Jefferson vs. VCU

[OngoGablogianMD]

Facing a really tough decision after getting off the WL at VCU (was not expecting WL movement this late!). I am a non-trad student currently living in Philly, but my fiance is from Virginia and has a lot of family in Richmond. Both schools seem like a great fit with little to really differentiate them, especially with tuition being more or less the same. I have a few specialties that I am looking to explore further (EM, IM, Ortho, Anesthesia) but I am largely undecided at this point and recognize that most students change their minds anyway. I'd like to keep my options open, but it seems like neither school will be closing any doors for residency. Outside of school, I love being outdoors (running, hiking, mountain biking, skiing) so that is an important factor for overall quality of life. Only have a few days to decide so any thoughts or comments are appreciated!

Jefferson

Pros:

• Close to family/friends
• Already have some ties with current physicians
• 21 months of preclinical (with 8 weeks of dedicated study time for Step 1, plus an entire week to study before each exam)
• Slightly higher rank/prestige, better match list (Rothman and Wills Eye are both top in the country)
• Scholarly Inquiry Tracks (Design, Clinical/Translational Research, Health Policy) seem interesting and could be unique for residency apps
• JeffHOPE allows for early patient interaction and community outreach
• Seems to have a strong emphasis on student wellness/most students seem to really like the school
• Philly is a great city and still reasonably affordable with a decent park system (Wissahickon, SRT) for outdoor access

Cons:

• Internally ranked P/F preclinical with AOA (not a huge con but something to think about)
• Big class size (275)
• Expensive tuition (60k/yr)
• Not a ton of research options
• Some clinical rotations are a long commute (Nemours, Christiana Care, etc.)

VCU

Pros:

• New city/change of scenery (Richmond seems awesome, easy access to nature and I enjoy the smaller city vibes)
• Close to fiance's family for support
• P/F preclinical (still has "with distinction" and AOA though)
• 21 months preclinical with 6 weeks of study time for Step 1
• ACCESS program seems like a unique opportunity to get involved with global health in low resource settings
• Moderate class size (186)
• Rotations are all centrally located at VCU and McGuire VA (except for FM and maybe OBGYN)
• Potentially able to qualify for IS tuition for MS2-4 (would be $25k/yr cheaper, but the application process is very strict so I wouldn't count on it)

Cons:

• Slightly lower ranking/less competitive match list
• Further away from my family
• OOS tuition is also expensive, although pretty much the same as Jefferson
• Not a ton of research opportunities
• Although Richmond has most everything a big city can offer, still not quite Philly (not a huge deal just mainly sad about missing Philly sports games)

Summary: Jefferson has a very slight edge in terms of ranking/prestige and would be closer to my family/friends but VCU would be an exciting change of scenery and a much better fit for my fiance. Tuition and COL are mostly the same for both.

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[TuckGamePerfect]

Prestige wise, these schools are nearly identical. I think at the end of the day a strong support system and enjoyable surrounding environment is something that warrants serious consideration when tuition is not the concern. Sounds like you’re an outdoorsy type of person. Although Philly does have some aspect of this, it sounds like VCU is a place that holds much more with what you’re interested in—your writing shows that. I’d go VCU and live a happier 4+ years with your fiancée in Virginia

 

[mdog31415]

In support of VCU as well, I wanted to give my two cents since I am married and going to medical school. This is an excellent opportunity for your fiancé to be near their support network. Who knows where you will go for residency- odds are it will not be your fiancé's family and they will have to relocate far away with you. So while you may like Jefferson and Philly, VCU is the best fit for both you AND your fiancé. It's a win-win.