MD/PhD Help Me Decide: Loyola University Chicago vs. University of Maryland

[abro]

Hello everyone. I'm new to SDN, so I apologize if this is posted in the wrong forum. I'm incredibly fortunate to have acceptances to two quality MD/PhD programs, but I am having trouble officially deciding which program to attend. I would welcome any honest opinions and thoughts!

Here are my pros and cons for each school:

Loyola:

Pros:
-FRIENDLIEST PEOPLE. The program has about 3 students per class, which may be a con (not sure). It seems like the program directors know every single student very well.
-There are a few PIs that I'm really interested in working with, but one really seems to stand out. We have talked on multiple occasions and he seems super enthusiastic about having me at least rotate in the lab. His group is smaller, but publishes multiple papers every year. In one of our conversations, he told me that I can propose my own dissertation project as long as it falls under his laboratory's general research interests. I have a feeling that I would have a lot of freedom to explore what I'd want.
-Beautiful facilities!
-Complete commitment to social justice, which is something that I plan to incorporate into my future practice.
-Living in Chicago. I'm from a larger city and enjoy the hustle and bustle.

Cons:
-Lower rank and notoriety than Maryland. This is my biggest concern, I think. There is no doubt it is a great program with great residency placement (see below), but how much does rank/notoriety matter?
-Smaller class size. Maybe a con?
-Not a MSTP program, but it is (almost) fully funded (insurance, tuition, most fees) with a competitive stipend through all eight years.

Recent Matches: UCLA, Northwestern, Harvard, WashU St. Louis, University of Minnesota, University of Chicago, and Stanford.

University of Maryland:

Pros:
-Respected institution with a large microbiology/immunology program. There are a fair number of people that I would be interested in working with.
-MSTP program with a competitive stipend.
-Possibility of doing graduate research at the NIH (NIAID), but this seems rare.
-Larger class size. Maybe a pro?

Cons:
-I'm not sure if this is honestly true, given that we have never met in person, but I haven't really connected well with the program directors or students. I feel that it's much more "business like" than "family oriented" like Loyola.
-The facilities, especially research facilities, seem dated. I know they have newer buildings, but I do not believe the PIs I'm interested in operate there.
-The second look didn't wow me like I was hoping it would. I know that others really loved it, and there were absolutely aspects that were great, but I have a lingering gut feeling that I can't explain.

Recent Matches: Cincinnati Children's, Emory, Johns Hopkins, UMichigan, UWashington, Vanderbilt, NYU, UPittsburgh.

In closing, I'm beyond appreciative to have both of these wonderful options set before me. I ultimately want to make the best decision for my future career. I think that I have my mind made up, but I would love some thoughts from people with more insight than me. Honest advice is appreciated!

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[wpneuro]

When I asked current students during my interviews what factors they felt would make-or-break their experiences, one of the most common things they referenced was the vibe/connections with their peers and program leadership. It sounds like you vibe much more with Loyola? A sentiment I've seen here a lot is it's not where you go so much as what you do wherever you are, and I figure feeling like you're well-supported (peers, mentors, etc.) is a huge part of making sure you can perform at your best

I'm also curious what insights other people have about rank/prestige? The match lists seem pretty good to me for both, but I don't really know how to assess them tbh; maybe look specifically at their matches in specialities you might be interested in? I'd want to know how many of their matches were their top choices, but that info might not be available.

 

[MSTPadvocate]

When I asked current students during my interviews what factors they felt would make-or-break their experiences, one of the most common things they referenced was the vibe/connections with their peers and program leadership. It sounds like you vibe much more with Loyola? A sentiment I've seen here a lot is it's not where you go so much as what you do wherever you are, and I figure feeling like you're well-supported (peers, mentors, etc.) is a huge part of making sure you can perform at your best

I'm also curious what insights other people have about rank/prestige? The match lists seem pretty good to me for both, but I don't really know how to assess them tbh; maybe look specifically at their matches in specialities you might be interested in? I'd want to know how many of their matches were their top choices, but that info might not be available.

Residency matches are important and can be indicative of good clinical training. Equally important are markers of good scientific training and good mentorship/sponsorship. How well do the students publish? Are there milestones to keep them on track during graduate years and does this impact time-to-degree in a positive way? Do the Directors meet with the students regularly? Are they available during grad school years and late stage medical school years? Does the program set you up for your next phase of training (residency, post-doc, K08, Burroughs, Pew, etc)?

Most MD/PhD programs will have good match lists as the student has accomplished quite a bit during their training and this will be obvious to residency program directors. Equally important is how you get there and how set up for success you are moving forward.