looking for a relaxed atmosphere med school

[princessSMT]

HI all🙂

i was wondering if anyone could help me out...

im looking for a more relaxed atmosphere in med school... you know, some where the kids don't all ask "what did you get on that test" like all the premeds in my classes now do.

frankly, i dont care whether i go to the BEST medical school or not-- any of them that you go to will give you the M.D. behind your name.

so I want to go somewhere that i can be happy first and get a great education a close second.

any ideas?? thanks so much!

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[Hamster]

I guess Great Pumpkin can correct me if I am wrong but MCV seemed to have a relaxed atmosphere while I interviewed there. I think this is due to their class schedule..It's not the typical 8-5 all day lectures but something like 9-2

Also I will just have to put in a plug for UNC 😉 But this is a biased suggestion since I did undergrad there + Chapel Hill has a very relaxed/liberal atmosphere. Neither have anything to do with the medical school...

I guess it would be best to contact the students at a few prospects... And remember that opinions are often skewed around test blocks, vacation breaks etc.

 

[KB.]

Dartmouth seemed to be a very laid back med school. The students were happy, relaxed, and spent a lot of time doing outdoor activities. The atmosphere seemed cooperative rather than competitive.

 

[pcl]

Look for schools (CWRU is one) that are Pass/Fail, this apparantly reduces much of the competition.

After all P=MD... 😉

 

[goza1]

You should check out Stanford. It's pass/fail all four years, the students are very happy and laidback. Most students go five years so that they can take reduced classloads, do extra clinicals, research, work, etc. It makes for a more mature, relaxed feel on campus. Also, all the lectures are on the web which allows for students to travel long weekends and make up for missed lectures.

 

[Linie]

People are going to laugh at this, but no one ever asked me what I got on exams (and I never asked anyone else for that matter), at Johns Hopkins. So add Hopkins to your list for laid back.

 

[praying4MD]

Don't be fooled by schools that sell a "laid back atmosphere" by saying they only grade Pass/Fail. Baylor College of Medicine grades in this fashion, however, they are FAR from "laid back." In fact, they are known around these parts for cut throat competition and students that retain that anal premed anxiety far into med school.

 

[ringo643]

UTMB is a very comfortable and laid back atmosphere. If you've got any questions about it,I'll be going there this year, so I might be able to answer them.

 

[lilycat]

Tulane students seemed extremely happy and laid-back. Yale is another school known for being extremely low-stress (optional tests and no grades the first year, I believe).

I think you just need to apply to a variety of schools you are interested in, and see where you feel the most comfortable during the interviews. I haven't started Baylor yet, but I have a lot of friends who go there, and no one ever described it as cut-throat in the least. The friends I have there are pretty far from that mentality, but med school attracts all types, and I think every school will have its share of gunners along with the laid-back "C=MD" types. I think you have to separate out parts of the medical school experience in evaluating the comments you hear and the "reputations" different schools have. Depending who you talk to, the two schools I was considering (Baylor and UCSD) can be considered stressful by some people -- however, no one ever said that that was because of the students -- on the contrary, students at both schools said they loved their classmates, that everyone was helpful and encouraging and friendly, etc. Instead, if there is stress at these schools, it's created by the structure and nature of the curriculum. You have to ask yourself what kind of class structure you'd like best (lecture vs. PBL), and also if you'd like an accelerated basic science curriculum (schools like Duke, Baylor, and Penn, I believe) -- this may create more stress early on, but less stress at the end of med school.

 

[pianola]

I'm bumping this thread because I'm interested in knowing what current SDNers think.

Short of visiting the campuses of all 129 (?) medical schools in this country, how can one gauge the atmosphere in a school?

In particular, I'm looking for a school that actively fosters a cooperative student body.

Any thoughts?

Thanks 😀

 

[searun]

Stanford seems pretty chill. Also Stewart is noncompetitive!

 

[LadyWolverine]

People are going to laugh at this, but no one ever asked me what I got on exams (and I never asked anyone else for that matter), at Johns Hopkins.

