Miami (MD/MPH) vs FIU (MD)

[Miami vs FIU]

Thanks for clicking. It sounds like an obvious choice but please hear me out:


Miami MD/MPH

Pros
- MPH is nice for primary care residencies
- Great match list for UM in general (no specifics for this program's performance)
- Relationship with UM for residencies
- Great students and staff
- Prestige
- Small class? (50)

Cons
- No rotations in Miami (all at regional campus)
- More expensive
- No time for Clinical Research (but required public health research project)
- Average step scores
- No classes or time with MD only students
- Work through first summer
- Small class? (50)



FIU

Pros
- 240 step 1 average
- That step 1 though
- Great students and staff
- Rotations across Miami's outstanding hospitals
- Just felt welcoming and home-y
- First summer off
- Prosection vs dissection

Cons
- Weak research
- No MPH
- No prestige
- Weaker match list (still impressive though)
-Prosection vs dissection?

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[Welshman]

Thanks for clicking. It sounds like an obvious choice but please hear me out:


Miami MD/MPH

Pros
- MPH is nice for primary care residencies
- Great match list for UM in general (no specifics for this program's performance)
- Relationship with UM for residencies
- Great students and staff
- Prestige
- Small class? (50)

Cons
- No rotations in Miami (all at regional campus)
- More expensive
- No time for Clinical Research (but required public health research project)
- Average step scores
- No classes or time with MD only students
- Work through first summer
- Small class? (50)



FIU

Pros
- 240 step 1 average
- That step 1 though
- Great students and staff
- Rotations across Miami's outstanding hospitals
- Just felt welcoming and home-y
- First summer off
- Prosection vs dissection

Cons
- Weak research
- No MPH
- No prestige
- Weaker match list (still impressive though)
-Prosection vs dissection?

I’m accepted at FIU. The lack of Research at FIU isn’t a huge deal because you’re in Miami, this gives you access to all of the research and PIs who work there. Just because you’re not a UM student doesn’t mean you can’t work with UM docs and PIs. During undergrad I worked with Harvard PIs, BU med students and NEU students all in the same lab. I also really do agree with the homey and welcoming vibe at FIU, it seemed like a place where students have lives outside of medicine but also do well (something I didn’t find at most schools)

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

Just a quick note - Miami MD/MPH can rotate in Miami during fourth year (after a few required clerkships on the regional campus), or choose to stay at the regional campus. On my interview day it sounded like a pretty even split as far as what students choose to do.

 

[curbsideconsult]

Step 1 scores have very little to do with the school and a lot more to do with the individual students so I really wouldn't take that into consideration.

 

[Oso]

Step 1 scores have very little to do with the school and a lot more to do with the individual students so I really wouldn't take that into consideration.

+1 , please remove from any pros/cons list


I think a lot of it comes down to if/why you want to get an MPH

 

[icedude2010]

If you want to see the MD MPH programs match list message me. It is a pretty good list in general, IMO.

I would do the MD MPH at Miami, especially since it seemed like you are interested in primary care/public health from your post.

 

[691622]

why wouldnt avg step 1 score have little to do with school?? fiu takes it after their third year if i remember correctly.. that has a lot to do with it no

 

[curbsideconsult]

why wouldnt avg step 1 score have little to do with school?? fiu takes it after their third year if i remember correctly.. that has a lot to do with it no

Not really. Wherever you go, you're going to get whatever Step 1 score you're going to get. If you're a strong student, and have a great test day, you're probably going to get 250+. The difference in scores in the preclinical vs. post clerkship scores is not like 225 vs. 250; it's probably more like 255 vs. 265. Granted a 10 point difference is still 10 points, but even if you're gunning for ophtho or derm or ortho or whatever, the difference between candidates beyond 250 is not going to be in your Step score, it's going to be the difference in how the candidates interact with the residency programs in their chosen specialty on interview days. There's an SDN thread where someone is very upset because s/he got his/her last choice in an ultra competitive specialty despite their ridiculously top scores and accolades and blah, blah, blah. Anecdotal, sure, but there are likely hundreds more untold stories like that. Actually, if you talk to residents who do interviewing, they'll tell you that they've not ranked candidates who look amazing on paper because they couldn't stand their attitude.

