penn state vs. drexel

[adrexel]

Which school should I choose? Does one have a better reputation over the other? Comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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[md_student10021]

drexel is in a better city. (is Penn state IN a city?)

 

[adrexel]

Pennsylvania State is in farm country from what I could make out, but close to a small city, Harrisburg. I was hoping to get more of a comparison about the schools than the locations.

 

[kcrd]

I believe that Penn State has a better reputation. And you are going to be in rotations all over Pennsylvania and New Jersey if you go to Drexel, anyway, so the location issue only matters for the 1st 2 years.

 

[DW]

are you a pa resident. psu is cheaper............

 

[Castro Viejo]

Repuatation-wise, in my opinion, I think they're essentially the same school. Their senior classes have similar match lists, and most people who attend either of these schools tend to remain in Pennsylvania (i.e., local) for residency.

I also think the facilities at Penn State are a lot more up-to-date and nicer than those at Drexel, but being out in Hershey is less-than-appealing for a city boy.

 

[maugham]

Actually, Drexel is full of Californians. In the first year class, more come from that state than from Pennsylvania. I assume many of them will want to return once they graduate. There are also students from all other parts of the county as well, so I think it's inaccurate to say that most of the students are local.

As far as choosing between Penn state and Drexel....It depends on whether you are a resident or could pay in-state tuition. I've always been a big defender of the much-maligned Drexel (I go there), but in this case I think it'd be wise to choose the least expensive school, Penn State. Med school is med school is med school. Keep debt low if you can.

 

[adrexel]

I am an out of state applicant so tuition would be about the same. So aside from tuition and location, which school would you choose and why?

 

[Castro Viejo]

Originally posted by maugham
so I think it's inaccurate to say that most of the students are local.

Given what you've written about where the entering students come from, you'd be right, but what I was talking about was where they actually end up for residency. While I have only seen one match list from Drexel/MCP/Hahnemann, I've been told by past graduates that most of their class tends to remain in Pennsylvania.

Of course these were grads who were all up in New York. 🙂

Looking over a copy of the match list I received from Penn State-Hershey in 1998, I can tell you that practically all their graduates remain in Pennsylvania with a smattering to California and New York.

Deciding between the two is difficult because they're very similar. Just go with where you think you'd be happiest if 1) location is not that big a deal, 2) money is not that big a deal.

 

[FoxyDoc]

Hey Adrexel, I'm gonna have to disagree with the above poster that said that Penn State's facilities are more up to date than Drexel's. At Drexel we have wireless internet throughout the campus, every lecture is able to be viewed online via streaming video, and a new standardized patient center where first and second years practice H&P and clinical skills on these patients. By the way, I personally was in the same situation a year ago and I chose Drexel because it was a better fit for me. Choosing a med school is a very personal decision so I think if possible have a second look at both (at Drexel you may be able to sit in on some classes if you get in contact with the right people ;-) ) and make your decision based upon where you feel the most comfortable.
Good Luck!

 

[ttac]

RESIDENCY PROGRAM PLACEMENTS FOR 2002
Specialties selected by students who will begin residency in 2002 and those programs where they will train.


