HELP PLEASE: MCG vs. UCF vs. Dartmouth vs. Miami

[MedicalDoge]

Hello! I am in the fortunate position of choosing between some of my favorite schools coming into this. I am actually waiting on the post interview decision from Miami, but they have a pretty high post interview acceptance rate, so I just want to weigh in your opinions on that school as well just in case.

MCG:
+ in-state/cheap
+ everyone seemed super happy, brand new research facilities and medical school building
+ great vibe, pass/fail didactic
+ nice medical scholars program

- quiet town, kind of wanted a change from Georgia
- not focused on global health like many state schools
- I guess not too "highly ranked"

UCF:

+ Love Florida
+ Happening Town
+ Nice program for research
+ Great vibe, students are happy, everything new
+ Obsessed with high step scores
+ Good global health

- Expensive for me, although I may be able to weasel in a scholarship as they have a ton of money. If I can chop it down to around 40K, think it would be worth it?
- New, so not "highly ranked" yet, but residencies matches seem very respectable

Dartmouth:

+ Ivy of course, highly ranked
+ can someone comment on matching and STEP scores? I am sure they are great
+ Really cool rotation options which are funded, including some reservation work

- Location... uhm yeah. Really pretty but I have no family nearby. Cold
- Expensive
- Solves diversity issue by allowing global and away rotations, including partnerships with California hospitals

Miami:

+ LOCATION Love Florida and relatives lives in Miami
+ Excellent Global Health Initiatives
+ MD/MPH program looks cool which I am in the running for in addition to the MD only
+ Very diverse
+ Top notch trauma hospital and research going on on campus
+ Miami Project to Cure Paralysis
+ Pretty highly ranked

- Not pass fail
- LCME concerns, but got a good student vibe when I was there, interesting
- STEP Scores only slightly above national average, but consistent

Important info: Interests are currently in neurology/neuropath and infectious disease. Quality of life and time for activity is important for me. Research and global health are also important for me, research ranks ahead though. Also, money is always a concern, but not the biggest factor.

Thank you so much! Expert advice is always encouraged @Goro @Catalystik @LizzyM @HomeSkool @gyngyn

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[LizzyM]

I can only tell you what I did when faced with a similar decision among 4 graduate programs:

Make a list of the things that are important to you and a column for each school
MCG Dartmouth UCF Miami
Global Health
Close to family
Warm weather
Pass/Fail
happy students
new facilities
school reputation
cost

Then put a +, ++, +++ or ++++ in each cell on the table or a -. I find that this type of visual lets me "see" things better than Arabic numerals. You'll then see how each school meets or does not meet the criteria you find to be important. If you really can't decide, flip a coin. If you aren't satisfied with the coin flip, your heart is obviously telling you that you really do have a preference.

 

[Goro]

Hello! I am in the enviable position of choosing between some of my favorite schools coming into this. I am actually waiting on the post interview decision from Miami, but they have a pretty high post interview acceptance rate, so I just want to weigh in your opinions on that school as well just in case.

MCG:
+ in-state/cheap
+ everyone seemed super happy, brand new research facilities and medical school building
+ great vibe, pass/fail didactic
+ nice medical scholars program

- quiet town, kind of wanted a change from Georgia
- not focused on global health like many state schools
- I guess not too "highly ranked"

UCF:

+ Love Florida
+ Happening Town
+ Nice program for research
+ Great vibe, students are happy, everything new
+ Obsessed with high step scores
+ Good global health

- Expensive for me, although I may be able to weasel in a scholarship as they have a ton of money. If I can chop it down to around 40K, think it would be worth it?
- New, so not "highly ranked" yet, but residencies matches seem very respectable

Dartmouth:

+ Ivy of course, highly ranked
+ can someone comment on matching and STEP scores? I am sure they are great
+ Really cool rotation options which are funded, including some reservation work

- Location... uhm yeah. Really pretty but I have no family nearby. Cold
- Expensive
- Solves diversity issue by allowing global and away rotations, including partnerships which hgue California hospitals

Miami:

+ LOCATION Love Florida and relatives lives in Miami
+ Excellent Global Health Initiatives
+ MD/MPH program looks cool which I am in the running for in addition to the MD only
+ Very diverse
+ Top notch trauma and research going on on campus
+ Miami Project to cure paralysis
+ Pretty highly ranked

- Not pass fail
- LCME concerns, but got a good student vibe when I was there, interesting
- STEP Scores only slightly above national average, but consistent

Important info: Interests are currently in neurology/neuropath and infectious disease. Quality of life and time for activity is important for me. Research and global health are also important for me, research ranks ahead though. Also, money is always a concern, but not the biggest factor.

Thank you so much! Expert advice is always encouraged @Goro @Catalystik @LizzyM @HomeSkool

Dartmouth

 

[MedicalDoge]

Dartmouth

Thank you! Could you give a brief reasoning? Do they have high STEP scores that you know of? Can't find much data for this, although their 2017 match list is very impressive

 

[Bryant088]

Thank you! Could you give a brief reasoning? Do they have high STEP scores that you know of? Can't find much data for this, although their 2017 match list is very impressive

I believe their average step 1 score is 232, but there are way more important things to consider than this. I would go to Miami or Dartmouth.

