Hey yall, I'm stuck and I'm looking for some outside input between these 2 schools. I'm currently deciding between these 2 powerhouse school and I'm lucky to be in this position, but also have been left and right between them for some time now. I am primarily interested in surgery, more specifically Orthopedics, but definitely open-minded within surgery. I have great connections built at Pitt since I did my masters there, but I feel like I am turning down a great opportunity at NW by staying at Pitt. Overall just confused!
Pitt Med
Pros
NW Feinberg
Pros
I hope I can get some good inputs and opinions. I know that I will be happy at both schools, but I am scared to give up the connections I have at Pitt since orthopedics is super competitive to match into, but I am also scared of turning down the opportunity to be at Feinberg and in Chicago. Just having mentors already at Pitt makes it feel a bit more secure in regard to my future, but I know nothing is ever guaranteed. I could ultimately seem myself at both and trying to find things to talk me out of one over the other. Maybe I am overlooking something or overvaluing my relationships at Pitt. What yall thinking?
Pitt Med
Pros
- Lower living costs
- Prestige
- Super strong hospital system in almost every specialty, including orthopedics
- Have very strong mentors in orthopedics from doing my masters at Pitt, have research projects already lined up and other strong mentors throughout Pitt Med faculty
- Huge research emphasis
- UPMC is very well known all around for anything surgical
- Have friends that will be M1s with me
- Great vibes from other prospective students post-interview
- Amazing M3/M4 years
- Overall advising seems strong based on student anecdotes
- More family feel
- I would love to match at UPMC
- Strong match-list overall
- Probably has every department and sub-department possible in medicine at UPMC
- Only medical school in Pittsburgh
- Very small financial aid package, so COA is most expensive of the 2 schools
- The City of Pittsburgh is not as diverse (matters to me being a URM)
- M1/M2 years curriculum is a bit old school, student anecdotes that M1 year is a bit of a crap show
- Not my favorite interview day based on current students (had tons of exams that day), but prospective students talked to post-interview help accommodate for this
- Not active in marketing their school and reaching out to prospective students
- Not the best-looking facilities
NW Feinberg
Pros
- Prestige
- Beautiful city, love the city vibes, very diverse city
- Favorite interview day
- Awesome prospective student vibes and vibes from current students
- Love their curriculum overall, organ-system based and integrated anatomy throughout
- ECMH opportunity for longitudinal patient exposure and growth, teaching, learning
- Higher STEP 1 average (even tho STEP 1 will be P/F)
- Daniel Hale William Society (initiative focused on mentoring URM students and allows networking right off the bat)
- More young hip feel
- Beautiful facilities
- Huge research opportunity
- Seemed to have very supportive faculty
- Much much cheaper COA due to healthy scholarship
- Strong match-list overall
- P/P preclinical grading
- Expensive cost of living
- "Starting over" in regards to my connections at Pitt in ortho
- Not sure if there being 4 medical schools in Chicago is a huge cons factor
- Feel like there is a slightly more competitive feel
- A very fancy hospital which I feel has an impact on patients that come based on different SES
I hope I can get some good inputs and opinions. I know that I will be happy at both schools, but I am scared to give up the connections I have at Pitt since orthopedics is super competitive to match into, but I am also scared of turning down the opportunity to be at Feinberg and in Chicago. Just having mentors already at Pitt makes it feel a bit more secure in regard to my future, but I know nothing is ever guaranteed. I could ultimately seem myself at both and trying to find things to talk me out of one over the other. Maybe I am overlooking something or overvaluing my relationships at Pitt. What yall thinking?