PGY1 Hospital Name Program Type City
U Florida Prog-Shands Hosp Anesthes Adv - 100254 GAINESVILLE
Albany Med Ctr Hosp-NY Anesthesiology ALBANY
Hosp of the Univ of PA Anesthesiology PHILADELPHIA
Johns Hopkins Hosp-MD Anesthesiology BALTIMORE
Johns Hopkins Hosp-MD Anesthesiology BALTIMORE
Massachusetts Gen Hosp Anesthesiology BOSTON
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Anesthesiology PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Anesthesiology PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Anesthesiology PHILADELPHIA
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA Anesthesiology PHILADELPHIA
UC Irvine Med Ctr-CA Anesthesiology ORANGE
Univ Arizona Affil Hosps Anesthesiology TUCSON
Univ Maryland Med Ctr Anesthesiology BALTIMORE
Univ Maryland Med Ctr Anesthesiology BALTIMORE
Univ Maryland Med Ctr Anesthesiology BALTIMORE
University of Virginia Anesthesiology CHARLOTTESVILLE
Yale-New Haven Hosp-CT Anesthesiology NEW HAVEN
Cleveland Clinic Fdn-OH Dermatology CLEVELAND
Marshfield/St Josephs-WI Dermatology MARSHFIELD
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Dermatology PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Dermatology PHILADELPHIA
U New Mexico SOM Dermatology ALBUQUERQUE
U So Florida COM-Tampa Dermatology TAMPA
Allegheny Gen Hosp-PA Emergency Medicine PITTSBURGH
Carolinas Med Ctr-NC Emergency Medicine CHARLOTTE
Christiana Care-DE Emergency Medicine NEWARK
Maricopa Med Ctr-AZ Emergency Medicine PHOENIX
McGaw Med Ctr-NW Univ-IL Emergency Medicine CHICAGO
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Emergency Medicine PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Emergency Medicine PHILADELPHIA
St Lukes-Bethlehem-PA Emergency Medicine BETHLEHEM
St Lukes-Bethlehem-PA Emergency Medicine BETHLEHEM
Temple Univ Hosp-PA Emergency Medicine PHILADELPHIA
UMDNJ-R W Johnson-Camden Emergency Medicine CAMDEN
U Florida Prog-Shands Hosp Fam Prac SAGH GAINESVILLE
Carolinas Med Ctr-NC Fam Prac/Urb Add Site CHARLOTTE
Eisenhower Army Med Cntr Family Medicine AUGUSTA
Bryn Mawr Hospital-PA Family Practice BRYN MAWR
Eglin Air Force Base Family Practice FT. WALTON BCH
Franklin Square Hosp-MD Family Practice BALTIMORE
Hosp of the Univ of PA Family Practice PHILADELPHIA
Jacksonville Naval Hospital Family Practice JACKSONVILLE
Lancaster Gen Hosp-PA Family Practice LANCASTER
Lehigh Valley Hosp-PA Family Practice ALLENTOWN
Memorial Hosp-RI Family Practice PAWTUCKET
Pomona Valley Hosp-CA Family Practice POMONA
St Josephs Reg Med-IN Family Practice SOUTH BEND
Sutter Med-Santa Rosa-CA Family Practice SANTA ROSA
U Utah Affil Hospitals Family Practice SALT LAKE CITY
Washington Hospital-PA Family Practice WASHINGTON
Trident Medical Center-SC Family Practice Charleston
Christiana Care-DE General Surgery NEWARK
George Washington Univ-DC General Surgery WASHINGTON
Grant Med Cntr/Travis AFB General Surgery
Indiana Univ Sch Of Med General Surgery INDIANAPOLIS
Jackson Memorial Hosp-FL General Surgery MIAMI
Mayo Grad SOM-MN General Surgery ROCHESTER
National Naval Hosp General Surgery BETHESDA
NY Methodist Hospital-NY General Surgery BROOKLYN
Rush-Presby-St Lukes-IL General Surgery CHICAGO
U Rochester/Strong Mem-NY General Surgery ROCHESTER
U So Florida COM-Tampa General Surgery TAMPA
UMDNJ-R W Johnson-Piscataway General Surgery PISCATAWAY
Univ of MO-KC Programs General Surgery KANSAS CITY
York Hospital-PA General Surgery YORK
Mayo Grad SOM-MN Int Med/CI Research ROCHESTER
U Rochester/Strong Mem-NY Internal Med/Neurology ROCHESTER
Albert Einstein Med-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
B I Deaconess Med Ctr-MA Internal Medicine BOSTON
Brown U Int Med Res-RI Internal Medicine PROVIDENCE
Brown U Int Med Res-RI Internal Medicine PROVIDENCE
