Case Western vs Rutgers NJMS

[futuredoc73]

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Rutgers NJMS
Pros

• COA about 15k a year, haven't heard back about merit scholarships yet
• Acceptance to 3-year MD program with automatic match into residency program
• Support system close to school (I would live at home + SO < 3 hour drive away)
• Big fan of community engagement, very diverse patient population.

Cons

• Faculty hasn't been great thus far with responding to emails/communication
• Prestige?
• 93% match rate (if for some reason I left the 3-year program and entered into the traditional 4-year)

School Y
Pros

• Prestige?
• Top research institution, lots of opportunities + cool faculty
• 100% match rate to generally more top institutions (I could potentially match at a "better" residency program)

Cons

• Cleveland is far from support systems (NJ and MD)
• COA would be about 60k per year

TLDR: I'm interested in Psychiatry, and I'm super excited to have the automatic match into the Rutgers program. I don't want to go into academic medicine, and just want to practice medicine in my community when I get older. I'm just not sure whether or not the perceived difference in "prestige" is enough to sway me to CWRU, just wondering what others think. Thank you!

 

[heir_of_snakes]

Rutgers NJMS
Pros

• COA about 15k a year, haven't heard back about merit scholarships yet
• Acceptance to 3-year MD program with automatic match into residency program
• Support system close to school (I would live at home + SO < 3 hour drive away)
• Big fan of community engagement, very diverse patient population.

Cons

• Faculty hasn't been great thus far with responding to emails/communication
• Prestige?
• 93% match rate (if for some reason I left the 3-year program and entered into the traditional 4-year)

School Y
Pros

• Prestige?
• Top research institution, lots of opportunities + cool faculty
• 100% match rate to generally more top institutions (I could potentially match at a "better" residency program)

Cons

• Cleveland is far from support systems (NJ and MD)
• COA would be about 60k per year

TLDR: I'm interested in Psychiatry, and I'm super excited to have the automatic match into the Rutgers program. I don't want to go into academic medicine, and just want to practice medicine in my community when I get older. I'm just not sure whether or not the perceived difference in "prestige" is enough to sway me to CWRU, just wondering what others think. Thank you!

Both schools offer you fantastic opportunities, and I think the decision really comes down to what matters most to you long term. Prestige is often brought up in these conversations, but I’d suggest also reframing the discussion around the "prestige" of your future residency program, since that’s where your training and networking will become more specialized and career-defining.

If you go to NJMS and follow through with the 3-year MD pathway, you’re essentially guaranteed a residency in a well-regarded psychiatry program. So ask yourself: if you matched into that psychiatry residency and were training there for 4 years, would you feel content? Or would you find yourself wishing you'd gone through a longer, more expensive route just for the chance to match somewhere with a bigger name?

In other words, is the certainty of a solid match (and saving time and ~$180k+ in tuition/living costs) worth more to you than the possibility of a marginally stronger match from CWRU, especially if you’re not aiming for a hyper-competitive subspecialty or academic medicine?

It's also worth noting that NJMS still has a strong match list for its traditional 4-year program, and the 93% match rate shouldn't be interpreted as a red flag. The difference in match percentages between the two schools likely reflects differences in cohort profiles (e.g., average MCAT scores), not necessarily differences in institutional quality or support. Being admitted into the 3-year track at NJMS suggests you're already among the more competitive applicants in the class, and that bodes well regardless of which path you choose.

Finally, don’t underestimate the value of being close to your support system. Med school is hard. Residency is harder. If being near home helps you stay grounded and well, that’s a big deal, not a soft factor.

 

[albinotaco18]

Rutgers NJMS
Pros

• COA about 15k a year, haven't heard back about merit scholarships yet
• Acceptance to 3-year MD program with automatic match into residency program
• Support system close to school (I would live at home + SO < 3 hour drive away)
• Big fan of community engagement, very diverse patient population.

Cons

• Faculty hasn't been great thus far with responding to emails/communication
• Prestige?
• 93% match rate (if for some reason I left the 3-year program and entered into the traditional 4-year)

School Y
Pros

• Prestige?
• Top research institution, lots of opportunities + cool faculty
• 100% match rate to generally more top institutions (I could potentially match at a "better" residency program)

Cons

• Cleveland is far from support systems (NJ and MD)
• COA would be about 60k per year

TLDR: I'm interested in Psychiatry, and I'm super excited to have the automatic match into the Rutgers program. I don't want to go into academic medicine, and just want to practice medicine in my community when I get older. I'm just not sure whether or not the perceived difference in "prestige" is enough to sway me to CWRU, just wondering what others think. Thank you!

Have you received your financial aid from case yet?

 

[nastixnmed]

How did you get NJMS COA to be $15k without scholarships?

 

[futuredoc73]

How did you get NJMS COA to be $15k without scholarships?

I am fortunate to have some external sources of funding for my medical education, plus I would live at home while attending NJMS. This is why I put CWRU at 60k as well, that factors in housing and tuition costs.

 

[futuredoc73]

Have you received your financial aid from case yet?

Not yet, 60k was my approximation, sorry if that was confusing!

 

[futuredoc73]

NJMS since much cheaper and near support which is a pro for you.

Oh brother