1. Tell us a little bit about where you're from and where you went to college. Had you ever visited Alabama before considering UAB for medical school?
Rob: I was born in Kansas, but raised just outside of San Francisco, California. For college, I attended Cal Poly, located along the central coast in San Luis Obispo. Before considering UAB for medical school, I had never visited Alabama, but now I am happy to be here.
Alissa: I am originally from a small town in Wisconsin near Green Bay (Go Packers!) called Freedom. I went to University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which is in a city of about 65,000 people, to get my biology degree and play basketball. I had only been to Alabama once prior to applying, but had never spent time in Birmingham until I came for my interview. I was surprised how small the city felt in comparison to what I expected.
Alissa Schuh2. Why did you choose UAB?
R: Growing up, my dad shared stories about how he moved from Philadelphia to Atlanta when he graduated college. He still reflects on his great experiences and good times living in the South. I have inherited this sense of exploration and have since shared many new regional experiences with my classmates and friends. My desire to try something new was also complemented by a great interview experience and the welcoming UAB community. Choosing UAB has been humbling but very rewarding.
A: When I interviewed at UAB, I felt extremely welcomed. I came in very stressed out, but meeting the students and staff immediately calmed my nerves. We have students who truly care about each other and want to see everyone succeed, and that came through right away. I also felt like the faculty and staff I met during my interview appreciated me as a whole person — not just an MCAT score or a GPA. The school offers a ton of opportunities for students to get involved in Alabama and abroad, which is something that I really value.
3. What were some of your greatest concerns about being an out-of-state student? Have you found resources at UAB to help alleviate those concerns?
R: When I arrived in Birmingham holding my one-way ticket from California, I knew none of my classmates. My roommate and I had talked over the phone, but we had never met in person. I had virtually no social ties to anyone in our class and found myself in an entirely new environment. As an out-of-state student, my biggest concern was leaving behind all my family and friends while simultaneously making new ones. However, I quickly realized that making new friends would not be a problem.
The community welcomed me with open arms. Looking back, I owe much of my successful transition to our UABSOM orientation and orientation leaders. The orientation events enabled me to meet nearly every individual in our class and establish friendships that can potentially last a lifetime. In fact, I became an Orientation Leader to ensure future students have the same smooth transition to UAB that I did.
A: Finding a safe, comfortable place to live in Birmingham was a big deal for me. I only stayed for one night when I interviewed and didn't know anyone else in my class when I was looking at apartments, so I didn't even know where to start looking. But the school does have great resources for you, like MSS (including the all-knowing Jason Noah) and connecting you with the other students via Slack and Facebook. Never be scared to reach out to your classmates or upperclassmen - we all want to help!
Rob EspositoI was also really concerned about much debt I was going to accumulate, which is a big deal for all students, but more so for out-of-state students because we pay so much more tuition. The financial aid office here is great. They answer questions at all hours of the day and night, and do everything they can to help. They even make workbooks to help you plan your budget for the year. UAB gives out a ton of scholarships too. It’s one super easy application each year (due in April) and you get entered for most scholarships they offer. It takes away all of the stress of finding and applying for scholarships, and it has been a huge help for me and many of my classmates.
4. What has the transition been like? Has anything surprised you?
R: As I previously mentioned, the transition has been very smooth for me. However, it didn’t just end at orientation. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of non-academic events the school provides to encourage students to explore and experience Birmingham, which was incredibly important for me as an out-of-state student. I know the transition feels scary at first, but after my first year I am confident in saying that I feel right at home in Birmingham.
A: If I am being completely honest, the transition went way better than I expected it to. Moving south brought with it a ton of differences for me: medical school starting, being 900 miles away from home without knowing a single person, living in a bigger city, and the list goes on. I'm pretty optimistic, but I was expecting a lot of road bumps, most of which never popped up. I went to the Diversity Bootcamp, the week before orientation (I highly recommend it), so I knew quite a few people when I came to orientation, which was relieving. My orientation leaders and classmates are amazing too. They are all very inclusive people who have done a lot to make everyone feel welcome. We also do check in meetings during fundamentals with a faculty member. This is a great time to talk about any issues you are having personally or academically. Help is close here and if you are struggling, there are always a lot of people that want to help you succeed. What surprised me most about medical school is how cohesive my class is. I feel like all medical students say this, but it's a true statement here, and I am so happy to be a part of it!
