Anyone willing to offer a future MSI some advice??

[soprano]

Hey all... I just want to start by saying that this is NOT an "I need attention/validation/everyone to tell me how smart I am" post. It is however a "My premed advisor is ignorning me b/c I graduated and I have no role models in medicine and I don't know how to make this decision" post. So thanks for bearing with me.

I am lucky enough to have several choices over where to attend med school next year. What I need to know is, what factors should I be weighing, and how important are each of them?

Here's the situation: I have been accepted to my state school, which is highly ranked in primary care, but is not really a "powerhouse" by any sense of the word, anywhere else. It is affiliated with an okay hospital (regional trauma center, sees a wide variety of patients, but isn't on the cutting edge by any means) and most graduates stay in-state and go into primary care. Some get fabulous residencies, most get average residencies. It is INCREDIBLY cheap, and through a deal w/ the state, most graduates have negligable debt, if any at all.

I've also been accepted to another school with a much more well known reputation. It has fantastic clinical partners, great residency matches, and is ranked near the top in several specialites. It's very expensive (obviously).

I need to know a few things. 1. How much would graduating with no debt really affect my future? Should this be a major concern/factor in making my decision? 2. While I am 50% sure I will eventually end up in primary care, the other 50% of me has no idea what I want to do. Will going to a more "diverse" school in terms of specialties put me at an advantage? Will I be less likely to be exposed to different options at my state school? 3. The name factor. While I've heard different opinions on how prestige of a school affects residency matches, I 'd like a few more honest opinions. Does anyone believe that students at more "prestigious" schools get more out of their education? (I should add here that I have zero interest in research, since it seems like "prestige" = research money in most cases.) 4. What have you learned during medical school that you would have liked to know during your decision making processes??

Thanks so much for reading through all of this, and I'm looking forward to your replies. I did not want to specifically mention the schools involved, but if anyone feels that knowing specifics would affect their advice, please PM me.

Thanks!!

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[Skialta]

First, let me say that I attend a state school. I looked at the match for the past five years at my institution. I think that is a good predictor of what kind of programs people from your school are getting.

It really does not matter in my opinion what your school is known for unless you want to go there for that residency. Medical school is much the same everywhere, you will be exposed to all types of medicine and surgery. Especially if the hospital your school is attached to is a level 1 trauma center. I don't know that your experience as a medical student (clinically) really varies that much from institution to institution.

If it were me and I thought there would be a strong possibility that I would do primary care I wouldn't shell out 200K on the brand name. Medical school is hard anywhere you go but going to less than brand X may allow you to stand out with honors more easily (you could argue that either way but is something to think about). Good Luck

SA MS2

 

[8744]

1. Don't lick your fingers after a digital rectal exam...and for pete's sake don't linger. There's not that much up there that you can't feel in three minutes.

2. Brain: It only looks tasty.

3. Yell at the nurses. Tell them that when you're an intern, there will be hell to pay if you don't get some respect like right now.

4. Even though you feel bad about turning on a patients light at five AM, examining a patient in the dark is technically considered "groping."

5. Sometimes you have to splint the speculum. You'll know when it's time.

6. Childbirth is only a beautiful experience if you enjoy watching fat ladies passing stool.

Glad I could help.

 

[Long Dong]

1. Don't lick your fingers after a digital rectal exam...and for pete's sake don't linger. There's not that much up there that you can't feel in three minutes.

2. Brain: It only looks tasty.

3. Yell at the nurses. Tell them that when you're an intern, there will be hell to pay if you don't get some respect like right now.

4. Even though you feel bad about turning on a patients light at five AM, examining a patient in the dark is technically considered "groping."

5. Sometimes you have to splint the speculum. You'll know when it's time.

6. Childbirth is only a beautiful experience if you enjoy watching fat ladies passing stool.

Glad I could help.

 

[phoenixsupra]

Ha ha Lol That's frickin hilarious.

 

[Neuronix]

rofl, I wish I was the moderator of this forum. I'd make this thread a sticky!

 

[Lebesgue]

Go to the one your leaning towards...you'll be happy if you do.

The details will work themselves out.

