Hackensack Meridian vs. CUSM
Hello everyone, I am having a hard time deciding between these two schools.
Background: I am originally from California, and the majority of my family resides in NorCal (about a 5 hour drive from CUSM) however I attended undergrad in Virginia and have been living here now for about 6 years. THe majority of my friends (who I am very close with) live on the east coast.
I realize how competitive it is and how everything is subject to change, but I am very interested in pursuing Orthopedics. I'm not dead set on it, but I am fairly confident that I don't want to pursue primary care.
Hackensack Meridian:
Pros:
Pros:
Other questions:
What makes CUSM so unappealing to many people? I know it's a new school that will have some kinks to work out and a reputation to build, but from my interview, it seemed like they were doing the right things.
Hello everyone, I am having a hard time deciding between these two schools.
Background: I am originally from California, and the majority of my family resides in NorCal (about a 5 hour drive from CUSM) however I attended undergrad in Virginia and have been living here now for about 6 years. THe majority of my friends (who I am very close with) live on the east coast.
I realize how competitive it is and how everything is subject to change, but I am very interested in pursuing Orthopedics. I'm not dead set on it, but I am fairly confident that I don't want to pursue primary care.
Hackensack Meridian:
Pros:
- Affiliated with massive health system in New Jersey so ample opportunity for networking and strong clinical rotation spots
- They have a home Ortho residency program
- Seems like they have better research opps compared to CUSM
- Accelerated didactic and opportunity which gives you flexible time to pad resume/do research/scholarly activities after completion of mandatory clerkships
- Faculty/admin seem very focused on their student's success (probably because it's new and they need to build a reputation)
- Seems like the Hackensack Health system has a fairly good reputation in the Northeast
- close to friends
- New school, only 1 year of match data, lot's of ???'s
- I don't believe they are fully accredited yet (issues with federal loans)
- Far from family
- High COL
- Worried residency match results will be strongly biased towards NJ locations
Pros:
- Almost all rotations are at Arrowhead (ARMC) which seems like a great hospital to train in
- Faculty and admin also seem very focused on their student's success
- 1st year match data seems like it went well
- In an area saturated with medical schools/residency programs so ample opportunity to network/get good letters
- closer to family after being away for so many years
- I've read that their reputation isn't the best in the area
- new school, so a lot of ???'s
- Research opportunities seem somewhat shaky
- No home Ortho program that I can find
Other questions:
What makes CUSM so unappealing to many people? I know it's a new school that will have some kinks to work out and a reputation to build, but from my interview, it seemed like they were doing the right things.
