How would you rank all the Chicago/Midwest schools?

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PreMedHopeful

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Please include Chicago/IL, Milwaukee/Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, and Indiana=Midwest! Public and private!

Rate the schools based on prestige, tuition, and admission standards...as well as curriculum/clinical rotations, residency placement and overall quality.

Thanks!
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No one is going to be able to answer this question. Refer to US News and Rankings if you want a arbitrary numerical ranking.
 
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If you don't want to pay for access to the US News & Business Report data, see the sticky at the top of the "What are my chances?" Forum. The schools are ordered by selectivity, however, not by a perceived 'prestige' factor.
 
PreMedHopeful said:
Please include Chicago/IL, Milwaukee/Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, and Indiana=Midwest! Public and private!

Rate the schools based on prestige, tuition, and admission standards...as well as curriculum/clinical rotations, residency placement and overall quality.

Thanks!
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Missed the best one:

goldygopher.gif
 
#1=the one that lets me in.
 
hahaha well there is a similar thread regarding FL Schools...so why can't people just talk about Chicago/midwest medical schools...and I did look at U.S News...but I wanted a student perspective....and true the one that you go to is the best one always😉
 
will someone at least express their opinions on Chicago medical schools and what do you think...I don't want to know US News' opinions...people post stuff instead of just viewing and seeing its nothing!!!!
 
There are plenty of posts about this or that school. You could just search for them. You are asking for a really pain in the butt activity. It's not like you said "compare x, y, and z schools." You want a comparison of a massive number of schools.
 
WashU is certainly your best option. You forgot about UMich, which is an excellent, excellent school as well. Pritzker then Madison followup with the other schools falling in line.

These days, I'd say the best school is a combo of prestige AND value. Apply liberally and then make decisions based on financial aid available. And don't forget to only apply to schools you would actually be happy attending.
 
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PreMedHopeful said:
will someone at least express their opinions on Chicago medical schools and what do you think...I don't want to know US News' opinions...people post stuff instead of just viewing and seeing its nothing!!!!
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My two cents
UofC > NW > Rush > UIC > Rosland

But without attending each school, it's very hard to compare. Although UofC is like an ivy of the midwest, it's hospital has been having financial issues such that it separated from the school so that if it goes belly up, the school doesn't have to pay. Despite that I believe UofC is more competitive, I would argue NW is more well know in that you can go talk to someone from timbuktu and they are more likely to have heard of NW over UofC. I would argue Rush had an edge over UIC because UIC is old. UIC students are notorious for studying in Rush's library because they don't like their schools. Rush also has a new hospital going up (2012 completion) and a new ambulatory surgery building (2010 completion). Rush is kinda well known because of ortho...but that's about it. None the less, if you're doing something else, people have still heard of the place. They are also on some publicity campaign putting ads everywhere. Rush, however, doesn't offer some of the residency programs that UIC does, like EM. It's not unheard of for schools to reserve 1 of 3 or 4 residency spots for one of their grads. So that's kinda nice. Roseland - a couple years back there was some drama about their accreditation. Some said it was at risk of being revoked, others said it was only getting recertified like all schools are required to do. I really don't know much about that school, so maybe putting it at the end is unfair.

I totally forgot Loyola. They are also having financial issues. I know a bunch of nurses got pink slips, and even the undergrad school has seen recent decreases in enrollment.
 
Disagree with above. I am fairly familiar with the schools in the area since both parents attended and have plenty of friends who attended as well.

1.- Northwestern- Administration is really student focused. Plenty of time to study, research and excellent clinical rotations. Faculty is top notch. You can not beat the geographic location either in the Chicago Loop where everything is happening (best located medical school in the country!)
2.- U of Chicago - A lot of prestige- Some of the "nerdiness" atmosphere of undergrad rubs on the med school as well. Med students are well known for regurgitating a lot of useless medical trivia. Location - not the best. Hospital having financial issues.
3.- Medical College of Wisconsin - plenty of clinical, excellent facilities, students are very happy. The school has been gaining momentum and more recognition lately. Milwaukee sucks as a city but close enough to Chicago.
4.- University of Wisconsin Madison - More research oriented. Not enough clinical experience in my opinion. Most students try to get rotations in Milwaukee. Well respected and recognized school though.
5.- Rush and U of I, Chicago: Regional universities, not much different
6- Loyola University - Just because it is in Chicago. It is one of the newest schools in Chicago, (late 70s ?)

