Loyola... Chicago, here I come!

[ChaChaDocta]

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Hey all, I just got the good word that I'm in at Loyola's Master of Medical sciences. I know it's a newer program, but I was wondering if anyone who went through it already could answer some little questions for me... and would like to hear from anyone else who plans on attending Fall '06 also.

I turned down UMDNJ and BarryU, and plan on withdrawing my apps from Georgetown, Drexel, and Midwestern, because this is the program I've been waiting for.

If you can help me out, I am wondering when you started your AMCAS, before or after the program (there's that whole applying early vs. lag year dilemma), and whether the program permits time to hold part-time employment. Any advice on where to live near the Lakeshore campus or with access to the CTA red line would also be much appreciated.

Best wishes to you all and thank you in advance!

 

[chaeymaey]

You definitely apply after the program resulting in a lag year. During the program there are seminars that teach you how to fill out AMCAS and other app advice and you also meet with deans of different med schools. The guaranteed interview at Loyola is for the 2008 cycle, not 2007, so the program encourages waiting a year. You only take grad classes, not med school classes, and you're also on the undergrad campus, not med school campus. I didn't want to wait the extra year, so I'm between Gtown, EVMS, and Tulane ACP. Is there are particular reason why Loyola MAMS is your top choice?

 

[rob14599]

I turned down UMDNJ and BarryU, and plan on withdrawing my apps from Georgetown, Drexel, and Midwestern, because this is the program I've been waiting for.

I don't want to sound critical here, but why are you withdrawing your apps from Georgetown and Drexel? Georgetown is generally regarded as THE best SMP program around. Drexel's program is also extremely highly regarded, it's usually mentioned along with Boston University's MAMS as second to Georgetown's. Both Georgetown and Drexel allow you to take ACTUAL medical school classes, this is THE most important thing that could help you get into medical school.

Loyola seems like a solid program, but it confers an MA, which is less valuable than the MS you would get from Georgetown. Also, you don't take med school classes at Loyola, so they don't look as good to med school ad coms.

If you already paid your application fees to Georgetown and Drexel, wait and see if you get in. If you really plan on going to medical school, both Drexel and Georgetown will help you get in MUCH better than an MAMS from Loyola.

 

[ChaChaDocta]

Is there are particular reason why Loyola MAMS is your top choice?

Mostly Chicago itself, it is such a beautiful city. I'm from Wisconsin, and I really want to stay in the midwest, and Loyola Stritch and a few other med schools in the area (Rush, Northwestern, MCOW) would be top-choice med schools for me... I think I'll keep my app active at Georgetown, at least (just in case) and that would be the only program that I might even consider turning Loyola down for. I have heard both good and bad things about Loyola MAMS, but every student and faculty member that I have heard from have made it sound overall quite positive. As for the classes themselves, I'm perfectly OK taking grad rather than med school classes. If I'm paying through the nose for a program like this, I want my own classmates in my own class with professors that are aware and helpful (not saying that they wouldn't be if I were amongst 200 med students, but you know what I mean...). I guess I'd appreciate the 'challenge' of med school classes, but that's what I'm going to med school for, eventually. The classes offered at Loyola are perfect for me, I really want to be sure I really really know A&P, Biochem, etc. before I go to med school. Overall, I'm really looking forward to it. Now if I could just find housing... 🙄

 

[ChaChaDocta]

If you already paid your application fees to Georgetown and Drexel, wait and see if you get in.

That's a good point, I guess I was just avoiding that guilty moral dilemma of having to choose the school I'd prefer personally and the school that I 'should' go to because it has a better reputation, and might give me that edge in applying to schools. I'm pretty sure that I'd be happier at Loyola, still. Anyone out there that has been through the program?

 

[Go Lance!]

That's a good point, I guess I was just avoiding that guilty moral dilemma of having to choose the school I'd prefer personally and the school that I 'should' go to because it has a better reputation, and might give me that edge in applying to schools. I'm pretty sure that I'd be happier at Loyola, still. Anyone out there that has been through the program?

I've gotta say screw the reputation of G'town. Go to whatever program will fit your needs best. Bottom line is that many would like to think that a school's reputation will get them in to med school, but if you work hard in any of these graduate programs they will help you get accepted.

I say if you would prefer to go to Loyola, then go.

By the way G'town's 85-90% acceptance rate to med school statistic is based on having a lag year (a much smaller percentage are accepted while in the program). Realistically alot of students in our situation need those SMP grades on their AMCAS to have a chance.