justagirl2024
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Hi! I am trying to make the huge decision of if i should attend Creighton University SOM or my state school University of Kansas SOM. I was accepted to the Arrupe Global Scholars Program at Creighton which comes with a scholarship that would actually make it slightly cheaper than KU, so cost is not really a factor (otherwise KU would win in a landslide). The Arrupe program is a 5-year MD/MPH and involves 5 international trips to partner sites (fully funded) to learn about the health system, culture, and conduct public health research in accordance with local needs. The program is built with a focus on decolonizing global health and a clear dedication to sustainable global medicine rather than medical tourism. This program aligns strongly with my goals in pursuing a medical degree and what I want out of a medical education. At the same time, I would still be a medical student first, and I am not sure if this program is reason enough to chose Creighton over KU.
KU offers the more renowned (ranked) program and all of the research, networking, etc. opportunities that come with being a major public university. I also got the impression during second look days that their curriculum is better set up to help with career exploration (they have built in weeks for shadowing various specialties, research, or other opportunities every quarter) whereas Creighton has clinical experiences built into 2nd semester M1 year and 1st semester M2 year, but I believe these are all in primary care. KU also has an outstanding free clinic run by medical students that I have been heavily involved in throughout undergrad which allows ample opportunities for students to volunteer and take leadership roles. Creighton also has a free clinic, but I got the impression it was somewhere you go like once or twice, don't take much of an active role in. Creighton, on the other hand, does seem to offer more education in the humanities alongside its medical curriculum, which would of course be supplemented with Arrupe and which I think would help to keep me grounded and remind me of my motivation for pursuing medicine in the first place. A lot of this is based on its Jesuit ideology, and I am not really catholic or particularly active in religion, so I am not sure how much of an impact this would have. KU would allow me to stay in the same city as many of my friends from undergrad and my sisters, whereas Creighton would be further away but potentially a great opportunity for me to branch out and try something different (I am from Kansas and went to KU for undergrad).
To summarize:
Creighton + Arrupe Pros:
-Extra degree - MPH, which would involve global health research leading to two publications
-Huge scholarship that would let me get the extra degree and international experiences for (slightly) less than I would pay at KU
-Small community within my class right away (Arrupe scholars start with a 2 week orientation in the DR prior to med school orientation)
-Extra support from Arrupe program directors/advisors
-Strong in humanities, would provide a break from hard sciences/medicine and help keep me motivated
-Opportunity to get out of my homestate and have a unique experience
-Strong dedication to public service
-HP/P/F for preclinical years
-Have been extremely supportive of me making my decision, director and student both reached out personally and chatted for 30+ minutes about any questions
Creighton + Arrupe Cons:
-Would take an extra year (not a deal breaker for me, I have considered an MPH even if I were to go to KU, plus I think I would appreciate a year being fully remote with less academic pressure to break up med school)
-Unranked, less known program
-Away from friends and family
-Less built in time for shadowing
-Fewer research opportunities
-Fewer home residencies
-Unsure about how I would fit in with the Catholic ideology
KUSOM Pros:
- Large university with a lot of funding, research
-Highly ranked for primary care
-Built in time every quarter for shadowing, research, etc. with no classes or exams
-More home residencies
-Close to sisters and friends from undergrad, in a familiar city, I know a lot of people who go there and are very happy
-Free student-run clinic with ample volunteer and leadership opportunities
-P/F all the way through 3rd year now (Could be a pro or con. I am unsure how to feel about this, as it seems it would make it even more difficult to distinguish for residency)
KU Cons:
-Seems like it would not have as personalized of support for what I want to do.
-Less focus on humanities of medicine, more just what you need to know, could contribute to burnout
-From what I can tell, few global health opportunities. What is available seems like one-time short term experiences rather than a program to help shape students into more globally-aware physicians ( I have reached out to their offices to see exactly how I could incorporate some of these things to build the type of educational experience I am hoping for and they have not gotten back to me)
-Very primary care focused, which I am not sure if I want to specialize or not
-Have not been very responsive while I try to decide, kind of get the sense that they know they have a long wait list ready to take my spot so don't really care to convince me they are the better program (though I have heard they are greatly supportive after matriculation)
Overall they are pretty similar programs, both 2 years preclinical and 2 years clinical, in mid-sized midwest cities. I am really trying to decide if Arrupe is reason enough to chose Creighton over KU or not.