The absolute worse is Chicago Med School = Rosalind Franklin, which is not even in Chicago!! The school has had a horrible reputation since it was created and has never been able to shake it. Unimpressive faculty, poor resources... It is everyone's safety.
 
BrainBuff said:
Disagree with above. I am fairly familiar with the schools in the area since both parents attended and have plenty of friends who attended as well.

1.- Northwestern- Administration is really student focused. Plenty of time to study, research and excellent clinical rotations. Faculty is top notch. You can not beat the geographic location either in the Chicago Loop where everything is happening (best located medical school in the country!)
2.- U of Chicago - A lot of prestige- Some of the "nerdiness" atmosphere of undergrad rubs on the med school as well. Med students are well known for regurgitating a lot of useless medical trivia. Location - not the best. Hospital having financial issues.
3.- Medical College of Wisconsin - plenty of clinical, excellent facilities, students are very happy. The school has been gaining momentum and more recognition lately. Milwaukee sucks as a city but close enough to Chicago.
4.- University of Wisconsin Madison - More research oriented. Not enough clinical experience in my opinion. Most students try to get rotations in Milwaukee. Well respected and recognized school though.
5.- Rush and U of I, Chicago: Regional universities, not much different
6- Loyola University - Just because it is in Chicago. It is one of the newest schools in Chicago, (late 70s ?)

The absolute worse is Chicago Med School = Rosalind Franklin, which is not even in Chicago!! The school has had a horrible reputation since it was created and has never been able to shake it. Unimpressive faculty, poor resources... It is everyone's safety.
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I'd like to know where you heard that, because during all of my time on campus I have never experienced any of that. Hell, I went to a weeknight keg party the night before my interview. The location really isn't that bad, either. It just isn't in the Loop.
 
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WashU, U of C, and Northwestern are all tops in my book.

WashU- very friendly student body. Laid back due to an uncurved grading system (everyone could get Honors if you reach the designated cut off), except for the first year which is pass fail. Midwest environment is very nice as well. Plenty of on and off site housing. Students are the MCAT titans of the universe, so they are very good at taking tests. Since the scores are uncurved, it isn't a huge deal except for ranking (I don't remember if they have ranking or not honestly) and because it might be annoying that everyone is so stellar. Some people have commented that the student body is nerdy, but I personally found them very nice and an agreeable group. It was easily my top choice of all the midwest schools by leaps and bounds.

Northwestern- Very impressive, excellent philosophy on personal responsibility and self study. I loved the teaching opportunities, especially in the later years where you could actually teach medical students for a while. Great prep for residency. Beautiful city, great food. Kids seemed nice enough, but I really didn't have any time to get to know them 🙁. Chicago is freaking cold! If you fly in, take the train from the airport, not a car. Got stuck in a 5 hour traffic delay when I was there due to snow. They have an interview where you interview as a group. Mine was personally part individual questions and part a "team interview", so prepare for such. Great school, would have been happy to go, but it didn't personally give me the same feel as WashU and some other schools.

U of C- I didn't actually go to this interview, but I heard lots of praise for the admissions office being the nicest group of folks ever. It's in a nicer part of Chicago. Lots of scholarship money.
 
amph119, I did not have to hear it anywhere. I have lived it.
 
Would you consider Pittsburgh Midwest? I know that they themselves suggested that they are "almost Midwest." If you do (I personally don't), it's a fabulous school. It has a pre-matriculation program which is very nice if you don't live in the area and need to find a place to live. Great research, one of the most respected medical schools that I have seen among doctors (EVERY doctor that I talked to had something good to say about Pitt and nothing bad. It's the only school that I can claim this about.) I have heard rumors that the student body is pretty competitive, but this is furiously denounced by students here on SDN. Prettiest city for a picture, in my opinion.
 
