Jefferson vs UConn (vs Albany?)

[catie_jane]

Hey everyone,

I have been lucky enough this cycle to have receive multiple acceptances, with 2 of them being from my top 2 choices. I have talked to the physicians I work with, my pre-med advisors, and of course my family about the choice I have ahead but I would love to get some feedback from everyone on here (since I have gotten such good feedback throughout this whole application cycle).

I have made pro/con list for both UConn and Jefferson and have posted them below. I also have an acceptance at Albany and was thinking about withdrawing but was not sure if I should wait for a financial aid package beforehand? (disclaimer: I have not gotten any official financial aid packages from any schools yet but all my paperwork is complete).

Also, feel free to comment on things that are NOT important vs important in deciding how to choose a medical school (I sort of just did research on everything and constructed a list)

JEFFERSON
PROS

1. Community Service Opportunities
JeffHOPE – student-run volunteer clinic, 5x days a week (homeless shelters)
Refugee Health Partners – multiple opportunities including student-run clinic, education classes, and health fairs
Adopt-A-Mom – partner with expecting mothers from the JOGA Clinic through prenatal care to labor and delivery
JeffYES – adolescent outreach program for urban youth in homeless shelters


2. Research Opportunities
Formal 9-week summer research program
College within a College (CwiC) – “Clinical and Translational Research Track”


3. Clinical Sites
multitude of clinical rotation sites in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware
sites that vary from level one trauma centers to rural community hospitals
many more sites for rotation compared to UConn

4. Curriculum

H/P/F grading scheme (H>90%, P>70%)
Basic lecture model with small-group based discussions incorporated in
Switching to JeffMD for the Class of 2021 (Class of 2020 will be hybrid)
Small groups (PBL, TBL)
Basic 24 month pre-clinical curriculum

5. Location (living in the city)


6. Free fitness center (with pool! +++)

7. Early clinical exposure

Multiple community service opportunities that allow for patient care as early as M1 (JeffHOPE, Refugee Health, etc.
Introduction to Clinical Medicine I and II during M1 and M2
Foundations of Clinical Medicine (FCM) and Physical Diagnosis during M2

8. Prestige?
Jefferson students well-known to residency directors

9. Clinical Rotation grades not based on SHELF Exam scores!

10. Match Lists (2015 and 2016)
Lots of PA matches (although there are a lot of PA hospital systems with the Philly Triplets and Penn State)
Saw matches in both CT and MA
Variety of specialties along with matches into competitive specialties

11. “Vibe”
Throughout the whole cycle, I had my best experience with Jefferson
Really get the feeling that Jefferson cares deeply for their students and are very involved despite the class size


CONS

1. High Tutition/COA
Tution = $53,311
Fees = $850
Room and Board = $17,391
Total = $71,552

2. Far away from support system (~5 hour train ride to CT)

3. H/P/F compared to P/F at UConn

4. 24 month vs 18 month pre-clinical curriculum

5. 260 class size? (although any medical school class size will be large in my view compared to my 10-25 class size at Stonehill)

6. No formal MS program in Research but they do have the track



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UCONN


PROS

1. Community Service Opportunities
Covenant House Medical Clinical in Willimantic, CT
Free clinic run by medical, pharmacy, and dental students
Get to visit hometown 1x a month

Multiple other opportunities

2. In-State Tuition
Tuition = $30,010
Fees = $5,609
Living expenses = ~$20,000

3. Close to support system (family in CT; boyfriend in MA)


4. Cheap/convenient cost of living
Talcott Forest is located directly across from the science center (~4 minute drive)

5. Free student fitness center


6. M Delta Curriculum
TBL without any lectures; however previous lectures are recorded and availabe online
P/F grading scheme for pre-clinical
HH/H/P/F for clinical rotations
Clinical simulation center
Virtual laboratory to complement the gross anatomy lab (early introduction to CT, MRI, and Ultrasound)

7. Research Opportunities
Summer Research Program with $3,000 stipend
5th Year Enrichment Programs
MS in Clinical and Translational Research

9. Early clinical exposure
Delivery of Clinical Care (DOCC)
“Learning to be a doctor”
Teaching skills for the history taking, examinations, and patient interactions

Clinical Home
Placed in 1 of the 4 major teaching hospitals
Attend 1x a week

Clinical Longitudinal Immersion in the Community (CLIC)
Paired with a physician in an outpatient practice for M1, M2, M3 (M4 if you choose)

10. Well-rounded education/exposure to all aspects of medicine
VITALS Teams
Bioethics, healthcare policy, psycho-social aspects, epidemiology, current news

11. Electives available during pre-clinical years
Intro to Emergency Medicine; Radiology imaging
Topics in Advanced Immunology

