pitt and jeff

[kayw028]

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opinions please! i just got accepted to pitt and have til tuesday to decide. i loved both of the schools, possibly pitt more, but i interviewed there about 6 months after jefferson, so hard to compare gut feeling. my family and friends are all in the dc --> philly area, so going to pitt is starting over (not necessarilly a bad thing). i'm not gung-ho for research, but i'm afraid that if i don't go to pitt i will forever play the what-if game.
pluses or minuses on both schools is GREATLY appreciated. i'm making my own list, but i don't want to miss anything!!!

 

[skypilot]

Go to Pitt but get a Porsche to cut down on travel time back to DC.

 

[kayw028]

thanks, i will keep that in mind

 

[kyauna80]

I say go to Pitt. I had a hard time deciding between that school and another. I chose not to go to Pitt. BUTTTT I was very impressed with the school and the city. You will get a class A education and have a good time.The hospitals are the best in the region, they have the simulation lab (with dummies that breathe and cough and bleed and go into shock)and they have a great curriculum as well as nice facilities. I hated Jeff.The interview as with 30 people in aconference room where we had a lecture ont he history of the countries 3rd medical school, BOOO... And the facilities aren't all that. I withdrew my app after the interview. Very OLD BOYS clubbish and stuck on tradition. I think Pitt is a far better instituion and just not as snobbish. Plus Pitt is not too far.. lol.. well its doable. I hope you feel comfortable and do well wherever you decide to go. GOod luck.

 

[kayw028]

thanks for the advice!!
if pitt were in/near philly, there wouldn't even be a decision. i think that's my biggest issue.
any other thoughts are appreciated too!!! 😎

 

[Supadupafly]

This may not help much, but either way you're getting into a top school. USNews rankings aside, but schools have unbelievable match lists and are known for great and innovative curriculum. You won't find yourself saying "what if..." because either way you'll be postured to excell, if that's what you intend to do. As a Jeff matriculant, I am happy to know I'll be in an exciting place; center city Philly is awsome. I also like being a short train ride to see friends in NYC and DC. A friend of mine at Pitt describes it as a good school, but that your social scene will revolve around other medical students (either a good or bad thing, but I'm not sure which). I'm the type that will want more exposure to the outside world, so Philly is the place for me. Jeff is also well known for it's tight knit community though, so maybe I'll end up hanging out primarily with other students. Who knows.

It's a hard call really. I'd say they're both outstanding academically and clinically, so ask yourself if the exact method of one or the other fits you. If not, then choose based on where you want to live for ~4 years.

 

[celticmists18]

I say go to Pitt. I had a hard time deciding between that school and another. I chose not to go to Pitt. BUTTTT I was very impressed with the school and the city. You will get a class A education and have a good time.The hospitals are the best in the region, they have the simulation lab (with dummies that breathe and cough and bleed and go into shock)and they have a great curriculum as well as nice facilities. I hated Jeff.The interview as with 30 people in aconference room where we had a lecture ont he history of the countries 3rd medical school, BOOO... And the facilities aren't all that. I withdrew my app after the interview. Very OLD BOYS clubbish and stuck on tradition. I think Pitt is a far better instituion and just not as snobbish. Plus Pitt is not too far.. lol.. well its doable. I hope you feel comfortable and do well wherever you decide to go. GOod luck.

Jeff is a good school, but I guess its all a matter of personal choice. I do have to take offense to the claim that Jeff is an Old Boys club institution. The dean of students and the head of admissions are both women and half the class is female. In addition, I am a very girl-power kind of a women and I would NEVER attend a school that was old boys club in nature. I also saw no evidence of the school being stuck on tradition and since the above poster withdrew their application and thus never attended the second look they never got to see the majority of the facilites (ie the whole clinical/dr. office/exam room complex with those REALLY expensive electronic dummies . . . of which there are only like 2 or 3 and which draw physicians from all over the country). Sorry about the tirade, but its my school and I have to defend it
(Note: I know that there will be a bunch of posts now about how I'm just trying to justify my decision to attend Jeff, but hey you asked for our 2 cents)

 

[pekq]

If you don't care for research, then go to Jefferson and be closer to your family and friends. You will also find more diversity at Jefferson. If you want to go into a competitive residency, you will have to do research and should thus go to UPitt. UPitt's reputation should help you too on that.