Everyone is forgetting about U of M!!! It's hands down the best in the Midwest after WashU. Ann Arbor is a great college town, and they have an excellent hospital system.

As for the whole "research v. clinical" debate that always pops up, it's kind of silly. I go to a "research institution" but I still get to deliver babies, perform CPR, 1st assist in surgery, and put in complicated orders on medicine patients. My classmates who chose to do rotations at the VA get to do even more (not my bag tho).

The only difference between a prestigious research institution and a "clinical" school is that you get to work with residents and physicians who lead and set policy in your field, and have sway in helping you apply to competitive residencies. That and the oodles of NIH and other funding that allow them to give students better scholarships and more fin. aid.
 
how does everyone feel about Midwestern and how does everyone rank Loyola, RUSH, UIC and Rosalind Franklin and Med. School of Wisconsin....rank those please and tell me whyyy
 
BrainBuff said:
The absolute worse is Chicago Med School = Rosalind Franklin, which is not even in Chicago!! The school has had a horrible reputation since it was created and has never been able to shake it. Unimpressive faculty, poor resources... It is everyone's safety.
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Yes, it has an especially bad reputation among the highly knowledgeable pre-med crowd on SDN. Unfortunately, residency directors are unaware of this reputation, as CMS grads consistently match into competitive residencies.
 
It doesn't matter if you guys think it has a bad rep...because in the end it is a medical school that is accredited and doctors come out of that school every year so in the end who cares plus it's not like it's easy to get into...it's still hard....all med schools have some flaws...its all in the eye of the beholder
 
There was a recent thread that covered some of the Chicago schools:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=619348&highlight=loyola

I don't know much about the schools outside of the Chicago area, but if you are looking for prestige and research opportunities, University of Chicago and Northwestern are usually ranked at the top. For ridiculously happy and nice students, Rush and Loyola seem to rank at the top.

Rankings aren't too useful in determining where you will succeed the most and be the happiest--you really need to look more deeply at the schools. Personally I ranked Loyola at the top of my list. In my case, Loyola was where I would be happiest and would best become the type of physician/person I want to be.

As you (premedhopeful) point out, none of the schools in the Chicago area, or the US, are bad medical schools. They're all great and you can become a physician at any of them--the big question is which one will help you become the best physician you can
 
so in the midwest/IL schools, is RFU/Chicago Med School the easiest MD school to get into in terms of admissions standards and average MCAT/GPA of entering class???
 
My definition of midwest= Chicago all all the states/major cities surrounding it which includes: Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio....Kentucky would be pushing it...

I guess I can look up the average MCAT/GPA online but I thought someone might know it who applied already....
 
PreMedHopeful said:
Please include Chicago/IL, Milwaukee/Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, and Indiana=Midwest! Public and private!

Rate the schools based on prestige, tuition, and admission standards...as well as curriculum/clinical rotations, residency placement and overall quality.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Rankings are for idiots.

Congratulations, you have now been enlightened. Please move on with your life and pick a school you like.
 
haha reputation/rankings MATTER if you want a SELECTIVE, COMPETITIVE residency program....that matters on board exams but also the med school you go to AND I'm asking for RANKINGS and not just that, also EASIEST med school based on gpa/mcat average of recent class....no med school is easy and I'm saying this already because you people will go nuts, but yeah one school has to have the lowest mcat/gpa average in midwest...and what school is that?
 
