Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

[CTSurg]

If you have any questions about Hopkins, I am a fourth year student there. Good luck to all of you in the application process...

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[leechy]

If you have any questions about Hopkins, I am a fourth year student there. Good luck to all of you in the application process...

Hi, thanks for your offer. I was wondering what you'd say were the best and the worst aspects of your time at Johns Hopkins. Thanks in advance.

 

[CTSurg]

hey, I"m applying to Hopkins, have interviewed and am waiting for a reply. Why did you choose Hopkins? what is the clinical experience like that? How about competitiveness? The students there said it was very non competitive, but I would like a different view. Thanks very much!

It really isn't any more competitive than any other school. I have many friends at medical schools around the country and they all have similar experiences in the first two years. I think that Hopkins has notoriously been labeled as competitive, but without anything to really back it up.

During your first year, you have an insane amount of free time. This allows you to explore things outside of med school. Extracurriculars, research, the city, etc...

During the second year, life begins to get a bit more difficult. However, the way the year works is you are slowly transitioned into longer and longer work days until you are eventually at school from about 8am to 5pm some days. Now this scares some people, but don't forget that the wards know no hours!! If people are complaining about too much work during the preclinical years, then they are in for a shock when they begin their clerkships.

Years 3 and 4 are by far the greatest years at Hopkins. You are truly working with leaders in medicine (I think every school says that, but believe me you'd be amazed by the names you come across). Also, most of the faculty is very pro student and they love to teach.

Another huge plus of the clinical years at Hopkins is the autonomy afforded to med studs. We really are a part of the team and the residents are so strong that they allow us to really get our hands dirty and play an active role in patient care. I love procedures and have done most bedside procedures at least once or twice during my third year alone. Having spoken to friends at other top tier med schools, this is truly unique to Hopkins.

Well, I hope this helps with your decision making. Best of luck during the application process...

 

[Pembleton]

What qualities REALLY matter to the admissions committee?

 

[CTSurg]

What qualities REALLY matter to the admissions committee?

Obviously every med school wants to have a very intelligent, bright incoming class. Therefore, I would say that your numbers do matter a little bit. However, don't let that discourage you. I have classmates with MCATS ranging from mid 20's to high 30's.

Next, a sense of leadership. Hopkins wants to develop and foster future leaders in medicine. There is a reason why many of the Chairs around the country originated at Hopkins. So, if you have shown that you were a leader in your undergraduate years then that is a huge plus.

Finally, personality is key. No one wants to work with an introvert who has trouble expressing his/her ideas. This is a tough one, because I think everyone has got a couple people in their med school class where people wonder how on earth this person made it past the interviews. My advice would be to be yourself and don't be shy. Ask questions if you have them and really show a genuine interest in attending the school...Then, I'm sure you'll do fine.

 

[firebody]

does the prevalence of having more than one toilet ease the stress of having morning bowel movements?

 

[firebody]

one last question, are all your toilets labeled just 'Hopkins School of Medicine' without the need to include 'johns' to the label because of the wide assumption that the intelligence of your students can associate better than the average applicant....or is that just hearsay?

 

[Bubchik]

Obviously every med school wants to have a very intelligent, bright incoming class. Therefore, I would say that your numbers do matter a little bit. However, don't let that discourage you. I have classmates with MCATS ranging from mid 20's to high 30's.

Next, a sense of leadership. Hopkins wants to develop and foster future leaders in medicine. There is a reason why many of the Chairs around the country originated at Hopkins. So, if you have shown that you were a leader in your undergraduate years then that is a huge plus.

Finally, personality is key. No one wants to work with an introvert who has trouble expressing his/her ideas. This is a tough one, because I think everyone has got a couple people in their med school class where people wonder how on earth this person made it past the interviews. My advice would be to be yourself and don't be shy. Ask questions if you have them and really show a genuine interest in attending the school...Then, I'm sure you'll do fine.

I have interviewed at Hopkins at the end of Sep, and it was the scariest interview I have ever had. The interviewer grilled me over my the details of my research (which is OK), leadership exp (which is OK) and... personal life (!? is that legal). He asked me why am I getting married, do i want to have kids, what's my view on adoption. It seemed like he hated a concept of having a family during med school, residency, and even private practice. He openly said that it is not possible, though he is married himself. Is there are any people who are married in your class or even have kids?
The only good thing is that b/c it was the worst interview now i feel like I'm prepared for anything. Also what do you thinik about UMD med students, are they as bright as you are? Thank you

 

[CTSurg]

I have interviewed at Hopkins at the end of Sep, and it was the scariest interview I have ever had. The interviewer grilled me over my the details of my research (which is OK), leadership exp (which is OK) and... personal life (!? is that legal). He asked me why am I getting married, do i want to have kids, what's my view on adoption. It seemed like he hated a concept of having a family during med school, residency, and even private practice. He openly said that it is not possible, though he is married himself. Is there are any people who are married in your class or even have kids?
The only good thing is that b/c it was the worst interview now i feel like I'm prepared for anything. Also what do you thinik about UMD med students, are they as bright as you are? Thank you

I'm so sorry that you had such a horrible experience. Those questions are certainly out of line! I'll address that in an e-mail to you.

There are several people in our class who are married or got married during med school. This is certainly not frowned upon at all. In fact those students' spouses have been welcomed with open arms into the class and have excellent relationships with everyone.

