Pitt, Northwestern, Balyor - rank (don't cheat!)

[Kallistos]

We've all seen the US News ranking of med schools, so I'd like to see if any of you can put these 3 schools in order from top to bottom. Did you do it? Don't read on until you have... Many of the people I have spoken to (Midwesterners) immediately go well Northwestern and Baylor are on the top, not exactly sure which one is better, when to their surprise Pitt is actually #13, compared to NU(19) and Baylor(17) Does this lack of "reputation" cause any problems? Is Pitt well known on the east coast, why don't people know about Pitt ahhh, my sister who recently got in to med school (Madison) wouldn't believe Pitt was top 25 until I showed her!

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[GoSpursGo]

The rankings are dependent on so many things that don't really matter and are so manipulatable that they hardly tell you anything. A difference in 2, 4 or 6 spots is less than irrelevant; anyone who knows what they're talking about will know that all of those are well-respected schools, and that's all you need to know. Whether one of them is .001% more "prestigious" is not something I'd worry about when deciding between schools.

Moving to School Specific Discussions.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Pitt is a very well institution. In fact, would dare say that the medical world thinks extremely high of Pitt relative to a lot of top schools.

 

[BBender716]

NU was my top choice going into the app. process, but I have been blown away by UPitt on my interview day there. Now it's a ridiculously tough choice. Best way to tell is by fit and visiting. Good luck!

 

[ApoK]

I liked NU much more than Pitt. I still thought Pitt was a pretty great place though.

 

[Kallistos]

NU was my top choice going into the app. process, but I have been blown away by UPitt on my interview day there. Now it's a ridiculously tough choice. Best way to tell is by fit and visiting. Good luck!

I agree, many people probably have NU ranked high on their list going in since it has a reputation similar to the Ivy League (somewhat overblown) All in all, I know Pitt is a great school...I guess a school like NU w/ its name gets a few more country club miles haha

 

[BBender716]

I agree, many people probably have NU ranked high on their list going in since it has a reputation similar to the Ivy League (somewhat overblown) All in all, I know Pitt is a great school...I guess a school like NU w/ its name gets a few more country club miles haha

Trust me. I'm still considering both, but I was in a similar position as you. I applied to NU because it had the rep. and was close to home. I put UPitt on the list because it was Top 25 and not super far away. I got lucky enough to interview there and it totally did a 180 for me. They have an obscene amount of money in that school and an extensive hospital system that it doesn't have to share with any school.

Whether or not it'd be right for you is a different story. My suggestion is to apply broadly and where ever you are fortunate enough to interview at, see what is the best fit and continuously weigh the options.

 

[rockaction]

Pitt is pretty dang awesome. It's no surprise they are ranked so highly - their hospital complex serves practically all of Western PA and the school is pretty much the trend-setter when it comes to curricular innovations. They also are loaded when it comes to research money.

 

[schrizto]

People regard Pitt less highly because although the medical school is private the undergrad is public and also much less difficult to get into than Northwestern undergrad.

I looooove the juggernaut that is UPMC.

 

[w8ting2exhale]

how come no one's discussing Baylor much? Im curious about how Baylor compares (I'm from the Northeast)

 

[Kallistos]

Well, Baylor is located right next door to Texas Medical Center which is the largest medical center in THE WORLD. So, hands on patient contact, diverse patient pop etc... Also, tuition at Baylor is $19,650/yr (taken from US News) which is significantly lower than NU/Pitt. Looking at reputation, I think Baylor's rep is localized in the Southwest. Obviously, anyone who's a somebody in the medical field (residency directors) will know Baylor is a great school, but when we think about reputation, we usually refer to general population reputation.

Is Pitt heavily funded by NIH or something?

And for sure, all three schools are great, you can't go wrong, ultimately it will come down to personal factors and feel, but I like comparing and seeing other peoples opinions.

 

[BBender716]

Well, Baylor is located right next door to Texas Medical Center which is the largest medical center in THE WORLD. So, hands on patient contact, diverse patient pop etc... Also, tuition at Baylor is $19,650/yr (taken from US News) which is significantly lower than NU/Pitt. Looking at reputation, I think Baylor's rep is localized in the Southwest. Obviously, anyone who's a somebody in the medical field (residency directors) will know Baylor is a great school, but when we think about reputation, we usually refer to general population reputation.

Is Pitt heavily funded by NIH or something?

And for sure, all three schools are great, you can't go wrong, ultimately it will come down to personal factors and feel, but I like comparing and seeing other peoples opinions.

UPitt is #6 in NIH, fwiw

 

[JJMrK]

IMO, once you get to the ~top 30 it doesn't matter anymore. Having said that, I'm sure you could find differences between #30 and #5, but overall, across all categories, all of these schools are excellent.

 

[brooklynblunder]

yea it really doesnt matter. i was ridiculously impressed with Pitt, i knew it would be nice because almost EVERY researcher suggests me to pursue pitts program. i think they said they will be #4 in NIH funding next year and they own like 19 hospitals in US and 3 more abroad. They have a high profit margin for a non-profit.

none of those things might matter to you, but i heard their MSTP program is pretty hot.

