Do I Really Need To Go To An Ivy League?

[908280]

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ehck

 

[FlavivirusProtease]

No.

 

[ciestar]

Top programs help get more coveted residencies because you have way more research opportunities. But many of the “top 20” schools aren’t Ivy League institutions.

Recipe for med school success for competitive residencies: killer step scores, good research, AOA helps, good LORs from your rotations..connections also help.

 

[Ribonucleic Acid]

I think it may be a little bit harder to get into an extremely competitive neurosurgery residency after going to an unknown med school. If you think about it, a neurosurgery residency can have a ton of applicants from Harvard and Yale who have great research and have proven that they're pretty intelligent folks. If they have person A who went to Yale and person B who went to "where is that," they'll probably go with person A. But, I think it's shown that the med school matters more than the undergrad. If you go to a small undergrad, you can get into a competitive school in other words.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[getdown]

no

 

[LizzyM]

Medical schools of the current neurosurgery residents at NYU:

Tufts University School of Medicine
Georgetown University School of Medicine (and AOA -- medical honor society)
Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons (and AOA)
New Jersey Medical School (and AOA)
University of Pennsylvania
Yale University School of Medicine
University of California, San Francisco.
University of Michigan Medical School
Harvard Medical School
NYU School of Medicine (accelerated program after earning PhD at UC Davis)
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
NYU School of Medicine (accelarated program, also AOA)
NYU School of Medicine (transfer from Sophie Davis)
Stanford University

4 of 15 attended schools in the "Ivy League".

Make of the data what you will.

 

[Microbug]

They always want to be neurosurgeons... or pediatric cardiac ... 🤣

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

They always want to be neurosurgeons... or pediatric cardiac ... 🤣

Yep. Let them sit through a couple 10 hour cranies and a week on the nsg service. If they still want it after that, more power to them. Someone’s gotta do it.

 

[efle]

Medical schools of the current neurosurgery residents at NYU:

Tufts University School of Medicine
Georgetown University School of Medicine (and AOA -- medical honor society)
Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons (and AOA)
New Jersey Medical School (and AOA)
University of Pennsylvania
Yale University School of Medicine
University of California, San Francisco.
University of Michigan Medical School
Harvard Medical School
NYU School of Medicine (accelerated program after earning PhD at UC Davis)
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
NYU School of Medicine (accelarated program, also AOA)
NYU School of Medicine (transfer from Sophie Davis)
Stanford University

4 of 15 attended schools in the "Ivy League".

Make of the data what you will.

On the other hand, only 4 of 15 attended schools outside the top 20...

 

[sab3156]

The name of your medical school carries significant weight at high ranking programs in any specialty. That's just the reality of the field.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

In other words, do I really need to go to Top 5 Ivy League schools (or any in general) to get into a really good Neurosurgical residency program?

Setting your sights on John Hopkins neurosurgery as a sophomore in college is setting yourself up for a massive disappointment lol. Perhaps focus on not getting railroaded by the MCAT first.

Yep. Let them sit through a couple 10 hour cranies and a week on the nsg service. If they still want it after that, more power to them. Someone’s gotta do it.

It’s the back crap that gets me, boring af

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

It’s the back crap that gets me, boring af

Same. But either way, staring at an operative field the size of a quarter for 8 hours gets really old.

 

[LOLERs]

If you haven't even taken your MCAT yet alone apply for med schools or taken your boards, why are you even worrying about this? You're pretty much trying to learn how to fly a jet before you even learn how to crawl.

 

[trev5150]

Yep. Let them sit through a couple 10 hour cranies and a week on the nsg service. If they still want it after that, more power to them. Someone’s gotta do it.

Nope nope nope nope....

Back-to-back 75 minute lectures on Tues/Thurs pushes my sit-still to the max anymore. Then again this is my last semester and I've just about had my fill of undergrad.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Nope nope nope nope....

Back-to-back 75 minute lectures on Tues/Thurs pushes my sit-still to the max anymore. Then again this is my last semester and I've just about had my fill of undergrad.

I actually should have said "stand" through them, since you won't be sitting lol.

 

[Microbug]

I actually should have said "stand" through them, since you won't be sitting lol.

It’s actually kind of inhumane if you think about it, can’t even drink much water so you won’t want to pee the whole time.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

It’s actually kind of inhumane if you think about it, can’t even drink much water so you won’t want to pee the whole time.

You aren’t drinking much water during the case, so the urge to pee is usually not a problem. For me, it’s more the havoc it does on my back.

 

[trev5150]

You aren’t drinking much water during the case, so the urge to pee is usually not a problem. For me, it’s more the havoc it does on my back.

I have to put in eye drops every 4-5 hours. That's gonna go over like a wet fart in church for the surg core rotation....

