Birmingham Mavens
- Thread starter tbaydog
- Start date
I don't live in Birmingham but a residency at UAB is a good thing, a very good thing.
Can’t speak for the medical school (I’ve heard great things) but my wife and I thoroughly enjoy everything Birmingham. Sure it has some areas that are shady like every city. But my wife and I frequent downtown restaurants and bars and we’ve never felt unsafe. I’ve also discovered quite a bulldog footprint here too. Haven’t been to Memphis or Jackson recently but from what I can remember from each city, Birmingham takes the cake by a long shot in my opinion.
Also UAB seems to have an incredible footprint here in terms of their offices and clinics. We’ve always been blown away by their medical care when we’ve had to use their services.
Lastly, although we’re just message board comrades, give me a shout when you guys are in town and I’ll be happy to sell you on Bham.
Also UAB seems to have an incredible footprint here in terms of their offices and clinics. We’ve always been blown away by their medical care when we’ve had to use their services.
Lastly, although we’re just message board comrades, give me a shout when you guys are in town and I’ll be happy to sell you on Bham.
Birmingham is a good city and UAB is a great school. Do not turn that down.
As long as she stays east of I-65, she will have no issues at all.
As long as she stays east of I-65, she will have no issues at all.
I don't live there but my brother and his family do (he could live anywhere that had an airport) and my best friend is a Ph.D. nursing professor at UAB. If I didn't live in Stark that is where I would be and am considering the move once I finish grad school. I visit often and love it and it is a great city for young professionals. The med school and nursing schools are top notch/cutting edge and that is a wonderful opportunity. My friend lives just above five points, and can literally ride her bike to work on UAB campus and has the best views overlooking downtown. Terrace Apartments. owned by Mr. Barber (dairies and motorsports) who bought it and keeps it so no one can block his view from his property above it. Not fancy but tons of med students, young professionals, nice pool and safe and convenient to everything she would want to do/see. She should check it out.
Tell her to stay in Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, Homewood, Hoover, etc. She’ll be fine. It’s a good opportunity.
Probably somewhere in between as far as size and resources, but with occasionally competent city government (good luck with the county, though). A chunk of downtown Birmingham has been gentrified over the last 10 years, and even when things got rowdy with protests this summer, the impacted area was fairly limited before the authorities clamped down. If I was just getting out of college, I’d love to live close to the city center.
My son moved there straight out of MSU architecture about 18 months ago. Lived downtown near UAB the first year and moved about 6 blocks east 6 months ago. He loves it. Of course I worry, but i would no matter where he lived.
Yeah... don’t do any of this as a young professional/ medical resident. Live close to UAB. Or Forest Park, Avondale, or Crestwood. Easy 5-10 min commute. And get Birmingham City rental prices instead of Mountain Brook prices and a longer commute. Also, Hoover/Vestavia is a 45-60 min commute during non-COVID times. And just generally a bad idea for a young adult unless they’re married with multiple kids in grade school.
We’ll probably end up in Vestavia or Mountain Brook when public schools become a priority. But as late 20-early 30 somethings, live in or close to the city. Hell, even Southside is safe now and a ton of medical residents live there, right off campus. Walking distance.
My better half just finished residency. And we are extremely happy on Crestwood- Birmingham Proper.
What’s going to be her specialty?
UAB has a great med school as does UMMC and Augusta University (MCG).
UAB has a great med school as does UMMC and Augusta University (MCG).
Is it medical school or residency? Typically for med school, I’d say go to an MD program that’s affordable then branch out a bit for residency. They’re making STEP 1 pass/fail soon, so that will probably cause residency programs to make selections more on med school name than they have been. STEP 2 and grades can still differentiate, but name recognition will matter more, so UAB would have an advantage over UMMC or DO programs.
For residency, it really depends on the specialty. Internal medicine has a good reputation at UAB, and I know several people who’ve gone there for that. I’d say most specialties have a good reputation there, but it’s also important to do the interview and make sure you like the feel/people. I liked UAB fine for my specialty, but I ranked it last. I didn’t interview at a lot of places though
For residency, it really depends on the specialty. Internal medicine has a good reputation at UAB, and I know several people who’ve gone there for that. I’d say most specialties have a good reputation there, but it’s also important to do the interview and make sure you like the feel/people. I liked UAB fine for my specialty, but I ranked it last. I didn’t interview at a lot of places though
Yep. The daughter really needs to pay attention to specialities rather than location.
I’ve got family members whose residencies were at Stanford. Their specialties were Otolargynology & Urology.
I’ve got family members whose residencies were at Stanford. Their specialties were Otolargynology & Urology.
My sister-in-law is faculty at the school of medicine at UAB and really likes it there. They live in Hoover and she says the commute is usually no problem, emphasis on *usually*.
What specialty is your daughter planning on for her residency, if you don't mind my asking?
Anyway that you could steer her toward Proctology or something related? After this year this board and fan base is in dire need of a colonoscopy.
