Mayo vs. UT-SW vs. Baylor vs. Pritzker

[MayoorBust]

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As you can tell by my screen name I have been in love with Mayo for a very very long time. However, as I get closer to making my choice I realize that these other schools I interviewed at were impressive to me as well. At the moment my family is sold on UT-SW they have heard very little concerning Mayo and Pritzker. Baylor gives my family concern due to their rapid drop in rankings (10--->22) over the last years. I am taking their opinion with a grain of salt because none of them have been in the medical field or know what determines a quality medical education. I have made some pros and cons of the schools. I also would like to see what you think is my best option from your educated stand point and why.





Mayo School of Medicine



Pros: Dream School, Small Class, True P/F, A very supportive environment, 15k scholarship

Cons: Very Cold (I am from the south), Interview day I did not get a "fit" feeling (may be due to the fact my baggage was lost on my flight over there), Small class (I feel that this may give me the best educational experience but also could create a lonely experience. Far from SO (going to school in TX), Match (very few, if any go back to Texas).



Pritzker School of Medicine:



Pros: Small Class (88 just right in size to me), True P/F, Full Tution Scholarship, A very supportive environment

Cons: Curriculum, Cold, An older group of students, far from SO (4.5 relationship)







Baylor College of Medicine:



Pro: Awesome interview!--"fit feeling", Texas Medical Center, Large class, close to SO (4.5 year relationship), Hot all year round

Con: Large class=Less opportunities, 1.5 curriculum may be overwhelming, Funding problems,





UT-SW

Pro: 10k scholarship, Great location, Prestige, Close to SO (4.5 year relationship)

Cons: Too large of a class, Limited resources, Traditional curriculum,







My Goals:

To garner a MPH

Work in an academic hospital in Texas

Work on health policy

 

[dr seuss]

Your family's concern over the drop in ranking should have no effect on where you go. You will get a good education at any of those. I would be happiest in Chicago but no one can tell you what would be best for you.

 

[nadaba]

I've heard good things about shortened preclinical curriculum, so I wouldn't assume it's bad. Unless you've heard otherwise from BCM students?

I can't really imagine that opportunities wouldn't be available to you at either Texas school. Clearly you were able to capitalize on opportunities in undergrad, and you can do the same in medical school.

As far as prestige, I would have thought that Baylor would edge out UT-SW. You're in a fantastic position, but it sounds like your heart is in Texas. It's impossible for you to make a bad decision between BCM and UT-SW.

 

[Nymphicus]

Keep in mind I have only been to Mayo and Baylor...

I think the low Mayo --> Texas is by choice.

I wouldn't worry *too* much about the ranking drop in and of itself. (And either way after the initial "drop", Baylor has been climbing towards top 20 again, not continuing to drop).

I think the 1.5 curriculum idea is fantastic and Baylor seems to have implemented it well.

Baylor seems more flexible vs UT-SW more traditional/structured.

 

[NickNaylor]

I interviewed at all of these schools and was accepted to all of them except Mayo. Here are my thoughts:

-UTSW is fantastic for research and is an incredible bargain. If I hadn't grown up in the Dallas area, I more than likely would've attended. All of the hospitals are great, the Dallas area is awesome, and it doesn't get cold. My best friend is at UTSW and loves it.

-I think the difference between UTSW and Baylor is inconsequential. The drop in rankings is absolutely meaningless. I think TMC is an invaluable resource and truly unique. No other institution can match the sheer volume of medical stuff at TMC, including Mayo. Baylor is a tad pricey but not terrible for residents. Houston is also a great place to be (though the traffic blows). I know a couple of people at Baylor that are really enjoying it.

-Mayo is an incredible place. They have a great curriculum and the Mayo name speaks for itself - they're pretty much the best in everything as far as clinical stuff goes. Rochester was a definite downer for me, but the Twin Cities are a relatively short drive away if you're desperate for entertainment. It's also pricey despite the half scholarships they dish out. Regardless, Mayo was my top choice after doing all of my interviews and I almost certainly would've attended had I been accepted.

-Pritzker is in a huge urban center and generally has a great reputation. The U of C medical center is smaller than that of the other schools but is still a great place to train from what I can tell. The school is extremely generous with scholarships; I was able to get the cost to be just slightly more than UTSW. I really wanted to get out of Texas, so Pritzker was a relatively easy choice for me. Main perks: very easy to do other things academically/extracurricularly (none of the other schools are affiliated with a university in the truest sense), easy to get into a MD/PhD program should you decide to go that route, and Chicago is a great city.

