I need some advice...

[Metfan2987]

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Hi everybody,

First let me just say I am relatively new to SDN and I love it. It has been great!

I have a dilemma. I just got an interview for Tufts. I am already accepted at Upstate and Downstate. I am almost "committed" to Downstate, as I love the location (NY area) and the cost.

My question to everybody is, should I go to the Tufts interview? I mean, Tufts is waaaay more expensive that downstate (like 50 grand a year vs. 20 grand a year). Is it worth that extra money at all? Or not?

Thanks!

 

[WellWornLad]

If you're really on the fence (and it doesn't sound like you are), why not just go to the interview and take it from there?

The people I know at Tufts are pretty happy, I guess. I don't know anyone from Downstate, but I've been to Kings County Hospital and it seems like a gritty place - I happen to like gritty, your tastes may differ. Also, a resident once told me that downstate med students don't seem to be shocked by anything - again, your tastes may differ.

Anyway, this thread should be in pre-med, we've mostly all blocked the trauma of the application cycle from our collective consciousness.

 

[mjl1717]

If you're really on the fence (and it doesn't sound like you are), why not just go to the interview and take it from there?

The people I know at Tufts are pretty happy, I guess. I don't know anyone from Downstate, but I've been to Kings County Hospital and it seems like a gritty place - I happen to like gritty, your tastes may differ. Also, a resident once told me that downstate med students don't seem to be shocked by anything - again, your tastes may differ.

Anyway, this thread should be in pre-med, we've mostly all blocked the trauma of the application cycle from our collective consciousness.

Agree.. If you want "REAL inner city medicine"-Downstate.

If you prefer a more but not totally sheltered enviorment- Tufts..

Overall Downstate /Kings county IS the real deal and some of the more sheltered middle and upper class students may not be able to hack it!! But I see you can...

 

[Metfan2987]

Agree.. If you want "REAL inner city medicine"-Downstate.

If you prefer a more but not totally sheltered enviorment- Tufts..

Overall Downstate /Kings county IS the real deal and some of the more sheltered middle and upper class students may not be able to hack it!!

Do you know what the match comparisons are? Do people from Tufts match in specialties more than Downstate, or is it the other way around?

 

[WellWornLad]

Do you know what the match comparisons are? Do people from Tufts match in specialties more than Downstate, or is it the other way around?

It's hard/impossible to read into match lists. There are too many subjective factors involved. There was a thread last year that supposedly had a listing of residency director rankings of schools:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=493442

Read the comments in the thread though, they'll tell you that it's pretty much meaningless.

 

[Gallix23]

Agree.. If you want "REAL inner city medicine"-Downstate.

If you prefer a more but not totally sheltered enviorment- Tufts..

...Isn't Tufts Med school right in Boston? 😕

 

[mjl1717]

...Isn't Tufts Med school right in Boston? 😕

Its not in Boston proper but it is in the suburbs of Boston..

Its hard to say who has more rank overall....(you have Kings County Hospital at Downstate, not many will beat them with trauma!)

 

[michaelrack]

Go ahead and do the Tufts interview. Then when you are asked the inevitable question "Why do you want to go to Tufts for medical school" you can turn the table on your interviewer and say something like "I don't know if I want to come here, what makes Tufts better than school X, where I've already been accepted?" At the end of the interview, if you decide that Tufts isn't right for you, you can tell them "thank you for interviewing me, but I don't think Tufts is right for me". Feels good to turn somebody down rather than the usual process of the student being rejected.

In my case, I did a couple of interviews after I was accepted at a low quality (seemed low quality to me at the time, not sure how good it is now) school, New York Medical College (I ended up going to U of Iowa). Since I didn't really want to go to NYMC, I couldn't blow off the other interviews or act arrogant, but found interviewing much more laid back and enjoyable once I had a fallback option.

 

[Dr Roboto]

If you're really on the fence (and it doesn't sound like you are), why not just go to the interview and take it from there?

Go ahead and do the Tufts interview. Then when you are asked the inevitable question "Why do you want to go to Tufts for medical school" you can turn the table on your interviewer and say something like "I don't know if I want to come here, what makes Tufts better than school X, where I've already been accepted?" At the end of the interview, if you decide that Tufts isn't right for you, you can tell them "thank you for interviewing me, but I don't think Tufts is right for me". Feels good to turn somebody down rather than the usual process of the student being rejected.

Agree 100%. You won't know how you feel about the place until you check it out. If you don't like the place, well then no harm done. If you find yourself smitten, well then you've just dragged out the application process another 10 weeks. Just kidding. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Doctorverardoll]

Its not in Boston proper but it is in the suburbs of Boston..

Its hard to say who has more rank overall....(you have Kings County Hospital at Downstate, not many will beat them with trauma!)

Tufts undergrad is in Medford (burbs) if you will. NEMC is in the heart of the city.. chinatown. I'm sure you'll see a lot there as well. From what I've heard Kings County brings in everything.

As someone who has to pay a lot for tuition, I wish I had taken up that state tuition.

 

[Metfan2987]

Thanks for all the great advice. I scheduled my interview for next Thursday, but I'm still unsure if I'm going to go. I have a shadow day at Downstate next week before that. If I really enjoy it and like the school, and it excites me for next year, I think I'm just going to call up Tufts and cancel. The price just makes more sense, and I'll be a lot more comfy in New York.

 

[DrJosephKim]

Go to the interview. Boston is a great city and you have to check it out. I loved my 4 years in Boston and I miss it very much. I'd go back to Boston in a heartbeat.