best med school in VA?

[futuredoc100]

There is no question that all 3 med schools in VA are known around the country for being great medical schools. This arises the question... which is the best in VA? UVA, EVMS, or VCU

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[not so calm now]

There are actually 5 med schools in VA now - those that you mentioned plus Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) loosely affiliated with Virginia Tech, and Virginia Tech Carilion, a brand new MD-granting school in Roanoke that's recruiting its first class now.

Also which school is the "best" really depends on what you're looking for. VCU is an urban magnet hospital that has a large (200) class size and doesn't seem to emphasize primary care vs. specialists. In your 3rd year you have the option of doing all rotations at INOVA Fairfax in the DC suburbs. EVMS, while also affiliated with magnet hospitals, is slightly smaller and is more primary-care/clinician focused. Their mission is to train people that will stick around the Tidewater area, and they show preference to people with roots in this area. UVA is higher up in the research rankings, has a medium class size, and is in a college town/more tranquil setting. Also students at UVA get sent all over the state, in particular to southwest areas of the state. VCU and UVA seem to attract more out of state students, but EVMS also takes quite a few out of staters.

The new Virginia Tech Carilion has a small class size (~40) and a research project is required. I'm assuming most core rotations are going to be in Roanoke. VCOM's mission is to train primary care physicians for southwest Virginia and the greater Appalachia region. Like many DO schools they don't have their own hospital, but they send many students to Carilion and other hospitals across the state.

 

[medmannamdem]

Well, UVA is the most difficult to gain entry.

However, does anyone think the clinical traffic in Charlottesville is anything comparable to Richmond and Norfolk? so that is definitely something to consider.

But...UVA has the students with the best stats, so if you like being around that group because it pushes you to your best ability, then that is probably the best IMO. Also, if research is your game, I'd say UVA is also the best.

On the other hand, VCU and EVMS are located in areas where one will see all kinds of health issues, and plenty of them. So, if you're a clinical guy, and you don't mind not hanging with the "gunners," then I'd say those two are just as great.

VT Carilion will be great, I think, but it is still a somewhat unknown quantity, and that has its obvious risks..

Other thoughts???🙄

 

[flip26]

Well, UVA is the most difficult to gain entry.

However, does anyone think the clinical traffic in Charlottesville is anything comparable to Richmond and Norfolk? so that is definitely something to consider.

But...UVA has the students with the best stats, so if you like being around that group because it pushes you to your best ability, then that is probably the best IMO. Also, if research is your game, I'd say UVA is also the best.

On the other hand, VCU and EVMS are located in areas where one will see all kinds of health issues, and plenty of them. So, if you're a clinical guy, and you don't mind not hanging with the "gunners," then I'd say those two are just as great.

VT Carilion will be great, I think, but it is still a somewhat unknown quantity, and that has its obvious risks..

Other thoughts???🙄

Half of the clinical rotations for UVA students are outside of Charlottesville, some of it in Richmond, some in Northern VA...

UVA is pass/fail pre clinical, something none of the other VA schools have.

 

[medmannamdem]

Yes, UVA has to ship em' out to get the clinical experience. Yes, the student will get the experience some way, but it is not the same situation as the heart of Richmond or Norfolk.

It will be interesting to see the clinical situation in Roanoke as VT Carilion gains traction. UVA might experience a slight squeeze in that market.

🙂

 

[FlowLimited]

How many polls about VA medical schools are you planning on making today?

 

[flip26]

Yes, UVA has to ship em' out to get the clinical experience. Yes, the student will get the experience some way, but it is not the same situation as the heart of Richmond or Norfolk.

It will be interesting to see the clinical situation in Roanoke as VT Carilion gains traction. UVA might experience a slight squeeze in that market.

🙂

Why don't you get accepted to all 3 and then come back to SDN and tell us that you turned down UVA for either VCU or EVMS because of the 'poor' clinical experience at UVA.

Yeah, I bet that happens all the time...

 

[medmannamdem]

Back in the day, my pops got into UVA first, then MCV (as it was called at the time), and chose MCV. I might add he had a pretty successful career.

