Only acceptance in dangerous place?

[Lizzie Bartlet]

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If you only had one acceptance, would you take it even if it was in a place that gave you the creeps? I can say with no doubt that I don't feel safe living in that city or even being on campus. The crime rate is high in that immediate area and there are sketchy people hanging around all over the place. The med students I talked to there told me to always have someone with me at night whether it's on campus or off. They said they have a few reports of student's cars being stolen or vandalized and one or two of muggings in the neighborhood around campus.

For a small town girl, I'm freaking out. What would you guys do? I really want to be a doctor, but I feel like I'm going to live for four years terrified to leave my apt.

I was strongly thinking about withdrawing my application after the interview, but I hadn't made up my mind yet when I got the acceptance letter about a week later so now it's more than withdrawing my application. It's declining an acceptance which doesn't seem smart, but I don't know. I don't feel good about this.

 

[FlowLimited]

Where are we talking? Temple?

 

[AdemTD]

Would this dangerous place you speak of be Detroit?

 

[Bacchus]

What city, Lizzie? Get some opinions from those living in that area.

 

[funkydrmonkey]

I'm confused😕... in your other posts, it said that you have two acceptances... why not go with the other acceptance?

 

[Lizzie Bartlet]

I'm confused😕... in your other posts, it said that you have two acceptances... why not go with the other acceptance?

Welcome to my hell. The other acceptance was a mistake. I called after interview before I got my letter and was told I got in, but I was actually put on the alternate list. This is the only one I'm holding unless my waitlists come through. That's what I'm praying for.

I'd prefer not to say where this is because I've been in touch with a few students who go there and with a few of the other interviewees about this and I don't want to give up my anonymity by posting the city here.

 

[GeraldMonroe]

Take the acceptance.

Buy a weapon for self defense if you're really that worried, and don't go out to your car alone at night without an escort from the campus security guard. Lock yourself in your car that the guard escorted you to, and drive to an apartment in a safer area.

If you actually did this every time, without fail, I don't see how you'd be much at risk. Of course, asking for an escort and living farther from campus is a major inconvenience. It's like condoms or handwashing : they work wonders in protecting you, but they are a hassle.

As for what weapon : some states allow concealed handguns if you pay for a permit and a safety class. In most states, though, concealed handguns would be banned on a school campus. I understand that tasers are not considered firearms in many states, and are allowed to be carried concealed anywhere. There's also pepper spray or those 4-D cell maglites, but obviously we are talking about a radically reduced level of effectiveness versus a ranged weapon.

In any case, you don't really have a viable choice. As you just found out, getting into medical school is an enormous ordeal, a once in a lifetime thing. If you only got one acceptance this year, there's a chance that if you reapplied, you would get zero acceptances next year. I would not recommend anyone reapplying or turning down a U.S. allopathic medical school spot unless they are such a super-star that they were offered at least 10 acceptances in a cycle.

 

[FlowLimited]

Welcome to my hell. The other acceptance was a mistake. I called after interview before I got my letter and was told I got in, but I was actually put on the alternate list. This is the only one I'm holding unless my waitlists come through. That's what I'm praying for.

I'd prefer not to say where this is because I've been in touch with a few students who go there and with a few of the other interviewees about this and I don't want to give up my anonymity by posting the city here.

If you're not willing to disclose the location, I don't see how anyone around here can help allay your fears about living there.

 

[135892]

concealed carry

 

[efitzpat]

There are a lot of bad cities. I go to USC in downtown LA. This year we've had a student stabbed to death, 2 sexual assaults, one student killed and another injured in a hit and run, and countless muggings/thefts. My car has been broken into, but other than that, as long as you are smart, you will be fine no matter where you go. The majority of bad things happen to people walking alone at night. So don't. USC has a service where cars pick you up and drop you off - door to door service. But I never walk alone if its very late, I'm always aware of my surroundings, and it never hurts to carry pepper spray.

Don't give up your acceptance because you think its dangerous. YOu can make yourself safe.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

Why did you apply to this school if you didn't want to attend?

 

[AdemTD]

Welcome to my hell. The other acceptance was a mistake. I called after interview before I got my letter and was told I got in, but I was actually put on the alternate list. This is the only one I'm holding unless my waitlists come through. That's what I'm praying for.

I'd prefer not to say where this is because I've been in touch with a few students who go there and with a few of the other interviewees about this and I don't want to give up my anonymity by posting the city here.

well if it's Detroit, go for it. You really just have to be smart about where you go in the city. And definitely do not live in the city...I would commute from Royal Oak or Ferndale.