As for children...three of my classmates had children during med school. Two were males whose non-med stud wives had children and one female med stud. Furthermore, there are two female med studs who are currently pregnant and applying for residencies with the full support of the faculty and administration.

I hope that helps.

 

[ib508]

Uh...yea, from what I know that's illegal. And although this isn't related to Hopkins, it's kinda related to this thread. A friend interviewed at a med school in Philly...thought it was going fine, normal questions, etc...then the interviewer picked up on the fact that she's studying Turkish and since it's not exactly a common thing, asked her about it. She said (honest answer) that her fiance is from Turkey, some of his family doesn't speak English and she wants to be able to communicate with them. No problem, right? So this interviewer begins to belittle her over how can she, a white Jewish girl, "take away" (aka get married to) a Muslim (I don't even know IF her fiance is Muslim, but that's the assumption)...she was completely shocked. Went back home (not from Philly), talked to her advisor, they wrote a letter to the school, the adcom head or whoever called her to apologize profusely, etc etc...I can't believe crap like this happens...

I have interviewed at Hopkins at the end of Sep, and it was the scariest interview I have ever had. The interviewer grilled me over my the details of my research (which is OK), leadership exp (which is OK) and... personal life (!? is that legal). He asked me why am I getting married, do i want to have kids, what's my view on adoption. It seemed like he hated a concept of having a family during med school, residency, and even private practice. He openly said that it is not possible, though he is married himself. Is there are any people who are married in your class or even have kids?
The only good thing is that b/c it was the worst interview now i feel like I'm prepared for anything. Also what do you thinik about UMD med students, are they as bright as you are? Thank you

 

[uptoolate]

I'm not a Hopkins med student but I am closely associated with the community and I have children. An MSII with 2 children thought having a family while at Hopkins was very doable during the first 2 years, she was a bit reticent to amke any predictions into the clinical years. I have another friend, older, with three children that came into Hopkins Med mid-other-career. She had a hard time fo it, took some time off, and graduated last year. I also met with a long time member of the faculty regarding the same question and he said I would be far from the first to do it and I should contact come MS-Parents to get their thoughts. Obviously, styles differ. another friend is a Peds res that just had a second child, the first during med school and another friend had her first as an intern. Both have wildly different perspectives. I would talk to a few people before shaping an opinion.

 

[CTSurg]

Uh...yea, from what I know that's illegal. And although this isn't related to Hopkins, it's kinda related to this thread. A friend interviewed at a med school in Philly...thought it was going fine, normal questions, etc...then the interviewer picked up on the fact that she's studying Turkish and since it's not exactly a common thing, asked her about it. She said (honest answer) that her fiance is from Turkey, some of his family doesn't speak English and she wants to be able to communicate with them. No problem, right? So this interviewer begins to belittle her over how can she, a white Jewish girl, "take away" (aka get married to) a Muslim (I don't even know IF her fiance is Muslim, but that's the assumption)...she was completely shocked. Went back home (not from Philly), talked to her advisor, they wrote a letter to the school, the adcom head or whoever called her to apologize profusely, etc etc...I can't believe crap like this happens...

Unfortunately it does. I had a very similar experience at Columbia during my interviews. I brought it to their attention, but without a response. When I spoke to faculty who knew of the individual, they told me that he is a very set in his ways and represents the "old medicine" that is still out there. I was shocked and needless to say withdrew from Columbia...

 

[clockitnow]

I am applying to the MSTP at JH and got put on the pre-interview hold list. Is this the kiss of death?

 

[VienneseWaltz]

I have interviewed at Hopkins at the end of Sep, and it was the scariest interview I have ever had. The interviewer grilled me over my the details of my research (which is OK), leadership exp (which is OK) and... personal life (!? is that legal). He asked me why am I getting married, do i want to have kids, what's my view on adoption. It seemed like he hated a concept of having a family during med school, residency, and even private practice. He openly said that it is not possible, though he is married himself. Is there are any people who are married in your class or even have kids?
The only good thing is that b/c it was the worst interview now i feel like I'm prepared for anything. Also what do you thinik about UMD med students, are they as bright as you are? Thank you

Eek! Most people I know have had relaxed interviews--sounds like you got a dud.

I am an MSII. Plenty of people in our class are married (myself + at least 13 others off the top of my head, plus about 3 recent engagements). About 5 or 6 have kids (only 1 of them is a woman, though, but at least 3 women in the class ahead have kids). Your interviewer is an idiot. I know an ortho resident at Hopkins who had *3* kids while she was a resident. I would go so far as to say most women physicians have kids, although they tend to have them later than non-physicians. It's not easy, certainly, but it's doable for anyone who's organized.

I'm so embarassed to hear about your experience. If you get in, please come to the Revisit in the spring so that our excellent first-year class has a chance to present a better (and more realistic) picture of us!

 

[CTSurg]

I am applying to the MSTP at JH and got put on the pre-interview hold list. Is this the kiss of death?

Not at all. There are plenty of people who come off the various waitlists. I would encourage you to keep them updated of your progress in any research/extracurriculars.

Also, send a letter (hopefully with some positive updates) re-expressing your interest in the JHU program...

GOOD LUCK!

