Mayo MN/FL 2+2 vs UChicago Pritzker

[MyDad'sBonJovi]

I JUST got accepted off the waitlist at Mayo, and now I'm in a serious pickle, folks. I love both schools, and I'm interested in orthopedics and anesthesiology. What school would you pick, based on 1) prestige, 2) research opportunities, 3) career prep, 4) quality of student life/wellness?

Edit: Cost is the same, and pros/cons list is pretty similar (small class size, good STEP scores, cold weather, easy commute, etc).

Mayo
Pros:
+Small class size
+Great hospital in virtually all fields
+Strong STEP Scores
+Great culture
+Moving to Florida eventually
+Great Sim center

Cons:
-small town (at first)
-less lay-prestige (and maybe less actual prestige? Need help on this one)
- Not their first choice, off the waitlist
-seemingly limited type of research students are able to do (clinical or bench, not much else)

UChicago
Pros:
+Big city
+Strong academic reputation
+Went to second look and loved the culture
+Strong STEP Scores
+Summer research program with generous funding
+Huge variety of research opportunities due to being on an actual campus

Cons:
-cold weather all 4 years
-lower rank (but who even trusts USNWR nowadays)
-lack of simulation center (or they have one but literally nobody talks about it)
-worse hospital

TLDR-Major differences (imo) seems to be that Pritzker has more research opportunities, or at least emphasizes it more. And Mayo seems to have better clinical training, and is a better hospital overall.

Thanks so much, guys!!

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[yakarma11]

lol you gotta make a pros/cons list

 

[MyDad'sBonJovi]

Yeah, do some work yourself!

Updated!

 

[MyDad'sBonJovi]

Is there a cost difference?

Same cost (doing HPSP)

 

[MyDad'sBonJovi]

Pritzker has a marginally longer-standing reputation, and likely has more research opportunities because it is part of a university. Mayo has a slight edge on clinical training, as you note. The mentorship there is significant because of the small class size. Both are decent in terms of health and wellness.

To me, the issue comes down to location. Rochester is isolated, and a bleak place at times, though you will only be there 2 years. Florida is a questionable place. Some like it, others think it's a third world country. Chicago is a pretty nice city, Hyde Park is cool.

Oh yeah, Mayo is a tad on the cultish side. Good in many ways, but you have to be prepared drink all the Kool-aid.

If it were me, I'd go to Pritzker. I personally did not like the vibe at Mayo.

And congrats! Nice options.

I interviewed at Florida, and so I didn't get a chance to get a feel for the actual student culture. We teleconferenced a few current students in MN and AZ but that was pretty much it. Could you go into a little more detail about what it's like there? You're not the first to mention the word "cult" when describing Mayo and now I'm intrigued

 

[rball]

I don’t think UChicago has a better reputation in medicine than Mayo. I think the 2 schools are comparable in that regard.

If you want to do ortho, Mayo is stronger no question. They are an undisupted top 5 program, while Pritzker ortho is nowhere close to the top 2 in Chicago alone (Rush, NW). Mayo tends to match better into the surgical subspecialties like ortho in large part bc it is stronger in these fields.

If you want to do anesthesia its another story and both are fairly equal. Dont think theres much of a difference here.

Overall, I’d prioritize your happinness/fit as these schools are very comparable. Just wanted to clarify some misconceptions though, Mayo wont hold you back compared to Pritzker and can even help in some fields.

*disclaimer-i know nothing abt Mayo Fl and how this program works, I’m giving advice under assumption you would get same education and get LORs from the same faculty at the MN program.

 

[papercutscissors]

If you're interested in ortho or other surgical specialties, Mayo is the clear pick.

 

[ranson]

Both are great schools and you can match wherever you want you from either place regardless of the field. It all comes down to fit (ie. environment, location, culture).

