Dell vs Baylor vs UTSW

[fetalover1]

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Hi everyone! I am incredibly grateful to have prematches from Dell and UTSW and to have interviewed at Baylor. I am interested in ortho, and I am really torn about what to choose. To me, innovation (particularly policy, tech, and interdisciplinary research) and campus culture are incredibly important, so I feel really drawn to Dell.

I guess my major concern is how much disadvantage will I be at for residency applications if I pick a school without as strong of reputation? I love Dell, but I don't want to sacrifice the opportunities that come with prestige.

Thank you everyone for your help!

 

[pulsatilepony]

Dell's match list from last year: Residency Match Results | Dell Medical School

I know ortho is not represented, but I see some solid matches in that list to other surgical specialties. Plus Dell's 3rd year is perfectly designed to allow you to set yourself apart for residency- whether through ramping up pubs or getting another degree. Dell is very much on the up-and-up and I don't think that its reputation/prestige strength would be your limiting factor! I'd say trust your gut on where you feel drawn!

 

[etxmedstudent36]

Not going to compare these schools but wanted to give some insight here since I interviewed at UTSW and Baylor and had to make tough choices last year!

Think about your goals as a physician. If you are wanting to match to high-ranking residencies, prestige will be a big factor - no other way to get around that. However, if you just want to be a good clinician and do not care too much for matching at prestigious academic institutions, I'd focus more on the vibes you get from each school and how happy the students are.

I don't think you'll be limited on your specialty at any of these schools - all of them have enough prestige and resources to get you into whatever career choice you want. It's on you to get the research/grades/STEP to match in the tougher specialties in general.

 

[bojanglesss]

Not going to compare these schools but wanted to give some insight here since I interviewed at UTSW and Baylor and had to make tough choices last year!

Think about your goals as a physician. If you are wanting to match to high-ranking residencies, prestige will be a big factor - no other way to get around that. However, if you just want to be a good clinician and do not care too much for matching at prestigious academic institutions, I'd focus more on the vibes you get from each school and how happy the students are.

I don't think you'll be limited on your specialty at any of these schools - all of them have enough prestige and resources to get you into whatever career choice you want. It's on you to get the research/grades/STEP to match in the tougher specialties in general.

Do you mind sharing a little more of why you chose McGovern and why you didn't choose Baylor and UTSW? I'm in the same boat trying to weigh UTSW and Baylor (and Dell), visited BCM houston and BCM temple, will visit other 2 in the next few weeks. If anything, talking to students is making the decision more difficult bc there's pros/cons to each school that other schools have, etc. Ty in advance!

(i also have 0 clue what specialty i'm interested in)

 

[etxmedstudent36]

Do you mind sharing a little more of why you chose McGovern and why you didn't choose Baylor and UTSW? I'm in the same boat trying to weigh UTSW and Baylor (and Dell), visited BCM houston and BCM temple, will visit other 2 in the next few weeks. If anything, talking to students is making the decision more difficult bc there's pros/cons to each school that other schools have, etc. Ty in advance!

(i also have 0 clue what specialty i'm interested in)

It was quite the opposite, they didn’t choose me haha.

Like I said - weigh out what YOU want first without having a school in mind. Then see how that list compares to other schools. You have to keep in mind that at any open house / social the students present are ones that are volunteering to do so. There is some sampling bias present…. they’re going to sell their school as much as they can (not that they shouldn’t, but you won’t be getting many cons out of them)

What you CAN pay attention to is what the students say their school’s strength is. I’d say that’s as close as you’ll get to their ‘identity’, per se.

 

[Med Ed]

Dell has the best marketing team. UTSW and Baylor are well ahead by every substantive measure.

Four years of medical school comes and goes. It's the diploma that you really have to live with.

 

[azsxdcqwerty]

Hi! I'm in a similar boat. It helped me to write out my overarching priorities and then choose based on those goals.