Ultimately you should go with your heart. If you want to be in Texas, stay in Texas. Personally I would go with UTSW over Baylor, but I spent three summers of undergrad working at UTSW-affiliated institutions and likely have a bias. No matter what you choose you're going to a great place to train. Relish the fact that you have such great places to choose from. You really can't go wrong. If you're in a serious relationship, I would work to be close to your SO. Especially considering your goals, UTSW or Baylor seem like the pretty obvious choice rather than going out of state (though, again, Pritzker or Mayo certainly won't close any doors). I wouldn't worry about things like the curriculum or your relatively limited perspective with respect to "resources." That stuff is quite frankly unimportant.

Good luck. I'm sure there are many people that are envious of your position.

 

[Nymphicus]

Nick, as usual I agree with your post but I have one question this time...

Baylor...pricy? Not bad for residents? Isn't it like $6,500 per year?
Mayo w/ half tuition scholarship....pricy?

???

 

[Nymphicus]

Good luck. I'm sure there are many people that are envious of your position.

Yes and yes, OP you can't go wrong with any of your choices. And that is a good place to be. 👍

 

[NickNaylor]

Nick, as usual I agree with your post but I have one question this time...

Baylor...pricy? Not bad for residents? Isn't it like $6,500 per year?
Mayo w/ half tuition scholarship....pricy?

???

Even with the half tuition scholarship, Mayo is more expensive than the other choices (since he got a full tuition scholarship at Pritzker).

Baylor is well-priced compared to OOS, but if I remember correctly UTSW is still cheaper. I could be wrong there though.

 

[Nymphicus]

Even with the half tuition scholarship, Mayo is more expensive than the other choices (since he got a full tuition scholarship at Pritzker).

Baylor is well-priced compared to OOS, but if I remember correctly UTSW is still cheaper. I could be wrong there though.

Ah. I didn't see initially that he got the scholarship.

Either way, Mayoorbust (now Pritzkerorbust? maybe Utsworbust?) you are in a great place to call Mayo pricy.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[plumhill]

It seems like in your pro/con list, the "pro's" for Pritzker are a good deal stronger than your other schools, especially with the full tuition scholarship thrown in there. One thing I will say, though, is from my impression of U of C when I was there, it's not the safest campus in the world (and I say this having previously lived in Harlem before it was cleaned up). As for your SO, see if he/she can move up closer to you in a few months or so, if you're comfortable with that. Of course that isn't something that you'd want to force onto him/her, but a lot of couples make it work that way. I also wouldn't consider the proximity of a SO to be a valid factor in picking a school unless you're engaged/married (I keep hearing my high school english teacher telling us "don't you dare follow a damn boy or girl to college!")

 

[NickNaylor]

It seems like in your pro/con list, the "pro's" for Pritzker are a good deal stronger than your other schools, especially with the full tuition scholarship thrown in there. One thing I will say, though, is from my impression of U of C when I was there, it's not the safest campus in the world (and I say this having previously lived in Harlem before it was cleaned up). As for your SO, see if he/she can move up closer to you in a few months or so, if you're comfortable with that. Of course that isn't something that you'd want to force onto him/her, but a lot of couples make it work that way. I also wouldn't consider the proximity of a SO to be a valid factor in picking a school unless you're engaged/married (I keep hearing my high school english teacher telling us "don't you dare follow a damn boy or girl to college!")

This really isn't true. There are areas a few blocks from campus that, yes, you don't want to be. Hyde Park and the campus as a whole, however, are safe - or at least not any less safe than most college campuses.

 

[AWK87DOC]

Hey, i interviewed at all of those places except Mayo. I can't tell you which is best for you but of those 4, I personally rank UTSW highest (it's tied for 1st place with Vanderbilt on my list).

I'm from Africa so I'm not a big fan of Chicago's weather and i didn't feel a "fit" on my interview day.

I loved Baylor's accelerated curriculum and Texas location. I really liked my day at Baylor and got a "fit" feeling as well, i love the flexibility in 4th year but I wouldn't move to Houston over Dallas. The research opportunities in my eyes are also not as stellar as UTSW (I'm finishing a PhD at UTSW, and want to be able to do significant research in Medschool)

I have significant ties to UTSW so i may be biased. However, I am likely going to Vanderbilt over UTSW next year. I like the UTSW college system, individual study carrells, research opportunities (strongest selling point), location (its close to my SO at the moment, plus i live rent free in Dallas)

I would suggest as above that you go to where you felt the best "fit" and talk to your SO about joining you down the road.

Based on your comparisons though, it seems your rank is Pritzker > Baylor > UTSW > Mayo Good luck!!!!

 

[indonacious]

Given everything that has been said thus far and your individual circumstance, I think I would take one of the texas schools. I can't speak about either of them specifically because I didn't apply to or interview at either of them, but with you SO and family being there (if that is an important component of your decision), you are not sacrificing anything (education/career wise) by going to those schools. I don't think the $ is significant enough (in your case) to force your hand...so just go where you think you will be happy for the next 4 years.

