George Washington vs. Geisinger Commonwealth vs. FIU HWCOM

[taguylla2]

Hey guys! I have been accepted to these 3 MD programs and need some help choosing as to which would be the best program for me. I am looking to match into a competitive speciality (interests: OB, ENT, opth, gen surg) and residency program someday. Which program do you guys think would be best in terms of resources, opportunities, etc?

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[Go2Mars]

GW > Geisinger or FIU

Let me start by saying that you should only consider FIU if you really want to remain in Florida due to in-state tuition and friends/family. If you have no true intention to remain in Florida for the next 4 years and long-term, then you should not consider FIU. Other than CNUCOM in California, FIU is the only other med school that I would encourage others to be wary about due to some issues they have had. Look up FIU med on reddit or SDN and you'll see the threads about their recent issues. Regarding the other two schools, I would choose GW. D.C. location is better for opportunities and rotation sites and the medical school is about 180 years older than Geisinger's medical school so there is a larger alumni network and name brand for the competitive specialties.

 

[chilly_md]

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New here? A template for "School X vs. Y" threads

Welcome to the subforum where the SDN hivemind helps you work through the tough decision of choosing where to attend medical school. If you are unsure how to structure your post, it is always best to take the time and care to present information as concisely as possible. This template might...

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Things to consider include cost, proximity to family, and whether a school uses true P/F curriculum.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

There is one good reason to pick Geisinger over GW and that is cost. The cost of living in Scranton is dirt cheap. The cost of living in the Washington DC area is astronomical. You'll need a car at Geisinger, but you'll probably need to pay for public transportation at GW. If you go to Geisinger, get yourself an old Toyota or Honda. Sit down with somebody who is financially astute add up your total cost of attendance at GW and Geisinger and compare your debt level after a four year residency. You might be astounded.

The Geisinger system features lots of residency programs in competitive specialties. Noodle around the residency classes at Geisinger and see how many Geisinger MD graduates are in those residency classes. I don't really know, but graduating from Geisinger's MD program might be the path to the residency you desire.

Congratulations on three acceptances. Good job.