If money weren't a factor, RFU or UIC?

[KarEntropy]

I always hear about people saying they would choose UIC over Rosalind Franklin because it's cheaper. I just received an amazing scholarship offer from RFU, and I'm very tempted to take it if I don't get into Pritzker...but I want to know how different RFU is academically from UIC. I know that a lot of people go to RFU when they didn't have any other options, and I want to make sure that I wouldn't be missing out on something important by going to RFU. I really liked RFU when I visited...I'm just wondering about the academics compared to other Chicago schools.
Thanks so much for your input!

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[zach1201]

Clinically, UIC is a lot better.

 

[MahlerROCKS]

UIC is in a more exciting area (my two cents), and has its own hospital, along with Stroger, in close proximity. RFU, by contrast, does not have its own hospital, but has affiliates in the city

 

[EctopicFetus]

Go wherever it is cheaper.. the match list at UIC is not better than RFU.. it does suck that you have to move after m2 yr but going to different places is cool..

 

[iwannagomed]

Go wherever it is cheaper.. the match list at UIC is not better than RFU.. it does suck that you have to move after m2 yr but going to different places is cool..

at RFU...

do students move after M2 to where the affiliated hospitals are...?

u dont need to come back to the north chicago campus after M2...?

 

[laugh qd]

Many students live by school for the first 2 years and then move to various parts of the city "proper" between M2 and M3 year. Having said that, there are also many students that live in Evanston throughout the four years, or like myself, some of us live dowtown all four years.

As for the time spent on campus during M3 and M4 year: this might depend on your involvement in school activities, but for the most part you might need to go for certain clerkship orientations (these are mostly transitioning to downtown hospital locations), career days, and the like.

Congrats to OP for your scholarship! RFU has worked really hard to get these scholarships in place and it's quite an honor. FYI, I did have a choice in medical schools and chose RFUMS. The UIC students I've met and rotated with (since we rotate at many of the same hospitals-Christ/Hope, Masonic, Cook County, Swedish, etc) have been just like most other med students I've met, we learn the same information and are challenged similarly in the clinical setting. I can't speak to their match list, but I would venture to say that, just like at RFUMS, if you work hard, get good grades, do well on boards, develop your cv/resume, and get good letters, you should be able to go into the field of your choice.

There are really great things about both schools and this choice can be more than just a financial one.

Good luck!

 

[sunnyjohn]

Take the scholarship.

 

[chitown82]

uic hands down.

 

[Dr. Will]

at RFU...

do students move after M2 to where the affiliated hospitals are...?

u dont need to come back to the north chicago campus after M2...?

Yes...everyone moves downtown between M2 and M3 year. The only time you have to return to campus is for shelf exams, OSCE's, career day activities, which isn't all that often.

I've seen RFU change for the better over my 5 years here. I'm very happy with my education and feel very prepared for residency. I've rotated with students from UIC...and honestly, they're just like us. There is material we know better, and their is material they know better. It doesn't mean either school is better. And yes...the match lists are similar. Go with whatever is cheaper and where you feel is a better fit. If you work hard, you'll do well once the match comes around.

 

[KarEntropy]

Thanks to everyone for your opinions! This scholarship makes RFU much cheaper than UIC, so I just want to make sure it would be worth taking.

uic hands down.

Chitown82, why do you say this? I'm just trying to figure out why someone would choose UIC over a really good scholarship at RFU. I'm going to be living downtown no matter what because I'll be married to someone getting his PhD at the U of C and we'll both have to commute. I don't mind taking the Metra up to Waukegan. I also don't mind going to different area hospitals, as RFU students do. I just want to know what differences exist between the two schools in the first two years. Since I interviewed in Rockford, I don't have a good feel for the Chicago campus. I know RFU has really great anatomy labs and great pathology professors. I don't know anything about the teaching at UIC or whether the students are happy.
Thanks again!

 

[iwannagomed]

Thanks to everyone for your opinions! This scholarship makes RFU much cheaper than UIC, so I just want to make sure it would be worth taking.

wow... must be a HOT scholarship!!!

RFU (from what ive heard) is not too generous with fin aid packages...

 

[Auron]

UIC no contest.

 

[Dr. Will]

UIC no contest.

Reasons why would be a tad bit more helpful.

 

[chitown82]

Thanks to everyone for your opinions! This scholarship makes RFU much cheaper than UIC, so I just want to make sure it would be worth taking.