We also have this unspoken "don't ask, don't tell" rule.

There's nothing that irks me more than people who ask "what did you get?" after an exam. As a matter of fact, except for a couple of people (and even these require some speculation), I have no idea who the "superstar" students are in my class.

I can't stand braggarts, and think they all should be put in their place. I despise people who flip out and nitpick constantly about 1 point on a test. (Also, there's absolutely no reason to call someone a "gunner" just because they did better than you on a test, and YOU were the one who just had to ask how they did.) It should be up to you to decide how well you want to do. Further, it shouldn't matter to you what anyone else is getting on exams. You have the mean scores - that should be enough.

We don't have much of any of the above. Which is what I love about Maryland. If I went to school with someone who constantly asked me what I got on X test / bragged about their exam scores, I'd probably punch them in the face.

 

[dienekes88]

WOW. Seven year bump. This has to be some kind of record.

My take on it is that there will be gunners everywhere. You can easily avoid them and create a low-stress environment of your own.

 

[pianola]

WOW. Seven year bump. This has to be some kind of record.

My take on it is that there will be gunners everywhere. You can easily avoid them and create a low-stress environment of your own.

I'm a neat and tidy poster. No extra threads when I post! 🙂

"Gunners" aren't always easy to avoid if you have to do lots of collaboration as part of the curriculum...I mean, that would be my thought.

 

[Ms MD]

Stony Brook SOM (NY)
The people in my class are all rediculously smart, however, they're also incredibly warm and collaborative!! People are always willing to help you out. My friends and I send each other notes, review sheets, etc. This is not a gunner school. There's plenty of opportunities for world-class research (they get lots of funding and are collaborated with Brookhaven National lab) and SB students always match really well.

 

[deleted74029]

What about Harvary? One would think that they would have a pretty laid back atmosphere due to the PBL curriculum

 

[Law2Doc]

What about Harvary? One would think that they would have a pretty laid back atmosphere due to the PBL curriculum

PBL doesn't really equate to laid back.

 

[deleted74029]

PBL doesn't really equate to laid back.

Yeah I guess I was adding that to the fact that they don't have grades at all, or is that Yale? Or neither? Maybe my senility is setting in a little too early...

 

[Law2Doc]

Yeah I guess I was adding that to the fact that they don't have grades at all, or is that Yale? Or neither? Maybe my senility is setting in a little too early...

The couple of top schools where nobody ever fails and has to repeat a course probably tend to be the most relaxed. A P/P system beats a P/F system any day. At most other schools you will know someone who has to repeat first year, or take a class or test over a summer. Fear to not be this person adds a level of intensity.

 

[pianola]

Yeah I guess I was adding that to the fact that they don't have grades at all, or is that Yale? Or neither? Maybe my senility is setting in a little too early...

I'll let y'all know whether it's competitive or not after my interview...😉

Or not.

 

[pianola]

The couple of top schools where nobody ever fails and has to repeat a course probably tend to be the most relaxed. A P/P system beats a P/F system any day. At most other schools you will know someone who has to repeat first year, or take a class or test over a summer. Fear to not be this person adds a level of intensity.

Is P/P Pass-Pass?(??)

 

[Law2Doc]

Is P/P Pass-Pass?(??)

Yes. That's the way it works at the couple of places that never fail anyone.🙂

 

[pianola]

Yes. That's the way it works at the couple of places that never fail anyone.🙂

Weird. And awfully brave on the part of the medical school...I mean, working off of the assumption that none of your students are capable of failing.

 

[bodonid]

I guess Great Pumpkin can correct me if I am wrong but MCV seemed to have a relaxed atmosphere while I interviewed there. I think this is due to their class schedule..It's not the typical 8-5 all day lectures but something like 9-2

I guess things may have been different seven years ago, but are most schools these days 9-5, or 9-lunch? (not counting anatomy labs or PBL/study session)

 

[Law2Doc]

but are most schools these days 9-5, or 9-lunch? (not counting anatomy labs or PBL/study session)

There is no "most". You will find ample number of schools with full day versus half day (and maybe even a third option or two). But they usually won't start at 9. Medicine is an early morning profession. I would bank on 8 or earlier. (Wait until some of your third year rotations, when getting in at 8 once in a while constitutes "sleeping in").

