Help! VCU or EVMS???

[nellybee]

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Do you all have any opinion on VCU or EVMS? I have to choose by tomorrow and I don't know what to do. I liked them both but I didn't really meet any students at VCU while I spent 3 days at EVMS and it seemed like everyone was really happy. Norfolk sort of struck me as rundown and not so fun... although it seems like the clinical training at EVMS is really good. Hmm I'm leaning towards VCU due to ranking and proximity to home... ah, is that enough to go on? Anything that clearly stands out when contrasting the two that I am missing??

 

[franklinthedog]

VCU all the way, Norfolk is pretty small...Just like dating, go with your heart.


Best of luck to you!

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

Go to EVMS. I have friends there and they are really really happy. BTW, im on the waitlist at VCU..🙂

DOCTORSAIB

 

[chigirl78]

I chose EVMS because it is committed to practicing community-based medicine. The students are very happy and they have unparallelled clinical training and exposure. Good luck with your decision!

 

[Enkindu]

This decision is all about what's important to you. Which place felt right to you? I turned down UVA and MCV to go to EVMS and I feel good about my decision. Hampton Roads has a subtle beauty to it- mostly related to being surrounded by water. I had worked in Richmond when I applied- I've heard it described as "small, confederate, and dirty"... but everyone has there own impression. There are cool places to go out there (shockoe bottom, etc) but Norfolk is improving all the time in that regard- and we've got the beach! Norfolk and Richmond both seem to be cities that people either love or hate with little in between.

Everything else aside, I came to EVMS because the people here are fantastic. Almost zero gunnerism, super cooperative environment, one of the best clinical skills training centers in the country- this place is all about learning how to be the best (and most compassionate) physician you can be. If I had been really interested in research I might have looked harder at the other schools. What it boils down to is this: your success will have a lot more to do with what you do than where you go to school. Whatever people tell you, next year is going to be tough, so stack the deck in your favor and go to the place where you feel at home.

Did I mention that we all love it here at EVMS?? 🙂

Good luck deciding- choosing a med school was the hardest decision I've ever made. If I can answer any questions let me know.

 

[cather]

I have seen both schools. I would choose EVMS. The facilities at EVMS are much better than they are at VCU. The library was really nice! When I was at EVMS, people came up to me, out of the blue, just to talk to me about the school. Even the librarian said how much the school goes out of its way to help its students. And housing is very convenient at EVMS. They have places to live right near the school. VCU just seemed a little run down to me.

 

[Daddysoy]

I have a feeling that at VCU, you would see a lot of interesting clincial stuff because it is in richmond.... What's the price difference?

 

[riopsedm]

as a current student here, i can say that most of us are genuinely happy to be going to this school. that's not to say that you wouldn't be happy going to VCU/MCV, but from talking to my friends who do go to VCU, it doesn't seem like they're as happy about being in richmond as us evms'ers are about being in norfolk (ie. they're content where they are...but i'd say that it's moreso 'forced contentment' in that if you know you'll be some place for 4 years, unless you REALLY hate the place, you're going to be fine with it...if that makes sense)

as for comparing richmond and norfolk...the area around EVMS (Ghent) is REALLY nice. lots of neat shops, bars, restaurant, cafes etc. that are all walking distance...you dont feel like you're living in a city and you definitely do feel safe walking around at night.

and then there's the statistics...apparently our board scores are higher on average (the professors do an AWESOME job of preparing us).

remember that starting with the class of 2005, there's going to be a clinical skills exam component to Step 2 of the boards...EVMS has a phenomenal standardized patient program (which incidentally, MCV, Duke, USUHS and some others all borrow OUR standardized patients to help teach that component of the course) and you'll be working with them from the beginning of your first year.

 

[waitman192]

definetely vcu...

ps: im on the wait-list at evms 🙂