where things don't seem to be working very well. Do I necessarily think that you should not come here?? Well that is for you to decide. We all know that making that decision is multi-factorial and extends well beyond the program's ability to educate you. Finances, family, location, and networking all play important roles as well. I certainly had my reasons for coming here that weren't related to education.

If the quality of the program is your main determining factor, my suggestion to you would be to choose another program if you have the option to do so. The other programs are likely more well equipped to raise you to the caliber of PA that you aspire to be. As my classmate said before, we are all well on our way to becoming wonderful PAs, but that isn't because the program is molding us into wonderful PAs. Most of that development is due to a phenomenal support system in our own cohort as well as the cohort before us and the other interdisciplinary students that we mingle with outside of class. To put it another way, there is family and heart here. We care about each other and we share what we know. That is why we will do well in our careers.

Let me lay down some facts that will help you understand why I think that way about this program:

You'll quickly find that about 40-50% of the professors here either have a very strange teaching method (They make assumptions about your knowledge base, they rush things, they spend a significant amount of time on minor topics, they rant about things...etc) or they are just flat out incompetent with the material (Two of our professors recently struggled to identify the difference between hypocapnia and hyperventilation).-- A point that some of my classmates may or may not agree with. I'm not sure. 

Every quarter we have had so far, we have had at least one worthless class that takes up a significant amount of time (Usually 4 hours a week in class and however many hours outside of class). Last quarter, The class was all about listening skills and meditation.... 4 hours of listening skills and meditation. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy meditation and yoga, but that is not what I am paying tuition for, you know? 

The next thing worth mentioning is that everything feels very disconnected and unorganized. Last quarter, we had a class that was all about practicing clinical skills (specifically, we were practicing various segments of a head to toe examination). To do so, they broke our gigantic class up into smaller groups and paired us up with a person who was responsible for teaching that group how to do those skills. Some of us were lucky enough to get well seasoned professors that are good at teaching. Others were unfortunately paired with people who didn't seem to have a clue what they were doing. As you can imagine, there was a wide range of skill sets by the end of the quarter when we all had to come together and actually do our head-to-toe examinations. This quarter, we have various guest lectures (Which are usually amazing in their own right) but I don't think they work well with our normal class lectures. Many of them contain a lot of redundant information. Others are not related to what we have been learning in our normal class lectures. There isn't much of a logical order to many of them.

Some of the skills we learn just aren't that helpful because there is a lack of time or resources to adequately teach everyone in our cohort. For example we only were able to play around with ultrasound for one hour. We did intubation, airway management, and O2 therapy for 15 minutes. We did a half-assed phlebotomy workshop with missing supplies (the needles for the vacuum tubes were nowhere to be found). And from what I understand, we only get to do one suturing workshop later in the year. We learn the majority of these skills much more in depth when med students and 2nd year PAs hold unofficial workshops outside of school. But you have to seek those opportunities out yourself.

 

As you have maybe heard, we have a new room. As you probably have also heard, your cohort will be getting a new building. To me, this is all just pleasant aesthetics masking the fact that the behind the scenes workings of this program are trash. The fancy new facilities and technology holds little value when your professors don't know how to adequately utilize it. Professors will point at things with their laser pointer on their PowerPoint on one of the many screens that are scattered around the room; seemingly unaware that most of us are unable to see what the hell they are pointing at because they are not using their Ipad or the mouse at the main computer to point at it. We have microphones embedded into every table, yet when someone on the opposite side of the room from you raises their hand to ask a question, you can't hear them speak because the faculty/staff in the room consistently fail to turn the microphones on. Did I mention that these microphones and screens are the same reason why none of us are able to have water or food at any of the tables? We wouldn't want to damage the expensive technology that we never use properly by an accidental spill, so instead we all have to store our snacks and water together in the corner of the room and stand there awkwardly when we want to hydrate. 

As you know, most of us didn't do very well on an exam a few weeks back. Recently we had another exam and I think it is safe to say that we all did much better this time around, but that isn't because they did a better job at teaching us. Their teaching methods stayed the same. It's because we went above and beyond to find the answers outside of what they taught us in class. We worked with each other to rise to the occasion and found resources on our own.... because we are all incredibly smart and resourceful people. 

