HELP: DUKE and Southwestern at Dallas

[forevalwayzz]

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Can you guys list the pros and cons to these two schools please, i'm having a tough times deciding.
also, i'm withdrawing my acceptance from the following schools so good luck if you're waitlisted: Cleveland Clinic, Case SOM, Boston U, Albert Einstein SOM, and NYU.
NOW PLEASE TELL ME THE PROS AND CONS (I live in Houston, so Dallas is close to home)

 

[star22]

Can you guys list the pros and cons to these two schools please, i'm having a tough times deciding.
also, i'm withdrawing my acceptance from the following schools so good luck if you're waitlisted: Cleveland Clinic, Case SOM, Boston U, Albert Einstein SOM, and NYU.
NOW PLEASE TELL ME THE PROS AND CONS (I live in Houston, so Dallas is close to home)

Isn't UTSW really cheap for in-state students? Duke probably has a better reputation.... for what that is worth.

 

[forevalwayzz]

i know the tuition diff bt the two schools are great, but whatelse is there? thanks for replying.

 

[ti89]

Well I think you would do well no matter where you went and would have basically the same chances coming out of either.

For me the amount I would save for going in state would make the difference.

Oh ya and I'm assuming Dallas >>> Durham in terms of stuff to do.

 

[forevalwayzz]

yes, i'm constantly refreshing this page. i'm at work but i can't take my mind off of this topic. work is boring T.T
need more comments plz

 

[Saluki]

Southwestern kids do really well in residency matching... I know Duke has a really good name brand value, but unless the prestige is really important to you or you are poor enough to get a good financial aid package from Duke, I'd head to Southwestern because you can go for residency anywhere you want from there no problem. Also, Dallas is awesome...

 

[ti89]

yes, i'm constantly refreshing this page. i'm at work but i can't take my mind off of this topic. work is boring T.T
need more comments plz

Honestly not much more I can imagine hearing.

Duke has a bigger name and higher rank which you know.

I mean the individual aspects of each program you would know from the interview.

Its all about how much the name matters vs. the cost or if some individual aspect of a curriculum is very important to you.

 

[forevalwayzz]

guess i just want to know how important is name/ranking in applying for residency... feel free to comment on other aspects as well, thanks a lot you guys

 

[Saluki]

guess i just want to know how important is name/ranking in applying for residency... feel free to comment on other aspects as well, thanks a lot you guys

A family friend just matched from Southwestern to Stanford in a competitive surgical residency.... I don't think that a top ten vs. top twenty will make that huge of a difference, but I didn't get into top tens so maybe it's just sour grapes 😛

 

[potato51]

How much are you into research? Both are great institutions for that, but seems like Duke is even more research intensive.

I believe Duke also has 1 year condensed academic curriculum (plus a research year?), whereas UTSW offers the traditional 2. Duke is the bigger name, so go there if you want to get into academic medicine (UTSW ain't bad for that either).

Assuming you've been accepted to both, you can't go wrong with either. I'm in a similar situation - living in Houston, but accepted to Southwestern, my only option for med school. I think it's a good distance away from home to Dallas, but not too far. Though in my case, the further away from family the better 😉

Good luck.

 

[forevalwayzz]

i've been accepted to both (it was an easy decision bt southwestern and johns hopkins a month ago already, but more schools keep accepting so i still have to decide as they come). thanks for the two cents guys. feel free to add more since i'm still not 100% sure.
and as for research, i dont mind. clinical is less boring than basic in my opinion, no offense to anyone out there. and i guess in the long run, having a stable career that can earn hopefully 100k after tax a year is good enough for me.

 

[peetie]

UTSW has grades. Duke doesn't. That seems like a big deal.

 

[Dookter]

Consider these:
1. class size
2. cost
3. location
4. curriculum

It would be a damn hard choice between those schools b/c of the cost. I am going in over my head with $$ either way, but if I had to choose between those two it would be tough.

 

[GS]

I had to choose between Baylor, Duke, and Southwestern and ended up coming to Baylor in Houston. Went to Duke for undergrad. I am a 4th year now and will be matching in radiology (very competitive specialty) this March. Did not regret my decision one iota. In the end, it matters only how good of a student you are. You are going to do well at either Duke or Southwestern, and match well for residency in any field (except for maybe derm). Do yourself a favor though and save $200,000 in loans, (my opinion). Durham is not the best place to live for 4 years, especially as a grad student (undergrad is a little different). The first two important factors is cost, and location. Dallas is a fun town too 🙂

 

[riceman04]

Well I think you would do well no matter where you went and would have basically the same chances coming out of either.

For me the amount I would save for going in state would make the difference.

Oh ya and I'm assuming Dallas >>> Durham in terms of stuff to do.

Dallas ok...I could never live there for a few years...very slow...more so than Houston
Duram...did not like it when I checked it out for undergrad.

 

[forevalwayzz]

bump ba da bump.