Med School Choice

[blizpix]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I was just wondering, but does it really matter what medical school you end up going to in terms of being a good doctor? I mean it seems like a higher ranked medical school doesn't necessarily produce "better" doctors. At the end of it isn't every one a doctor?

I guess it probably helps to go to a big high ranked university if you're looking at doing research (MD/PhD) though...

What do you all think?

 

[unhappytnt]

I guess it probably helps to go to a big high ranked university if you're looking at doing research (MD/PhD) though...

You are right. Other than that, it doesn't really matter. Remember the saying:

"What do you call the person that graduates at the bottom of his med school? A doctor."

 

[ZeusonRoids]

I was just wondering, but does it really matter what medical school you end up going to in terms of being a good doctor? I mean it seems like a higher ranked medical school doesn't necessarily produce "better" doctors. At the end of it isn't every one a doctor?

I guess it probably helps to go to a big high ranked university if you're looking at doing research (MD/PhD) though...

What do you all think?

I just finished my first year of medical school and here is my opinion.

I think someone who goes to a lower ranked place has a chance at becoming a great doctor just like someone who goes to a higher ranked school does...that being said, and having gone to a 3rd tier undergrad...I understand now just how much more accomplished my peers who went to Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth, Yale, UCLA, USC, Duke etc. are. Yeah on the one hand we ultimately ended up in the same place and I am doing fine, but I am sure I would be doing even better if I had come from a wonderful undergrad. They are all a bit more polished.

Just think of it this way.
In college football, there are players who have come from all sorts of high schools... Yet the majority come from big high schools with great coaches, and not from small high schools with ****ty coaches. Yeah, there are exceptions to this ALL THE TIME, but at the end of the day, I want to give myself the best opportunity to become a great doctor, and for me that meant going to the best school I got in, and going to a program that fits my own style of learning.

 

[mdbound1987]

Top schools help if you want to pursue academic medicine and if you want more research options while in med school. Other than that, the school name does not really mean anything. The school that fits your learning style best, ideal location, etc is more important.

 

[morning]

LCME accreditation is VERY strict. This is not like NP or law schools, which can pop up anywhere with very little review or oversight. That's why we haven't had a tiered system in medical schools yet - the "worst" has been stringently reviewed so it is up to par with "the best." No one wants to play around with the lives of patients.

 

[Parts Unknown]

I was just wondering, but does it really matter what medical school you end up going to in terms of being a good doctor? I mean it seems like a higher ranked medical school doesn't necessarily produce "better" doctors. At the end of it isn't every one a doctor?

I guess it probably helps to go to a big high ranked university if you're looking at doing research (MD/PhD) though...

What do you all think?

There is some variation in how medical schools teach (lecture, PBL, etc.), but the material they teach is highly standardized. You can obtain a solid clinical experience at any MD-granting school in the country. One might even find better clinical training at so-called mid to lower-tier institutions, as they could conceivably have more interesting patient populations (indigent, pathology-gone-wild) and better teaching (less emphasis on research among the faculty).

Essentially, medical school allows you to hit the reset button on your academic career and begin anew with the same basic opportunities afforded every medical student in the country. How you use them is up to you.

Comparing medical schools to each other is therefore not unlike comparing 2010 mid-size sedans. There are various and sundry differences both cosmetic and under the hood, but the sameness they share is far more striking. Comparing undergrads, on the other hand, is like comparing a dump truck, a 1934 Indian, a Sopwith Camel, a submarine, and a porcelain bowl (I'm looking at you, St. John's).

 

[Parts Unknown]

I think someone who goes to a lower ranked place has a chance at becoming a great doctor just like someone who goes to a higher ranked school does...that being said, and having gone to a 3rd tier undergrad...I understand now just how much more accomplished my peers who went to Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth, Yale, UCLA, USC, Duke etc. are. Yeah on the one hand we ultimately ended up in the same place and I am doing fine, but I am sure I would be doing even better if I had come from a wonderful undergrad. They are all a bit more polished.

Perhaps their undergraduate institutions also taught them the concept of selection bias.

 

[Simplify]

Comparing undergrads, on the other hand, is like comparing a dump truck, a 1934 Indian, a Sopwith Camel, a submarine, and a porcelain bowl (I'm looking at you, St. John's).

I spy things related by combustion engines, why the porcelain bowl?

 

[Parts Unknown]

I spy things related by combustion engines, why the porcelain bowl?

Look up the Great Books Program and compare it to pretty much any other undergrad curriculum.

 

[MDhomieG]

I was just wondering, but does it really matter what medical school you end up going to in terms of being a good doctor? I mean it seems like a higher ranked medical school doesn't necessarily produce "better" doctors. At the end of it isn't every one a doctor?

I guess it probably helps to go to a big high ranked university if you're looking at doing research (MD/PhD) though...

What do you all think?

i think its more about the people that you are in medical school with, and the community as a whole.IMO Medical school isn't just about academic education, there is a lot to be learned from your peers, and the connections that you make in medical school should be just as important as the courses that you took. When I was in high school I had the choice of going to a Top 20 university and spending a **** ton of money each year or going to my state school's honors program for free. I don't regret choosing the former, I think i am a better person because I am more around people of my similar ability, and the academically rich "environment" that I am in is invaluable. I think just as the people around me and the university has made me a better student, attending a great medical school will benefit you in the same way. As a result of my undergrad, I feel more ambitious but humbled, diligent yet at the same time I am used to being around really intelligent and amazing people that I can bounce ideas off of, push each other, and enjoy each other's company.

 

[HumbleMD]

Define good.
Being a caring and empathic physician is only mildly dependent on your mentors and model docs in med school, and you will find good an bad no matter where you go.
Being an excellent physician and diagnostician, or perhaps surgeon, is certainly dependent on the level of your peers around you (competetiveness is actually a good thing), the residents you train under (better hospitals usually = more intelligent and capable residents), and the expectations of your school
Being good could also mean advancing your field to be better through research and leadership, which certainly is aided by the influence and training of a good pedigree.

 

[quiltlady]

Wow,, Humble, haven't seen you on these forums in a long time..

 

[XeReX]

You are right. Other than that, it doesn't really matter. Remember the saying:

"What do you call the person that graduates at the bottom of his med school? A doctor."

i agree with this fella what really matters is the title before your name plate that says Dr. or that abreviation after your name thats says M.D.

But i think if you get into high tier med schools like Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Yale, Stanford etc you have a better chance at getting into a nice residency program.