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Most underrated medical school? (2015 edition)
Started by Chansey
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this MIGHT be true, since it wasn't close to that back when I applied way back when (for comparison, pretty much everywhere else I interviewed at only has gone up maybe a point or two)
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All DO medical schools.
Third Cincinnati.
Wouldn't say OSU, because I don't think it's underrated overall, just on SDN where everyone is from the west coast.
Wouldn't say OSU, because I don't think it's underrated overall, just on SDN where everyone is from the west coast.
Not the school you're probably referring to, but I've widely heard that OUHCOM (which we Ohioans call OU) has a better program than a decent number of allopathic programs.
The NBA chat has brought me in. Barkley and Duncan are definitely not underated. Just because Charles didn't win a ring, doesnt mean he isn't considered one of the top 5 PF's of all time. Pippen is truly underated because he was the #2 option to arguably the greatest player ever, even though he was an all-star on his own merit.
Add Toledo, MSUCHM, hell even MSUCOM, and Nebraska on there
I wouldn't say Cincinnati is underrated, it's a great school, but their interview process really turned me off about their school. They had the most histrionic actors ever who faked crying in acting scenarios, not to mention a lot of their interviewers over-generalize applicants with crazy assumptions. I had to really had to ask "what are you trying to prove?" because those acting scenarios were just so over the top and unnecessary. They also ripped all their MMI interview questions from McGill University © 2004, so one really has to ask how they even assemble a cohesive worthwhile class when they're too busy stressing out those who are interviewed, can't even take the time to write original questions, and don't even bother asking "Why Cincinnati?" (probably the most important question they could possibly ask to screen applicants) The interview process they make applicants go through speaks volumes about their admissions department. Their anatomy lab is also in the most inhospitable basement I've seen.
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Lol. Too many acting scenarios. They say it's gonna reflect how students will perform in clinicals, but they make it silly. Like when will you as a doctor be required to convince your patient to stop doing drugs? Or living a dangerous lifestyle? As a doctor you can only provide the information, you can't force anyone to do anything. They just set interviewees up in arguing situations. They do have an essay portion when you get an interview though, can't remember if it asks Why Cincy? Their MSTP interview was better, but not by too much. (No MMI)
Awesome response! I agree 100% with you. The practicality of those stations is non-existent, and the combativeness of interviewers is downright stupid. What exactly are they going to learn/evaluate from having the interviewer just spit back "no i'm not going to do what you say" dozens of times in the most histrionic way possible? There's only so many ways to say why you shouldn't do this, and don't do that. What makes it even more mind-numbingly stupid is interviewers there automatically label you as "immature" in feedback if you don't go about it exactly the way they want to (I had talk with the dean of admissions about this) or think about things the way they do, which has absolutely nothing to do with maturity, except in their case.
There was no "Why cincinnati?" on the essay portion I got, and even if there was they could gage our passion and perspective so much better by ASKING US THE QUESTION IN PERSON, instead of those stupid acting stations.
The dean's talk was also pretty hilariously bad. He basically said "Well, what do I think of U. Cincinnati? Well, I used to think it was absolute crap and a horrible competitive school when I went here, but now it's magically gotten better". Pfft, yea right, more like you became the Dean and it's your job to promote the school even though you're not a fan of it. I'm not saying U. Cincinnati is bad or a competitive school, it's just that dean's talk was and their MMI was absolute trash. What makes it even more unfortunate is I thought the school was a cool place.
Honestly for medical school, I find the "why [school]" question rather unimportant coming from an applicant. Your honest answer from a typical applicant is "because this is the school that will let me in."
For residency or undergrad, I can see such a thing being important, but med schools are so standardized that a year or two of PBL vs traditional lectures isn't going to swing someone's medical education one way or another. "mission statement" questions make me want to vomit.
Jefferson, or whatever they call themselves now. Awesome location, awesome community outreach, great student body.
Hofstra - decent location and sh*tty preclinical curriculum, but very fun students and terrific hospital system.
Hofstra - decent location and sh*tty preclinical curriculum, but very fun students and terrific hospital system.
