Duke versus Brown

[Frostdude0]

I am fortunate enough to have to choose between Duke and Brown this week. If any of you have a chance, could you let me know which school you would choose and your reasons for the choice? Here are some of my thoughts:

Duke:
pros
- More renowned hospital
- Stronger research opportunities, and the third year gives more time for them than anywhere else
- Warmer weather (weather better Nov through April) (I enjoy the outdoors- running and golfing are two of my favorite pastimes)
- Opportunity to live in and experience a new place (I grew up and went to college in New England)
cons
-Farther from my family (2 hour flight, so the trip would take 5 or 6 hours and cost about $350 roundtrip)

Brown:
pros
-Small feel
-Most likely can live within walking distance of class first two years, and a lot of the city is walkable
-Close to my family- only a 1 hour drive
-I know I would be happy living in Providence
-Cooler weather during the warm months (May through September) (I enjoy the outdoors)

It seems that both schools would give a great medical education and both give their students great opportunities at gaining acceptance to residency programs. The financial situation for me is similar for both schools.

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[FemalesCANTDriv]

I would choose Duke, but that is me. As for you... looks as though Brown is the choice since I don't see any cons listed. Good luck with your choice either way.

 

[diosa428]

Ok, here's my input. I'm a first year at Duke and I'm from New England.

Major reasons why I love Duke (that aren't on your list):
-Only one year of basic science. I've been in school for forever. I don't need to sit in class for an extra year.
-During second year, we get 2 2 week electives and 1 4 week elective. Most other schools don't give you this freedom. It definitely helps you figure out what specialty you want to be in sooner (and what research you want to do third year).
-Third year to do WHATEVER you want, WHEREVER you want.

Other than that, Providence >>> Durham. I also wanted to get away from New England and experience a different part of the country, but after less than a year, I already know that I will not be staying in Durham after med school (and hopefully not during third year). I will be returning to New England for residency. Why?
-Weather. You think it's better down here? Not really. The winter still gets cold. There are about 2 months in Jan/Feb where it was about 60 degrees here and still really cold in New England, but that was it. Other than that, it's hot. It was in the 90s last week, and that was April. There aren't really 4 distinct seasons, either (although the trees do change color in the fall, which is nice). And the weather is schizophrenic and completely changes from one day to the next, moreso than in NE.
-Food. Maybe the food in Raleigh is better, but the food in Durham is pretty blah. And it's different. I still crave NE food on a regular basis.
-You do have to drive everywhere, and it gets old after a while.
-Both schools have great match lists.

If you do enjoy the outdoors, we have beaches a couple of hours away in one direction and mountains a couple of hours in the other direction, which is nice. But I'd say that, while the winter might be to cold to do outside things in NE, the summer here is too hot.

Anyway, my opinion is that, if you love Duke and the Duke curriculum, come to Duke. Because that's what's really great about Duke. But if that's not a big factor for you, choose Brown. It sounds like you'd be happy there.

 

[HreComesTheSun]

i would choose duke because of research (and coach K is awesome!!!), but i have friends from both schools who were all really happy with their alma maters.

 

[Fermata]

- Opportunity to live in and experience a new place (I grew up and went to college in New England)

Hehe. Boy oh boy. Durham would definately be culture shock for you. 😀

 

[Brown429]

duke has a much better rep (for now) and will remain that way.

Brown has sooo much research opportunities...you have 7 hospitals and 1 medical school, the opportunities are endless. So i do not know how Duke's is said to be better. Note that Brown does not count of NIH $$$ from all 7 hospitals for the USNews Ranking.

Most of the students at Brown are happy. In the end you are going to come out with a degree from a great school, just follow your gut and whatever will make YOU happy. Be it a more prestigous school or the fact of being able to visit your fam. on the weekends for the next 4 years. Good luck and congrats!

 

[Fermata]

duke has a much better rep (for now) and will remain that way.

Brown has sooo much research opportunities...you have 7 hospitals and 1 medical school, the opportunities are endless. So i do not know how Duke's is said to be better. Note that Brown does not count of NIH $$$ from all 7 hospitals for the USNews Ranking.

Most of the students at Brown are happy. In the end you are going to come out with a degree from a great school, just follow your gut and whatever will make YOU happy. Be it a more prestigous school or the fact of being able to visit your fam. on the weekends for the next 4 years. Good luck and congrats!

The biggest thing I would say is to seriously consider how you view the Duke curriculum. I think that it's a good fit for a certain type of student. That being said, I personally know physicians that have stopped taking Duke 3rd/4th years students for rotations because they don't seem to hit the wards running quite as fast as some medical students from other schools due to the compression of year one and being one year removed via that research year.

 

[HreComesTheSun]

duke has a much better rep (for now) and will remain that way.

