Dell vs. McGovern

[velvetcoffee]

Hi! I have a tough decision, and I keep going back and forth between the two, so, I decided to get some input. Currently, interested in preparing myself for a competitive specialty because I am unsure exactly what I want to do right now and want to be ready for whatever!

Dell (prematch)
Pros:
- True P/F
- Austin
- Nice, new curriculum
- Amazing double degree options!
- Great match list
- received 50% scholarship!
Cons:
- Don't use NBME questions
- Newer (good and bad)
- Worse clinical sites
- Possibly less research (I've heard mixed reviews)

McGovern (prematch)
Pros:
- In house exams for the first semester then NBME
- More established so seem to have the resources like Anki and such down
- More research because of the TMC
- I'm already very connected to Texas Children's in Houston and could maintain those
Cons:
- Graded preclinical after first semester (seems more stressful)
- Old 2-year curriculum
- Idk how their match list compares to Dell, but it seems not as good
- Bigger school

I feel like they're almost the same, but McGovern might have more opportunity? I honestly would be thrilled to even be at either, so I have no idea what to put first at all. I just want to rank higher whichever would be easier for me wanting a competitive specialty (if I end up doing that) and matching well. I know both of them could get me there, but it's likely one may make it easier!

Thank you!

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[roundgarlic]

Hi!! Another Texas applicant and I am close to a few Dell students so I may be a little biased in the way I thought about it but here are my two cents:
- True P/F seems like a huge deal. Every single school I've interviewed at that has been true P/F and even P/F for the clinical year seems to make a really big impact on the students. All of them talk about how nice it is to not be worried about grades and the sense of community it fosters. Coming from someone who places a lot of internal pressure on themselves to get good grades, true P/F seems like a dream to me. I haven't interviewed at McGovern but during Long's interview day they talked a lot about how having HH/H/P/F wasn't stressful but just comparing it to the P/F schools seemed stressful to me.
- The clinical sites are definitely not the TMC but they're also not bad. The students I've talked to for the most part have been satisfied with the opportunities they've had on rotation. I have one friend who did express to me that she wishes she thought about it more in her decision on where to go and she feels like her clinical experiences haven't been as good as her friends' at other schools, since Dell isn't a referral center.
- The 3rd year flexibility at Dell seems like a really good way to have time to explore research in addition to whatever other degree you're doing. One of my friends doing the MBA is involved in two other projects and one of my friends doing the healthcare transformation master's is involved in like 3 (?) derm related projects. Maybe not as easily available or as established as the research at McGovern though and maybe not as strong in certain areas.

All that is a long way to say that I think I would rank Dell over McGovern, and a large part of it probably because of the true P/F and having connections there already. I would totally understand ranking McGovern over Dell if you have connections there already!

 

[velvetcoffee]

Hi! I have a tough decision, and I keep going back and forth between the two, so, I decided to get some input. Currently, interested in preparing myself for a competitive specialty because I am unsure exactly what I want to do right now and want to be ready for whatever!

Dell (pre-matched)
Pros:
- True P/F
- Austin
- Nice, new curriculum (sometimes feels like a con)
- Amazing double degree options!
- Great match list
- received 50% scholarship!
Cons:
- Don't use NBME questions
- Newer (good and bad)
- “Worse” clinical sites according to students on the tour they’re far and just not as diverse?
- Possibly less research (I've heard mixed reviews)

McGovern (pre-matched)
Pros:
- In house exams for the first semester then NBME
- More established so seem to have the resources like Anki and such down
- More research because of the TMC
- I'm already very connected to Texas Children's in Houston and could maintain those like with my PERSONAL mentors there (Ik it’s not their hospital)
Cons:
- Graded preclinical after first semester (seems more stressful)
- Old 1.5 pre clinical curriculum
- Idk how their match list compares to Dell but maybe less competitive (I need help comparing these I don’t get it)
- Bigger school
- Might be more competitive due to grades?

