Deciding between schools

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Blue128K

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I have nearly made up my mind, but thought I'd get some outside input on the following schools. I've been accepted to each of them and trying to decide where would be best. Any thoughts? How would people rank these?

-Univeristy of Pittsburgh
-Case Western
-University of Maryland
-University of Miami
-Jefferson
 
1. Case Western
2. University of Pittsburgh
3. University of Maryland
4. Jefferson
5. Miami
 
miami is at the level of maryland I'd say. they recently got a new dean of med school who brought it a tremendous amount of funding and resources.
 
Blue128K said:
I have nearly made up my mind, but thought I'd get some outside input on the following schools. I've been accepted to each of them and trying to decide where would be best. Any thoughts? How would people rank these?

-Univeristy of Pittsburgh
-Case Western
-University of Maryland
-University of Miami
-Jefferson
Click to expand...



-Miami
-Maryland
-Jefferson
-Case Western
-Pitt

Location is more important to me. Don't just go by "rankings". They don't mean squat.
 
I'm not just going by rankings, although I do consider reputation of schools.

I liked Miami a lot, but I've heard some negative things about the city and the first 2 years of the curriculum.
 
Blue128K said:
I have nearly made up my mind, but thought I'd get some outside input on the following schools. I've been accepted to each of them and trying to decide where would be best. Any thoughts? How would people rank these?

-Univeristy of Pittsburgh
-Case Western
-University of Maryland
-University of Miami
-Jefferson
Click to expand...

There's no such thing as a "best" school - just what's best for you. What are you looking for in a school? Is there a geographic preference?

All of those schools have good reputations among PDs. Some (like Pitt, Maryland, and Case) have better research reputations. It depends on what you'd like to do for a career.
 
Blue128K said:
I liked Miami a lot, but I've heard some negative things about the city and the first 2 years of the curriculum.
Click to expand...

What?? Miami is probably the best of the cities you have listed there! Cosmopolitan, excellent weather and very international..The medical school is one of the best in the South...at the level of Emory. If you just saw Scarface...dude that was 30 years ago....
 
With those, it's pretty clear that it depends on what you want. If you're interested in research then its clearly first Case/Pitt then Maryland. If you're interested in location then Miami or Jefferson depending on which city.
 
Pitt - To me, the "best" is the place that will best provide you with the advantage necessary to land the residency of your choice. Pitt has a reputation that far outdoes both UM's and Jeff in clinical (great affiliated hospitals) and research (like top 5 or 10 in NIH funding). It's rep has also been rising in the last 10 years, this is a good trend. Great school to be accepted to, Congrats.

Case - Wonderful affiliated hospitals and good reputation. If you are 100% sure about Cardio by any chance, then it's a tough place to beat. Also, solid in research.

Jefferson - Yes, #3 is Jeff to me. This place is a diamond in the rough. (and by rough I mean Philadelphia) Jefferson has many solid clinical programs and their ortho dept is tops. They also have a great research foundation that many overlook. FYI, the most commonly used recombinant protein used for any treatment was cloned there (EPO). Also, they are building a lot of facilities quickly. Do not overlook Jeff if you'd like to live in a larger city.

Universtiy of Miami - Great research. Not so sure about clinical. Also, how is your Spanish? If you have an interest in working with latino patient populations, which many people do, then Miami could definitely be your top choice. Personally, Miami sounds intriguing, until you really think about living in Miami FL for quite some time, year round.

University of Maryland - Really don't know much about Maryland. Doesn't mean it's very inferior, just means I don't know what they have going for them other than the fact that it is probably a solid allopathic med school in the US, meaning it's probably a great place to train.

Really man, you can't go wrong. Congratulations on a bright future.
 
the good or bad about Penn schools is 3 and 4 year you can transfer to any of over 30 hospitals in the state... So if you don't like Philly you can go to Pit. As far as prices they are real close. Case is the cheapest and Maimi the most expensive.. all good schools just pick the location you want you can't go wrong. good luck-o=p'
 
why is case a great place for cardio?
 
HypoxiaBoy said:
Universtiy of Miami - Great research. Not so sure about clinical.
Click to expand...

Well, if research is really the selling point for you, then Miami has to be a distant 4th on this list. Pitt, Case and UMD are all in the top 50 in terms of research funding. The others, not so much... In terms of clinical, all are good. You probably get solid experience at any of these as their hospitals are all in fairly high volume urban environments.
 
Law2Doc said:
Isn't cleveland clinic (lerner) now its own school though?
Click to expand...


Yep, but both schools use Cleveland Clinic as an affiliate hospital. However, this is one of the drawbacks of Case this year (and the following years). People are a little leery of the fact that this may decrease the attention given to Case students at Cleveland Clinic.
 
