I think that it is a good thing to take offers of scholarships/grants into context with relation to actual institutional costs. The recently published version of the MSAR provides the Tuition/Fee (T/F) and Cost of Attendance (COA) for our Florida MD programs. I anticipate that the Scholarship Committee has taken this into consideration when making awards. Obviously they do not know of any awards for any other institutions.
Below are the MSAR FL Resident T/F, COA, and average 4 year debt figures. T/F is what MUST be paid to the university, some elements of COA are flexible depending upon how you choose to live or the real cost of survival in that area best on that programs local estimates.
Read: Institution: T/F --- COA --- Avg Grad Debt Total (Numbers are rounded)
UCF: 29,700 --- 53,900 --- 138,700
FAU: 32,100 --- 56,400 --- 158,200
USF: 33,700 --- 58,500 --- 148,400
UF: 37,000 --- 60,000 --- 150,100
FSU: 26,100 --- 60,500 --- 150,000
UM: 37,100 --- 65,000 --- 183,900
FIU: 37,900 --- 73,600 --- 189,800
Finally, I strongly feel that finances should not be a top tier decision point as you select a medical program. You should consider whether the program will fulfill your goals, the curriculum, the outcomes of national exams and match into specialties, diversity of hospitals, the program’s ability to support you. Finally try to recall the feeling that you had when you spent your interview day there….listen to your instincts. If you are a Florida resident you are lucky to have seven fairly equal programs that will all get you to your destination if you do your part well.
