Please Help Me Decide!!! (Pritzker vs UNC vs Wisco)

[ChemEngMD]

Hey SDN Fam,

So I have been debating about whether to make a thread like this or not because I wasn't sure I wanted to put my business all out there, but alas I have 3 weeks to decide and I'm still not sure on where to attend school.

First, I just want to say I'm blessed for even having these options right now.

A little bit about me: interested in working with the underserved, advocacy, social and health policy, unsure of specialty at this point.

I don't want to get into the specifics of school costs, but let's just say that all 3 will cost approximately the same (with Wisconsin perhaps being the cheapest by 10-20k over a 4 year period of time).

So IMO costs are a non-factor in my selection. On to what does matter. For those of you who watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I can break this down into the classic paradigm: The Brains, The Looks, and The Wildcard.

Pritzker. The Brains: Worried if I don't go here I'll regret it

Pros:

• Obviously a very cool city to live in
  
• Prestige / Best career move
  
• Best overall matchlist
• Enjoy the Scholarship and Discovery Tracks
• Beautiful school and brand new hospital
• Small class size (could be con too I guess)
• True Pass/Fail (no internal ranking and AOA doesn't happen until 4th year)
• More research, travel, service opportunities than are imaginable for such a small class -- and it's easy to get most of it funded
  
• Very friendly administration, faculty, and students

Cons:

• Wasn't sure if I fit in at the school -- always been a public school kid
  
• Clinical Performance Center was surprisingly lackluster (I may also have a hard time judging because the first one I was exposed to was PITT's)
• Unsure about moving to the big city
• I didn't have "the gut feeling" here at first, but I don't know if that is because it isn't the place for me or if I am simply scared of making this big of a move

UNC. The Looks: Worried if I don't go here I won't fit in

Pros:

• Close to "home base" (I live in the area, but I wouldn't call it home per say) -- also the weather is great
• Closest I've had to "the gut feeling" but it wasn't super strong
  
• The new 1.5 year curriculum will give me a chance for more elective rotations, which would help considering I have 0 idea what I want to do as a specialty
• Pass/Fail throughout the basic science courses (although internal ranking exists)
• Family atmosphere with the students
• Very strong SNMA chapter
• One of the top 2 MPH programs in the country / great international opportunities
• Obviously great Primary Care focus
• CAMPOS Program -- this is ideal to what I would like to do in my future

Cons:

• Not as highly ranked as Pritzker (research ranking)
  
• School doesn't have nearly as much money for funding of student research or international travel ($$ is definitely partitioned)
  
• Matchlist has a few gems, but not as across the board impressive as Pritzker's
• Worried about how the new curriculum is going to go over
• Facilities not nearly as new - 8 students to a cadaver and the simulation center is under construction

Wisconsin. The Wildcard: Worried if I don't go here I'll miss out on a gem

Pros:

• Amazing research institution with tons of $$ and great grad programs
• Great place to be a grad student -- I know a few people who went to Madison for their PhDs and loved the town
• Beautiful facilities and the simulation center was easily the nicest of the three
• Integrated public health curriculum -- very appealing to my policy side
• Great international and public health opportunities
  
• Big Ten basketball and football games? Yes, please.

Cons:

• Madison is not a super diverse city
• Graded second year (this is probably my biggest problem)
• Not as highly ranked research wise as Pritzker or UNC (although comparable to UNC)
• I did not get a chance to revisit, but I didn't have any sort of gut feeling on interview day here
• I would really like to work with Latinos and there isn't much access to that patient population here

I would welcome anyone and everyone's suggestions and thoughts on these schools. I don't know if I'm just simply scared to take the leap into Pritzker or if I'm second guessing my abilities or what. I have only three weeks left and I'm trying not to panic - but it's getting real.

Thanks for reading!

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[kittykattat]

For what its worth, I've heard that Madison has the most beautiful and charming people of the three locations in question. All great choices though, you really cant go wrong! If you have more questions about the specifics of the beautiful and charming people, feel free to pm me...

