Congrats FlankerDoc.
As the multiple medical school acceptances start rolling in, you're really going to need to consider what things make a medical school great.
I am currently an MS3 and when I was at your stage, I was a bit cocky after my acceptance. I walked into the Dean's office and asked him, "After I get my acceptances elsewhere, why should I come to USD?" Yeah it wasn't my most humble moment.
He told me this and now every time I see a pre-med applicant I tell them the same thing and I feel it's completely true and a significantly downplayed part of the program.
The truth is, everyone knows the first two years of medical school prepare you for the USMLE Step 1 exam. That's all those two years are really for, and does it make a difference if you are sitting in a classroom all day at USD or a big name Ivy league school. Maybe, or maybe not.
However, where this program really shines, is the clinical years. We are working directly with attendings. No fellows, senior residents, junior residents, or interns snatching up valuable clinical experiences. I personally have first assisted in over 200 surgeries and have delivered about 12 babies. And by delivered I mean literally caught them. And we are expected to do 20 before the end of our third year. This is only my experience in the third year, I can't wait for my MS4 year.
Ask any other third year medical student in the country how many babies they have delivered or how many surgeries they have first assisted on. You'll find our clinical experience is hard to beat. Residencies programs know this, we have a proven track record that is reaffirmed by our match statistics year after year.
I had an opportunity to tell this to one of the applicants that Jill was showing around the other day. I think I caught him off guard a bit.
Just something to think about when choosing a medical school.
Good luck everyone!
with your application!