 

[Obedeli]

Interesting question. . . wish I had the same one when I entered.
Here is what I can offer:
It all depends on the specialty you choose. If you go into a primary care field, it honestly should not make a huge difference in your match. However, if you are considering a "competitive" specialty, then it may be time to consider the bigger school. An important question is to ask BOTH schools what their average board scores are! Some big schools have outstanding average board scores which leads you to think you may stand a better chance at doing well on step 1, which in the end, will be an essential factor at securing a competitive residency.
Also, look to where previous graduates have matched, as someone earlier suggested.
Look, I am biased because I am going into a competitive residency and I am coming from a state school. I know my battle is uphill when all things being equal compared to another canidate from a bigger school. I am cool with it, but if I was in your place, I would go for the gusto.
Keep in mind, nothing I said here is absolute and there are exceptions to just about everything.
MS-IV

 

[8744]

1. Don't lick your fingers after a digital rectal exam...and for pete's sake don't linger. There's not that much up there that you can't feel in three minutes.

2. Brain: It only looks tasty.

3. Yell at the nurses. Tell them that when you're an intern, there will be hell to pay if you don't get some respect like right now.

4. Even though you feel bad about turning on a patients light at five AM, examining a patient in the dark is technically considered "groping."

5. Sometimes you have to splint the speculum. You'll know when it's time.

6. Childbirth is only a beautiful experience if you enjoy watching fat ladies passing stool.

Glad I could help.

7. When you're milking the prostate of a prisoner, his shoulder is not a good place to put your free hand.

8. Give a man a couple of Oxycontin, he'll get high for a day. Teach him to write his own prescriptions on stolen prescription pads and he'll get high for a lifetime.

9. Both the foot and the penis have dorsal veins. Know how to differentiate them.

10. The days when nurses looked like porn stars are long gone. Deal with it.

11. Your disdain for a good salary which peaks as you interview for medical school will decline to the point where by the middle of third year you will swear that if there wasn't the big bucks at the end of the tunnel you'd quit and go to law school.

 

[phoenixsupra]

Panda you crack me up.

 

[roja]

Ah, panda. those made my day.



to the OP:

You really should pick a school where you think you will be happiest. Many people go to a state school and do exceptionallywell. plenty of people go to great schools and don't do well. (and I am interviewing people for residency.. trust me, I have seen a ton of applications..)

You will get out of med school what you put into it. You should pick a school that fits your personality. You will not do well at a high priced school that makes you miserable for whatever reasons (distance from family/friends.. good or bad..etc) if you stress about your economics the whole time you will be miserable.

So, figure out which school excites you the most, where you can see yourself going.

Yes, its expensive but its not like you are goign into a career where you can't pay off your student loans... adn remember, they are also non-inheritab le... meaning if something happens to you, no one has to pay them off for you....

Also, if you do end up going into primary care, there are lots of incentives with loan pay off programs.. (serving in underserved areas etc)

So, go with your gut.


Hope that helps.

 

[dara678]

To the OP:

Hi there, I was in the same exact position you were last year. I chose the more well-known, expensive school for the following reasons (which may or may not help you) ...

1) I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do. AT FIRST, I thought i wanted to be a cardiovascular-thoracic surgeon. But then, after encountering the field and observing some surgeries, as well as after being in the hospital, I've decided to pursue something else entirely. I don't think you can truly know/confirm what you want to be until you are actually IN med school and experiencing the field, so I think if you go to a more competitive school (in terms of placing ppl in specialties) it might be an advantage to you. I chose the more expensive private school in order to keep my options open.
2) I hated the city my state school was in -- private schools tend to be in more metropolitan, urban areas.
3) The private school is affiliated with many major hospitals, so you can get exposure to patients of many different socioeconomic classes and ethnicities. This was a major factor in my decision.
4) Although the state school was much much, MUCH, cheaper, I decided to take the expensive route because I thought, in the end, I would be much happier if I felt like my school put me in a better position in terms of applying for residencies.
5) I didn't want to do residency in my state.

So it wasn't a very hard decision for me I guess. I think it also depends on how different the statuses of your schools are ... I mean, how much more competitive is this private school versus the state school? How many more ppl does it place in specialties versus primary care? If there isn't THAT much of a difference, then it would probably benefit you more to save the $100000 and go to your state school.

Hope this helps!!

 

[doc05]

want some advice? stay away from primary care. you'll be poor, unhappy, and overworked.

