Where do I go?

[DrxAffinity]

I have an absurd amount of stress. I have 4 acceptances. I need avice. Based on the following, I cannot pick between schools 2-4. I am also from Texas. I have not been covid-vaccinated, and yes, this is a factor. I do thank you for your consideration regarding the following, I know it is a lot. I aim for internal medicine and to be able to pay off debt in a reasonable amount of time.

1. I have been accepted to a Caribbean school: WAUSM - Western Altantic USM (I declined)
2. Accepted to LMU-DCOM Harrogate Campus:
   • Average estimated debt: $330,000
   • Room/board: moderate cost
   • low crime, location is non-ideal
   • Fantastic match rates, rotations in nearby states and in-state
   • unknown regarding if they have new tech or up-to-date materials
   • curriculum is ok, I am neutral about it.
   • No covid vaccination requirement
3. Accepted to VCOM-Monroe Lousisiana Campus
   • Average estimated debt: $315,000
   • HIGH crime/poverty region; location non-ideal
   • Room/board: quite cheap; very appealing
   • Fantastic match rates, rotations in Louisiana ONLY
   • New-tech, very up-to-date
   • enticing curicculum
   • requires covid vaccination
4. Accepted to NSU-KCOM Fort Lauderdale
   • Average estimated debt: $475,000
   • Room/board: insane costs, tourist region
   • Moderate crime (not pocketed); location is ideal
   • Fantastic match rates, over 20 rotation sites that include states all over
   • Highest-end tech, ahead of it's time
   • non-ideal curriculum
   • No covid vaccination requirement

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[Sidus1011]

This will likely get move to the Help Me Choose Forum, but Monroe hasn't graduated a class yet. While I do think the other VCOM campuses did have a pretty good match, I would be a bit nervous. While LMU may not have a great rep, it seems like you can at least pull from prior years and gauge where students have gone. NSU was having a hard time with rotation sites in that it is basically a randomized lottery because they added students to a second campus too quickly. Their match is littered with HCA since FL is full of these. I declined acceptance there and went OOS because of that coupled with the cost.

I'd go where it's cheapest and you feel the most comfortable. No one can make this decision but you.

 

[DO2015CA]

VCOM so you are closer to home. Every job I’ve seen requires covid vaccination that I’ve seen even the TX jobs I’ve looked at. You likely have no way around that.

 

[Goro]

I can't recommend LMU.

Given the debt, and that Nova, while an established school, is still student-unfriendly, I'd send you to VCOM-LA, even though it hasn't graduated a class yet.

If debt weren't the issue, I'd leant to Nova over VCOM-LA.

 

[DO2015CA]

I can't recommend LMU.

Given the debt, and that Nova, while an established school, is still student-unfriendly, I'd send you to VCOM-LA, even though it hasn't graduated a class yet.

If debt weren't the issue, I'd leant to Nova over VCOM-LA.

Agreed. No school is worth the difference in CoA

 

[Ho0v-man]

VCOM—LA. It’s not established, but the other two are established in a bad way.

You likely won’t be able to go to clinical rotations unless you get vaccinated as all of the hospitals will almost certainly require it.

 

[scoopdaboop]

I have an absurd amount of stress. I have 4 acceptances. I need avice. Based on the following, I cannot pick between schools 2-4. I am also from Texas. I have not been covid-vaccinated, and yes, this is a factor. I do thank you for your consideration regarding the following, I know it is a lot. I aim for internal medicine and to be able to pay off debt in a reasonable amount of time.

1. I have been accepted to a Caribbean school: WAUSM - Western Altantic USM (I declined)
2. Accepted to LMU-DCOM Harrogate Campus:
   • Average estimated debt: $330,000
   • Room/board: moderate cost
   • low crime, location is non-ideal
   • Fantastic match rates, rotations in nearby states and in-state
   • unknown regarding if they have new tech or up-to-date materials
   • curriculum is ok, I am neutral about it.
   • No covid vaccination requirement
3. Accepted to VCOM-Monroe Lousisiana Campus
   • Average estimated debt: $315,000
   • HIGH crime/poverty region; location non-ideal
   • Room/board: quite cheap; very appealing
   • Fantastic match rates, rotations in Louisiana ONLY
   • New-tech, very up-to-date
   • enticing curicculum
   • requires covid vaccination
4. Accepted to NSU-KCOM Fort Lauderdale
   • Average estimated debt: $475,000
   • Room/board: insane costs, tourist region
   • Moderate crime (not pocketed); location is ideal
   • Fantastic match rates, over 20 rotation sites that include states all over
   • Highest-end tech, ahead of it's time
   • non-ideal curriculum
   • No covid vaccination requirement

what's keeping you from getting vaccinated? even if you're iffy about the mRNA vaccines, you can get JJ which is a traditional spike protein vaccine.

 

[chilly_md]

Moved to School X vs Y.

 

[IAskQuestionsOnly]

its VCOM vs NSU. the other you can eliminate.
idk beyond that

 

[OffTheLand]

I felt good about VCOM-LA when I interviewed there. Staff and faculty seemed super nice and students seemed happy. One of the biggest problems with new schools seems to be curriculum, and they recycle the main campuses curriculum that has worked in the past. I would’ve been glad to go there if I hadn’t gotten in in-state. The Auburn campus is fairly new and matched their first class not terribly long ago. Could be used as reference for how their first few matches might go.