 

[CTSurg]

Hi CTSurg,
thanks for offering to help us out! I've been complete at hopkins since mid august, but still haven't heard anything. my mcat is in the low 30's so I thought that may be the reason, but I was surprised to hear you say that students there have had scores of mid 20's to mid 30's! definitely brought my hopes up! I was wondering if you knew anything about the interview selections-any advice...do they give interviews to the most competitive/highest stats people first? I guess that would make sense. what do you think is the latest/or when do you think I may hear back from them? I know they look at alot of other stuff besides the mcat, but I have received interviews from other schools, and from all the feedback I've gotten, it seems like my mcat may be the weakest part of my app, which is why I'm focusing so much on the mcat scores. thanks so much!

I wouldn't worry too much. It is still very early in the interview/application process. It is never too late to get an interview. I know people who were accepted after interviewing on the last possible interview date.

As for your MCAT scores, that is only a small piece of the pie. It may be that is the reason you have not gotten an interview early, but like I said, don't count yourself out.

It is a good sign that you are interviewing elsewhere and I'm sure that you will end up at the med school of your choice! Hang in there...

 

[calstudent]

hey ctsurg (by the way good luck in the residency search process if you are a 4th year): any suggestions on how to get off the waiting list? i know it's early, but getting the waitlist letter was one of the most painful ever.
thanks in advance.

 

[CTSurg]

hey ctsurg (by the way good luck in the residency search process if you are a 4th year): any suggestions on how to get off the waiting list? i know it's early, but getting the waitlist letter was one of the most painful ever.
thanks in advance.

Don't worry too much about it. There are many many people who come off the waitlist. Especially if you interviewed early, you have a good chance of getting a spot. I know it sucks though that you will have to wait until the acceptance letters have gone out and people have officially turned down their offers.

I would encourage you to keep the admissions office updated of any developments and also to notify them of your continued interest in attending Hopkins.

Good luck!

 

[Fermata]

I am applying to the MSTP at JH and got put on the pre-interview hold list. Is this the kiss of death?

Bummer.

 

[chess_king]

So this interviewer begins to belittle her over how can she, a white Jewish girl, "take away" (aka get married to) a Muslim (I don't even know IF her fiance is Muslim, but that's the assumption

I see nothing illegal or unusual about this. Isn?t the purpose of the interview to learn about the applicant?s personality and values? Her marriage unarguably reflects her character.

She probably does not care about traditional morality, and she probably does not believe in the power of genetics. Doctors are supposed to strengthen the human race, not weaken it through miscegenation.

By the way, Jews are not White. The Jewish race was originally very similar to the Arabs of today. The jews that almost appear white today are the result of the miscegenation that occurred while the jews were hosted by white European countries. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/742430.stm I have more links on this topic if anyone would like them, but anyone who is interested should read Kevin MacDonald's "The Culture of Critique: An Evolutionary Analysis of Jewish Involvement in Twentieth-Century Intellectual and Political Movements" and David Duke's "Jewish Supremacism"

 

[Shaz]

I see nothing illegal or unusual about this. Isn?t the purpose of the interview to learn about the applicant?s personality and values? Her marriage unarguably reflects her character.

She probably does not care about traditional morality, and she probably does not believe in the power of genetics. Doctors are supposed to strengthen the human race, not weaken it through miscegenation.

By the way, Jews are not White. The Jewish race was originally very similar to the Arabs of today. The jews that almost appear white today are the result of the miscegenation that occurred while the jews were hosted by white European countries. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/742430.stm I have more links on this topic if anyone would like them, but anyone who is interested should read Kevin MacDonald's "The Culture of Critique: An Evolutionary Analysis of Jewish Involvement in Twentieth-Century Intellectual and Political Movements" and David Duke's "Jewish Supremacism"

What the hell? Is this cat serious?

 

[Fermata]

What the hell? Is this cat serious?

Let's just get back to the topic.......

 

[paco]

How's Baltimore? Is it really as bad as people like to make it seem?

 

[Uegis]

I see nothing illegal or unusual about this. Isn?t the purpose of the interview to learn about the applicant?s personality and values? Her marriage unarguably reflects her character.

She probably does not care about traditional morality, and she probably does not believe in the power of genetics. Doctors are supposed to strengthen the human race, not weaken it through miscegenation.

By the way, Jews are not White. The Jewish race was originally very similar to the Arabs of today. The jews that almost appear white today are the result of the miscegenation that occurred while the jews were hosted by white European countries. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/742430.stm I have more links on this topic if anyone would like them, but anyone who is interested should read Kevin MacDonald's "The Culture of Critique: An Evolutionary Analysis of Jewish Involvement in Twentieth-Century Intellectual and Political Movements" and David Duke's "Jewish Supremacism"

I think he is serious. Only 5 posts, and one early post saying he doesn't like diversity. Wow, I think you should express your views to all adcoms when you do interview and see if they agree with you. Remember, don't forget to bring that up during interviews and how you like David Duke. But knowing people like you, you are probably going to lie through your teeth about it to everyone. And that whole part about miscegenation, put that in your PS. If you truly believe that, do that. Because I would hate to see someone like you become a physician some day.

 

[CTSurg]

How's Baltimore? Is it really as bad as people like to make it seem?

Not at all...

Like any urban area, there is a lot of crime and impoverished communities. It just so happens that Hopkins is right in the thick of things. However, I have never felt unsafe in and around the hospital. I would be lying if said that it wouldn't dangerous to go for a midnight stroll a couple of blocks away from the hospital.

The City of Baltimore is currently undergoing a lot of positive change. Mayor Martin O'Malley is akin to Rudy Giuliani. He is really revamping the city and slowly ridding the city of rif-raf. There is a lot to do here and if you like sports the Orioles and Ravens are fun to watch. Orioles tix are only $5 on Friday nightsfor students and you'll find a lot of younger people hanging out at the game and heading to one of the many pubs/clubs around the city afterward.

