OUWB vs. SUNY Buffalo

[Tddybr20]

I have these two schools in my mind and would appreciate any feedback!

Specialty considerations: Pathology, IM, or IM-PM (dual specialty- internal and preventative med)

For those who don't know - SO means significant other!

OUWB
Pros

• Suburban
• Beaumont System
• More school options for SO to apply to PhD programs nearby (including Oakland U)
• Free computer for all students (why not lol)
• Technically more residency options to apply to/stay in Michigan? (b/c of the different universities nearby)

Cons

• Not true P/F (H/HP/P/F & based off attendance for honors?) - does getting honors matter if most other schools are just P/F?
• Unranked (does this matter for residency?)
• Might need a car for all 4 years? (someone please let me know if I'm wrong)
• Class exams made by professors (I might have to study trivial info... maybe not so great for high grades/USMLE practice?) - not sure if all med schools have this though


SUNY Buffalo (UB)
Pros

• True P/F - no lecture required/optional
• Suburban
• UB affiliated hospitals
• Public Transportation available, even for clinical years -- most likely don't need a car


Cons

• High crime rates??? (I'm not sure about the campus living spaces, but I realllt dont want to be living in fear if it's 8pm, dark and I'm walking home?)
• not a huge con BUT Possible recorded lectures not available? Based on website:
"Attendance at lecture is not mandatory, but highly encouraged. Students may watch lectures via the recordings on UBLearns, however students should be aware that because technology is not always reliable, these recordings are not guaranteed."
• SO might only have one option for PhD program in Buffalo? (SO is a good candidate, but maybe applying to more schools in the area would be better for us?)
• Less resideny options if I want to stay in Buffalo (only UB - which I don't mind! but there is a high chance I'll have to move for residency away from SO)

Summary:
Think this is like a curriculum vs environment thing. Hoping to match in the same (preferaby) or nearby state where I go to med school as I don't like moving away TOO far. I think both are nice locations, BUT I am torn over which is better curriculum wise.

Again, any advice is very helpful - thank you and wishing any applicants the best of luck this cycle!!

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[lumya]

What are the costs associated with each school?

A lot of the pros and cons you brought up are kind of trivial in the long run. I go to a true P/F school and it definitely feels better without having that stress, but without actual grades I feel like a H/HP/P/F wouldn’t be enough to dissuade me from a school I liked otherwise. Professor made exams might have more nuances, but I’m sure the years above you will have specific study tips/advices on what you’re professors look for. If you don’t want to drive and are worried about safety, you can always live right next to the school (at least for preclinical years) and having sat in some of these med school lectures, even if they weren’t recorded, a lot of third party resources cover similar information.

Both are good, well established schools, and unless there’s something that you hate at either one, I would probably just pick the cheaper one closer to your support system.

 

[Tddybr20]

What are the costs associated with each school?

A lot of the pros and cons you brought up are kind of trivial in the long run. I go to a true P/F school and it definitely feels better without having that stress, but without actual grades I feel like a H/HP/P/F wouldn’t be enough to dissuade me from a school I liked otherwise. Professor made exams might have more nuances, but I’m sure the years above you will have specific study tips/advices on what you’re professors look for. If you don’t want to drive and are worried about safety, you can always live right next to the school (at least for preclinical years) and having sat in some of these med school lectures, even if they weren’t recorded, a lot of third party resources cover similar information.

Both are good, well established schools, and unless there’s something that you hate at either one, I would probably just pick the cheaper one closer to your support system.

Thank you so so much for your input! Great points made here that I needed to hear from a current med student~

In terms of cost - I'm an OOS student with heavy ties to NY. I don't know about any potential scholarships atm (too early to say), but Buffalo students informed me during a Q&A that students qualify for in state tuition after 1 yr and just getting some documents in order? I still have yet to confirm, but that would definitely be cheaper than OUWB in the long run. (47k vs. 56k)

If not, then OUWB is the cheaper option since Buffalo is 68k for OOS residents. I also heard OUWB might be a bit more generous with half/full scholarships... but I'll see how that rolls out next year.