 

[pyrrion89]

I'd go with UNC since it's close to home, had the best gut feeling, has stellar clinical training, arguably the BEST MPH program, and CAMPOS---which you said really fits what you want to do. Also UNC has equal reputation as Pritzker, if you go by residency director ratings (3.9 vs 3.9 out of 5). I think much of Pritzker's pull just comes from the prestige of its undergraduate campus---which is not what you'll be attending.

Right now I am leaning toward UCLA over Duke for similar reasons (location and fit, even though the perceived prestige is very slightly less). Kind of hard to turn down the big private school name, but the UNC is an amazing public institution.

 

[ace12345]

Pritzker, and I don't really think it's close. Chicago is world class and so is the school. Madison and UNC, though great schools, will not be the same

 

[ChEMD]

Having true p/f your first 2 years would definitely alleviate some stress. Honestly, you should be able to fit in anywhere that you go. There will be all different personalities and ultimately you'll find a good group of friends that you'll mesh with. If being near home is a must, go to UNC. Moving far away can be scary, but I think it would be a good and enjoyable experience for anyone. Plus, I've heard Chicago is a fun city, although I've never been. Congrats on your success, I don't think you can go wrong here.

 

[oshkoro]

It sounds like we have similar career interests (public health, working with immigrants and Latinos) and I would go to UNC in a heartbeat. The other schools are great but it's hard to beat UNC when it comes to their public health program, and you would get solid connections going there. "Prestige" is relative - Pritzker does well in the rankings but UNC is better (IMO) in what you're interested in.

 

[bofocion]

personally although Madison is a beautiful place to live and the school is arguably comparable to pritzker and UNC, the pure added stress you would get from a graded second year I think would be enough to drive me away from it. Not to mention the grades are on a curve. No matter how well the whole class does, only X number of people will get A grades.

Pritzker is tops in research but it sounds like what you are really looking for is that public health side outside of the education. With that in mind I would lean towards UNC.

not to mention with UNC ..... "CAMPOS Program--this is ideal to what I would like to do in my future" -ChemEngMD

 

[ChemEngMD]

personally although Madison is a beautiful place to live and the school is arguably comparable to pritzker and UNC, the pure added stress you would get from a graded second year I think would be enough to drive me away from it. Not to mention the grades are on a curve. No matter how well the whole class does, only X number of people will get A grades.

Pritzker is tops in research but it sounds like what you are really looking for is that public health side outside of the education. With that in mind I would lean towards UNC.

not to mention with UNC ..... "CAMPOS Program--this is ideal to what I would like to do in my future" -ChemEngMD

I do love CAMPOS, but I'm scared that I will choose UNC - apply to CAMPOS this summer and not get accepted then be livid

 

[alpinism]

For UW and UNC: I wouldn't worry too much about match lists since a good chunk of the class is interested in primary care and/or wants to stay near home for residency.

For UNC: Having an internal ranking is the same thing as grades all 4 years. If you'd like a more relaxed environment with more free time M1/M2 I'd go with Pritzker (true P/F) or UW (M1 true P/F).

For Pritzker and UW: You should have plenty of opportunities to work with Latinos at either (UW has rotations and public health projects in inner city Milwaukee).

Overall, it also depends on where you'd like to end up for residency. If you're thinking of going down south then UNC might be better, but if you'd like to be in the midwest then Pritzker or UW would be better.

IMO I wouldn't worry too much about gut feelings since its really hard to get a feel for a school just based off an interview and/or second look. I'd go with the school that #1 has the most opportunities then #2 is the cheapest.

 

[Lya]

It looks like it's either Pritzker vs. UNC. Wisconsin is famous for stem cell research, but I am not sure about its public policy/health aspect. It looks like it has enough minority populations to work with.

I think that you really cannot go wrong here, although some people here encourage UNC. I am sure that if you are very vocal and active about what you want to do, even Pritzker (or Wisconsin) might accommodate your needs more than you would expect. For health policy, none of these schools stand out. For public health, UNC stands out at the moment, although you could obtain MPH in other prominent institutions as well (like Hopkins, Harvard, Columbia, etc).