 

[IndyZX]

I see nothing illegal or unusual about this. Isn?t the purpose of the interview to learn about the applicant?s personality and values? Her marriage unarguably reflects her character.

She probably does not care about traditional morality, and she probably does not believe in the power of genetics. Doctors are supposed to strengthen the human race, not weaken it through miscegenation.

...eek.

 

[Mr hawkings]

Not at all...

Like any urban area, there is a lot of crime and impoverished communities. It just so happens that Hopkins is right in the thick of things. However, I have never felt unsafe in and around the hospital. I would be lying if said that it wouldn't dangerous to go for a midnight stroll a couple of blocks away from the hospital.

The City of Baltimore is currently undergoing a lot of positive change. Mayor Martin O'Malley is akin to Rudy Giuliani. He is really revamping the city and slowly ridding the city of rif-raf. There is a lot to do here and if you like sports the Orioles and Ravens are fun to watch. Orioles tix are only $5 on Friday nightsfor students and you'll find a lot of younger people hanging out at the game and heading to one of the many pubs/clubs around the city afterward.

Yeah, i live in silver spring and had never been to Baltimore till a few weeks ago. I was suprised that it wasnt the "Big ghetto" that i had been led to beloeve it was. Maybe its because i used to live in D.C but i thought the areas around Hopkins were pretty nice and socioeconomically diverse.

 

[supersnuffles]

I undergradded in Baltimore, and am in the graduate school. I love how everyone is SO optimistic. I came from southern suburban CA, so the whole shift in environment was a huge shock for me. Baltimore is VERY dangerous if you wander into the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time of day (night). It's also hard to tell when you get into those bad neighborhoods, because they are so randomly dispersed. If you stay near the school, you should be fine, as well as near Peabody, and Inner Harbor. And I know school is not meant to be fun, but well, Baltimore is boring compared to other cities like NYC and Boston, and well, of course, Santa Monica. I'm not some bitter student, because, this is my fifth year here. But I hate that everyone tries to make it seem a lot less ugly than it really is.

 

[bridge01]

can someone explain one section of the interview day to me... i think there's a part where applicants are sort of mingling w/4th yrs on the admissions committee... some people on interview feedback site it as being slightly stressful.

any tips? can someone clarify the set up? like do people circulate or are you in the same group?

 

[IndyZX]

can someone explain one section of the interview day to me... i think there's a part where applicants are sort of mingling w/4th yrs on the admissions committee... some people on interview feedback site it as being slightly stressful.

any tips? can someone clarify the set up? like do people circulate or are you in the same group?

its more stupid than stressful.

basically there is a 2 hour window where everyone has interviews. when you are not actually with your interviewer, you come back to a room with 4th years who are evaluating you.

as for tips, id probably think youd be safe if you do the following things: 1) dont say anything crazy 2) make sure youre being conversational, at least talk to your fellow applicants 3) dont try too hard, because you will be hated by people like me

good luck, its really not that bad at all... just a little silly.

 

[Jessica]

can someone explain one section of the interview day to me... i think there's a part where applicants are sort of mingling w/4th yrs on the admissions committee... some people on interview feedback site it as being slightly stressful.

any tips? can someone clarify the set up? like do people circulate or are you in the same group?

I'm a thrid year at Hopkins...

I would NOT worry about this at all, the fourth years are there to keep you all entertained and to provide you with more info about Hopkins while you are waiting for your faculty interview. They are NOT evaluating you (unless you are totally out of line) so don't stress. The students who volunteer to be on the ad com are elected by their classmates and are all nice people who enjoy working with students - no need to get worked up about meeting up with them. As long as you aren't a wallflower or demanding the attention of the entire room, you will be golden.

 

[Jessica]

I have interviewed at Hopkins at the end of Sep, and it was the scariest interview I have ever had. The interviewer grilled me over my the details of my research (which is OK), leadership exp (which is OK) and... personal life (!? is that legal). He asked me why am I getting married, do i want to have kids, what's my view on adoption. It seemed like he hated a concept of having a family during med school, residency, and even private practice. He openly said that it is not possible, though he is married himself. Is there are any people who are married in your class or even have kids?
The only good thing is that b/c it was the worst interview now i feel like I'm prepared for anything. Also what do you thinik about UMD med students, are they as bright as you are? Thank you

I'm very sorry to hear that this happened to you. You should say something to the admissions office b/c these kind of people should NOT be interviewing students! I had a similar experience at a different big-name school when I was interviewing, and though everyone else that I interacted with was fabulous, I could never get over the fact that this guy was such a jerk. Please don't let one bad apple cloud your view of Hopkins. There are SO many wonderful people here, and I highly reccomend the advice of the poster who suggested that you attend revisit if you are accepted. You'll get a chance to meet some fantastic classmates, faculty, and students here - and hopefully we can redeem our status in your eyes.

Good luck with the rest of your interviews.

 

[CTSurg]

can someone explain one section of the interview day to me... i think there's a part where applicants are sort of mingling w/4th yrs on the admissions committee... some people on interview feedback site it as being slightly stressful.

any tips? can someone clarify the set up? like do people circulate or are you in the same group?

