Hopkins vs. Penn

[DecisionsDecisionsbyMay]

Dear friends,

I am fortunate to have the above choice this cycle. Please select the option you think is the better choice for an individual interested in a career in academic medicine (corollary interests include global health and health systems). Any explanatory comments would be much appreciated.

I am not interested in dual degree programs or in considerations related the schools' respective locales. Moroever, costs are roughly the same.

I should point out that I respect both schools and loved the students I encountered; please keep things civil and objective.

I realize that this issue has been addressed in the past but the most recent thread providing a direct comparison is five years old and fields qualifiers that do not apply to my interests.

Thanks in advance!

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[JPA178]

Congratulations on your success this cycle. Both schools are academic powerhouses, but Hopkins in my experience leans more strongly in that direction. It also has the #1 school of Public Health in the country (Bloomberg) which emphasizes global health and health systems. If that's an interest for you, the opportunity to engage in research is there even if you don't pursue a dual degree. I think for those reasons, Hopkins is your best choice.

 

[tenniseagle92]

Congrats on the awesome choices! I would honestly just go to second looks if possible and see which students you gel better with. If both, then go with your gut. I think Hopkins might have a slightly better reputation than Penn, but I think Philly is more fun than Baltimore. You really can't go wrong; go where you'll be happy.

 

[snowflakes]

Any preference about 1.5 year + H/P/F preclinical (Penn) versus 2 year P/F preclinicals (Hopkins)?

If you're interested in MPH type work--Hopkins. If you're interested in systems research to the extent it overlaps with econ/MBA type work--Penn. I know you're not interested in the degree itself, but I'm talking about the associated research.

Honestly I wouldn't try to compare the reputations. Both will set you up for academia. I'd think more about which school you LIKE more, reputation aside. Baltimore or Philadelphia?

 

[JPA178]

I know you were more interested in the programs than the places, but no thread involving Baltimore is complete without me giving a shameless plug for how awesome of a city it is. Seriously, Baltimore is great. Like most places, Charm City has its bad parts, but the many good things about it are really good. Here's one of the best photo albums of Baltimore I've seen, put together by a local blogger/photographer 🙂

 

[Zacharia]

I concur wholeheartedly, I went to Hopkins undergrad and had a transcendental experience. I'd do anything to have four more years at Hopkins as a medical student. Unfortunately it's not in the cards...

 

[invissideways]

Any preference about 1.5 year + H/P/F preclinical (Penn) versus 2 year P/F preclinicals (Hopkins)?

If you're interested in MPH type work--Hopkins. If you're interested in systems research to the extent it overlaps with econ/MBA type work--Penn. I know you're not interested in the degree itself, but I'm talking about the associated research.

Honestly I wouldn't try to compare the reputations. Both will set you up for academia. I'd think more about which school you LIKE more, reputation aside. Baltimore or Philadelphia?

Hopkins is also 1.5 preclinical.

Are you going to second looks? Hopkins just happened.

 

[DecisionsDecisionsbyMay]

Thanks for your responses folks, I did attend Hopkins' second look (great impression) and look forward to attending Penn's revisit in a week.

Hopkins does indeed seem to have some variation a 1.5 year curriculum, which is something I had not been aware of. I met a few second years who were in the midst of rotations.

Taking everything into consideration, I would probably pick Hopkins at the moment. Partly because of the opportunities afforded by the school of public health and partly because of shameless name recognition (I have noticed most attendings I pose this question to seem to phrase their response with, "Penn is wonderful but Hopkins..."). In any case, I am going to reserve the final decision for after revisit.

 

[Earl Simmons]

Hopkins. Next

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

There's a prestige gap between Penn and Hopkins?!

 

[tenniseagle92]

There's a prestige gap between Penn and Hopkins?!

Any reputation gap - if it even exists - will not affect OP's chances for residency matching unless they really want to go to Hopkins or Penn for residency (then obviously that respective institution would be the best choice). Both schools have out-of-this-world match lists, and I really think the OP would be silly to not just go where he or she would be happiest.

You're talking about top 5 programs here. You're clearly brilliant; your classmates will be brilliant, and you'll have every opportunity available to you. Congrats either way!

 

[breakintheroof]

Congratulations @DecisionsDecisionsbyMay!

For some reason, your request that we keep things "civil and objective" makes me want to mouth off crudely about these schools. But I can't, they're fantastic! I also think of them as far more alike than different. There are few reasons to choose one over another in my opinion. We could come up with some, but none would be as important as your gut.

See you at Penn's second look, though it seems you're leaning Hopkins. No argument here, civil or otherwise. 😉

 

[DubbiDoctor]

What did you decide??? Same boat

Pretty sure he chose Johnny Hopkins