Michigan vs. Northwestern-- Would appreciate others thoughts

First of all, the decision is yours and yours alone. None of us know you which makes us utterly unqualified to decide for ya.

Having said that, I interviewed at both and liked UMich more.
UMich goods:
1. Really super program that actually feels strong (unlike other places I've been to that claim to be tops but it doesn't come across).
2. All fifteen (well, it looked like fifteen) PDs they have are very nice.
3. Ann Arbor is the home of Car and Driver magazine!
4. You can sweep undergrad premeds off their feet with your dazzling white (at least for the first day of internship) coat.
Bads:
1. Still don't get where their patient population comes from. I kinda doubt that anyone from Detroit would drive for 40 minutes to get to the hospital for anything other than really specialist care. So no idea how diverse their patient population actually is.

Northwestern goods:
1. Strong program.
2. Outstanding facilities, great computer system, great location.
3. Very nice PD.
4. Very humane (too humane?) work hours (Q5, no overnight call, no prerounding).
5. Superb teaching.
Bads:
1. I like prerounding.
2. I don't like 7:30 am morning report -- brain not awake until 10.
3. Not 100% sure about the diversity of patient population although on rounds I saw quite a few "indigent" people.

While neither is my first choice, I would be delighted to end up at either one of these programs.

U Mich is a Top 10 program, you'll do well with fellowships from there. Northwestern is quite good as well -- they told us last year only a few people didn't match and it was for personal reasons (not lack of competitiveness).

Ann Arbor was pretty nice I thought. It's not the Magnificent Mile but not bad.

Mumpu said:

U Mich is a Top 10 program, you'll do well with fellowships from there. Northwestern is quite good as well -- they told us last year only a few people didn't match and it was for personal reasons (not lack of competitiveness).

Ann Arbor was pretty nice I thought. It's not the Magnificent Mile but not bad.

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Any idea what the call at Michigan during internship is like? And how many months of call?

Skeeby Dee said:

Any idea what the call at Michigan during internship is like? And how many months of call?

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From what I remember the call is pretty awful in that you have 10-11 months of call, and its q4 overnight...

Skeeby Dee said:

Any idea what the call at Michigan during internship is like? And how many months of call?

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Michigan has 9 months of q4 call intern year.

orientedtoself said:

Michigan has 9 months of q4 call intern year.

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On interview day the stuff they showed us indicated 11 months of q4. Very front loaded program.

No, Michigan call is 9 months intern year. It used to be 11 months a few years ago. http://www.med.umich.edu/intmed/resident/about/education.htm#officer1

Any thoughts on Ann Arbor as a place to live. I have gotten very conflicting opinions...

CosmoKramer said:

Any thoughts on Ann Arbor as a place to live. I have gotten very conflicting opinions...

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From talking to a few friends...
In general a nice safe place to live, but in essence a collegetown. Not a whole lot of stuff to do besides a few pubs and assorted places to eat. More expensive to live in than you would expect for michigan due to wealthy population. Freakishly cold so you better love snow snow snow! However, definitely has more stuff than Rochester MN, and you can always drive the 30 min or so to Detroit if you are really aching for some city life. ALthough from what ive heard Detroit isnt such a great city 😛

So in summary, you would be going for the great training program, not for the town.

DRDARIA said:

On interview day the stuff they showed us indicated 11 months of q4. Very front loaded program.

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Nope, it's 9 months 0f q4 c overnight call.