If I were you, what I would do is to contact research coordinators/advisers at each school, discuss your research and professional interests, and see what they would suggest for potential mentors and programs to accommodate your needs. I have to agree with the above poster that you should look into a school with the most opportunities to satisfy your appetite.

 

[alpinism]

Since I forgot to mention it earlier, I'd personally go to Pritzker.

 

[Endure]

I'd go with UNC since it's close to home, had the best gut feeling, has stellar clinical training, arguably the BEST MPH program, and CAMPOS---which you said really fits what you want to do. Also UNC has equal reputation as Pritzker, if you go by residency director ratings (3.9 vs 3.9 out of 5). I think much of Pritzker's pull just comes from the prestige of its undergraduate campus---which is not what you'll be attending.

Right now I am leaning toward UCLA over Duke for similar reasons (location and fit, even though the perceived prestige is very slightly less). Kind of hard to turn down the big private school name, but the UNC is an amazing public institution.

I agree with this, as I can attest to the difficulty of turning down a prestigious private school for a well-regarded state school.

I think it's important to consider where it is you envision yourself being happiest. I have trouble believing that any of these schools would impede your career in any discernible way, so go where you feel like you would do best. Go where you enjoyed the campus environment most. If you are concerned about abandoning Chicago's name, take solace in the fact that UNC and UW are still fantastically regarded schools.

I recently decided to turn down Vanderbilt to attend UVA, which was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. For me, going where I would be happy (in terms of curriculum, student body, administrative support, and campus vibe) was more important than going to a Top 20 school. I had a visceral draw towards UVA and I went with it.

Since I didn't apply to any of these schools, this is the only advice I have worth giving.

Good luck!

 

[ChemEngMD]

I agree with this, as I can attest to the difficulty of turning down a prestigious private school for a well-regarded state school.

I think it's important to consider where it is you envision yourself being happiest. I have trouble believing that any of these schools would impede your career in any discernible way, so go where you feel like you would do best. Go where you enjoyed the campus environment most. If you are concerned about abandoning Chicago's name, take solace in the fact that UNC and UW are still fantastically regarded schools.

I recently decided to turn down Vanderbilt to attend UVA, which was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. For me, going where I would be happy (in terms of curriculum, student body, administrative support, and campus vibe) was more important than going to a Top 20 school. I had a visceral draw towards UVA and I went with it.

Since I didn't apply to any of these schools, this is the only advice I have worth giving.

Good luck!

Thank you so much for this response!

Were the prices comparable and you did this in spite of that? Or was it also cheaper for you at UVA versus Vandy?

 

[Endure]

Thank you so much for this response!

Were the prices comparable and you did this in spite of that? Or was it also cheaper for you at UVA versus Vandy?

UVA awarded me a scholarship that made it 75k cheaper over the course of four years. If I hadn't received any money from UVA, it would have been significantly more expensive for me to attend OOS. In a way, money made it financially feasible for me to attend the school at which I felt best.

 

[Niemi]

I know what OP is feeling. I just gave up my seat at UWSMPH, my heart hurts. Love, love, loved the school. I had a decent scholarship too, which is pretty good considering UWSMPH is already cheap. Also, M2 grades freaked me a bit but overall the school just is golden. In my case, I went with an awesome school close to home, big city, & more diversity. Congrats and best of luck. & if all else fails put the names on the wall and start throwing darts, you're bound to hit a good one.

 

[pyrrion89]

Also I should add not to trust a poll. I think lots of people vote based on what THEY would pick, regardless of what you cited as your feelings. (Notice how the victor in most SDN polls ends up just being the highest-ranked USNWR school)

 

[kittykattat]

Also I should add not to trust a poll. I think lots of people vote based on what THEY would pick, regardless of what you cited as your feelings. (Notice how the victor in most SDN polls ends up just being the highest-ranked USNWR school)

I agree, this poll is BS, they are voting without even considering the beautiful and charming residents of wisconsin!