 

[Microbug]

You aren’t drinking much water during the case, so the urge to pee is usually not a problem. For me, it’s more the havoc it does on my back.

That’s what i’m saying, you can’t even drink water 🙁

 

[908280]

Yep. Let them sit through a couple 10 hour cranies and a week on the nsg service. If they still want it after that, more power to them. Someone’s gotta do it.

10? I've been anticipating the 20 hour ones! Plus 80-100+ hour work week/clinicals. I'd rather take the 10 in that case...

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

10? I've been anticipating the 20 hour ones! Plus 80-100+ hour work week/clinicals. I'd rather take the 10 in that case...

Say that after you’ve done a few.

 

[908280]

They always want to be neurosurgeons... or pediatric cardiac ... 🤣

I know. I was originally intending to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner but I felt that I wanted to do more than that. It was either Neurosurgery or Interventional Neurologist. But as long as it involves brains, I'm good.

 

[908280]

Say that after you’ve done a few.

Will do

 

[908280]

Setting your sights on John Hopkins neurosurgery as a sophomore in college is setting yourself up for a massive disappointment lol. Perhaps focus on not getting railroaded by the MCAT first.

With whatever amount of looking into fellowships I've done, John Hopkins was the only one (of a few schools I glanced at) that had Critical Care or Stereotactic/Movement NS Fellowships. Ultimately, I think I want to go to NYU's NS Residency, but I'm not sure and it's several years away anyway for it to be a dead-set consideration.

 

[908280]

Every applicant needs a bucket of cold water to realize that if you are not ready to be in a family practice doc in the middle of suburban nebraska, which is where you may wind up, seriously reconsider this profession. There is absolutely no guarantee you will get into any particular specialty, much less a specific program, after 4 years of medical school. Hell, only 40% of people make it into medical school and half of those get a single acceptance. So, I suggest you focus on getting GPA and MCAT and first getting into medical school before you start letting this bug up your A$$ get into too deep as it will be followed by your swelled head if you dont watch out.

Noted.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

With whatever amount of looking into fellowships I've done, John Hopkins was the only one (of a few schools I glanced at) that had Critical Care or Stereotactic/Movement NS Fellowships. Ultimately, I think I want to go to NYU's NS Residency, but I'm not sure and it's several years away anyway for it to be a dead-set consideration.

You’re going to have a hard time.

 

[altblue]

With whatever amount of looking into fellowships I've done, John Hopkins was the only one (of a few schools I glanced at) that had Critical Care or Stereotactic/Movement NS Fellowships. Ultimately, I think I want to go to NYU's NS Residency, but I'm not sure and it's several years away anyway for it to be a dead-set consideration.

No kidding

There's a lot of necessary conditions to be fulfilled before you can even realistically think about NYU neurosurgery.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Working in a Very Small Place: The Making of a Neurosurgeon

It’s an amazing field. Some people are naturally drawn to it, get some experience in it as a med student, and actually love it. That’s awesome because we really need them.

But I’m willing to bet that most people who have no actual clinical experience in nsg very quickly change their minds.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Will do

I’ll be happy for you if you still want to do it and match.

 

[neusu]

It is great to be thinking about these things in advance.

Rather than set your mind on a particular school, or program, it may benefit you to look at things in a more general way. That is, you want to do things that are considered competitive, what makes a medical student competitive? What steps can you take now to put yourself on the path to that?

First, do well in undergrad, score well on the MCAT, and get in to the best school for you. If it happens to be an Ivy league school, or in the top 25, great. If not, great as well. Forcing yourself somewhere you will be unhappy will inevitably not turn out as well as if you are happy. While you are at it, doing things like research help you explore your interests in greater detail. Also, if your interest is neurosurgery, it may allow for exposure to the clinical side of things such as shadowing in clinic or observing procedures in the operating room or interventional suite.

Next, once you are in medical school, do well in school and the USMLE step 1. Again, having side interests in research is important. This establishes your interest, introduces you to the department, and sets the stage for when you are a more senior student and able to be on service.

Finally, be open to the likelihood that your plans, and dreams, will change. Certainly, neurosurgery, and interventional neuro procedures are cool. There are many other things, though, that are just as cool, or that need to be done for us to be able to do the things we do. You may find out you hate the OR, or endo suite. Perhaps you find managing the patients medically more fulfilling, or caring for them in their recovery. We need great neurologists and PMR doctors as well. As they say, it is a team sport. While I love the surgeries we do, much of the hard work is not done by us. In fact, when we are "done" with a patient, they are very often, still, neurologically devastated, and need weeks to months of dedicated work to return to life.

In sum, having high aspirations is nice. Posturing for those goals will enable you to have choices and do what you want to do, where you want to do it.