Help me choose a medical school

[anon12]

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Hello fellow SDNers,

I am currently in a bit of a conundrum. I was fortunate enough to get accepted at my top 2 choices, but I have absolutely, positively, no idea which school to choose.

I was hoping I could get some holistic advice on what are the main factors I should be taking into consideration when I make my decision, and I will list the specific information below (slightly anonymized for my sake).

School A
Rank: USNWR Top-5 Primary Care, Top-10 Research
Cost: Four year total - $205,000
Obligation: Work back home for 5 years post-residency, or pay additional $100,000 penalty.
Board Scores: Average
Specialization: Pushes primary care for its students
Friends/Connections: Few

School B
Rank: USNWR Top-90 Primary Care, Top-40 Research
Cost: Four year total - $320,000
Obligation: None
Board Scores: Above Average.
Specialization: Encourages specialization
Friends/Connections: Know members of administration, done research with doctors on staff, and know many of the older students. Also friends w/ ~20 incoming first years.


I will be getting no help from my parents to pay for medical school, so price is definitely a factor. The additional $115,000 School B costs would likely come out of my pocket in Private Loans at an interest rate of 8-9%.

Both schools are located across the U.S. from each other---and my girlfriend (whom I love and want to stay with) and my friends will be going to School B.

I am interested in specializing and not going into primary care.


Thanks for the help, and life advice!!!

Best,

Anon 😀

 

[projectlogic]

Seems like you're already leaning towards School B.

 

[2012mdc]

Hello fellow SDNers,

I am currently in a bit of a conundrum. I was fortunate enough to get accepted at my top 2 choices, but I have absolutely, positively, no idea which school to choose.

I was hoping I could get some holistic advice on what are the main factors I should be taking into consideration when I make my decision, and I will list the specific information below (slightly anonymized for my sake).

School A
Rank: USNWR Top-5 Primary Care, Top-10 Research
Cost: Four year total - $205,000
Obligation: Work back home for 5 years post-residency, or pay additional $100,000 penalty.
Board Scores: Average
Specialization: Pushes primary care for its students
Friends/Connections: Few

School B
Rank: USNWR Top-90 Primary Care, Top-40 Research
Cost: Four year total - $320,000
Obligation: None
Board Scores: Above Average.
Specialization: Encourages specialization
Friends/Connections: Know members of administration, done research with doctors on staff, and know many of the older students. Also friends w/ ~20 incoming first years.


I will be getting no help from my parents to pay for medical school, so price is definitely a factor. The additional $115,000 School B costs would likely come out of my pocket in Private Loans at an interest rate of 8-9%.

Both schools are located across the U.S. from each other---and my girlfriend (whom I love and want to stay with) and my friends will be going to School B.

I am interested in specializing and not going into primary care.


Thanks for the help, and life advice!!!

Best,

Anon 😀

Although School A pushes PC you can still do whatever you want coming of that school (has to be U Wash you're talking about) so the PC angle and board average (you determine your board score, not your school. I scored 30+ above my school's average) shouldn't matter much.

You sound like you would be much happier at School B and School B is still a top 40 school.

100K is a lot of money but you'd be giving up your girlfriend (most likely) and a school and group of classmates that seem better suited for you.

I would talk to the administration at B and see what kind of scholarships you can get. The difference doesn't have to be 115K

 

[Dharma]

Regardless of choice, why private loans? What about federal loans?

 

[Sephiroth]

Yeah, I'd be surprised if School A wasn't U of Washington.

They do push PC, but you can do anything else - UW has residency programs for all the competitive specialties. I'd say go to UW. If after residency you really couldn't stand the thought of going back to Washington (I've heard good things about Seattle, so idk) then you still saved 15k (not much, I know) and went to a more prestigious school that may have helped you get a better residency spot. But if you really would rather go to whatever school B is and think you would be much happier and successful there, then do that.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Moving to pre-allo School Specific Discussions, since that is the appropriate forum for School X vs. School Y threads.

 

[officedepot]

.

 

[ilikesports]

Yeah

Unless you're sure you want to marry this person go to school A

It seems like you want to go to school B however you should go to the school that will give you better opportunities in the future (i.e. school A). No school can force you to do primary care. In fact you don't really choose primary care until residency (IM or peds for example) unless you go into family med.