 

[solitarius]

Working with the underserved is probably going to steer you towards primary care and away from many specialties. The advantage of going to Pritzker seems minimized. Wisconsin has the $ advantage, and UNC has the program/mission/fit advantage. The debt savings or program focus will probably be more beneficial to your undeserved focus than the name of the disploma.

Madison could very well be the gem of the Midwest, but your concerns about the cold winters are completely legit.

 

[Member011]

I do love CAMPOS, but I'm scared that I will choose UNC - apply to CAMPOS this summer and not get accepted then be livid

I doubt that if you're as motivated to work with Latinos/underserved as you say that you'd have a hard time getting in to CAMPOS.

 

[ChemEngMD]

For UW and UNC: I wouldn't worry too much about match lists since a good chunk of the class is interested in primary care and/or wants to stay near home for residency.

For UNC: Having an internal ranking is the same thing as grades all 4 years. If you'd like a more relaxed environment with more free time M1/M2 I'd go with Pritzker (true P/F) or UW (M1 true P/F).

For Pritzker and UW: You should have plenty of opportunities to work with Latinos at either (UW has rotations and public health projects in inner city Milwaukee).

Overall, it also depends on where you'd like to end up for residency. If you're thinking of going down south then UNC might be better, but if you'd like to be in the midwest then Pritzker or UW would be better.

IMO I wouldn't worry too much about gut feelings since its really hard to get a feel for a school just based off an interview and/or second look. I'd go with the school that #1 has the most opportunities then #2 is the cheapest.

For the record: UNC says it internally ranks, but claims that this information doesn't make it onto your dean's letter; however, I presume that they use it to determine AOA which would show up on your Dean's letter (although I didn't get the latter part confirmed).

 

[Optimus-Prime]

Pritzker man

 

[Member011]

For the record: UNC says it internally ranks, but claims that this information doesn't make it onto your dean's letter; however, I presume that they use it to determine AOA which would show up on your Dean's letter (although I didn't get the latter part confirmed).

Where did you hear/see that? Do you think it's changing with the new curriculum? I know that the pre-clinical is P/F, but they're still deciding what clinical curriculum will be.

Edit: I don't think the "internal ranking" would create a more competitive environment anyways, if that is your concern.

 

[ChemEngMD]

Where did you hear/see that? Do you think it's changing with the new curriculum? I know that the pre-clinical is P/F, but they're still deciding what clinical curriculum will be.

Yes it is P/F for preclinical, but it was asked at second look if they internally ranked and they said yes, BUT it was not put on the dean letter. They did not tell us WHY they internally rank, but I presume it's for AOA.

As far as clinical grading goes - I presume it will be graded as this is the standard pretty much universally.

 

[smurfsnowman123]

I would go for Pritzer because there is no internal ranking, lots of funding for students to pursue diff. opportunities, more prestigious (~=better match list). You don't know what specialty you want to go into yet, so if you end up deciding on a competitive specialty, you'll want all the boost that you can get (in terms of resources for research, access to renowned faculty, reputation of school, etc.).

I would say the poll is definitely skewed in terms of people selecting the school with the best name, but this is the same gut/thought reaction many people in society would have. The school with the better name will solicit more interest. Also, people think students from schools that are more prestigious are smarter, etc. So I would say the poll is a good gauge of this.

 

[ChEMD]

Internal ranking doesn't foster competition, however it does add more stress during preclinical years. It really is the exact same thing as having letter grades (unless the grades are based off of a curve). Seeing a 'pass' instead of a 'C' makes people feel better, but for all practical purposes it's the exact same.

 

[Endure]

I would go for Pritzer because there is no internal ranking, lots of funding for students to pursue diff. opportunities, more prestigious (~=better match list). You don't know what specialty you want to go into yet, so if you end up deciding on a competitive specialty, you'll want all the boost that you can get (in terms of resources for research, access to renowned faculty, reputation of school, etc.).