 

[kayw028]

i didn't get any bad vibes from jeff either (seeing as how i'm so torn). i don't know what kind of residency i want yet, nor am i against research, i just didn't pick the best lab to work in the past 2 yrs post graduation and it kind of turned me off...
thanks for the help guys 🙂

 

[Bosox]

This might be wishful thinking, but kayw028, you didn't happen to gain any inside information regarding the rest of the waitlisters at Pitt? As for your predicament, I want to tell you to go to Jeff, but I can't. My only advice is to prioritize what is most important to you, and then determine which school provides most of those top priorities. If you do end up selecting Jeff, and if it is at all possible, try to throw some love this way for Pitt.

 

[ForensicPath]

This might be wishful thinking, but kayw028, you didn't happen to gain any inside information regarding the rest of the waitlisters at Pitt? As for your predicament, I want to tell you to go to Jeff, but I can't. My only advice is to prioritize what is most important to you, and then determine which school provides most of those top priorities. If you do end up selecting Jeff, and if it is at all possible, try to throw some love this way for Pitt.

I'm of the opposite persuasion. I want to tell her to go to Pitt for my own selfish reasons of wanting to attend Jeff, but I can't talk negatives about a school that I want to attend.

I can talk about cities though. I've lived in the philadelphia area for 4 years. I will be moving into Center City now for medical school (I am attending Drexel if I don't get into Jeff). I have to admit that philly has grown on me. It took 4 years, but philadelphia definitely has some charm. It can be a little bit rough at times especially when you talk about their sports teams (new york sports fan in philly = fun). The people of philadelphia are more *sshole-ish than any possible stigma associated with New Yorkers. The drivers here are awful, and the traffic is a pain. However, the roughness of it is what I like about it. Philadelphia also has a whole bunch of trendy areas for nightlife and social activites, if thats your thing.

I don't know too much about Pitt, except that its clean (they've cleaned it up apparently from the Steel days). I have a few friends that are from the pittsburgh area and they love it. They always have good things to say about the city. It apparently is not that far from the philadelphia area (approx. 6 hours by car), so I wouldn't let distance be too much of a factor in your decision.

 

[kayw028]

i didn't get any inside info, i was so nervous/excited at the phone call! thanks for the advice all, i'll have to figure out just what 6 hrs distance means i suppose and what that's worth.
i love philly too, i'm a die-hard eagles fan, so i don't know how i'll manage in steeler country 😱
and i will totally throw the love specifically to bosox or forensicpath, depending on where i don't end up.
thanks, thanks, thanks

 

[pekq]

What kinda med students have time to spend 12hr on the road for a weekend visit with friends? That's nuts.

I'd suggest you go to Pitt because it'll open more doors for you.

 

[sstache1]

Ok here's the deal. I am originally from Pittsburgh. I now live in Philly. I went to college in Baltimore. So I have the scoop on both schools, and I know all about the travel involved with all cities involved.


If it was my choice, I would go to Pitt hands down. Pittsburgh is a fantastic city. it is much like Philly, only smaller and cleaner. You will not find a better place to hang out than the South Side, which is right across the river from Pitt's campus. The area where Pitt is is great, full of college students and always loaded with fun things to do. The sports teams are great, and like them or not, you won't find better fans than Steelers fans...they certianly are as fair weathered as Eagles fan, which is evident by how much the Eagles fans tend to BOO THEIR OWN TEAM!!! The Pirates play at the best ballpark in the league, and although the Penguins suck, they have the cheapest tickets in the league. And that is only the tip of the iceberg. I won't tell you all the positives about Philly because I'm sure you know them.

While Jeff is a great school, Pitt has the edge in many catagories. Jeff does produce great clinicians, but Pitt does as well, and they have the research program to follow. UPMC is the leader in the area, unlike Jeff, which is good, but it has to compete with UPenn, Temple and Drexel. So when it comes down to it, there is a reason why US News ranks Pitt higher than Jeff.

I alsowas someone commented on the facilities. I've seen both. Jeff's are nice but the are a bit older. Most of Pitt's are state-of-the-art and there are hospitals everywhere. Also, UPMC handles the medical duties for all of Pittsburgh's sports team, pro and college, which I loved, being interested in ortho, but that's neither here nor there.