Bottom line is UVA is considered a better school by most. I'll give you that. However, the clinical training at VCU is considered by many to be equal or better.

😀

 

[flip26]

Back in the day, my pops got into UVA first, then MCV (as it was called at the time), and chose MCV. I might add he had a pretty successful career.

Bottom line is UVA is considered a better school by most. I'll give you that. However, the clinical training at VCU is considered by many to be equal or better.

😀

You know, I am not even arguing that it is the "better" school. I haven't voted on this stupid poll.

But the reality is that there is a pecking order in this state, and UVA sits atop the heap. I personally am choosing it over the other schools instate for 1) preclinical Pass Fail, 2) the innovations to the curriculum and new facilities opening next year, and 3) Charlottesville is hands down the nicest of the 3 cities.

I have zero concerns RE the quality of the clinical training. I know too many people there, and I know too many residents in the UVA system, who have indicated the clinical training is top notch.

And I am not knocking ANYTHING about VCU or EVMS - I think they are fine med schools.

 

[uva2010]

i am actually really interested in this thread as i am currently deciding which of these 3 acceptances to let go of first and yes it is a tough decision. i too dislike the idea that uva sends you to oftentimes random ass places to do rotations, but having worked in the uva hospital myself, i do know they see plenty of big things like gunshots, car accidents and heart transplants, as they fly people in from all over central va, but it might not be as heavy on gunshot wounds as vcu.. and i havent decided on primary care or a specialty so its hard to use that as a basis for my decision.. but the clock is ticking for some of these deadlines

 

[flip26]

i am actually really interested in this thread as i am currently deciding which of these 3 acceptances to let go of first and yes it is a tough decision. i too dislike the idea that uva sends you to oftentimes random ass places to do rotations, but having worked in the uva hospital myself, i do know they see plenty of big things like gunshots, car accidents and heart transplants, as they fly people in from all over central va, but it might not be as heavy on gunshot wounds as vcu.. and i havent decided on primary care or a specialty so its hard to use that as a basis for my decision.. but the clock is ticking for some of these deadlines

What deadlines? The only deadline I know about is May 15.

 

[uva2010]

What deadlines? The only deadline I know about is May 15.

vcu and evms require one hundred$$ deposits to hold your place, uva doesn't require money, but i know that at least for vcu and evms there is a time limit of 2 weeks and ten days respectively to make that deposit

 

[not so calm now]

UVA is pass/fail pre clinical, something none of the other VA schools have.

VTC is going to be strictly pass/fail according to what was said on interview day.

 

[not so calm now]

vcu and evms require one hundred$$ deposits to hold your place, uva doesn't require money, but i know that at least for vcu and evms there is a time limit of 2 weeks and ten days respectively to make that deposit

Those deposits are refundable pre 5/15 IIRC

 

[flip26]

VTC is going to be strictly pass/fail according to what was said on interview day.

I didn't even notice if that was the case (was it always the case? I think I would have noticed it on the website or in their mailings).

I didn't apply there for other reasons, but it mainly irked me that since it is not a "state/public" school, there is no tuition break for instaters, so they will have by far the highest tuition instate (at least among the allo schools, know nothing about the DO).

That tuition is frankly a pretty tough sell for VA residents. I also was not interested in the all day PBL-ish mandatory attendance school, nor the mandatory research project. But I am sure it will be a fine school, just wasn't for me...

 

[flip26]

vcu and evms require one hundred$$ deposits to hold your place, uva doesn't require money, but i know that at least for vcu and evms there is a time limit of 2 weeks and ten days respectively to make that deposit

Jeez, pluck down those deposits - they are refundable prior to May 15 (check with the schools to be sure of that date) - you should not be trying to figure out which schools to drop in November...keep all options open.

Not having to put down a deposit at UVA was surely sweet!

 

[49erfan]

UVA is clearly the most reputed school in VA.

But from all the rumors I have heard, despite it being a P/F curriculum, the students are competitive with each other...

