Loyola VS University of Iowa

[rapmaster]

I have been accepted at both and they have many similarities making it hard to make a decision. I am interested in a specialty (not primary care). Can anyone offer some insight to help make my decision a bit easier.- thanks

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[ApoK]

Carver. It's a good school. Maywood is also kind of a rough area...

 

[OncDoc19]

I have been accepted at both and they have many similarities making it hard to make a decision. I am interested in a specialty (not primary care). Can anyone offer some insight to help make my decision a bit easier.- thanks

If you find the schools relatively similar perhaps you should choose based on lifestyle/location. I went to Iowa for undergrad and I will warn you that if you are a city person you will be pretty miserable there. It's quiet. Yes, ok it's pretty urban/exciting FOR IOWA. This is the important qualification. It's great for football, cheap rent, and lots of bud light. It's definitely a big 10 college party town. I think there is also a good music scene depending on what you're in to. That being said it is a good medical school so if you're not too bothered about the more rural environment then I would go there over Loyola. If you're a city person go for Loyola.

 

[BBender716]

Made the Loyola over Iowa decision last week. Now I'm between Loyola and another school. I wanted to stay close to family, but I also liked that Loyola was close to Chicago. As a Chicago native, I can say that it is on the very outskirts of a not so nice area, but there are a BUNCH of nice areas surrounding Maywood that most of the students live in. Therefore, the school is in an area removed from the rough areas of Maywood, you get a diverse patient population, and you live in a nice neighborhood and commute 15 minutes.

As for the schools themselves, both are solid primary care schools. Iowa has the one-up research-wise, but if you're not considering research or academic medicine, that is not a big differentiator. Also, the med school building and hospital are EXTREMELY nice and redone. Absolutely beautiful facilities. Also, nicest staff I've met thus far. Nothing against Iowa at all, that was just my experience.

 

[Jihad]

I assume that religious affiliation is not a factor for u?

 

[rapmaster]

Religion is not a deciding factor. I'm looking for some big distinction between the two academically or program wise.

 

[rapmaster]

Hi BBender
thanks for your feedback.
May I ask what schools you are deciding between?

 

[BBender716]

Hi BBender
thanks for your feedback.
May I ask what schools you are deciding between?

well I dropped my other acceptances except for Loyola and I'm on the waitlist at Pritzker. So depending on what happens there, it'll be a tough decision.

 

[rapmaster]

I did summer research at U of C and thought the facilities were incredible. I hear they also offer scholarship money. Hope you get to face that decision.

 

[rapmaster]

I am headed for second look at both Loyola, and Carver.
Anyone have any thoughts about comparing the programs. I am still wavering between the 2 schools without any current preference.
thanks for your thoughts on this..........

 

[Jihad]

If the two are virtually equal in your mind, I think the two factors you should consider are money and location. Location is your subjective opinion, don't let anyone try and tell you if you'd like it or not. Also, academic wise "ranking" is pretty much a non-issue if you're not looking at top 20s (and even then its only important if you want to go into academia.) So, I would probably do an official or unofficial 2nd look at both schools. Scope out the area differences. Then after you've graded each on those issues tabulate the cost difference.

P.S. Remember that this decision won't make or break you in any way. All med schools lead to the same degree. So don't be upset if you're not 100% for going to one school over the other.