Alright, so the financial aid packages are rolling in... things are looking pretty good for Duke. 😍
Still, I have a couple of niggling concerns that came up during my visits to other schools, and I was hoping some of our M1s might be able to make me feel better.
1) Duke's facilities: not really as exciting as other med schools' of the same caliber. I mean, an anatomy lab's an anatomy lab, but there is something to be said for a school that wants to keep updating its facilities. I've always heard that a place is growing if you see a lot of construction around, and when I was there, I didn't see any. Another student I talked to also said that her Duke interviewer cited the facilities as one of Duke's weak points. Thoughts? Perhaps I wasn't looking... I was too enamored with the neo-Gothic architecture and the gorgeous gardens to really look all that closely.
Duke's facilities are always being upgraded. They just recently approved a MASSIVE increase in the size of the hospital and construction is beginning soon. It's interesting to me that you mentioned the anatomy labs specifically. One of the buildings being torn down is the Bell Research Building which is precisely where the anatomy lab is currently located. This means that there has to be a new anatomy lab going up soon. For those who visited, this essentially connects Duke South and Duke North. A big part of the walkway between the clinic and the hospital will be flanked by hospital on one side when this is done. Another ongoing thing is that there is a movement amongst students to request a separate medical school building. dont know much about this, it's just speculation so dont take my word for it.
As for the facilities being a weak point? I say poo poo to that. I think the facilities are fine and more than adequate. You spend your entire first year in an absolutely gorgeous and technologically complete lecture hall. The hospital is kinda 1990's style, but cmon... We have everything we need and then some.
2) The administration: I've heard some mixed things from current Duke undergrads... but of course their opinions are not as valuable as those of actual medical students. Still, several people have mentioned that they felt like the Duke administration did not make the needs and concerns of the medical students their top priority. The undergraduates felt that they had been treated that way, but got the distinct impression that they would not be treated likewise as med students, both by the med school administration and the Duke institutional administration. For example, Vandy falls all over itself for its med students. They had the Chancellor of the university come speak to us, prospective med students. They had their local congressman come speak to us, prospective med students. Not just the med school administration, but the entire institution seems to be highly receptive to the concerns of its med students. Clearly, I'm not expecting a congressman to show up to my lectures, and I have no doubt that Duke Med would take care of its students, but I'm just afraid that it might not be as supportive of its students as it could be. Now, I really have no idea, and from what I could tell, the Duke admin is just fine... but I'm looking for effusive praise here. 🙂
The issues that current Duke undergrads have with the administration primarily stem from disagreement with the handling of the LAX issue. The med school is an entirely different thing. I spent minimal time with undergrads, I dont really relate to them, and I really didnt see them much during my 4 yrs at Duke med at least on a social level. The ones that I mainly interacted with were those volunterring at the hospital and those who wanted to learn more about medicine and as such sought out medical students to learn more. I also spoke once or twice to groups of undergrads interested in attending medical school and how to look best when applying. This was the extent of my main interation with the undergrads.
I think Duke is a very grad student oriented university (despite likely disagreement from undergrads). There are almost as many grad students as undergrads and we have alot of power in the way things run and in my opinion, Duke grad programs are responsible for a large portion of the prestige that Duke has. The grad and professional student association is the largest student group on campus and we represent a huge number of people.
For the medical school, alot of our concerns are handled very well. There are always pressing issues at every school, but at Duke, things run quite smoothly. I dont think the administration ever hindered me at Duke and in fact I credit them for putting excellent work into the curriculum and addressing our needs. We have a search for a new dean coming up and I have a feeling it is going to be someone who is very receptive to students and more actively involved than the current dean who's time s very tied up with larger issues and the Duke Singapore thingamajig.
3) Extracurriculars: I thought I was completely on board with the Duke curriculum, but I'm getting a little panicky about the compressed first year. Listening to and watching the students at the other schools with the P/F first year... I know it's silly, but it would be kind of nice to have time to be in musicals and have dance groups and produce clever little skits. Of course, I could probably give all that up for Duke's third year... I dunno. I just want to remain a well-rounded human being--or as well-rounded as a med student could possibly be. Based on Duke's Second Look, it sure seemed like the most you guys get a chance to do outside of study is go out for drinks... lots and lots of drinks. 😉 Not that that's a bad thing, but it can't hurt to have a little variety in life, right?
Completely right. I wholeheartedly agree. I think alot of my classmates had tons of time much like I did during the first year. I feel like the first year is ups and downs... i.e. "when it rains, it pours." There are times when you are working hard, and there are times when you have tons of extra time to pursue extracurriculars. I think just about everyone in my class pursued extracurriculars ranging from Rugby to choirs to community service to part time jobs (yes, I'm serious). After seeing alot of my friends at other schools, I dont think we work any harder than they do their first year.
