Emory vs Mount Sinai

[jen45]

So I have been accepted at both and I am still trying to decide where to go. I'm interested in doing research with a focus in neuro, but I want to get a good clinical education as well. And I think I'm pretty decided on doing a neuro or psych residency. Is one higher ranked/more prestigious in this area than the other? Will that make a difference?

As for location, I know NYC is probably more exciting than Atlanta, but I don't want to make a choice just based on that. Plus, I'm not good with cold weather.

I know I probably can't go wrong with either school, but I have to make a decision in a week. Any thoughts?

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[Cytotoxic]

Sinai's neuroscience dept. is ranked 4th for NIH funding. The dean of the medical school, Dennis Charney, and the president of the medical center, Ken Davis, are bigshots in psych.

 

[TaylorMDhopeful]

I work in Sinai's Neuroscience Department and I can definitely say that we have a very strong program in neuroscience and psych with the addition of a couple of big shots in the past few years. It has increased the funding of the departments and the level of collaboration and connections around the globe. Sinai is also building the Brain Institute with the director being Dr. Eric Nestler, a major figure in the world of neuroscience, addiction and depression research.

 

[jbz24]

I work in Sinai's Neuroscience Department and I can definitely say that we have a very strong program in neuroscience and psych with the addition of a couple of big shots in the past few years. It has increased the funding of the departments and the level of collaboration and connections around the globe. Sinai is also building the Brain Institute with the director being Dr. Eric Nestler, a major figure in the world of neuroscience, addiction and depression research.

Have you decided on Pitt vs. Sinai yet?

To the OP, I know very little about Emory so I can't comment on the comparison. But keep in mind that psych and neuro are two of the least competitive specialties, so you will probably do well coming out of either school.

 

[topsurgeon2010]

first of all congratulations...both schools are great...you will get a lot of Mount Sinai responses on SDN so thought I would add some stuff about Emory

Mt. Sinai's pros are NYC > Atlanta (though Atlanta is still an amazing city with AMAZING weather) and Mt. Sinai is climbing up drastically in US News rankings over the past few years, take home exams

Emory's pros include Emory's prestige is greater in academia and is more recognizable than Mt. Sinai (Emory's residency director ratings for 2011 USNews edition is 4.1 while Sinai's is 3.7, Emory's peer assessment ratings for 2011 is 3.8 while Sinai's is 3.7), Emory has the 1.5 year curriculum, 4-6 months discovery phase to do research, brand-new facilities (brand new med school building, brand new psych building, brand new 3-story Barnes and Nobles with study space and the largest Starbucks on a campus in the nation haha), its located on the main campus with the undergrads and other graduate students while Mt. Sinai does not have an undergrad institution and is an urban campus, the joint degree programs are amazing at Emory, prominent faculty, experts and leaders which include Dr. Sanjay Gupta from CNN who is a neurosurgeon at Emory

as for neuroscience and psych:

Emory is a research powerhouse in neuroscience and psych...Emory discovered the gene responsible for fragile X syndrome, developed brain mapping to guide effective surgical approaches (deep brain stimulation) to treat movement disorders such as Parkinson's and dystonia, developed effective method of using deep-brain stimulation as therapy for treatment-resistant severe depression, and discovered in the laboratory, then in early-stage clinical trials, the beneficial effects of progesterone to treat traumatic brain injury, the first new treatment for TBI in 30 years. Currently leading a large nationwide NIH-supported clinical trial of progesterone and TBI.

A lot of neuroscience and pysch research is conducted using non-human primates at The Yerkes National Primate Research Center of Emory University, which is one of only eight NIH-designated national primate research centers in the country. Muhammad Ali is a regular patient at Emory for his Parkinsons treatment.

You will see neurological diseases of all types, with a spectrum of training opportunities ranging from tertiary care on the Emory campus in outpatient settings (e.g., The Emory Clinic), specialized inpatient units for children (Children's Hospital of Atlanta), adults (Emory University Hospital-Decatur and Emory University Hospital-Midtown), and geriatrics (Wesley Woods), to a large urban hospital (Grady Memorial) providing care for the underserved. And also the VA Hospital. If you want to do research in neuro-oncology, Emory has the Winship Cancer Institute, which has the competitive and prestigious National Cancer Institute-designation.