Chitown82, why do you say this? I'm just trying to figure out why someone would choose UIC over a really good scholarship at RFU. I'm going to be living downtown no matter what because I'll be married to someone getting his PhD at the U of C and we'll both have to commute. I don't mind taking the Metra up to Waukegan. I also don't mind going to different area hospitals, as RFU students do. I just want to know what differences exist between the two schools in the first two years. Since I interviewed in Rockford, I don't have a good feel for the Chicago campus. I know RFU has really great anatomy labs and great pathology professors. I don't know anything about the teaching at UIC or whether the students are happy.
Thanks again!

Hey,

I don't have much time to write now cuz I have to study for a standardized pt exam on monday (and tomorrow is shot cuz of the bears game) but check out my post history...ive commented about uic quite a bit. PM me with specific questions.

 

[jbrice1639]

regardless of tuition, UIC is considered a far superior school to RFU. the fact that UIC is more expensive in this situation doesn't make a difference.

depending on where you want to go with your career may make a difference too, though. i've heard lots of negative comments about RFU from doctors practicing in the Chicago area, yet outside of the area, doctors don't seem to really have any opinion about RFU. the negativity is probably more localized to this area.

 

[Wizard of Oz]

Illinois-Chicago, Northwestern over the others in Chicago; but the U of C folks have attacked me for my stance.

 

[zach1201]

There are more research opportunities to boost your application for residencies and fellowships at UIC compared to RFU.

 

[jbrice1639]

Illinois-Chicago, Northwestern over the others in Chicago; but the U of C folks have attacked me for my stance.

you're saying UIC over U of Chicago?! having no real personal bias towards either one (don't particularly like either one, myself), i find that a little tough to believe considering U of C has better hospitals AND stronger research...

 

[Wizard of Oz]

you're saying UIC over U of Chicago?! having no real personal bias towards either one (don't particularly like either one, myself), i find that a little tough to believe considering U of C has better hospitals AND stronger research...

No I'm saying NW, then U of C, then prolly Loyola followed by Illinois-Chicago, RF, and Rush.

I just liked NW when I visited. Nothing personal against U of C, I just didn't feel safe in the vicinity. I'm a small town boy, these things matter to me.

 

[Dr. Will]

regardless of tuition, UIC is considered a far superior school to RFU. the fact that UIC is more expensive in this situation doesn't make a difference.

depending on where you want to go with your career may make a difference too, though. i've heard lots of negative comments about RFU from doctors practicing in the Chicago area, yet outside of the area, doctors don't seem to really have any opinion about RFU. the negativity is probably more localized to this area.

That's funny, I've rotated at multiple hospitals around Chicago and elsewhere in the country, and have NEVER had this experience. I've actually had quite the opposite with regards to comments on how hardworking many of our students tend to be. I think it's sad that people continue to perpetuate such a negative feeling towards our school when there really isn't much to base it on. (and don't start spouting off about the accredidation issue, b/c frankly, it was overblown and had NOTHING to do with the curriculum/education of the students).

Also...I just finished interviewing for the match (EM, which is getting more competitive by the year), and I had no problem. I interviewed at what are traditionally considered "top" places in the field. While school rep plays a small role, your application and what you put into your education speaks far more than your school. I think our match list more than proves this. We match well.

 

[medicomel]

UIC is killing me with its constant exams and unbelievably difficult anatomy course; nevertheless, I would choose it over Rosalind Franklin because of the clinical opportunities awaiting me down the road. Well, that's what they told me during second-look and orientation, and they better as hell be right.

Now back to genetics...I have an exam on Monday.

good luck in your decision. you're going to be a doctor, wherever you end up. and for what it's worth, a friend of mine attended RFU back when it was still Finch, and she's a very successful doc.

 

[Dr. Will]

UIC is killing me with its constant exams and unbelievably difficult anatomy course; nevertheless, I would choose it over Rosalind Franklin because of the clinical opportunities awaiting me down the road. Well, that's what they told me during second-look and orientation, and they better as hell be right.

Now back to genetics...I have an exam on Monday.

good luck in your decision. you're going to be a doctor, wherever you end up. and for what it's worth, a friend of mine attended RFU back when it was still Finch, and she's a very successful doc.

We rotate through many of the same hospitals as the UIC students...there are very similar clinical opportunities for both schools. I've become friends with many of the students from your school since we are even on the same clinical teams.

 

[kyley3k]

along this same line... what about slu or uic?