 

[Bo Hurley]

Despite all the hogwash they may try to feed you at school, it all comes down to the almighty $ at the end of the day. Tha't what puts food on the table, a roof over your head, and pays the bills. Remember this from Day 1, better yet remember it before you commit yourself to a certain school. Lots of students gloss over this and just think the money will take care of itself when they earn that M.D. Wrong.

Sure if you're 100% set on being Chief of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins like your uncle, then OK go for the most "prestigious" medical school that you get into. But chances are if you are 100% sure of something before med school, it will most likely change sometime during med school. Yeah, yeah, I know...you're saying to yourself "I'm definetly sure of what I want to do and it won't happen to me". Well guess what, all those other thousands of med students who promised themselves that it "won't happen to me" before they set foot in med school had a change of mind, usually sometime during third year.

Example: Guy I knew was "totally sure" that he wanted to be some hotshot plastic surgeon making millions in Beverley Hills and all that jazz. Brilliant guy too so it was no surprise that he got into a whole bunch of med schools: some state schools that would have cost him very little and some top-notch private schools with a $40,000+ per year price tag. Of course he went to a private school that was known for matching it's graduates to the best surgery programs. Yup you guessed it, he changed his mind during third year after his surgery rotation. Probably had something to do with getting the beatdown by attendings on a daily basis and getting all of 4 hours sleep per day. So now he's in an internal med residency which he could have easily matched into if he had gone to any of the lower costing state schools. So now he's going to be a run-of-the-mill general physician, but rather with something like a $300,000 debt to pay back (including undergrad).

 

[phoenixsupra]

Ah, panda. those made my day.



to the OP:

You really should pick a school where you think you will be happiest. Many people go to a state school and do exceptionallywell. plenty of people go to great schools and don't do well. (and I am interviewing people for residency.. trust me, I have seen a ton of applications..)

You will get out of med school what you put into it. You should pick a school that fits your personality. You will not do well at a high priced school that makes you miserable for whatever reasons (distance from family/friends.. good or bad..etc) if you stress about your economics the whole time you will be miserable.

So, figure out which school excites you the most, where you can see yourself going.

Yes, its expensive but its not like you are goign into a career where you can't pay off your student loans... adn remember, they are also non-inheritab le... meaning if something happens to you, no one has to pay them off for you....

Also, if you do end up going into primary care, there are lots of incentives with loan pay off programs.. (serving in underserved areas etc)

So, go with your gut.


Hope that helps.

I'll second that.

 

[phoenixsupra]

want some advice? stay away from primary care. you'll be poor, unhappy, and overworked.

What? From what I've read of your posts you're not in primary care but are poor, unhappy and overworked anyway. BTW anyone who thinks over a 100K is poverty needs to get a good smack and spend a few days in the ghetto. Doc05 I think you need some prozac or something.

 

[roja]

I'll second that.

Are you following me??

 

[Rendar5]

I was in a similar circumstance last year. I'm 90% sure I'm going into EM, and I got into UPitt last year. One of the best programs for EM in the country, and they also do teach their med students a bunch about it just as a result of the facilities and professors. But one of the main attendings at the ER I had volunteered at told me that I can always go there for residency. His point was that there isn't any real point in picking a school based on the strengths of its facilities.

I'd try to figure out how their curriculum runs, (wish I had done that before school) and see if it fits your learning style best. I've seen schools that wiill have a lot of overlapping subjects all at the same time, and they progress slowly, whereas my school only has a couple at once, but those classes meet more often and finish quickly before moving onto the next classes. That might help a bit in figuring out where you want to go.

First, let me say that I attend a state school. I looked at the match for the past five years at my institution. I think that is a good predictor of what kind of programs people from your school are getting.

It really does not matter in my opinion what your school is known for unless you want to go there for that residency. Medical school is much the same everywhere, you will be exposed to all types of medicine and surgery. Especially if the hospital your school is attached to is a level 1 trauma center. I don't know that your experience as a medical student (clinically) really varies that much from institution to institution.

If it were me and I thought there would be a strong possibility that I would do primary care I wouldn't shell out 200K on the brand name. Medical school is hard anywhere you go but going to less than brand X may allow you to stand out with honors more easily (you could argue that either way but is something to think about). Good Luck

SA MS2

 

[phoenixsupra]

Are you following me??

Methinks, those fancy arthouse headshots you make of yourself are bloating your ego, roja. I agree with your point but I wouldn't follow you. I havn't forgoten how smelly you are.