 

[AmoryBlaine]

This whole issue of finding a "laid back" student atmosphere is tricky for 3 reasons...

1. It is largely internal to the person seeking it. Despite what you think about yourself and how chill and relaxed and go-with-the-flow you pride yourself on being you might become an absolute gunner in med school. I've seen it happen. At the end of the day how you do in school matters* no matter how many people try to preach the P=MD gospel. In my experience this tends to lead to a situation long on people telling you how laid back they are and short on the reality end.

2. It is largely class dependant. My class was fairly skewed towards being gunnerish especially relative to my school's rep (whatever that means). The class below me had many more party animals, did worse in almost every class etc etc.

3. It is probably more of an issue in the few places where students really are crazy than in the 95% of places where you have a normal mix of people.


* What I try to highlight in many of my pre-allo posts is that there is life after medical school. You are really there to secure a residency spot in the field of you choice in the city of your choice. Do not ever let someone convince you that being surrounded by chill people is equal in importance to attending a great school.

 

[Law2Doc]

Do not ever let someone convince you that being surrounded by chill people is equal in importance to attending a great school.

Agree. It's not so bad to be surrounded by competitive SOBs who push you to do your best and get that derm residency. Much better than having a great time for 4 years but having limited residency options at the other end.

 

[pianola]

Agree. It's not so bad to be surrounded by competitive SOBs who push you to do your best and get that derm residency. Much better than having a great time for 4 years but having limited residency options at the other end.

Oh I completely agree -- I think my undergraduate institution was TOO laid back for me. And actually it was a top 5 liberal arts college -- go figure. Too laid back can definitely be a problem in my mind -- I definitely DON'T need a sense of complacency entering medical school, because complacency has been really lethal for me in the past.

But if I run into REAL people in medical school who ACTUALLY believe it's appropriate to ask me if a 3.9878 rounds to a 4.0 or who are concerned that they don't have any ECs along the lines of Olympic Gold medals during their first year of college, I may have to go find some nice humanities majors to go have lunch with. And you know, I realize why people would wonder about these questions, too -- but the fact of the matter is that basically I'm not incredibly interested in hearing it in realtime...

Although the average SDNer is usually pretty nice and hopefully somewhat normal, I've seen enough weirdos to hope that I won't encounter some of them in med school.

Ah well. That's just my take. And I suppose what people post in an anonymous forum isn't necessarily a representative sample of true pre-med character.

But the point stands.

 

[45408]

There is no "most". You will find ample number of schools with full day versus half day (and maybe even a third option or two). But they usually won't start at 9. Medicine is an early morning profession. I would bank on 8 or earlier. (Wait until some of your third year rotations, when getting in at 8 once in a while constitutes "sleeping in").

Nothing in my first year was before 8am, and almost everything started at 9am during second year.

 

[Law2Doc]

Nothing in my first year was before 8am, and almost everything started at 9am during second year.

Wow, you lucked out. (From the folks I know, that is definitely not the norm.) But you are probably in for bit of a shock in third year when in some rotations getting to the hospital at 6 will be late.😱

 

[45408]

Wow, you lucked out. (From the folks I know, that is definitely not the norm.) But you are probably in for bit of a shock in third year when in some rotations getting to the hospital at 6 will be late.😱

Eh, I didn't go to class most of the time, so I often slept in even later than that. I'm not too worried though - I can wake up early if there's a good reason for it (such as going to work as opposed to going to a class) - and I've worked ~260 hours in a three week span between jobs. Or 48 hours in a 72 hour span. I'll just have to crank up the Mountain Dew habit a little more. I just think it's ridiculous to be at the hospital at 4:30am. Like this stuff couldn't all be pushed back two hours. If the sun isn't up by that time on the longest day of the year, GO BACK TO BED.