How good do you guys think of Dartmouth Medical School?

[xadmin]

Hi, I just want to know what you guys think of Dartmouth Medical School? The ranking on USNEWS put it at a smack 35th place for research. It is expected because it is pretty much a small school with a class size of around 80 students per class and the research department is good but the numbers of labs doesn't match that of bigger school such as Columbia, Duke, UCSF.

So do you think residency director think of Dartmouth as a good school?

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[Acherona]

Hi, I just want to know what you guys think of Dartmouth Medical School? The ranking on USNEWS put it at a smack 35th place for research. It is expected because it is pretty much a small school with a class size of around 80 students per class and the research department is good but the numbers of labs doesn't match that of bigger school such as Columbia, Duke, UCSF.

So do you think residency director think of Dartmouth as a good school?

no.

why don't you look at us news, they include an assessment score by residency directors.

 

[maxflash04]

Medical school is good.

 

[xadmin]

no.

why don't you look at us news, they include an assessment score by residency directors.

I looked at that. 3.6 is the score. Not much you can tell. Can you offer an opinion on the school?

 

[skypilot]

I think Dartmouth is a great school. It just depends on whether you want to be in the boondocks in New Hampshire with hiking, kayaking and mountain climbing, a brand new hospital and a small intimate class. Or would you prefer to be in a big city hospital with a big anonymous class, lots of indigent immigrant patients and many languages spoken?

You can go anywhere you want from Dartmouth. It depends on you.

Here's the match list:
http://dms.dartmouth.edu/news/2005_h1/17mar2005_match2.shtml

 

[hot hot heat]

I think Dartmouth is a great school. It just depends on whether you want to be in the boondocks in New Hampshire with hiking, kayaking and mountain climbing, a brand new hospital and a small intimate class. Or would you prefer to be in a big city hospital with a big anonymous class, lots of indigent immigrant patients and many languages spoken?

You can go anywhere you want from Dartmouth. It depends on you.

Here's the match list:
http://dms.dartmouth.edu/news/2005_h1/17mar2005_match2.shtml

Dartmouth is a good school and all, but it's definitely nothing special, even though it is an Ivy. And matching wise, once you get out of the top ten or so, match lists tend to look pretty similar and the schools name won't actively help you like say a Harvard or John's Hopkin's would.

And in response, having a larger class in a big city has a lot of good points. Seeing the same group of people is no fun and having a larger class at least allows you to hang with different groups.

And in the real world, there are lots of immigrants and lots of different languages spoken so I don't see why your bashing that aspect when there will be a time when a medical student/resident/doctor will be facing these types of situations if not now, then in the near future.

 

[skypilot]

And in the real world, there are lots of immigrants and lots of different languages spoken so I don't see why your bashing that aspect when there will be a time when a medical student/resident/doctor will be facing these types of situations if not now, then in the near future.

Not bashing the inner city hospital at all. I think there are definite advantages for med school and residency to the big city hospital. But if you are an outdoors enthusiast with a family Dartmouth could be a great choice. Location hardly matters 1st and 2nd year and Dartmouth allows you to rotate out of state in 3rd and 4th year.

 

[xadmin]

Skypilot, are you currently attending Dartmouth?

I wonder if attending Dartmouth over say a school like Baylor, UCLA or Emory would limit my chance for a competitive residency. Or would it be just the same? What do you guys think?

 

[skypilot]

Skypilot, are you currently attending Dartmouth?

I wonder if attending Dartmouth over say a school like Baylor, UCLA or Emory would limit my chance for a competitive residency. Or would it be just the same? What do you guys think?

I'm not attending Dartmouth. My sister went to med school there though. Dartmouth has a reputation for really working its med students hard and training them well. My sister didn't really like the small class size but it depends upon you whether that is an advantage or a disadvantage. I don't think you will be limited in your residency choices at all. I would ask myself why I want Dartmouth though. Do you really want the rural magnet hospital atmosphere or would you prefer a bustling urban environment? Take a look at the match list, there are plenty of Harvard matches and competitive residency matches.

 

[funshine]

I'm also wondering how strong Dartmouth's reputation is....

On the plus side, I hear Dartmouth students are very laid-back and pretty fun-loving.

 

[xadmin]

I'm also wondering how strong Dartmouth's reputation is....

On the plus side, I hear Dartmouth students are very laid-back and pretty fun-loving.

Yeah I am wondering the same thing too. I wonder what other people think of the reputation of Dartmouth Medical School. Since the school is so small, probably not many people know much about it.