 
If you plan on relying heavily on your program to mold you into a great PA, then go somewhere else. This program wont help you much. If you want to pull 95% of the weight and teach yourself medicine with the help of your friends, family, and the awesome cohort ahead of you.... we'll be waiting here to help you become the miraculous clinician you're looking to be, despite UC Davis' lack luster program.

 

Good luck to all of you with your remaining interviews and your future decisions.

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AutumnLeaves

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Hi everyone,

 

I am a first year PA student as well and I want to address the previous posts my classmates have posted. I unfortunately agree with some of the prior messages posted onto this forum about the chaotic management of the PA program at Davis. With such an expensive program ( both for instate and out of state students) the quality of education I am receiving is not worth the price or enrollment. As mentioned in a prior post, the lectures and material are poorly taught. Students often heavily rely on outside resources to better understand concepts that were skimmed over briefly. With my experience so far I am horrified how I will fair as a student on rotations next year, given the lackluster training I have received so far. I would deeply recommend to consider your options before committing to this program. I am sad to say at this point I would have preferred declining my spot this year and reapplying to programs elsewhere.

 

Best of luck on your endeavors and decisions.

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smoogiepoogie

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It is very discouraging to hear all of these negative posts about UC Davis, especially because this has been one of my top choice schools. I was so impressed during the interview session, but now I'm worried that it was all just a facade. 

 

I know all programs have their faults, but I am feeling uneasy by the number students who feel so strongly about their dissatisfaction with the program that they are going out of their way to post about it here. I'm not seeing this going on with other programs that I've applied to...

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Almost_a_PA

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It is very discouraging to hear all of these negative posts about UC Davis, especially because this has been one of my top choice schools. I was so impressed during the interview session, but now I'm worried that it was all just a facade. 

 

I know all programs have their faults, but I am feeling uneasy by the number students who feel so strongly about their dissatisfaction with the program that they are going out of their way to post about it here. I'm not seeing this going on with other programs that I've applied to...

I am a second year student in clinical rotations with UC Davis.  Every program faces challenges and we all have our individual frustrations with this program however the plus' outweigh my frustrations.  The students that have been complaining have only been here for one quarter hardly enough time to make a fair assessment of our program.  We are PA students learning advanced medicine.  This isn't undergrad anymore and this isn't just grad school.  It's PA school and it's a different kind of beast.  At some point students will have to learn that a lot of their education is on them and take responsibility for it.  The school guides us with lectures kind of outlining what we need to know.  It is up to us on how we fill in the rest and how we do it is our choice.  There are plenty of resources here that can help any student succeed.  Faculty, 2nd-year students, student run clinics, talks/seminars outside of class hours, med students, your own cohort...it is what you make it.  A student needs  to be proactive in their learning and not expect the school to spoon fee it to them.  For every one student that complains I can find you two that say the opposite.  Our school is going through some changes and I have only seen improvement since I've been here.  The staff work tirelessly behind the scenes to accommodate student needs. We have one of the best clinical rotation faculties in the whole UC system.  I can tell you that as a 2nd-year the school has adequately prepared me for my clinical rotations.  You can go to any program and find people who will complain.  I am a student going out of my way to tell you the opposite.  Our program is a good program it's currently going through a lot of change, expanding, and of course there are bumps in the road.  However I truly believe that this program will be one of the top in the nation. 

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MidwestValuesJP

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On 10/28/2016 at 5:35 PM, smoogiepoogie said:

It is very discouraging to hear all of these negative posts about UC Davis, especially because this has been one of my top choice schools. I was so impressed during the interview session, but now I'm worried that it was all just a facade. 

 

I know all programs have their faults, but I am feeling uneasy by the number students who feel so strongly about their dissatisfaction with the program that they are going out of their way to post about it here. I'm not seeing this going on with other programs that I've applied to...

Do not worries Smoogie! Go with you initiale impression during the Davis interview. EDIT- NAME REMOVED

 

I am a current first year and I am very happy that I made the move to come here. Coming from a small town, I love Sacremento and all that it has to offer. I love clinics, and I love the dedacated people in my class. 