 

[bkz]

Welcome to my hell. The other acceptance was a mistake. I called after interview before I got my letter and was told I got in, but I was actually put on the alternate list.

😱
A lot of med schools aren't in the greatest of neighborhoods
As long as you don't walk around in a daze blasting your ipod with ten diamond rings on, hold your head up, be aware of your surroundings, don't look like an easy target...you should be fine.
You could live far away in the suburbs but the commute would suck during third year

 

[Lizzie Bartlet]

If you're not willing to disclose the location, I don't see how anyone around here can help allay your fears about living there.

I wasn't really asking anyone to allay my fears. I already talked to people about that. I was asking for advice, what other pre-meds would do. Was safety important enough to turn down an acceptance. Primarily the women because I've never met a man who's a fraidy cat like me. lol

 

[Asystole]

Go for your dream. Take a self-defense class, put some pepper spray in your bag and make sure to walk home with friends or take a cab. Once you start classes I'm sure some students from in-state will be able to help you with where's safe & where isn't. You shouldn't let your nervousness over the new place scare you off. I was raised in a small town myself but I would never let that stand in the way of something I've wanted for so long. Of course, if you're holding on to another acceptance at a place you could see yourself being as happy attending, then I think you've answered your own question. 🙂 Good luck!

 

[bkz]

Primarily the women because I've never met a man who's a fraidy cat like me. lol

im a chick and i've lived in some pretty bad areas
the most important thing is being aware of your surroundings
and try to always walk with someone else...think of how an animal would hunt prey LOL...they pick off the weak looking ones that are straggling by themselves

don't look scared either 😉
You'll be okay! Congrats on your acceptance 🙂

edit: by chance is this anxiety coming from nervous parents asking about the neighborhood?

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

If you only had one acceptance, would you take it even if it was in a place that gave you the creeps? I can say with no doubt that I don't feel safe living in that city or even being on campus. The crime rate is high in that immediate area and there are sketchy people hanging around all over the place. The med students I talked to there told me to always have someone with me at night whether it's on campus or off. They said they have a few reports of student's cars being stolen or vandalized and one or two of muggings in the neighborhood around campus.

it sounds like you are describing many places on Earth. let me address the bolded statements:
1. lots of places are creepy. don't go there alone at night with Benjamins sticking out of your pockets. and get this: some people call those creepy places "my neighborhood".
2. living is dangerous. you could die.
3. sketchy people are everywhere. seriously, just because you don't know someone by name makes them a creep.
4. cars get stolen and vandalized. therefore, get insurance, don't leave valuables inside, and lock the doors. owning a modest car while you are a student also helps.
5. muggings occur. in every major city on the planet.

with that said, take the acceptance, and live smartly (cautious but not fearful), or find another planet to live on. this one's dangerous.

 

[birkenbeiner]

It's Brooklyn, isn't it. High priority alternate list usually leads to acceptance, so don't panick. Otherwise don't worry. NYC has one of the lowest murder/capita rates among U.S. cities. It just gives you the creeps because people are rude and commit petty crimes. But if you study 24/7 you won't even notice them. You can get an apartment several subway stops away and you end up in a "hipster" neighborhood. Don't even need a car. If worst comes to worst, get yourself a guy that can scare away the intruders.

 

[student1799]

It's Brooklyn, isn't it.

The OP's description doesn't sound like Brooklyn to me--at least not the neighborhood that SUNY Downstate is in. That's not the greatest neighborhood, but I wouldn't call it out-and-out unsafe. Personally, I think the description sounds more like Temple.

Was safety important enough to turn down an acceptance. Primarily the women because I've never met a man who's a fraidy cat like me. lol

I'm a woman, I've lived in cities all my life (including New York in the '70s, when it really WAS dangerous), and there's no way I'd turn down an acceptance to med school because of this.

If I had a choice between two schools, I might choose the place where I felt safer, IF that school was equal or better in quality compared to the other one. But if the better school was in a worse neighborhood, or (more relevant to you) if my only acceptance was in an unsafe neighborhood, I wouldn't let it stop me for a minute, because I really REALLY want to be a doctor.

 

[niranjan162]

I say if its your only acceptance go for it. Being conscious about the issue is half the battle.

Dont walk anywhere alone at nite. Look behind you every now and then when your walking. etc.

 

[Handy388]

OP, you remind me of a small town girl I met during temple interview. She definitely had that small town charm.

BTW, I stayed with a student host, and he led me walking through the back alley behind temple. Nothing happened to me.

Although he did comment that his neighborhood isn't very safe.