I feel like they're almost the same, but McGovern might have more opportunity? I honestly would be thrilled to even be at either, so I have no idea what to put first at all. I just want to rank higher whichever might make my journey “easier.” I know both of them could get me there, but it's likely one may make it easier!

Thank you!

 

[metroflagyl]

Hi! I have a tough decision, and I keep going back and forth between the two, so, I decided to get some input. Currently, interested in preparing myself for a competitive specialty because I am unsure exactly what I want to do right now and want to be ready for whatever!

Dell
Pros:
- True P/F
- Austin
- Nice, new curriculum (sometimes feels like a con)
- Amazing double degree options!
- Great match list
Cons:
- Don't use NBME questions
- Newer (good and bad)
- “Worse” clinical sites according to students on the tour they’re far and just not as diverse?
- Possibly less research (I've heard mixed reviews)

McGovern (pre-matched)
Pros:
- In house exams for the first semester then NBME
- More established so seem to have the resources like Anki and such down
- More research because of the TMC
- I'm already very connected to Texas Children's in Houston and could maintain those like with my PERSONAL mentors there (Ik it’s not their hospital)
Cons:
- Graded preclinical after first semester (seems more stressful)
- Old 1.5 pre clinical curriculum
- Idk how their match list compares to Dell but maybe less competitive (I need help comparing these I don’t get it)
- Bigger school
- Might be more competitive due to grades?

I feel like they're almost the same, but McGovern might have more opportunity? I honestly would be thrilled to even be at either, so I have no idea what to put first at all. I just want to rank higher whichever might make my journey “easier.” I know both of them could get me there, but it's likely one may make it easier!

Thank you!

I have only heard positive things about Dell. I didn’t get an interview from Dell but I would have chosen it if I had interviewed there.

 

[velvetcoffee]

I have only heard positive things about Dell. I didn’t get an interview from Dell but I would have chosen it if I had interviewed there.

Why?

 

[Lakers2023Champs]

I would choose dell because of the ability to get another degree in 4 years. Being a finance major, I would do the MD-MBA if I had the chance!

 

[velvetcoffee]

I would choose dell because of the ability to get another degree in 4 years. Being a finance major, I would do the MD-MBA if I had the chance!

But a lot of schools have that option too (including mcgovern) and other texas schools! are there other reasons you'd specifically do dell instead of mcgovern or other texas schools?

 

[TxMed55]

But a lot of schools have that option too (including mcgovern) and other texas schools! are there other reasons you'd specifically do dell instead of mcgovern or other texas schools?

As a business major at UT the MBA degree from UT Austin which is tied to dell dual degree would be the most valuable one in the state as the Business school at Texas ranks among the best in the nation. Other UT schools /other med schools you would be getting dual degrees from "less known" schools. that's honestly one of the things that makes Dell stand out for me.

 

[velvetcoffee]

As a business major at UT the MBA degree from UT Austin which is tied to dell dual degree would be the most valuable one in the state as the Business school at Texas ranks among the best in the nation. Other UT schools /other med schools you would be getting dual degrees from "less known" schools. that's honestly one of the things that makes Dell stand out for me.

I agree! Thank you! Still such a tough choice but the MBA was a big pro for me I just was trying to tell myself I should focus on the primary degree (MD) at both schools

 

[Med Ed]

It seems like you understand the differences between the schools, so this will really come down to personal preference. If you are really drawn to the innovation über alles mindset then Dell is the easy choice. If you are more comfortable treading a well-worn path in the world's largest medical center then it's McGovern.

 

[velvetcoffee]

It seems like you understand the differences between the schools, so this will really come down to personal preference. If you are really drawn to the innovation über alles mindset then Dell is the easy choice. If you are more comfortable treading a well-worn path in the world's largest medical center then it's McGovern.

I agree what’s funny is I chose McGovern yesterday and prematched to dell today LOL