Michigan versus Columbia

[k-kidmed]

Michigan versus Columbia

I am hoping some current students can help out us applicants. I have a similar quandary to the person deciding between Yale and Michigan who posted recently. I'm presently deciding whether to go to Michigan or Columbia. If you have insights--specific or general-- please share them.
Columbia and Michigan are very closely ranked, but have their respective costs/benefits. I am interested in hearing from current students.

Some important factors for consideration include the following:

1) Curriculum
2) Technological and other resources
3) Prestige (state vs. ivy)
4) Quality of life (college town vs. NYC)
5) Matching Record
6) Quality of Affiliated hospital (Which is better? Mich has a VA. Will this significantly affect the quality of clinical education?)
7) Other unique strengths/weaknesses
8)Fuzzy/Anecdotal stuff

One additional question:

I have heard that I would have a hard time matching well in NYC if I go to Michigan, unless I work extraordinarily hard. Is this true?

Thanks very much.

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[WingZero]

I've posted at length about Michigan in the Yale/Michigan thread you refer to but to answer your question about the VA... All M3 students at Michigan do a month of inpatient internal medicine at the VA. It's a great hands-on experience since students are responsible for doing all blood draws and EKG's while on call. Many of us also got to do more advanced procedures like paracentesis, thoracentesis, lumbar puncture, etc. You can also electively do one of your surgery months there, as well as neurology, psychiatry, or any number of M4 rotations. Overall, you get a much better hands-on experience, but in the grand scheme of things, the presence or absence of a VA should be way down on your list of things to consider. I think it matters more when you're looking at residencies since senior level residents rotating through the VA are basically attendings and have all the responsibility / freedom that comes with that. I'm not familiar with Columbia's system, but I don't think they're hurt at all by not having a VA, since they have other hospitals they rotate through.

As for the whole matching into NYC thing, it's not a problem period. If you look at our match list from this year, we have a good number going to columbia and cornell for residency, even people who have no ties to The City whatsoever. I wouldn't look at our relative lack of people going to NYC as a sign that many people wanted to but couldn't, but the fact is that roughly half the class is from the midwest and a lot of those people choose to stay in the midwest for various reasons.

 

[KylahM]

Any Columbia or UMich students out there with insights?
Thanks so much.

 

[KylahM]

Any Columbia or UMich students out there with insights?
Thanks so much.

 

[po' boy]

do a search of my previous posts. i have commented on this exact thread before.

 

[KylahM]

7. unique strengths/weaknesses: columbia students are malignant for the most part.

Whoah, what do you mean??

 

[missbonnie]

Originally Posted by footcramp: 7. unique strengths/weaknesses: columbia students are malignant for the most part.

... don't you love blanket statements about a whole student body?

 

[Fermata]

... don't you love blanket statements about a whole student body?

You don't think certain schools attract certain types of personalities?

 

[elias514]

Man, who knows what the student body at Columbia is like. It's impossible to say without actually attending the med school. Maybe the students are laidback and cooperative during the first 2 years and then become cutthroat during clinicals. Or maybe they stay cool for the entire 4 years. Tough to say. I suspect that there are a lot of "closet" gunners there, but I'm probably dead wrong.

 

[SarahGM]

You don't think certain schools attract certain types of personalities?

Sure- but there's no saying who will actually be *accepted*.

I'd like to know... what exactly is a "malignant" personality? And why would any school admit anyone, let alone large numbers of people (dare I say "for the most part"?), with a malignant personality?

 

[lyragrl]

Well, Bonnie and Sarah, I guess as accepted P&Ser's we're malignant. We should start honing our skills as vicious gunners. I'm out of practice since I haven't aggressively competed against my classmates and coworkers since....... well, since, never.

 

[Fermata]

Personally, from the pictures of previous classes at Columbia that I've seen...I think labeling them as metrosexuals is a far better stereotype than gunners.

 

[bez2]

I'm a first year at P&S and we are definitely anything but gunners. My class is cooperative and unbelievably diverse. You have to come here to experience the school first hand. If you think you would be a better fit with the school and the students here than at Mich. than your decision should be easy. A lot of the seemingly important issues take a back seat to being happy for the next four years.