Emory is ranked #14 in neurology USNews Best Hospitals Rankings with a "significant" reputation among physicians while Mt. Sinai is ranked #16 with a "modest" reputation in neurology among physicians. Emory is ranked top 10 in psychiatry by USNews. You can check out the rankings here:

http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/neurology-and-neurosurgery?page=2

Emory is also ranked number 15 in NIH funding a few spots ahead of Mt. Sinai..the numbers below are for 2009

Medical School
Amount *
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
$505,861,155
University of California San Francisco School of Medicine
$471,902,355
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
$452,577,776
Washington University School of Medicine
$427,160,655
Duke University School of Medicine
$390,117,635
Yale University School of Medicine
$383,604,394
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
$371,580,611
University of Michigan Medical School
$366,547,974
University of Washington School of Medicine
$357,527,610
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
$355,607,386
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
$349,873,899
Stanford University School of Medicine
$317,357,739
University of California San Diego School of Medicine
$311,629,029
Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
$267,661,963
Emory University School of Medicine
$265,256,173
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
$265,067,797
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
$244,891,319
Baylor College of Medicine
$241,728,823
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
$232,507,965
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
$218,590,448


heres info related to Public Health from a previous post of mine--some of which can be applicable to mental health:

Emory's School of Public Health is ranked #7 on the US News rankings (http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsa...hools/rankings) and Emory and Atlanta have amazing opportunities for MPH-related work:

(1) Centers for Disease Control is basically on Emory's campus
(2) Emory's Global Health Institute
(3) Emory's Institute for Developing Nations
(4) Emory's Carter Center (former US President Jimmy Carter is on faculty at Emory and his Nobel Peace Prize winning organization which is directly affiliated with Emory since inception does tremendous amount of global health related work throughout Africa..and Jimmy Carter is invited as a guest lecturer in a couple of classes at the public health school. The Carter Center also has mental health initiatives.
(5) American Cancer Society is headquartered in Atlanta and associated with Emory
(6) CARE is headquarted in Atlanta and is associated with Emory
(7) prominent faculty members, former US ambassadors and leaders in public health and international development (Jimmy Carter, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dalai Lama, Melvin Konner, etc)
(8) Atlanta is one of the main hubs for refugees and people who are granted asylum by the US government

 

[Steeler7588]

Emory.

1.5 pre-clinicals = awesome.
Emory's global health >>> Mount Sinai global health

 

[Cytotoxic]

OP is interested in neuro/psych, for which Sinai is superior. Global health might be stronger at Emory, though I've heard of Sinai students doing MPHs at Mailman (Columbia).

Emory is a great school, but the research opportunities in nearly any field in NYC (students at one school seem to have access to research/faculty at the others) are unbeatable, save for perhaps in Boston or the Bay area.

 

[loljkttyl]

Location is KEY: NYC >>>>> Atlanta

Given that Mount Sinai's and Emory's reputations are similarly matched, you want to choose the BEST location. There is no need for med school to be an isolated experience. Med school isn't just a stepping stone to the next phase of your life. You want to go somewhere where you can ENJOY the journey, have FUN, grow culturally/socially, and become a great neurologist/psychiatrist. Go to Sinai!

 

[Rzarecta]

As an aside, Mount Sinai is hugely popular this year. I can't even begin to count how many times I see a Mt. Sinai vs. School X thread!

 

[Steeler7588]

Location is KEY: NYC >>>>> Atlanta

Given that Mount Sinai's and Emory's reputations are similarly matched, you want to choose the BEST location. There is no need for med school to be an isolated experience. Med school isn't just a stepping stone to the next phase of your life. You want to go somewhere where you can ENJOY the journey, have FUN, grow culturally/socially, and become a great neurologist/psychiatrist. Go to Sinai!

You also want to go somewhere you don't turn into ice everytime you step outside in January. Atlanta has a ton of stuff going on, to say that you'd get an isolated experience / wouldn't have fun is completely ridiculous.

And as mentioned before, Emory is baller in neuro / psych. Plus, he'll have more time to pursue that at Emory than Sinai due to the curriculum.

 

[loljkttyl]

You also want to go somewhere you don't turn into ice everytime you step outside in January.

Having four seasons is one of the best aspects about NYC. You can go ice skating or sledding or have snowball fights with your classmates in Central Park or Bryant Park. There is also a huge class skiing trip every year. On New Years Eve, you can go to Times Square to watch the ball drop. Then during the spring, you can view the cherry blossoms in either the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens or Central Park Conservatory Garden (or get married in the Conservatory Garden!). Then during the summer, you can go row boating or watch free NY Philharmonic concerts in Central Park. Doesn't that sound like an awesome med school experience?

 

[topsurgeon2010]

i would go with whoever gives you more money while keeping in mind that your dollar will go a lot further in ATL than NYC...

i have experienced Atlanta and NYC--both over a significant period of time..and I can say both are amazing cities..

NYC is truly unbeatable but it can get exhausting after a while and is damn expensive..and its not for everyone..for some the uber-urban experience is a bit too much but I absolutely adore NYC...if you have the money to spend then NYC is the place to be..

on the other hand there is Atlanta..its a pretty amazing city..it RARELY snows during the winter..actual cold weather doesn't start until December and lasts until late February..unlike NYC where it starts becoming cold late September/early October and lasts until late March...there is A LOT to do in Atlanta as well especially when it comes to night-life though obviously nothing compares to NYC's night-life which goes on 24/7..but my point is there is also a lot of stuff to do in ATL combined with the fact that ATL is much more affordable than NYC