Feinberg vs Indiana (with $)

[littlebuddy]

Hey I'm trying to get as many thoughts on this as possible.

The big issue is that Feinberg would cost me about $200k in loans vs Indiana which gave me a generous scholarship and would leave me with $60k in loans. Both are with parent contributions.

Pros Feinberg:
+ downtown Chicago offers great clinical experiences NWM / Lurie's Children's/ Prentice Women's
+ I think I will be motivated more to work harder in that environment
+ Great research/ great funding for global health opportunities
+ Overall more opportunities available as scholarly project required for every individual and better institutional support for these pursuits
+ P/F, although I heard there are internal rankings
- $200k loan will stress me out, but I'm a penny pincher so I'll learn to manage.

Pros to Indiana
+ I really like the direction that the IUSM is headed to under the new dean, adopting a lot of progressive changes like mandatory EMR education, simulated patient interaction program where students have to be cost-sensitive to tests they order and things like that
+ only $60k in loans, may provide me more leeway if I want to pursue additional degrees (PhD/MPH)
- no scholarly project or time set aside for these projects
- less support in residency application process
- 350 students at the school, largest medical school, less individualized attention/support
- more focus on molecular/scientific research and less opportunities for global health research
- really hoping to not live in Indy. A great city, but I've already lived there for two summers and I really would prefer going somewhere else
- no P/F, students seemed a bit stressed
- curriculum change begins with my entering class, greater uncertainty in results

I chose to attend public for undergrad on scholarship over private to prepare financially for medical/graduate school, and I was hoping that financial issues wouldn't make me choose again for medical school. However, this is such a large substantial difference in loans, that it's tempting to go to IU with 1/3 of the debt.

Thoughts on paying off loan $200k loan from current med/resident/physicians?
What are your thoughts on how medical school affects residencies/ career in this case?

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[Goro]

I think that the opportunities that NW can offer you will make the debt less onerous. Normally, I'm on the side of less tiition, but with IU, there's no guarantee that you'll be in the Indy campuus.


Do you want to spend the next two years in Gary, Muncie or Evansville???

 

[OrthopedicOpthoderm]

I think that the opportunities that NW can offer you will make the debt less onerous. Normally, I'm on the side of less tiition, but with IU, there's no guarantee that you'll be in the Indy campuus.


Do you want to spend the next two years in Gary, Muncie or Evansville???

I'd second this. NW students do great as do IU students but the NW name opens doors.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Moving to SSD

 

[littlebuddy]

I think that the opportunities that NW can offer you will make the debt less onerous. Normally, I'm on the side of less tiition, but with IU, there's no guarantee that you'll be in the Indy campuus.


Do you want to spend the next two years in Gary, Muncie or Evansville???

As a scholarship recipient, I do get first choice so I will get Indy if I choose it, if this makes any difference.

 

[spiffysteve]

Even though I've lived in Indy and worked for IU, I would also vote for NW. It seems to me that the only major pull to IU for you is the tuition. While that would be nice, thousands of students have graduated with debt from NW and done well for themselves. While it would be an additional stress later in your career, I think the increased debt would be worth the education and connections/opportunities you'd get from NW.

 

[Gem91]

I imagine if you do IBR or something similar, your monthly payments will be the same regardless of $60K or $200K. Might take you 5 or 6 more years to pay off NW, but if you're happier with the location and P/F, it's a commitment I'd make. I'm biased because I live a block from NW and love the location, but I work with a resident from IU who is happier here than she was in Indy. Both should ultimately get you where you want to be, though.

 

[Pastamahn]

I think career plans might also factor in here. If you're set on primary care, that large debt would be more burdensome than if you want to go to a more highly paid and competitive specialty.

 

[OrthopedicOpthoderm]

I think career plans might also factor in here. If you're set on primary care, that large debt would be more burdensome than if you want to go to a more highly paid and competitive specialty.

Good point. Only thing is people's perception of what they want to do changes even in medical school. I started off wanting CT surgery, then Rads then IM then Anesthesia. plenty people in my class changed to compared to initial and final match

 

[Pastamahn]

Good point. Only thing is people's perception of what they want to do changes even in medical school. I started off wanting CT surgery, then Rads then IM then Anesthesia. plenty people in my class changed to compared to initial and final match

No I definitely agree with that. I just know there are some people who are for sure set on primary before they begin medical school, and on the slight chance OP falls into that category I feel the difference in debt would be much more important.

 

[littlebuddy]

No I definitely agree with that. I just know there are some people who are for sure set on primary before they begin medical school, and on the slight chance OP falls into that category I feel the difference in debt would be much more important.

I was inclined to some specialities in primary care, pediatrics/ OBGYN/ psychiatry but I also think my perception of specialties will change during med school, especially through clinical years. I most likely will stay in academia though, doing both clinical work and research.