Dartmouth vs Brown vs BU

[ducks_are _the best]

Dartmouth:
Pros:
- Really loved the school, hospital, faculty, and students when I interviewed there
- Ivy league reputation
- Small class size


Cons:
-New Hampshire Winters/Isolation
- Price
- Not as big of a research university as BU
- Students seemed concerned about funding for the school

Brown:
Pros:

- slightly better match list (?)
- like the curriculum more
- Scholarly project
- better vibes, admin seems very supportive and student body close knit


Cons

- Lower "rank"
- Lless research opportunities


BU:
Pros
-larger city
-Boston Medical Center and diversity of patients
- Social justice mission of the school
- NEIDL for infectious disease research


Cons

• The facilities are a little old and sad
• Not completely sure of this - but one of 3 medical schools in a small city. Potential competition for away rotations/match/resources?
• Have heard rumors of people here being stressed (although students seem nice and I imagine med school is stressful wherever you go)

Have not gotten any fin. aid letter from either school, but I would imagine all are pretty similar being private schools.


Extremely happy to have gotten into all three schools, but would like insight, please! Thank you!

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[Nerd300]

Congratulations on your acceptances to these schools, very impressive. As a Boston native, I can only share opinions on BU/Boston.

1. Large City: Out of the education realm, this place is very cultured: Museum of Fine Art, Isabella Gardner Museum, Museum of Science, Fenway (baseball), Boston Celtics + Food and Shopping are either within walking distance or via the public transportation. (Perks of living in Boston is that you really don't need a car). Basically, you will not get bored easily. Something to consider since you will be in this environment for 4 years.

2. Winters are not that bad, barely any. Expect to experiences fall/summer/spring in one month, NO JOKE.

3. Potential competition for away rotations/match/resources: I wouldn't worry about that at all. There are many hospitals in Boston: Children's Hospital, BMC, MGH, BWH, DFCI, NEBH, TMC, ETC (it all depends on the specialty you have in mind). Because there are so many out there, you just have to make those connections/look for mentors from the jump.

4. Boston is a hub for research + the diverse population is something that I think you will appreciate.

CON: Expensive place to live (my current dilemma right now choosing between Tufts and Albany).

Dartmouth: While going to an ivy league school can open opportunities (+name).
1. I personally cannot see myself not living in the city. I tried it once with a summer internship and everyday, questioned my decision for living in the suburb and commuting to a rural/suburban place of work for 3 months. Quite easy to get depressed.

BU HAS MY VOTE (biased) > Brown > Darmouth. (of course, without the financial aid package).

Once again congratulations.

 

[Ole_Toe]

Dartmouth:
Pros:
- Really loved the school, hospital, faculty, and students when I interviewed there
- Ivy league reputation
- Small class size


Cons:
-New Hampshire Winters/Isolation
- Price
- Not as big of a research university as BU
- Students seemed concerned about funding for the school

Brown:
Pros:

- slightly better match list (?)
- like the curriculum more
- Scholarly project
- better vibes, admin seems very supportive and student body close knit


Cons

- Lower "rank"
- Lless research opportunities


BU:
Pros
-larger city
-Boston Medical Center and diversity of patients
- Social justice mission of the school
- NEIDL for infectious disease research


Cons

• The facilities are a little old and sad
• Not completely sure of this - but one of 3 medical schools in a small city. Potential competition for away rotations/match/resources?
• Have heard rumors of people here being stressed (although students seem nice and I imagine med school is stressful wherever you go)

Have not gotten any fin. aid letter from either school, but I would imagine all are pretty similar being private schools.


Extremely happy to have gotten into all three schools, but would like insight, please! Thank you!

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I see the reputations of these 3 schools being essentially equal. Research opportunities, in general, will be approximately equal at all 3 institutions as well. Do you have a particular area of interest or goal for medical school? Do you have any family support, friends, SO, etc in any of these areas? Personally, I would just go wherever the money is best. I had to make a similar decision between these exact schools - happy to answer more specific questions if helpful.

 

[kljlkjd]

Dartmouth:
Pros:
- Really loved the school, hospital, faculty, and students when I interviewed there
- Ivy league reputation
- Small class size


Cons:
-New Hampshire Winters/Isolation
- Price
- Not as big of a research university as BU
- Students seemed concerned about funding for the school

Brown:
Pros:

- slightly better match list (?)
- like the curriculum more
- Scholarly project
- better vibes, admin seems very supportive and student body close knit


Cons

- Lower "rank"
- Lless research opportunities


BU:
Pros
-larger city
-Boston Medical Center and diversity of patients
- Social justice mission of the school
- NEIDL for infectious disease research


Cons

• The facilities are a little old and sad
• Not completely sure of this - but one of 3 medical schools in a small city. Potential competition for away rotations/match/resources?
• Have heard rumors of people here being stressed (although students seem nice and I imagine med school is stressful wherever you go)

Have not gotten any fin. aid letter from either school, but I would imagine all are pretty similar being private schools.