Christiana Care-DE Internal Medicine NEWARK
George Washington Univ-DC Internal Medicine WASHINGTON
Graduate Hospital- Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
Hosp of the Univ of PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
Johns Hopkins Bayview-MD Internal Medicine BALTIMORE
Long Island Jewish-NY Internal Medicine NEW HYDE PARK
Massachusetts Gen Hosp Internal Medicine BOSTON
Mayo Grad SOM-MN Internal Medicine ROCHESTER
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
Medical Coll Of Virginia Internal Medicine RICHMOND
Medical University of SC Internal Medicine CHARLESTON
Mt Sinai Hospital-NY Internal Medicine NEW YORK
NY Hosp/Med Ctr Queens Internal Medicine FLUSHING
Oregon Health & Science Univ Internal Medicine PORTLAND
Oregon Health & Science Univ Internal Medicine PORTLAND
Pennsylvania Hospital Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
St Lukes-Roosevelt-NY Internal Medicine NEW YORK
Temple Univ Hosp-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA Internal Medicine PHILADELPHIA
U Washington Affil Hosps Internal Medicine SEATTLE
UMDNJ-R W Johnson-Piscataway Internal Medicine PISCATAWAY
Univ Health Ctr of Pittsburgh-PA Internal Medicine PITTSBURGH
Univ Health Ctr of Pittsburgh-PA Internal Medicine PITTSBURGH
Washington Hosp Ctr-DC Internal Medicine WASHINGTON
Beth Israel Med Ctr-NY Internal Medicine NEW YORK
U Illinois COM-Chicago Internal Medicine/UIH CHICAGO
VA Greater LA Hlth Sys-CA Internal Medicine-UCLA/SFVP SEPULVEDA
Univ Maryland Med Ctr Medicine-Emergency Med BALTIMORE
Christiana Care-DE Medicine-Pediatrics NEWARK
Newark Beth Israel-NJ Medicine-Pediatrics NEWARK
U Rochester/Strong Mem-NY Medicine-Pediatrics ROCHESTER
Univ Health Ctr of Pittsburgh-PA Medicine-Pediatrics PITTSBURGH
Abington Mem Hosp-PA Medicine-Preliminary ABINGTON
Abington Mem Hosp-PA Medicine-Preliminary ABINGTON
Abington Mem Hosp-PA Medicine-Preliminary ABINGTON
Abington Mem Hosp-PA Medicine-Preliminary ABINGTON
Allegheny Gen Hosp-PA Medicine-Preliminary PITTSBURGH
Allegheny Gen Hosp-PA Medicine-Preliminary PITTSBURGH
Boston U Med Ctr-MA Medicine-Preliminary BOSTON
Brown U Int Med Res-RI Medicine-Preliminary PROVIDENCE
Christiana Care-DE Medicine-Preliminary NEWARK
Franklin Square Hosp-MD Medicine-Preliminary BALTIMORE
Graduate Hospital- Medicine-Preliminary PHILADELPHIA
Lankenau Hospital-PA Medicine-Preliminary WYNNEWOOD
Lankenau Hospital-PA Medicine-Preliminary WYNNEWOOD
Lankenau Hospital-PA Medicine-Preliminary WYNNEWOOD
Mayo Grad SOM-MN Medicine-Preliminary ROCHESTER
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Medicine-Preliminary PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Medicine-Preliminary PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Medicine-Preliminary PHILADELPHIA
NY Hosp/Med Ctr Queens Medicine-Preliminary FLUSHING
Pennsylvania Hospital Medicine-Preliminary PHILADELPHIA
Pennsylvania Hospital Medicine-Preliminary PHILADELPHIA
St Vincent Hospital-OR Medicine-Preliminary PORTLAND
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA Medicine-Preliminary PHILADELPHIA
U Colorado SOM-Denver Medicine-Preliminary DENVER
U New Mexico SOM Medicine-Preliminary ALBUQUERQUE
UMDNJ-R W Johnson-Camden Medicine-Preliminary CAMDEN
York Hospital-PA Medicine-Preliminary YORK
Cambridge Hosp/CHA-MA Medicine-Primary CAMBRIDGE
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Med Ctr-NH Medicine-Primary LEBANON
Boston University Neurology BOSTON
Brown University Neurology PROVIDENCE
Jefferson University-Phil Neurology PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Neurology PHILADELPHIA
U Colorado Neurology DENVER
U Pittsburgh Neurology PITTSBURGH
U Rochester Neurology ROCHESTER
SUNY-Buffalo Neurosurgery BUFFALO