Brown has sooo much research opportunities...you have 7 hospitals and 1 medical school, the opportunities are endless. So i do not know how Duke's is said to be better. Note that Brown does not count of NIH $$$ from all 7 hospitals for the USNews Ranking.

oops, fermata beat me to it...

yes, duke's curriculum incorporates one full year of research...they're just more research-oriented

 

[M. furfur]

having gone the brown route, i appreciated having two preclinical years to bridge the gap between my basic science knowledge and pathology. i still felt like i had ample time for research, was able to publish productively, and have plenty of flexibility during my clinical years. in fact, i'm spending all of my fourth year in boston doing research and obtaining a masters degree.

 

[Critical Mass]

M. furfur--awesome name! Do you look like a bowling pin, or is it your taste for lipids that drew you to that one?

<----------clinical microbiologist

Does anybody besides myself and M2's understand your name?

Regarding the thread, I'd talk to students at both to see which curriculum you think will suit you best. I would probably prefer Brown's curriculum, but my feeling is that it is also more expensive to live there. Plus I prefer warmer weather and love the research triangle.

Is there a big difference wrt scholarships/financial aid?

 

[postbac25]

Brown!! go Bruno! i am alum from undergrad and the grad school and i have many friends who are PLME students. Brown is a wonderful, supportive, happy place with exceptional resources. Plus, Providence is a wonderful city and is incredibly student friendly (ie affordable).

My sincere congratulations to you- this is a tough, however welcome decision, to have to make. And really, you can't go wrong.

 

[Hednej]

Ron Paul went to Duke med.

 

[moomix906]

frostdude, are you really keen on research/academic career? Or can you describe what factors are more important to you? Because I would personally think Brown and Duke have a pretty different emphasis in terms of curriculum philosophy, so its hard to say which is a better fit unless you say what is important to you. i.e., looking at the clinical curriculum for Brown, there are 12 wks of internal med, 6 wks psych, 6 weeks family med, and 6 week of community health(epidemiology/public health). Contrast that againt Duke, with 8 wks med, 4 wks psych, 4 weeks family med, and required neurology and anes./ER/ICU rotations in the fourth year. Obviously Duke has that 3rd year research component. So are you just looking to do some research in med school, or are you interested in an academic/research career?

 

[Dookter]

frostdude, are you really keen on research/academic career? Or can you describe what factors are more important to you? Because I would personally think Brown and Duke have a pretty different emphasis in terms of curriculum philosophy, so its hard to say which is a better fit unless you say what is important to you. i.e., looking at the clinical curriculum for Brown, there are 12 wks of internal med, 6 wks psych, 6 weeks family med, and 6 week of community health(epidemiology/public health). Contrast that againt Duke, with 8 wks med, 4 wks psych, 4 weeks family med, and required neurology and anes./ER/ICU rotations in the fourth year. Obviously Duke has that 3rd year research component. So are you just looking to do some research in med school, or are you interested in an academic/research career?

I go to Duke, and I'll add that Duke doesn't have a research-oriented philosphy really. They'd be happy for their students to end up in the middle of nowhere running small clinics...they just better be damn good at it. That's the beauty of Duke...you can do whatever you want and nobody tells you what you should be or do.

As for Duke vs. Brown....just go wherever you feel most comfortable. The one major reason to pick Duke is if you want a year of research without going to med school for 5 years. Otherwise, it won't matter.

 

[KardiacKiehl]

If you are who I think you are, then you know who I am (same interview day at Brown). I really liked Brown and decided to end up going there next year, but that being said, if reputation is really important to you (not knowing a whole lot else about Duke), I think Duke might be the choice.

 

[Frostdude0]

I decided on Duke. I liked the area a lot and I realized that I could not pass up the opportunity that the third year provides. Thank you all for your advice! That is awesome that you decided on Brown KardiacKiehl (I am who you think- we took the commuter rail to Boston after the interview day)- I just visited there again on Monday to check it out again before deciding. Best wishes and best of luck at Brown!

 

[KardiacKiehl]

Congrats on choosing Duke and good luck there. Too bad we won't be able to play golf together at Brown, but I think you made a good choice. Best wishes.

 

[postbac25]

Congrats on choosing Duke and good luck there. Too bad we won't be able to play golf together at Brown, but I think you made a good choice. Best wishes.

Congratulations!! I am so jealous you will be at Brown. it is truly a unique, wonderful place and the community is terrific. I go back every year for the alum weekends and campus dances. Maybe we'll see you up there next May.

Best of luck in med school!

 

[TommyGunn04]

I decided on Duke. I liked the area a lot and I realized that I could not pass up the opportunity that the third year provides. Thank you all for your advice! That is awesome that you decided on Brown KardiacKiehl (I am who you think- we took the commuter rail to Boston after the interview day)- I just visited there again on Monday to check it out again before deciding. Best wishes and best of luck at Brown!

Good choice. I know it's a ways off, but when it comes time to open up your residency match letter at the end of your 4th year, you'll be VERY happy you chose Duke. Having been a Duke Med student and now a resident at Duke, I can promise you that having the "Duke name" on your diploma makes a huge difference in the match process. Congrats!