Baylor versus Vanderbilt

[Brainchild777]

Hello, I need help deciding between these two schools. While, I have acceptances to other schools and I am on a few waiting-lists, these seem to be most plausible. I have included the pros I perceive in each school. Please do not take offense to anything I have written below as it is not meant to put anyone down. Also, please feel free to correct anything I have inappropriately assumed.

Just to give you some background: I hope to be a very competitive applicant for a surgery residency.

Baylor:

1) STEP Flexibility.

This is a huge selling point. How I perform on STEP could be affected by how much time I have to study for the exam and when I take the exam. Baylor's track record on this exam is phenomenal.

2) 1.5 year curriculum

While I am certainly on-board with the 12-month pre-clinical curriculum, I think that it might be nice to have a bit more time to digest things. Also, this curriculum has been in place for several years, unlike Vandy's.

3) Better chance of being ranked higher in the class.

Please don't take offense to this, but Vanderbilt doesn't have the 75% in-state applicant requirement. I feel like it might be a little bit more difficult to be ranked higher in the class at Vanderbilt than it would be at Baylor. I could be completely wrong of course and I don't really think there's a way to know. But, to be inconsistent with the initial point, the 25% OOS students at Baylor (excluding me) are probably all rock stars.


4) Closer to family


Vanderbilt:

1) Slightly better reputation with residency programs (I want to be very competitive for residency and do not have too much regional preference).

2) Fostering environment

To me it seems like the mentoring is more intense, longitudinal, and personalized at Vandy.
The smaller class size and college system are appealing.

3) Research opportunities

Built-in to the curriculum and a bit more structured.

4) Different environment

Nashville would be more unique and foreign for me than Houston would be. Sometimes it takes a change of environment to refine habits and be your best self. Associativity is a double-edged sword.

I would appreciate any and all help with this decision. These schools are different and they might lead me to different opportunities so this is a very important post for me. 🙂

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[Tots]

Moved to School Specific Discussions.

Honestly I think you would be competitive for residency at both schools since they are both fantastic. In regards to your first point for Baylor, I want to point out that Vandy apparently also has a very high Step I average. In addition I don't think your classmates would be any less impressive at Baylor so I doubt it would be significantly easier to stand out there. My vote would be with Vandy because I liked the location much much better than Baylor but if being close to your family is important go with Baylor. Unless you got a scholarship at Vandy, Baylor is probably cheaper too.

 

[deleted127837]

The hard question - why do you want to be supercompetitive for surgery?

Your rhetoric prefers Vanderbilt. Check to see if the schools even rank their students (I feel like they don't - well, Baylor might). Being highly ranked at a better school will be more beneficial to you in the long run.

If you went to undergrad in Texas, I would go with Vanderbilt. It's not THAT much regional diversity, but it demonstrates a willingness to go to other places for residency, something staying at Baylor may not.

 

[Brainchild777]

Thanks, Tots and Bear.

I want to be supercompetitive for surgery because I want to have the most options available to me. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's the truth.

 

[AllDay24]

Step 1 argument for Baylor is moot - Vandy is #1 and Baylor is #2 I believe

 

[Brainchild777]

Thanks for the response AllDay24. Idk if the Step 1 argument is moot necessarily. For it to be moot, you might need to assume the med students at Vandy and Baylor to be equal on the first day of class.

While it's difficult to say for sure, it's possible that the system for taking Step 1 (flexibility) at Baylor allows its students to realize more of their potential than Vandy's set-up (6 week allotment). Which in that case, it is a selling point for Baylor.

Baylor might be like putting higher octane fuel in a Porsche, whereas Vanderbilt would be like putting regular gas in a Lamborghini. Yeah, it's practically a tie, but there are more factors at play.

 

[Tots]

Thanks for the response AllDay24. Idk if the Step 1 argument is moot necessarily. For it to be moot, you might need to assume the med students at Vandy and Baylor to be equal on the first day of class.

While it's difficult to say for sure, it's possible that the system for taking Step 1 (flexibility) at Baylor allows its students to realize more of their potential than Vandy's set-up (6 week allotment). Which in that case, it is a selling point for Baylor.