 

[ttac]

Maricopa Med Ctr-AZ Ob/Gyn-Phoenix Integ PHOENIX
Atlanta Medical Ctr-GA Obstetrics-Gynecology ATLANTA
Baystate Med Ctr-MA Obstetrics-Gynecology SPRINGFIELD
Christiana Care-DE Obstetrics-Gynecology NEWARK
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Med Ctr-NH Obstetrics-Gynecology LEBANON
Jackson Memorial Hosp-FL Obstetrics-Gynecology MIAMI
Lankenau Hospital-PA Obstetrics-Gynecology WYNNEWOOD
Lankenau Hospital-PA Obstetrics-Gynecology PHILADELPHIA
Lehigh Valley Hosp-PA Obstetrics-Gynecology ALLENTOWN
Medical Coll Of Virginia Obstetrics-Gynecology RICHMOND
Medical College of Ohio Obstetrics-Gynecology TOLEDO
Stamford Hospital Obstetrics-Gynecology STAMFORD
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA Obstetrics-Gynecology PHILADELPHIA
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA Obstetrics-Gynecology PHILADELPHIA
Tripler Army Hosp Obstetrics-Gynecology HONOLULU
U TX SW Med Sch-Dallas Obstetrics-Gynecology DALLAS
Univ Mass Med School Obstetrics-Gynecology WORCESTER
Western Pennsylvania Hosp Obstetrics-Gynecology PITTSBURGH
Duke University Ophthalmology DURHAM
Georgetown Univ Hosp-DC Ophthalmology WASHINGTON
Temple Univ Hosp-PA Ophthalmology PHILADELPHIA
U Oklahoma Ophthalmology OKLAHOMA CITY
Allegheny Gen Hosp-PA Oral Maxillofacial Surgery PITTSBURGH
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Oral Maxillofacial Surgery PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Oral Maxillofacial Surgery PHLADELPHIA
Brown University- Orthopaedic Research PROVIDENCE
Albany Med Ctr Hosp-NY Orthopaedic Surgery ALBANY
Albert Einstein Med-PA Orthopaedic Surgery PHILADELPHIA
Maimonides Med Ctr-NY Orthopaedic Surgery BROOKLYN
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Orthopaedic Surgery PHILADELPHIA
SUNY HSC Brooklyn-NY Orthopaedic Surgery BROOKLYN
U Michigan Hosps-Ann Arbor Orthopaedic Surgery ANN ARBOR
U New Mexico SOM Orthopaedic Surgery ALBUQUERQUE
U Rochester/Strong Mem-NY Orthopaedic Surgery ROCHESTER
U Miami Otolaryngology PHILADELPHIA
University of Kansas Otolaryngology
University of Maryland Otolaryngology BALTIMORE
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA Pathology PHILADELPHIA
University of Virginia Pathology CHARLOTTESVILLE
Childrens Hosp-NEOUCOM-OH Pediatrics AKRON
Childrens Hosp-Phila-PA Pediatrics PHILADELPHIA
INOVA Fairfax Hosptal-VA Pediatrics FALLS CHURCH
Long Island Jewish-NY Pediatrics NEW HYDE PARK
Monmouth Memorial Hospital Pediatrics MONMOUTH
N Shore U-Manhasset-NY Pediatrics MANHASSET
National Naval Hosp Pediatrics BETHESDA
Rhode Island Hosp/Brown U Pediatrics PROVIDENCE
St Christophers Hosp-PA Pediatrics PHILADELPHIA
St Christophers Hosp-PA Pediatrics PHILADELPHIA
St Christophers Hosp-PA Pediatrics PHILADELPHIA
St Christophers Hosp-PA Pediatrics PHILADELPHIA
TJU/Dupont Childrens-PA Pediatrics PHILADELPHIA
UCLA Medical Center-CA Pediatrics LOS ANGELES
Univ Hosps Cleveland-OH Pediatrics CLEVELAND
University of Virginia Pediatrics CHARLOTTESVILLE
University of Virginia Pediatrics CHARLOTTESVILLE
Yale-New Haven Hosp-CT Pediatrics NEW HAVEN
National Rehab Hosp-DC Phys Medicine & Rehab WASHINGTON
Temple Univ Hosp-PA Phys Medicine & Rehab PHILADELPHIA
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA Phys Medicine & Rehab PHILADELPHIA