Extremely happy to have gotten into all three schools, but would like insight, please! Thank you!

I've also been accepted at D and BU, waitlisted at Brown but withdrew from the waitlist. What I did not like at Brown was the lack of resources and lack of a hospital system under Brown's name. Brown has only affiliated hospitals, but not a teaching Brown Hospital. This was a big con for me. Also, I was a bit concerned about the library at Brown-seriously it looks like a vestibule filled with tables and 10 chairs. Not my style at all.
I would go with BU if I were you.

 

[Ole_Toe]

I've also been accepted at D and BU, waitlisted at Brown but withdrew from the waitlist. What I did not like at Brown was the lack of resources and lack of a hospital system under Brown's name. Brown has only affiliated hospitals, but not a teaching Brown Hospital. This was a big con for me. Also, I was a bit concerned about the library at Brown-seriously it looks like a vestibule filled with tables and 10 chairs. Not my style at all.
I would go with BU if I were you.

Although technically this is true at Dartmouth as well. The name is similar but they are completely separate entities. BMC is incredible and what drew me to BU. Unlike any other school I interviewed at, their selling point was the hospital.

 

[kljlkjd]

Although technically this is true at Dartmouth as well. The name is similar but they are completely separate entities. BMC is incredible and what drew me to BU. Unlike any other school I interviewed at, their selling point was the hospital.

I agree. Also, imho Boston>>>>> Providence any time-no comment for Hanover. Especially during finals Providence looks like a ghost town. And what I found interesting about BU is that you can do electives at Harvard teaching hospitals without having to move. You can always do research at Harvard labs independently. Brown/D students can do electives out of their schools, but you still have to travel and pay,etc.

 

[Ole_Toe]

I agree. Also, imho Boston>>>>> Providence any time-no comment for Hanover. Especially during finals Providence looks like a ghost town. And what I found interesting about BU is that you can do electives at Harvard teaching hospitals without having to move. You can always do research at Harvard labs independently. Brown/D students can do electives out of their schools, but you still have to travel and pay,etc.

Again, I think these schools are on pretty equal footing overall and it would come down to price and the desire to live in a city. Unfortunately, the housing market in Boston is brutal and BU is notorious for having very weak financial aid. If cost isn't an issue, you're going to have a lot more fun in Boston than Rhode Island or New Hampshire.

 

[kljlkjd]

Again, I think these schools are on pretty equal footing overall and it would come down to price and the desire to live in a city. Unfortunately, the housing market in Boston is brutal and BU is notorious for having very weak financial aid. If cost isn't an issue, you're going to have a lot more fun in Boston than Rhode Island or New Hampshire.

I see it as more opportunities in Boston than RI or NH

 

[anotherhotpremed]

This was a big con for me

can u explain a bit more?

 

[kljlkjd]

can u explain a bit more?

I mean Brown is affiliated with the hospitals as most universities. However, Brown's affiliation is pretty weak, meaning they are the places where students do their rotations without any particular teaching facilities and the physicians are a mix of faculty and non-Brown affiliated clinicians. The number of non-affiliated clinicians>>> faculty as the hospitals are not teaching centers but their primary purpose is serving the local population (which is not bad-but reflects on what the mission of the hospital is). Most schools, especially ivy league, have their names on the hospital name as they are academic medical centers. (see for example NYP-Cornell, or NYP-Columbia University Irving Medical Center, NYU-Langone, Mt. Sinai, Barnes-Jewish Hospital of WashU etc) . What's the difference ? academic/teaching hospitals have facilities and resources dedicated solely to teaching med students+ residents. They also have facilities for research on site. They may have medical campuses.

In this respect, Brown falls short. its main hospital is the biggest hospital in RI, but it's not a teaching center , there is no medical campus, and they are no research facilities on site. There was an article some time ago in which the business that manages the RI hospitals,Lifespan, was urged by the RI governor to merge with another hospital system in order to make an academic medical center under Brown's name-which means that currently there is none lol🙁


also, imho Brown's affiliated hospitals are a bit old, and they look like a hospital you would find in a small provincial city.

