Is Rosalind Franklin university any good?

[mac_kin]

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I know thats a general question but from looking at student profiles it seems like ppl who go there have lower GPAs and MCATs. They get rejected from every other school and then accepted into RF.
Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing b/c my scores and marks aren't stellar.

Has anyone visited there and have any comments about the place and its students?

 

[dogdayafternoon]

No medical school in the USA is bad but Rosalind Franklin University is clearly low-tier. It's not as prestigious as most schools.

That being said, I have been rejected from 7 schools in this, my first, application cycle and Rosalind Franklin will decide on my application this week it appears. I would love to get accepted because then I don't have to reapply and lose a year of my life.

When I interviewed there, their facilities were top notch (the school is expensive!) and most of the students seemed non-traditional. I think that is why their MCAT is lower than average matriculant for most schools. They accept people with 26s and 27s who have been around doing stuff for a few years after college.

Also, they have a bad reputation since they almost lost their license in the early parts of this decade. However, their current residency placement looks good. They don't have an affilated hospital either. In addition, the medical school is called the Chicago Medical School but its at least an hour north of Chicago in the middle of a not very interesting town.

 

[junebuguf]

RFU has a match list that would rival most schools in the top 20 of US News. The number of Ortho matches alone is astounding.

 

[cubguy83]

Rosalind Franklin/The Chicago Medical School is a fine place. It is in the same class as places such as Drexel, NYMC, Creighton, EVMS, and Albany. It is below schools like AECOM, Mt. Sinai, any UC school, Case Western, or USC. If you want to have a strong chance at accpetance you will need a MCAT and Science GPA of about a 65 (ie - MCAT 30 and Science GPA 3.5 or MCAT 27 and Science GPA 3.8). ANY US ALLOPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOL IS COMPETITIVE!!!!!!

 

[NonTradMed]

There's no 'bad' medical school in the US, but RFU is not considered top 20. However, it's matchlist is pretty good.

 

[Orth2006]

I know thats a general question but from looking at student profiles it seems like ppl who go there have lower GPAs and MCATs.

RFU's student stats are about average comparatively to the rest of the US Allo schools, 3.5/30 (those are not necessarily low stats).

They get rejected from every other school and then accepted into RF.

This is not entirely correct because RFU isn't very easy to get into either. Not because of high stats but because huge amount of applicants.

7794 compared to a school like harvard 5394 (according to 2006 MSAR)

So while an applicant with average stats is more likely to get into RFU than Harvard - there are no guarantees.

Also RFU had some licensing problems a few years back which they have rectified. I believe their name change (from Finch to RFU) was part of leaving the past behind and starting on a fresh clean slate. They have new management it seems that is steering the school in a new exciting direction (i.e. their whole life of discovery theme). So perhaps one should not judge them based on their past history but on what they are doing now. They have made major adjustments in the 2 or 3 years since their name change. When I visited the school for interview, i was impressed with their upbeat attitude about their school. Say what you will but I don't think anyone who attends RFU regrets their decision or are unhappy.
The school is situated in North Chicago - not as exciting as downtown chicago. But one can look at that several ways. A good way is that it gives the student more opportunity to focus for the first 2 years (you move to downtown after the first 2 years). Secondly, most med schools are situated in remote areas for good reason - (so that underserved population have easier access to health facilities). It is also interesting that just south of RFU is where multimillionaires like Michael Jordan live. I hardly think an area with realestate worth millions is a remote place - boring maybe but remote - not sure about that.

Ultimately RFU is as good as any other US allopathic and their residency match list is probably a good evidence to support that. But don't take my word for it or anyone else's. Visit the school yourself if you can and let your heart guide you. At the end its where you feel most comfortable that matters and perhaps your question should be "Will I like RFU?" rather than "Is it a good school?"

Good luck

I'm still holding out for an acceptance there and wouldn't mind going if accepted.

 

[red dot]

They have new management it seems that is steering the school in a new exciting direction (i.e. their whole life of discovery theme).

that just made me grumble a bit. writing that secondary was like pulling teeth.

 

[newbie1kenobi]

Their board scores are pretty impressive, too.