Nobody says that in interviews ever. A good thorough answer shows that an applicant has done a ton of research and can also eloquently state how they as individuals and their interests connect with the school's.
But frankly, that just shows that you can do your homework and memorize a response. And there are far more applicants who can do that than there are spaces and most of the best answers are bullsh*t anyway so why bother asking that question. Seeing if an applicant can follow instructions and think on their feet when presented with an absurd situation might be more effective for some schools in choosing a class that will be successful.
I haven't started med school yet, so forgive me if I sound naive, but there are certain factors that I think are still relevant towards suiting one's learning style. For example, a few of the features that I want in a school are
-True P/F pre-clinical curriculum, in order to decrease competition and unnecessary stress
-Accelerated pre-clinical curriculum (shorter than 2 years), so that I can complete my clerkships with some time available for advanced electives and sub-internships if I'm interested in pursuing a residency in a specialty that wasn't offered during the clerkship year
-Preferably recorded lectures just for the convenience and flexibility (not super important)
-Early and repeated opportunities to learn and practice basic skills like conducting body exams and taking histories (not super important either, but I would definitely prefer to have it)
-Ready access to an extensive tertiary-level hospital with ample opportunities to shadow various practitioners from a variety of specialties
Could I get your opinion on whether or not these features actually matter?
Search out and apply to schools that offer those features. Schools assume you applied because the school meets the criteria you've set. Now they are trying to see if you meet the criteria they've set. In turn, they may try to sell you on their school by pointing out what they think are selling points. But, keep in mind, a school can be very picky up to the point where they make offers after which they are going to woo you with all they've got to show that you should choose them. But until they've made the offer, they don't care if you think that they are the cat's meow.
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D
deleted407021
University of Vermont is one I never hear anyone talk about.
doesn't matter if no one says it, that's the honest answer. That's fine that you can come up with an eloquent answer but that's the problem. They're testing your eloquence, not your actual fit for the program.
Tim Duncan is easily the most underrated pro-athlete in the past 20 years. He has more rings than Shaq, more MVPs than Shaq and Kobe, more Finals MVPs than Kobe, and more career rebounds than Shaq. He's a 14 time All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, 8x All-Defensive First Team, and unlike some of his more popular peers (ahem Kobe), he's actually a good teammate and a decent human being. He's had a better career than Larry Bird. And yet somehow, his accomplishments are still overlooked!
I just threw out Barkley's name because I wish more PFs today would play like him
This is completely false. I won't go into this too much here because that is not the point of the thread at all, and I responded to your other MMI thread already. If you want further explanation we can talk about it over there and not further derail this thread. I'm sorry you were so upset by your MMI experience at UC.
PMed you with a lot of details about my situation. I'd really appreciate feedback from you and a more in-depth understanding of things, so I can work towards improvement.
Very few (if any) NBA centers have ever had the same amount of sustained success as Duncan. Also, have you by any chance seen the potential no. 1 pick this year, Jahlil Okafor? Kid is like a more physically gifted Duncan, only I'm willing to bet that his moves are a lot more polished than Duncan's when Duncan was a freshman. His post-game is a work of art.Tim Duncan is easily the most underrated pro-athlete in the past 20 years. He has more rings than Shaq, more MVPs than Shaq and Kobe, more Finals MVPs than Kobe, and more career rebounds than Shaq. He's a 14 time All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, 8x All-Defensive First Team, and unlike some of his more popular peers (ahem Kobe), he's actually a good teammate and a decent human being. He's had a better career than Larry Bird. And yet somehow, his accomplishments are still overlooked!
I just threw out Barkley's name because I wish more PFs today would play like him
As for this thread's actual topic, Mayo's ranking is underrated (idk, maybe, just adding something to contribute)
Is he the kid from Simeon in Chicago? He was all over the media when I visited family out there.
/I much prefer football/soccer/hockey analogies. I just find the NBA painful to watch.
//because yes, OSU was clearly underrated.