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA Phys Medicine & Rehab PHILADELPHIA
U Texas Med Sch-Houston Phys Medicine & Rehab HOUSTON
U Washington Affil Hosps Phys Medicine & Rehab SEATTLE
U Washington Affil Hosps Phys Medicine & Rehab SEATTLE
Brown Univ Psych Res-RI Psychiatry PROVIDENCE
Harbor-UCLA Med Ctr-CA Psychiatry TORRANCE
St Lukes-Roosevelt-NY Psychiatry NEW YORK
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA Psychiatry PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Radiation-Oncology
Medical University of SC Radiation-Oncology CHARLESTON
Allegheny Gen Hosp-PA Radiology-Diagnostic PITTSBURGH
Allegheny Gen Hosp-PA Radiology-Diagnostic PITTSBURGH
Georgetown Univ Hosp-DC Radiology-Diagnostic WASHINGTON
Hershey/Penn State-PA Radiology-Diagnostic HERSHEY
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Radiology-Diagnostic PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Radiology-Diagnostic PHILADELPHIA
MCP Hahnemann U Hosps-PA Radiology-Diagnostic PHILADELPHIA
Mt Sinai Hospital-NY Radiology-Diagnostic NEW YORK
U So Florida COM-Tampa Radiology-Diagnostic TAMPA
Univ Maryland Med Ctr Radiology-Diagnostic BALTIMORE
Allegheny Gen Hosp-PA Surgery-Preliminary PITTSBURGH
Brown University- Surgery-Preliminary PROVIDENCE
Brown University- Surgery-Preliminary PROVIDENCE
Univ of MO-KC Programs Surgery-Preliminary KANSAS CITY
Albert Einstein Med-PA Transitional PHILADELPHIA
Albert Einstein Med-PA Transitional PHILADELPHIA
Boston U Med Ctr-MA Transitional BOSTON
Crozer-Chester Med-PA Transitional UPLAND
Crozer-Chester Med-PA Transitional UPLAND
Crozer-Chester Med-PA Transitional UPLAND
Crozer-Chester Med-PA Transitional UPLAND
Crozer-Chester Med-PA Transitional UPLAND
Crozer-Chester Med-PA Transitional UPLAND
Frankford Hospitals-PA Transitional PHILADELPHIA
Frankford Hospitals-PA Transitional PHILADELPHIA
Frankford Hospitals-PA Transitional PHILADELPHIA
Grant Med Cntr/Travis AFB Transitional SAN FRANCISCO
Harbor Hospital Ctr-MD Transitional BALTIMORE
Lehigh Valley Hosp-PA Transitional ALLENTOWN
Mercy Hosp-Pittsburgh-PA Transitional PITTSBURGH
Methodist Hospital-TN Transitional MEMPHIS
Riverside Reg Med Ctr-VA Transitional NEWPORT NEWS
Riverside Reg Med Ctr-VA Transitional NEWPORT NEWS
St Lukes-Bethlehem-PA Transitional BETHLEHEM
Wilson Mem Reg/UHS-NY Transitional JOHNSON CITY

 

[lola]

hmm.. hardly any california matches!! 😱

 

[maugham]

I've seen three match lists for Drexel(I'm a first year there)--this is the least impressive of the three (no offense to those in this class intended). There's a website affiliated with the Medical College of Wisconsin that has match lists for many schools for some of the last few years. I noticed considerably more California matches on those lists. And I hear this year's class did very well, although I haven't seen the official list.

 

[lola]

yeah, i was a little disappointed when i saw those matches. but maybe these are the students who entered drexel when it was having financial troubles and aren't as strong as some classes? sorry if i offend anyone there right now! i'm pretty sure this match list is less impressive than that of a foreign school i'm considering.