Out of all the VA schools, EVMS is the most friendly and feels like "home" in my opinion

 

[ApoK]

Is this even a question? UVa hands down. If you want to obtain a residency outside of VA or at a top institution, it'd be a lot easier to do so from UVa. I think of them as one of the up and coming schools that will be even better in a decade or two. My biggest concern about the place were the away rotations as well, but that's in comparison to places like UCSF, Duke and Michigan for whom the comparison is less appropriate or fair.

 

[flip26]

UVA is clearly the most reputed school in VA.

But from all the rumors I have heard, despite it being a P/F curriculum, the students are competitive with each other...

Out of all the VA schools, EVMS is the most friendly and feels like "home" in my opinion

I know a lot of people at UVA Med, and this isn't even on the radar...not sure where you get your "rumors" from, but maybe you should actually talk to students at the school instead of subscribing to unsubstantiated internet rumors.

You are entitled to your opinion that EVMS is "the most friendly" and "feels like home" but unless you have interviewed at both UVA and EVMS, how have you come to this conclusion? More rumors? Or personal experience? Because you cite as your basis for your opinion on UVA competitiveness "rumors" so it begs the question of where and how you are getting your insights on either school?

 

[medmannamdem]

Without a doubt, UVA is the most competitive of the Virginia schools.

My conclusion is based on personal experience with people at the schools. By the way, since when did being competitive become a bad thing?

 

[flip26]

Without a doubt, UVA is the most competitive of the Virginia schools.

My conclusion is based on personal experience with people at the schools. By the way, since when did being competitive become a bad thing?

Depends on what you mean by competitive? In your prior post, you used it pejoratively in describing the students at UVA, and now you are trying to spin it the other way, so which is it?

Most people are looking for a collegial and supportive med school environment, not a "competitive with each other" kind of environment. I know I feel that way, and based on everything I have read on it, pass/fail schools tend to be happier and friendlier school environments.

These threads and polls on "the best school" are really stupid. I like UVA and prefer it over the other instate schools - I listed my reasons above - and if your criteria - or your knowledge of the schools - differs in any way from mine, you may make a completely different choice, and that is the beauty of this whole thing: pick the school that is "best" for you, not based on rankings or what people pass off as rumors or ill informed opinion on SDN.

 

[medmannamdem]

Flip,

I reread my posts and I can't find where I referred to competition at a school as negative. To me, "gunners" is not a negative term. The fact is, many people thrive in a competitive environment, and others flounder. Perhaps more telling of UVA is the slightly wound-up nature of your posts (as I assume UVA is where you will be attending).

I agree, "best school" is a general term that is little help to an applicant. On the other hand, having spent time shadowing doctors at VCU and UVA, I will say that the facilities at UVA are superior, and that the general demeanor of people at the UVA medical center stood out - with that I mean the courtesy and kindness I felt - from the secretaries to the doctors.

 

[flip26]

I reread my posts and I can't find where I referred to competition at a school as negative

So you don't think that being gunnerish is negative? To each his own...but there are not too many people who would agree with you on this.

Edit: I mixed your posts up with another person who commented on competitive students at UVA. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[msdr2014]

I have been accepted to all 3, and am currently deciding where to go. I turned down EVMS because I didn't like the feel of the school as much- everyone was really nice, but something about it didn't click. Plus tunnel traffic sucks.

For those worried about the clinical experience at UVA- having shadowed and volunteered there, I can tell you that you will see a LOT. I even saw a baby with botulism in the week I shadowed (of which there are only a few cases in the entire country per year)! In terms of trauma, you will see more at MCV- but all the standard things, gunshots, etc as well as some really, really strange cases turn up at UVA as well. It's the closest major hospital to SW VA also, so all the major traumas and serious cases from there get sent to UVA as well. The patient population is pretty diverse (although less underserved than the MCV population)- and just to cover that, the away rotations make sure you see all kinds of patients in various medical settings. MCV does have a larger hospital though and sees much more of an "inner-city" population.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I think people would be hard pressed to prove that UVA isn't the best medical school in VA.