 

[phospho]

OP, which school are you talking about? I don't understand why you don't want to disclose its name. It's not like you're bad mouthing the school or anything. This is information that a lot of premeds like you and me could use in the future.

 

[BJPENNSTATE]

she is a former pageant girl...she thinks she's too pretty and might get mugged in philly (temple)/detriot (wayne state)...either way...med school is med school. suck it up and buy a gun since it's completely legal in the united states to bear arms

 

[niranjan162]

she is a former pageant girl...she thinks she's too pretty and might get mugged in philly (temple)/detriot (wayne state)...either way...med school is med school. suck it up and buy a gun or maze since it's completely legal in the united states to bear arms

a gun isnt gonna be super helpful if someone cracks you from behind with a pipe.

People arent gonna walk around with a sign saying im gonna mug you.

 

[BJPENNSTATE]

yeah, but...being a doctor over 1% chance of getting mugged? i like my chances

 

[3pin3phrine]

My sister goes to a school that is in a really sketchy area. It's common to hear gunshots around her apartment. One of her upperclassmen even got abducted right before their test. No joke. You should ask if they have 24/7 security around the perimeter of the school (They do at my sister's dental school). Do they offer some kind of transportation at night? You just got to be smart and you will be ok. Never go out at night by yourself and be confident when walking around.

 

[Lukkie]

The med students I talked to there told me to always have someone with me at night whether it's on campus or off. They said they have a few reports of student's cars being stolen or vandalized and one or two of muggings in the neighborhood around campus.

...come on.

welcome to any big city in america.

 

[nick_carraway]

What do your parents think?

If anyone should be concerned, it's the father of a daughter. If he's not worried, I would take the acceptance.

That said, bad things happen in small towns too. Murders happen in Davis, CA along with break-ins, rapes, muggings, vehicle theft. Just be smart, be prepared, and think of the 90 year-old grandmas who beat down robbers.

 

[BJPENNSTATE]

the OP is formerly Miss New Hampshire USA, i just think that's neat. 🙂

 

[niranjan162]

yeah, but...being a doctor over 1% chance of getting mugged? i like my chances

nobody ever thinks it will happen to them, even when your being careful you still never really think it will happen to you...until it does

no, but they can walk down Sunset Blvd with a $.99 sign on their back

not sure i understand this

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

nobody ever thinks it will happen to them, even when your being careful you still never really think it will happen to you...until it does

same goes for car accidents, heart attacks, plane crashes, infections, choking, tripping and falling, getting kidnapped, receiving incorrect change at the grocery store, finding a severed finger in your food, losing your house key, forgetting to backup your computer and it crashes, running into an old friend you haven't seen in years, winning the lottery, dying, having a family member die, having a friend that dies, having a friend that wins the lottery, getting stuck by lightning...

life is nuts, huh.

 

[calnation]

A good defense strategy for creepy neighborhoods is to talk to yourself really loud with multiple voices/personalities whenever sketchy people are around. Whose going to target a crazy person?

Once you got that down, you should be good to go!

 

[sarahg]

I'm going to be a dissenting voice here. Living in an area that's truly dangerous can have a huge impact on your quality of life, which can have a huge impact on your performance in med school (not to mention your general happiness). I'm not sure exactly how bad turning down an acceptance would look for you, so talk to someone about whether you'd have a chance to get in again if you did. Maybe if you explained that you weren't able to visit the school before applying, discovered some sort of dealbreaker while there, but didn't have time to withdraw your application before being accepted, they wouldn't hold it against you too much. But it could be worth a year's delay to get to live somewhere that you feel safe for four years, if you think you could improve your application a bit before you applied again. Personally I really appreciate living in places where I can walk to the store at night if I need something and not be constantly afraid that my car will break down and I'll be trapped in a sketchy area where I shouldn't be alone every time I drive at night. I've lived in some of the safest cities in the country and some of the most dangerous (according to that FBI list) and the quality-of-life difference between the two is too huge to ignore. If you really are going to be terrified to leave your apartment -- and you don't have that reaction in most other cities (in which case that would be a personal problem rather than a problem with the school) -- don't underestimate the impact that's going to have on your general happiness for four years.

