Harvard or Hopkins?

[Huit]

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Glad that it's not a dilemma for me. But, just wondering, if you get accepted to both places with the same amount of financial aid offer, which one will you choose and why?

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I'd have to take the H bomb, wait, they're both H bombs, how do we decide!!

 

[Medikit]

That would totally suck to have to make a difficult decision like that . 😉

 

[footcramp]

hopkins is better. harvard sounds better.

 

[fullefect1]

Harvard for the name, and for Boston.

 

[willthatsall]

Hahvahd

 

[3rd_i]

I just asked the ED director at the hospital where I work what he thought of Hah-vahd. He said "Medical school is hard enough without having to deal with the BS that they throw at you". I guess it all depends what your specialty is. a burgeoning neonatal cardiologist might benefit from the "h-bombs' "(plural) subspecialties. But for the rest of us...

 

[dramaqueen]

harvard... you don't want to be stuck in the ghettos of baltimore for 4 years...

 

[lotanna]

hopkins better schl, harvard has the name. My girl is a 4th harvard med student and totally dislikes it, you are pretty much on your own, while my friends at hopkins love their schl, people more helpful.

 

[Reinhard]

harvard... you don't want to be stuck in the ghettos of baltimore for 4 years...

Agreed. I am doing research at Hopkins right now and the area is so bad! And there's really nothing to do in B-more.

BUT, on a flip side, DC is only an hour away... 👍

 

[treetrunk]

Any other opinions about this? I, in addition to some others, actually have to make this decision? Do people have opinions on HST vs. Hopkins and NP vs. Hopkins? I think these should be considered separately.

 

[GuyLaroche]

Definitely Hopkins. According to a lot of residents and physician scientists I have spoken with, Hopkins has an unbeatable record in research and it is really, really well-respected. Harvard definitely sounds very good to lay people but you aren't going to have to impress lay people when you go up for that great academic position, are you? If you're truly interested in academics, and not just for the prestige, then you'd go with Hopkins. If you care about fluff and intimidating people with pedigree, then Harvard's the place you want to be.

I've heard so much said about Baltimore and its crime. It's never been said by anyone with first-hand knowledge. It's always a published report or the account of a friend-of-a-friend. I suspect the likelihood of actually being trapped at the wrong end of a gun on a dangerous Baltimore street is very slim. Boston is tiny and has very poor transportation. The same can be said for Philadelphia (which I actually love), but Philly is surprisingly affordable. Not so, Boston.

Addendum: there is a dash of resentment for Harvard as they rejected me without ceremony after I spent close to $400 to visit them. I really wish I hadn't gone.

 

[smile82]

hi all,

i'm in the position of making this decision too (NP for harvard) and i'm VERY torn. i'm interested in the md/mph and working in public health/international health. both schools have amazing resources in both, so that's almost a non-factor.

the rumors are that hopkins is where you go for good solid clinical training and interest in research and harvard is where you go to become a leader in health policy and health-related organizations. that said, can anyone comment on the clinical training at either school? is the patient population skewed at harvard?

as far as curriculum, you have a lot of PBL vs a more traditional curriculum. and you have P/NP vs a more intensive "graded" environment. can anyone comment on how well prepared you are for clinics after either and how happy the students are doing the learning process?

and then there's Boston vs Baltimore. Boston is colder, but more interesting. Baltimore is more affordable. i think location-wise, i'd go with Boston since i'm weird and i like cold weather 🙂

just from the set-up of the interview day, it seems as though you're better taken care of at hopkins. but then again, the Harry-Potteresque academic society thing at harvard does have its quirks! how cohesive is the class at either school? how social are the students? what's the quality of teaching and interaction btw faculty and students like?

i guess i can't really go wrong. i'm going to both revisit weekends to meet my class and get a feel for both schools. but yeah, any advice would be helpful...

thanks!

 

[treetrunk]

bump

Also, what about research opportunitites at both schools?

-tt

 

[aumed22]

I don't think I'll ever have to make this decision, but hypotheticals are fun. So, if I got into both I would go to......Harvard. Split decision, really no reason why, I guess I just like saying Harvard better than Hopkins.

 

[ComfortableWolf]

I don't think I'll ever have to make this decision, but hypotheticals are fun. So, if I got into both I would go to......Harvard. Split decision, really no reason why, I guess I just like saying Harvard better than Hopkins.

bump