Hi -
I'm a second year med student at Ohio State. Do your research and go to whatever school you will be happiest at. Most schools will try and show you only their best side at interviews. ALL schools have warts, things students hate, and students that end up disliking their school. Some of the people I know who wish they hadn't gone to OSU would probably be miserable at any school (they are just those type of people), but I'm sure a few would have been happier elsewhere.
In general, I like Ohio State. Sure, there are things I dislike. However, I tend to think that some of the things that annoy me most would be found at ANY med school. Most schools, irregardless of the size, are mired in bureacracy. Change is exceedingly slow. In talking to a friend who is now a MUO graduate, many of the things that I complained about as being negatives to OSU were things that she felt were the worst about MUO.
I have had student health insurance in the past and thought it was excellent - all visits at the Student Health Center are free, co-pays on scripts are reasonable, any tests done at the SHC are free, anything done outside the SHC is 90/10. I was referred to a specialist for an outpatient procedure, visited the emergency room, and was overall very pleased with it. However, I know people who have had problems. Some, like the person mentioned above, have chronic health conditions and quickly exceed the dollar limit that the plan will pay for scripts, etc. If you have a family, the Student Health Insurance doesn't seem to be the best option. Student in third year rotations find it very difficult to get health care (they don't get out of rotations until the SHC is closed) and the plan doesn't allow them to pick up scripts at the hospital pharmacy. Admin is working on fixing the later problem. Some students have found it cheaper to pay for their own health insurance (I saw a quote from Blue Cross/Blue Shield that wasn't bad). So - do your research there, as well. You don't have to buy student health insurance - you just have to have health insurance.
Polo is right - most of you will never set foot in the new research building. (I doubt I will). One of my preceptorships WAS in the Ross, so I did spend time there.
As for feeling like a number . . . I think that it is up to you as an individual. I have found the vast majority of the professors and administration to be very approachable and friendly. If you choose not to make contacts with people, then I'm sure it can be very easy to feel like no one knows you/cares about you. Both the past and current dean hold "open houses" where any student can come talk to them at any time. Most students never take advantage of them. (I went to one and the secretary was shocked that someone actually showed up!) I have met with all of the deans for various reasons, and I would not hesitate at all to go speak to any of them if I had an issue I felt they could help with - school related or personal. We have our own financial aid office, so most of us never have to deal with that hell known as the main financial aid office, and the new FA staff is pretty good.
The class size is managable. You quickly get to know people in anatomy lab, and everyone has small groups for patient centered medicine. I feel like I recognize most of my classmates, at least, even if I don't know them well. Even in IP (the lecture pathway), there are people who never come to class and and you won't see all that often.
Polo - I don't blame you at all for wanting to go somewhere besides OSU. Personally, I am amazed at the number of faculty who did undergrad, med school and residency all at Ohio State. I would want to go to some different places and see how things are done elsewhere in the world. I'm not opposed to ending up at OSU for residency, but ideally, I want to go to a different program.
To recap, go wherever you think you will be happiest. Take things with a grain of salt . . . no school is either as wonderful or as bad as some people would lead you to believe. Good luck to all of you no matter where you end up. If you have questions about OSU, PM me or feel free to ask on the OSU Class of 2010 thread in the Allo sub forum.
