(deleted)

[parscompacta56]

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[Moko]

PSU (220k COA)
Pros

• I am beyond impressed by this school and admit its the "better" school by at least a little in most regards
• Hershey Medical Center is INCREDIBLE
• Enjoy the Hershey area
• P/F pre-clinical with a possibility of P/F clinical
• Only 2hrs from home
• Great home residencies for basically anything
• Low cost of living
• 20k scholarship
• Can match into the most competitive specialties more easily and their neuosurg program is one of my favorites.

Cons

• 2 hrs away from family. I am incredibly close to my family and plan to return to my area to practice. I would be one of those people who travel home frequently which would put a strain on my studies im sure.
• Still have to pay 55k a year. Would leave with 220k + interest in debt. Not bad all things considered but still a good amount.
• Humanities thing seems cool but also could be busy work
• As much as I am impressed by them, it is not like theyre UPENN or Pitt or Harvard. Its a good school but not some "ohmygod how did you pass them up" instituiton.

Geisinger (40k COA?)
Pros

• I really, really like this school.
• Incredibly supportive faculty and staff
• Beautiful newish building
• Access to different campuses and hospitals, including Geisinger Danville which is a big name in PA
• P/F pre clinical
• Get to stay at home! I could walk to school it is so close. I do not have to leave my support system which is invaluable to me. My family is everything to me and the thoughts of leaving them make me sick. This is an incalculable benefit for me.
• I actually like NEPA. Fight me lol.
• Full tuition merit scholarship with no attachments. I have a spot on the Primary care scholarship waitlist if i want it (full tuition + 2k monthly stipend but have to do primary care and work for geisinger), but I would rather stay with the full tuition scholarship for now and be able to do whatever specialty I want where I want it.
• Match list in everything except the most competitive specialties is really good. The only competitive specialties I might be interested in are radiology and neurosurg but I am much more likely to pick something like neurology or anesthesiology. They matched a few people to neurosurg this past match day but the programs were not as good as penn state's.
• I am interested in primary care and very well could see myself being a PCP and loving it. Just don't want to be married to anything yet.
• Lots of connections and friends at the school and in the area.

Cons

• Not as big a name as Hershey
• Home residencies aren't as highly "ranked" as Hershey
• I will likely take out a few thousand in loans to pay some fees and to have some money.

Summary: Free tuition school that I really like and will allow me to be with family VS bigger name school that is further away and will cost 220k

There is no meaningful difference in prestige or rank between these two medical schools. This is a no-brainer. Take the scholarship, go to Geisinger, and be the best doc you can be. Congrats!

 

[drgoldenboy]

Geisinger no question

 

[parscompacta56]

There is no meaningful difference in prestige or rank between these two medical schools. This is a no-brainer. Take the scholarship, go to Geisinger, and be the best doc you can be. Congrats!

My concern is that psu has Hershey medical center for all of their rotations and geisinger doesn’t have anything close to that. I’m afraid that I’m hurting my residency choices by picking geisinger

 

[parscompacta56]

Geisinger no question

Thanks! My only concern is that having the research and clinical connections at Hershey will vastly improve my chances at better residency programs

 

[floridaheatkills]

I agree with the others. Nearly free medical school & support system nearby >>>>>> all else. I don't see any valid reasons for choosing Penn State in this case

 

[applicant20]

Geisinger is an MD school that is close in ranking to Penn State, so I don't think you should worry about it limiting your residency choices. You'll get to go to med school for free and be close to your support system, which will likely help you excel and match competitively in the end

 

[drgoldenboy]

Thanks! My only concern is that having the research and clinical connections at Hershey will vastly improve my chances at better residency programs

I looked at Geisinger's residency match list and they did quite well. The bottom line is that PSU is not a much better program and it costs $220k more. The improved "quality", and in turn better odds of getting into a 'good' residency, do not justify paying that kind of money.

 

[holdthemayo]

Penn State is the better school

You are a fool if you don't take the Full Ride from Geisinger. It's a fine school and the PSU name really isn't going to open doors that are worth 220k.

Signed new grad who would gladly give up 220k in debt for a degree from a newer school

 

[KiddCo]

I was almost in the same exact position as you. Same financial numbers (nearly full coa at GCSoM, 20k a year scholarship at penn), same interests in specialties (neurosurg or rads), and also live in scranton near family.

I chose GCSoM.

The only reason I would of went into Penn is if I was accepted into their 3 year accelerated neurosurg program (which sounds like they are not doing this year).

Good luck with your choice.

 

[Banco]

Geisinger is so much better for your personal situation as well as financially. I don't even see the debate here. Go there.