 

[superdevil]

Yeah I am wondering the same thing too. I wonder what other people think of the reputation of Dartmouth Medical School. Since the school is so small, probably not many people know much about it.

DMS's "reputation", however you're defining it, is just fine. there's lots of faculty there who went to other ivy's for med school/grad school/etc. if you want a good shot at a residency at MGH, just work with a harvard grad, do an away rotation there, get good grades/scores and you're sitting pretty. even though DMS has small class sizes, its been around since the beginning of time, and all the med schools and residency directors (especially on the east coast) are well aware of it.

it seemed like a nice place on my visits there, but ultimately, it was just too damn rural for me. if you can thrive out there without losing your mind, there's a lot to be gained.

 

[skypilot]

DMS's "reputation", however you're defining it, is just fine. there's lots of faculty there who went to other ivy's for med school/grad school/etc. if you want a good shot at a residency at MGH, just work with a harvard grad, do an away rotation there, get good grades/scores and you're sitting pretty. even though DMS has small class sizes, its been around since the beginning of time, and all the med schools and residency directors (especially on the east coast) are well aware of it.

it seemed like a nice place on my visits there, but ultimately, it was just too damn rural for me. if you can thrive out there without losing your mind, there's a lot to be gained.

Exactly! This is true of most schools. If you really shine at any medical school you can get where you want to go from there. So pick a school where you will thrive.

 

[funshine]

What do you guys think about the Dartmouth/Brown program? People are telling me how important it is to gain exposure to a variety of cases/patients during 3rd and 4th year, and how I just won't get that at a rural, homogeneous location like Dartmouth. I know I can do away rotations 4th year at just about any school, but that might not be enough.

So, maybe it'd be better to spend the 3rd and 4th years in Providence, where the hospitals have slightly more diversity? I wonder how many people get accepted into the Dart/Brown program. I'd think most people would rather spend the last two years in Providence...

 

[superdevil]

What do you guys think about the Dartmouth/Brown program? People are telling me how important it is to gain exposure to a variety of cases/patients during 3rd and 4th year, and how I just won't get that at a rural, homogeneous location like Dartmouth. I know I can do away rotations 4th year at just about any school, but that might not be enough.

So, maybe it'd be better to spend the 3rd and 4th years in Providence, where the hospitals have slightly more diversity? I wonder how many people get accepted into the Dart/Brown program. I'd think most people would rather spend the last two years in Providence...

i don't know what people mean when they talk about "variety" and "diversity" of cases at urban hospitals vs. rural hospitals. sure, at DMS you probably won't see half a dozen HIV+ women with >5 kids during morning rounds, and you may not get 3 gunshot wounds during the same ER shift. how "diverse" is that, anyway? you're still seeing a lot of the same stuff ad nauseum, its just different stuff, you know? at a place like dartmouth, because they're such a large referral center, you'll see a ton of different pathology--the only thing that's different is the social ills that you'll get less of (IV drug users, STDs, etc). if the social ills associated with urban living and the lower levels of the socio-economic scheme are what you're looking for in a hospital, then your decision is pretty much "don't go to dartmouth".

also, i usually ask people who are applying to the Dartmouth-Brown program why they aren't just applying to brown instead. if you want the whole urban hospital deal, why bother spending 2 years up in the woods at DMS just to have to move and make new friends again as a third year?

just my random $0.02

sd

 

[funshine]

wait a sec, are you even a dartmouth student? Not that your input isn't helpful, I'm just kind of surprised that someone is so defensive of a school they don't attend.

i don't know what people mean when they talk about "variety" and "diversity" of cases at urban hospitals vs. rural hospitals. sure, at DMS you probably won't see half a dozen HIV+ women with >5 kids during morning rounds, and you may not get 3 gunshot wounds during the same ER shift. how "diverse" is that, anyway? you're still seeing a lot of the same stuff ad nauseum, its just different stuff, you know?

fair enough, but do you think residency directors would feel the same way? If you want a residency at a city hospital, doesn't it make sense that you should also get your clinical training in a city? Or not? I mean, I'm just a premed here. Every school tells me something different at their interview and I believe it for the day. I don't think patient diversity at Hanover is an issue that you can just dismiss...thats why Dartmouth kept emphasizing (in their DVD) that many students went away for clerkships.

also, i usually ask people who are applying to the Dartmouth-Brown program why they aren't just applying to brown instead. if you want the whole urban hospital deal, why bother spending 2 years up in the woods at DMS just to have to move and make new friends again as a third year?