Hakeem is another perpetually overlooked all-time great. Best center of the modern era (post 1984).Tim Duncan is easily the most underrated pro-athlete in the past 20 years. He has more rings than Shaq, more MVPs than Shaq and Kobe, more Finals MVPs than Kobe, and more career rebounds than Shaq. He's a 14 time All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, 8x All-Defensive First Team, and unlike some of his more popular peers (ahem Kobe), he's actually a good teammate and a decent human being. He's had a better career than Larry Bird. And yet somehow, his accomplishments are still overlooked!
I just threw out Barkley's name because I wish more PFs today would play like him
Like MIT Med 🙁
UMC. Only MD school in Mississippi, which means you can travel anywhere you want in the state for rotations. The rotations I have done thus far have been amazing.
It's still MS, but it's great for opportunities and meeting all kinds of doctors. They also only have ~400 people apply each year (can only apply if you're IS), of that ~300 people are actually eligible to even get an II. And they take ~160 people a year so phenomenal odds getting in.
It's still MS, but it's great for opportunities and meeting all kinds of doctors. They also only have ~400 people apply each year (can only apply if you're IS), of that ~300 people are actually eligible to even get an II. And they take ~160 people a year so phenomenal odds getting in.
I'm moving to Mississippi.
I have to second UVM. Its a small school and they seem to be very student centered. Great resources, Caring faculty/staff, and the curriculum is condensed to 1.5 pre-clin years to get more clinical time to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your (medical career) life. Their graduates match into great places (although this can be said of many schools) and the campus is just beautiful.
That was Jabari Parker, currently injured but playing for the Bucks. Jahlil Okafor went to Whitney Young, and is currently still in college.
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Lol I won't disagree that the answer for most people is that it's a US Allopathic med school. It's true, until you have multiple acceptances, you can't afford to be picky. That said, I do think it'd be really lazy for an applicant to NOT look up information about the school. I've seen a few threads on here where ppl complain that they only have one acceptance to a school they don't like because of whatever reason - expense, location, grading method etc. I mean didn't you know all that before you applied?
Even if you don't get the question, you should be able to answer it for your sake if not the school's.
And on topic, n=1, someone at my Cincy interview said she got into a school in the south but felt it wasn't for her, declined, did some kind of program at Cincy and is now an MS2. So hey she preferred one to the other, so maybe she saw something awesome that OOSers like me haven't seen - she was an undergrad there (so maybe it is underrated?)
Oh and I remember now that they definitely ask why Cincy at their MSTP interview. We also had free hotel and flight, plus meals and a bonfire at the dean's house. Lol they should treat the regular interviewees like that.
FWIW, the interview is a presentation. Some parts may be superfluous, but the goal is that it be flawless. Having hecklers makes it difficult lol...so if a school wants to see how people perform when being heckled, good for them. 😉
Tim Duncan is easily the most underrated pro-athlete in the past 20 years. He has more rings than Shaq, more MVPs than Shaq and Kobe, more Finals MVPs than Kobe, and more career rebounds than Shaq. He's a 14 time All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, 8x All-Defensive First Team, and unlike some of his more popular peers (ahem Kobe), he's actually a good teammate and a decent human being. He's had a better career than Larry Bird. And yet somehow, his accomplishments are still overlooked!
I just threw out Barkley's name because I wish more PFs today would play like him
I've never heard any NBA fan say his accomplishments are overlooked. He's just a quiet guy and is never gonna get as much media attention as camera-loving Shaq and the accused rapist Kobe.
I definitely put The Dream in contention for greatest all time. In the era of centers, he was clearly the best and stomped fools while fasting in Ramadan
My vote is on Rush Medical College.
Why? It's located in the heart of Chicago, which is the most dense city after NYC when it comes to residency programs and hospitals.
Also according to USNEWS rankings (which can be debatable) Rush Medical Center is absurdly highly ranked. Overall it has better rankings than University of Chicago's hospital system, which is very impressive. Rush's hospital is second to only Northwestern in the Chicago area when it comes to the amount of NIH funding received for research, which basically is indicative of the caliber of 'academics' in that system. Rush kicks some *** !
