I have been very fortunate to have been accepted to three schools that I really like and am having a difficult time choosing one. Some background: I am originally from the New York metropolitan area and have been living in NYC for the last few years. I have a preference to stay in the northeast for residency (or possibly move to CA, where I have family). I am undecided on specialty, but have not ruled out some of the more competitive ones. My girlfriend and family are nearby so I am leaning towards staying here but am open to considering Nashville.
Mount Sinai
Pros
+New York City, Upper East Side/East Harlem location
+Curriculum is 2 years pre-clinical -- the prevailing sentiment seems on SDN from people who have been through the process is that having enough independent time to study (outside of the dedicated 6-8 weeks at most schools) is the most important factor in achieving a high Step 1 score; Sinai would help me accomplish this best
+Don't have to "compete" with undergrads for research opportunities - plenty of research opportunities in all fields
+Highest flexibility when it comes to testing (take home)
+++P/F unranked for pre-clinical years (no internal ranking, even for AOA)
Cons
-Curriculum is not as "innovative" as the others - fewer clinical correlates before Step 1
-Some clinical rotations are far (Queens / north Jersey)
-Standalone medical school with location that isn't as lively as NYU's; few people to interact with on campus other than medical students, and fewer resources outside of medical school (e.g. intramural sports, clubs, etc.)
-Seems that most activities on campus center around research and community service. These are important to me, but I also have other interests like health policy, writing, etc.
-Facilities are kind of old and the overall polish of Sinai seems to be lower than the two other schools
NYU
Pros
++New York City, best location out of all three for me (with easy access downtown)
+Part of NYU - more places to study, more activities, potentially more research opportunities
+Loved the people I met at my interview and second look
+1.5 year pre-clinical curriculum
+P/F
Cons
-Considering financial aid, highest cost of attendance (by about $3-5K over Sinai)
-1.5 year pre-clinical curriculum seems more stressful and having Step 1 after rotations limits the amount of independent time for studying outside of the dedicated 6 weeks
-Pre-clinical internal ranking for AOA (so, this is technically not "unranked")
-NYU is, to my understanding, still recovering from Sandy - though this is not expected to hinder the student experience when I enter school
Vanderbilt
Pros
+Vanderbilt seems very student-centric and the culture is top notch
+Vandy seems to have the best reputation nationally, which could open doors for residency
+Considering financial aid, lowest COA (though this is about $3-5K cheaper than Sinai)
+1 year pre-clinical curriculum (P/F) - good for me, especially since I don't know what field I want to pursue, so there's more time to think about it during 3rd year
+University affiliation that leads to meaningful activities and social experiences for students
Cons
-1 year pre-clinical curriculum seems most stressful and having Step 1 after rotations limits the amount of independent time for studying outside of the dedicated time
-Nashville is not near family/friends, and it's not that easy to get home
-Nashville is not NYC
Summary: I am leaning towards Sinai - it seems to have solid fundamentals in the way of flexible testing, ample time for Step 1 studying, and more than enough research opportunities. However, I feel that I may be missing out by not being affiliated with a larger university. Further, while I love NYC, I know Vanderbilt would be a great place to go to school.
Mount Sinai
Pros
+New York City, Upper East Side/East Harlem location
+Curriculum is 2 years pre-clinical -- the prevailing sentiment seems on SDN from people who have been through the process is that having enough independent time to study (outside of the dedicated 6-8 weeks at most schools) is the most important factor in achieving a high Step 1 score; Sinai would help me accomplish this best
+Don't have to "compete" with undergrads for research opportunities - plenty of research opportunities in all fields
+Highest flexibility when it comes to testing (take home)
+++P/F unranked for pre-clinical years (no internal ranking, even for AOA)
Cons
-Curriculum is not as "innovative" as the others - fewer clinical correlates before Step 1
-Some clinical rotations are far (Queens / north Jersey)
-Standalone medical school with location that isn't as lively as NYU's; few people to interact with on campus other than medical students, and fewer resources outside of medical school (e.g. intramural sports, clubs, etc.)
-Seems that most activities on campus center around research and community service. These are important to me, but I also have other interests like health policy, writing, etc.
-Facilities are kind of old and the overall polish of Sinai seems to be lower than the two other schools
NYU
Pros
++New York City, best location out of all three for me (with easy access downtown)
+Part of NYU - more places to study, more activities, potentially more research opportunities
+Loved the people I met at my interview and second look
+1.5 year pre-clinical curriculum
+P/F
Cons
-Considering financial aid, highest cost of attendance (by about $3-5K over Sinai)
-1.5 year pre-clinical curriculum seems more stressful and having Step 1 after rotations limits the amount of independent time for studying outside of the dedicated 6 weeks
-Pre-clinical internal ranking for AOA (so, this is technically not "unranked")
-NYU is, to my understanding, still recovering from Sandy - though this is not expected to hinder the student experience when I enter school
Vanderbilt
Pros
+Vanderbilt seems very student-centric and the culture is top notch
+Vandy seems to have the best reputation nationally, which could open doors for residency
+Considering financial aid, lowest COA (though this is about $3-5K cheaper than Sinai)
+1 year pre-clinical curriculum (P/F) - good for me, especially since I don't know what field I want to pursue, so there's more time to think about it during 3rd year
+University affiliation that leads to meaningful activities and social experiences for students
Cons
-1 year pre-clinical curriculum seems most stressful and having Step 1 after rotations limits the amount of independent time for studying outside of the dedicated time
-Nashville is not near family/friends, and it's not that easy to get home
-Nashville is not NYC
Summary: I am leaning towards Sinai - it seems to have solid fundamentals in the way of flexible testing, ample time for Step 1 studying, and more than enough research opportunities. However, I feel that I may be missing out by not being affiliated with a larger university. Further, while I love NYC, I know Vanderbilt would be a great place to go to school.
