PENN STATE vs MCV vs EVMS

[buffettfan]

Hi there, I have been reading peoples opinions and was wondering in a comparison of these three what are peoples opinions as far as rank (PSU Is unranked) and level and quality of facilites and education. I am out of state for all of them so the initial cost would be insignificant in making a decsion. Thanks for your help.

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[buffettfan]

anyone

 

[Instatewaiter]

In terms of ranking I would say:

MCV
PSU
EVMS

I can't speak to the specifics of the facilities at PSU or EVMS but go to MCV. Difference between first/second year facilities is going to be minimal; you are sitting in a classroom. A classroom is a classroom is a classroom. Each school will have their little amenities: gym, student area, study areas, note services, video lectures but there really is going to be very little functional difference.

In terms of Clinical Facilities: MCV hospital is the largest of the 3. With the new ICU tower, it has almost twice the beds that the PSU or EVMS hospitals have. EVMS, PSU and MCV are level 1 truama centers. MCV is an NCI designated cancer center, EVMS and PSU are not.

One good thing that EVMS does is have a tremendous amt of clinical exposure to standardized patients first and second year. MCV also does this and I am sure penn state has something similar too but neither to the amt that EVMS does. This is good and bad. It is good in that you get lots of practice but really, after a certain amt there is only so much a standardized patient can act out. It is hard to fake Aortic regurgiation or heart murmurs. So it could get tiresome after a while.

Hope this helps. More questions PM me.

 

[Gut Shot]

One good thing that EVMS does is have a tremendous amt of clinical exposure to standardized patients first and second year. MCV also does this and I am sure penn state has something similar too but neither to the amt that EVMS does. This is good and bad. It is good in that you get lots of practice but really, after a certain amt there is only so much a standardized patient can act out. It is hard to fake Aortic regurgiation or heart murmurs. So it could get tiresome after a while.

Yeah, it gets tiresome real fast. I went to MCV and we "borrowed" the EVMS standardized patients from time to time. I appreciated the instruction, particularly the pelvic and rectal exams, but the acting scenarios were just annoying. Of course, you don't really know just how poorly these contrived practice sessions reflect reality until you hit the wards, and by then it's too late.

 

[Carmenita79]

I interviewed at both MCV and Penn State, but I don't know anything about EVMS. I thought MCV and Penn State were practically opposite schools..... MCV is very inner city, Penn State is very small town (although Harrisburg is 10 mins away). Penn State has a research requirement and is probably a better research school. Penn State also has humanities elective requirements (i.e. formal classes on Death & Dying, Complementary Medicine, Medical Ethics, etc.) I thought both sounded like cool learning opportunities, but probably eat up some of your free time. Both schools have a level one trauma center... Penn State is probably more life flight cases from smaller towns and transfers from Harrisburg, while MCV is more of a inner city patient population. The class size at PSU is smaller. Cost of living is cheaper in hershey (but not by much). Penn State also probably has more name recognition (for whatever that is worth). Like others have said Hershey is more dull than Richmond, but you also could consider that you would probably have less distractions.

It ultimately comes down to where you want to spend 4 years...

 

[Instatewaiter]

I stand corrected on the PSU level 1 trauma.

I have to disagree with Carmen on the research opportunities. While PSU may require you to do research, MCV/VCU gets significantly more NIH money than PSU.

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/award/rank/medttl05.htm

 

[tp709]

In terms of ranking I would say:
MCV
PSU
EVMS

I'd have to disagree with your ranking here a bit. I think the differences between the first two are very marginal, and depend more on personal preference

 

[Gut Shot]

I'd have to disagree with your ranking here a bit. I think the differences between the first two are very marginal, and depend more on personal preference

It should probably come down to cost issues well before personal preference.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I'd have to disagree with your ranking here a bit. I think the differences between the first two are very marginal, and depend more on personal preference

I totally agree with you. I do go to MCV so I am a touch biased.

 

[NYyanx28]

In terms of ranking I would say:

MCV
PSU
EVMS

I can't speak to the specifics of the facilities at PSU or EVMS but go to MCV. Difference between first/second year facilities is going to be minimal; you are sitting in a classroom. A classroom is a classroom is a classroom. Each school will have their little amenities: gym, student area, study areas, note services, video lectures but there really is going to be very little functional difference.

In terms of Clinical Facilities: MCV hospital is the largest of the 3. With the new ICU tower, it has almost twice the beds that the PSU or EVMS hospitals have. EVMS, PSU and MCV are level 1 truama centers. MCV is an NCI designated cancer center, EVMS and PSU are not.

One good thing that EVMS does is have a tremendous amt of clinical exposure to standardized patients first and second year. MCV also does this and I am sure penn state has something similar too but neither to the amt that EVMS does. This is good and bad. It is good in that you get lots of practice but really, after a certain amt there is only so much a standardized patient can act out. It is hard to fake Aortic regurgiation or heart murmurs. So it could get tiresome after a while.

Hope this helps. More questions PM me.

Obviously I'm a little biased based on my decision, but Penn State is building a brand new Cancer Institute which will be open in Spring 2008 and will grant Penn State their NCI designation as well. Perfectly in time for clinical rotations.

 

[imnms017]

I just want to point out that EVMS has a higher Step 1 and Step 2 rate of passing than either PSU or MCV.

Furthermore, EVMS is also an NIH-funded school, and the first test tube baby was conceived in the lab at EVMS and cared for in the hospitals associated with EVMS (which are Norfolk General and CHKD).

With the new Sentara Heart Hospital the Eastern Virginia Medical Center Campus has almost 1000 beds. That includes CHKD, Virginia's only freestanding pediatric hospital.

So, while none of the three schools are in the top ten, they are all viable options, even though those who went to MCV or PSU would argue that since they are larger and get more total funding (not funding per student) that they are the way to go.

It comes down to a couple of things: primary care vs. research, and atmosphere. If you want to go to a small, noncompetitive school that fosters learning above all else (especially competition between students), then EVMS may be the way to go. If you want to be in a very large center of research, then you might choose MCV. However- there are more hospitals (and more people) in Hampton Roads (where EVMS is located) than in Richmond, by threefold.

They're all perfectly acceptable schools. Choose what's right for you.

 

[luckycharms08]

I just want to point out that EVMS has a higher Step 1 and Step 2 rate of passing than either PSU or MCV.

Furthermore, EVMS is also an NIH-funded school, and the first test tube baby was conceived in the lab at EVMS and cared for in the hospitals associated with EVMS (which are Norfolk General and CHKD).

With the new Sentara Heart Hospital the Eastern Virginia Medical Center Campus has almost 1000 beds. That includes CHKD, Virginia's only freestanding pediatric hospital.

So, while none of the three schools are in the top ten, they are all viable options, even though those who went to MCV or PSU would argue that since they are larger and get more total funding (not funding per student) that they are the way to go.

It comes down to a couple of things: primary care vs. research, and atmosphere. If you want to go to a small, noncompetitive school that fosters learning above all else (especially competition between students), then EVMS may be the way to go. If you want to be in a very large center of research, then you might choose MCV. However- there are more hospitals (and more people) in Hampton Roads (where EVMS is located) than in Richmond, by threefold.

They're all perfectly acceptable schools. Choose what's right for you.

this post is a year old. the OP is a M1 at MCV I believe.