 

[Whatyousay]

Mayo School of Medicine

Pros: Dream School, Small Class, True P/F, A very supportive environment, 15k scholarship

Cons: Very Cold (I am from the south), Interview day I did not get a "fit" feeling (may be due to the fact my baggage was lost on my flight over there), Small class (I feel that this may give me the best educational experience but also could create a lonely experience. Far from SO (going to school in TX), Match (very few, if any go back to Texas).

I'm going to go out on a limb and say the relative lack of Mayo graduates matching to Texas residencies is due to (a) the small class size and (b) the fact that the majority of their class is not from Texas, and would therefore have no particular preference for coming to Texas for residency.

UT-SW

Pro: 10k scholarship, Great location, Prestige, Close to SO (4.5 year relationship)

Cons: Too large of a class, Limited resources, Traditional curriculum,

😕

"Limited resources" and "UTSW" are not two things that are usually used in the same sentence. What exactly do you mean by that?

My Goals:

To garner a MPH

If I remember correctly, UTSW doesn't even have a MPH program in place at the current moment. On their website, they said that their joint MPH program with UTH be ready for next year's class, but that's something that I would check up on before you make any decisions. That being said, UTH's public health program is well-regarded, so I imagine it shouldn't be an issue at the end of the day.

 

[gravitywave]

my understanding is that Mayo is very big on going to lecture during the preclinical years. the class is too small for chronic absences to go unnoticed. I wouldn't go there if that's not part of your plan. The Match issues are inconsequential.

I can't compare cost of attendance based on scholarship size, and you can't either. find out what the COA is for these places and consider that as well.

 

[NickNaylor]

my understanding is that Mayo is very big on going to lecture during the preclinical years. the class is too small for chronic absences to go unnoticed. I wouldn't go there if that's not part of your plan. The Match issues are inconsequential.

I can't compare cost of attendance based on scholarship size, and you can't either. find out what the COA is for these places and consider that as well.

Definitely true. The students I talked to when I interviewed there made it seem like class was required.

 

[0919mmk]

You said you interviewed at all these schools. Have you gotten accepted at them as well...?

 

[MayoorBust]

You said you interviewed at all these schools. Have you gotten accepted at them as well...?

Yes, I have been accepted to all said schools.

my understanding is that Mayo is very big on going to lecture during the preclinical years. the class is too small for chronic absences to go unnoticed. I wouldn't go there if that's not part of your plan. The Match issues are inconsequential.

I can't compare cost of attendance based on scholarship size, and you can't either. find out what the COA is for these places and consider that as well.

Yeah, I am very big on going to class especially if I am paying a pretty penny for the education. I am think I am down to Mayo and Pritzker. I figuring that if I want to do residency in Texas this is my last chance to live in another state.

 

[wsaedalney]

Chicago is a great city.

 

[AvidAvatar]

If this is who I think it is - you are a terrible date.

A night out on the town followed by me taking you out to Chili's and walking you to your airplane in a big scary airport...never even befriended me on Facebook.

Oh no you did-int.

😀

Contribution: Congratulations on your acceptances. I absolutely loved Mayo when we were there and I can't comprehend a better learning environment, but I have not seen the other schools. In all honesty, you seemed really uncomfortable in Rochester when it was like...60 degrees, I would consider temperature and location in your final decision, it is difficult to practice medicine as a doc-sicle.

Full tuition from Pritzker is certainly awesome, and staying in Texas seems like a great option for family, and for "street-cred" since you want to practice/work in health policy there - health policy can be very political. If you want to talk more drop me a PM.

 

[NickNaylor]

If this is who I think it is - you are a terrible date.

A night out on the town followed by me taking you out to Chili's and walking you to your airplane in a big scary airport...never even befriended me on Facebook.

Oh no you did-int.

😀

Contribution: Congratulations on your acceptances. I absolutely loved Mayo when we were there and I can't comprehend a better learning environment, but I have not seen the other schools. In all honesty, you seemed really uncomfortable in Rochester when it was like...60 degrees, I would consider temperature and location in your final decision, it is difficult to practice medicine as a doc-sicle.

Full tuition from Pritzker is certainly awesome, and staying in Texas seems like a great option for family, and for "street-cred" since you want to practice/work in health policy there - health policy can be very political. If you want to talk more drop me a PM.

Oh snap.

 

[Nymphicus]

If this is who I think it is - you are a terrible date.

A night out on the town followed by me taking you out to Chili's and walking you to your airplane in a big scary airport...never even befriended me on Facebook.

Oh no you did-int.

