Drexel vs Jefferson

[hopefully07]

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Drexel= Not ranked on either U.S. News Research or Primary Care
Jefferson= Research: 57th Primary Care: 52nd

Got accepted to both schools but want to withdraw from one of them.
I'm leaning towards keeping Jefferson, but just want to make sure that I"m not makin a dumb decision.
Thanks for the input!!!

 

[spygal]

As someone who lives in Philly and works with many physicians in the area, I'd say Jefferson has a far better reputation.

 

[Robizzle]

Jefferson has a better rep and is ACTUALLY in Center City. I'd go with Jeff. Plus I'm on the Drexel waitlist so you'd be doing your ol' buddy Rob a favor

 

[koennen]

This is really a no-brainer. Jefferson.

 

[Monkey12]

Jefferson no question.

I interviewed at both, really impressed with Jefferson. Drexel not so much.

 

[Nickelpennykid]

I live in Philly. No questions...Jefferson. Great campus location, prob the nicest section of the city.

 

[gainor848]

Hi guys...I was attracted to this page because I am a first year at Drexel and thought it would be helpful if i could give my input being since I have actually been exposed to their curriculum, unlike any of the above posters. First off...Congrats! You are probably very proud/excited! Second off...please please please don't judge a school by it's location...it makes absolutely no sense. Drexel is a 20 minute train ride from center city so really it's not a big deal being a little out of the city (besides you will be studying most of the time anyway). Second off, you should definitely do some research on the curriculums rather than listen to the rankings and what the "reputation" of the school is. I can honestly say that I am completely satisfied with my education at Drexel (actually I am getting above and beyond what I expected) and the teachers are amazing....they really care about the students, not just PhD's that don't give a crap about lecturing and would rather being doing their research. If you have any questions about drexel please PM me...i am more than willing to share my experiences with you about the school, area, etc. Take it from someone who has talked one on one with the professors, been to dozens of lectures, studied for their exams, hell i practically live at school...I was offered other acceptances as well and never once have I regretted my decision to come to drexel...even though they are not ranked highly on some ranking system that obviously needs to be abolished being since it is mostly concerned with the amount of finances the school receives...they have no idea how well these schools do on their boards (being since this is private information). Anyways, I just wanted to throw this out there being since drexel was being underrepresented If i wasn't satisfied with drexel, i wouldn't care to take the time to post my thoughts

 

[koennen]

Hi guys...I was attracted to this page because I am a first year at Drexel and thought it would be helpful if i could give my input being since I have actually been exposed to their curriculum, unlike any of the above posters. First off...Congrats! You are probably very proud/excited! Second off...please please please don't judge a school by it's location...it makes absolutely no sense. Drexel is a 20 minute train ride from center city so really it's not a big deal being a little out of the city (besides you will be studying most of the time anyway). Second off, you should definitely do some research on the curriculums rather than listen to the rankings and what the "reputation" of the school is. I can honestly say that I am completely satisfied with my education at Drexel (actually I am getting above and beyond what I expected) and the teachers are amazing....they really care about the students, not just PhD's that don't give a crap about lecturing and would rather being doing their research. If you have any questions about drexel please PM me...i am more than willing to share my experiences with you about the school, area, etc. Take it from someone who has talked one on one with the professors, been to dozens of lectures, studied for their exams, hell i practically live at school...I was offered other acceptances as well and never once have I regretted my decision to come to drexel...even though they are not ranked highly on some ranking system that obviously needs to be abolished being since it is mostly concerned with the amount of finances the school receives...they have no idea how well these schools do on their boards (being since this is private information). Anyways, I just wanted to throw this out there being since drexel was being underrepresented If i wasn't satisfied with drexel, i wouldn't care to take the time to post my thoughts

I'm glad you're happy with your experience at Drexel. I don't think anyone is really knocking Drexel. The location does kinda suck, but that's a minor point as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure you'll get a good education there. I live in the Philadelphia area and I've spoken with many physicians about the area's 5medical schools. Not a one of them would rank Drexel over Jefferson, even those that went to Drexel/Hahnemann.

 

[Towelie]

Jefferson.

 

[smq123]

please please please don't judge a school by it's location...it makes absolutely no sense. Drexel is a 20 minute train ride from center city so really it's not a big deal being a little out of the city (besides you will be studying most of the time anyway). Second off, you should definitely do some research on the curriculums rather than listen to the rankings and what the "reputation" of the school is. I can honestly say that I am completely satisfied with my education at Drexel (actually I am getting above and beyond what I expected) and the teachers are amazing....they really care about the students, not just PhD's that don't give a crap about lecturing and would rather being doing their research. If you have any questions about drexel please PM me...i am more than willing to share my experiences with you about the school, area, etc. Take it from someone who has talked one on one with the professors, been to dozens of lectures, studied for their exams, hell i practically live at school...I was offered other acceptances as well and never once have I regretted my decision to come to drexel...even though they are not ranked highly on some ranking system that obviously needs to be abolished being since it is mostly concerned with the amount of finances the school receives...they have no idea how well these schools do on their boards (being since this is private information). Anyways, I just wanted to throw this out there being since drexel was being underrepresented If i wasn't satisfied with drexel, i wouldn't care to take the time to post my thoughts

I go to Jefferson, so I'm biased the OTHER way.

I agree though - if you choose a school's location based on nearby recreational opportunities, it's a moot point. You won't last long at either school.

Still, I personally prefer Jefferson's CLINICAL location. We can see such a huge variety of patients, even in our first 2 years of school.

