GW Regional Campus vs Tulane

[hkb128]

I’m interested in ophthalmology or possibly another surgical specialty. IR is also a possibility.

I have a family so location is a big concern for me. I don’t want my child and spouse to have a bad experience. My spouse works remotely so he can bring his job anywhere.

Both schools will cost roughly the same. GW is slightly cheaper (especially with the regional campus discount) but it will even out because I’ll need to take cost of living loans in DC, but we can live off my spouse’s salary in New Orleans.

Tulane

Pros:
- Good vibes. Culture seems less toxic than GW from what I’ve heard lol.
- Lower cost of living in New Orleans.

Cons:
- Location. I am from the Deep South and really don’t want to be stuck here for another four years (for personal reasons I don’t want to get into here).
- My experience with infant daycare in a southern city similar to New Orleans has been pretty terrible, so I’m worried about finding good childcare in NOLA. I think Tulane has some childcare but I just got accepted so haven’t had a chance to tour or look into it much.


GW (Regional Campus)

Pros:
- I would prefer to be in the DC/Baltimore region long term, so going to school in that area puts me in a good position location-wise.
- Great daycare options. I’ve already toured some and am about to apply.

Cons:
- I’ve heard negative things about the culture at GW.
- Uncertainty regarding how the regional campus in Baltimore will look when applying to residency. Since it’s new, it doesn’t have much of a track record yet. (On the bright side, they do have a home ophtho program.)

Ultimately I’m leaning toward GW because I think the location will be better for my family in the long run, but I would like to hear thoughts on the regional campus if anyone has any. I don’t want to ruin my chances for a competitive specialty.

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[atla]

this is a tough decision. were you able to tour the regional GW campus? i recently toured it (i applied main campus pref but was waitlisted and recently invited to the tour). imo there were some red flags for me at the regional campus regarding student life. the facilities were nice, but the program directors at the RMC seemed super scattered, (although they were super kind) and they couldn’t provide answers to a lot of questions from prospective students. if i end up accepted to GW regional campus rather than main i will 100% be turning down the spot and will be going with a different program, so for me personally, i would pick tulane over the GW RMC based on that. However, as someone who lived in the south for a significant amount of time and who avoided applying to med schools in the south bc i also had no desire to live there long-term, i completely understand the desire to leave/to not undergo your medical studies there. DC/Baltimore regions are great, but, I would try to learn more about the RMC before deciding. Good luck!!!!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If family is a factor and your s.o. can't find a comparable (better paying) position in DC/Baltimore, I think you're going to be set with Tulane. The worry I would have is going to be childcare or school for children if applicable. I get the impression DC/Baltimore is much better overall for raising children compared to New Orleans, but I don't know if you want your children that far away from extended family if they live down South too. I will agree DC/Baltimore/Northeast is likely a better place to be compared to Louisiana/Deep South... you could see comparing health and education outcomes.

 

[hkb128]

If family is a factor and your s.o. can't find a comparable (better paying) position in DC/Baltimore, I think you're going to be set with Tulane. The worry I would have is going to be childcare or school for children if applicable. I get the impression DC/Baltimore is much better overall for raising children compared to New Orleans, but I don't know if you want your children that far away from extended family if they live down South too. I will agree DC/Baltimore/Northeast is likely a better place to be compared to Louisiana/Deep South... you could see comparing health and education outcomes.

My SO works from home and can take his job anywhere so we’d be okay financially in DC, although the higher COL is unfortunate. My relationship with extended family is a little strained and I foresee them disowning me in the near future lol. I definitely prefer DC/Baltimore for childcare. Thank you for the advice!

 

[hkb128]

this is a tough decision. were you able to tour the regional GW campus? i recently toured it (i applied main campus pref but was waitlisted and recently invited to the tour). imo there were some red flags for me at the regional campus regarding student life. the facilities were nice, but the program directors at the RMC seemed super scattered, (although they were super kind) and they couldn’t provide answers to a lot of questions from prospective students. if i end up accepted to GW regional campus rather than main i will 100% be turning down the spot and will be going with a different program, so for me personally, i would pick tulane over the GW RMC based on that. However, as someone who lived in the south for a significant amount of time and who avoided applying to med schools in the south bc i also had no desire to live there long-term, i completely understand the desire to leave/to not undergo your medical studies there. DC/Baltimore regions are great, but, I would try to learn more about the RMC before deciding. Good luck!!!!

Yeah, I’ve been getting a lot of conflicting advice on the RMC. I made another post on here about this same issue since this one didn’t get much traction originally, and several people acted like I was being silly for worrying, but then others have expressed concerns so idk. I did ask GW to connect me with a regional campus student to answer my questions and that student reported a positive experience. I also spoke with a main campus student who said they had not heard anything negative from current RMC students. But that is a self selecting sample of people who wanted to go there.