Einstein vs Penn State

[lawyersguns&money]

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Hi all,

I am trying to narrow down my decisions and having a lot of trouble deciding between my two finalists, Einstein and Penn State. Heres what I'm thinking about each school.

Penn State:
- Stronger "gut" feeling
- Close to home (pretty important)
- Excellent international opportunities
- Rural environment (which I prefer)

Einstein:
- Stronger reputation
- Better research opportunities
- Huge clinical network

I would really appreciate some input about this decision as I am starting to drive myself crazy.

 

[JPA178]

Sounds like the things that are important to you (rural, closer to home, etc) point toward Penn State. Einstein is great but is much stronger in terms of research and working with urban populations. If you're the rural type, are you really going to be happy not just in a city, but in New York City? Penn State is a great school and serves as the main trauma center for that entire region, so you'll get great experiences and interesting pathology there too!

 

[bluejay456]

I would consider Einstein a more suburban school in comparison to a lot of inner city schools. If it were me, I would choose Einstein based on reputation alone but I do understand the need to be close to family. My only argument against that is, how often do you think during the semester you will realistically have the opportunity to visit family?

 

[halfwaycrooks]

Any cost differences? Seems like you're set on psu. I think if you will be happier there, you'll do better. The reputation won't keep you from going where you want for residency provided you do well.

 

[lawyersguns&money]

Thanks for your input. I definitely have been leaning toward PSU for some time now and have also received similar advice from others. I have been told that (at least to some extent) it is not as important where you go but more what you do there in terms of residency placement. Furthermore, I am not really planning on going into an academic/research career, nor am I planning on going for a hyper-competitive residency.

I guess I just got hung up on the thought that I worked so hard to get into med school that I would be selling myself short by not going to the highest ranked school I could. I am realizing now that that mindset is somewhat shortsighted. Thank you all again for your input, this has helped.

 

[kevvykevvv]

any US medical school takes an incredible amount of work to gain acceptance. there are many qualified people who will not be accepted anywhere this year. You're "not selling yourself short," you just need to shift your perspective a little. You have worked hard to get into medical school, and it has paid off; not only did you get accepted, but you have a choice between two schools. Don't be fooled by the ridiculous rankings that people seem to rave about - you have accomplished something truly incredible by finding a school for which you have an attachment. Best of luck!

 

[halfwaycrooks]

One last thought op, if you're even remotely interested in pediatrics, psu is the way to go. Hershey is a beautiful area as well and I would have no reservations picking it over Einstein based on reputation.