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Hey guys,
I am trying to chose between Stanford and Northwestern, and I was hoping any current or recently graduated students at these schools could help shed some lights regarding the pros and cons of each school.
I am from Wisconsin, so Northwestern is close to home, which is important to me, but it is just one factor in the broad picture. The curriculum is PBL based, which I think could be really great, and the location within Chicago aligns greatly with my desire to work with urban underserved patients throughout medical school and offers a great deal of public health opportunities to me. Attending the UW-Madison, I ideally wanted to move to a larger city for medical school, so Feinberg's location is incredible on that regard, and as I mentioned earlier, it also offers the benefit of being just a few hours from home.
However, I am becoming more and more interested in interdisciplinary learning (I'm interested in obtaining either an MPH, or maybe MBA), and I think Stanford is best for pursuing any kind of joint degree or even electives at the other graduate school since the med school is co-localized with all of the rest of Stanford's incredible insitutions. However, while Stanford offers greater ability to take classes outside of medicine and gives the vibe that they would offer more freedom to me to explore exactly what I want to do inside medicine, the absence of an MPH program (there is an MPH option but you have to go to Berkley) plays more to Northwesterns hand. Stanford's flexibility and freedom is incredibly attractive to me however, as I have always known I want to go into medicine but have never entirely known what I want to do inside the field.
Meanwhile, although Stanford is in silicon valley which is incredible in it's own regard as it offers a young, inspired and innovative feel, the suburban feel and high socioeconomic norm aren't exactly what I ideally invisioned for where I want to live in this next stage of my life. However, Stanford is stanford and the amazing weather would not only increase my mood but would also offer the benefits of daily exercise, especially with all the hiking and running trails etc nearby which I would frequent. That being said, I know Stanford is very research focused, and while I can see myself doing clinical research, I do want to make sure I will get a solid clinical education wherever I end up. (I want to go into medicine for the relationships and people side moreso than the research. I enjoyed doing basic science research in undergrad but think I'd want it to be clinical, epidemioligical or public health research if I was to do research in the future and want the majority of my time to be spent as a clinician or advocate). Given that Stanford is in Palo Alto and is very research focused, do you think the clinical education suffers? How would you feel the two programs compare in these regards as I know both are research powerhouses but both are also known to have good, if not perfect, clinical educations.
My other concern is that both schools are in expensive parts of town, and I want to make sure I get exposure to a variety of different patients. Both three schools say they have access to a diverse patient population, but how true is this really? I am sure Northwestern sees a broad spectrum of patients due to its size and location within downtown Chicago, but how extensive of a difference in patient population diversity do you believe exists between the two schools/locations?
I love Stanford's campus and interdisciplinary education, and Northwestern's location near family and in a major metropolitan center. Do any current or prospective students at these schools have any opinions on the pros and cons of these schools? Coming from a single-mother upbringing, I am hoping to obtain a decent financial aid package, but am yet to get a package offer from either school yet so any information as to the expansiveness of each schools financial aid capabilities/offers would also be appreciated.
I know that I am very lucky to have been admitted to Stanford and Northwestern. Thanks for your help in discussing this decision with me. I know some people on sdn don't like these kinds of threads, and I can understand why as it can easily come off as bragging . I'm very sorry if this bothers you, and if it does, please just leave this thread. I'm simply looking for guidance in a tough decision to make, which admittedly is a very good decision to be in. Thank you very much for your help and consideration.
I am trying to chose between Stanford and Northwestern, and I was hoping any current or recently graduated students at these schools could help shed some lights regarding the pros and cons of each school.
I am from Wisconsin, so Northwestern is close to home, which is important to me, but it is just one factor in the broad picture. The curriculum is PBL based, which I think could be really great, and the location within Chicago aligns greatly with my desire to work with urban underserved patients throughout medical school and offers a great deal of public health opportunities to me. Attending the UW-Madison, I ideally wanted to move to a larger city for medical school, so Feinberg's location is incredible on that regard, and as I mentioned earlier, it also offers the benefit of being just a few hours from home.
However, I am becoming more and more interested in interdisciplinary learning (I'm interested in obtaining either an MPH, or maybe MBA), and I think Stanford is best for pursuing any kind of joint degree or even electives at the other graduate school since the med school is co-localized with all of the rest of Stanford's incredible insitutions. However, while Stanford offers greater ability to take classes outside of medicine and gives the vibe that they would offer more freedom to me to explore exactly what I want to do inside medicine, the absence of an MPH program (there is an MPH option but you have to go to Berkley) plays more to Northwesterns hand. Stanford's flexibility and freedom is incredibly attractive to me however, as I have always known I want to go into medicine but have never entirely known what I want to do inside the field.
Meanwhile, although Stanford is in silicon valley which is incredible in it's own regard as it offers a young, inspired and innovative feel, the suburban feel and high socioeconomic norm aren't exactly what I ideally invisioned for where I want to live in this next stage of my life. However, Stanford is stanford and the amazing weather would not only increase my mood but would also offer the benefits of daily exercise, especially with all the hiking and running trails etc nearby which I would frequent. That being said, I know Stanford is very research focused, and while I can see myself doing clinical research, I do want to make sure I will get a solid clinical education wherever I end up. (I want to go into medicine for the relationships and people side moreso than the research. I enjoyed doing basic science research in undergrad but think I'd want it to be clinical, epidemioligical or public health research if I was to do research in the future and want the majority of my time to be spent as a clinician or advocate). Given that Stanford is in Palo Alto and is very research focused, do you think the clinical education suffers? How would you feel the two programs compare in these regards as I know both are research powerhouses but both are also known to have good, if not perfect, clinical educations.
My other concern is that both schools are in expensive parts of town, and I want to make sure I get exposure to a variety of different patients. Both three schools say they have access to a diverse patient population, but how true is this really? I am sure Northwestern sees a broad spectrum of patients due to its size and location within downtown Chicago, but how extensive of a difference in patient population diversity do you believe exists between the two schools/locations?
I love Stanford's campus and interdisciplinary education, and Northwestern's location near family and in a major metropolitan center. Do any current or prospective students at these schools have any opinions on the pros and cons of these schools? Coming from a single-mother upbringing, I am hoping to obtain a decent financial aid package, but am yet to get a package offer from either school yet so any information as to the expansiveness of each schools financial aid capabilities/offers would also be appreciated.
I know that I am very lucky to have been admitted to Stanford and Northwestern. Thanks for your help in discussing this decision with me. I know some people on sdn don't like these kinds of threads, and I can understand why as it can easily come off as bragging . I'm very sorry if this bothers you, and if it does, please just leave this thread. I'm simply looking for guidance in a tough decision to make, which admittedly is a very good decision to be in. Thank you very much for your help and consideration.
