Georgetown vs Wake Forest

[amkey]

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Hi! I was admitted to GUSOM a bit ago and am WL at WFUSM, but in anticipation of (hopefully) getting off the WL, I'm comparing the programs and would love any advice/thoughts/opinions!

For context, I completed my undergrad at WFU (Winston Salem) and currently live in Charlotte (which I love & which I probably would like to return to for residency). WFUSOM has 2 campuses now (WS and CLT) and if I get off the WL I could be placed at either, although WS is more likely. Also, I'm interested in specializing in Neuro, but ofc that may change. I've already compared cost and COL, but would love to just consider program/opportunity/location-related differences here.

Georgetown
Pros

• School name is widely recognized
• P/F preclinical and clerkships
• Very close to family
• Mostly attendance-optional lectures/recorded lectures
• Would be great to be surrounded by others who align with mission of Cura Personalis
• no AOA (pro or con?)
• Large hospital system (MedStar)
• Hoya Clinic
• Medical Spanish Initiative - I'm very interested in Medical Spanish, continuing my Spanish interpreting, and working toward becoming a bilingual provider, so this organization and potential leadership opportunity here is great.

Cons

• Facilities are dated
• In-house exams
• Student-reported firm deadline for taking and passing step 1 before beginning clinicals (need to take research yr if not taken/passed)
  • Student concerns regarding step 1 pass rate
• Block exams every 7-8 weeks. Learn 3 body systems at once so 3 separate tests within 2 weeks after each 7-8 week block
• Match rate has been reported to be going down
• Not as many wet lab research opportunities (heard from a student), but I migh tnot be interested in this anyway

Wake Forest University (Winston Salem)
Pros

• Completed by undergrad here - Familiarity with area, program, research opportunities etc., I have connections, could continue work with organizations I volunteered with...
• Closer to SO
• P/F preclinical
• Mostly attendance-optional lectures/recorded lectures
• DEAC Clinic
• MAESTRO Program - Certificate program that helps students work toward becoming bilingual English-Spanish providers with req interpreting practice (in a clinic I used to volunteer at)
• Likely interested in NC for residency
• Can apply to switch to CLT for clinicals
• In-person anatomy lab (although I'm not interested in surgery, so maybe not as relevant for me)
• Some NBME/NBME-style exams (so I've heard)
• All the students I know who go here are really happy with the administration and the program
• Really high match rate (99.3% in 2025)

Cons

• H/HP/P/LP/F Clinicals
• Further from family (but just like undergrad, so not a huge concern)
• Not in love with WS - DC and CLT are by far more enjoyable cities to live in
• Same university for undergrad and MD (not trying something new/branching out)

Wake Forest University (Charlotte)
Pros

• I LOVE living in CLT
  • Could stay in my apartment that's close to the med school and in an amazing location
• Completed by undergrad w/ same school and currently live here - volunteer connections + connections to hospital & interpreting program
• Very close to SO + have family friends here + friends and other connections
• P/F preclinical
• Likely interested in NC for residency (particularly CLT)
• Brand new facilities
• Anatomy lab w/ virtual specimens (no real cadaver lab may be a plus as I'm not interested in surgery)
• Some NBME/NBME-style exams (so I've heard)
• Really high match rate for the program (99.3% in 2025)

Cons

• May have more attendance reqs as CLT program is more problem-based learning + small group learning
• H/HP/P/LP/F Clinicals
• Further from family (a little further than undergrad, but not a huge concern)
• Same university for undergrad and MD (not trying something new/branching out)
• Likely will not have DEAC clinic for a few years and likely no MAESTRO (but this is something I could help pioneer which could be really great)
• Guinea pigs of the new campus/program

 

[BigDawg101]

Hey!

Congrats on your acceptance to GUSOM!

Based on your pros/cons, the main pros of GUSOM are the proximity to your family and no AOA. I do not think AOA matters that much if you want to match into neurology (if you wanted ENT, plastics, NS, ortho, derm, then not getting AOA could matter more). Prestige is a wash, both of these schools are solid and can help you get to neurology. I think your pros for Wake Forest outweigh Georgetown (SO proximity, desire of NC residency, familiarity with the program).

I also graduated from Wake (undergrad) last year and loved their emphasis on medical Spanish. The Winston-Salem location has some incredible clinics for speaking Spanish, and I have volunteered quite a bit at them! We might have run into each other! I was also accepted to WFUSOM (declined in favor of other options), and during the tour, I was informed by students leading the tour that the physicians on the CLT campus are not going to be as accustomed to teaching medical students, so you might struggle at first to get research/clinical opportunities. Also, I do believe they are stopping students transitioning to CLT from Winston for clinicals now that they have a full cohort of students in CLT (was told this by current medical students). Therefore, if you want to end up in CLT for clinicals, you should go there now for all four years. Both campuses have great facilities and a great student body.

With regards to curriculum, the Winston-Salem model of non-mandatory lecture gave the students a lot of flexibility, and I was far more impressed with the Winston-Salem campus over the CLT one. I am not a fan of mandatory PBL sessions, and 50 students is a very small class size. I think that the W-S campus is also more recognized, and better for pre-clinical education. Given your SO is in CLT, it shouldn't be too much of a hassle to visit him every week or so right? Plus, being at Wake will help you significantly in matching back to CLT (Carolinas Medical Center) for residency. I think this really comes down to your preference for CLT vs. Winston-Salem, and how much you value being very close to your SO. The happiness that gives you might compensate for some initial struggles adjusting to PBL and the new curriculum at CLT. I would not pick GUSOM if Wake gets back to you, and given the larger class size and significant WL movement, I definitely think you have great chances. Fingers crossed you get off this WL!! You deserve this.

Wish you all the best!

 

[premedgal444]

wake

 

[BigDawg101]

What did you decide?