 

[DrxAffinity]

This will likely get move to the Help Me Choose Forum, but Monroe hasn't graduated a class yet. While I do think the other VCOM campuses did have a pretty good match, I would be a bit nervous. While LMU may not have a great rep, it seems like you can at least pull from prior years and gauge where students have gone. NSU was having a hard time with rotation sites in that it is basically a randomized lottery because they added students to a second campus too quickly. Their match is littered with HCA since FL is full of these. I declined acceptance there and went OOS because of that coupled with the cost.

I'd go where it's cheapest and you feel the most comfortable. No one can make this decision but you.

Oh wow! This is why I asked for advice, haha! I was unaware of their rotation sites being this way... on top of that... HCA has a bad reputation as well. With LMU, I lean toward that school because of location, but I suppose that matters less since I will be busy regardless. Cost is a factor to me, but I was considering not caring about it because it seemed like NSU made students more competitive in the long run.

 

[DrxAffinity]

Agreed. No school is worth the difference in CoA

Does where I go to school matter? For example, school reputation? Would it be a factor in where I could become employed? At this time, I am considering internal medicine and planning specialize.

 

[DrxAffinity]

what's keeping you from getting vaccinated? even if you're iffy about the mRNA vaccines, you can get JJ which is a traditional spike protein vaccine.

I just have not received it, and do not know if having it is important at this point. mRNA is something I would rather not have injected into me until there is more research, so I do lean toward JnJ. The only clinic still giving JnJ shots is over an hour away though. VCOM-LA does require the shot, and if I have to get it, then I will.

 

[DO2015CA]

Does where I go to school matter? For example, school reputation? Would it be a factor in where I could become employed? At this time, I am considering internal medicine and planning specialize.

No for employment. Yes for training but all DOs are viewed the same from a residency application aspect. The program either is or isn’t accepting DOs. So it doesn’t matter which DO school you went to. Any DO school is good enough to get an IM program that will allow subspecialization. Don’t scrape through school and match at an University IM program or a strong community one with in house fellowships.

 

[Sidus1011]

Does where I go to school matter? For example, school reputation? Would it be a factor in where I could become employed? At this time, I am considering internal medicine and planning specialize.

Where you go does not matter for employment afterwards, but it does matter in regards to residency. Location wise it may be easier to match in the state your school is in and the surrounding states. DO schools do not have any real clout in the game, but having more alumni from a school is helpful because PDs become more aware of the quality your school puts out. If you are floundering intern year, PDs take note.

Oh wow! This is why I asked for advice, haha! I was unaware of their rotation sites being this way... on top of that... HCA has a bad reputation as well. With LMU, I lean toward that school because of location, but I suppose that matters less since I will be busy regardless. Cost is a factor to me, but I was considering not caring about it because it seemed like NSU made students more competitive in the long run.

NSU's 'teaching hospital' is similar to UCFs in that it's run by HCA. HCA in general has a grip on many residency sites in FL and it makes sense students will want to stay in the state. As someone from FL who will likely come back to FL to practice, I will not be applying to any HCA sites and would rather do my training OOS if I can't match to one of the non-HCA sites because it's apparent the training is lacking. NSU, DCOM, VCOM, your school won't matter much besides a regional boost from name recognition by PDs.

I attend a VCOM branch, if you have questions just shoot me a message.

 

[PB2464]

what's keeping you from getting vaccinated? even if you're iffy about the mRNA vaccines, you can get JJ which is a traditional spike protein vaccine.

Who in their right mind that is young and healthy would choose to get this in 2023? JJ is littered with side effects. Where have you been hiding?

 

[theoceanman]

VCOM-LA > NSU-KPCOM > LMU. Any foreign medical school I cannot condone, just go PA/NP at that point after three cycle attempts.

VCOM-LA because 100K++ difference is huge. NSU and VCOM are both fine schools, albeit NSU is a bit more anti-student (has been getting better according to current students), but not worth the financial difference.

 

[anonymous426]

As someone else mentioned, you will not be able to do clinical rotations without a vaccine. You will also not be able to apply for residency as it’s part of the AAMC immunization form. Idk why you wouldn’t just get it if you’re not against it

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

Who in their right mind that is young and healthy would choose to get this in 2023? JJ is littered with side effects. Where have you been hiding?

Completely safe and effective in keeping people from dying or hospitalized. Trying to go to medical school, complete rotations, residency, etc without vaccination is going to be a non-starter. A lot of medical schools have required proof of vaccination to even enroll. Time to get on-board with the billions of other people who have been vaccinated.

 

[PB2464]

Completely safe and effective in keeping people from dying or hospitalized. Trying to go to medical school, complete rotations, residency, etc without vaccination is going to be a non-starter. A lot of medical schools have required proof of vaccination to even enroll. Time to get on-board with the billions of other people who have been vaccinated.

Completely safe in the elderly when you weigh risks vs benefits. Benefits do NOT outweigh risks in young, healthy adults. Are you oblivious to how they are treating these vaccines in Europe? Also isn't the point of mandating because of infection spread prevention? This vaccine does NOT do that.

You do not have to "get on board" when it comes to your health. This isn't 2021. You can just add this into the risk vs benefit ratio like normal, human everyday life decisions. Added benefit is avoiding the problems you addressed above. But, think for yourself. At least this poster has the strength to do that. These administrators don't really have your best interest in mind. And they never will. That's how the medical system works. Better to find out now than later. Don't go into medicine if you don't plan on dealing with this for your whole career.

 

[chilly_md]

It appears OP has received enough input on which school to choose.

Closing.