But what i don’t understand is… what’s the point of this thread exactly? Because if we’re focusing on prestige flexing and matching to the best of the best, the clear answer is going to MGH/BWH because HMS severely overshadows everyone else in sheer research funding alone… and MGH/BWH favors their own as with many other programs linked to great schools.
I believe there is a point, though it might not be the most high-yield thread out there.
If I am a premedical student:
Along with fit, finances, and location, the prestige of a school is a factor I would take into account.
This leads to two questions:
1. What weight should I give the prestige factor? (This is why so many people ask how important school prestige is.)
2. Which schools are prestigious? Many people use the US News rankings for this, but what most people I believe are looking for is something like "Great Tier", "Good Tier", "OK Tier", and "Try to Avoid Tier".
If I am a medical student:
1. Is the school I go to going to give me a strong shot of getting the residency I want? Or am I going to have to work extra-hard and fight an uphill battle?
2. When I rank schools I interview at for the match, prestige is a factor alongside the others (people, location, stipend, research opportunities, etc.).
2a. How much weight should be given to prestige?
2b. Which schools are prestigious?
If I am a resident/fellow:
Where should I try to become an attending? (Same as 2a and 2b above)
If I am a patient:
If I have a rare/complex condition that my local doctors can't diagnose/treat, where should I go for treatment?
If a university hospital is prestigious, they should have some of the best doctors, right?