Why? It's located in the heart of Chicago, which is the most dense city after NYC when it comes to residency programs and hospitals.
Also according to USNEWS rankings (which can be debatable) Rush Medical Center is absurdly highly ranked. Overall it has better rankings than University of Chicago's hospital system, which is very impressive. Rush's hospital is second to only Northwestern in the Chicago area when it comes to the amount of NIH funding received for research, which basically is indicative of the caliber of 'academics' in that system. Rush kicks some *** !
But I feel like the students who matriculate there are less likely to use that funding since they tend to be more primary care focused. I don't think the quality of the hospital necessarily reflects the quality of its affiliated med school if the hospital can provide all the basics one expects from a tertiary level care provider.
For example, according to USNWR, the best hospital in Virginia is Sentara Norfolk, associated with Eastern Virginia. However, out of all the Virginia medical schools, I would argue that EVMS is the least "prestigious", mostly due to their emphasis on community health rather than research, whereas the UVA medical center is ranked 6th in the state.
I was tempted to post due to the NBA analogy. From a center standpoint, I'd have to argue that Bill Russell is among the most underrated...Lebron didn't even mention him on his "Mount Rushmore" and the dude is arguably the greatest defensive player ever (Not to mention he has 11 rings!)
I also think Pete Maravich is extremely underrated. His stats, particularly in college, are incredible and some of his highlights are unbelievable even after you watch them.
As for the topic here, I have little to contribute as I haven't started medical school yet, but I enjoy reading the opinions of others.
I also think Pete Maravich is extremely underrated. His stats, particularly in college, are incredible and some of his highlights are unbelievable even after you watch them.
As for the topic here, I have little to contribute as I haven't started medical school yet, but I enjoy reading the opinions of others.
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. I had the luxury of working with the entire 2nd year class before I applied, and I was beyond impressed with the close-knit student body and environment. Nearly every student was happy with their choice to attend, and several of them picked WSU over better known schools in the state. Plus, they accepted me, so there is always that...
If anything, Bill is overrated. He played if a very iffy era. No doubt he was great, but I don't believe he would be a superstar in today's game
I wouldn't exactly call Rush's location "the heart of Chicago," either in the vernacular term or the SW side neighborhood. The medical district is in kind of a sh-tty area.
As for the density of programs, Philly likely beats Chicago. 5 medical schools within the city limits of a much smaller city, plus the S Jersey and suburban community programs.
I mean, UChicago is in the crappy part of Chicago. That doesn't dictate the quality of medicine being practiced. Cook County Hospital is in a crappy area, but it's known to be the best and biggest trauma center in the nation.
And I agree, Philly probably does have more density when it comes to hospitals. But this thread is about the most underrated school. None of the med school affiliated hospitals besides Upenn in philly come close to the national rankings of Rush.
Hyde Park = The Crappy Area of Chicago?
Do they? I've worked with around 20 of them, and 2 openly admitted they had an interest in primary care. One of them was so hardcore ortho you could smell the bone saw on him, though admittedly, he was an awesome dude.
I might have been misinformed. I guess I was trying to make the point that Rush students are probably less likely to gun for research opportunities than Pritzker students.
that's kind of my point. Anyone calling Hyde Park a crappy area doesn't know the city very well.
Plus, "places to visit" in Chicago and "places you'd want to live and work" in Chicago tend to be totally different (which is sadly a bit of a knock against Northwestern)
Why wouldn't you want to work in Streeterville?
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Work would be fine, but to live? Streeterville is for the tourists. Better bars/restaurants/entertainment out in the neighborhoods.
I was really, genuinely impressed with Vermont and Medical College of Wisconsin, even though neither are highly ranked nor often discussed.
St George's Medical School. I mean, they sent me a brochure wanting me to apply before I even graduated high school. They can't be all that bad
St George's Medical School. I mean, they sent me a brochure wanting me to apply before I even graduated high school. They can't be all that bad
There's THAT St. George's, then there's St. George's - University of London. If I were gonna IMG it, that's where I'd go.
