Hi all, I was accepted to several schools but have since narrowed down my choices to two: Jefferson (SKMC) and Wake Forest. Very different schools for sure, and I’m wondering if anybody has thoughts about either beyond what is typically advertised during the interview process/online/etc. Open to opinions, thoughts, experiences…whatever you think might be helpful. Been a lurker on the boards this cycle but thought I’d hop in here with this post 🙂
A bit about me: I’ll be matriculating with an MBA and I’m currently interested in orthopedic surgery (but also open to CT surgery). I plan to incorporate global health into my career as a physician. I haven’t received financial aid offers yet, but I don’t anticipate receiving merit aid… I think I’m a pretty run-of-the-mill acceptance (3.87, 514, URM). I'll be using loans to pay for school so COA does factor into my decision, but I won't be carrying any over from previous degrees.
SKMC
Pros:
- Did my undergrad in PA, have a strong community in the greater Philly/Eastern PA area
- Variety of high quality research opportunities and orthopedic research/surgery connections
- Highly rated ortho residency
Cons:
- Haven’t lived in a major city before — going to visit before making a decision, but not sure what that would be like… how might that affect cohort/school culture, etc. I guess I could end up loving it haha.
- Bigger class size (not necessarily a con unless it limits opportunities, although that doesn’t seem to be the case)
- Higher cost of living being in Center City
WFSOM
Pros:
- Incredible facilities, partnership with Atrium Health and new campus in Charlotte
- Global Health Certificate program and opportunities abroad
- About 1.5 hours from extended family
- Lower cost of living and I’m more familiar with the mid-sized city feel
- Warm, laid back faculty and students
Cons:
- Farther away from immediate family and current community in PA
- COA is higher than SKMC, but looking at the breakdown the difference seems to be in things like a laptop allowance and loan fees. Tuition is ~3k diff and housing budgets are similar
Summary: Obviously choosing a med school is a personal decision, and both schools are attractive to me for different reasons. However, I think there's a lot of knowledge on these boards that's worth asking for. Both schools seem to have solid match results, though SKMC might have the edge for ortho. Name-brand isn’t incredibly important to me since students at both schools seem to match fine, but open to feedback on this. Global health opportunities are important and I’m not as well informed about their presence at SKMC. Any insights into the culture or unique aspects of either program?
Thanks in advance!
A bit about me: I’ll be matriculating with an MBA and I’m currently interested in orthopedic surgery (but also open to CT surgery). I plan to incorporate global health into my career as a physician. I haven’t received financial aid offers yet, but I don’t anticipate receiving merit aid… I think I’m a pretty run-of-the-mill acceptance (3.87, 514, URM). I'll be using loans to pay for school so COA does factor into my decision, but I won't be carrying any over from previous degrees.
SKMC
Pros:
- Did my undergrad in PA, have a strong community in the greater Philly/Eastern PA area
- Variety of high quality research opportunities and orthopedic research/surgery connections
- Highly rated ortho residency
Cons:
- Haven’t lived in a major city before — going to visit before making a decision, but not sure what that would be like… how might that affect cohort/school culture, etc. I guess I could end up loving it haha.
- Bigger class size (not necessarily a con unless it limits opportunities, although that doesn’t seem to be the case)
- Higher cost of living being in Center City
WFSOM
Pros:
- Incredible facilities, partnership with Atrium Health and new campus in Charlotte
- Global Health Certificate program and opportunities abroad
- About 1.5 hours from extended family
- Lower cost of living and I’m more familiar with the mid-sized city feel
- Warm, laid back faculty and students
Cons:
- Farther away from immediate family and current community in PA
- COA is higher than SKMC, but looking at the breakdown the difference seems to be in things like a laptop allowance and loan fees. Tuition is ~3k diff and housing budgets are similar
Summary: Obviously choosing a med school is a personal decision, and both schools are attractive to me for different reasons. However, I think there's a lot of knowledge on these boards that's worth asking for. Both schools seem to have solid match results, though SKMC might have the edge for ortho. Name-brand isn’t incredibly important to me since students at both schools seem to match fine, but open to feedback on this. Global health opportunities are important and I’m not as well informed about their presence at SKMC. Any insights into the culture or unique aspects of either program?
Thanks in advance!
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