Mayo (MN) vs. Vanderbilt

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Ram210

New Member
5+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2018
Messages
6
Reaction score
2
Hey guys, I was hoping to get some insight/input on my current situation. I know it ultimately is my choice to make, but I'm trying to get advice from as many sources as possible before choosing. Up until about a month ago my mind was already made up completely, but I'm thinking things over a little again before officially deciding.

Mayo Clinic - Minnesota
Pros
  • I personally resonate with Mayo's patient centered focus and would love to start my medical education learning how Mayo Clinic delivers healthcare.
  • By far the cheaper option. .
  • Liked the faculty and staff I met and felt the school and faculty would really invest in my career/education.
  • Curriculum-Selective weeks for career exploration. I have a few specialites in mind I think this could help me narrow things down early on.
  • Opportunity to pursue an MBA through Arizona State. With scholarships available to students this is typically free tuition from my understanding.
  • I'm interested in surgical specialties and clinical research. Mayo has excellent opportunities in both and has a heavy focus on clinical research as opposed to basic science.
Cons
  • Location
  • Would prefer to live somewhere warm/in the southeast and currently plan to pursue residency in the southeast.
  • The ~50 student class size makes me nervous. I want a smaller class size, but I'm afraid 50 might be too small.
  • This could be completely false, but I'm afraid Vandy might be looked upon more highly when applying to residencies. I think PD scores there were higher if that means anything.
Vanderbilt
Pros
  • Felt that I "fit" here the well, especially after second look.
  • Location
  • Favorite curriculum of any school-clerkships in the second year and then the entire third year for research and additional rotations.
  • Small, but not too small, class size of about 90.
  • I really like the focus on wellness. Things like the college system, intramurals, social activities, are something I appreciate.
  • Potentially could aid in matching at Vandy for residency.
Cons
  • Cost
  • Competitive atmosphere

Members don't see this ad.
 
Last edited:
Mayo Clinic - Minnesota
  • Would prefer to live somewhere warm/in the southeast and currently plan to pursue residency in the southeast.
  • This could be completely false, but I'm afraid Vandy might be looked upon more highly when applying to residencies. I think PD scores there were higher if that means anything.
Vanderbilt
Pros
  • Felt that I "fit" here the best, especially after second look. I loved the faculty, current students, and acceptees I met. I believe this is the school I would be happiest at.
  • Location- Like I said already, close to family and I love Nashville.

Your mind is made up, just make a decision and go with it. No one is going to convince you that Mayo is better than Vandy because FOR YOU, it is not.

I was born in Rochester and have a... well, lets just say "family history" with Mayo. If I were given the choice of Mayo or Vandy (I won't be), my choice would be Mayo for the exact same reasons that you have listed as cons.

Rochester is a small town. Even with the gob-lot of $$$$ the Saudi's/UAE/Princes are spending there, it's still only 100k people...

MN is freaking cold in the winter, not cold like Nashville cold but bone chilling, teeth chattering, open your mouth in January and get a headache kind of cold.

Rochester is also (not yet) a big airport so flying in/out generally requires either a hotspot destination (Hi there UAE) or driving to Minneapolis/Eagan/Bloomington to avoid connecting flights.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
How much is mental health and comfort worth to you? Is it going to bother you more that you'd have an extra $150k (+interest) to pay back after 4 years or more that you were unhappy in medical school being away from your family and missing out on many family functions?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Rochester is a small town. Even with the gob-lot of $$$$ the Saudi's/UAE/Princes are spending there, it's still only 100k people...
How much is mental health and comfort worth to you? Is it going to bother you more that you'd have an extra $150k (+interest) to pay back after 4 years or more that you were unhappy in medical school being away from your family and missing out on many family functions?
Thank you both for the advice.

I should clarify. I think I would enjoy living in Rochester (aside from the cold), just not as much as Nashville. I prefer towns/smaller cities anyways and would be truly miserable in a large city. While I feel now that I might be a little happier at Vandy, I'm afraid that the added debt burden would cause significant stress/unhappiness for a prolonged period of time later in life.

Ultimately, I know they're both great choices and I really don't think I can go terribly wrong. One definitely seems to be the logical choice, and the other more emotionally based.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Members don't see this ad :)
Thank you both for the advice.

I should clarify. I think I would enjoy living in Rochester (aside from the cold), just not as much as Nashville. I prefer towns/smaller cities anyways and would be truly miserable in a large city. While I feel now that I might be a little happier at Vandy, I'm afraid that the added debt burden would cause significant stress/unhappiness for a prolonged period of time later in life.

Ultimately, I know they're both great choices and I really don't think I can go terribly wrong. One definitely seems to be the logical choice, and the other more emotionally based.
Location is very far from family. My family is extremely important to me so I'm not sure how I feel about moving so far away. All of my family is close to Vanderbilt and Nashville is like a second home to me.