PreMedHopeful said:
haha reputation/rankings MATTER if you want a SELECTIVE, COMPETITIVE residency program....that matters on board exams but also the med school you go to AND I'm asking for RANKINGS and not just that, also EASIEST med school based on gpa/mcat average of recent class....no med school is easy and I'm saying this already because you people will go nuts, but yeah one school has to have the lowest mcat/gpa average in midwest...and what school is that?
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Sure, who is at the school you go to matters quite a bit in getting you into a good residency program. The problem is that the connections to get you in are far beyond what anyone here is going to know. It's all about connections, but it's really just as common for the best connections to be between a state school and a competitive residency's director as it is to be between a faculty member at Harvard Med and that same residency director.
As I understand, residency programs look at a whole bunch of factors and probably the only one that is really correlated strongly with the strength of your program is your Step 1 score. The problem here is that the stronger schools select students who are going to end up with high Step 1's anyway! The very use of the MCAT at admission ensures this! (Yes, I realize the MCAT and Step 1 are entirely different exams but both are standardized and, in reality, people who do well on one standardized test have a very high chance of doing well on another; as a result, one's scores on things as different as the Computer Science GRE and the USMLE Step 1 will have moderate positive correlation, assuming one has done at least some prep for each exam.)
 
PreMedHopeful said:
haha reputation/rankings MATTER if you want a SELECTIVE, COMPETITIVE residency program....that matters on board exams but also the med school you go to AND I'm asking for RANKINGS and not just that, also EASIEST med school based on gpa/mcat average of recent class....no med school is easy and I'm saying this already because you people will go nuts, but yeah one school has to have the lowest mcat/gpa average in midwest...and what school is that?
Click to expand...

Well... I can't say which school is the easiest to get into, since that really depends on the person. The school selector spreadsheet is probably the best way to find out your particular (but generalized) chances at any given school. If you haven't used it yet, check out the "what are my chances" sub-forum and click on the school selector spreadsheet thread. It should be a sticky.

Regardless, keep in mind there really isn't an "easy" school to get into. Consider that Loyola (the school I know the most about!) has a rather low avg. science GPA (3.6, I believe), according to the MSAR, so you could probably call it "easy" to get into.

Still, keep in mind that Loyola only accepts about 2.5% of those who apply, which amounts to 4 or 5% of those who submit a secondary application (quite a few people balk at the size of Loyola's secondary application). So technically, it really isn't very easy to get into.

I don't really know the statistics for RFU, Rush, Northwestern, U. Chicago, etc., but I'd imagine they aren't very far off, one way or the other.

Also, having worked at UCSF with residency directors, fellowship coordinators, etc., I agree with apumic that the name of your school just isn't anywhere near as important as your connections and your abilities. A bit name school definitely helps, but it's pretty rare that it would give you a big boost. What usually gives people from big name schools that big boost for competitive programs is the fact that you can find some
heavyweight contacts/connections at a school like Harvard. And of course, these schools are already selecting the creme of the crop, and these students are generally likely to be talented and good at what they do.

I can't tell you how much a good word from a well-respected physician/professor that a residency director knows will go. That can easily guarantee you an interview and give you a huge leg up.
 
In the end, I think I should stop worrying about what school in Chicago is easiest to get into...because all that matters is how I do on my mcat, gpa, and activities....

All I can do is work hard, try my best, have faith in myself and pray for the best!
 
PreMedHopeful said:
In the end, I think I should stop worrying about what school in Chicago is easiest to get into...because all that matters is how I do on my mcat, gpa, and activities....

All I can do is work hard, try my best, have faith in myself and pray for the best!
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...and sabotage other applicants! Muhahaha :meanie:
 
BrainBuff said:
The absolute worse is Chicago Med School = Rosalind Franklin, which is not even in Chicago!! The school has had a horrible reputation since it was created and has never been able to shake it. Unimpressive faculty, poor resources... It is everyone's safety.
Click to expand...

Hmph 😕 Is it really that bad? Because I applied to 4 Chicago med schools, and this one would be my top choice just because it isn't actually IN Chicago. And I don't like really big, busy cities. However, I would really rather get in somewhere else.
 
yeah I think CMS is fine, just not as reputable as other schools, I mean in the end doctors graduate from that school every year and they get jobs nonetheless
 
MN premed said:
Hmph 😕 Is it really that bad? Because I applied to 4 Chicago med schools, and this one would be my top choice just because it isn't actually IN Chicago. And I don't like really big, busy cities. However, I would really rather get in somewhere else.
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Rosalind is a fine school. On a volunteering thing, I met an M1 and M3 from Ros, and they were cool and competent. I have no doubt about their abilities as future physicians, or the education they are receiving. If you like Ros, apply, and go there.