 

[Ole_Toe]

In this respect, Brown falls short. its main hospital is the biggest hospital in RI, but it's not a teaching center , there is no medical campus, and they are no research facilities on site. There was an article some time ago in which the business that manages the RI hospitals,Lifespan, was urged by the RI governor to merge with another hospital system in order to make an academic medical center under Brown's name-which means that currently there is none lol🙁


also, imho Brown's affiliated hospitals are a bit old, and they look like a hospital you would find in a small provincial city.

Did you interview at Brown? There is an entire medical campus with a newly constructed building entirely for the medical students. Not sure what you're referring to here but you seem very mistaken. Also the area hospitals are affiliated with Brown, they are just not owned by Brown in the corporate structure. They are indeed academic medical centers and teaching hospitals with faculty as staff. Again, not sure what you're talking about but you seem to be mistaken. I can't speak to the look of the hospitals, but based on what I've seen from Providence, I suspect you are correct.

 

[kljlkjd]

Did you interview at Brown? There is an entire medical campus with a newly constructed building entirely for the medical students. Not sure what you're referring to here but you seem very mistaken. Also the area hospitals are affiliated with Brown, they are just not owned by Brown in the corporate structure. They are indeed academic medical centers and teaching hospitals with faculty as staff. Again, not sure what you're talking about but you seem to be mistaken. I can't speak to the look of the hospitals, but based on what I've seen from Providence, I suspect you are correct.

you're referring to the medical school building which is used by M1,M2 students. I believe there is a lecture hall, an anatomy building, and some clinical examination simulation rooms?-or whatever the call them. Also, a so-called gym and library. Thats it. They gave us a beautiful virtual tour of the building on the day of the interview. personally, I did not love it- my apartment is larger than the so-called library.

all opinions are my own.
fyi I was waitlisted but withdrew-got accepted at WashU, waiting to hear back from other schools in march.

 

[Ole_Toe]

you're referring to the medical school building which is used by M1,M2 students. I believe there is a lecture hall, an anatomy building, and some clinical examination simulation rooms?-or whatever the call them. Also, a so-called gym and library. Thats it. They gave us a beautiful virtual tour of the building on the day of the interview. personally, I did not love it- my apartment is larger than the so-called library.

all opinions are my own.
fyi I was waitlisted but withdrew-got accepted at WashU, waiting to hear back from other schools in march.

I'm sure that's a factor, but I want to correct you here because I was able to interview in person last year, and it's a very nice medical education building with numerous lecture halls, clinical suites, anatomy labs, study spaces, and administrative offices. There's a roof deck, a small gym for the med students, etc. It's a few blocks down the road from the main training hospital. Just wanted to clarify this because the facilities were some of the best that I saw on the trail last year.

 

[kljlkjd]

I am not sure

I'm sure that's a factor, but I want to correct you here because I was able to interview in person last year, and it's a very nice medical education building with numerous lecture halls, clinical suites, anatomy labs, study spaces, and administrative offices. There's a roof deck, a small gym for the med students, etc. It's a few blocks down the road from the main training hospital. Just wanted to clarify this because the facilities were some of the best that I saw on the trail last year.

that's true, the building looks nice. they showed us the deck on the interview day and it was nice.

 

[mcatstudent1]

Please do not pick a medical school based on the preclinical facility. You could complete preclinical in a trailer if you needed to, lol. I think I read your post and I would recommend Dartmouth for you. Brown and Dartmouth v Boston are different imo. I would also assume that you may have additional acceptances and possibly narrowed it down. Brown and Dartmouth are both large academic hospitals with research and academic faculty. Boston is more urban but lots of other Boston schools to compete with. The scholarly project/ curriculum at Brown is less important Imo. What you will remember is your clinical training and the name/prestige of the medical school, which may open doors for residency. Dartmouth has a shortened pre clinical, small class size, and location in hanover which Ian not terribly far to Boston. I would vote Dartmouth but Can’t go wrong with brown as well.

 

[emergencydancing]

Please do not pick a medical school based on the prestige of its undergrad. All three of these are all have the same solid mid-tier reputation in medicine.

For example, Boston University does not have lots of other Boston schools to compete with because it has a lot more resources and opportunities. Boston the city is essentially the mecca of medicine, health care and biotech.

This is a coin toss here depending on your personal preferences, but I would ignore undergrad reputation.

 

[crimson-cat]

I'd mostly choose on the city and desired patient population. Your clinical experiences at the VA and BMC will be radically different than those with Brown or Dartmouth. If you have any specific goals then 1 school could be better than another. I have 0 clue what @kljlkjd is going on about with worry about Brown's affiliate status, as this is pretty diverse even amongst top-tier programs (e.g. Harvard and WashU are affiliated with their teaching hospitals, Michigan & Stanford own their hospitals)