12. Clinical Sites (not as many as Jefferson)
Hartford Hospital
Level 1 Trauma Center

CT Children’s Hospital
Region’s only full-service pediatric care facility

Hospital of Central Connecticut

John Dempsey Hospital at UCONN Health


CONS
1. 1st class to undergo the new Delta M curriculum


2. All TBL without lectures?


3. 1.5 pre-clinical years versus 2 years


4. Not a major city/rural area

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[longtimelurker2015]

Hey everyone,

I have been lucky enough this cycle to have receive multiple acceptances, with 2 of them being from my top 2 choices. I have talked to the physicians I work with, my pre-med advisors, and of course my family about the choice I have ahead but I would love to get some feedback from everyone on here (since I have gotten such good feedback throughout this whole application cycle).

I have made pro/con list for both UConn and Jefferson and have posted them below. I also have an acceptance at Albany and was thinking about withdrawing but was not sure if I should wait for a financial aid package beforehand? (disclaimer: I have not gotten any official financial aid packages from any schools yet but all my paperwork is complete).

Also, feel free to comment on things that are NOT important vs important in deciding how to choose a medical school (I sort of just did research on everything and constructed a list)

JEFFERSON
PROS

1. Community Service Opportunities
JeffHOPE – student-run volunteer clinic, 5x days a week (homeless shelters)
Refugee Health Partners – multiple opportunities including student-run clinic, education classes, and health fairs
Adopt-A-Mom – partner with expecting mothers from the JOGA Clinic through prenatal care to labor and delivery
JeffYES – adolescent outreach program for urban youth in homeless shelters


2. Research Opportunities
Formal 9-week summer research program
College within a College (CwiC) – “Clinical and Translational Research Track”


3. Clinical Sites
multitude of clinical rotation sites in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware
sites that vary from level one trauma centers to rural community hospitals
many more sites for rotation compared to UConn

4. Curriculum

H/P/F grading scheme (H>90%, P>70%)
Basic lecture model with small-group based discussions incorporated in
Switching to JeffMD for the Class of 2021 (Class of 2020 will be hybrid)
Small groups (PBL, TBL)
Basic 24 month pre-clinical curriculum

5. Location (living in the city)


6. Free fitness center (with pool! +++)

7. Early clinical exposure

Multiple community service opportunities that allow for patient care as early as M1 (JeffHOPE, Refugee Health, etc.
Introduction to Clinical Medicine I and II during M1 and M2
Foundations of Clinical Medicine (FCM) and Physical Diagnosis during M2

8. Prestige?
Jefferson students well-known to residency directors

9. Clinical Rotation grades not based on SHELF Exam scores!

10. Match Lists (2015 and 2016)
Lots of PA matches (although there are a lot of PA hospital systems with the Philly Triplets and Penn State)
Saw matches in both CT and MA
Variety of specialties along with matches into competitive specialties

11. “Vibe”
Throughout the whole cycle, I had my best experience with Jefferson
Really get the feeling that Jefferson cares deeply for their students and are very involved despite the class size


CONS

1. High Tutition/COA
Tution = $53,311
Fees = $850
Room and Board = $17,391
Total = $71,552

2. Far away from support system (~5 hour train ride to CT)

3. H/P/F compared to P/F at UConn

4. 24 month vs 18 month pre-clinical curriculum

5. 260 class size? (although any medical school class size will be large in my view compared to my 10-25 class size at Stonehill)

6. No formal MS program in Research but they do have the track



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UCONN


PROS

1. Community Service Opportunities
Covenant House Medical Clinical in Willimantic, CT
Free clinic run by medical, pharmacy, and dental students
Get to visit hometown 1x a month

Multiple other opportunities

2. In-State Tuition
Tuition = $30,010
Fees = $5,609
Living expenses = ~$20,000

3. Close to support system (family in CT; boyfriend in MA)


4. Cheap/convenient cost of living
Talcott Forest is located directly across from the science center (~4 minute drive)

5. Free student fitness center


6. M Delta Curriculum
TBL without any lectures; however previous lectures are recorded and availabe online
P/F grading scheme for pre-clinical
HH/H/P/F for clinical rotations
Clinical simulation center
Virtual laboratory to complement the gross anatomy lab (early introduction to CT, MRI, and Ultrasound)

7. Research Opportunities
Summer Research Program with $3,000 stipend
5th Year Enrichment Programs
MS in Clinical and Translational Research

9. Early clinical exposure
Delivery of Clinical Care (DOCC)
“Learning to be a doctor”
Teaching skills for the history taking, examinations, and patient interactions

Clinical Home
Placed in 1 of the 4 major teaching hospitals
Attend 1x a week

Clinical Longitudinal Immersion in the Community (CLIC)
Paired with a physician in an outpatient practice for M1, M2, M3 (M4 if you choose)