Specifically:
* Chinatown is 5 blocks north. The Asian students assoc. runs blood pressure screening clinics in Chinatown. (A lot of the patients there don't speak English.)

* North Philadelphia (mostly poor, African-American families) is a 10 minute subway ride away. I help run a youth outreach at a teenage homeless shelter. Most of the kids there are black.

Plus, JeffHOPE has one of their 4 homeless shelter clinics in North Philadelphia, at Ridge. This is the largest men's homeless shelter in the city, and Jefferson students go out there 4 times a week. There are other homeless shelter clinics throughout the city that Jeff students go to.

* South Philadelphia (15-20 minutes away) has a growing number of Mexicans and Hispanic clinics.

* The "Gayborhood" is 2 blocks away. You can work with a lot of gay patients, many of whom (unfortunately) have HIV/AIDS.

I like being exposed to such a variety of patient populations - that way, if I do decide to do primary care, I can say that I have experience with a diverse patient group.

The professors are really nice and very accessible. They definitely don't stand on ceremony at Jefferson: I know that some people have worked with Dean Clara Callahan when she sees patients. (I love, love, love Dean Callahan. She's so cool.) Dean Nasca (the dean of the med school) teaches 1st year renal physiology and 2nd year renal acid-base balance. The head of the endocrinology dept. teaches 1st and 2nd year diabetes lectures, and the head of the neuro department does a grand rounds on MS.

Still, you should choose a school for the right reasons: the curriculum, the opportunities, etc. Definitely do some more research into Drexel's and Jefferson's curriculums. Maybe you like PBL, or maybe you don't like the "blocks" system. There are a lot of factors in this decision.

Good luck!

 

[gainor848]

I go to Jefferson, so I'm biased the OTHER way.

I agree though - if you choose a school's location based on nearby recreational opportunities, it's a moot point. You won't last long at either school.

Still, I personally prefer Jefferson's CLINICAL location. We can see such a huge variety of patients, even in our first 2 years of school.

Specifically:
* Chinatown is 5 blocks north. The Asian students assoc. runs blood pressure screening clinics in Chinatown. (A lot of the patients there don't speak English.)

* North Philadelphia (mostly poor, African-American families) is a 10 minute subway ride away. I help run a youth outreach at a teenage homeless shelter. Most of the kids there are black.

Plus, JeffHOPE has one of their 4 homeless shelter clinics in North Philadelphia, at Ridge. This is the largest men's homeless shelter in the city, and Jefferson students go out there 4 times a week. There are other homeless shelter clinics throughout the city that Jeff students go to.

* South Philadelphia (15-20 minutes away) has a growing number of Mexicans and Hispanic clinics.

* The "Gayborhood" is 2 blocks away. You can work with a lot of gay patients, many of whom (unfortunately) have HIV/AIDS.

I like being exposed to such a variety of patient populations - that way, if I do decide to do primary care, I can say that I have experience with a diverse patient group.

The professors are really nice and very accessible. They definitely don't stand on ceremony at Jefferson: I know that some people have worked with Dean Clara Callahan when she sees patients. (I love, love, love Dean Callahan. She's so cool.) Dean Nasca (the dean of the med school) teaches 1st year renal physiology and 2nd year renal acid-base balance. The head of the endocrinology dept. teaches 1st and 2nd year diabetes lectures, and the head of the neuro department does a grand rounds on MS.

Still, you should choose a school for the right reasons: the curriculum, the opportunities, etc. Definitely do some more research into Drexel's and Jefferson's curriculums. Maybe you like PBL, or maybe you don't like the "blocks" system. There are a lot of factors in this decision.

Good luck!

I appreciate your post...i'm glad to see people with real experience at the school express their opinions! As for the clinical location...drexel's university hospital is actually under Hahnemann (since then Hahnemann has been combined with MCP to form drexel and that's why it doesn't hold that name) which is on vine st. less than 2 min from Jefferson's hospital so everything above applies as well. We also have many first and second years going to chinatown on a regular basis as well as several other programs based in the "rough" areas of philly that help to serve the homeless. And to one of the above posters...i'm sorry to hear that you know people that went to hahnemann and don't rank it highly, but since the integration with the medical college of pennsylvania, the program has changed dramatically. i don't feel that their opinion would accurately reflect that of the program today. Keep in mind i am speaking as a first year and have had little experience with hahnemann hospital, but as for the basic science curriculum i think it is excellent. Don't get me wrong, I definitely would not put drexel over jefferson, being since i am not enrolled there and would have no idea how great their curriculum is...I am simply stating my own personal experience. I would hope that would be much more valuable to you rather than "so and so said this"... I am surprised/saddened by the fact that so many of you can judge a school so quickly while knowing so little about the school or not even have anything to back up their opinion. I just hope some of you don't diagnose your patients with as much face value as you give your medical schools

 

[LuLu24]

Jefferson

 

[gainor848]

exactly my point

 

[whodey]

at least they're both better than Temple

hey gainor.... can i gain your digits?

 

[Roc624]

Jefferson all the way!

 

[ICCONFETTI]

at least they're both better than Temple

hey gainor.... can i gain your digits?

I would have to disagree with this post. I also do not believe Temple bashing is the way to go.

 

[whodey]

all Temple is a bunch of 2nd year guys and their first year girlfriends who follow them

...into the ghetto

 

[thedelicatessen]

Jefferson is in a better location and has a better reputation, and their students and faculty seem enthusiastic and genuine. Go with Jefferson!