Rutgers- NJMS vs. PennState Hershey

[premed7151985]

I am trying to decide between the school and I'm having a really hard time making a decision. Does anyone have any advice as to the pros and cons of each school please??

I like that penn has a slight better reputation than njms and I think that might be beneficial when applying to residency (right?), and also it's in a much nicer (safer) area which I prefer as to the craziness of Newark.

But... Students at njms seem to really like the school and I like that at njms you get great hands on experience and I feel like going to school in Newark I'll have more exposure to a variety of different case (although I hear that even tho penn state is in the middle of nowhere, they often get patients flown in the helipad).

I am a nj resident and tuition at njms will obviously be cheaper, but at the end of the day I want to go to the school in which I'll be happier. Can any students from either school weight in please? Any advice is welcomed!

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[Euxox]

I like that penn has a slight better reputation than njms and I think that might be beneficial when applying to residency (right?),

Yes, Penn State has a slightly better reputation than NJMS, but if NJMS has a reputation of 85/100, then Penn State has a reputation of 87/100. It's not enough to be a consideration.

and also it's in a much nicer (safer) area which I prefer as to the craziness of Newark.

True, but some people would be driven mad by how isolated Hershey is. Newark, on the other hand, is just outside NYC, which could be a fun place to go in your free time.

But... Students at njms seem to really like the school and I like that at njms you get great hands on experience and I feel like going to school in Newark I'll have more exposure to a variety of different case (although I hear that even tho penn state is in the middle of nowhere, they often get patients flown in the helipad).

First, let me say that I am not a student at either of these schools, so I don't know the whole picture. Most Penn State rotations are at Hershey Hospital (484 beds). NJMS has most rotations at University Hospital (357 beds), but also has a very large number of rotations at the nearby Hackensack University Medical Center (900 beds). So even if Penn State has a lot of patients being flown in, it doesn't seem to be making up the difference. That said, the greater NYC area is the place where Caribbean schools tend to dump all their 3rd and 4th year students. I've heard NJMS students complain about their rotation sites getting filled with SGU, Ross, and AUC students. I'm not sure about how much of an issue this is in practice. You probably want to talk to some current medical students about that.

Other considerations: NJMS's location is better if you are interested in urban health care or a specialty such as EM. Penn's location is better if you are interested in rural medicine. Penn State has graded preclinical years, while at NJMS they are Pass/Fail (but with an internal rank). NJMS has a bigger focus on working with the underserved. Research opportunities may be better at NJMS because you are attached to an undergraduate campus (although, TBH, Rutgers Newark is not really a prolific research university) and a short commute away from other schools like NYU, Columbia, etc.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I did my residency at Penn State and fellowship at RWJ/UMDNJ.

Penn State (not "Penn"; that refers to the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania) has a better reputation than NJMS and in my experience, the medical students were better. Harder working, and brighter overall.

Hershey is not "rural" nor is it in the "middle or nowhere"; it is considered suburban and is located outside the state capital. They do not train you for "rural medicine". The hospital and facilities are very nice and yes, it feels very safe. That being said, it is much quieter and if you need a more urban environment, clubs, coffee shops, etc within walking distance of school, it is not the place for you. The town shuts down after dark; students there liked it because it was more conducive to studying. And as much as it pains me to say it, Hershey is very "white"; more than once friends of mine were questioned by police in what appeared to be issue with a black man driving an expensive car. It is the only Level I Trauma center and Children's Hospital for the middle of the state and therefore, you will get trauma flown in from all over, or from downtown Harrisburg and lots of pediatric anomalies. The town smells like chocolate, peanut butter or cows. You do rotate at other hospitals in the area, including the VA and Pinnacle Health.

Rutgers/NJMS is a totally different environment. Definitely urban, pizza shops and tattoo parlors open all night. Boba tea that I couldn't get easily in Hershey. Newark? Safety and beauty are not usually used to describe the area. Good ability to mix with undergrads in other fields and yes, NYC is about 40 minutes by train and of course, you've got EWR to fly out of. I didn't hear other students complain about rotating with Carribean students and I never saw them either (or was unaware). Research is probably a wash; they both have a lot of labs. Hershey used to have a cow with the Penn State Artificial Heart and a plexiglas window in its side; that was cool. NJ was more expensive - gas, food etc all cost more than in PA but ... Wegmans!! God I loved that place! If you get a chance to rotate at RWJ or CINJ, excellent facilities.

At any rate, do not pick a school based on some assumption about what your residency choice will be. Medical school is designed to give you a foundation for any residency. You can succeed in any specialty from either school. If NJMS is significantly cheaper, that's probably the best choice although I (clearly) preferred PSU.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Moving to the school specific forum.

 

[StephBee]

I'm a rising third year at Penn State and just wanted to make a correction: we are transitioning to a new curriculum and starting this last year, pre-clinical years are all pass fail now. (Which is awesome BTW). It's definitely not in the middle of no where though it's not Newark, I've never had a free night and been like "man, there's nothing to do." Rotations are state wide with most here in hershey but most people will do a rotation elsewhere (Reading, York, Pinnacle etc) and you have the option to do away rotations during 4th year anywhere you want. I adore it here.