Appreciate any input!
KU offers the more renowned (ranked) program and all of the research, networking, etc. opportunities that come with being a major public university. I also got the impression during second look days that their curriculum is better set up to help with career exploration (they have built in weeks for shadowing various specialties, research, or other opportunities every quarter) whereas Creighton has clinical experiences built into 2nd semester M1 year and 1st semester M2 year, but I believe these are all in primary care. KU also has an outstanding free clinic run by medical students that I have been heavily involved in throughout undergrad which allows ample opportunities for students to volunteer and take leadership roles. Creighton also has a free clinic, but I got the impression it was somewhere you go like once or twice, don't take much of an active role in. Creighton, on the other hand, does seem to offer more education in the humanities alongside its medical curriculum, which would of course be supplemented with Arrupe and which I think would help to keep me grounded and remind me of my motivation for pursuing medicine in the first place. A lot of this is based on its Jesuit ideology, and I am not really catholic or particularly active in religion, so I am not sure how much of an impact this would have. KU would allow me to stay in the same city as many of my friends from undergrad and my sisters, whereas Creighton would be further away but potentially a great opportunity for me to branch out and try something different (I am from Kansas and went to KU for undergrad).
To summarize:
Creighton + Arrupe Pros:
-Extra degree - MPH, which would involve global health research leading to two publications
-Huge scholarship that would let me get the extra degree and international experiences for (slightly) less than I would pay at KU
-Small community within my class right away (Arrupe scholars start with a 2 week orientation in the DR prior to med school orientation)
-Extra support from Arrupe program directors/advisors
-Strong in humanities, would provide a break from hard sciences/medicine and help keep me motivated
-Opportunity to get out of my homestate and have a unique experience
-Strong dedication to public service
-HP/P/F for preclinical years
-Have been extremely supportive of me making my decision, director and student both reached out personally and chatted for 30+ minutes about any questions
Creighton + Arrupe Cons:
-Would take an extra year (not a deal breaker for me, I have considered an MPH even if I were to go to KU, plus I think I would appreciate a year being fully remote with less academic pressure to break up med school)
-Unranked, less known program
-Away from friends and family
-Less built in time for shadowing
-Fewer research opportunities
-Fewer home residencies
-Unsure about how I would fit in with the Catholic ideology
KUSOM Pros:
- Large university with a lot of funding, research
-Highly ranked for primary care
-Built in time every quarter for shadowing, research, etc. with no classes or exams
-More home residencies
-Close to sisters and friends from undergrad, in a familiar city, I know a lot of people who go there and are very happy
-Free student-run clinic with ample volunteer and leadership opportunities
-P/F all the way through 3rd year now (Could be a pro or con. I am unsure how to feel about this, as it seems it would make it even more difficult to distinguish for residency)
KU Cons:
-Seems like it would not have as personalized of support for what I want to do.
-Less focus on humanities of medicine, more just what you need to know, could contribute to burnout
-From what I can tell, few global health opportunities. What is available seems like one-time short term experiences rather than a program to help shape students into more globally-aware physicians ( I have reached out to their offices to see exactly how I could incorporate some of these things to build the type of educational experience I am hoping for and they have not gotten back to me)
-Very primary care focused, which I am not sure if I want to specialize or not
-Have not been very responsive while I try to decide, kind of get the sense that they know they have a long wait list ready to take my spot so don't really care to convince me they are the better program (though I have heard they are greatly supportive after matriculation)
Overall they are pretty similar programs, both 2 years preclinical and 2 years clinical, in mid-sized midwest cities. I am really trying to decide if Arrupe is reason enough to chose Creighton over KU or not.
Appreciate any input!