 

[itsallthesame]

should you decide not to enroll, i would make it very clear why you chose not to accept that acceptance (be sure to indicate that you were not comfortable with the school upon being in the area) and reapply next year; however, a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. as others have alluded: safety in cities is mostly about being smart. medical schools need students to continue being medical schools. if any campus was so unsafe that students were regularly being assaulted, it wouldn't exist. i used to bike around temple all the time and no one ever hurt me.

also, realize that just as you are having anxiety about moving to the city, there are plenty of future med students terrified of moving to the country/suburbia. while your fears are probably well founded, i think that you might also be having a slight psychological reaction i like to call "oh crap i just got into med school." it's natural. you're afraid of next year in general a bit. maybe you're worried that gross is going to be too gross, that you won't get aoa, that all the hot guys will be married or engaged, you'll miss your friends from where you are now, whatever. if you aren't a little apprehensive, there is something wrong with you. now, compound that with all the work that you've put in and now it doesn't seem like you have a choice where you'll be going. yikes. it's perfectly natural that you take the worst feature of that school (eg location) and have that really worry you (again, because you don't have control over it).

Relax. You have been accepted to one of the top 150 medical schools in North America. That's really awesome, and now your dream of becoming a doctor can come true. Instead of focusing on the safety of the area for now though... I would suggest that you compile a list of the great things about the school. If it were in your ideal location, what would be good about it? Why did you decide to apply? I think that as you continue to get over this initial shock phase and look at the positives, you'll come to the realization that it's only four years, if you're smart you'll be safe and the school has lots of sweet things to offer. (and who knows, you just might get in off that alt list!)

 

[Law2Doc]

...
As for what weapon : some states allow concealed handguns if you pay for a permit and a safety class. In most states, though, concealed handguns would be banned on a school campus. I understand that tasers are not considered firearms in many states, and are allowed to be carried concealed anywhere. There's also pepper spray or those 4-D cell maglites, but obviously we are talking about a radically reduced level of effectiveness versus a ranged weapon....

Just FYI, in most of the big cities referenced in this thread thus far, arming yourself is not legal, and many of the things you describe are illegal to carry (including tasers, pepper spray). You are from Texas, I believe, which is far far far more liberal than the norm in terms of what's legal to carry. In many paces you can end up arrested (and even sued) for macing or tasering a would-be assailant.

There is no need to do something illegal. Most med schools have security guards or shuttle busses that can get you to your car at night. During the day, don't travel alone. Plenty of people attend school in even the worst of neighborhoods and avoid scuffles. You just have to be smart about it.

OP, For someone never exposed to a big city, this is probably an important phase of your education, because most of the world is like this. You don't see the breadth of disease and trauma in a suburban rural setting. So your ability to become a good doctor would be limited there. Osler once said (paraphrased) that you had to know syphilis to really know medicine. Well guess what -- the big dangerous cities are where you see syphilis. And HIV. And GSW (gunshot wounds). And IV drug abuse. and a variety of other ailments that haven't made it to the rural neighborhoods.

 

[Lokhtar]

Welcome to any big city. If it's Philadelphia, you'll be fine.

 

[191159]

There are a lot of bad cities. I go to USC in downtown LA. This year we've had a student stabbed to death, 2 sexual assaults, one student killed and another injured in a hit and run, and countless muggings/thefts. My car has been broken into, but other than that, as long as you are smart, you will be fine no matter where you go. The majority of bad things happen to people walking alone at night. So don't. USC has a service where cars pick you up and drop you off - door to door service. But I never walk alone if its very late, I'm always aware of my surroundings, and it never hurts to carry pepper spray.

Don't give up your acceptance because you think its dangerous. YOu can make yourself safe.

Wtf...

 

[cpants]

OP, you should definitely go for the acceptance. A couple of thoughts:

1. Your school almost certainly has a lot of security features set up to make you safe. Find out about them and take advantage. Consider commuting in from a safer area.

2. You will get used to it. You are terrified now, but believe it or not, you will become accustomed to living in a rough place. It's kind of like how you're terrified on the first day of anatomy, but one week in you're sawing through a skull with a cup of coffee in your hand.

3. Living in a bad area can be an advantage to your education. You will get to do a lot more clinically, not just on traumas but on regular stuff too.

 

[aznb0y129]

OP, you should definitely go for the acceptance. A couple of thoughts:

1. Your school almost certainly has a lot of security features set up to make you safe. Find out about them and take advantage. Consider commuting in from a safer area.

2. You will get used to it. You are terrified now, but believe it or not, you will become accustomed to living in a rough place. It's kind of like how you're terrified on the first day of anatomy, but one week in you're sawing through a skull with a cup of coffee in your hand.

3. Living in a bad area can be an advantage to your education. You will get to do a lot more clinically, not just on traumas but on regular stuff too.

Agreed on all counts.

