ETSU and UT-Memphis - How to decide?

[HoolaHoopMaster]

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So what's it going to be? Beautiful countryside/campus, small classes, shiny new facilities? Or is it going to be the diseased, poverty-stricken, what some call the "a**hole of the South?" While the first school is just a great place to live and get your first two years of studying done, the latter school has opportunities for 3rd and 4th year rotations that could compete well with any urban program in the country. Darn you opposite Tennessee schools!

Anybody else having these issues?

 

[Dookter]

So what's it going to be? Beautiful countryside/campus, small classes, shiny new facilities? Or is it going to be the diseased, poverty-stricken, what some call the "a**hole of the South?" While the first school is just a great place to live and get your first two years of studying done, the latter school has opportunities for 3rd and 4th year rotations that could compete well with any urban program in the country. Darn you opposite Tennessee schools!

Anybody else having these issues?

That's a tough one. I got into both last year, but I would have chosen UT. I think there are generally more opportunities at UT. And it's clear that the clinical training is basically second to none. It's a tough choice b/c UT is in a crappy location, the first two years don't seem too "user friendly," etc. But you really learn medicine on the wards, and UT has all the clinical experience you can stomach.

 

[bretticus]

I agree that UT has more options, so if you're unsure about your future path, I'd go there. If you're definitely looking to go into primary care, especially rural, then I'd go for ETSU.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

UT seems much more specialty friendly as well, if that's what you're after (e.g. I didn't even bother to apply to ETSU for that reason).

I would just find Johnson City boring...I grew up in ET so the "beauty" isn't anything special to me anyway. Maybe if the school were in Knoxville (a small yet decent sized town), I could stomach it, but after 4 years in Memphis I want an even larger city. The charm of underpopulated areas rubs off real quick unless you're raising a family or want a farm. IMO, singles need not apply.

 

[alphaeve]

It's true that Memphis has its rough locations (including some places very near the UT campus) but several parts of Memphis really aren't that bad. I lived there from August 2001 til August of 2006, and I mostly enjoyed it. Live in Midtown or on Mud Island, and you'll be fine. Just don't do anything dumb like leave your car unlocked with the keys in it or something. I certainly think Memphis can be a really fun city, and coupled with UT's clinical experiences, I'd go there.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

It's true that Memphis has its rough locations (including some places very near the UT campus) but several parts of Memphis really aren't that bad. I lived there from August 2001 til August of 2006, and I mostly enjoyed it. Live in Midtown or on Mud Island, and you'll be fine. Just don't do anything dumb like leave your car unlocked with the keys in it or something. I certainly think Memphis can be a really fun city, and coupled with UT's clinical experiences, I'd go there.

👎

Memphis nightlife = Beale St. = Overrated

 

[alphaeve]

👎

Memphis nightlife = Beale St. = Overrated

I agree completely that Beale St. is overrated. Midtown is not. Go to Cooper-Young or to the strip by U of Memphis. Much better. Not to mention there are always fun little hole-in-the-wall dive bars that turn out to be real gems.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

I agree completely that Beale St. is overrated. Midtown is not. Go to Cooper-Young or to the strip by U of Memphis. Much better. Not to mention there are always fun little hole-in-the-wall dive bars that turn out to be real gems.

I goto Rhodes...so midtown is my home. Although I like the cool little bars there, the scene just isn't that great (unless you have some fun friends like I do) and even the natives here tend to cite Beale as the hotspot over the underrated CooperYoung district...although I do like Young Ave. Deli and Celtic Crossing. IMO, Knoxville is just as good, even though Memphis is alot bigger.

 

[etsuprinthead]

Well, i despise memphis, so i didn't even apply there. i spent 2 summers in jackson, near memphis, and it was like a war zone; memphis is worse. and, petty as i am, memphis summers are enough to drive me away, too (i spent both of those summers working for the USDA, and 1/2 of my time was spent outside on a farm)). i actually really like johnson city, but i graduated from a high school of 560, so i'm used to small towns. but, again, i probably spend put way too much emphasis on location. a lot of the med students i know at etsu don't seem particularly happy, but that may be a function of being in med school more than etsu itself. i don't know anything about UT. but you couldn't pay me enough to live in memphis...

 

[jomed]

I am a 4th year at UT, and I'd say go to ETSU only if you know for sure that you want to do primary care. Also, if you want really hands on third and fourth year clerkships and see crazy amounts of pathology come here.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Well, i despise memphis, so i didn't even apply there. i spent 2 summers in jackson, near memphis, and it was like a war zone; memphis is worse. and, petty as i am, memphis summers are enough to drive me away, too (i spent both of those summers working for the USDA, and 1/2 of my time was spent outside on a farm)). i actually really like johnson city, but i graduated from a high school of 560, so i'm used to small towns. but, again, i probably spend put way too much emphasis on location. a lot of the med students i know at etsu don't seem particularly happy, but that may be a function of being in med school more than etsu itself. i don't know anything about UT. but you couldn't pay me enough to live in memphis...

I've been here for 4 years, and I have to say that Memphis isn't a bad place to live...for 4 years at least.

Its a bad place to settle down, IMO.

 

[alphaeve]

I goto Rhodes...so midtown is my home. Although I like the cool little bars there, the scene just isn't that great (unless you have some fun friends like I do) and even the natives here tend to cite Beale as the hotspot over the underrated CooperYoung district...although I do like Young Ave. Deli and Celtic Crossing. IMO, Knoxville is just as good, even though Memphis is alot bigger.

QuantumMechanic, I went to Rhodes as well!

 

[QuantumMechanic]

QuantumMechanic, I went to Rhodes as well!

good stuff, PM cuz I want to know when you graduated

anyway, its spring break and I'm off to FL...

 

[Avenger9]

Heh, hold up, one more Rhodent here. I bet nobody (from Rhodes) has been out longer than I and is now applying! 🙂

good stuff, PM cuz I want to know when you graduated

anyway, its spring break and I'm off to FL...

 

[Davjc2009]

Another Rhodes student!

Memphis is not a bad place to live. I'm sick of people bashing my city.