This part of the interview day is a very very small part of the overall picture. The main purpose is to see how you all interact with the current med studs and to answer any questions you might have in a less formal setting. People are definitely making this part of the interview day worth much more than that it really is. If you can talk to people by being yourself and not making a fool of yourself then you have nothing to worry about because this time with the 4th years will neither help you nor hurt you.
On the other hand, if you have a difficult personality and love to undercut people then you will single yourself out and you can kiss your chance of going to JH goodbye.

So, if you want tips, be yourself and you'll be fine...

Good luck!

 

[45408]

I've heard the school is 80% male - truth?

 

[CTSurg]

I undergradded in Baltimore, and am in the graduate school. I love how everyone is SO optimistic. I came from southern suburban CA, so the whole shift in environment was a huge shock for me. Baltimore is VERY dangerous if you wander into the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time of day (night). It's also hard to tell when you get into those bad neighborhoods, because they are so randomly dispersed. If you stay near the school, you should be fine, as well as near Peabody, and Inner Harbor. And I know school is not meant to be fun, but well, Baltimore is boring compared to other cities like NYC and Boston, and well, of course, Santa Monica. I'm not some bitter student, because, this is my fifth year here. But I hate that everyone tries to make it seem a lot less ugly than it really is.

I too grew up in a SoCal suburb (20 miles outside of Los Angeles) and would be the first to say that Baltimore is not a suburb. It is a busy urban center with pockets of crime. However, I will be fair and say that Los Angeles is the same if you go into the downtown/south central areas. Obviously it is easier to stay out of these dangerous neighborhoods in LA give the massive size of the city.

As for the city being boring...not true. You have plenty to see within the city and lots to do outside it as well. Washington DC, Georgetown, New York, Atlantic City are all a short drive away. As for in the city, plenty of night life, cultural activities/fairs, and lots of young people because of the multitude of universities.

If you're here for med school you'll love it...If you're here just for vacation then maybe not the best city...

 

[CTSurg]

I've heard the school is 80% male - truth?

Absolutely false...if not 50/50 closer to female predominance.

 

[45408]

Absolutely false...if not 50/50 closer to female predominance.

Cool. I wonder where along the line I was misinformed - I think it might've been somewhere on SDN....

 

[Jessica]

I've heard the school is 80% male - truth?

Totally false, I am fairly certain that the breakdown of my class (06) is 52% female/48% male - similar for other years.

One of the great thing about Hopkins is the diversity of students, from Ivys to "no-name" schools, there is a great mix. The admissions commitee strives to bring in people from all sorts of backgrounds, so you'll meet people from all over who have done all kins of interesting things. Its an impressive, humbling, friendly, supportive and exciting group to be a part of.

 

[bridge01]

As for the city being boring...not true. You have plenty to see within the city and lots to do outside it as well. Washington DC, Georgetown, New York, Atlantic City are all a short drive away. As for in the city, plenty of night life, cultural activities/fairs, and lots of young people because of the multitude of universities.
QUOTE]


do most of you all have cars? is it difficult to find parking there? etc? i've heard having a car in places like nyc or chicago is a burden. what's baltimore like?

 

[Damnit Jim!]

I?m not a med student at JHU, but I took a few classes with the med students and lived with a few.

Things that looked cool at JHU:

Incredible research opportunities.

The Hopkins name gets you connections everywhere.

A whole lot of free time for first years (I did a 30 hr/wk research rotation while taking a class with the first years)

Free tuition for other courses at JHU and Peabody. A lot of my friends took classes like guitar and ballet at Peabody because they had a lot of free time during first year.

Safety. Sounds weird in Baltimore, but I actually felt safe on campus because it is a fortress. A long time ago safety was a huge problem (about 10-20 years ago)- I believe one of the residents was beaten to death and found in a car trunk. They have since hired an ex-Secret Service person to head security and it is completely safe now. They?ve also bought up a lot of the surrounding area, so there?s a one to two block buffer zone now. Beyond that, it?s pretty unsafe.

Diversity. Every school brochure says ?in our class we?ve had professional musicians, Rhodes Scholars, Olympic athletes, blah, blah, blah, but I think Hopkins? admission policy truly is progressive. I think that?s why their numbers aren?t as high as some of the other top 5s. Their classes are really good mixes. They seem friendly to the disadvantaged, disabled, openly gay, special cases, etc.

Living Costs ? real cheap in Baltimore.

Things that didn?t look cool at JHU:

After hours eating facilities are atrocious. One poor excuse for a Subway, a Chinese takeout place, and vending machines. Cafeteria sucks.

Support facilities lacking. Lack of study spaces or lounges, etc. The library sucks. They have an awesome collection of historical books and their online collection is second only to Harvard, but the study carrels are terrible. None of them have internet access. Way behind in computing technology. The library closes at around 9 on most days, and around 5:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. That?s unacceptable. There also aren?t very good student facilities. They don?t have modern lounges, teaching rooms, etc. like some of the other schools. This is my biggest beef with JHU. If they upgraded some of the support facilities, JHU would be perfect. Every year students complain, but nothing gets done. They must have the money because it seems like every year a new research building goes up.

Surrounding area. JHU is an oasis in a bad area. In order to get to school, you have to pass through some bad areas. For the most part it isn?t a problem if you take the wide, well-lighted streets, but still. I?ve had rocks and objects thrown at my car. Several of my other friends have too. It?s better to have a crappy looking car in this city.


Summary: Awesome school, awesome opportunities, progressive and diverse, wish they spent a little to upgrade support facilities.