1. Prestige in medicine is equal. Uchicago has more prestige as a whole because of it's other graduate departments.
2. Research opportunities are also probably equal but I feel it would be easier at Uchicago because they have an amazing research program/funding for medical students
3. Career prep - Mayo may be better if you're doing ortho.
4. Wellness - Uchicago has the edge here, no doubt. Less intense environment, more flexibility, much better city.

 

[Arsartium]

I interviewed at Florida, and so I didn't get a chance to get a feel for the actual student culture. We teleconferenced a few current students in MN and AZ but that was pretty much it. Could you go into a little more detail about what it's like there? You're not the first to mention the word "cult" when describing Mayo and now I'm intrigued

Yes, Mayo is something of a cult, but not necessarily in a bad way (despite the negative connotation of the word). They just have a distinctive culture and modus operandi. For instance, Mayo physicians don't wear white coats but "Mayowear," which is generally business professional (only exceptions are in the in OR and ER). The idea is that the white coat is one more barrier between doctor and patient. The white coat is thought to represent a (hopefully) bygone era of paternalistic medicine. There is also the additional benefit that as a medical student you are not clearly distinguished based on the length of white coat as in other programs. There are also some unique institutional features that set Mayo apart such as "dual-governorship" and salaried physicians. The former refers to the fact that every stage of leadership has both an administrative and a physician leader to combine the best of business and medicine. The latter is fairly rare (Cleveland Clinic is the other major hospital with salaries) that allows for more time with each patient and less time with paperwork. An important part of what makes Mayo clinic patient care exceptional is the excellent physician support. I've been told that Mayo Clinic is "disneyland for doctors."

Prestige: UChicago has a boost because of its undergrad reputation. On a national level, perhaps the layperson won't be as impressed by Mayo MD, but how much does that matter you? In medicine, Mayo and UChicago are in the same league. However, I could understand if you were seeking a more interdiscplinary career in say business or law since UChicago has highly ranked schools in those fields as well. That said, prestige may matter for you less as an HPSP candidate. Your pedigree and merit both have far less of a role in getting a residency in the military match compared to the civilian match. And getting exceptions to the military match are pretty rare (though depends on your branch).

Research: I'm afraid I don't understand your parenthetical comment on research "clinical or bench, not much else." What other research would you want? Translational? Public health? Public policy? I assure you both clinical and translational research are strengths at Mayo, while the bench research opportunities available are probably less robust (especially compared to UChicago). Per investigator, Mayo is among the most well-funded medical institutions. Moreover, with 4,000 physicians and only about 200 students (Rochester campus) you can very easily pump out publications. Med students are in high demand.

Career prep and wellness: Mayo was actually selected to spearhead innovations in student wellness by AAMC. Given the extraordinary resources at Mayo and with the 28 weeks of selective time during which you can explore different fields, you will want for nothing when it comes to career prep and/or wellness. At Mayo, it really is "choose your own adventure." One aspect of wellness to consider of course will be Rochester and Jacksonville vs. Chicago.

I can't speak much to UChicago, but I know it is also fine institution. Congrats! You'll do well either way.

 

[crimson-cat]

I'd say the biggest differences are the focus of the schools and locations. Do you think you'd be fine hanging out in Rochester, or would you prefer a bustling city to escape medicine once and a while? Are you interested in non-traditional research questions, working with diverse populations or a dual-degree (Chicago), or would you rather focus on being the greatest clinician you can be (Mayo).

 

[TheGreatAli]

I have the mayo bias - but having visited 3 times in the last year, I've never talked to a student who wasn't completely satisfied with attending mayo. Every student loved the culture and the camaraderie amongst faculty and students. Rochester is also pretty small (I'm from a big city, so I completely understand the hesitation here) however, the trade off with being mentored and taught by compassionate physicians who are invested in you as a person and as a student is a fair trade off in my opinion! It's also not binding to your life - yes, it's 4 years, but if you still yearn for the big city culture, you can match elsewhere. And the selective weeks!! 29 weeks out of 104 to leave and explore medicine in other cities is amazing.