So I would pick school A. You'll get a better residency. Unless this girl you "love" is super attractive and/or you are really ugly and couldn't get anyone else go to school A. You'll meet new friends and form new partnerships. And, hell, the school is better all around in the rankings and cheaper. This is a no-brainer.

 

[flatearth22]

Yeah, I'd be surprised if School A wasn't U of Washington.

They do push PC, but you can do anything else - UW has residency programs for all the competitive specialties. I'd say go to UW. If after residency you really couldn't stand the thought of going back to Washington (I've heard good things about Seattle, so idk) then you still saved 15k (not much, I know) and went to a more prestigious school that may have helped you get a better residency spot. But if you really would rather go to whatever school B is and think you would be much happier and successful there, then do that.

It has to be. And school B sounds like USC (ranked 92 in primary care....closeenough.jpg). If it's U-Dub vs USC you gotta go with U-Dub, OP.

It seems like you want to go to school B however you should go to the school that will give you better opportunities in the future (i.e. school A). No school can force you to do primary care. In fact you don't really choose primary care until residency (IM or peds for example) unless you go into family med.

So I would pick school A. You'll get a better residency. Unless this girl you "love" is super attractive and/or you are really ugly and couldn't get anyone else go to school A. You'll meet new friends and form new partnerships. And, hell, the school is better all around in the rankings and cheaper. This is a no-brainer.

 

[anon12]

Seems like you're already leaning towards School B.

No. I am really, absolutely undecided. 50/50. Just like the poll which has 10 votes for each school. This is a hard damn decision.

It has to be. And school B sounds like USC (ranked 92 in primary care....closeenough.jpg). If it's U-Dub vs USC you gotta go with U-Dub, OP.

So much for the anonymizer. Thanks guys.

I would talk to the administration at B and see what kind of scholarships you can get. The difference doesn't have to be 115K

Best advice I've heard yet---I'm definitely going to follow through with that.

 

[anon12]

So I would pick school A. You'll get a better residency. Unless this girl you "love" is super attractive and/or you are really ugly and couldn't get anyone else go to school A. You'll meet new friends and form new partnerships. And, hell, the school is better all around in the rankings and cheaper. This is a no-brainer.

Who pissed in your cherrios this morning?

 

[nadaba]

So much for the anonymizer. Thanks guys.

Wow, it was USC? That's pretty impressive, flatearth.

 

[HatWobble]

Wow, it was USC? That's pretty impressive, flatearth.

OP stated that:

Both schools are located across the U.S. from each other

So USC vs. UW doesn't make sense.

Anyway, OP, the correct choice is B, in my opinion. Moving away from your girlfriend is going to wreck your M1 year. It's hard to study when you're having transcontinental phone arguments, attempting the impossible feat of keeping a long-distance relationship together. Despite what some say, it's my opinion that maintaining preexisting personal connections (including relationships) is important when choosing what school to attend. SDN is a crappy place to seek advice relating these kind of things because posters will inevitably go by the numbers and discount your personal reasons for wanting to go somewhere.

It's clear from your post that you want to go to School B, but are having trouble reconciling your true feelings with your need to go to the highest-ranking school you got into, cultivated by years of overachieving.

 

[penguinism]

OP stated that:

So USC vs. UW doesn't make sense.

Anyway, OP, the correct choice is B, in my opinion. Moving away from your girlfriend is going to wreck your M1 year. It's hard to study when you're having transcontinental phone arguments, attempting the impossible feat of keeping a long-distance relationship together. Despite what some say, it's my opinion that maintaining preexisting personal connections (including relationships) is important when choosing what school to attend. SDN is a crappy place to seek advice relating these kind of things because posters will inevitably go by the numbers and discount your personal reasons for wanting to go somewhere.

It's clear from your post that you want to go to School B, but are having trouble reconciling your true feelings with your need to go to the highest-ranking school you got into, cultivated by years of overachieving.

