Is GW a good school?

[Woodstock]

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I'm new to this forum and just wanted everyone's opinion on GW. I live in DC and think I want to go to medical school here - so as of right now georgetown and gw are my top choices. I have a 3.75 GPA from Harvard and got a 33 on my MCAT. I have a good feeling about GW based on what I've heard from other people but I know Georgetown is ranked higher (at least in undergrad) and I don't know if I should try to aim higher in general and go to a higher/top-ranked school (if i'm lucky enough to get in there). I want to do my residency here in DC hopefully at Children's Hospital where GW students do their rotations. Does anyone have any advice for me on Georgetown vs. GW or DC schools vs. other schools based on my stats. I know the whole application process is a crapshoot and I'd consider myself lucky to get in anywhere, but I would really love some advice. Or maybe I should just base my decision on where all the cute boys are! 😍

 

[Bfriccia1]

I'm new to this forum and just wanted everyone's opinion on GW. I live in DC and think I want to go to medical school here - so as of right now georgetown and gw are my top choices. I have a 3.75 GPA from Harvard and got a 33 on my MCAT. I have a good feeling about GW based on what I've heard from other people but I know Georgetown is ranked higher (at least in undergrad) and I don't know if I should try to aim higher in general and go to a higher/top-ranked school (if i'm lucky enough to get in there). I want to do my residency here in DC hopefully at Children's Hospital where GW students do their rotations. Does anyone have any advice for me on Georgetown vs. GW or DC schools vs. other schools based on my stats. I know the whole application process is a crapshoot and I'd consider myself lucky to get in anywhere, but I would really love some advice. Or maybe I should just base my decision on where all the cute boys are! 😍

GW is a solid school as is georgetown. If you really want to do your residency at GW's children's hospital then GW or G'town would be great places to go because you could work there in your medical school years and make connections to help for residency. I think there is probably very little difference in prestige in the two schools (some people say G'town is better because it is "ranked" while GW isn't) but there difference is insignificant. The undergrad reputation has nothing to do with the medical school. Unless you're going to a US News top 15/20 school and your interested in research, those rankings mean nothing, and even in a top 15/20 school it doesnt mean you have a big advantage in residency applications compared with the rest of the medical students (you still have to do well on the boards ect.). Since pediatrics isnt very competitive anyway you could match into GW's children's hopsital from any US medical school as long as you do all right on the boards. Just interview at schools and see which ones you like the most. Your numbers will be competitive at most schools.

 

[TheFlash]

I'm new to this forum and just wanted everyone's opinion on GW. I live in DC and think I want to go to medical school here - so as of right now georgetown and gw are my top choices. I have a 3.75 GPA from Harvard and got a 33 on my MCAT. I have a good feeling about GW based on what I've heard from other people but I know Georgetown is ranked higher (at least in undergrad) and I don't know if I should try to aim higher in general and go to a higher/top-ranked school (if i'm lucky enough to get in there). I want to do my residency here in DC hopefully at Children's Hospital where GW students do their rotations. Does anyone have any advice for me on Georgetown vs. GW or DC schools vs. other schools based on my stats. I know the whole application process is a crapshoot and I'd consider myself lucky to get in anywhere, but I would really love some advice. Or maybe I should just base my decision on where all the cute boys are! 😍

with those stats, you're deep in the running at both GW and G'town unless you blow the interview. of the DC area schools, i'd go with g'town as well. gw and g'town are your best bets if you want to stay in dc for residency.

your stats are definitely competitive enough for other top 30 schools. my advice would be to spread your bets around schools that interest you. there are other better schools in that area that match extremely well into dc (i.e. johnny hop, duke, uva, etc.) that you might be happier at for the four years you're in med school. you'll have your pick of any of the peds programs in dc.

 

[RachMD2B]

I may be a bit biased, but I think GW is a wonderful medical school!!

