Duke vs Vanderbilt vs UMichigan

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love2swim

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Hi all! I'm very lucky to be making the choice between these schools, but because the curricula seem quite similar (one-year pass/fail preclinical, dedicated time for research) and there isn't a major cost difference for me, I'm having trouble picking between them. I'm interested in academic medicine but don't have a particular specialty in mind, although I lean towards internal medicine and away from surgical specialties. I have a bunch of experience with basic science research and plan to continue to pursue that in med school. I'm from PA and went to school in New England, and would likely want to come back to the northeast for residency.

Duke
Pros
  • Prestige (#3 research rank), although not that meaningful a difference
  • Full year for research, with long-established curriculum
  • P/F clerkships
  • Warm weather
  • Durham seems nice - manageable size, cool restaurant scene, access to parks/hiking trails nearby, ocean is a drivable distance
  • Some family in the area
  • My parents are alums and LOVE Duke - I know it's silly, but this is absolutely their #1 choice for me and it'd be tough to turn down

Cons
  • Student-run free clinic and other community engagement opportunities don't seem as robust
  • Didn't get quite as warm a vibe from the student body - not totally sure about fit, but everything is virtual so who knows??

Vanderbilt
Pros
  • Student wellness a huge priority, people seem really happy
  • Promises in-person classes for preclinical year (vs Zoom school)
  • Structured longitudinal research curriculum - help finding mentors, planning your project, etc
  • Shade Tree student-run clinic seems awesome
  • P/F clerkships
  • Again, nice weather
  • Nashville seems like a lot of fun, but also potentially busy/overwhelming?

Cons
  • Less total time for research - max of 6 months
  • Farthest from home
  • Highest cost of living
  • TN is redder/more conservative than NC

University of Michigan
Pros
  • Great sense of school spirit and super welcoming students
  • Neat mentorship structure through M-Home system
  • Student-run free clinic (bigger than Duke's, smaller than Vandy's), plus Wolverine Street Medicine
  • Ann Arbor very walkable, cute downtown, seems like it has a good relationship with the university

Cons
  • "Up to 20 months" for research project, but there doesn't seem to be dedicated research block - instead, weave it in around electives
  • Long and cold winters
  • Biggest class size (~170)
  • Ann Arbor not as diverse as Durham or Nashville, also has lots of undergrads
  • H/HP/P/F grading on clerkships

Summary: I'm thinking probably not Michigan based on weather and class size, but it's tough to give up their really welcoming/friendly vibe and their recruitment program has been amazing. Vanderbilt has more pros and more cons than Duke - love the whole institutional investment in student wellness and their student-run clinic, not sure about living in Nashville (cost, distance, culture shock factor) and I'd ideally like more time for research. Duke matches my interest in research and Durham seems like a good match location-wise, but I don't necessarily have a strong gut feeling about whether I'd fit in. Tough this year to figure it out with virtual interviews and second looks - thanks for your help!!

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What are your thoughts on Duke's research year? This is probably a major differentiating factor. I hated the idea of paying tuition for a year of research lol but maybe that's just me

At the end of the day, I'd go wherever you'll be happiest. I considered all of these schools and the culture/location of Vandy really stood out to me. I had such a warm feeling from that school. But everyone is different!
 
Finances not an issue in this?
Not really - I didn't receive financial aid or merit scholarships, and annual COA is comparable at 96K Duke, 97K Michigan, and 100K Vanderbilt. It does seem like overall cost of living is higher in Nashville, which could impact housing options (seems like it's common for students to rent houses downtown in Durham for example due to lower COL)
 
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What are your thoughts on Duke's research year? This is probably a major differentiating factor. I hated the idea of paying tuition for a year of research lol but maybe that's just me

At the end of the day, I'd go wherever you'll be happiest. I considered all of these schools and the culture/location of Vandy really stood out to me. I had such a warm feeling from that school. But everyone is different!
I like the idea of a year to do something totally different after the intensity of clerkships, although you're right that it's a major drag to have to pay tuition for it. The sort of flexible/unstructured nature of it is a little intimidating, but it does seem like there are lots of experienced mentors within the faculty to help you navigate, it's just up to you to find them. Longer timeline definitely aligns with my interest in basic science. Thanks for the insight into Vandy - it does seem to have a uniquely warm and supportive culture!
 
For the conservative thing between Durham vs Nashville - big cities anywhere and especially in the south like Nashville will be more liberal, and Durham is also very liberal. Both areas are also the same that the farther from the city you go it gets very conservative and NC is 100% the same way. I thought NC wasn't as conservative as the rest of the south outside the cities but after I visited it's generally the same way as TN and rest of the southeast. Hope that helps at least clear up that concern for you!

For your decision, it's definitely a difficult one and try to think about what is most important to you and your goals and how Vandy vs Duke will fit into that. The difference in research curriculum seems to be the most different thing about them and is based on preference. I also had a similar decision and decided that for me personally, I would prefer a more structured and longitudinal research program vs the 3rd year at Duke, but everyone at Duke seems to love the 3rd year style. Totally a preference thing, congrats and good luck!
 
Prestige for all 3 is the same. It looks like Duke will best support your goal of continuing in basic science research, and has the highest net pro/con score.
 
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