Hey everyone,
I'm a graduating fourth year student at WFU School of Medicine and I just wanted to encourage you all to come to Wake if you're on the fence between your options. Wake is really a tremendous school. I'm from the west coast originally and I had my preconceived notions about the south, but these have been allayed by the incredible years I've experienced in Winston Salem and I have very few complaints about my training.
I'm about two weeks away from finding out where I will spend residency (i.e. Match Day), but some of my classmates have already matched and people have done really well so far. You will not be at all limited in your residency options - many of my classmates are doing primary care like FM and pediatrics, while many others are doing more competitive specialties. This tends to reflect the preferences of the student body. We went five for five for Opthalmology this year and have three people applying for Plastics; I say this only to let you know that whatever you decide to choose, you should be in good shape, whether it's Psychiatry or Dermatology. (But like anywhere, you'll have to work your butt off to the do the most competitive stuff.)
The administration at this school really cares about providing us with the best education possible. If you've been accepted, you already know we get early clinical experience, have a mixed PBL/didactics curriculum, and have some primary care time in rural NC worked into our training, among other things. Wake Forest is not a school that teaches to the boards; it's a school that really excels in its clinical training. There are still many people at this school who obliterate the boards, but as a whole the most impressive piece in the student experience is the clinical training. Many of us recognized this when we went on away rotations at other schools during our fourth year and really felt like we knew what we were doing compared to a lot of people.
The school enables quality of life in a way that most schools do not. We have many school-sponsored socials throughout the year, as well as tailgates for sporting events. Some people are married and keep to themselves, while others are single and very much involved with the social fabric of their class. Intramural sports were a big part of my experience, but everyone seems to find their niche. Winston Salem is incredibly affordable and such an easy place to live. No traffic, clean, and enough to do to keep a busy med student entertained.
Ultimately, you will get great training and will not at all be disappointed if you come to Wake. That seems to be the general concensus among my peers - that we were really fortunate to get to train here.
So whatever you all decide, best of luck. I've got nothing to gain by this except I want my alma mater to draw the best talent.
Good luck.