Help me please! UVA vs. UC Irvine

[nudibranch6]

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Hello everyone,

I would appreciate some advice deciding between UVA School of Medicine and UC Irvine School of Medicine.

I was planning to attend UVA, but I was recently accepted to UCI and am now having a difficult time choosing.

A little about me:

• Hawaii resident with family in Hawaii
• UVA undergraduate alum
• Cost will be similar at both schools as an OOS student
• Interested in keeping options open, but I may be interested in a more competitive specialty (possibly dermatology, although I'm not certain)

My current thoughts:

UVA

• Familiar environment and existing connections from undergrad
• Seems very collaborative and close-knit
• I like the curriculum structure and learning college system

UCI

• Much closer to family in Hawaii
• Southern California lifestyle and climate are very appealing to me
• Strong interest in some of the unique opportunities there, such as the longitudinal ultrasound curriculum
• Potentially better geographic connections if I ultimately want to do residency on the West Coast

One of my biggest concerns is community and support. UVA seems to have a particularly strong, tight-knit culture, while UCI appears to be spread across multiple hospitals and a larger healthcare system. For current students, did UCI ever feel isolating, or was there still a strong sense of community and mentorship?

For students who currently attend or have attended either school, how did you like the curriculum, and do you feel it prepared you well for clerkships, residency applications, and ultimately residency training? I am also wondering whether either school would provide a meaningful advantage for matching into competitive specialties or for pursuing residency in California/other West Coast programs.

For those who attended either school (or seriously considered both), what factors ended up mattering most, and which school would you choose in my situation?

Thank you!

 

[polymerization]

Irvine.