Northwestern Versus Michigan

[SunnyS81]

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Before everyone explodes on me, here is my situation:

1) I'm in at Michigan
2) I got an interview invite at Northwestern
3) I would have to fly or drive really far to get to Northwestern. (I live in Atlanta, Georgia)
4) I want to know if it is worth the time/effort/money to go check them out.
5) Don't give me rankings. I'm looking for opinions that are really good or bad about particular features about the school. Comments about curriculum (I can't seem to find specifics) and other stuff like that would be appreciated.

Any opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Sunny

 

[nuclearrabbit77]

I consider the curriculum to be one of northwestern's strong points. Lecture hours are quite short, 2hrs average a day. It's pass/fail, and there's pbl, communication/diagnosis skills, and ethics and values classes throughout the year besides the labs. I feel like there's plenty of time to do independent study and pursue other hobbies in my life. And i can't emphasis how much of a stress reliever pass/fail is. The location is in a really nice part of chicago, and overall i'm quite happy being here.

It's really about what you are looking for in a medical school. University of Michigan is a much better research institution than northwestern which is reflected by NIH grant money and USnews, and if that's very important to you then i'd just go with U of M.
northwestern is making strides in supporting more research, right now theres a big 200$ research facility being built which will be completed in 2004.

I think it's at least worth check out northwestern, but if you feel set on Michigan, don't waste your money.



Nuclearrabbit

northwestern - 2006

 

[Neuronix]

RNAgirl had this same quandry last year about their MSTP programs. She ended up at Michigan, and generally the advice was to go to Michigan. I also have an acceptance at Michigan and an invite at Northwestern and I'm also considering not going to Northwestern.

Here's what I do know. Michigan's cirriculum is fairly traditional while Northwestern's seems more progressive. Their traditional cirriculum may be paying off, since UMich boasts that they are tied for third in the USNews poll for residency directors opinion. However much that means to you. They're both an expensive proposition for an MD program, but from what I know of the two schools, Northwestern is a bit more stingy about financial aid and the cost of living is higher in Chicago.

 

[marakah2]

The budget for northwestern was 60,000/year, while i don't remember the exact budget of michigan-i didn't get quite the shock when i heard their projected costs!

 

[gotgirth]

Michigan budget if I recall was just over 40k per year.

 

[laviddee]

Also, northwestern's medical school reputation is NOT that great at all amongst the doctors here in chicago. My friend's dad is an ER doc and was totally railing against it and telling me to go to UIC over Northwestern ANYDAY.

I think curriculum is interesting-but I don't see how spending 2 hours a day in lecture is worth 34k in tuition alone.

Also crazyA wrote this to me, "My parents' colleagues have been ripping on NWU, heck, my boss who is on the faculty hasn't even encouraged me to go there."

And FINALLY, I'll be at Michigan. We can be classmates!

 

[SunnyS81]

Well thanks everyone for your input. Particularly Neuronix, for directing me to RNAgirl. I'm going to stick with my hunch and decline the interview and withdraw.

In the beginning Michigan was my top choice, but Northwestern was my top realistic choice. I never thought I would actually be fortunate enough to be troubled by this decision. Funny how things change.

laviddee, you can count me in at Michigan. I'll be withdrawing all my applications when I have time to write them over Winter Break. See you in Ann Arbor in August!

 

[Explosivo]

Originally posted by laviddee
Also, northwestern's medical school reputation is NOT that great at all amongst the doctors here in chicago. My friend's dad is an ER doc and was totally railing against it and telling me to go to UIC over Northwestern ANYDAY.

I think curriculum is interesting-but I don't see how spending 2 hours a day in lecture is worth 34k in tuition alone.

Also crazyA wrote this to me, "My parents' colleagues have been ripping on NWU, heck, my boss who is on the faculty hasn't even encouraged me to go there."

And FINALLY, I'll be at Michigan. We can be classmates!

Hey lavidee, would you mind sharing why docs feel that way towards Northwestern? Is it b/c of poor teaching? Poor clinical training? Why would someone on the faculty there recommend against going? Basically,why does NW have such a poor rep?

These are some pretty strong claims against NW and as someone who has had NW as a first choice I'm very much interested in hearing some of the reasons behind such sentiments.

 

[zer0el]

yeah i also want to know what's up with the bad rep. NU seems to have a good residency director rating in us news, and they match a ton of guys into ortho (my fav so far).

 

[GoodMonkey]

let's not forget folks, that with the new curriculum umich is instituting beginning next fall, there will be a thesis requirement and the first two years are pass/fail. 🙂

 

[GoodMonkey]

ooh... also, if someone could direct me to that list of residency director rankings, i'd be much obliged. 🙂

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by GoodMonkey
ooh... also, if someone could direct me to that list of residency director rankings, i'd be much obliged. 🙂

Its in US News

 

[laviddee]

here's what my friend's friend said(really second hand).. again this isn't my opinion but of someone elses..
Becky's dad is an ER doctor who works with various students on their rotations and feels that NU students simply lack the clinical experience. here's the email i got back from her...

"i talked with becky and this is what she told me... northwestern's main focus and intent are for people who want to do research or to teach...they don't make the best doctors because NU doesn't emphasize the practical/clinical aspects of being a doctor. she has heard negative opinions...almost unanimous... that nu is a great school for research and teaching but the students are not the best practitioners...the students are very ill-prepared for the actual practice of being a physician. she has heard from her doctor-heavy family and friends that they don't favorably choose nu medical students for clinical work b/c they are more ill-prepared. "

I agree that you can't possibly get the best hands on clinical training at the very posh, and private, Northwestern hospital. Let's face it, the closest you'll get to patients at times will be by looking over the shoulders of the attendings and the residents. Also these private patients, who are the OLD RICH of Chicago's Lake shore areas often may not want any ignorant 3rd year med students learning and practicing off of them(generally speaking). Whereas if you get the public aid patients at UIC or cook, these patients are more likely to be grateful and open for help-- from doctor or student.

Nothing against NU, there was a time that that was my 1st choice. But one has to wonder about the clinical training and experience... also i still say that the 60k budget for that first year is outrageous- again for only 10 hrs of week of class.

so 1) you get the least amount of class in all of chicago
2) perhaps the least amount of clinical training in all of chicago

so maybe what's reflected is a 'deserved' lack of respect from the chicago doctors who work with those students????
just a thought.

But you can't say enough about the location.. what a great place to live and learn.

 

[laviddee]

wow-- goodmonkey just wrote this...
"northwestern does, if you've worked for more than 30 months (doesn't have to be consecutive) prior to matriculating. then they only take your piddly finances and equity into account. yay! (still a stinkin' expensive school) but they have a debt cap, so if you fall into this category and get a bunch of loans b/c you have no finances, they will cover everything past $120k so you come out avg w/the rest of the nation's graduate's debt. "

pretty enticing actually... if you are a non trad student!

 

[doctor girl]

that with the new curriculum umich is instituting beginning next fall, there will be a thesis requirement

Eeeewww! 😱 yuck.

They are both great schools and you'd be fortunate to go to either one.

I don't know much about either school's curriculum, but as far as everyone talking about their reputations, from someone's point of view who doesn't live in that region of the U.S. (& without a regional bias), my friends and I consider Northwestern's rep to be slightly better than UM (undergrad programs, grad programs, ...).

I know that Michigan is also a great school, but sometimes their rep as a "football school" might hurt their academic reputation.

But you really can't go wrong with either school. 😎