mich. state or wayne

[vandross88]

I am trying to decide which school (msu vs. wayne)to attend. Anyone with any sort of insight, your wisdom would be appreciated.

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[Peregrin]

I feel fortunate because after spending months researching different schools, I knew that MSUCHM was my first choice a year before I applied. It is absolutely the best school for ME and what I am looking for in my medical school experience. There are many, many reasons for my decision, but they are MY reasons. The two schools are QUITE different (I'm assuming that you are talking WSU v CHM, but the same goes for WSU v.COM).

Some determining factors might be your answers to some of these questions:

Do you want a traditional curriculum or PBL?

Do you want to go to a primary care oriented school?

What is better Detroit or Flint/Saginaw/Lansing/Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo (depending on which medical campus you go to)?

Is a Big 10 school environment attractive or a drawback?

Compare the facilities, which campus looks right/feels right to you?

The list goes on... What is important to you?

You have to make the decision. I applied to WSU, U-M, and MSUCHM. I received secondaries from all 3, but since I was accepted in October to MSU, I didn't even respond to my secondaries. That's how sure I was.

I hope that you can feel as confident about your decision as well.

 

[deleted4401]

I got into CHM but chose Tulane instead, and I still am not sure if I made the right choice.

What I loved about MSUCHM:

* great diversity of people ... maybe not racial diversity, but just a broad range of ages, majors, types of people

* AWESOME curriculum - that longitudinal patient care program gets you working with patients way earlier than most schools. The entire second year looked like THE way to learn medicine, and I wish my school used that much PBL.

* Community based program ... which also could be a drawback, based on your future plans. I was told by MSU that a lot of the hospitals that they clerk at have few residents/interns, so the medical students get a lot of first hand experience and low amounts of scut.

* Active and engaging faculty, again, according to the students. They really seem to work with and want to teach patients, instead of making the student feel like a burden.

* It seemed like the students were very involved with the curriculum, and that is a good sign.

I didn't even get a look from Wayne, but I've great things from friends that go there.

I'm sure either one would be great.

Simul

 

[vandross88]

thanks for your insight, it was helpful. But in your opinion and knowing that med. school is already difficult enough, which school will be the "easier" of the two? Thanks again for any wisdom you may offer.

 

[colorado_1]

neither will be easy but at wayne you don't NEED to be in lecture. you can do the notes and all exams are multiple choice to prepare you for the boards. basically, wayne curriculum is more like the college class style you had for the first 2 years so if you liked it, like to miss class, then that would be the "easier" of the two.

 

[WSU02]

I'm currently a 3rd year Wayne student...

Some advantages:
Cost. Wayne's cheaper...this was why I choose Wayne.

Experience. You will get very good at clinical stuff. YOU deliver the babies and repair any tears. YOU do minor procedures. Among Michigan residency programs, Wayne grads are consistenly recognized as being well prepared to enter internship (as far as technical skills). During my surgical rotation, I was responsible for my ICU patients...not the intern. I have worked up 5 new patients in 1 day on my cardiology rotation. I've done most of a tubal ligation (didn't open the patient, but I removed the tube and sewed her back up). Another girl in my class did a C-section! It amazes me how much we do. And some of the stuff we see is beyond belief - I was part of a case during OB that will be in textbooks, I know it.

We stay in 1 city the whole time. I would NOT want to move between 2nd & 3rd years! It's a stressful enough time without adding to it.

Disadvantages of WSU:
Detroit. I hate it. I'm originally from Muskegon area, small townish, so you can imagine how I feel. I went to MSU for undergrad...Lansing is OK.

Size. 256 in a class can make you feel like just a number...or you can see it as an adventure - lots of people to meet. My class has a very cliqueish feel to it.

Other thoughts on school in general- class is a social event...don't skip ALL of them! Also, if you skip most of them, you are at a disadvantage in the clinical years...
And have fun.
Hope this helps.
Kristi
17 more days until I'm done with 3rd year!

 

[vandross88]

Thanks again all for the info. Interestingly, speaking to a co-worker who has lectured at msu, he thinks that the basic sciences at msu are not as strong as wayne's? Anyone with some insight, your wisodm is welcome.