Choosing between medical schools..help deciding

[meridethgrey]

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Hey guys! So, I have been fortunate enough to have been accepted to both of my top schools for medical school, Albert Einstein and U-Miami. I'm having trouble deciding between the two. I feel that they are both equally comparable to each other rank wise and with the opportunities available. I am a Miami resident and find that UM would definitely be the cheaper cost-wise (cheaper tuition, live in Miami, ect..) of the two but I feel NYC has a lot to offer as well.

If anyone was in a similar situation or knows about either particular program and is willing to give some insight, please type away.

thank you 🙂

 

[bashwell]

Miami because better weather, it's your home, I assume you have good support from friends and family there, and cheaper!

Plus do you want to do residency in FL or NY? Or Southeast vs Northeast? Programs often care about geographic preferences. For the big name ones like MGH or Hopkins, they probably don't care as much because they have great candidates and might care only if choosing between two otherwise equal candidates. They probably care more about Step 1 scores, AOA, etc.

 

[Entadus]

No brainer. Miami is cheaper AND better weather. What's not to love?

 

[OnePunchBiopsy]

Depends on your goals.

If you see yourself wanting to pursue an academic medical career (research, teaching residents, etc), I would say head to NYC.

Go to U-Miami if you have no idea where you see yourself. There will still be lots of opportunity there, it will be less expensive, and I assume you already have a support system there. You could still pursue an academic medical career at U-Miami, but name is everything in academics, and IMO, Albert Einstein is a bigger academic name.

 

[Stagg737]

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[Luka75]

2 great schools that you like equally? Easy, Pick the cheapest one.

 

[meridethgrey]

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lmao my fave response

 

[meridethgrey]

Miami because better weather, it's your home, I assume you have good support from friends and family there, and cheaper!

Plus do you want to do residency in FL or NY? Or Southeast vs Northeast? Programs often care about geographic preferences. For the big name ones like MGH or Hopkins, they probably don't care as much because they have great candidates and might care only if choosing between two otherwise equal candidates. They probably care more about Step 1 scores, AOA, etc.

I hope to do residency in Montefiore hospital for either trauma sx or EM

I've seen UM match there though so there would be a good possibility, right? But, I do wish to practice as an attending in Miami (dream big right? haha)

 

[meridethgrey]

Depends on your goals.

If you see yourself wanting to pursue an academic medical career (research, teaching residents, etc), I would say head to NYC.

Go to U-Miami if you have no idea where you see yourself. There will still be lots of opportunity there, it will be less expensive, and I assume you already have a support system there. You could still pursue an academic medical career at U-Miami, but name is everything in academics, and IMO, Albert Einstein is a bigger academic name.

I hope to do either trauma sx or EM and I also wish to be a physician-scientist, but mostly emphasizing on practicing medicine over conducting research. thank you for your response! I will keep what you say in mind

 

[meridethgrey]

Miami because better weather, it's your home, I assume you have good support from friends and family there, and cheaper!

Plus do you want to do residency in FL or NY? Or Southeast vs Northeast? Programs often care about geographic preferences. For the big name ones like MGH or Hopkins, they probably don't care as much because they have great candidates and might care only if choosing between two otherwise equal candidates. They probably care more about Step 1 scores, AOA, etc.

Thank you for your response btw 🙂

 

[meridethgrey]

No brainer. Miami is cheaper AND better weather. What's not to love?

I do hate the cold....haha

 

[efle]

I also wish to be a physician-scientist, but mostly emphasizing on practicing medicine over conducting research.

Do you mean this in the usual sense of the term, that you will be pursuing a PhD on top of your MD? Most physician scientists have to do the 80-20 split the other way, research > clinic, to keep their funding/productivity up.

The two schools are similarly regarded and will both have some opportunities for research. One thing to consider is where you'd want to do residency, fellowship and practice. If you could see yourself staying in FL for the long run, go to Miami.

 

[meridethgrey]

Do you mean this in the usual sense of the term, that you will be pursuing a PhD on top of your MD? Most physician scientists have to do the 80-20 split the other way, research > clinic, to keep their funding/productivity up.

The two schools are similarly regarded and will both have some opportunities for research. One thing to consider is where you'd want to do residency, fellowship and practice. If you could see yourself staying in FL for the long run, go to Miami.

Interesting. From what I have gathered from speaking with different physicians who conduct research (as purely an MD) and PhD's, it is possible to conduct clinical trials and be a PI without the PhD title. I, in all honesty, do not know much about how physicians go about conducting research while practicing (all my research has been basic science studies), but I wish to learn more about it during my education because practicing research is something I wish to incorporate in my practice.

Also, I wish to do residency in NYC but practice in Miami.

Thank you for your response! 🙂

 

[efle]

Interesting. From what I have gathered from speaking with different physicians who conduct research (as purely an MD) and PhD's, it is possible to conduct clinical trials and be a PI without the PhD title. I, in all honesty, do not know much about how physicians go about conducting research while practicing (all my research has been basic science studies), but I wish to learn more about it during my education because practicing research is something I wish to incorporate in my practice.

Also, I wish to do residency in NYC but practice in Miami.

Thank you for your response! 🙂

There are a lot of MDs at academic centers that do primarily clinical work with some research on the side like participating in multi center device or drug trials. Things like "PI/physician scientist" usually refer to the primarily researchers that head labs, and this is overwhelmingly MD/PhDs, though there is the occasional MD + other research training (like a researchy fellowship) among them. That's my understanding at least.

If you want a NYC residency go to einstein

 

[Fortyfive]

No brainer. Miami is cheaper AND better weather. What's not to love?

totally unrelated, but i love your signature LOL 😀

 

[Stagg737]

Interesting. From what I have gathered from speaking with different physicians who conduct research (as purely an MD) and PhD's, it is possible to conduct clinical trials and be a PI without the PhD title. I, in all honesty, do not know much about how physicians go about conducting research while practicing (all my research has been basic science studies), but I wish to learn more about it during my education because practicing research is something I wish to incorporate in my practice.

Also, I wish to do residency in NYC but practice in Miami.

Thank you for your response! 🙂

So if you want to do residency in NYC, you'd probably be better off going to med school nearby as it will be far easier to gain connections at programs and the programs will likely favor students from the region (because they've had other students from the school rotate there). That being said, if your heart isn't set on doing residency in NYC I'd still say stick with Miami (especially since you plan on ending up back there anyway). My previous post was edited because I realized I basically gave the exact same advice as a previous poster, I'm glad it was so helpful though 😉

 

[Entadus]

totally unrelated, but i love your signature LOL 😀

Hah! The road has been anything but easy. I will savor every milestone. I also seek to inspire the next generation