I am SO happy with my decision to go to school here. The facilities are wonderful, the professors are very accessible and there are so many opportunities to get involved both at GW and in the community in general. I actually go to Children's once a week for one of my small groups (and my mentor is the head of the residency program there). GW is the only medical school affiliated with Children's and most of us do our peds rotation there 3rd year. Basically, I think GW is a great school for many reasons, but the main reasons I decided on it were the early clinical exposure (starting the first week of med school), the friendliness of the students/staff and the overall happiness of the students. Also, the learning facilities are top-notch, the whole 6th floor of the hospital is for students with the clinical skills center, and standardized patient rooms, and there is a brand new histology/pathology classroom with state-of-the-art technology and no microscopes! I don't know much about the facilities/students at G'town, but I do know that some of the students in my class did the Physiology Masters program there and did NOT like the med school at all. Also, I know their hospital has had some financial troubles in the past (this may still be an issue), where as GW has a brand new hospital (that even has a room reserved for the President!).

I think GW is better!! 🙂 👍 But keep in mind that I may a bit biased

 

[Ambs]

I was really impressed with GW's facilities at my interview, namely the above-mentioned sixth floor (especially the standardized examination rooms & simulated patient model room) and the awesome histo/path classroom.

 

[Hoya11]

We had a few lecturers this year who also lecture at GW, and in general from what I hear I dont think that the schools are vastly different.

Georgetown area is nice big sidewalks and greenwich village like/artsy feel whereas GW is more downtown citylike with big buildings and metro access that gtown does NOT have, which honestly IS a pain sometimes. It does not keep the bums from coming. they are all over dc in an even spread from what ive seen so that aspect is equal. i dunno bums sketch me out.. anyway..

Georgetown has no housing and the surrounding area is more expensive for housing/everything. I do not know about GW.

Financial problems/facilities really were not an issue for me. There is construction going on, new library just finished, new student lounge finished, new outdoor entrance with a courtyard which is awesome and general spiffing up around the medschool building (signs and charts and pictures etc).

Im no expert but as far as Financial problems, everyone at school says they are over with the new medstar alliance at the GU hospital. Its the same company that controls GW i think, but i dont know for sure. But anyway all signs point to doing better financially at the hospital. The med school never really was ever effected, it was just kind of like, what will happen to the med school if the hospital closes? ok nevermind the hospital isnt closing. The new dean is responsible for the turnaround, he is a genius and a good guy. We get all these newsletter/propaganda email things telling us how great the hospital is doing now.

As far as curriculum, I have to say that GU is VERY geared towards boards from day 1. Multiple choice intense tests, tricky questions, little explanation of what will be on the exam, purposefully tough scheduling, etc..

I have talked to friends at other med schools, not GW, and I have determined that a lot of other schools take it much easier on their students in terms of time demand/nurturing of learning, especially first year. That said though our match list is great and i think we are over 97% pass for boards.

good luck choosing, choose where you are comfortable, not where you think you "should" go, cuz both are above average schools that will make peds cake to get into.

Sorry if this post sounded negative towards gtown, I LOVE the gtown area much more so than the GW area, so im overall biased towards gtown but thats just me.

 

[jendc08]

Rachel, I'm resorting to stalking you on this thing because you are ignoring me and our trip!

Ok shameless gw plug: I go there too and it rocks! No one has to study and we all get 300 on the boards 😀

I may be a bit biased, but I think GW is a wonderful medical school!!

I am SO happy with my decision to go to school here. The facilities are wonderful, the professors are very accessible and there are so many opportunities to get involved both at GW and in the community in general. I actually go to Children's once a week for one of my small groups (and my mentor is the head of the residency program there). GW is the only medical school affiliated with Children's and most of us do our peds rotation there 3rd year. Basically, I think GW is a great school for many reasons, but the main reasons I decided on it were the early clinical exposure (starting the first week of med school), the friendliness of the students/staff and the overall happiness of the students. Also, the learning facilities are top-notch, the whole 6th floor of the hospital is for students with the clinical skills center, and standardized patient rooms, and there is a brand new histology/pathology classroom with state-of-the-art technology and no microscopes! I don't know much about the facilities/students at G'town, but I do know that some of the students in my class did the Physiology Masters program there and did NOT like the med school at all. Also, I know their hospital has had some financial troubles in the past (this may still be an issue), where as GW has a brand new hospital (that even has a room reserved for the President!).

I think GW is better!! 🙂 👍 But keep in mind that I may a bit biased

 

[neuropower]

they're both excellent medical schools

however, don't be so sure you'll get in to gw. i had a 3.91 and a 31 and i didnt' even get an interview at GW. i got into georgetown but i'm going to maryland.

my advice: apply to a huge range of schools and don't consider gw a safety.