 

[Goro]

Thank you! Could you give a brief reasoning? Do they have high STEP scores that you know of? Can't find much data for this, although their 2017 match list is very impressive

Great reputation.

Cost is irrelevant because you'll make it back by getting into a good specialty. IF you're fine with Primary Care, then go for the cheapest school.

Fine research programs there as well.

 

[HomeSkool]

Not Miami. LCME concerns are a big red flag. Amongst the others, I'd go Dartmouth > MCG > UCF. Dartmouth has the most name recognition, which can help you come Match time. MCG has a pass/fail system, which is hugely beneficial. And UCF is newer and more of an unknown.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using SDN mobile

 

[Kingsmen2018]

What exactly are the LCME concerns? Are they about to be put under probation? Because this site usually says probation isn't a big deal at all

@HomeSkool

 

[HomeSkool]

What exactly are the LCME concerns? Are they about to be put under probation? Because this site usually says probation isn't a big deal at all

@HomeSkool

Actually, I was just citing one of the negatives the OP listed for that school. I'm not particularly knowledgeable about that school, I was just taking the OP's word for it. But in general, it's wise to shy away from programs that are on the accreditation committee's "naughty" list, particularly when you have three other acceptances from which to choose.

 

[MedicalDoge]

Thank you for your input @HomeSkool ! Do you think that going to Dartmouth would hurt my chances of going back south for residency, or would that not matter too much? I kind of want to end up in the south eventually.

They (Miami) were accredited again of course, but the LCME had them on warnings for like six things, including student maltreatment by faculty during clerkships. I believe that someone on the Miami thread posted a video of the Miami deans having a "town hall" meeting about how they are going to improve on the LCME criticisms. However, like I said, the students on the interview day did not mention this at all and seemed very happy, but this is definitely a concern.

 

[HomeSkool]

Do you think that going to Dartmouth would hurt my chances of going back south for residency, or would that not matter too much?

You'll be better connected at the school you attend and its affiliated teaching hospitals, but the benefits of going to school in a specific geographic location don't extend much beyond that. If there's a specific program that interests you, you can arrange an audition rotation as an MS-4.

the students on the interview day did not mention this at all and seemed very happy, but this is definitely a concern.

I doubt Miami's going to be in any serious danger. It's an established program, and Baylor demonstrated that even a very well-regarded program can get into trouble and survive.

 

[Goro]

Hello! I am in the fortunate position of choosing between some of my favorite schools coming into this. I am actually waiting on the post interview decision from Miami, but they have a pretty high post interview acceptance rate, so I just want to weigh in your opinions on that school as well just in case.

Miami:

+ LOCATION Love Florida and relatives lives in Miami
+ Excellent Global Health Initiatives
+ MD/MPH program looks cool which I am in the running for in addition to the MD only
+ Very diverse
+ Top notch trauma hospital and research going on on campus
+ Miami Project to Cure Paralysis
+ Pretty highly ranked

- Not pass fail
- LCME concerns, but got a good student vibe when I was there, interesting
- STEP Scores only slightly above national average, but consistent

Important info: Interests are currently in neurology/neuropath and infectious disease. Quality of life and time for activity is important for me. Research and global health are also important for me, research ranks ahead though. Also, money is always a concern, but not the biggest factor.

Thank you so much! Expert advice is always encouraged @Goro @Catalystik @LizzyM @HomeSkool @gyngyn

Ummm, WHAT LCME concerns?

 

[MedicalDoge]

I'm not sure exactly what the process is or how common this may be, but I know 2 of the warnings were student mistreatment and something about inadequate facilities? They are accredited but on "warning". Again no idea what this means exactly.

 

[btuck]

Don't go to Miami, I hear that their grading system is awful.

 

[MedicalDoge]

Don't go to Miami, I hear that their grading system is awful.

From current students?

 

[MindyLahiriWannabee]

For what it's worth, when I was reading your post it seemed like you wanted to be in Florida (specifically Miami) but would be willing to go somewhere else if someone could convince you that rankings or price trump everything else.

Also, I cannot imagine going to a school that is not pass/fail if quality of life is also important to you but maybe that's just me

 

[MedicalDoge]

For what it's worth, when I was reading your post it seemed like you wanted to be in Florida (specifically Miami) but would be willing to go somewhere else if someone could convince you that rankings or price trump everything else.

Also, I cannot imagine going to a school that is not pass/fail if quality of life is also important to you but maybe that's just me

Thanks! I would really like to go to Florida, but both Florida schools are not pass/fail. This is a tough decision. I suppose I will decide when I hear back from the final two schools I am waiting on

 

[AndyHopkins]

Should update this post with that sweet Emory acceptance

 

[MedicalDoge]

Should update this post with that sweet Emory acceptance

Lol yes, I wasn't expecting it so I might need to make a new post..