Felt that I "fit" here the best, especially after second look. I loved the faculty, current students, and acceptees I met. I believe this is the school I would be happiest at.


I think happiness is priceless. Depending on your specialty the cost between them may not be as significant as you think. Though the cost is important, the peace of mind and support from family is more important to you. Ultimately it’s your decision but I always recommend go where you fit and don’t look back.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Vanderbilt--happiness, fit, and closeness to family is worth the cost difference in my opinion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
So it seems based on your list, the con here is Vandy costs more - I think that is a worthy consideration, especially at 125k more. That debt makes it a stressful decision, but I think in your case it is worth it considering all the other factors. 4 years is a sizeable amount of time, and the support system, fit, and happiness are irreplaceable (well worth the cost IMO). Besides, given the level of opportunity you will have at these schools, I think that the extra debt will be relatively easily paid off when you start working.

If your goal is to match at a Vanderbilt residency, no school will make it easier to do that than going to Vanderbilt, not even Harvard. Getting into residency greatly relies on the connections you make, which are very easy when you'll be working with that same faculty during school. Even if you change your mind and decide to go somewhere else, you will still not be limited given its name within medicine (same with Mayo, for that matter).

Follow your gut. Maybe I already met you, and will see you there ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
So it seems based on your list, the con here is Vandy costs more - I think that is a worthy consideration, especially at 125k more. That debt makes it a stressful decision, but I think in your case it is worth it considering all the other factors. 4 years is a sizeable amount of time, and the support system, fit, and happiness are irreplaceable (well worth the cost IMO). Besides, given the level of opportunity you will have at these schools, I think that the extra debt will be relatively easily paid off when you start working.

If your goal is to match at a Vanderbilt residency, no school will make it easier to do that than going to Vanderbilt, not even Harvard. Getting into residency greatly relies on the connections you make, which are very easy when you'll be working with that same faculty during school. Even if you change your mind and decide to go somewhere else, you will still not be limited given its name within medicine (same with Mayo, for that matter).

Follow your gut. Maybe I already met you, and will see you there ;)
Thanks for insight. The hopefully increased likelihood of matching at Vandy is a pretty big pull as well.
 
Hey, I'm a current Mayo student, so I can address some of your cons

  • In terms of location, I'm also very far from my family. That was a tough decision because I got into schools near my home which is nowhere near Minnesota and also nothing like Rochester. I'm really close with my family and miss them a lot and it's definitely the hardest part for me. That said I don't regret my decision. Mayo has been worth it for me and I do get to visit home pretty often thanks to selectives (one of the best things about our curriculum IMO - my friends at other schools have like no free time compared to what we get at Mayo). Also this may not apply to you but I'm glad I have a chance to live somewhere new because I pretty much lived in the same place for my entire life.
  • You can absolutely match back to the southeast for residency. Most of my friends who just matched are going back home (not the midwest).
  • It is definitely very cold here in the winter. We have a lot of selective time during the winter though and many people just go to the AZ or FL campuses (that's what I did). In 3rd and 4th year people who really hate the cold will request their rotations at Mayo AZ or FL during those months. But yeah the winter is not fun here. Rest of the year weather is good though. Despite the horrible winters you'll find a lot of people at Mayo from warm places who will tell you Mayo is worth it. Have classmates from CA who turned down UCSF and Stanford to be here because Mayo is really that awesome.
  • I was nervous about the class size at first too. I was at a huge university before coming to Mayo. Turns out the small class size is another one of my favorite things that I never expected I'd actually like. It has helped me to learn being in this environment and getting so much individual attention. I also love my classmates and I'm glad I've gotten to know all of them well. Admissions does some magic in putting the class together.
  • Both schools are prestigious and IMO you can't go wrong with either choice with regard to that. I would not be concerned that Mayo will not be looked at as highly (the Mayo Clinic name is highly respected in medicine and this is reflected by where Mayo grads match). Programs do like to keep their own so if you want to match at Vandy then going to Vandy will give you an edge. Whereas going to Mayo will give you an advantage if you wanted to match at Mayo. That said, we have people matching to Vandy from Mayo and vice versa.
  • If you think you won't be as happy at Mayo as you would be at Vandy, that is huge. Having to pay a bit more to go to Vandy would be worth it then, if it means your happiness!
If you can attend second look I highly recommend that. it was very helpful to me in making the decision!

Good luck and remember you can't go wrong!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Thank you both for the advice.

I should clarify. I think I would enjoy living in Rochester (aside from the cold), just not as much as Nashville. I prefer towns/smaller cities anyways and would be truly miserable in a large city. While I feel now that I might be a little happier at Vandy, I'm afraid that the added debt burden would cause significant stress/unhappiness for a prolonged period of time later in life.

