Baylor vs. McGovern

[AnatomyAndAnonymity]

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Hey there! I've been going back and forth for hours on this and I can't really decide. I've listed a few pros and cons (not in any particular order), and would love to hear y'all's thoughts. I'm considering the Baylor campuses separately as I feel each has strong upsides that could motivate me to pick that one over the other potential options. Another consideration I'm sort of using as a possible tie breaker is how well each school may set me up for a future in my goal specialty of forensic pathology (this could totally change once I get to med school, but I'm running low on factors that set them apart right now). Thank you in advance for your insight!

Baylor (Houston)
Pros

• P/F all four years
• Clinicals start in second year
• Access to the TMC and great opportunities that come with that
• Really awesome pathology residency program in one of the best places in the South for forensic pathology
• Great reputation
• If I do decide to pivot on specialty, there's more opportunities here
• Really nice facilities
• Mentorship communities

Cons

• The rent and the parking and the traffic that come with big city life
• Risk of evacuating from a hurricane every few years
• Share student-run clinics with other med schools so the opportunities there seem limited
• Likely would not be able to afford a home until after I settle into a career position
• Only a 4-week break between MS1 and MS2
• ~$6,000 less in scholarships (not including a possible recruitment scholarship)

Baylor (Temple)
Pros

• P/F all four years
• Clinicals start in second year
• Small class size means closer connections with peers and faculty
• Clinical research opportunities sound really interesting
• Could probably build a very strong relationship with the pathology residency program director
• Loved the small town feel, reminded me a lot of my hometown and would love to live there
• Less likely to be worried about hurricanes
• Could probably buy a home and stay here for 8 years or more if I got in to the forensic pathology fellowship in Austin
• More hands-on experience than in the TMC
• Genuine honest-to-goodness family feel at this school
• More service clinics in the community
• Within a few hours of pretty much every cool city in Texas

Cons

• I don't know if it will carry the same reputation weight as Baylor Houston
• Murky on how the Match results look compared to Baylor Houston
• Closest forensic pathology fellowship is in Austin (1 hour away), which is semi-doable but I've heard the Houston and Dallas fellowships are preferable
• The facilities here may be weaker than at the Houston campus
• Possibly fewer student orgs/electives than the Houston campus
• Likely fewer complex cases
• Only a 4-week break between MS1 and MS2
• ~$6,000 less in scholarships (not including a possible recruitment scholarship)

McGovern
Pros

• Access to TMC and all of those opportunities
• Really awesome pathology residency program in one of the best places in the South for forensic pathology
• 10-week break and paid research opportunity between MS1 and MS2
• Strong emphasis on mentorship (peer and faculty) and preparation for success
• If I do decide to pivot on specialty, there's more opportunities here
• Robust STEP prep
• Really nice facilities
• ~$6,000 more in scholarships (not including a possible recruitment scholarship)

Cons

• Graded after the first semester (not a huge concern for me but people rave about the benefits of P/F so idk)
• Clinicals start MS3
• The rent and the parking and the traffic that come with big city life
• Risk of evacuating from a hurricane every few years
• Share student-run clinics with other med schools so the opportunities for this seem limited
• Likely would not be able to buy a home until after I settle into a career position

All in all, I'm trying to balance what could be a better quality of life for me and my family vs. what will put me on the best track to long-term success. Any and all insight is sincerely appreciated!