How to appropriately evaluate a new medical school during interview

[MDread]

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Hello I have an interview invite at Quinnipiac University school of medicine. Because it is a new medical school, what concerns should I be aware of as a potential charter class? How do I appropriately assess whether or not being a "guinea pig" is more trouble than it is worth if I have other acceptances?

Are there any charter class medical students that could provide some input on what questions and issues they wished they would have asked/addressed during their interview that I should ask during mine? Thank you!

 

[MDread]

hopefully someone could chime in

 

[Nymphicus]

How established are the rotations?

That would be my #1 concern. Are you going to be learning from facilities and preceptors that have never taught medical students before, never graded, and never written reference letters?

 

[MDread]

I see, so pre-clinicals don't really matter* too much I'm assuming?

 

[Josh7]

I see, so pre-clinicals don't really too much I'm assuming?

😕

 

[theseeker4]

I see, so pre-clinicals don't really matter* too much I'm assuming?

Pre clinical courses, or rather how they are set up and the curriculum, will make your life more or less enjoyable during your pre clinical years. (Mandatory attendance from 9-5 every day would be hell, while streamed lectures and optional attendance is much better). Clinical rotations will determine what you are exposed to, how well you are prepared for intern year, what networking options for residency are available, etc. Clinical rotations are a much bigger concern for a new school, IMO.

Personally, I would choose just about any established school over a brand new school, ie one that hasn't graduated and matched a class yet. Someone has to be in the first class, of course, and I am sure you would be able to be a qualified physician in you go there, but your options may well be limited compared to at another school.

 

[MDread]

How bad could the clinical rotations be? The school itself has their own affiliated hospital for their students to rotate through so I suppose that is a plus.

What do you mean by limited options? Will residencies not consider my application as much because I came from a new medical school? Or are you saying I will be limited because of my limited exposure/skill set

 

[theseeker4]

How bad could the clinical rotations be? The school itself has their own affiliated hospital for their students to rotate through so I suppose that is a plus.

What do you mean by limited options? Will residencies not consider my application as much because I came from a new medical school? Or are you saying I will be limited because of my limited exposure/skill set

What is the associated hospital like? Is it a smaller community hospital, or an urban hospital? Is every unusual case transferred out to a larger center in a nearby city, or will you actually be exposed to complex pathology on your rotations? Will med students be actively participating in care, or will rotations be one month of shadowing after another? There is of course no real way to judge the latter before hand, which is part of the problem, there is no one who has been there before you that can give feedback.

For limited options, both are possible. It is POSSIBLE that your school will be discriminated against, or at least not looked at as favorably, as other schools residency PDs are familiar with. It is also possible that you may not be as well trained in clinical skills during your clinical years as you would be at an established school.

It is of course possible that the new school will excel in every aspect, and you wouldn't have any problems if you go there. As you put it, though, you are a guinea pig, and that is not a position I would personally want to be in.