😀

Contribution: Congratulations on your acceptances. I absolutely loved Mayo when we were there and I can't comprehend a better learning environment, but I have not seen the other schools. In all honesty, you seemed really uncomfortable in Rochester when it was like...60 degrees, I would consider temperature and location in your final decision, it is difficult to practice medicine as a doc-sicle.

Full tuition from Pritzker is certainly awesome, and staying in Texas seems like a great option for family, and for "street-cred" since you want to practice/work in health policy there - health policy can be very political. If you want to talk more drop me a PM.

Pshhh...I only gotten taken to taco bell

 

[mauraholcomb]

So as a current Baylor student I think I can answer a few questions.
1. The current drop in rankings is due solely to a change in how Baylor reported their research funding $$. Previously Baylor reported MD Anderson funding as part of theirs, but for whatever reason 2 or 3 years ago we stopped reporting it. The rankings average research $$ over two years, which is why we dropped about few rankings each time over the past two years. Nothing has changed as far as the medical education we get here.

2. Price difference between Baylor and UTSW is very minor in the grand scheme of things. When you factor in cost of living between the two cities, cost of living in Houston is a little less than Dallas, so that really negates any difference in tuition/fees.

3. If you are from Texas, and get into either Baylor or UTSW there is absolutely zero reason to leave Texas. Even if you think "well this med school is ranked higher"- education you will get is very very similar, and there is no reason to pay over $100,000 more total for your medical school education. Med schools in texas are sooooo incredibly cheap. If you are from Texas (or even if you are out of state-purchase a condo and you pay in state tuition after 2 years) there is no reason to leave texas for medical school. Even with a scholarship to an out of state school it is more expensive. Also keep in mind at Baylor at least-if your parents don't make a ton of money, frequently you will get these random little scholarships each year. You fill out an app before medical school. I've probably gotten about 15K in financial aid scholarships spread over the last 4 years.

4. Baylor's accelerated curriculum is by far my favorite aspect of the medical school. Finish basic science in 1.5 years, then start clinics. By the time you take USMLE 1, having a full year of clinics gives us baylor students a HUGE advantage. We consistently have one of the highest USMLE 1 score averages in the country, and rumor has it the most recent average is something along the lines of 245-which is a crazy high average.

5. Because of the accelerated curriculum, during your 3rd and 4th year, you can take up to TEN months off. Yes, TEN. Granted, ~2-3 months will be devoted to USMLE studying, but STILL. I know people who finished medical school in October. The 1.5 year accelerated curriculum is SO awesome. You don't learn medicine in a classroom, you learn it in the hospital. When I was applying, I honestly didn't put a ton of weight on this fact-thought it was cool but didn't really factor into my decision a whole lot. Now that I'm a 4th year I realize how awesome the accelerated curriculum is. Not only do you get time off-but you can start doing electives in whatever specialty as early as you want. HUGE advantage over other med schools--most schools don't allow electives until after students complete their 3rd year, which is usually at the end of June. You start submitting residency applications September 1st--you have to get recommendation letters, do research etc before you submit your application (almost everyone submits in September). Not getting to do any electives until July makes it very difficult for students at most medical schools to do many electives in their chosen specialty. At Baylor you can start doing electives after your first 1.5 years. This is something that never ever crossed my mind as an applicant but is hugely important as far as getting the residency position that you want.

6. If you hope to do a residency in Texas, your odds are much better if you go to a medical school in Texas.

 

[Cinclus]

4. Baylor's accelerated curriculum is by far my favorite aspect of the medical school. Finish basic science in 1.5 years, then start clinics. By the time you take USMLE 1, having a full year of clinics gives us baylor students a HUGE advantage. We consistently have one of the highest USMLE 1 score averages in the country, and rumor has it the most recent average is something along the lines of 245-which is a crazy high average.

5. Because of the accelerated curriculum, during your 3rd and 4th year, you can take up to TEN months off. Yes, TEN. Granted, ~2-3 months will be devoted to USMLE studying, but STILL. I know people who finished medical school in October. The 1.5 year accelerated curriculum is SO awesome. You don't learn medicine in a classroom, you learn it in the hospital. When I was applying, I honestly didn't put a ton of weight on this fact-thought it was cool but didn't really factor into my decision a whole lot. Now that I'm a 4th year I realize how awesome the accelerated curriculum is. Not only do you get time off-but you can start doing electives in whatever specialty as early as you want. HUGE advantage over other med schools--most schools don't allow electives until after students complete their 3rd year, which is usually at the end of June. You start submitting residency applications September 1st--you have to get recommendation letters, do research etc before you submit your application (almost everyone submits in September). Not getting to do any electives until July makes it very difficult for students at most medical schools to do many electives in their chosen specialty. At Baylor you can start doing electives after your first 1.5 years. This is something that never ever crossed my mind as an applicant but is hugely important as far as getting the residency position that you want.

I 😍 BCM.