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Hey guys, I've been lucky enough to have a few medical school choices this cycle. However, tomorrow is May 15, and I still am unsure of which school to pick. I really don't want to come off as a whiny accepted student, but as much as I've tried to wrack my brain on the issue, I can't seem to come up with a clear cut choice.
So the schools I'm stuck between are NYMC, SUNY Downstate and SUNY Buffalo. Here's my personal take on each school:
SUNY Downstate
Pros
- State tuition
- Could feasibly live at home for part of my medical education (to save money/reduce debt)
- P/F grading system
- Close to family & friends (and I personally like NYC and the surrounding areas)
Cons
- The area isn't very safe
- Downstate's hospital system is facing major financial issues - which seem to get worse by the week. Both of the school's owned hospitals are in significant danger of closing (according to a recent article, they'll have to close within 12 months if no intervention is made), and the president of Downstate's Medical Center was quoted saying that the financial issues threaten the viability of the medical school. (Really, THIS is the reason why I am not sure of what to do. If these issues were not present, DS would 100% be my choice).
NYMC
Pros
- Still close to home, family, friends, NYC, etc.
- Definitely my favorite location out of the three schools
- Great reputation for matching students into radiology
Cons
- Cost --> It'd be ~$20k/yr more than DS or Buffalo (This is my major issue here)
- H/HP/P/F grading system
- Not close enough to have the option of living at home during rotations
SUNY Buffalo
Pros
- State tuition (Major plus here)
- Impressive facilities
Cons
- The area isn't very safe
- Very far from home, family, friends
- Not a fan of the cold/snow (though I realize Brooklyn and Westchester aren't exactly tropical)
- H/HP/P/F grading system
- I feel that, if all other factors (besides location) are constant, it'd be harder for me to match into a residency program in NYC/LI/Westchester coming from Buffalo when compared to DS or NYMC. Just to stress the point, I in no way feel that Buffalo is a lesser school than the other two. I just feel that it'd naturally be easier to match into a program in or near NYC if I went to medical school in or near NYC. As a premed, I'm not sure if this logic holds, but it seems like it would to me.
So in conclusion, would you guys pick a school that pretty much had everything you wanted (price, location, etc.), BUT was in the midst of a financial crisis (maybe this will limit school resources, or adversely affect LCME accreditation). OR, if that wasn't a good choice, would you go with the more expensive school that still had most of what you were looking for, OR instead choose the state school (with the lower tuition) which was situated significantly far away from where you wanted to be?
Any input would be welcomed! (And sorry for rambling)
So the schools I'm stuck between are NYMC, SUNY Downstate and SUNY Buffalo. Here's my personal take on each school:
SUNY Downstate
Pros
- State tuition
- Could feasibly live at home for part of my medical education (to save money/reduce debt)
- P/F grading system
- Close to family & friends (and I personally like NYC and the surrounding areas)
Cons
- The area isn't very safe
- Downstate's hospital system is facing major financial issues - which seem to get worse by the week. Both of the school's owned hospitals are in significant danger of closing (according to a recent article, they'll have to close within 12 months if no intervention is made), and the president of Downstate's Medical Center was quoted saying that the financial issues threaten the viability of the medical school. (Really, THIS is the reason why I am not sure of what to do. If these issues were not present, DS would 100% be my choice).
NYMC
Pros
- Still close to home, family, friends, NYC, etc.
- Definitely my favorite location out of the three schools
- Great reputation for matching students into radiology
Cons
- Cost --> It'd be ~$20k/yr more than DS or Buffalo (This is my major issue here)
- H/HP/P/F grading system
- Not close enough to have the option of living at home during rotations
SUNY Buffalo
Pros
- State tuition (Major plus here)
- Impressive facilities
Cons
- The area isn't very safe
- Very far from home, family, friends
- Not a fan of the cold/snow (though I realize Brooklyn and Westchester aren't exactly tropical)
- H/HP/P/F grading system
- I feel that, if all other factors (besides location) are constant, it'd be harder for me to match into a residency program in NYC/LI/Westchester coming from Buffalo when compared to DS or NYMC. Just to stress the point, I in no way feel that Buffalo is a lesser school than the other two. I just feel that it'd naturally be easier to match into a program in or near NYC if I went to medical school in or near NYC. As a premed, I'm not sure if this logic holds, but it seems like it would to me.
So in conclusion, would you guys pick a school that pretty much had everything you wanted (price, location, etc.), BUT was in the midst of a financial crisis (maybe this will limit school resources, or adversely affect LCME accreditation). OR, if that wasn't a good choice, would you go with the more expensive school that still had most of what you were looking for, OR instead choose the state school (with the lower tuition) which was situated significantly far away from where you wanted to be?
Any input would be welcomed! (And sorry for rambling)