I think you ahve the right idea too... You get the third year back. This was the best year of my life and I'm not just saying that as hyperbole. O got to explore why I love medicine and make sure I am going into the right field for me. I had tons of time to study for step 1 and 2 and it was great overall.
As for the other comments about Step 1 a few posts ago in this thread, most people take it at some point in the spring of 3rd yr, others earlier, some later. I don't think you are allowed to take step 2 until after step 1 if memory serves so that is out of the question. If anything though, take step 1 first because the question stems are the same. The only thing they change up is the question itself... For example, both will start with a case talking about a man with fevers and a leukemia type of presentation. STEP 1 will as, "Which of the following receptors is found on the surface of the progenitor cell?" STEP 2 will ask, ""If the patient has X associated infection, which antibiotic would you use?"
4) Quality of education: I know, it's Duke. Of course it's good. But some students at other schools brought up a few good points that gave me a little pause. Like, anatomy is weak and embryology is glossed over. Even a current Duke med student said that the residents regularly make fun of Duke med students because they don't know as much as they should. Clearly, Duke turns out successful doctors, but do you ever feel like there's going to be a gap in your medical knowledge that will turn out to haunt you later on?
Absolutely not. I dont feel like I have any gaps in my education that other people learn. We learn enough in the first year so that you can teach yourself alot in the second year. Is anatomy weak? It probably isnt as good as other programs out there, but it's fine. Besides, you learn a ton in your clinical years too. To be honest, who gives a crap about embryology? I learned it during first year (albeit briefly), during my peds and obgyn rotations 2nd yr, and for a third time when I studying for Step 1 during my 3rd year. I've seen it 3 times and I know it well.
Do the residents laugh at medical students? I personally think our residents are generally phenomenal and love to teach. At the beginning of second year, the learning curve gets awfully steep and EVERY SINGLE STUDENT feels lost and stupid. I have a feeling it's like that everywhere at the beginning of clerkships. The residents can get frustrated but they get frustrated because they would like to teach but the medical student doesnt know what they need to be learning or prepare adequately to be taught. This all corrects itself within 3 months of starting second year. I think our 4th years are phenomenal and do a great job as senior medical students.
5) Durham: I grew up in the suburbs of Northern Virginia. I go to school in the town of Charlottesville. For one thing, it's safe. I can park my car a block away, leave it unlocked, and come back a week later to find my CD player still there and my car intact. I can walk home alone after a night at the library and feel completely safe, as long as the way is well-lit. I know in some of the apartments within walking distance of the Duke Medical Center, there are break-ins reported, etc., every year. Clearly, Durham is not St. Louis or Nashville or NYC, but still... in comparison to what I'm used to, it might as well be. True, that has it's pros and cons, but safety (and to some extent, housing) is definitely in Charlottesville's favor. You can get a much nicer apartment at a walking distance from UVA Medical Center for cheaper than the apartments that are at a walking distance from Duke Medical Center.
I had the same worry when I got here. I grew up in dallas and went to UG in Ann Arbor. I have never felt unsafe here, although I have heard of other people feeling that way. I think you will find that at alot of places. I lived in Durham for 2 yrs at a great, safe, beautiful complex about 8 minutes drive from Duke and always felt comfortable and felt that the place was a great value for my money. I never wanted to live walking distance to the hospital. It's nice to go home and get away.
I lived in Chapel hill for the last two years and it was absolutely great. I was near the places to go out, Chapel hill is gorgeous and safe, and I only live 12-18 minutes from Duke. I don't feel alienated at all. Remember that you are a grad student and undergrad is over. It's not necessarily a perk to live a 5 minute walk to campus. Sometimes it's better to live near entertainment shopping, night life and possibly something more affordable or more your style than to be 5 minutes from school.
I cannot say that i have met one Duke med student in my 4 years here who truly hated Durham such that it would keep them from attending Duke. If you did well in Charlottesville, I think you will love this area. It is surprisingly similar to Virginia. I think people who HAVE to live in Chicago or NYC or Boston for med school know it going into the application process and thus scratch Duke off the list early on.
These are just my opinions and I hope they have answered some of your questions. For me, Duke is extremely unique and was the perfect place for me and many of my classmates. In fact, I couldnt imagine going anywhere else and getting the caliber of education with the amount of personal time that I got here. I highly recommend it to everyone applying.
PM me if there is anything else I can answer for you.
IZZY