Not the point, Wannabe Smartass. As a young single med student, the last place you'll want to be are those places 57stratdawg listed.
I would take that opportunity for sure. UAB is an excellent medical school and hospital and will open many doors for her. Birmingham gives a great city experience without feeling too big. There are dangerous neighborhoods (Ensley, west end, Bessemer) but the vast majority of Birmingham is safe. Great for young professionals and families too.
We moved to Birmingham a couple of years ago for work and love it. We bought in Mountain Brook for the schools (2 young kids) and proximity to downtown. Honestly I can't imagine living anywhere else nicer or with nicer people. Downtown has a lot of great parks and trails along with breweries and top notch restaurants. The zoo and botanical gardens are fantastic. Tons of great outdoor activities in the surrounding suburbs too with great public schools. Another positive as others have mentioned is that State has a large alumni base here.
We moved to Birmingham a couple of years ago for work and love it. We bought in Mountain Brook for the schools (2 young kids) and proximity to downtown. Honestly I can't imagine living anywhere else nicer or with nicer people. Downtown has a lot of great parks and trails along with breweries and top notch restaurants. The zoo and botanical gardens are fantastic. Tons of great outdoor activities in the surrounding suburbs too with great public schools. Another positive as others have mentioned is that State has a large alumni base here.
This is great because MSU desperately needs another viable decent big city near it for alumni and students. While it’ll never be Atlanta/Dallas/Nashville, the strides Bham has made in recent years are good enough.YardBarker said:
A few posters here are Hemmoroids, but there are a couple of perfect ******** that post regularly.
UAB is one of the top med schools in the South. I might be a little biased since they did my mom's kidney transplant.
This is very much happening. I see tons of MSU car tags in and around town. We're nearing 1000 active Alumni Association members in Shelby/Jefferson Counties. When I walk around the neighborhood, it's easily recognizable that we're 3rd behind Bama and Auburn in representation. The neighborhoods are littered with MSU house flags.
As an aside, Bham is a bit of a hub city. We can take easy weekend trips to Chattanooga, Atlanta, Nashville, Blue Ridge, the Gulf Beaches, or Memphis all within/around 3 hours. I've parked on campus at MSU within 2 hours 15 min from leaving my house. Have been in a seat at SunTrust Park in Atlanta within 2.5 hours of leaving my house. And have boarded a shuttle at Hartsfield Atlanta Airport in right at 2 hours.
Pre-COVID there were direct flights from Bham to Dallas, Houston, Denver, Vegas, Chicago, NYC, Boston, Philly, DC, Baltimore, Charlotte, Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa, and Miami, among others.
Overall, it's a really good compromise between the small metro areas like Jackson and the large metros like Atlanta. And, for me, staying within 3 hours of Starkville is a huge plus.
Only problem is that many MSU alumni’s kids are going to damn Bama or Auburn because that’s where their ‘friends’ are. Screw that, send them to State. My hope is that we will become enough of a #3 there, where that won’t be as prevalent, and perhaps we will pick off some of the other schools’ alumni’s kids to even it all out.
Vestavia Hills, mountain brook, etc are nothing like Jackson.
Wonderful places.
I like Jackson but those places are super nice.
Downtown birmingham is fine during the daylight and some places are fine at night.
Some places I wouldn’t want to be alone after 515p.
Wonderful places.
I like Jackson but those places are super nice.
Downtown birmingham is fine during the daylight and some places are fine at night.
Some places I wouldn’t want to be alone after 515p.
I have and every place he named is a great area. Hoover is the least of them but still a good area.
I’m single and I spent a lot of time in mountain brook and homewood from 34 to 37.
Lot of time down town also.
You can live in homewood or vestavia and be downtown in 10 mins.
Lot of time down town also.
You can live in homewood or vestavia and be downtown in 10 mins.
Homewood, sure. Homewood has some great parts around SoHo or by Gian Marcos for young professionals, and easy commutes. But those parts have also gotten damn near Mtn Brook prices.
I’m not knocking Vestavia. Plan to move there in 3-5 years. But it’s definitely more fitting for a family. And, it’d be hard to get within Vestavia city limits in 10min via helicopter from downtown. You find a spot in Vestavia that’s door to door to downtown in less than 30 min during either rush hour, let me know. I’d buy sight unseen. I despise 280, 31, and 65 during rush hour.
My only reservation about Vestavia... several MSU friends that have kids in school are decked out in red and blue with the name rebels on it far too often. I need VHHS to change the colors or mascot soon.
Vestavia to Downtown by Chopper ???????
Chuck can get us from backyard pad to rooftop pad in 4.2 minutes, But we have a Bell 525, so I guess for most it might take 8 or 9 minutes.
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Chuck can get us from backyard pad to rooftop pad in 4.2 minutes, But we have a Bell 525, so I guess for most it might take 8 or 9 minutes.
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