How to choose a Medical School
Started by 68Whiskey
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If you're one of the 20% with more than one offer of admission, cost often becomes the deciding factor.
A common application strategy is to apply to all state schools, then use the MSAR to target private/OOS-friendly schools around the country, with the total number being whatever your wallet can handle.
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68Whiskey
U.S. Army
How important is ranking
68Whiskey
U.S. Army
Cost isn't a factor. Military will be paying.
Subjective to the person. To me, match list and faculty are more important
Are you asking about choosing between schools you've been accepted to, or to apply to?
To poohbear's list below, add:
curriculum style (TBL? PBL? Classic Flexner? A mix? Integrated?)
Time for dedicated Board prep/
Mandated lectures?
Dress code?
Research opportunities?
Student vibe?
Housing nearby?
"ranking' is far more important to pre-meds and medical school deans than it is in real life.
- Comfort
- Location
- Average Debt
- Faculty
- Ranking
- Past Match Lists
- Research Spending
Basically anything you can find on MSAR.
Cheapest, P/F, no mandatory attendance, not 100% PBL
Well my thought process it to apply widely and if I get an acceptance, then decide. No point to do extensive research into every school until you at least have an II there
I was wondering about this. What would you do if you live in a competitive state where the schools mostly prefer OOS students regardless? Or if you really want into a low yield school?
you apply broadly with the knowledge that you will probably have to leave your home state.
68Whiskey
U.S. Army
I apologise, should had made my question more clear. I am asking mostly to choose between schools to apply to.
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Visit your top choices and see what your gut feeling is. If you can't imagine yourself there for four or more years, it's probably not right for you. After a certain point, I would argue that the intangibles - your feelings, impressions, school culture, etc. - matter more than tangibles like curriculum, research, etc.
1st Step: purchase the MSAR
Add: job market for SO, and if kids, availability of decent nearby schools.
Safety of area.
Weather.
Grading system vs Pass/Fail.
I couldn't tell you where 99% of my partners went to medical school. I know about <20% of their residencies and about 50% of their fellowship location. And I'm in Ortho, private practice.
Thus, medical school ranking and rank lists are utterly unimportant in real life. Debt trumps all once you are in the real world.
Thus, medical school ranking and rank lists are utterly unimportant in real life. Debt trumps all once you are in the real world.
While normally I'd group weather with location, weather has to be considered! For example, going to Mayo-MN, Winter makes a very serious attempt to kill you from Dec to March.
With Mayo-AZ, it's Summer that tries to kill you from May to Sept.
But it's a dry heat! you say?
Sure, but so's an oven.
He's using GI Bill.
Apply to the ones that resemble your stats. See if you get into one. If you do, that’s your new home. If you get into more than one, consider location, debt, and overall happiness.
I don't mind the dry heat so much. I can't stand humid heat. Its the main reason I don't know how much longer I can stay in Louisiana. It gets up to 102-103, and I feel like im DYING.
In Iraq it got up to 143 in the sun, and was 112 in the shade. However, the shade actually felt cool.
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