 

[Bluntman]

Secondly, most med schools are situated in remote areas for good reason - (so that underserved population have easier access to health facilities).

Umm I don't think any of this is true.

 

[maestro1625]

and I really wouldnt call the area "underserved"

 

[dogdayafternoon]

I'm sure the real reason is that it is probably a little cheaper to buy a bunch of buildings or build them and make a school in a suburb than in a major city like Chicago. Plus living expenses for students are probably a bit cheaper. Although the school was actually built a real long time ago... oh my god, i haven't even been accepted anywhere yet....................................................................................................................

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Secondly, most med schools are situated in remote areas for good reason - (so that underserved population have easier access to health facilities).

umm most med schools are located in the center of major metropolitan areas.

 

[maria219]

and I really wouldnt call the area "underserved"

definitely not. Have you seen some of the houses???

 

[Orth2006]

umm most med schools are located in the center of major metropolitan areas.

Perhaps the word is not "remote" or "underserved". The point is med schools are not typically located in fancy places. The argument that RFU is not located in downtown Chicago is not enough to make it a bad school.

 

[Ombatay]

Another X-Factor in dragging down RFU's GPA/MCAT scores, which aren't necessarily that low to begin with, is the fact that a decent portion of the class is made up with students who finish their post-bacc masters. This program takes a lot of people with sub-30 mcats or sub 3.5 gpa's. You know, people who need a chance to maybe prove that they're capable of doing the work and one bad showing on one test shouldn't automatically send them packing. So as these students prove their abilites and matriculate into CMS, their sub-par scores go with them. And this begets RFU's possibly lower stats. This program also is a good chunk of the reason you see a lot of non-trads at RFUMS, because having been so long out of school, this was their way in.

And for those curious, North Chicago, wherein RFUMS is located, is NOT in any way reflective of the amount of money you find on the North Shore. (non-chicagoans, the north shore is the suburbs along lake michigan north of the city, basically up to the wisconsin border.) Yes, highland park is very nice (where #23 lives). So are many of the areas about 15-20 minutes from school (Many of the Bears live in Lake Forest as this is where their headquarters is, and some of the rookies live in my apartment complex in Waukegan as it's close to Lake Forest.) But in North Chicago (and Waukegan), somewhere around 15% of the population lives below the poverty line. Its actually quite remarkable the disparity in housing between Lake Bluff and North Chicago, which are neighboring suburbs. There's nothing in North Chicago, outside of a Naval Base, this school, and Abbott Labs. So when Orth2006 said boring, but not remote, they pretty much hit the nail on the head. It's boring, but fun is not far away. It's a good balance. And some very cheap shopping at Gurnee Mills =)

 

[maestro1625]

But in North Chicago (and Waukegan), somewhere around 15% of the population lives below the poverty line.

just 15%!? where the hell are you people from? Hell, most upper class suburbs have more than that.

 

[Pkboi24]

just 15%!? where the hell are you people from? Hell, most upper class suburbs have more than that.

You're kidding right? Upper-class suburbs are called that because they generally have 0% living below poverty and 100% living on above average incomes or wealth. Maybe you were just trying to be sarcastic and I didn't get it?

 

[Compozine]

Here is the deal. RFU, like all acredited US allopathic medical schools is "any good." It is not a top tier school by any stretch of the imagination, but it is still competitive, just like all MD schools in this country. There are not going to be any dummies in the class at RFU, just like there won't be any in the class at Harvard or Penn. Now, I got accepted at Temple, NYMC, and Penn State, but rejected with no interview from RFU. I don't know why, but I assume they have their reasons. Medical school is what you make of it. If you study hard, do well on your boards, and do well in your clinical rotations, you will match well, end of story. An MD is an MD, and frankly (I know this might pi$$ some people off), if it meant the difference between me going DO and going to RFU, I would take RFU in a heartbeat.