I would say the poll is definitely skewed in terms of people selecting the school with the best name, but this is the same gut/thought reaction many people in society would have. The school with the better name will solicit more interest. Also, people think students from schools that are more prestigious are smarter, etc. So I would say the poll is a good gauge of this.

I agree that this is generally true.

However, going to medical school should never be viewed in the same vein as pandering to the masses. Selecting a school simply because it turns more heads is not a good enough reason to go there. Every institution has a culture that seeps its way into everything they do.

While I'm not a medical student yet, I think we can all agree that most US MD schools - especially the ones discussed in this thread - have the resources to help you pursue your dreams. The greatest variable will be whether the school's institutional focus aligns with your career goals.

OP, do what feels right. I have found that the intuitive feeling you get at each school tends to be informed by many of the "specifics" we agonize over.

 

[smurfsnowman123]

I agree that this is generally true.

However, going to medical school should never be viewed in the same vein as pandering to the masses. Selecting a school simply because it turns more heads is not a good enough reason to go there. Every institution has a culture that seeps its way into everything they do.

While I'm not a medical student yet, I think we can all agree that most US MD schools - especially the ones discussed in this thread - have the resources to help you pursue your dreams. The greatest variable will be whether the school's institutional focus aligns with your career goals.

OP, do what feels right. I have found that the intuitive feeling you get at each school tends to be informed by many of the "specifics" we agonize over.

I agree with what you're saying, too. I firmly believe a student will reach their highest potential/greatest achievements when they are happy, which will depend largely on environment/culture/school.

But I guess what I mainly wanted to add was this: I've spoken with residents and many have felt that the reputation of their school played a part in how well they matched. Of course this might be some grumbling residents, but more than a few have told me this, so I think there might be a bit of truth in that statement.

 

[Niemi]

Okay back again. OP, your dilemma just hits so close to home I can't stop thinking about it... We really had similar choices.

Anyway, I don't know if this anecdote will help but I thought I'd share:

So after all was said and done: MCAT, AMCAS, Secondaries, Interviews, Scholarship offers, Second Looks... I was left with a pile of acceptances and what felt like a mild case of PTSD. Early on I withdrew from the obvious NOs, but I still had three awesome schools and a blank stare. I came to my final decision by going back to my original dreams before any of this other stuff happened, before being dazzled by all the recruitment, before all the waiting/fretting/terror, I remembered what it was that I had truly wanted when I first set out on this journey. After I did this, one school just popped into focus. I don't think I could have come to this conclusion via a SDN poll (especially since the school that I believe was best for me was not the highest ranked). I know this sounds all corny but I think the answer is in you and not on this Forum.

Cheers!

 

[SilentSoldier]

If I remember correctly about interpreting match lists, its that its really hard to discern if the school is right for you since the match lists are determined by a variety of factors other than "prestige" of the home institution. Based on where you priorities lie, its seems that UNC would be the best fit for you. In my opinion, going to where you'll fit best will make you do your best and ultimately you'll have your pick of residencies to choose from. Plus, after this year's winter wouldn't you want to be as far away from the midwest as possible.

 

[terp720]

don't have a lot to contribute, but FWIW, I work with a doctor who went to UNC (within the past 10 years) who talks all the time about how the administration really went above and beyond to help her get where she wanted to go because that's just how they are.

ultimately I personally would choose the school that I feel most comfortable at and aligns best with my goals. It looks to me like UNC might be that place for you.. although Pritzker could give you an edge for more competitive specialties if that's a goal (idk.. just reiterating what others said)

 

[ChemEngMD]

If I remember correctly about interpreting match lists, its that its really hard to discern if the school is right for you since the match lists are determined by a variety of factors other than "prestige" of the home institution. Based on where you priorities lie, its seems that UNC would be the best fit for you. In my opinion, going to where you'll fit best will make you do your best and ultimately you'll have your pick of residencies to choose from. Plus, after this year's winter wouldn't you want to be as far away from the midwest as possible.