 

[CTSurg]

As for the city being boring...not true. You have plenty to see within the city and lots to do outside it as well. Washington DC, Georgetown, New York, Atlantic City are all a short drive away. As for in the city, plenty of night life, cultural activities/fairs, and lots of young people because of the multitude of universities.
QUOTE]


do most of you all have cars? is it difficult to find parking there? etc? i've heard having a car in places like nyc or chicago is a burden. what's baltimore like?

For the first/second year, if you live in the dorms or on the free hospital shuttle route, then a car is not very necessary.

During the third and fourth years a car is necessary and most people have them. Parking is provided for free all four years.

During the first two years you get free parking at a satelite lot that has a shuttle running from 6am to 11pm. During the last two years you get free parking in one of the hospital parking lots. This is really great because I have friends at some schools paying ~$100/month for parking.

 

[VienneseWaltz]

Things that didn?t look cool at JHU:

Support facilities lacking. Lack of study spaces or lounges, etc. The library sucks. They have an awesome collection of historical books and their online collection is second only to Harvard, but the study carrels are terrible. None of them have internet access. Way behind in computing technology. The library closes at around 9 on most days, and around 5:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. That?s unacceptable. There also aren?t very good student facilities. They don?t have modern lounges, teaching rooms, etc. like some of the other schools. This is my biggest beef with JHU. If they upgraded some of the support facilities, JHU would be perfect. Every year students complain, but nothing gets done. They must have the money because it seems like every year a new research building goes up.

Surrounding area. JHU is an oasis in a bad area. In order to get to school, you have to pass through some bad areas. For the most part it isn?t a problem if you take the wide, well-lighted streets, but still. I?ve had rocks and objects thrown at my car. Several of my other friends have too. It?s better to have a crappy looking car in this city.
.

All the good things you said are true, except that Peabody's relationship with Hopkins has changed, and classes aren't free anymore. However, the dean will let you use part of your summer research stipend ($2600) to pay for classes if you still want to take one at the Peabody.

The neighborhood really is getting better, so much so that my friends and I often walk to school from Canton/Fells Point, which is on the harbor. Bad neighborhoods interspersed with good is just a fact of city life, and there are advantages to training in a bad neighborhood. Your patients really need you, and you are going to see an astonishing diversity of disease. A white-bread patient population wasn't where I wanted to learn medicine, so I saw the neighborhood as a good point to Hopkins.

The computing technology here isn't as impressive as some other schools I have seen, but we do have wireless just about everywhere, and a lot of Palm (even some PocketPC) software is free through the school. All lectures are videotaped and posted on the Web immediately afterwards, and the computing center has bought 2xAV, a plug-in that lets you watch lectures at up to 2.5x speed.

Study space could be better, no question, but there ARE places to study.

Jim, I'm not sure what your criteria are for lounges, but there is a lounge by the first-year lecture hall, and two in the hospital (but one is for women only).

There is an entire unit in the hospital set up to teach clinical skills, and they provide a ton of free time with standardized patients for practice (as many sessions as you feel you need), not just evaluation.

There is plenty to do in Baltimore--dancing, clubs, restaurants, comedy, music, art, bars, etc. My biggest problem this year (MSII) is cutting back on the social temptations.

I would also like to add that my class is 52% female as well.

Parking is a huge pain, but I don't think it's as bad as places like NYC.

 

[Damnit Jim!]

All the good things you said are true, except that Peabody's relationship with Hopkins has changed, and classes aren't free anymore. However, the dean will let you use part of your summer research stipend ($2600) to pay for classes if you still want to take one at the Peabody.

The neighborhood really is getting better, so much so that my friends and I often walk to school from Canton/Fells Point, which is on the harbor. Bad neighborhoods interspersed with good is just a fact of city life, and there are advantages to training in a bad neighborhood. Your patients really need you, and you are going to see an astonishing diversity of disease. A white-bread patient population wasn't where I wanted to learn medicine, so I saw the neighborhood as a good point to Hopkins.

The computing technology here isn't as impressive as some other schools I have seen, but we do have wireless just about everywhere, and a lot of Palm (even some PocketPC) software is free through the school. All lectures are videotaped and posted on the Web immediately afterwards, and the computing center has bought 2xAV, a plug-in that lets you watch lectures at up to 2.5x speed.

Study space could be better, no question, but there ARE places to study.

Jim, I'm not sure what your criteria are for lounges, but there is a lounge by the first-year lecture hall, and two in the hospital (but one is for women only).

There is an entire unit in the hospital set up to teach clinical skills, and they provide a ton of free time with standardized patients for practice (as many sessions as you feel you need), not just evaluation.

There is plenty to do in Baltimore--dancing, clubs, restaurants, comedy, music, art, bars, etc. My biggest problem this year (MSII) is cutting back on the social temptations.

I would also like to add that my class is 52% female as well.

Parking is a huge pain, but I don't think it's as bad as places like NYC.

Darn, that sucks that they changed the deal with Peabody. I thought that was one of the coolest things- to be able to take music or dance lessons at one of the best music schools in the country.

I didn't know about the lounges in the hospital. I wouldn't classify the thing by the first year hall as a lounge. I think the kind of learning facilities that Wash U is building and that Cornell has are awesome. I wish Hopkins would build something similar. Since the library was so bad, I would have to get creative with study places. Sometimes I studied in the dome or some of the random rooms in PCTB, or head over to the undergrad library. I'm glad that they are getting more "wired" since I left though.