Thanks to everyone for their advice so far. I didn't do too much research as an undergraduate and I'm not sure if that is something that will become important to me or not. I went to Pitt for undergrad, so there is a definite +/- to going there. I know the city, already have friends, connections in the medical school, etc. etc. etc. On the other hand....I've lived here for nearly my whole life. Love the city, but the weather sucks.

I guess I want a really cool city that isn't so big I'd be totally lost in it. Pittsburgh has been great for that. I think somewhere like NYC would be too big. Baltimore and Cleveland are not really for me, I don't think- although I'm basing this on what I've heard.
 
Blue128K said:
Thanks to everyone for their advice so far. I didn't do too much research as an undergraduate and I'm not sure if that is something that will become important to me or not. I went to Pitt for undergrad, so there is a definite +/- to going there. I know the city, already have friends, connections in the medical school, etc. etc. etc. On the other hand....I've lived here for nearly my whole life. Love the city, but the weather sucks.

I guess I want a really cool city that isn't so big I'd be totally lost in it. Pittsburgh has been great for that. I think somewhere like NYC would be too big. Baltimore and Cleveland are not really for me, I don't think- although I'm basing this on what I've heard.
Click to expand...

Honestly, go where you feel happiest. None of these medical schools will close doors for you.
 
Blue128K said:
I have nearly made up my mind, but thought I'd get some outside input on the following schools. I've been accepted to each of them and trying to decide where would be best. Any thoughts? How would people rank these?

-Univeristy of Pittsburgh
-Case Western
-University of Maryland
-University of Miami
-Jefferson
Click to expand...

1. Cheapest
2. Next cheapest
3. Next cheapest
4. Next cheapest
5. Most expensive
 
Blue128K said:
I have nearly made up my mind, but thought I'd get some outside input on the following schools. I've been accepted to each of them and trying to decide where would be best. Any thoughts? How would people rank these?

-Univeristy of Pittsburgh
-Case Western
-University of Maryland
-University of Miami
-Jefferson
Click to expand...

hmm...

1-2 Pitt=Case
3-5 Maryland=Jeff=Miami

I assume that you are going on quality/reputation....

Where I'd go if I were you?
1-2 Case=Pitt
3. Miami
4-5 Maryland=Jeff
 
1. Pitt
2. Case
3-5. The Rest
 
Blue128K said:
I have nearly made up my mind, but thought I'd get some outside input on the following schools. I've been accepted to each of them and trying to decide where would be best. Any thoughts? How would people rank these?

-Univeristy of Pittsburgh
-Case Western
-University of Maryland
-University of Miami
-Jefferson
Click to expand...

If you go to Maryland, try not to be shot.
 
If I were in your situation, I would go with the following:
1. Reputation.
2. Grading system.

Money is not a problem to me, so I don't care if I get a scholarship or not.

#2 is alluring to me.. it would be nice to have Pass/Fail for the entire 4 years.
But I would go with reputation first. For that, I would pick Pitt.
Second, all factors being equals, I would go with the grading system. 😀
 
your gonna make some kids on the waiting/alternate list really really happy when you finally decide haa... Congrats!
 
HypoxiaBoy said:
Pitt - To me, the "best" is the place that will best provide you with the advantage necessary to land the residency of your choice. Pitt has a reputation that far outdoes both UM's and Jeff in clinical (great affiliated hospitals) and research (like top 5 or 10 in NIH funding). It's rep has also been rising in the last 10 years, this is a good trend. Great school to be accepted to, Congrats.

Case - Wonderful affiliated hospitals and good reputation. If you are 100% sure about Cardio by any chance, then it's a tough place to beat. Also, solid in research.

Jefferson - Yes, #3 is Jeff to me. This place is a diamond in the rough. (and by rough I mean Philadelphia) Jefferson has many solid clinical programs and their ortho dept is tops. They also have a great research foundation that many overlook. FYI, the most commonly used recombinant protein used for any treatment was cloned there (EPO). Also, they are building a lot of facilities quickly. Do not overlook Jeff if you'd like to live in a larger city.

Universtiy of Miami - Great research. Not so sure about clinical. Also, how is your Spanish? If you have an interest in working with latino patient populations, which many people do, then Miami could definitely be your top choice. Personally, Miami sounds intriguing, until you really think about living in Miami FL for quite some time, year round.

University of Maryland - Really don't know much about Maryland. Doesn't mean it's very inferior, just means I don't know what they have going for them other than the fact that it is probably a solid allopathic med school in the US, meaning it's probably a great place to train.

Really man, you can't go wrong. Congratulations on a bright future.
Click to expand...


qft.

I'd mimic others and say 1. Pitt, 2. Case, 3. the rest. I was also accepted at Pitt and Case, and I preferred Pitt, partially because I thought the city was fun (oh no, someone who thinks Pittsburgh is not a dump!).

But, I'm also basing my decision making by cost. So, see what works out with that. I take it you are a PA resident, so Pitt will be a little cheaper than the rest, barring no other aid.
 
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