Picking a medical school

[FutureMD836]

I will be starting medical school in 2005. Right now I am deciding between Mt. Sinai and George Washington University. Part of me tends to sway towards Sinai because of it's name and it's the 3rd best in New York (that's where I'm from) My question to you is..how much significance did you guys give to the name of the school you chose? Everyone says to choose where you will be happiest, and I seriously think I can be happy at either place. Sinai has a good name and so does GWU. I know residency is mainly based on Board scores. But, does the school you goto play any role at all in the process? I know that it definitly did in undergrad. since I graduated from a city college..and medical schools had a certain weight they gave to my average in comparison to someone who graduated from say an ivy league school. My family is filled with physicians...and they tell me it matters where you goto medical school; however, I want to hear this from a young student's perspective. Thanks!

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[scootad.]

Where do you want to do residency? If nyc, then go to sinai. Sinai has a better rep, but its not that significant of a difference. If you would be happier at GW, then go there (as opposed to if it was between columbia/cornell vs. GW then I would say go to cornell/columbia unless you'd be miserable in nyc).

btw, I'd say NYU and Sinai are pretty even in rep, actually nyu probably has a better name (so I wouldnt say Sinai is necessarily the clear cut 3rd best in nyc).

 

[TheRussian]

Meet people that will be in your class. Go where you think you're going to like your classmates more.

 

[FutureMD836]

Thanks for the advice...I'm thinking of definitely doing my residency in NYC. I loved the people at GW. They seem so chill and down to earth...like they find the balance between school and having a life; which is imt. for me. I was told that Mt. Sinai can be pretty clicky...what do you guys think? And def. NYU is an awesome school..I was just going by the ranking in US News & World Report

 

[monstermatch]

Every med school is clicky - its just like high school all over again. Just go where you'll be happy. Trust your gut on this one - you can have a great career going to either place so don't dwell too much on the minutia.

 

[criminallyinane]

I think it would be foolish to pay GW's outrageous tuition over going to Sinai which has a substantially better reputation. I don't really think of GW the same way I think of Sinai. Being in NY or being in DC, both are cool cities, but Sinai just has such great research opportunities and resources, I just don't think GW comes close to comparing.

 

[FutureMD836]

That's what I figured..I never knew med school was clicky like high school..on interview day everyone makes it seem like they all hang together...help eachother out...etc. Is there a lot of competition? At GWU one student invites the whole class to go somewhere..like dinner, bar, etc. Is it like that at Sinai?

 

[phoenixsupra]

Both schools are pretty much equal. Chose the city you'd like to live in most. Congrats btw

 

[Catalyst]

I think it would be foolish to pay GW's outrageous tuition over going to Sinai which has a substantially better reputation. I don't really think of GW the same way I think of Sinai. Being in NY or being in DC, both are cool cities, but Sinai just has such great research opportunities and resources, I just don't think GW comes close to comparing.

Agreed. I was choosing between a bunch of schools that included GW, Pitt, UVA, and Sinai and ended up choosing Sinai because of its research opportunities/facilities/reputation, pass/fail grading, and location. I would never attend GW over Sinai, no question about it. PM me if you have more questions about why.

As for scootad's comment that NYU probably has a better name, I think both NYU and Sinai's 2005 Matchlists (and past years' lists) are stellar and one cannot objectively say one is better over the other. I remember interviewing at NYU last year and interviewing with a physician who randomly talked trash about Sinai, which was not only unprofessional but completely rideiculous given my experiences at Sinai interviewing and now as a student. People can be very petty and immature. The bottom line is that in terms of NYC reputation, my gut feeling is that Cornell/Columbia are probably 1st tier and NYU/Sinai are probably 2nd. When choosing between schools in NYC, it's probably less important to consider reputation and more important to consider things such as curricula, research opportunities, location, and the students you're going to be classmates with.

 

[Smile'n'Wink MD]

Pick the place that has a Pass/Fail System. If they both do, pick the one closer to home.

 

[goldie]

I'm a third-year at Sinai, so maybe I can help. Really, I would go for where you're going to be happy. Think about friends, family, etc. You're going to need a support group to get through some of the crap med school is going to throw at you. As far as residency stuff goes, and "ranking" of schools, it's a lot of crap, really. It's not really where you go, but how you do. People from "bad" schools get great residencies and people from "top tier" schools get satisfactory ones. And this NYU-Sinai rivalry is idiocy. They're both good and you'll get a fine education at either institution (though we have Central Park for a backyard!). So don't get hung up on Sinai being "Number three" (whatever that means) and such. Go where you're going to be happy and do well.

 

[skypilot]

Yeah, pass fail, recorded lectures, and note taking services will be very helpful.

 

[dr.z]

Both schools are pretty much equal. Chose the city you'd like to live in most. Congrats btw

I agree.

 

[pekq]

Both schools are not equal. Sinai is clearly better

NYC > DC (unless you have family and friend in DC)

Sinai has better research. You can argue that GW has NIH but commuting to NIH from GW and back is no fun due to traffic and security searches.

Cheaper to live at Sinai's subsidized housing

Reputation-wise, Sinai is better. Look at US News' best hospital fields and you can see that Sinai is more likely to have people who can help you match your choice residency.

 

[FutureMD836]

Thank you sooo much guys for all the input Happy Easter!