Loyola (Stritch) vs. Drexel vs. Stony Brook (waiting response)

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ordinaryorange

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Hey everybody, as the cycle comes to an end, having a difficult time choosing between these schools. A little bit about me – I’m from California and and leaning towards specializing but do not know which one yet. I want to keep my options open for competitive specialties as much as possible. Thanks in advance!

Loyola (Stritch)

Pros:
  • Student body/faculty were extremely friendly during interview day (best impression out of all schools)
  • Extremely collaborative environment
  • Facilities were pretty nice and all very close to another
  • Being near Chicago seems much more fun and interesting
  • Would know more people who go here
  • Curriculum is transitioning to 18-month pre-clinical
  • Cheapest COA
Cons:
  • Not exactly in Chicago
  • Lowest USNWR ranking (out of all 3)
  • Weather

Drexel

Pros:
  • Students and faculty were very nice during interview day - huge emphasis on collaboration
  • Close to downtown Philly
  • Higher USNWR ranking than Loyola
  • Match list is pretty impressive
  • Faculty seem very invested in and supportive of students
Cons:
  • Hahnemann closing, new Tower Health affiliation but not sure how established that will be come 3rd year
  • Bit more challenging to do research (need to travel)
  • Older facilities
  • Slightly higher cost of living than going to Loyola

Stony Brook (interviewed in February but haven't heard back yet)

Pros:
  • Students seemed to be very happy/not stressed
  • Highest USNWR ranked among all schools
  • Big emphasis on research
  • Very impressive match list
  • Nice facilities
  • Shortened pre-clinical curriculum, take step 1 during M3 (not sure how that'll pan out with step 1 grading change)
Cons:
  • Much higher tuition for 1st year, and cost of living in general
  • Long Island seemed a bit empty, although I didn't get to spend too much time here
  • School does seem a bit isolated/in the middle of nowhere

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How much more expensive would stony brook be over 4 years? I would choose stony with the information given.
They aren’t extremely close to NYC, but ~3hr on the LIRR. Good for a weekend getaway. They have a good reputation within NY.
I would drop Drexel due to their current instability.
 
Loyola > Drexel. Drexel has no academic teaching hospital and disburses their students around the state for MS3. My friends there are not happy and the loss of Hahnemann along with their home residency programs is massive.
 
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Loyola > Drexel. Drexel has no academic teaching hospital and disburses their students around the state for MS3. My friends there are not happy and the loss of Hahnemann along with their home residency programs is massive.

Thanks for the input! I was initially turned off by Hahnemann closing but after talking to a friend there, they're saying that it's only the loss of one (although it was their best) rotation site and that their new Tower Health affiliation is a really good system. From my understanding, they have tons of sites scattered around PA where students rotate at, and it's technically a lottery system because of the huge class size, so there would be the possibility that I wouldn't get my top pick. Could you talk more on loss of the home residency programs and feedback from your friends there? Thanks :)
 
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To your cons: Why does USNWR ranking matter? 2) It is a 25-30 minute drive from downtown chicago, pretty damn close 3) true

Also having interviewed at Drexel and Loyola, I can say loyola has everything drexel doesnt. The literal fact that Loyola has a level 1 trauma center, tertiary care center for cook county/ really well established hospital within walking distance vs. Drexel which literally has like outpatient rotations and no home residency programs after hannamen closed.

ALso I am obviously biased since I am going to loyola, but every single Dr Mentor I told I was interviewing at Drexel told me to run in the other direction. It caught me by total surprise that doctors that know nothing about med amdissions had heard about hannamen closing. Medicine is a small world and I was shocked that doctors that were usually supportive of my path told me to be very careful at Drexel. Including a PI who was a dean of admissions at a good medical school who is very intune with the world of medicine.
 
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Drexel is ranked 91 on USNews while Loyola is 88 BTW. I’d pick Loyola over Drexel, but go with Stony if you get off the WL. Lots of research opportunities, impressive match list, and can get in-state tuition after the first year
 
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