I disagree!!! I think for some it is worth going to a different school that has more debt if that school and the city fits better with their personality and goals. While every school gives an MD that is an allopathic medical school, they all have different approaches in their teaching, their cities are all very different, and their students are all different in their own ways. What's more is that some have mission statements that more focus on rural health, others more on research, others which have the right balance. some more inner city focused and others with patients who are often richer patients or more rare cases.
you have to search within you to find what it is you are looking for.
I have had friends who turned down other schools that might have been cheaper to attend schools like BUSM and Tufts and for them it was the right decision. I hate when everyone says only go to the cheapest school without thinking about what school is really right for them.
Umass and BUSM are both strong research schools in the top 50 ranked schools along with tufts med, generally in the mid 30s in BU's case to mid to late 40s in UMass and Tufts' case in the last few years.
They all have strong research, strong clinicals, etc. But I've never seen the professors in action at UMass whereas I and even rogueunicorn did see them in action at BUSM and I'm sure he'd agree with me with what I said in my other post above. In other words, that the professors at BUSM have a passion and conviction to not just present but to truly teach you and show that they love doing so. That is what impresses me the most. And as i said before you will do stuff that most students do only starting 2nd year at many other schools, starting from your first year itself. I wish my school would do the same but I've strengthened my conviction after coming back from Boston to see my friends to take the initiative to do such on my own through the free clinics at my school in detroit and shadowing opps here so I can be on par with them. Cheers. Good luck in your decision. Think about what school will make you happiest without equating financial issues into it because you will make the money back in due time and for the high cost of BUSM they do give yu your money's worth. There are many at public schools as OOSers that pay equally as much as BUSM students and don't get half of what BUSM gives you for the price you pay them. Put that into perspective when you make your decision.
