Jodi-Anne Wallace chatted with other potential members of the UF College of Medicine’s class of 2016 at the recent Second Look reception.
But the UF undergraduate from Miramar said she had already made up her mind about two weeks ago.
“I’m going here,” Wallace said. “I feel like it’s become home for me.”
About 100 accepted UF COM students, plus their guests, attended the college’s Second Look weekend, held April 27-28. Friday night’s reception allowed accepted student to mingle with each other and meet college faculty and leadership, while Saturday’s agenda featured presentations by faculty and students.
With May 15 — the date students must hold only one acceptance at a U.S. medical school – fast approaching, Second Look helps woo some of UF’s top undecided students, as well as welcome students who have already committed to UF COM.
“First, let me tell you that we want you here,” said Jason Rosenberg, M.D., president of the UF medical alumni board and chairman of the Florida Board of Medicine.
The 1995 UF College of Medicine graduate, who was Friday night’s keynote speaker, spoke of the college’s focus on humanism and its tremendous opportunities for academic and clinical partnerships and lifelong mentorships.
Competition was stiff for one of the 135 seats in the College of Medicine class of 2016. There were 2,986 applicants for this fall’s class, up from 2,583 applicants last year, said Leila Amiri, director of admissions. Of those applicants, just 373 students received interviews this year.
“We always tell the students we’re looking for Albert Einstein and Mother Theresa mixed into one,” said Amiri.
Eleven incoming students knew UF was their top choice a year ago. They are the members of UF’s Junior Honors Medical Program, a combined seven-year baccalaureate/M.D. program.
“If I went the normal route, I would have applied to UF and gone to UF anyway,” said Dennis Chen, a UF junior honors student from Palm Harbor, who is interested in the clinical research opportunities at UF.
Melanie Mitta, another junior honors student, volunteers with the college’s Equal Access Clinic, which is where she said she found her passion for primary care. She also knew UF COM had a high quality program with plenty of strong mentors and international opportunities.
“I’m set on UF—this is the school where I want to go,” said Mitta, who moved to the U.S. two years ago from Peru. “This is a school that has everything for me.”
David Etter, a UF undergraduate from Coral Springs, brought his dad to the Second Look event, but said he had already decided to attend UF.
“I wanted to stay in-state and I think UF is the best school in the state,” he said.
Tom Etter, his father, said he was extremely proud of his son’s accomplishments.
“To get into UF, you have to be bright,” he said. “But to get into UF’s medical school, what are the odds of that?”