And lastly, I've regularly driven from Pitt to Philly and from Pitt to Baltimore/DC. THE DRIVE AINT THAT BAD. It's actually only about 4 hours to DC and 5 to Philly. Both drives are straight shots on major interstates/turnpikes, which tends to make the drive boring, but it goes quickly. Bottom line is Pitt is the ****!

What ever you choose, I wish you the best, you basically can't go wrong. And in the end, I am as envious as can be, I would kill for your decision. I applied to both Pitt and Jeff, and Pitt, which I love, rejected me before any of the other schools I applied to even gave me an interview. Either place has unlimited potential. But like I said Pitt is where it's at.

 

[Wardens]

I'll be spending 12 hours a weekend to visit my g/f from Pitt to philly every month. Nuts? You make time if it's important to you.

 

[promethius]

Hey kay,

I actually got into both schools last year, so I can tell you about my perspective. As someone pointed out, Jeff is a great school for clinicians. It is relatively weak in the research department, but it does have research opportunities.

Even though Pitt is a research powerhouse, they also emphasize clinical medicine. We have our fair share of students in our class who are interested in primary care and will be doing internships in Montana, western Pennsylvania, and other third world countries during the summers.

The main reason why I chose Pitt over Jeff was because both schools are similar in price, and I just felt that Pitt would open more doors for me. The first two years are the same anywhere you go. It's what you do outside the classroom during those first two years and during your third and fourth years that matter, and Pitt just seems to have more options considering its massive influence in western Pennsylvania. UPMC is definitely the largest employer in Pittsburgh and, if I remember correctly, also in western Pennsylvania. They have NUMEROUS affiliate hospitals all around the city and in the outskirts, and you can do rotations at any of them. Jefferson has a few hospital affiliates, but not nearly as many as Pitt.

More importantly, you will NOT be competing with other medical students from other medical schools during your clinical rotations here in Pittsburgh because Pitt is the only medical school in the area. You may not think that is important now, but when you get into your third and fourth years, you may find that you may not be getting as much personal clinical teaching as you would like because students from Penn, Temple, Jeff, and Drexel may be rotating with you.

Another issue was what else does Pitt have to offer besides just the medical school. Pitt has a central campus with undergrads and other grad students. You will realize how valuable this option is if you decide to branch out off medical school to take other classes. Jefferson does not offer this option--at least not that I know of. I audited a dance class earlier this year and will probably end up taking some more classes at the undergrad level this year to complement my medical education (and not to mention maybe meet some nice chicks... 😀 ).

I went to Philly for college, so I have experience living in both cities as well. Philadelphia, especially Center City, has more to offer in terms of culture and history, but I found Pittsburgh to be a refreshing change of pace. The people here are nicer, and the city is cleaner. The only drawback is the weather--it snows quite a bit during the winters, and it frequently overcast over here. You will definitely appreciate a good day if you decide to come here. Good luck making your decision. Whatever you decide, follow your gut instinct and do not look back.

 

[celticmists18]

Just FYI: Jeff has 17 affliated hospitals in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

 

[dmk724]

Hi -
I went to Pitt for undergrad, but I grew up outside of Philadelphia. I'll be going to Jefferson in the fall (which is also where my sister went to med school), so I've had some contact with both.
Pittsburgh is a great place to live, and I've really loved being here for 4 years, and will be sad to leave. However, when you interviewed at Pitt, did you ask how people got to their respective clinical rotations? And, although it is very easy to get from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh by the turnpike, have you thought about how you'll do that? I'm asking because parking in Pittsburgh can be very expensive and inconvenient, especially in places like Oakland and Shadyside (where most students choose to live). Pittsburgh does have a bus system that operates throughout Allegheny county, but that bus system has been one of my major gripes while living here. (You've never experienced frustration until you've tried to catch a bus on a Sunday around here, only to have the bus driver "forget" to slow down.) Transportation is something to think about....
In any case, you have an enviable decision to make, and good luck!

 

[kayw028]

thanks again all for the extremely helpful advice. i'm leaning towards pitt - everything feels right except for the fact that i'd be leaving behind so many important people. anyway, i appreciate the thoughts and questions you've brought up!!!