Maybe Drew can come in and change the game tho! Get that real warm weather lol

 

[pyrrion89]

I would say the poll is definitely skewed in terms of people selecting the school with the best name, but this is the same gut/thought reaction many people in society would have. The school with the better name will solicit more interest. Also, people think students from schools that are more prestigious are smarter, etc. So I would say the poll is a good gauge of this.

First question is whether you should pick a school based on its wow-factor among your pre-med friends. I'd say no, unless you really care about impressing your friends more than other factors. Also, the average Joe has not heard of UChicago, Duke (outside its basketball team), Northwestern, or the other prestigious non-Ivies. (To be fair, many Americans cannot even locate America on a world map.)

Second question is whether Pritzker is going to give you a bump for residencies. As I mentioned earlier, UNC and Pritzker both have equal reputation rankings among residency directors. These are the people whose opinions really matter, in terms of getting a good residency. So while Pritzker may be shiny among pre-meds, UNC looks just as good among those who are actually calling the shots.

Third question is whether reputation even matters. The OP said he is interested in underserved/primary care. While I am sure primary care residencies might look at prestige of the medical school, I imagine it is relatively less important compared to, say, someone who wants to go into academic radiation-oncology.

 

[Espadaleader]

• Students at one school are never "smarter" than others. Students at one school may have more opportunities than another. You don't have the same chance of success at every school.
• Reputation always matters. Whether you want to go into primary care or not. OP doesn't want to set himself back if he is not interested in primary care. He can be interested in underserved without necessarily doing primary care.
• I don't think there is a difference in reputation at UNC vs. Chicago. Their MPH program is exceptional. Primary care there is exceptional.

If you are by any means looking to do an MPH and is seriously considering primary care, I would go to UNC.

 

[metview]

Pritzker has a much better reputation in academia than the other two schools and has a better match list, BUT according to what you want, it seems like reputation doesn't matter.

First question is whether you should pick a school based on its wow-factor among your pre-med friends. I'd say no, unless you really care about impressing your friends more than other factors. Also, the average Joe has not heard of UChicago, Duke (outside its basketball team), Northwestern, or the other prestigious non-Ivies. (To be fair, many Americans cannot even locate America on a world map.)

Second question is whether Pritzker is going to give you a bump for residencies. As I mentioned earlier, UNC and Pritzker both have equal reputation rankings among residency directors. These are the people whose opinions really matter, in terms of getting a good residency. So while Pritzker may be shiny among pre-meds, UNC looks just as good among those who are actually calling the shots.

Third question is whether reputation even matters. The OP said he is interested in underserved/primary care. While I am sure primary care residencies might look at prestige of the medical school, I imagine it is relatively less important compared to, say, someone who wants to go into academic radiation-oncology.

The residency director score from USNEWS doesn't mean crap because it polls such a small percentage of residency directors to begin with. There are some schools with a director rating of over 4.0, and when you look at their match list, you see a huge discrepancy.

 

[ChemEngMD]

I appreciate everyone's responses!

I would say at this point I am not COMPLETELY dedicated to doing primary care, but I definitely am dedicated to working with the underserved. That's part of what makes the decision so hard - if I was strictly primary care focused then I would go to UNC hands down, but I am going into school with an open mind to all specialties.

 

[smurfsnowman123]

Prestige does matter. This is anecdotal, but I think anecdotes + match lists are the closest we will get to knowing about the process at this point, haha:

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com...ber-of-the-stanford-admissions-committee.html

Pritzker to keep your options open so you don't kick yourself later. You can do primary care at Pritzker if you decide that so not all would be loss.

 

[ChemEngMD]

Just an update: I have made no progress and am considering joining the circus

 

[DylanE]

as a "continued" applicant at Pritzker, I hear North Carolina is lovely this time of year

 

[NorthernMav]

Umm Pritzker.. next quesiton please

 

[Lya]

I appreciate everyone's responses!

I would say at this point I am not COMPLETELY dedicated to doing primary care, but I definitely am dedicated to working with the underserved. That's part of what makes the decision so hard - if I was strictly primary care focused then I would go to UNC hands down, but I am going into school with an open mind to all specialties.