He could have meant north/south not east/west...but regardless UW and USC are fairly far from each other. I would say that if you feel as though this girl is someone you want to marry, then it should be factored into your decision. Otherwise, I wouldn't let your girlfriend's choice sway your own. I love my boyfriend and recognize that moving away from him will likely ruin our relationship, but he and I both want what's best for my future. If I move 5 hours away and we break up, then so be it. I'll be sad but I'll be meeting plenty of new people in medical school! The same goes for your friends; I have plenty of friends going to my alma mater's medical school, but I'm choosing to go elsewhere (to a better school that I liked more)! Go with your gut and try not to have regrets.

 

[bigloley]

Look at other information as well - how classes are graded, structure of curriculum, location, community. Choice the place where you will be happiest - if you go to school A and you break up with your girlfriend, feel out of place, you might end up regretting it. Both of these schools are fine and it is up to you to decide where you will have the best experience. Going to a school where you will be miserable even though its better ranked is not a good choice. Apply for scholarships

 

[canadian18]

sdn is probably not the best place for advice when comparing a top-10 school with a not-top-10 school

 

[Yraqi]

Does anyone have a match list for UW? And why are its board scores average?

and OP: I'd suggest you go to USC.

 

[mipp0]

If you love the girl and ~20 friends are going to School B, this is bloody easy...SCHOOL B!

Don't be like my bud who gave up his girl for his career...if you truly love her, show her, and be with her 😍 Both schools will take you where you want to go.

DISCLAIMER: I ain't promising a happy ending, and you better be sure she loves you as much as you love her.

Be careful what you read here. The dude ended up regretting it for a very long time, and I suspect he still does.

DocGodfather also brings up a good point: If it doesn't work, you will be bloody miserable seeing her face for 4 years. If you aren't at the she's the one I'm gonna marry point, think about it long and hard and talk to her.

 

[DocGodfather]

Saving a little over $100K sounds like a no-brainer to pick School A. You don't even know if you'll be with this girl long-term. Imagine if things didn't work out, and the two of you have to see each other in School B for 4 years, and knowing that you'll be an extra 100K in debt?

 

[idonotcare]

I think you have to answer for yourself:
1. Do you want to do primary care? Do you mind being limited to primary care? What about doing undeserved primary care for loan forgiveness, even if you go with school B?
2. Do you mind staying in Washington for 5 yrs post residency? Or would you rather have all the options on the table?
3. Do you think you will be happier with less debt? Or closer to the people you care about?
4. Do you care about US News ranking?

It's four years of your life. Do what makes you happy.

 

[Topo]

1. Do you want to do primary care? Do you mind being limited to primary care? What about doing undeserved primary care for loan forgiveness, even if you go with school B?
2. Do you mind staying in Washington for 5 yrs post residency? Or would you rather have all the options on the table?
3. Do you think you will be happier with less debt? Or closer to the people you care about?

1 is a non-issue as the OP has already said he wants to specialize and going to UW gives him every means (if not more so than most other schools) to pursue a competitive specialization for residency. For 2 and 3, if OP were to choose not to remain in WA the tuition he pays will be the same for both schools so financial issues will no longer be a factor. Essentially, going to school A will give OP more flexibility in that later on, he has the freedom to choose location vs less debt. But going to school B, the choice is made for him now.

 

[loveoforganic]

A, unless you can weasel a scholarship out of B, which I would highly suggest trying to do. Too much fking money difference. If you can get B to the same price, I'd prob go with B, but it'd be close

 

[eHombre]

School B = NYU?

 

[Calvinball]

Put the two names into a hat and pick one. You'll be happy or disappointed, and then you'll have your answer.

 

[phnerd1105]

Honestly, I would go with B. Don't underestimate the fact that you have a support group there. It'll help you a lot, especially with M1. See if you can get a scholarship, as others have said, and really emphasize that you want to stay there but the cost is the biggest obstacle in doing so.

 

[Oski09]

edited. see Below

 

[Oski09]

Who pissed in your cherrios this morning?

+1

I think you have to answer for yourself:
...
3. Do you think you will be happier with less debt? Or closer to the people you care about?
4. Do you care about US News ranking?

It's four years of your life. Do what makes you happy.

aaaand +1

 

[mvenus929]

Wait until you get the official financial aid packages, and check with upper years to see if they typically change after first year. The financial difference might not be as large as you're expecting, and you may not have to take out private loans (my mom's not helping me, my CoA is about 70K per year, and I'm not taking out private loans).

The connections should also be a significant factor. Do not underestimate the power of networking.