I also want to go to a place with a diverse patient base. Another thing about Hopkins though, is that when I was there, they didn't seem to be as community or socially conscious as some other schools. For example, when I visited Columbia, there seemed to be a lot of outreach clinics, first step clinics, etc. in the Harlem and Washington Heights area and they seemed to be a lot more active in giving to the community. At Hopkins, I had heard of a few free clinics, but there didn't seem to be a lot of activity in the East Baltimore area.

I love Baltimore too. I think there are many people who wouldn't though.

 

[Damnit Jim!]

How's Baltimore? Is it really as bad as people like to make it seem?

Baltimore is not as bad as it seems, but at the same time, it is as bad as it seems. Every week the Baltimore Sun posts a homicide count in its newspaper. Currently, the count is around 230 for the year in a city of about 600,000. When I first came to Baltimore, the counts were consistently above 300. They?re about 260-270 now so things have improved somewhat. I think New York is around 600-700, but it?s over 10 times larger, so Baltimore still needs a lot of work. The mayor has done some good things but the changes are not as dramatic as they may seem. The numbers at the trauma centers are almost the same but the survival rate has gone up, so the effect is more modest.

When I first came to Baltimore, I didn?t like it because I could only see the bad. I have since grown to love Baltimore. I love it because it has that quirky charm. It?s very blue collar, but we also have the best hospitals, one of the best art museums, one of the best music schools, and one of the best aquariums. My experience is that if you?re really into the NYC type living, then you won?t like it here. My analogy is that NYC is the prom queen, Baltimore is the shy, awkward girl with glasses, but who is beautiful when you look closer. I really like the quirky cities with character. My favorite cities are San Francisco, New Orleans, and Baltimore.

Baltimore doesn?t really have that critical mass of young professionals required to support some of the trendier NY type stuff, but there are still some cool places.

Things I like and don?t like about Baltimore:

Bars,music, entertainment. Baltimore has a few trendy bars like Sonar, Red Maple, Good Love if you?re into the chill type lounge. If you?re into the college/fraternity/pub crawl type scene, then Fell?s Point is your place. Not my cup of tea. Canton is a little trendier. The crackdown on clubs in DC has been a boon for Baltimore, as famous events like Buzz and Sugar have shifted to Baltimore clubs (if you?re into the house, deep house, techno thing). The indie/punk scene and underground hip hop scenes in Baltimore are awesome. One thing I miss about California is all the independent cd/music shops and bookstores, but Baltimore has a few. The Charles Theatre is a cool art house movie theater. Not as good as some of NYC?s, but still pretty good. Peabody has a lot of cool offerings and performances. There are no good ballet companies here. Performing arts are ok.

Food. There?s a Little Italy and Greektown, so you can get good Italian and Greek food. Expanding Latino community, so some pretty good Mexican food. Some good Indian restaurants. One thing that is not so good is the Asian restaurants though. There are good Korean restaurants, but the Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese restaurants are not so good. Have to go to DC for those. No good Ethiopian restaurants either. Oddly, Baltimore is pretty famous for seafood, but you have to search to find the good places.

Shopping. No really upscale shops like Neiman?s, Saks, if you?re into that type of thing. Some really good antique, vintage, and thrift shops though.

Museums. Aquarium is awesome, on par or better than Chicago and Boston, second only to Monterey Bay. Between the Walters Art and Baltimore Museum of Art, they have an awesome collection. The best Matisse collection I?ve seen. They have cool jazz festivals too. Babe Ruth museum and Camden Yards. Edgar Allan Poe museum. Science museum is not that good, but it?s expanding.

Despite its location, Baltimore is a pretty progressive city. Strong African-American community, strong gay community, and lots of support for the disabled. The public transportation system really sucks though. The subway is not that convenient, and the buses are just a mess.

 

[yaypoker]

i was wondering how much it is true and/or to what degree med schools talk with one another.

from seeing admissions stats that ive seen, it seems that most people dont get into both Hopkins and Harvard. is this just a difference in what they look for? did any of you get into both? i had several friends that got interviewed everywhere last year, except that they didnt get Harvard interview even after getting into hopkins early. just wondering.

and more on topic, what was the major reason you picked Hopkins over any other school you got in (was it just the rank and reputation, was it just that it was the best school you got into?)?

I get mixed impressions abotu the competitiveness/not as competitive comments. when i visited, hopkins did seem pretty competitive in some sense...or perhaps better to say, people were concerned baotu test grades(talked about answers to tests, scores etc) to a surprisingly high degree, even in comparison to typical premeds at ivy schools. this concerns me the most i guess right now, along with the area rgiht aroudn teh hospital. But it does seem true that you will get an outstanding clinical experience, and that the people are pretty nice and down to earth on the most part

anyway...guess i should just wait until i hear from them before i say more.

 

[jhugti]

hopkins bump

 

[bridge01]

question #1

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=157386

this question was posted on another thread, but thought i'd stick it here too to see what people on this thread had to add.

Is John hopkins big on research or clinical medicine?
Any particular area where Hopkin is particular strong at?

i dont know if you want to reply here or on the other thread.

question #2

Food. There?s a Little Italy and Greektown, so you can get good Italian and Greek food. Expanding Latino community, so some pretty good Mexican food. Some good Indian restaurants. One thing that is not so good is the Asian restaurants though. There are good Korean restaurants, but the Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese restaurants are not so good. Have to go to DC for those. No good Ethiopian restaurants either. Oddly, Baltimore is pretty famous for seafood, but you have to search to find the good places.

bad asian food? are there some asian grocery stores around baltimore??