 

[chitown82]

We rotate through many of the same hospitals as the UIC students...there are very similar clinical opportunities for both schools. I've become friends with many of the students from your school since we are even on the same clinical teams.

one major difference between the two is the clinical exposure during the first two years. as M2s, we spend about five-six full weeks (spread over three sessions) in the hospital kind of doing a mini rotation in either medicine, family, or ER. plus we have tons real patient contact thru our essentials of clinical medicine class plus many workshops with stardardized patients. one of my best friends (who is at RFU) said they get very little real pt contact during their first two years.

 

[Moniker]

one major difference between the two is the clinical exposure during the first two years. as M2s, we spend about five-six full weeks (spread over three sessions) in the hospital kind of doing a mini rotation in either medicine, family, or ER. plus we have tons real patient contact thru our essentials of clinical medicine class plus many workshops with stardardized patients. one of my best friends (who is at RFU) said they get very little real pt contact during their first two years.

RFU does something similar. M2 year the Introduction to Clinical Medicine course which spans over the first two years has numerous preceptorship sessions where you practice pt. interviewing at local hospitals. First year you have the option to do a "First year clinicial exposure program" which is basically ~7+ sessions shadowing a physician in a specialty you choose they set you up with, which you do short case write ups for and they give you elective credit.

 

[Moniker]

There are more research opportunities to boost your application for residencies and fellowships at UIC compared to RFU.

i don't know whether this is true or not, but i do know that there is plenty of research opportunities at RFU. they offer summer research fellowships (where they provide faculty willing to help you complete a ~8 wk project in their lab) and you get a $4000 grant stipend. you can also do the "MD with Distinction in Research Program" where you do a larger project over the course of your 4 year MD, as long as it's publishable quality (doesn't have to publish per se), you do a presentation and complete a manuscript, and finish by the time you graduate. you have a faculty committee, etc. you can also apply after M2 year to join the MD/PhD program if you're interested in that much research.

these programs are underutilized probably for 2 main reasons: people don't really want to stick around during the summers, since many are OOS and don't want to stick around North Chicago all summer, and because of this commonly held belief that the research at RFU isn't as good as elsewhere for some reason. believe me - there's plenty of fascinating research done by prominent researchers in their fields and plenty of opportunities for students who seek it out.

especially for the purposes of residency, which is the main reason people do it. just do your research.

 

[gary5]

uic hands down.

Agreed.

 

[DrVanNostran]

If money wasn't a factor, I personally would pick RFU. I really like there style of learning during the first two years and a lot of their rotations are in the Advocate system which I also really like. As for people saying it has a bad reputation, I have heard otherwise from practicing physicians.

 

[Moniker]

If money wasn't a factor, I personally would pick RFU. I really like there style of learning during the first two years and a lot of their rotations are in the Advocate system which I also really like. As for people saying it has a bad reputation, I have heard otherwise from practicing physicians.

yeah, and rfu wants people like you actually - students who genuinely want to attend rfu. students who know what opportunities are available to them and are going to make the most of them. they realize what people (premeds, mostly) tend to think about the school, and everyone here knows that the school is undervalued by the applicant pool, in general. that's why if you express a lot of interest and specific reasons you like the school (and mean it), they'll be impressed. but you have to consider that they do want to be able to show improving applicant and matriculant numbers.

and about the "money factor", out of the 6 chicago MD schools, apparently we're now 3rd re: student debt, right in the middle. and the applicant pool increased by 30% this year.

 

[DrVanNostran]

and about the "money factor", out of the 6 chicago MD schools, apparently we're now 3rd re: student debt, right in the middle. and the applicant pool increased by 30% this year.

Honestly, I expect RFU to be number one w/in ten or so years But, all laughing aside, I really like RFU. I almost applied EDP there, I wish I had now

 

[Mperor]

I'm not sure a lot of people are reading the entirety of your post. If RFU is MUCH cheaper, I would go there. There are def pros and cons to RFU, but UIC isn't a grand slam decision if you ask me.

money asside...

RFU - no 1 affiliated hospital, but great board scores, comparable match
UIC - better clinical setting, better setting first 2 years, many students compalin about lack of student support first two years, comparable match list

I would probably choose UIC if the both cost the same. But if RFU is consideraly cheaper, I would go there. both would provide a great opportunity.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am an RFU student... but I think most of the people weighing in, are just premeds

 

[Orthodoc40]

Uh - this thread was from Feb. The OP probably has decided by now.