Ultimately, I know they're both great choices and I really don't think I can go terribly wrong. One definitely seems to be the logical choice, and the other more emotionally based.

In terms of the bolded, I think that depends on what your total debt burden ends up being and what you ultimately want to do.
For example, if you're looking at say $300k total for Vandy and you're interested in ortho, ENT, derm or some other high paying specialty and you don't mind living like a resident for a few years after residency to pay off loans, then I personally wouldn't be too worried about choosing Vandy in that type of situation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Hey, I'm a current Mayo student, so I can address some of your cons

  • In terms of location, I'm also very far from my family. That was a tough decision because I got into schools near my home which is nowhere near Minnesota and also nothing like Rochester. I'm really close with my family and miss them a lot and it's definitely the hardest part for me. That said I don't regret my decision. Mayo has been worth it for me and I do get to visit home pretty often thanks to selectives (one of the best things about our curriculum IMO - my friends at other schools have like no free time compared to what we get at Mayo). Also this may not apply to you but I'm glad I have a chance to live somewhere new because I pretty much lived in the same place for my entire life.
  • You can absolutely match back to the southeast for residency. Most of my friends who just matched are going back home (not the midwest).
  • It is definitely very cold here in the winter. We have a lot of selective time during the winter though and many people just go to the AZ or FL campuses (that's what I did). In 3rd and 4th year people who really hate the cold will request their rotations at Mayo AZ or FL during those months. But yeah the winter is not fun here. Rest of the year weather is good though. Despite the horrible winters you'll find a lot of people at Mayo from warm places who will tell you Mayo is worth it. Have classmates from CA who turned down UCSF and Stanford to be here because Mayo is really that awesome.
  • I was nervous about the class size at first too. I was at a huge university before coming to Mayo. Turns out the small class size is another one of my favorite things that I never expected I'd actually like. It has helped me to learn being in this environment and getting so much individual attention. I also love my classmates and I'm glad I've gotten to know all of them well. Admissions does some magic in putting the class together.
  • Both schools are prestigious and IMO you can't go wrong with either choice with regard to that. I would not be concerned that Mayo will not be looked at as highly (the Mayo Clinic name is highly respected in medicine and this is reflected by where Mayo grads match). Programs do like to keep their own so if you want to match at Vandy then going to Vandy will give you an edge. Whereas going to Mayo will give you an advantage if you wanted to match at Mayo. That said, we have people matching to Vandy from Mayo and vice versa.
  • If you think you won't be as happy at Mayo as you would be at Vandy, that is huge. Having to pay a bit more to go to Vandy would be worth it then, if it means your happiness!
If you can attend second look I highly recommend that. it was very helpful to me in making the decision!

Good luck and remember you can't go wrong!
Thank you so much for your detailed response. I should note, that while I feel as if I would be happier at Vandy, this certainly doesn't mean I would be unhappy at Mayo. I loved this school for the reasons I gave as well as the ones you mentioned. Its mainly the location that worries me; however, it could be beneficially to get out and see something new and different. Honestly, I was completely set on going to Mayo until getting contacted late in the application cycle by Vandy after having been initially passed up. This kind of complicated and previously simple decision.
 
Honestly, Mayo would give you a more diverse experience. Can't stay in the same region most of your life and expect to experience as much diverstiy of experience. But you definitely seem to enjoy Vandy better. Both are great and only you can choose which is right for you. So, I say go to second look in Roch with an ope mind and then make your decision after. You can't go wrong either way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Honestly, Mayo would give you a more diverse experience. Can't stay in the same region most of your life and expect to experience as much diverstiy of experience. But you definitely seem to enjoy Vandy better. Both are great and only you can choose which is right for you. So, I say go to second look in Roch with an ope mind and then make your decision after. You can't go wrong either way.
You're definitely right about a new location being a long term plus even if its difficult at first. Its weird but after going to second look, at any school, if they do a good job selling it, I feel like you're super pumped about the school right afterward regardless of if its based on what is truly best for you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I've been doing a ton of additional research on both places the past day or two and Mayo has some specific opportunities that appeal to me that I didn't initially realize.
 
You're definitely right about a new location being a long term plus even if its difficult at first. Its weird but after going to second look, at any school, if they do a good job selling it, I feel like you're super pumped about the school right afterward regardless of if its based on what is truly best for you.

My experience with going to second looks was different. There was one school in particular that I really loved from interview day, was also highly ranked but would have been slightly cheaper for me than Mayo. I went to second look thinking I would probably end up loving that school even more, but ended up feeling like it wasn't for me. Spending more time there, interacting with their current students, I just didn't think it was the best fit and didn't think I'd be as happy there, which surprised me
 
Top