 

[slick27]

You should take the acceptance. It is only going to get harder to get into med school in the next coupld of years due to the economy. Also, since you've been through the process you know how hard you had to work for that one acceptance. Take it and don't look back. If anything defer for a year and do something productive on your year off. Think about it for a year, maybe even live there for the year not in school and then decide if it a major reason not to attend. Most likely the stories you have heard are over reactions to the situation. For your car, just park in a well lighted parking garge. Make sure you are home from school before dark....etc...

 

[beachblonde]

I'll be the voice of dissent when it comes to weapons: the problem with buying a gun or knife or whatever it is, you run the risk of it being taken from you and then being used against you. You're much better off exercising some common sense than trying to get a permit to carry a handgun.

The way I see it, this is the US, and even the "dangerous" parts are nowhere near as dangerous as some parts of the world. The medical school wouldn't be functioning if they had all their students murdered or raped or mugged. One of my close friends goes to Temple, and although the area is dodgy, she says it's ok. Just live in the suburbs and commute in if you're concerned. Take advantage of campus security options (bus, escorts, etc) and exercise common sense. It would be foolish to turn down an acceptance at a school solely because you're scared you might get mugged someday. Even if you do decline, there's no guarantee you won't get mugged tomorrow. You can't let your life be dictated by fear!

 

[pianola]

OP, I know what you mean. I'm considering schools in a couple of not-so-safe locations. I think one of my schools must have included car vandalism in its COA . Honestly, though, I think the best thing you can do in your situation is to just to take as many safety precautions as possible.

1. Lock your doors. Always. All the time.
2. Don't open the door unless you've looked through the peephole first and have some reason to believe that the person has some business on the premises.
3. As much as possible, try to avoid being out lat at night and if you have to be out make sure you have a friend with you.
4. Don't leave valuables lying around -- for example if you're at a restaurant, don't just leave your wallet on the table. Don't leave valuables in plain sight in your car, either. That's just asking for your car to be vandalized.

If you follow the rules as closely as possible, hopefully you won't have problems. But the idea is, there *are* some things you can do to make yourself safer. I *likely* wouldn't turn down an acceptance based on safety concerns alone -- I'm probably not the bravest chick in the world, but I think precautions can go along way.

 

[Bacchus]

OP, you remind me of a small town girl I met during temple interview. She definitely had that small town charm.

BTW, I stayed with a student host, and he led me walking through the back alley behind temple. Nothing happened to me.

Although he did comment that his neighborhood isn't very safe.

You wouldn't have walked through that Alley at night... and if you did, wow, just wow.

 

[chessodoc]

A mini-bazooka will certainly help. Just the sight of it will shoo away any potential assailants, hence you don't actually have to use it.

 

[starfishprime]

the OP is formerly Miss New Hampshire USA, i just think that's neat. 🙂

Yeah well I was the fifth man to walk on the moon.

 

[09medstudent13]

Well from the looks of the other posters, I think I'm in agreement with most. Don't let the area a school is in stop you from attending. Even as a small town girl, I'm sure you'll get wise to the appropriate precautions quickly; to make sure of that don’t be shy in asking your classmates who come from the city. I believe that most schools are sensible about their areas and do, or are willing to, go the extra mile to ensure your safety. Not to mention, perhaps living in an unsafe area will be good for you. You’ll get to see a lot in your clinicals and shadowing. It will make you more confident and a stronger physician. It’s perfectly natural to be nervous, embrace it and overcome. Who knows, in four years you could look back on that decision as one of the best of your life.

P.S. Do you really want to go through this hellish application process again?

 

[LizzyM]

Dont' go by rumors and second hand stories. The school is required by federal law to disclose crimes that occurred on its campus and in the immediate area. Here are the stats for Temple:
http://css.ocis.temple.edu/crime_reporting/crime_stats.aspx

I found them by googling Cleary crime statistics Temple. (The federal law is named for a woman named Cleary.) Substitute the name of the school that concerns you in place of Temple and you are good to go.

 

[virusgirl]

Lizzie, I am from a super tiny town in Massachusetts -- so West Philadelphia was scary as hell for me. But, as others have pointed out, you really do get used to it. Familiarize yourself with the resources your school/city has to keep you safe, and be smart about your actions, and you'll generally be fine. Law2Doc is absolutely right: most of the world is bigger and a bit more challenging than your small town. Instead of worrying about all of the things that could go wrong, learn how to stay safe and focus on the positive things that otherwise wouldn't be available to you in a very small community.

(and for the record, my guess is you're referring to Temple 🙂)

 

[Revilla]

.

 

[Lokhtar]

There is no medical school in the United States that is so dangerous that you need to decline an acceptance.

None. Not even close.


You'll be fine.

yeah, but...being a doctor over 1% chance of getting mugged? i like my chances

It's way less than 1%.