 

[Neuronix]

Just FYI: Jeff has 17 affliated hospitals in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

Have fun commuting to them if you end up at Jeff. It'll be a pain to own a car in the heart of the city, but also a pain to commute out to the affiliates.

 

[kayw028]

another question. do the philly schools really compete for rotation spots? i've been under the impression that you rotate within your hospital system. ie drexel with tenet, jefferson in jefferson systems, etc. anyone know definitively??

 

[ForensicPath]

another question. do the philly schools really compete for rotation spots? i've been under the impression that you rotate within your hospital system. ie drexel with tenet, jefferson in jefferson systems, etc. anyone know definitively??

I don't think they compete for rotation spots. This was one of the problems that Drexel would have if MCP hospital were to change affiliations from Drexel to Temple. Drexel would lose some rotation spots. Per capita I believe Philadelphia has the largest healthcare system in the country (if I'm not mistaken), so it really wouldn't be too much of a problem anyway.

 

[Neuronix]

another question. do the philly schools really compete for rotation spots?

No need. The Philly med schools alleviate this by sending students outside of Philly. Penn for example has several hospitals in the city, but then also has affiliates in places like York or up in the mountains north of here. All the other med schools also have far away affiliates (Temple students can get stuck at UPMC, yes that's Pitt, Jeff an hour away in Delaware, etc...).

Philadelphia is very medically served by academics and specialists. When it comes to primary care and serving the underserved, this city falls flat on its face.

 

[Tanzo]

No need. The Philly med schools alleviate this by sending students outside of Philly. Penn for example has several hospitals in the city, but then also has affiliates in places like York or up in the mountains north of here. All the other med schools also have far away affiliates (Temple students can get stuck at UPMC, yes that's Pitt, Jeff an hour away in Delaware, etc...).

Philadelphia is very medically served by academics and specialists. When it comes to primary care and serving the underserved, this city falls flat on its face.

Temple doesn't get sent to UPMC, they go to West Penn which is not owned by UPMC (one of few hospitals here that aren't owned by them) - I think one of the Philly schools also go the Allegheny General, but I have no idea which one that is... Maybe Temple also... Or Drexel maybe? I don't know. As far as I know the only other med students that we ever see at the UPMC hospitals are doing electives.

 

[Neuronix]

Tanzo is right. My bad. Drexel is the one at Alleghany General.

 

[beamiestface]

And, although it is very easy to get from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh by the turnpike, have you thought about how you'll do that? I'm asking because parking in Pittsburgh can be very expensive and inconvenient, especially in places like Oakland and Shadyside (where most students choose to live). Pittsburgh does have a bus system that operates throughout Allegheny county, but that bus system has been one of my major gripes while living here. (You've never experienced frustration until you've tried to catch a bus on a Sunday around here, only to have the bus driver "forget" to slow down.) Transportation is something to think about....

Parking may be inconvenient, but not necessarily expensive. I live in Shadyside. I don't have a car yet, but if I do get one, I will only have to pay $20/year for the city parking permit. I'll have to park on the street, but it seems that it's not difficult to find a spot on my street or somewhere nearby. Of course, for the summer at least, it is much cheaper to take the free buses 🙂

I grew up and went to undergrad in the NY metro area, so I also have many friends in east coast cities (NY and DC) and in New Jersey. Driving to Philly and DC can be relatively reasonable (4 to DC, 5 to Philly, as others said), but public tansportation can be a real bitch. Greyhounds and amtrak trains run between Pittsburgh and NY/DC/Philly (and even Chicago), but they don't run all that often. Some lines run several times a day, but when the trip's that long, it's annoying not to have more choice as not to waste time. I've taken the train from NYC to Pittsburgh once. It took 10 hours with stops and was NOT worth it. It also only runs twice a day, but Pittsburgh is one of the "hubs" for the trip, so it stops in the 'burgh at reasonable times of day. The train trip is over $100 and it is much more economical to fly to NYC than to take the train. Pittsburgh is a US Airways hub, and you can usually get flights to NY for less than $200. The flight is a little over an hour, if I remember correctly (maybe a little longer than that).