ana.stomosis
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Help!
Context:
UCSF-JMP
Pros:
-Anti-racism as core value, and health equity as core focus of MS, would be very aligned with how I already think and interact in clinical spaces; the program draws the kind of people I'd want to navigate such a difficult political environment with
-Staying in CA and rotating through the many affiliated community hospitals and health centers means I'd be able to continue treating Medicaid patients & my target population (urban health equity is my bag)
-I'm deeply involved in local food production and street medicine, both of which are amply available in the bay area
-Definitely the "best" MD school of all my choices
-I love the bay, and my sibling is close
-STEP 1 & 2 taken back-to-back after more prep time
-JMP students have said they felt really well prepared for STEP and that the extra year takes the pressure off
-Again, extra year of preclin allows for exploration of other interests and time to be a person (to an extent)
Cons:
-IT. IS. SO. EXPENSIVE. THERE. - I get super depressed looking for housing
-5 years (meaning extra year before practicing, and extra year of extremely high COL)
-Probably the least generous of these schools re: fin aid, and have anecdotally heard that they don't respond to requests to match other offers : (
-TBL and PBL are also mandatory and frequent (3 days/week) during the 2.5 preclinical years
-JMP class size a little too small? 16 students... so not likely to have anyone else in the cohort who's in a similar life stage. I make friends with people younger than me, but it's not the same as having the relatability of a common generation.
Kaiser
Pros:
-Full COA offer
-Decent to strong match list
-Excellent faculty who are really into what Kaiser is doing
-Class size of 50 so strong mentorship and close faculty relationships possible
-Have heard positive things from docs here
-I really enjoyed some of the other admitted students and M1s I met during 2nd Look
-Partner will not be moving with, so this would be the most realistic place for maintaining relationship. Still, I am not sure a LDR is something I'm willing to take on so not sure how much of a factor this is
Cons:
-Still feels like a bit of an experiment
-"nothing in life is free"
- COL budget allocates ~1900 for rent when analyzing breakdown - challenging to live alone on this in pasadena
- Any additional COL funds needed would have to be accessed through private loans
- 4 days/ week mandatory PBL
- 1 day/week @ clinical site during M1. Site is not chosen and we do not get assignment for until matriculation (could end up as far as Long Beach or Anaheim (potentially 3 hours/day wasted on commute, and yes some people can study while commuting, but I study at a standing desk to avoid being sedentary)
- 4 days/week at clinical site in M2, meaning that is where you're supposed to live for that year. That means attending Kaiser can potentially mean you will commit to living in a much less desirable area than Pasadena/East LA for at least a year; also am a commuting cycling and hope to be able to bike to my required things while in school
- no uni associated for clinical/bench/translational research connections (population level research easily accessible tho)
- no cadaveric dissection
-I really want to live in a walkable/bikeable area and LA/Pasadena is...not that
UMich
Pros:
-Full tuition merit scholarship already awarded, with an additional institutional grant, making my total COA ~88k for 4 years. Sounds manageable, but with interest and unsubsidized loans that will add up.
-Excellent research institution in p much everything
-Excellent match list, probably better than UCSF for non-primary care specialty matching
-Huge university with amazing professional schools, so would be around other professional students in different disciplines, lots of opportunity for cross-disciplinary collaboration (policy, public health, law)
-Very supportive alumni network
-No challenge getting exposure to various specialties, subspecialties, research (clinical and translational research access would probably be better here than at the other two since at UCSF I wouldn't be there until my clinical rotations)
-More of the traditional educational environment I thrive in
-I like seasonal weather and have no gripe with real winters
-Disability focus and advocacy for physical mental health and wellbeing seems to reflect common values that are important to me, and I don't encounter a lot of schools that are as active in this arena particularly. This struck a very positive chord for me.
Cons:
-Feels like I'd get lost in the student body there...huge university has a downside too, including not very responsive to my emails re: financial aid and admissions qs, impossible to reach anyone by phone : (
-Not sure how easy it is to connect w mentors given the size of the institution
-Still some flipped classes and PBL work, but less than the other two programs I believe
-Any debt with the current interest rates and unpredictability in job markets is a questionable financial choice if I have a full ride?
Waitlisted at Yale and WashU. Gave up other seats. On hold at OHSU. Yale is my top for every reason (curriculum and IRL lectures, location close to family and I miss temperate climates, have friends completing PhDs there, strong research, likely to qualify for great financial aid offer based on income), but I am not holding out hope bc.. well..it's Yale. Also, I wish this went without saying but it's the internet so: I am obviously aware that this is a very good problem to have, and I do know I'm really fortunate.
Context:
- Nontrad in mid30s hoping to live alone so my partner can stay as much as they like, but we will not be moving together
- Cal resident but not originally from here (ties to Atlanta, Chicago, NYC, SoCal and NorCal so I am not necessarily attached to staying here)
- Will likely want to stay and do residency wherever I am educated, as I have moved many times and prefer not uprooting again and again into middle age
- Priorities include not struggling with survival-based things (financial stress has impacted all of my adult life, and dealing with more of the same during med school when I cannot simply take on extra work to make up the difference is a huge stressor), going to a program that suits my learning style (e.g. I do not flourish in flipped classroom models, prefer traditional lecture options, and as a very independent and introverted adult student, I find the mandatory daily TBL stuff not only incongruent with how I learn but also kind of paternalistic?), and living in a place that is bikeable/walkable - I am trying to be cognizant of my sedentary time so I can remain healthy into my 40s and my habits during med school could make or break that.