 

[BBender716]

IMO, once you get to the ~top 30 it doesn't matter anymore. Having said that, I'm sure you could find differences between #30 and #5, but overall, across all categories, all of these schools are excellent.

+1, was just stating for numbers' sake. It's definitely a wash once you get to top 25-30 and you should go on fit!

 

[Moonglow]

The main difference between Top 20 medical schools is the access to clinical opportunities. NU, Baylor and Pitt are all but equals in quality education and facilities, but, that which the Texas Medical Center offers to Baylor students is second to none.

 

[metallica81788]

The main difference between Top 20 medical schools is the access to clinical opportunities. NU, Baylor and Pitt are all but equals in quality education and facilities, but, that which the Texas Medical Center offers to Baylor students is second to none.

I haven't been to NU or Pitt, and I'm sure they're amazing schools in their own right, but you can't compare to the TMC.

It has absolutely anything you'd ever want and more. You could go there and never leave, and a lot of med students never do - and that says a lot.

As far as general reputation goes, most people don't know enough about Baylor and Pitt, and I would think both might be better than NU.

 

[schrizto]

I don't know much about Texas Medical Center, but would you really say it is better in comparison to UPMC? UPMC is pretty extensive...

 

[longhorn09]

I don't know much about Texas Medical Center, but would you really say it is better in comparison to UPMC? UPMC is pretty extensive...

For me, I personally rank Baylor as the top choice among the three.

Plus, TMC is the biggest in this nation. It's way bigger than UPMC with no doubt. I've been to both.

 

[metallica81788]

Well, Baylor is located right next door to Texas Medical Center which is the largest medical center in THE WORLD. So, hands on patient contact, diverse patient pop etc... Also, tuition at Baylor is $19,650/yr (taken from US News) which is significantly lower than NU/Pitt. Looking at reputation, I think Baylor's rep is localized in the Southwest. Obviously, anyone who's a somebody in the medical field (residency directors) will know Baylor is a great school, but when we think about reputation, we usually refer to general population reputation.

Is Pitt heavily funded by NIH or something?

And for sure, all three schools are great, you can't go wrong, ultimately it will come down to personal factors and feel, but I like comparing and seeing other peoples opinions.

I don't know much about Texas Medical Center, but would you really say it is better in comparison to UPMC? UPMC is pretty extensive...

I have no idea about better, but I'm just putting the bold out there again

 

[ApoK]

UPMC was definitely pretty damn large... with a system so large, whether it be UPMC or TMC, there will be far more opportunities than any single student can take advantage of. Thus, the size of the institution relative to the quality of clinical training isn't necessarily linear. Baylor has to share with UT Houston students, whereas Pitt does not have to share with anyone. Also, Baylor has significant financial problems at the moment.

Also, I still have to say that NU still impressed me the most. It seems like they match better as well.

NU>Pitt>Baylor

 

[schrizto]

But why does being the biggest medical center in the world make TMC better than UPMC?

 

[searun]

Each of these three schools is excellent. Personally, I would choose Northwestern. I may apply at NU for residency. I love Chicago and hate Texas, so Baylor is out. Pitt would be my second choice - Pittsburgh has made great strides lately. Bottom line is that you would get a great medical education at any of these schools.

 

[Kallistos]

People regard Pitt less highly because although the medical school is private the undergrad is public and also much less difficult to get into than Northwestern undergrad.

I looooove the juggernaut that is UPMC.

Are you sure UPSOM is private? I thought it was public, the tuition for in-state tuition is lower too (slightly). I couldn't find any from my quick google search hehe

 

[BBender716]

Are you sure UPSOM is private? I thought it was public, the tuition for in-state tuition is lower too (slightly). I couldn't find any from my quick google search hehe

UPitt is definitely private. In-state cost is lower because of living expenses I believe. Tuition, I'm pretty sure, is the same.

 

[Moonglow]

UPitt is definitely private.

UPitt was a private institution until it became part of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education in 1966.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_System_of_Higher_Education

 

[schrizto]

Are you sure UPSOM is private? I thought it was public, the tuition for in-state tuition is lower too (slightly). I couldn't find any from my quick google search hehe

The MSAR says Pitt med is private. I know for sure that Pitt undergrad is public.

 

[BBender716]

UPitt was a private institution until it became part of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education in 1966.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_System_of_Higher_Education

My bad. Undergrad is "state-related". Touché moonglow

EDIT: Schirzo is saying what I'm thinking, lol

 

[canjosh]

UPMC was definitely pretty damn large... with a system so large, whether it be UPMC or TMC, there will be far more opportunities than any single student can take advantage of. Thus, the size of the institution relative to the quality of clinical training isn't necessarily linear. Baylor has to share with UT Houston students, whereas Pitt does not have to share with anyone. Also, Baylor has significant financial problems at the moment.