I think the reason people shun Ros is because it seems to take a back seat to the Chicago schools. People who apply to Chicago schools do so because they have some interest in being/living in the city. So if a person gets accepted to a school in Chicago, and Ros, they (i would assume) would be more likely pick a school in Chicago, because it is in Chicago. Therefore, it seems like people don't like Ros, but in realty, they just like Chicago. There was also a rumor ~2 yrs ago that Ros accreditation was on probation. It is my understanding that if a school loses its accreditation, it's degrees are meaningless. So people were concerned, if I go to Ros, and the problems aren't fixed, all my time, money, energy will be wasted. As usual, the rumor was false, and Ros accreditation is safe.

Go where you want.
 
University of Wisconsin-Madison is a lot better than people here seem to credit.
It's the second most prestigious medical research facility in the Western Hemisphere after Johns Hopkins, and it has been listed in the top 5 Medical Schools in the US for the last few years.

If nothing else, Madison is certainly better than MCW. Trust me, I went to college in GreenBay, everyone and their mom wanted to go to med school in Madison while MCW is the local safety school. I know two separate people that got into MCW but declined and instead took a year off to see if they could get into Madison the following year.
 
Lacipart said:
University of Wisconsin-Madison is a lot better than people here seem to credit.
It's the second most prestigious medical research facility in the Western Hemisphere after Johns Hopkins, and it has been listed in the top 5 Medical Schools in the US for the last few years.

If nothing else, Madison is certainly better than MCW. Trust me, I went to college in GreenBay, everyone and their mom wanted to go to med school in Madison while MCW is the local safety school. I know two separate people that got into MCW but declined and instead took a year off to see if they could get into Madison the following year.
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I was really excited when I checked out MCW's website and started researching them. Milwaukee is a pretty cool city too. Mmmm...beer and cheese.
 
shiftingmirage said:
How do you suggest one does this? Distract the mailman with a donut and grab the secondaries and run?
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Throw a LOR from House up in the air and let all the gunners fight to the death over it :meanie:
 
We've omitted the great state of Ohio, home to like 5 med schools.

The Cleveland Clinic (Case) is probably most prestigeous, and most important to future students, has gone tuition FREE. They also have a small class of ~30 students.

OSU is also a good school in that, it is so large (50k+) that it basically offers everything. Its hospital also made some best hospital list
http://health.yahoo.com/featured/25/america-s-best-hospitals-the-2009-10-honor-roll
OSU is a state school, idk if/how many OSS they admit.

I think Wright state has a medical school....there's gotta be some others that I'm forgetting...
 
shiftingmirage said:
We've omitted the great state of Ohio, home to like 5 med schools.

The Cleveland Clinic (Case) is probably most prestigeous, and most important to future students, has gone tuition FREE. They also have a small class of ~30 students.

OSU is also a good school in that, it is so large (50k+) that it basically offers everything. Its hospital also made some best hospital list
http://health.yahoo.com/featured/25/america-s-best-hospitals-the-2009-10-honor-roll
OSU is a state school, idk if/how many OSS they admit.

I think Wright state has a medical school....there's gotta be some others that I'm forgetting...
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I've always considered Ohio Midwest, but I know a lot of people who don't.

Case, OSU, and Cincinnati are all schools I'd go to in a heartbeat. I did two internships in Cincinnati and loved the city. Very nice med school and two of the docs I shadowed went there and had nothing but positive things to say about it. It's in my top 5 schools.
 
Alvarez13 said:
I've always considered Ohio Midwest, but I know a lot of people who don't.
Click to expand...

I decided to go to the official source to figure out what constitutes the midwest. It includes: Ohio, Indy, Ill, Mich, Wisc, Missouri, Iowa, MN, S and N Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwestern_United_States

Instead of those what would jesus do wrist bands, I'm gonna have some made that ask what would the world do without Wiki
 
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