10. Well-rounded education/exposure to all aspects of medicine
VITALS Teams
Bioethics, healthcare policy, psycho-social aspects, epidemiology, current news

11. Electives available during pre-clinical years
Intro to Emergency Medicine; Radiology imaging
Topics in Advanced Immunology

12. Clinical Sites (not as many as Jefferson)
Hartford Hospital
Level 1 Trauma Center

CT Children’s Hospital
Region’s only full-service pediatric care facility

Hospital of Central Connecticut

John Dempsey Hospital at UCONN Health


CONS
1. 1st class to undergo the new Delta M curriculum


2. All TBL without lectures?


3. 1.5 pre-clinical years versus 2 years


4. Not a major city/rural area

If I read correctly, UConn is about $15,000 less expensive every year x 4 years = $60,000 in savings? Keep in mind, interest accrues from the start on those loans, so 7-10 years later (4 years of med school + 3-5 years of residency), that amount may be double that with compounded interest, around $120,000.

Plus, seeing that you will be close to family and your SO, AND you get P/F preclinical grading, that seems like a no-brainer to me.

I think a 1.5 year curriculum is a major plus too. Some of the best schools in the country have switched to that curriculum, and students have said having 6 months on the wards really helped them do well on STEP 1.

I couldn't see myself going to a school with 260 students, but I don't think that factor by itself is a deal-breaker.

For me personally, I couldn't imagine having all PBL, but the students at Hofstra have that, and they and the Faculty attribute a large part of their competitive match lists and preparation for residency to that aspect of the School.

At the end of the day, only you know what matters to you, but in choosing a med school (and I still haven't made a decision yet), knowing you'll learn the material anywhere anyway, I think it comes down to: (1) What School will provide me the best environment to thrive and give my best work? (2) What's the most affordable option, so I don't have to limit my options of what specialty I want to pursue?

I think for answering (1), having family and your SO close is a HUGE deal. At least it would be for me. I can only imagine how stressful med school will be at times, and having loved ones close to you can really make a difference.

As for pros #1, #9 and #10 for UConn, I think those are not really factors. Every School has those little differentiators about early clinical exposure and community involvement and service, but you'll be so busy studying, I think in the grand scheme of things those won't appear that unique or important once you're in med school.

 

[longtimelurker2015]

If I read correctly, UConn is about $15,000 less expensive every year x 4 years = $60,000 in savings? Keep in mind, interest accrues from the start on those loans, so 7-10 years later (4 years of med school + 3-5 years of residency), that amount may be double that with compounded interest, around $120,000.

Plus, seeing that you will be close to family and your SO, AND you get P/F preclinical grading, that seems like a no-brainer to me.

I think a 1.5 year curriculum is a major plus too. Some of the best schools in the country have switched to that curriculum, and students have said having 6 months on the wards really helped them do well on STEP 1.

I couldn't see myself going to a school with 260 students, but I don't think that factor by itself is a deal-breaker.

For me personally, I couldn't imagine having all PBL, but the students at Hofstra have that, and they and the Faculty attribute a large part of their competitive match lists and preparation for residency to that aspect of the School.

At the end of the day, only you know what matters to you, but in choosing a med school (and I still haven't made a decision yet), knowing you'll learn the material anywhere anyway, I think it comes down to: (1) What School will provide me the best environment to thrive and give my best work? (2) What's the most affordable option, so I don't have to limit my options of what specialty I want to pursue?

I think for answering (1), having family and your SO close is a HUGE deal. At least it would be for me. I can only imagine how stressful med school will be at times, and having loved ones close to you can really make a difference.

As for pros #1, #9 and #10 for UConn, I think those are not really factors. Every School has those little differentiators about early clinical exposure and community involvement and service, but you'll be so busy studying, I think in the grand scheme of things those won't appear that unique or important once you're in med school.

EDIT: Just reread your original post. Definitely wait on full Financial Aid packages and possibility of scholarships to make your final decision. That can make a huge difference if one School gives you a lot more than the other one.

 

[catie_jane]

@longtimelurker2015 thank you for the response!

I also haven't attended second looks at either of the schools (missed UConn's but Jeff's in 4/21) which I think will be very helpful in the decision process.

I was also curious, do schools have to send out financial aid packages before 4/30? Or do they expect students to make a decision without that piece of information? Maybe @Goro or @gyngyn can answer that

 

[longtimelurker2015]

@longtimelurker2015 thank you for the response!

I also haven't attended second looks at either of the schools (missed UConn's but Jeff's in 4/21) which I think will be very helpful in the decision process.