If you are open-minded to all specialties, then it is certainly Pritzker.

I had a friend who was debating between Princeton or Wharton. She was interested in business, but she was also very open-minded and wanted to explore other fields as well. I encouraged her Princeton and she never regretted her choice in Princeton.

Your case is very similar. You are interested in serving the underserved populations (UNC might have more specific programs in this regard), but you are also open-minded to explore other medical fields (Pritzker might be able to accommodate your wide interests better). Chicago also has enough minority and underserved populations that you can work with, so if you are truly passionate about what you said above, you can serve the underserved anywhere. If you are one of active, ambitious go-getters, Pritzker will be a better choice, and thus this is why I would have chosen Pritzker. Otherwise, if you really want those programs at UNC, go there instead and it is perfectly understandable.

 

[Lya]

Furthermore, rather than contemplating whether prestige matters or not, look into more objective, concrete things like what opportunities, programs, or mentors you are going to take advantage of if you matriculate at each school. Literally make an Excel file and list what specific opportunities you will be interested in pursuing. If one school offers more opportunities that you will be interested in, then this school fits you better than the other.

Think of it as choosing which restaurant you would go. You look at each menu and select what you might order if you actually end up going there. If you don't like Italian food and the restaurant has a lot of Italian dishes, you know it is not clicking and won't be happy going there. Look at each school, find what kind of menu each school offers, and see what opportunities you would pursue if you actually go there. Hopefully, this will give you a better idea.

 

[ChEMD]

I definitely want to point out that treating the underserved doesn't necessarily mean primary care. Underserved populations also get broken bones, have eye problems, have children with cleft palates, etc... My point is, you can help the underserved through many different specialties, some of which are quite competitive.

 

[strideline]

Yes it is P/F for preclinical, but it was asked at second look if they internally ranked and they said yes, BUT it was not put on the dean letter. They did not tell us WHY they internally rank, but I presume it's for AOA.

As far as clinical grading goes - I presume it will be graded as this is the standard pretty much universally.

Not familiar with the acronym- what is AOA?

 

[ChemEngMD]

Not familiar with the acronym- what is AOA?

https://www.alphaomegaalpha.org/

The medical honor society - The top 10% of each medical school class gets inducted usually

 

[repititionition]

Anecdote:

I know a resident at what is arguably the top program in her field.

In her words: "I scored around a 200 on Step 1, but I went to UChicago. That helped."

 

[TheRobin]

From the back of the Divergent cover, "One choice decides your friends. One choice defines your beliefs. One choice determines your loyalties - forever. One choice can transform you."

Of course, the book is set in a futuristic Chicago, so I suppose Pritzker it is then.

 

[jeffs office]

Lol, this debate makes everything so much more confusing. I'm so sorry.

This is going to be a long 2 weeks...

 

[SilentSoldier]

I honestly think that if you go to Wisc or UNC and decide not to go into primary care, you won't be at such a disadvantage that you'll never be able to be placed in a competitive specialty if you put in the work and do well. UNC, and Wisc are great schools as well, don't let the thought of prestige keep you from seeing all the great things that those schools have to offer, especially since it looks like UNC matches best with your career goals. I know it seems like I'm trying to persuade you away from Chicago but I just want you to make sure you look at everything with an open mind.

 

[Endure]

Just to put things in perspective, you're deciding between schools that are ranked #11 (Pritzker), #22 (UNC) and #28 (UW) by USNWR.

I think rankings have limited utility in these matters, but does anyone actually believe that a school ranked just outside of the Top 20 will significantly impact OP's future career choices?

 

[repititionition]

Just to put things in perspective, you're deciding between schools that are ranked #11 (Pritzker), #22 (UNC) and #28 (UW) by USNWR.

I think rankings have limited utility in these matters, but does anyone actually believe that a school ranked just outside of the Top 20 will significantly impact OP's future career choices?

Shhh... don't tell... the rankings scale is more logarithmic than linear.

Seriously.