Alissa Schuh2. Why did you choose UAB? R: Growing up, my dad shared stories about how he moved from Philadelphia to Atlanta when he graduated college. He still reflects on his great experiences and good times living in the South. I have inherited this sense of exploration and have since shared many new regional experiences with my classmates and friends. My desire to try something new was also complemented by a great interview experience and the welcoming UAB community. Choosing UAB has been humbling but very rewarding.
A: When I interviewed at UAB, I felt extremely welcomed. I came in very stressed out, but meeting the students and staff immediately calmed my nerves. We have students who truly care about each other and want to see everyone succeed, and that came through right away. I also felt like the faculty and staff I met during my interview appreciated me as a whole person — not just an MCAT score or a GPA. The school offers a ton of opportunities for students to get involved in Alabama and abroad, which is something that I really value.
3. What were some of your greatest concerns about being an out-of-state student? Have you found resources at UAB to help alleviate those concerns?
R: When I arrived in Birmingham holding my one-way ticket from California, I knew none of my classmates. My roommate and I had talked over the phone, but we had never met in person. I had virtually no social ties to anyone in our class and found myself in an entirely new environment. As an out-of-state student, my biggest concern was leaving behind all my family and friends while simultaneously making new ones. However, I quickly realized that making new friends would not be a problem.
The community welcomed me with open arms. Looking back, I owe much of my successful transition to our UABSOM orientation and orientation leaders. The orientation events enabled me to meet nearly every individual in our class and establish friendships that can potentially last a lifetime. In fact, I became an Orientation Leader to ensure future students have the same smooth transition to UAB that I did.
A: Finding a safe, comfortable place to live in Birmingham was a big deal for me. I only stayed for one night when I interviewed and didn't know anyone else in my class when I was looking at apartments, so I didn't even know where to start looking. But the school does have great resources for you, like MSS (including the all-knowing Jason Noah) and connecting you with the other students via Slack and Facebook. Never be scared to reach out to your classmates or upperclassmen - we all want to help!
Rob EspositoI was also really concerned about much debt I was going to accumulate, which is a big deal for all students, but more so for out-of-state students because we pay so much more tuition. The financial aid office here is great. They answer questions at all hours of the day and night, and do everything they can to help. They even make workbooks to help you plan your budget for the year. UAB gives out a ton of scholarships too. It’s one super easy application each year (due in April) and you get entered for most scholarships they offer. It takes away all of the stress of finding and applying for scholarships, and it has been a huge help for me and many of my classmates. 4. What has the transition been like? Has anything surprised you?
R: As I previously mentioned, the transition has been very smooth for me. However, it didn’t just end at orientation. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of non-academic events the school provides to encourage students to explore and experience Birmingham, which was incredibly important for me as an out-of-state student. I know the transition feels scary at first, but after my first year I am confident in saying that I feel right at home in Birmingham.
A: If I am being completely honest, the transition went way better than I expected it to. Moving south brought with it a ton of differences for me: medical school starting, being 900 miles away from home without knowing a single person, living in a bigger city, and the list goes on. I'm pretty optimistic, but I was expecting a lot of road bumps, most of which never popped up. I went to the Diversity Bootcamp, the week before orientation (I highly recommend it), so I knew quite a few people when I came to orientation, which was relieving. My orientation leaders and classmates are amazing too. They are all very inclusive people who have done a lot to make everyone feel welcome. We also do check in meetings during fundamentals with a faculty member. This is a great time to talk about any issues you are having personally or academically. Help is close here and if you are struggling, there are always a lot of people that want to help you succeed. What surprised me most about medical school is how cohesive my class is. I feel like all medical students say this, but it's a true statement here, and I am so happy to be a part of it!