 

[Welshman]

I know the above has been said many times throughout different threads but I still find it hard to ignore FIUs step 1 score completely, a 509 average MCAT and a 240 average step 1 definitely sounds like the environment plays a large role. That said if UM accepts me on Wednesday I’d probably attend

 

[691622]

Not really. Wherever you go, you're going to get whatever Step 1 score you're going to get. If you're a strong student, and have a great test day, you're probably going to get 250+. The difference in scores in the preclinical vs. post clerkship scores is not like 225 vs. 250; it's probably more like 255 vs. 265. Granted a 10 point difference is still 10 points, but even if you're gunning for ophtho or derm or ortho or whatever, the difference between candidates beyond 250 is not going to be in your Step score, it's going to be the difference in how the candidates interact with the residency programs in their chosen specialty on interview days. There's an SDN thread where someone is very upset because s/he got his/her last choice in an ultra competitive specialty despite their ridiculously top scores and accolades and blah, blah, blah. Anecdotal, sure, but there are likely hundreds more untold stories like that. Actually, if you talk to residents who do interviewing, they'll tell you that they've not ranked candidates who look amazing on paper because they couldn't stand their attitude.

so you're saying if fiu students took the step 1 after 2nd year, the avg would still be a 240?

 

[curbsideconsult]

so you're saying if fiu students took the step 1 after 2nd year, the avg would still be a 240?

I don't know. What are their students like? How motivated are they? Step 1 scores, like MCAT scores, increase ever so slightly year after year. Which is why the passing score increases every few years. Because of this reason, it's difficult to say whether or not they would still retain their 240 average. Also, who knows if it's a placebo effect. Maybe they're doing better because the school said "hey guys, we heard you'll do better on Step 1 if we move the exam to after clerkships." There are so many variables that you can't know for sure because the difference in the averages are not that significant. Now, if a school went from a 230 average to a 245 average after one year, then I'd be much more convinced and trying to push my school to do the same.

But if you're convinced Step 1 scores are heavily dependent on when you take them, then so be it.

 

[sss1219]

Interviewed at both and have friends at both. I've been told to only pursue an MD/MPH if I am confident that an MPH is necessary for my career choices. So if you decide during MS3 that want to go into ortho rather than something population health-related, the lack of summer research time may be a huge issue at UM. Not to say MD/MPHers can't go into competitive specialties, but they have to fit research into their schedules around summer classes.

For me personally, I'm weighing any MD-only programs above the joint degree at UM just because primary care is something I could get into without an MPH and also because if I really wanted to do an MPH, I could always take a year off and pursue one at a better public health institution i.e. Emory/Harvard/Hopkins, etc like many med students do. But if you know you'll be doing primary care, then that choice may be different for you.

 

[691622]

I don't know. What are their students like? How motivated are they? Step 1 scores, like MCAT scores, increase ever so slightly year after year. Which is why the passing score increases every few years. Because of this reason, it's difficult to say whether or not they would still retain their 240 average. Also, who knows if it's a placebo effect. Maybe they're doing better because the school said "hey guys, we heard you'll do better on Step 1 if we move the exam to after clerkships." There are so many variables that you can't know for sure because the difference in the averages are not that significant. Now, if a school went from a 230 average to a 245 average after one year, then I'd be much more convinced and trying to push my school to do the same.

But if you're convinced Step 1 scores are heavily dependent on when you take them, then so be it.

lol not what im saying, just pointing out fiu takes step 1 after third year, has avg similar to a school like UPenn, with a cohort of students with below avg stats for entering m1. take that as you will on whether or not school cirriculum plays a role on step 1 avg. by the way you word your above posts it sounds like you've read an article on pubmed and now you're an expert in research methodology

 

[SteyrFWB]

Talked to a graduating FIU student who matched to Yale ER. This is his observation.

The newer schools, first two years are pass/ fail, class attendance is encouraged, but not mandatory.

Many, many students just skip classes, study on their own for Step 1, then at night, go over class video at 2x speed for quick note taking.

But by and large, it is internet self-teaching now a day, which is more conducive to achieving high Step 1 score.

 

[mywafflebox]

Talked to a graduating FIU student who matched to Yale ER. This is his observation.

The newer schools, first two years are pass/ fail, class attendance is encouraged, but not mandatory.

Many, many students just skip classes, study on their own for Step 1, then at night, go over class video at 2x speed for quick note taking.

But by and large, it is internet self-teaching now a day, which is more conducive to achieving high Step 1 score.

Pretty sure FIU has letter grades. Also after talking to some of the med students, they have to do “busy work” like reflection essays. I would also keep that in mind

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

Talked to a graduating FIU student who matched to Yale ER. This is his observation.

The newer schools, first two years are pass/ fail, class attendance is encouraged, but not mandatory.

Many, many students just skip classes, study on their own for Step 1, then at night, go over class video at 2x speed for quick note taking.

But by and large, it is internet self-teaching now a day, which is more conducive to achieving high Step 1 score.

I though FIU used grades.

 

[Welshman]

Both schools have letter grades. As for the busy work, I think the MPH track has quite a bit of that as well with the mandatory meetings and group reflection sessions