- Low income and still waiting on financial aid info from the UCSF JMP. Financial concerns are paramount.
UCSF-JMP
Pros:
-Anti-racism as core value, and health equity as core focus of MS, would be very aligned with how I already think and interact in clinical spaces; the program draws the kind of people I'd want to navigate such a difficult political environment with
-Staying in CA and rotating through the many affiliated community hospitals and health centers means I'd be able to continue treating Medicaid patients & my target population (urban health equity is my bag)
-I'm deeply involved in local food production and street medicine, both of which are amply available in the bay area
-Definitely the "best" MD school of all my choices
-I love the bay, and my sibling is close
-STEP 1 & 2 taken back-to-back after more prep time
-JMP students have said they felt really well prepared for STEP and that the extra year takes the pressure off
-Again, extra year of preclin allows for exploration of other interests and time to be a person (to an extent)
Cons:
-IT. IS. SO. EXPENSIVE. THERE. - I get super depressed looking for housing
-5 years (meaning extra year before practicing, and extra year of extremely high COL)
-Probably the least generous of these schools re: fin aid, and have anecdotally heard that they don't respond to requests to match other offers : (
-TBL and PBL are also mandatory and frequent (3 days/week) during the 2.5 preclinical years
-JMP class size a little too small? 16 students... so not likely to have anyone else in the cohort who's in a similar life stage. I make friends with people younger than me, but it's not the same as having the relatability of a common generation.
Kaiser
Pros:
-Full COA offer
-Decent to strong match list
-Excellent faculty who are really into what Kaiser is doing
-Class size of 50 so strong mentorship and close faculty relationships possible
-Have heard positive things from docs here
-I really enjoyed some of the other admitted students and M1s I met during 2nd Look
-Partner will not be moving with, so this would be the most realistic place for maintaining relationship. Still, I am not sure a LDR is something I'm willing to take on so not sure how much of a factor this is
Cons:
-Still feels like a bit of an experiment
-"nothing in life is free"
- COL budget allocates ~1900 for rent when analyzing breakdown - challenging to live alone on this in pasadena
- Any additional COL funds needed would have to be accessed through private loans
- 4 days/ week mandatory PBL
- 1 day/week @ clinical site during M1. Site is not chosen and we do not get assignment for until matriculation (could end up as far as Long Beach or Anaheim (potentially 3 hours/day wasted on commute, and yes some people can study while commuting, but I study at a standing desk to avoid being sedentary)
- 4 days/week at clinical site in M2, meaning that is where you're supposed to live for that year. That means attending Kaiser can potentially mean you will commit to living in a much less desirable area than Pasadena/East LA for at least a year; also am a commuting cycling and hope to be able to bike to my required things while in school
- no uni associated for clinical/bench/translational research connections (population level research easily accessible tho)
- no cadaveric dissection
-I really want to live in a walkable/bikeable area and LA/Pasadena is...not that
UMich
Pros:
-Full tuition merit scholarship already awarded, with an additional institutional grant, making my total COA ~88k for 4 years. Sounds manageable, but with interest and unsubsidized loans that will add up.
-Excellent research institution in p much everything
-Excellent match list, probably better than UCSF for non-primary care specialty matching
-Huge university with amazing professional schools, so would be around other professional students in different disciplines, lots of opportunity for cross-disciplinary collaboration (policy, public health, law)
-Very supportive alumni network
-No challenge getting exposure to various specialties, subspecialties, research (clinical and translational research access would probably be better here than at the other two since at UCSF I wouldn't be there until my clinical rotations)
-More of the traditional educational environment I thrive in
-I like seasonal weather and have no gripe with real winters
-Disability focus and advocacy for physical mental health and wellbeing seems to reflect common values that are important to me, and I don't encounter a lot of schools that are as active in this arena particularly. This struck a very positive chord for me.
Cons:
-Feels like I'd get lost in the student body there...huge university has a downside too, including not very responsive to my emails re: financial aid and admissions qs, impossible to reach anyone by phone : (
-Not sure how easy it is to connect w mentors given the size of the institution
-Still some flipped classes and PBL work, but less than the other two programs I believe
-Any debt with the current interest rates and unpredictability in job markets is a questionable financial choice if I have a full ride?
Waitlisted at Yale and WashU. Gave up other seats. On hold at OHSU. Yale is my top for every reason (curriculum and IRL lectures, location close to family and I miss temperate climates, have friends completing PhDs there, strong research, likely to qualify for great financial aid offer based on income), but I am not holding out hope bc.. well..it's Yale. Also, I wish this went without saying but it's the internet so: I am obviously aware that this is a very good problem to have, and I do know I'm really fortunate.