I was also curious, do schools have to send out financial aid packages before 4/30? Or do they expect students to make a decision without that piece of information? Maybe @Goro or @gyngyn can answer that

I don't personally plan on attending any Second Looks, as I was told / deduced that much like on interview day, Schools will want to put their best foot forward and sell you on the School, but I have heard of accepted students reaching out to Schools to ask to shadow a student for an entire day, or even several days, which I'm considering doing to get a real grasp on what it's like to be a student at that School.

For the most part, Schools will send FinAid packages before 4/30, but in some cases (mostly for late acceptances), you may have to wait until after 4/30. I think if that's the case, that's one of the few instances where you may hold on to more than one acceptance if you're still waiting on FinAid info to make a final decision, but @Goro and @gyngyn could definitely chime in here to make sure what I'm saying is fact.

 

[Goro]

Finance stuff is outside my knowledge base. Best to inquire in the school-specific threads.

Frankly, I'd be nervous about an all -new curriculum like what U Conn is up to. Can you learning style put up with that? Some of my students, for example, have to come to lecture and hear things said.

@longtimelurker2015 thank you for the response!

I also haven't attended second looks at either of the schools (missed UConn's but Jeff's in 4/21) which I think will be very helpful in the decision process.

I was also curious, do schools have to send out financial aid packages before 4/30? Or do they expect students to make a decision without that piece of information? Maybe @Goro or @gyngyn can answer that

 

[gyngyn]

We don't have to get fin aid out before 4/30, but we do (for the most part). Only new admits should get financial aid packages later than the end of April.

 

[catie_jane]

Finance stuff is outside my knowledge base. Best to inquire in the school-specific threads.

Frankly, I'd be nervous about an all -new curriculum like what U Conn is up to. Can you learning style put up with that? Some of my students, for example, have to come to lecture and hear things said.

Do you mean the fact that it is completely TBL (with the exception of lab and our clinical skills class) instead of a hybrid?

And I was nervous at first until I realized that the lectures would be available online. Wouldn't this be the same for a student who didn't attend class?

I had a couple classes in college that were "flipped lectures" like this and when they were planned well I got a lot out of them

 

[Goro]

Then you should be OK. I'm always a fan of less tuition.

Do you mean the fact that it is completely TBL (with the exception of lab and our clinical skills class) instead of a hybrid?

And I was nervous at first until I realized that the lectures would be available online. Wouldn't this be the same for a student who didn't attend class?

I had a couple classes in college that were "flipped lectures" like this and when they were planned well I got a lot out of them

 

[catie_jane]

Then you should be OK. I'm always a fan of less tuition.

You and I both

 

[catie_jane]

We don't have to get fin aid out before 4/30, but we do (for the most part). Only new admits should get financial aid packages later than the end of April.

Well that's good to hear. I've been getting all the forms done quickly as soon as I get them so I'm hoping I will seem some if not all packages before traffic day

 

[oobie]

Some things I wanted to make sure you knew: I asked my student interviewer while at Jefferson and she said that really the 260 class size doesn't matter too much. I asked her if I would get lost in that many people, and her reply was: If you choose not to go to class a lot or labs or really reach out to professors then you can definitely have your privacy/not build a relationship with them. But if you want to get close and form some sort if relationship it is definitely possible. They are always open and welcoming. Small group also definitely ensures that you at least get close with one or two professors/faculty so that is good too.

In addition, I don't know how much of a hybrid the 2020 class will be at Jefferson. I was under the impression that it would be mostly the same as the previous years. I think the resources for studying at Jefferson trumps most places, as I saw that they have years of notes and quizzes/tests compiled into a google drive that gets passed down every year. Plus, I've also heard that there isn't much gunnery with the H/P/F (except mainly for the BS/MD kids - emphasize kids - from Penn (?)) so I don't think that should be a deterrent from just P/F. And it's the same H/P/F for clinicals too. As I have heard, from Dr. Callahan and Doctor Strange, not many scholarships are awarded from Jefferson. Yes it's more expensive to live in the city and go to Jefferson (you do save money for car stuff though), but ultimately, where do you think you would be happiest?

I'm wary of a new curriculum type starting up with your class, so that would be the biggest drawback I see of UConn. However, I think you'll be happier there - seeing as it is both closer to family and saving money. Good luck with your decision!

 

[catie_jane]

I appreciate the extra info @oobie!

Are you going to second look on the 21st? I haven't gotten any actual information but saw it on the SDN thread

 

[oobie]

I appreciate the extra info @oobie!

Are you going to second look on the 21st? I haven't gotten any actual information but saw it on the SDN thread

I am debating. Mainly because if UVM accepts me, I'll probably be going there (I just felt a better fit in the city and am more of an outdoorsy guy than a city guy). So it's still up in the air for me.