ALthough I want to ultimately be in a west coast city, I don't mind spending 2 years in NH. In fact, I know I'd enjoy it b/c I've lived in very rural places before. Plus, it's close to the slopes, and as trivial as this sounds, it would be a major factor in my decision. I'm not even sure I want to apply to the Dartmouth/Brown program. But, since I have to decide on the day of my interview, I may as well seriously consider and compare the two programs now. Yeah, I hate moving and starting over, but it's easier to do this w/ friends, and after two years, I better become good friends with the other ppl in the Dartmouth/Brown program!!

 

[superdevil]

wait a sec, are you even a dartmouth student? Not that your input isn't helpful, I'm just kind of surprised that someone is so defensive of a school they don't attend.

no. i was accepted early on in the process so i went back for about 3 days to revisit the school, talk to andy welch and the staff some more, etc. i wouldn't say i'm being "defensive" about dartmouth because i don't really think its being 'attacked' by anyone, so to speak. i just think its a good school that bears a somewhat unfair clinical stigma because there's not a lot of gang violence/drug abuse/medicaid patients in hanover.

Originally Posted by funshine
fair enough, but do you think residency directors would feel the same way? If you want a residency at a city hospital, doesn't it make sense that you should also get your clinical training in a city? Or not? I mean, I'm just a premed here. Every school tells me something different at their interview and I believe it for the day. I don't think patient diversity at Hanover is an issue that you can just dismiss...thats why Dartmouth kept emphasizing (in their DVD) that many students went away for clerkships.

i think it depends on why you want to do a residency at a city hospital. if you want that so that you can ultimately be an urban/metro physician, then of course it makes sense to train in a city hospital. if you're asking me if residency directors put a red "x" on DMS med student applications because they didn't work in the ghetto, well, i dunno. i'm not that far yet. it may be a small, but not likely a deciding factor in the residency app process. i think they emphasize that stuff in the DVD to assuage the fears of applicants like you more than to say "we realize our clinical training is deficient--but you can go somewhere else to fill in the gaps." i mean, the dvd is just a marketing tool, and since they recognize that some students will question DMS's clinical training, they address it.


seriously, just do whatever you want. i'm not here to sell dartmouth to anyone. if you'd rather do your clinical years in providence, then the B-D program (or just going to brown) is probably your best option. for the purposes of this thread, i was only intending to say that dartmouth's "reputation" is just fine. i'm not trying to persuade anyone to actually go there---for god's sake, i didn't even go there!

good luck with your apps.

 

[2009md2b]

When I interviewed at DMS last year, the main thing I worried about was being straight from college and finding peers in my class. My tour guide was in his thirties with kids and I asked him what he thought about my situation. He stuttered for a long time and then said, yeah I guess I'm not sure I would come here. The people at DMS were incredibly nice but I think the students are generally much older and in a different place in their lives than I am. I'm not sure what your current situation is but I would really think hard before committing to DMS for four years in some situations.

 

[djohnston]

Hello all,

I'm a DMS student- class of 2009. I'm not surprised other DMS students haven't chipped in on this thread -there aren't many SDNer types at Dartmouth. Our class is relatively small. It's a nice community out here. I like it. DMS was my first choice when I was applying. It's a good fit for me and my lifestyle. If you have any questions- feel free to ask.

 

[funshine]

sd, I appreciate all of your input! you've been very helpful

 

[superdevil]

sd, I appreciate all of your input! you've been very helpful

no problem. PM me anytime if you've ever got any questions

 

[gclax30]

.

 

[gclax30]

Hello all,

I'm a DMS student- class of 2009. I'm not surprised other DMS students haven't chipped in on this thread -there aren't many SDNer types at Dartmouth. Our class is relatively small. It's a nice community out here. I like it. DMS was my first choice when I was applying. It's a good fit for me and my lifestyle. If you have any questions- feel free to ask.

Greetings DMSers... I am an MSII at quite possibly the most rural school in the country, WVSOM. I am from NH and would love to get back there for residency and to settle. I have a friend who attended Dartmouth undergrad and I know how great of a school it is, but how is the medical training? I would like to set up some away rotations for next year but the website doesn't say anything about visiting students. I guess I would just like to know about the hospital in general; if the attendings, residents, and interns are over zealous or laid back; if there is a genuine interest in working with patients and not just being a 'top name' in medicine; research opportunities, etc. Any info would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

 

[sloanetaylor]

Any recent updates on this? I'm undecided about medicine, but I was looking into Dartmouth as a possible school to apply to. Couldn't find much advice, stories, etc. on it. Thanks!

