Hello everyone! I would appreciate some input as I close in on a final decision regarding which medical school to attend. I am currently accepted at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and on the high priority waitlist at Rutgers, RWJ. I am a New Jersey resident so COA for both schools is approximately equal. I am not sure what I ultimately want to specialize in, but at this point I would prefer to keep all options as open as possible. For now, however, I do not see myself pursuing the super competitive specialties. My apologies for the longer post, but I wanted to be thorough in my analysis. Both schools are P/F preclinical and tiered grading for clinical years.
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU)
Pros
- 100% match for Class of 2023
- Warm and welcoming environment - I've heard that students are very happy and administration seems genuinely invested in student wellness.
- Small class size (~112 students per class)
- Small scholarship for first year with the opportunity to renew yearly
- Collaborative student experience
- Interesting community engagement opportunities and strong student-run clinic
- It seems as though faculty are highly receptive to student interests / research
- All third-year clerkships located at Cooper University Hospital which is right next to the medical school.
Cons
- Location (Camden, NJ). Camden is certainly trending in the right direction but still routinely appears among the most dangerous places to live in the USA.
- Very Urban environment. I come from a more suburban/rural hometown and a traditional campus as an undergraduate. I understand that this may just be an adjustment for me, but I still have a preference for a more suburban-type campus.
- "Lower ranked" and less name recognition. Not sure if the difference in prestige between RWJ and Cooper is tangible, however (would appreciate some input on this from those in the medical community). It seems as though prestige is a bigger factor now that Step 1 is P/F.
- Less research funding
Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson (RWJMS) - High-Priority Waitlist
Pros
- Strong match list, including in more competitive specialties (96% match rate)
- Distinction programs
- More ideal location
- "More highly ranked" / more prestigious.
- More research funding / emphasis. It seems as though research involvement is critical for the match process.
Cons
- Slightly larger class size (~165) / perhaps more competition for resources and faculty engagement.
- Environment does not seem as outwardly collaborative as CMSRU.
- Less interesting community service / engagement opportunities when compared to CMSRU.
- Interview day was far less attractive, does not feel like as warm and welcoming a community as Cooper.
Thank you for your reading and input, and please let me know if you think of any other important attributes for either school that I seem to have omitted from my list!
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU)
Pros
- 100% match for Class of 2023
- Warm and welcoming environment - I've heard that students are very happy and administration seems genuinely invested in student wellness.
- Small class size (~112 students per class)
- Small scholarship for first year with the opportunity to renew yearly
- Collaborative student experience
- Interesting community engagement opportunities and strong student-run clinic
- It seems as though faculty are highly receptive to student interests / research
- All third-year clerkships located at Cooper University Hospital which is right next to the medical school.
Cons
- Location (Camden, NJ). Camden is certainly trending in the right direction but still routinely appears among the most dangerous places to live in the USA.
- Very Urban environment. I come from a more suburban/rural hometown and a traditional campus as an undergraduate. I understand that this may just be an adjustment for me, but I still have a preference for a more suburban-type campus.
- "Lower ranked" and less name recognition. Not sure if the difference in prestige between RWJ and Cooper is tangible, however (would appreciate some input on this from those in the medical community). It seems as though prestige is a bigger factor now that Step 1 is P/F.
- Less research funding
Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson (RWJMS) - High-Priority Waitlist
Pros
- Strong match list, including in more competitive specialties (96% match rate)
- Distinction programs
- More ideal location
- "More highly ranked" / more prestigious.
- More research funding / emphasis. It seems as though research involvement is critical for the match process.
Cons
- Slightly larger class size (~165) / perhaps more competition for resources and faculty engagement.
- Environment does not seem as outwardly collaborative as CMSRU.
- Less interesting community service / engagement opportunities when compared to CMSRU.
- Interview day was far less attractive, does not feel like as warm and welcoming a community as Cooper.
Thank you for your reading and input, and please let me know if you think of any other important attributes for either school that I seem to have omitted from my list!
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