 

[Mperor]

Here is the deal. RFU, like all acredited US allopathic medical schools is "any good." It is not a top tier school by any stretch of the imagination, but it is still competitive, just like all MD schools in this country. There are not going to be any dummies in the class at RFU, just like there won't be any in the class at Harvard or Penn. Now, I got accepted at Temple, NYMC, and Penn State, but rejected with no interview from RFU. I don't know why, but I assume they have their reasons. Medical school is what you make of it. If you study hard, do well on your boards, and do well in your clinical rotations, you will match well, end of story. An MD is an MD, and frankly (I know this might pi$$ some people off), if it meant the difference between me going DO and going to RFU, I would take RFU in a heartbeat.

I endorse this post 👍

 

[Ombatay]

just 15%!? where the hell are you people from? Hell, most upper class suburbs have more than that.

It was intended as a comparative matter, but it was my mistake to not include other data. Highland Park = 3.8% below the poverty line, Lake Forest = 2.1% below, Lake Bluff = 1.1% below, and Libertyville = 3.5% below. My intentions were not to paint North Chicago as a slum, because it's not one. It's just not like the south end of the north shore.

 

[EctopicFetus]

Gosh... As a soon to be grad of RFU here is the dizzle.. The school is located up there because as someone sort of alluded the school got screwed back in the day by Ruth Rothstein (who now sits of the school's board) and basically took the affiliation of Cook County away from RFUMS but kept it going with Rush (both schools were closely affiliated with County). The school owned a parcel of land on Ogden (by Cook) (pics still located in the library of the building) but recently (like 2 months ago) sold this to UIC.

There is NO point in debating the poverty line of the areas by school. CMSers do most of their rotations at places like Cook County and Mt Sinai (wanna see underserved?) The "model" the school was trying to start up in N Chicago failed and now they are changing the way they run the school and what they expect from faculty.

This lesson brought to you by Mr Fetus..

 

[zimmie256]

Gosh... As a soon to be grad of RFU here is the dizzle.. The school is located up there because as someone sort of alluded the school got screwed back in the day by Ruth Rothstein (who now sits of the school's board) and basically took the affiliation of Cook County away from RFUMS but kept it going with Rush (both schools were closely affiliated with County). The school owned a parcel of land on Ogden (by Cook) (pics still located in the library of the building) but recently (like 2 months ago) sold this to UIC.

There is NO point in debating the poverty line of the areas by school. CMSers do most of their rotations at places like Cook County and Mt Sinai (wanna see underserved?) The "model" the school was trying to start up in N Chicago failed and now they are changing the way they run the school and what they expect from faculty.

This lesson brought to you by Mr Fetus..

Could you elaborate a little more on the changes that are being made?

 

[EctopicFetus]

Long story short they were trying to let researchers research off of the backs of the $$$ the students brought in (rather than the NIH), they hoped that this lack of pressure would attract big name people with the bonus that they could live and raise their families in some of the nicest parts of chicago, since Highland park, Lake Forest, Lake Bluff are all real close (and are the most $$$ places to live in Chicago.

That model blows monkey tush so now they are going to a more traditional bring in NIH money type model. Many of the old chairs etc are out the door and newer more energetic types are getting brought in (thank god).

 

[velo]

RFU has a match list that would rival most schools in the top 20 of US News. The number of Ortho matches alone is astounding.

I'm going to say this once because I see this alot, but when you look at a match list you can't only look at what people matched in but where they matched, and unfortunately that info isn't always released.

Most schools are going to have match lists that, with regards to what specialties the students matched in, look pretty darn similar. However at some schools in addition to the ~25% that match into top speciality programs the 75% of people who decided to do IM/peds/general surgery are matching at the top programs in the country, setting themselves up for fellowships/jobs after residency. At some other schools you still see 75% going into bread and butter stuff and 25% straight to a speciality but, on average, they're matching into the less prestigious programs.

I'm not saying great doctors don't come from every med school in the country, I'm just saying that match lists that may look very similar are, in reality, not.

 

[EctopicFetus]

Stanford Plastics, MD Anderson Rad Onc..

On and on... keep in mind that even this doesnt really matter. I have met people who went to awful community IM programs and matched into good fellowships.

Keep in mind that if you dont want academics but just a fellowship where you do your residency doesnt matter as much as you think.

 

[EctopicFetus]

CMS is rollin...