Differences between Jefferson and Drexel?

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I've been lucky enough to be accepted to Jefferson and I'm excited about the school although I am still hoping to get into school in either Boston or DC (trying to stay close to my significant other). Today I got an invitation to interview at Drexel and I don't know whether I should go or not. Can anyone tell me what are some key differences between the two schools? Because if they're pretty similar, then I don't think I'd want to spend the money and time to go interview at a school that's the same as one I'm already into. Any thoughts?

 

[burlypie]

I've been lucky enough to be accepted to Jefferson and I'm excited about the school although I am still hoping to get into school in either Boston or DC (trying to stay close to my significant other). Today I got an invitation to interview at Drexel and I don't know whether I should go or not. Can anyone tell me what are some key differences between the two schools? Because if they're pretty similar, then I don't think I'd want to spend the money and time to go interview at a school that's the same as one I'm already into. Any thoughts?

I got into both and didn't even consider Drexel. Though the facilities are nice, it's in the middle of nowhere, all in one building (in the middle of nowhere) and just not as well-respected within the medical community. Jeff is nice because it's in one of the cooler parts of the city (or at least you can walk anywere worth going to, almost) it has a good reputation, and it's part of a whole medical center. Actual medicine just seems more accessable there.

 

[CityIvy]

no offense, but "actual medicine" is accessible at drexel too. whereas the main campus is in eastfalls (aka "in the middle of nowhere"), the hospitals are all over the place--with Hahnemann hospital being right in center city (not too far from where Jeff hospital is). we have sites in new jersey, delaware, and all over PA (pittsburgh, philly, easton, allentown, etc.). just because the hospitals aren't right next door doesn't mean that actual clinical medicine is inaccessible. it's only a shuttle ride away! besides, there isn't that much clinical type activities during the first two years anyway.

 

[dmk724]

besides, there isn't that much clinical type activities during the first two years anyway.

Are they not available, or just not built into the curriculum? I don't know much about Drexel, so I don't know how clinical stuff is done there.

At Jefferson, they have clinical exposure built into the first year curriculum. You have to do at least 3 preceptor visits during your first year, and there are a lot of extracurricular things that involve patient contact, like Jeff Hope. But, as was said previously, Drexel's medical campus is linked to its hospitals by shuttles, so I imagine that it's possible to shadow a doctor if you wanted to.

 

[scootad.]

Take this from an experienced MS-4. All that talk about "early" patient contact during the first two years are just stupid gimmicks. Most of the time you will get to "shadow" a FP for a couple hours a week, when you havent even acquired the clinical skills or knowledge base to understand the differential diagnoses or workups behind the patient visits. I know I felt pretty useless and would have rather had those couple hours back to study more or go to the gym, etc. Most of what you need to know clinically, you'll learn in 3rd year.

 

[dmk724]

Take this from an experienced MS-4. All that talk about "early" patient contact during the first two years are just stupid gimmicks. Most of the time you will get to "shadow" a FP for a couple hours a week, when you havent even acquired the clinical skills or knowledge base to understand the differential diagnoses or workups behind the patient visits. I know I felt pretty useless and would have rather had those couple hours back to study more or go to the gym, etc. Most of what you need to know clinically, you'll learn in 3rd year.

Maybe the "clinical exposure" that you get in the first two years isn't much or even that useful in the general scheme of things, but I still like it. (I know that sounds sort of lame.) My first preceptor visit was with a neurosurgeon, which was really interesting. All in all, I like being able to spend a couple of hours seeing patients at the homeless shelter clinics that our school runs, or even just doing basic things like taking blood pressures, listening to heart and lung sounds, and feeling prostates while working with my preceptor. (I'll get the hang of palpating the abdomen soon, hopefully. The first couple times I tried didn't go so well.) It gets me out of the classroom and the library for a little while, if nothing else.