 

[Psai]

Man lol at these answers. Dartmouth is an excellent school. Usnews is a poor way to look at anything and differences between medical schools are more nuanced than can be illustrated by an arbitrary number.

 

[Goro]

Excellent medical school.

Howevet, US Snooze is a lousy source for comparing any medical school to another.

Hi, I just want to know what you guys think of Dartmouth Medical School? The ranking on USNEWS put it at a smack 35th place for research. It is expected because it is pretty much a small school with a class size of around 80 students per class and the research department is good but the numbers of labs doesn't match that of bigger school such as Columbia, Duke, UCSF.

So do you think residency director think of Dartmouth as a good school?

 

[Redpancreas]

Hi, I just want to know what you guys think of Dartmouth Medical School? The ranking on USNEWS put it at a smack 35th place for research. It is expected because it is pretty much a small school with a class size of around 80 students per class and the research department is good but the numbers of labs doesn't match that of bigger school such as Columbia, Duke, UCSF.

So do you think residency director think of Dartmouth as a good school?

I never applied or did research on it. If you want a complete uninformed medical student's opinion, I see it as one of those schools that's mid-tier but has the ivy chip to attract students. In undergrad, I had a few friends who went there and they said that they had some kind of "technology" theme to them? Maybe that's relevant to medical school, idk..

 

[caseyjones]

*How "well" do you think of dartmouth. Adjectives are for nouns. Come on guys, we're getting doctorates here.

 

[Warderino92]

We had someone match plastics at UCSF and rads at MGH this year from my so called "low ranked" MD school. Fact of the matter is if you put in the work a USMD school doesn't close any doors as far as the different residencies go. The only thing that might be harder is location but that's it.

 

[Psai]

I never applied or did research on it. If you want a complete uninformed medical student's opinion, I see it as one of those schools that's mid-tier but has the ivy chip to attract students. In undergrad, I had a few friends who went there and they said that they had some kind of "technology" theme to them? Maybe that's relevant to medical school, idk..

Explain the concept of this mid tier

 

[Redpancreas]

Explain the concept of this mid tier

Idk, like 25-60ish.. something like that...In terms of research $$$. I haven't checked but I'm sure it's ranked somewhere around there in USNews. I didn't mean for anyone to get too hung up on it!

 

[Psai]

Idk, like 25-60ish.. something like that...In terms of research $$$. I haven't checked but I'm sure it's ranked somewhere around there in USNews. I didn't mean for anyone to get too hung up on it!

Ah yes, usnews, where we get the final say as to whether our medical degree holds any value. Excellent source, I can tell that your medical school is highly ranked on usnews because they are obviously teaching you well.

 

[Redpancreas]

Ah yes, usnews, where we get the final say as to whether our medical degree holds any value. Excellent source, I can tell that your medical school is highly ranked on usnews because they are obviously teaching you well.

Can't tell if you're just joking around or if you're pissed, but I'll just say "sounds good" because you generally give me (and others) decent advice on the forum. My medical school is actually on the cusps of being ranked on USNews so I'm not trying to prop myself up either.

 

[Psai]

I'm just saying that usnews is crappy and it's worse than doximity. Schools can drop or rise in the rankings at the drop of a hat and it's pretty arbitrary. It's hard to compare between different schools. It's not like law school where the top 14 are exalted.

 

[hurtem&healem]

It's not like law school where the top 14 are exalted.

Well, I mean, there's an awful lot of hype around the top ten medical schools. No? Would you not agree that there is a "top-tier" consisting of the likes of Harvard, Yale, Penn, Stanford, and Hopkins?

 

[Psai]

Well, I mean, there's an awful lot of hype around the top ten medical schools. No? Would you not agree that there is a "top-tier" consisting of the likes of Harvard, Yale, Penn, Stanford, and Hopkins?

For sure. The people I've met from those schools have all been excellent. But all this reputation mongering is relatively subjective of course. I think we place too much emphasis on silly things like reputation instead of caring about things that will actually matter to students like having excellent clinical teaching and sticker price for the degree.

Mayo and Dartmouth are relatively low-ranking compared to their medical reputation. Does it really mean anything? I'm not so sure. Prestige played a pretty large role in my match list and now I'm pretty convinced that doing so was a mistake. Everyone says to rank where you think you'll be happy and now that I'm on this side, it's true. I love my program and I'm very happy so far.