 

[CTSurg]

i was wondering how much it is true and/or to what degree med schools talk with one another.

from seeing admissions stats that ive seen, it seems that most people dont get into both Hopkins and Harvard. is this just a difference in what they look for? did any of you get into both? i had several friends that got interviewed everywhere last year, except that they didnt get Harvard interview even after getting into hopkins early. just wondering.

and more on topic, what was the major reason you picked Hopkins over any other school you got in (was it just the rank and reputation, was it just that it was the best school you got into?)?

I get mixed impressions abotu the competitiveness/not as competitive comments. when i visited, hopkins did seem pretty competitive in some sense...or perhaps better to say, people were concerned baotu test grades(talked about answers to tests, scores etc) to a surprisingly high degree, even in comparison to typical premeds at ivy schools. this concerns me the most i guess right now, along with the area rgiht aroudn teh hospital. But it does seem true that you will get an outstanding clinical experience, and that the people are pretty nice and down to earth on the most part

anyway...guess i should just wait until i hear from them before i say more.

First, I know of several people in my class and the years later that were accepted to both Hopkins and Harvard. I think that you will begin to appreciate that the application/interview process is not an exact science. I think that both schools are looking for intelligent, motivated students who will succeed. I can't really comment on what Harvard looks for exactly, but I have written in an earlier post in this thread what Hopkins looks for...

The main reasons I chose Hopkins over the multitude of med schools out there is strength of clinical experience, success of previous graduates, and the general "feel" I got at my interview.

The clinical experience at Hopkins is bar none! You will graduate at intern or PGY2 level. You will feel very comfortable managing nearly every type of patient. I could see it when I was rotating on my clerkships that the Hopkins grads seemed to have an excellent grasp of the patients and were able to work independently much easier. Not to say that you will not get an excellent education at other schools, but I think the level of autonomy you get here as a med stud is very unique.

Looking at what previous graduates have done is equally important. What programs did they match into, what fields of medicine did they choose, etc... This will give you an idea of what to expect come residency/match time.

Finally, the intangible "feeling" that I got. This is important, but not easily explained. When I came to Hopkins for my interview I got the sense that people were very confident, but did not spill over into arrogant. That is something that many people I have spoken to have felt. There are many top tier schools that are great, but they'll also let you know just how great they are! Hopkins has a rich history and I think that becoming a part of that history is an amazing and humbling feeling...

As for competitiveness, I also addressed this in an earlier post on this thread. Please refer to that...

Best of luck in your med school search!

 

[CTSurg]

question #1

Originally Posted by premedgeek

Is John hopkins big on research or clinical medicine?
Any particular area where Hopkin is particular strong at?


question #2


bad asian food? are there some asian grocery stores around baltimore??

QUESTION #1: Hopkins has a famous "trifecta" that they live by "Education, Patient Care, and Research" You will most likely see this in many different places, but Hopkins truly does live and die by this.

Everywhere in the hospital, education is stressed. For example, there is a new surgery clerkship director who is absolutely amazing! He is a successful, busy thoracic surgeon who makes time for students in unprecedented ways and works hard to make the clerkship a wonderful educational experience.

I don't think that there is one single field in which Hopkins is better than the other. I hate to say this, but I think the US News rankings of the different specialties are pretty accurate. Hopkins is very strong in multiple areas of patient care and research.

QUESTION #2: I would disagree with the comment that there are no good Asian restaurants. I don't know of any Asian food markets, but that is just because I don't use them. There is plenty outside of the city as well. The suburbs are full of restaurants and ethnic food stores. I guess you just have to look for them.

 

[VienneseWaltz]

I also want to go to a place with a diverse patient base. Another thing about Hopkins though, is that when I was there, they didn't seem to be as community or socially conscious as some other schools. For example, when I visited Columbia, there seemed to be a lot of outreach clinics, first step clinics, etc. in the Harlem and Washington Heights area and they seemed to be a lot more active in giving to the community. At Hopkins, I had heard of a few free clinics, but there didn't seem to be a lot of activity in the East Baltimore area.

I definitely have to disagree with this. I run a program that re-sterilizes opened but unused surgical equipment and ships it to disaster areas. There are at least 2 or 3 free clinics staffed in part by med students, 2 geriatric outreach programs, an anti-substance abuse program, an anti-teen-pregnancy program, a knitting outreach program (sounds odd, but it's pretty cool), and those are just the ones off the top of my head. There are so many community-service programs that there is a separate funding council (that is, separate from the student govt) to manage the community service funds. Oh, also, in the spring, the first-year classes organizes a 4-weekend sports clinic for the neighborhood kids.

As for competition, I'm guessing the person who said everyone was talking about grades interviewed the day after the test. Some people let off steam by talking about the test, but most people want the damn thing behind them as soon as they turn it in. I am surprised to hear that people were talking about scores. My class doesn't talk about that, except to b!tch about how high the averages are sometimes or maybe a question that people thought was graded too harshly ... that's med school, though.

In the sense that it is difficult to stand out because everyone here is smart and motivated, it could be considered competitive, but it is not cutthroat at all. Before every test, tons of people in my class are sending out classwide e-mails with a useful table they made up, a good Web site they found, a lecture summary they wrote, etc. I don't know ANYONE who wouldn't help a classmate with something he or she didn't understand. Everyone gets good residencies, so there's no reason to backbite.