Baylor might be like putting higher octane fuel in a Porsche, whereas Vanderbilt would be like putting regular gas in a Lamborghini. Yeah, it's practically a tie, but there are more factors at play.

I am not 100% sure but I think with the new curriculum at Vandy and taking Step 1 after the clinical year, there might be more flexibility in when you take the test. Just from the diagram it looks like you have 2 months after a 1 month vacation: https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/ume/curriculum-2-schematic

Maybe something to ask about during Vanderbilt's second look?(If this is an important selling point to you)

 

[Brainchild777]

That's a great point, Tots. And I wish I could go to Vandy's second look, but I won't be able to make it. :/

 

[deleted127837]

Thanks, Tots and Bear.

I want to be supercompetitive for surgery because I want to have the most options available to me. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's the truth.

...just to point out, thanks to the way the match works, you won't really have any options other than who offers you interviews. Your Step scores (and AOA status) will trump everything else.

Thanks for the response AllDay24. Idk if the Step 1 argument is moot necessarily. For it to be moot, you might need to assume the med students at Vandy and Baylor to be equal on the first day of class.

While it's difficult to say for sure, it's possible that the system for taking Step 1 (flexibility) at Baylor allows its students to realize more of their potential than Vandy's set-up (6 week allotment). Which in that case, it is a selling point for Baylor.

Baylor might be like putting higher octane fuel in a Porsche, whereas Vanderbilt would be like putting regular gas in a Lamborghini. Yeah, it's practically a tie, but there are more factors at play.

The vast majority of medical students taking Step 1 say that 6 weeks is more than enough to prepare, esp. if you've been doing the preclinical work, so I wouldn't worry too much about that flexibility. Columbia (I think it was) demonstrated that people who take their Step 1 after their clinical rotations tend to do better, so that's something to keep in mind.

Really, you should be preparing for Step 1 a long time before the dedicated block, esp. if you want to get a stratospheric score.

 

[alpinism]

Vandy has a stronger GS department w/ a better reputation.

(more research opportunities and a better residency program)

Both have great programs however.

 

[Nymphicus]

That's a great point, Tots. And I wish I could go to Vandy's second look, but I won't be able to make it. :/

This is unfortunate because what really separated them for me was going to each of the second looks.

 

[Frazier]

Between the two, I would go to Vandypants.

 

[Brainchild777]

This is unfortunate because what really separated them for me was going to each of the second looks.

I agree, Nymphicus, it is unfortunate. If you don´t mind sharing (either on this thread or in a PM), what about the second looks separated the schools for you?

 

[Brainchild777]

Well, for a while there I had my mind (and heart) set on Vandy. Then, yesterday, I was reading about how Texas is the best/nicest place to practice medicine. I think I'd actually like to practice medicine in Texas after residency. So now I'm leaning towards Baylor.

 

[Brainchild777]

Well. I guess I'll go to Vanderbilt. Anyone have any final words for Baylor (or Vanderbilt)?

 

[premed877]

All I can say is I'm jealous you're closer to knowing where you'll be. I've been putting off this Vandy/Emory decision for too long.

 

[Brainchild777]

Wow. If not for this deadline, I would never decide. I can understand why there are so many "Vanderbilt versus ...." threads. Going into a new curriculum isn't a fun thought. Leaning towards Baylor now... :/

 

[Whatyousay]

Any concerns about cost of attendance?

COA at Vandy is a good 20-30k per year more than Baylor, although they probably offer more financial aid / scholarships vs. Baylor.

 

[Brainchild777]

Thanks for the response, Whatyousay. I don't have any concerns about COA. (If I did, as you said, Baylor is substantially cheaper).

 

[Status Sciaticus]

Thanks for the response, Whatyousay. I don't have any concerns about COA. (If I did, as you said, Baylor is substantially cheaper).

what were your stats if you dont mind me asking? these two are reach schools for me and I want to see what chance I might have. thanks!

 

[Brainchild777]

My stats were above both of their averages...