Creighton Omaha vs Western Michigan

[overlord4]

I have been blessed to be accepted to both of these great schools, which makes the decision difficult. With the April 31st deadline of only holding 1 A coming soon, I need to choose between these two soon. I appreciate any guidance/advice/opinions!

Similarities

• OOS for both: Both are 9+ hours car trip from home.
• Base Tuition is ~70k for both. No scholarship received.
• Both locations are very cold… not ideal. I do like outdoor activities, and a medium sized city is nice.
• No student rankings.
• Both have solid hospital systems for med students.
• Both seem to have a good reputation of a collaborative/friendly culture.
• Friday exam schedule with weekends off.
• Both unranked by USNWR, though Reddit residency program director scores place Creighton noticeably higher.
• Early clinical exposure at both schools.
• Both schools do not have the most home residency programs.

Creighton Omaha (120 class size)

Pros:

• More established, reputable school. The match list looks stronger (though I am not the best judge of that)
• Ingrained with the undergraduate campus, so I would be able to also use their facilities. Multiple school gym centers also within half a mile of the medical school – I am big on personal fitness.
• More home residency programs: Family Med, General Surg, Internal Med, Neurology, OBGYN, Pathology, Psychiatry, Diagnostic Radiology, Urology

Cons:

• H/P/F system… but only top 10% gets H.
• Catholic influence on curriculum, which I do not have a background in, but open-minded.
• Less research funding.

Western Michigan (84 class size)

Pros:

• Decompressed curriculum with a week off every 5 weeks.
• True P/F first two years… but goes to H/HP/P/F in last two.
• Interview day was nice. Definitely got the vibe that wellness was prioritized here and faculty served that goal as well. Faculty has an open-door policy.

Cons:

• New school, established in 2012. Potentially weaker research and residency connections that could require a research year for high-end residencies.
• Not many home residency programs: Emergency Med, Family Med, Pathology, Internal Med, OBGYN, Ortho Surg
• More in-person lecture requirements each week.
• Decompressed curriculum also means no large breaks during the summer.
• Few miles from the undergraduate campus – less walkable facilities to use.

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[overlord4]

Bumping this... would appreciate any insight that I might have missed! 🙂

 

[m1redsox]

The only input I have to give is that I’d choose Creighton because it is more reputable, less cold (probably), and less remote (location-wise). WM just seems too new and unknown.

 

[HollowJ@1]

Got into both of these schools. I’m not attending either but would choose Creighton if I had to choose. It’s a more established and stronger program (despite being unranked), in Omaha with a larger hospital network and the same price. Good luck!

 

[saltypapaya]

I am surprised that more people aren’t discussing the grading system at Creighton. That alone would make be question attending school there.

 

[irishdoc28]

At Creighton’s second look day everyone said the grading system has not affected them negatively at all. You could really tell they meant it too. I was waitlisted at Western Michigan (and have since withdrawn), so I can’t speak to the community of WMed on a revisit day, but Creighton’s community is so tight-knit and supportive that that’s why they can have Honors/Pass/Fail grading… because even with it, their school culture still remains collaborative.

Also, as a non-religious person who went to a Catholic university, it’s actually very enlightening to learn science amongst a community with diverse religious values/beliefs than you. I was worried at first too in undergrad, but I think in the end it makes you a more well-rounded physician who can understand patients who seek spiritual and religious guidance amidst their care, etc.

 

[saltypapaya]

At Creighton’s second look day everyone said the grading system has not affected them negatively at all. You could really tell they meant it too. I was waitlisted at Western Michigan (and have since withdrawn), so I can’t speak to the community of WMed on a revisit day, but Creighton’s community is so tight-knit and supportive that that’s why they can have Honors/Pass/Fail grading… because even with it, their school culture still remains collaborative.

Also, as a non-religious person who went to a Catholic university, it’s actually very enlightening to learn science amongst a community with diverse religious values/beliefs than you. I was worried at first too in undergrad, but I think in the end it makes you a more well-rounded physician who can understand patients who seek spiritual and religious guidance amidst their care, etc.

Haha we’re in opposite situations… I got into WMed and am waitlisted at Creighton. It’s nice to know the students at Creighton don’t think the grading system is harder on them. I know it wasn’t really brought up much on interview day and it was something that was on my mind