CHSU vs DMU

[Axolawful]

Hey everyone. I've been fortunate enough to be accepted to DMU and CHSU, and I've been having a tough time deciding between the two.

The two main benefits of DMU I'm seeing are:

• Very well-established
• Strong match rates with decent amount in psychiatry (area I'm really interested in pursuing right now)

The big advantage of CHSU for me would be location. I live in the Central Valley of CA and have family kind enough to let me lodge with them rent-free if I decided to attend CHSU. Having cost of living covered and not having to make a huge move would be a huge weight off my back, but I also don't want to sabotage myself just by choosing the comfortable option.

Obviously I don't have enough experience to know exactly the specialty I want to do, but my main interest right now is psychiatry (which I've heard isn't super competitive), but I wouldn't mind family medicine if worst comes to worst. With all that in mind, do you think it's worth the extra logistical and financial headache to move to Des Moines just because the school has a better reputation? I'm clearly ignorant in a lot of areas, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

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[agetroyaj]

Hello!

Definitely a tough decision! Although I am one who always tends to lean towards the options which saves you the most money, in this situation, I would say to consider what the programs have to offer. I know that you have mentioned an interest in psychiatry, but from my experience being in my second year of medical school, almost everyone seems to change their mind on what they want. This is usually a product of just getting more experience and talking to doctors who are in each field. I came into medical school almost CERTAIN that I was going to be a pediatrician, but now I am finding a lot of interest in the surgical fields. I imagine that we all will change our minds again once we hit rotations!

I say all this to point out that most of us never really know what we want to get into until we hit the time of applying for match, however, it is PIVITOL that you go to a program that allows you the best opportunity to explore different fields and see what specialty fits for YOU. I mean, this is what we are going to do for the rest of our lives, so its so so important to be going into something that you love.

DMU is the more established program and likely has a lot of opportunities and resources which will allow you to truly find the field that you love, and I believe that this is a valuable reason as to why to choose this program. Now, if you do find (from people who go there currently or through the school's resources) that CHSU can provide you will similar opportunities and resources, then by all means save the money and logistics! However, if this is not the case, I would say to place a lot of consideration on which program will overall allow you to 1) have the opportunity to explore different fields 2) set you up well to pass the board examination and 3) have the resources (research, community service, etc.) that will set you up for residency placement (in the off-chance that you find out you would love to go into a more competitive specialty). I promise you that your future self will thank you for it!