PBL(JABSOM) or big dollar signs(BU) -- what would you do?

[Malla]

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[Malla]

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[Tired]

I am lost on this one. I'm trying to decide between JABSOM and BU and I am TORN!!! I am not too fond of PBL, but I know I can still do well. I do plan on settling down in Hawaii when it's all said and done though.

I like the curriculum at BU much better but, the price tag at BU is scary , even though I haven't seen a financial aid package yet.

I've got my pros and cons list, but its not helping me out much.

Normally I am an advocate of going to the better school regardless of the price tag, though I know much of SDN disagrees with me.

One would imagine in your situation, however, that there is a benefit to making contacts with the docs in a community where you intend to practice. If you plan on working in Hawaii, and especially if you are considering a residency there, Hawaii might be the better choice in the long run.

 

[Xotica]

I noticed that you are listed at URM. Have you looked in to scholarship options? I know its late to start looking for money but there is still a lot out there...esp. if you are Hawaiian.

 

[Malla]

Normally I am an advocate of going to the better school regardless of the price tag, though I know much of SDN disagrees with me.

One would imagine in your situation, however, that there is a benefit to making contacts with the docs in a community where you intend to practice. If you plan on working in Hawaii, and especially if you are considering a residency there, Hawaii might be the better choice in the long run.

Thanks Tired,

I definitely think that one of the great advantages of staying here for med school is that I can continue fostering the relationships that I have been building. But, there is the possibility that I can come back and continue my research during the summers (what summers we have?!?).

I noticed that you are listed at URM. Have you looked in to scholarship options? I know its late to start looking for money but there is still a lot out there...esp. if you are Hawaiian.

Thanks Xotica,

I wish I had more options. My tribe (I'm Native American) requires individuals to be at least half in order for them to recognize you on their rolls. In other words, I don't have the documentation that is required for most of the scholarships. So, I mostly only qualify for general scholarships for URMs, but there's not too many of those!

Thanks you guys for replying. I think I just have to wait for the financial aid package.

 

[browser2246]

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[kakashi74]

I am lost on this one. I'm trying to decide between JABSOM and BU and I am TORN!!! I am not too fond of PBL, but I know I can still do well. I do plan on settling down in Hawaii when it's all said and done though.

I like the curriculum at BU much better but, the price tag at BU is scary , even though I haven't seen a financial aid package yet.

I've got my pros and cons list, but its not helping me out much.

Any advice???

From what I've heard, a lot of students don't even attend lectures and instead spend time studying on their own. Therefore, one school's curriculum may not be what you expect. A lot of people hate PBL because they expect to be taught by the prof, lecture style. What they don't realize is that students in the traditional lectures may not even attend the lectures.

I think if you go into a PBL style curriculum with an open mind, knowing that you will have to do a lot of self studying, it can be a good experience. If anything, it will reinforce textbook material with more real life applications.

 

[hithere]

Congrats on your acceptances! I'm on UH's waitlist and got rejected by BU. So take my comments with a grain of salt.

Personally, I'd wait for the financial aid package, too. BU is expensive, though not that much more than other private schools when it comes down to it.

As for UH, I'm not a huge fan, mainly because the entire curriculum is based on PBL. I'm sure many people do well with it, but my friend (who actually ended up doing very well) said if given the choice, she wouldn't go there again. Also, PBL is innovative and all, but most schools use it as one of many learning methods rather than the sole one, which makes me a little suspicious of UH.

On the plus side, you'd get to stay in Hawaii and be near your family (I assume). Then there's weather, which is a huge factor for me personally. And you would get to make even more connections among local doctors. A doctor I know said that he went to UH med and went away for residency and was glad he did. He got to sort of grow up here in a familiar environment and with friends/family, mature, and then leave when he was ready. Probably the biggest pro for me is the in-state tuition. And I can't forget the new buildings.

I don't know too much about BU, but I can tell you that Boston is very cold in December and unbearably humid in the summer.

Speaking of summers, I was under the impression that med students usually only have the first summer off, between years 1 and 2. I guess that could be another pro for Hawaii, that you would get to continue your research while in school if you wanted to.

In general, I would agree with Tired about the best school you can get into thing. If I was in your shoes, I might lean towards UH for the tuition, but going to a school with a curriculum I like a lot better and the opportunity to get "off this rock" would weigh heavily in in BU's favor.

Good luck!