I also value how hard the Davis faculty works to get our feedback. I am pleedings with you not to make ur decision based on 1 person's (NAME REMOVED) negative, tasteless, petty views. He can always leave Davis and reapply during the 2017-2018 cycle to Northeastern, where his heart is. 

Come to Davis!!!!!!!!!! -Happy Camper  rotten apples do NOT spoil a good bunch

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UCDHopeful2017

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On 10/28/2016 at 9:27 PM, MidwestValuesJP said:

Do not worries Smoogie! Go with you initiale impression during the Davis interview. EDIT- NAME REMOVED

 

I am a current first year and I am very happy that I made the move to come here. Coming from a small town, I love Sacremento and all that it has to offer. I love clinics, and I love the dedacated people in my class. 

I also value how hard the Davis faculty works to get our feedback. I am pleedings with you not to make ur decision based on 1 person's (NAME REMOVED) negative, tasteless, petty views. He can always leave Davis and reapply during the 2017-2018 cycle to Northeastern, where his heart is. 

Come to Davis!!!!!!!!!! -Happy Camper  rotten apples do NOT spoil a good bunch

 

I understand you may have a different opinion of the program and what was posted by your classmate, but naming him was completely unnecessary.

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Enso11235

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That was pretty inappropriate to name someone like that. The applicants on this forum are here to hear everyone's ideas of UC Davis. Good and bad. None of our classmates deserve to be shamed because they're being honest with prospective students about how they feel about the program. This is a public forum and people can post whatever they want to post here (with anonymity if they choose). 

It's honestly embarrassing how big of an issue this thing has become. Seriously everyone, Move on. Agree to disagree. Whatever you gotta do. We've got more important things to worry about. Nephrology to study.

 

I'm 27 and feel like I'm in high school again. 0.o

 

I apologize everyone. We usually aren't at each other's throats like this. 

 

Promise. = )

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Excited2BPA

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Yikes...honestly, my gut feeling at the interview was not a nice one. Which was unfortunate because the school seemed promising. After reading the good and bad opinions about the program it just reaffirms my gut feeling that I had. There were some professional and some not so professional comments that were made, and I don't think I want to be part of a program where students feel so extreme on the spectrum of opinions. I think in a professional program, such as PA school, the whole idea is to work and study together and do it professionally. I wasn't and still am not getting that vibe, sadly. So I am not going to submit my secondary and go to the school where I felt I can work alonside with professional students. Thank you for your opinions and good luck to everyone, students and prospective students!

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Almost_a_PA

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On 10/28/2016 at 8:27 PM, MidwestValuesJP said:

Do not worries Smoogie! Go with you initiale impression during the Davis interview. EDIT- NAME REMOVED

 

I am a current first year and I am very happy that I made the move to come here. Coming from a small town, I love Sacremento and all that it has to offer. I love clinics, and I love the dedacated people in my class. 

I also value how hard the Davis faculty works to get our feedback. I am pleedings with you not to make ur decision based on 1 person's (Sean's) negative, tasteless, petty views. He can always leave Davis and reapply during the 2017-2018 cycle to Northeastern, where his heart is. 

Come to Davis!!!!!!!!!! -Happy Camper  rotten apples do NOT spoil a good bunch

This was completely uncalled for.  I will always defend our program, our school, and our faculty becasue I know how hard they work for us students. Putting a fellow classmate in the cross hairs...I dunno...not cool. For one we don't even know if this is true.  It's impossible to know for sure who posted what.  Here's what I have to say to anybody selecting a school.  Do your research.  I went to OHSU and pretty much to all schools in Cali and visited their campuses.  Talked to current students, program directors, and toured the campuses.  I needed  to get a feel of how the school was. I reviewed mission statements visited student run clinics.  It cost me a lot a money but I felt if I was gonna spend two years of my life somewhere and spend over 200,000 it was worth it to put in the time to research.   I ultimately chose Davis becasue of the students I talked to and the innovative ideas they had about inter-professionalism.  I saw what Davis was trying to achieve in the big picture and I wanted to be a part of it.  I do not regret my choice and will always defend our program, however as much as I disagree with people who think our program is horrible, this post was completely uncalled for. 

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