Hope this helps others in a similar predicament!

 

[MadRadLad]

Beaumont system is pretty strong with a lot of residencies and fellowships, and while new the OUWB match lists are pretty impressive at placing people. I don't think you'd have any problems if you went there.

That said, if you have heavy NY ties and want to end up there in the long term then SUNY might be a better choice for you specifically. I don't think you'd go wrong overall between these two. Pick based on what your SO can tolerate and cost of attendance.

 

[Tddybr20]

Beaumont system is pretty strong with a lot of residencies and fellowships, and while new the OUWB match lists are pretty impressive at placing people. I don't think you'd have any problems if you went there.

That said, if you have heavy NY ties and want to end up there in the long term then SUNY might be a better choice for you specifically. I don't think you'd go wrong overall between these two. Pick based on what your SO can tolerate and cost of attendance.

Thank you! I appreciate your feedback. SO is tolerating either place so I'm down to COA as the major deciding factor for us!

Also sth to add for anyone out there (as I can't edit the original post atm) - I cconfirmed that Buffalo students can receive in-state tuition after 1 yr.

 

[NY_Med]

I have these two schools in my mind and would appreciate any feedback!

Specialty considerations: Pathology, IM, or IM-PM (dual specialty- internal and preventative med)

For those who don't know - SO means significant other!

OUWB
Pros

• Suburban
• Beaumont System
• More school options for SO to apply to PhD programs nearby (including Oakland U)
• Free computer for all students (why not lol)
• Technically more residency options to apply to/stay in Michigan? (b/c of the different universities nearby)

Cons

• Not true P/F (H/HP/P/F & based off attendance for honors?) - does getting honors matter if most other schools are just P/F?
• Unranked (does this matter for residency?)
• Might need a car for all 4 years? (someone please let me know if I'm wrong)
• Class exams made by professors (I might have to study trivial info... maybe not so great for high grades/USMLE practice?) - not sure if all med schools have this though


SUNY Buffalo (UB)
Pros

• True P/F - no lecture required/optional
• Suburban
• UB affiliated hospitals
• Public Transportation available, even for clinical years -- most likely don't need a car


Cons

• High crime rates??? (I'm not sure about the campus living spaces, but I realllt dont want to be living in fear if it's 8pm, dark and I'm walking home?)
• not a huge con BUT Possible recorded lectures not available? Based on website:
"Attendance at lecture is not mandatory, but highly encouraged. Students may watch lectures via the recordings on UBLearns, however students should be aware that because technology is not always reliable, these recordings are not guaranteed."
• SO might only have one option for PhD program in Buffalo? (SO is a good candidate, but maybe applying to more schools in the area would be better for us?)
• Less resideny options if I want to stay in Buffalo (only UB - which I don't mind! but there is a high chance I'll have to move for residency away from SO)

Summary:
Think this is like a curriculum vs environment thing. Hoping to match in the same (preferaby) or nearby state where I go to med school as I don't like moving away TOO far. I think both are nice locations, BUT I am torn over which is better curriculum wise.

Again, any advice is very helpful - thank you and wishing any applicants the best of luck this cycle!!

I'm a student at Buffalo. Just to elaborate a little bit.

1: We are P/F, however not technically TRUE P/F. We do have internal rankings during preclinical years (for deans letter- however, I have heard this is not important at all). Also, we do have graded clinical years on a scale F/P/HP/H which means much more. however, I think I should also note this doesn't create any malicious behavior. My class is very close and everyone is VERY collaborative and everyone just wants everyone to do well. We all go out and celebrate after exams to bars, and we all share resources between us.

2: I live right downtown and there really aren't high crime rates and the atmosphere overall is not super intimidating. GRANTED, I am a 24-year-old male who was a college athlete. I have a 25-minute walk from the school to home to a.... not so nice... neighborhood. I have made that walk at 3am multiple times and have never felt frightened.

3: Lectures are all recorded and are all easily accessible. ngl I haven't gone to lecture in like a month and a half. However, the lecture videos being spotty is very much a thing.

I really don't think there is a wrong choice to make though. Both schools are great schools!