 

[Malla]

Everything you all have mentioned are all things I'm considering. I still dont know. Im UH gives 9 weeks off before step 1 to study, so techinically you should do well with that much time to study. All the students seem happy. But, I am getting mixed feedback from all my friends.... I have some that say they hate PBL, but love JABSOM. Some say they love PBL. Some tell me I have to stay, I will love it. Others tell me that if they could do it over again they would leave.

So, aside from the money issue, the question I'm asking myself is -- is PBL all that bad?

 

[Xotica]

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[pennybridge]

hawaii or boston.....tough choice.... /sarcasm

 

[diosa428]

I don't really know about UH or BU, but here are some comments I have (which may or may not be helpful): first of all, whoever said that students often don't go to lecture is correct. At my school, I mostly skip lectures b/c I find it much more effective to study on my own, but I do at least have the option to go if I want to. At a PBL school, you HAVE to go to PBL. You can't skip it. And, honestly, one of the things I love about having a lecture based curriculum is that I can skip classes. And I ALWAYS went to lecture as an undergrad, so it's not that I've always been this way. So it's a nice option. Although, if you would be in class less with PBL, then maybe it won't be so bad. Class all day = tiring.

As far as wanting to make connections, if you plan on leaving for residency and fellowship and then moving back to Hawaii, where you went to med school may be less of an issue. Sure, you could make connections, but where you went to med school is going to affect where you get into residency far more than where you ultimately find a job. Where you find a job is going to be affected by where you do residency.

 

[gandychan]

I also got in to UH, but I'm waitlisted at Boston.

I've been having reservations about the UH program though. It seems that the PBL structure rests on the strength of the incoming class. Also, the lack of an affiliated hospital may be a factor in clinical training.

I am trying to decide right now between SUNY upstate and UH. Right now, I'm leaning towards SUNY, but mostly because I don't really want to live at home. SUNY also has instate tuition after your first year. Can anyone give me some advice on this? What would you do if you were in my situation? thanks.

 

[Malla]

Gandychan,

Looks like we are in a similar situation.

Diosa,

Thanks for the great comments. My friend that is a resident told me the same thing. The only good thing is that PBL is only a couple of hours a day, three days a week. So, not too bad. I think it will be hard to study on your own without the structure of a typical class though.

 

[Xotica]

It seems that the PBL structure rests on the strength of the incoming class.

Its tough because I know several people that got in who.... well lets just say that I wouldn't take my kids to them.

This was one of the things that I wanted to ask Dr. Izutsu about but I didn't have the balls to

 

[Tired]

Its tough because I know several people that got in who.... well lets just say that I wouldn't take my kids to them. This makes it really difficult considering there are only 62 people in the class.

I can promise you two things:

#1 - Regardless of the school you ultimately attend, you will feel this way about at least three of your classmates.

#2 - Regardless of how you perceive yourself, at least three of your classmates will feel this way about you.

 

[Jokerman99]

I am lost on this one. I'm trying to decide between JABSOM and BU and I am TORN!!! I am not too fond of PBL, but I know I can still do well. I do plan on settling down in Hawaii when it's all said and done though.

I like the curriculum at BU much better but, the price tag at BU is scary , even though I haven't seen a financial aid package yet.

I've got my pros and cons list, but its not helping me out much.

Any advice???

BU sucks for the money you pay. PERIOD. I would write more but I don't have time for the lengthy tyrade this school induces me to go on...

 

[crazy_cavalier]

BU sucks for the money you pay. PERIOD. I would write more but I don't have time for the lengthy tyrade this school induces me to go on...

Yawwouch... are you a current student at BU?

 

[beefbroccoli]

I am lost on this one. I'm trying to decide between JABSOM and BU and I am TORN!!! I am not too fond of PBL, but I know I can still do well. I do plan on settling down in Hawaii when it's all said and done though.

I like the curriculum at BU much better but, the price tag at BU is scary , even though I haven't seen a financial aid package yet.

I've got my pros and cons list, but its not helping me out much.

Any advice???

I'm sort of in the same predicament!

I'm trying to decide between UCI and Hawaii right now...someone give me some advice. Hawaii would be waaaaaay more convenient (my family is there, I have housing, a car, etc) and I think I plan on settling down in Hawaii in the future anyway, but.....yeosh. I absolutely LOVED UCI when I interviewed there and the school seems to be expanding a lot.