Mt. Sinai vs Cornell

[thebadge]

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Really stuck deciding between the two right now. Unfortunately, their revisit weekends overlap, so I think I'll have to choose one and not fully explore the other. I'm completely undecided on a specialty, but I feel I'd be interested in something competitive. If anyone has any thoughts about each program, I'd love to hear them!

They both seem incredibly similar (P/F curriculum,$100,000/yr estimated COA, location in UES, and shorter preclinical), so I'm not sure how best to separate the two. I'm looking to match back in the Midwest, but I'm not sure if either program is better for that. I'm planning to get married after M1, so I'll be in their family housing after that.


Mt. Sinai
Pros

• All lectures are asynchronous, with exams every third Friday (guaranteed free weekend)
• Support and flexibility inthe curriculum for a research year if necessary
• Apartment-style living with a kitchen. Aron Hall seems the best housing possible
• The student body seems more supportive/wellness-focused (and feels respected by admin)

Cons

• Greater emphasis on primary/community care, which I'm not as interested in
• Somewhat less competitive/prestigious? Looking to match in Chicago/Midwest, and their match list seems to favor their home programs
• Less research available?

Cornell
Pros

• Slightly greater prestige for matching in midwest
• Greater emphasis on research with Area of Scholarly Concentration, strong opportunities for mentorship
• Less community health focus?
• Slightly better location on UES

Cons

• Exams can be dispersed throughout the week; students complained of feeling like they're always studying
• more competitive vibe amongst classmates
• Dorm-style living, less easy kitchen access, and not around other students as much. Olin Hall is still a great location, though.
  • I plan to get married between M1 and M2, so this will only be one year.

Summary: Overall, it seems silly to decide based on exam schedules and living conditions, but these are the two biggest differences between the programs right now. Leaning towards Mt. Sinai because the students I've met have been awesome, but I'm worried it will not set me up as well for a competitive residency in the Midwest.

 

[SteelyDanTeeShirt]

NBME exams at Sinai, as well as the schedule tip me in that direction. You can match wherever you like from either place. They are both very well-regarded.

 

[riv_jordan]

Congrats on great options! I agree that Sinai and Cornell seem much more similar than different. That said, here are some differences in their curriculum that I think are worth noting (sourced from admit.org):

• Cornell has pre-Match AOA and Sinai does not
• Cornell has H/HP/P/F while Sinai has H/P/F (not sure how significant this difference is but if you want a competitive specialty, honoring is pretty important so I'd try to find out what proportion of students get honors at each school)
• Cornell has in-house exams and Sinai uses NBME exams

These differences on top of the Friday exams you noted make it sound like Sinai may be a slightly more relaxed academic experience, but how much weight you want to put on that is up to you.

In response to some of your cons, I would not at all be worried about "less research available" at Sinai. Cornell has more layman prestige because of its Ivy undergrad, but within the medical community, Sinai and Cornell are viewed pretty equivalently (maybe Cornell has the slightest edge). Matching back into Chicago shouldn't be a problem at either institution. It's interesting that you say Sinai has more of a "primary/community care" focus. Like other T20s, the vast majority of their graduates end up in competitive, non-primary care subspecialties. They have a couple free clinics that are popular among students, but this is common at many med schools so I don't think it's any more community health focused than other T20s.

Did you apply for financial aid at either place? If so, I'd let that make the decision for you. Assuming finances are similar/non-factor, then it really does come down to vibes. The overlapping admit weekends suck—is there anyway you can split your time between them given how close the two schools are? Or contact current students who are willing to answer questions about campus community, residential options (especially for married couples), etc.

 

[thebadge]

NBME exams at Sinai, as well as the schedule tip me in that direction. You can match wherever you like from either place. They are both very well-regarded.

Thanks for the reply! I didn't realize Cornell used in-house exams. Also, it's relieving to know that my match location isn't limited with either. Appreciate the info

 

[thebadge]

Did you apply for financial aid at either place? If so, I'd let that make the decision for you. Assuming finances are similar/non-factor, then it really does come down to vibes. The overlapping admit weekends suck—is there anyway you can split your time between them given how close the two schools are? Or contact current students who are willing to answer questions about campus community, residential options (especially for married couples), etc.

Still waiting to hear back from the financial aid office, but I appreciate the insight! I'll look into splitting time, I just wasn't sure if that was standard/okay to do. Current students from both schools have been incredibly helpful with answering questions, couldn't recommend either more!

 

[rob120]

Cornells financial aid is likely to be better (they meet 100% of need) whereas Sinai only meets 100% of need after a 18,750 base loan. Also consider things like health insurance, cost of board prep materials (if school offers or not), location of clinical rotations. Also would clarify how financial aid would change after you're married (they'll then likely ALSO ask for partner income info in addition to parental, i think..). Also consider cost differences in married housing vs M1 housing. Also, I think Cornell is tearing down their Olin Hall and the incoming M1s might be in the new dorm...not sure tbh

 

[BritainKittenMittens]

cornell

 

[thebadge]

cornell

Any specific reason why? lol

 

[BritainKittenMittens]

Any specific reason why? lol

I mean they're so similar, I'd go with the neighborhood location and name recognition (outside medicine). They're like so close though just flip a coin.