Also, I still have to say that NU still impressed me the most. It seems like they match better as well.

NU>Pitt>Baylor

What, exactly, do BCM students share with UT students?

 

[txprodigal]

What, exactly, do BCM students share with UT students?

i asked this question numerous times while i was in houston. i was told they have very little contact with one another, and there really isn't a competition over resources as there is plenty of room for all the students of both schools.

the only events where they regularly met that i kept hearing was athletic competitions. i also heard that they sometimes have mixers between the schools

on another note, TMC being the biggest in the world is nice and all, but there's no way a medical student can take advantage of all the resources in the TMC. i believe any resource a medical student has access to at the TMC should also be available at any other top 20 school....

 

[canjosh]

Yeah, that was kinda my point in asking that question. There is this assumption that somehow Houston students have to 'share' something. What that something is is somewhat of a mystery. There is actually very little overlap among the clinical affiliations, the school facilities are separate, etc.

Honestly, among most schools in the US, it should come down to where you fit in best. Does anyone truly believe that you could really rank medical schools with any meaningfulness? There are just too many variables involved to make such a determination. You can rank schools by research money, 'reputation', #of Nobel recipients on faculty, etc. but do those qualities correlate to quality of the actual clinician?

 

[BBender716]

I official demote UPitt since they waitlisted me, lol jk

 

[ApoK]

Each of these three schools is excellent. Personally, I would choose Northwestern. I may apply at NU for residency. I love Chicago and hate Texas, so Baylor is out. Pitt would be my second choice - Pittsburgh has made great strides lately. Bottom line is that you would get a great medical education at any of these schools.

^Agreed.

I've been accepted to Pitt and NU, but didn't apply to Baylor.

If lifestyle and quality of life are important to you, then NU wins hands down. I'm not sure any other school in the country can beat NU's location. It's gorgeous and in the best part of Chicago, which is easily one of the best cities in the country. Just my opinion.

 

[tixe]

If lifestyle and quality of life are important to you, then NU wins hands down. I'm not sure any other school in the country can beat NU's location. It's gorgeous and in the best part of Chicago, which is easily one of the best cities in the country. Just my opinion.

You are so right. I was born in Chicago, lived in Houston and settled in Dallas. Me personally I would choose1 NU,2 UPITT,3 Baylor. In Houston the TMC is second to none but you won't be working or learning in the whole TMC just in an affiliated hospital, UPITT has them all beat with their hospital network but for lifestyle Chicago has it hands down. When looking at the residencies from the three schools I think NU and UPITT are the winners. Now in order to have this play out for me all I need are the interview emails.

 

[Smallville86]

I too grew up in Chicago (best city in the world- we were ROBBED of the Olympics), and got into both NW and Pitt, but am now at Pitt. It was a tough decision, yes, but it ultimately came down to the following factors (in order of importance):

1) Pitt has better clinical resources, for all the reasons enumerated above and more- NW is kind of contained in N Chicago, which is a nice area to walk around, but you won't get the entire patient diversity that is Chicago because there are four other medical schools, and you can forget seeing many suburban/rural patients (unlike Pitt, which has all of W Pennsylvania as well as E Ohio, all of WV, etc.)

2) Pitt has a lot more research money, basic and clinical, so there is more and better research in general going on, and more funding/opportunities for me to do research, get published, get good letters for residency, etc.

3) Yes, Chicago is an awesome city (it's my city, after all but as someone who has many friends and classmates now downtown, it's an expensive city to live in, like NYC and LA. As a med student, you are basically below the poverty line. Cities like Chi-town, NYC, and LA are all great- if you have a lot of money. You will not. I would rather do residency in Chicago, or be in my late twenties making bank and enjoying the town then. Your financial aid for housing/expenses goes farther in Pitt, plus it's no cowtown anymore... there's a hell of a lot to do here, even for a comic book geek/ethnic food gourmet/dance clubber like meselfs.

I cannot speak too much on Baylor, as I decided not to apply there- it's a great school, don't get me wrong, but having TMC is not an end-all, be-all, especially as Baylor does not own it, it's just affiliated with it. Read: you can't just walk in like you own the place. Unlike UPMC.

But in the end, they are all great schools, so you have to decide which means more to you- career or lifestyle.

 

[avo]

Pitt's campus seriously puts even 'top 5' (subjective) schools to shame, at least in certain aspects. I was VERY impressed by the school and, if I choose to go there, I feel I would have zero regrets. It has a sports atmosphere that is untouchable, a city that has (almost) everything that a big city has, and that campus atmosphere is sick. The entire thing is just beautiful and well organized; you step on and you know you're at a high quality institution.

NU is very similar, in my opinion, without the sports and a slightly better city. No experience with Baylor.

But Pitt made a definite impression.

 

[johncalvin]

To clear up some confusion about PittMed:

- Pennsylvania allows its schools to be "semi-private" or "semi-public."

This means that the school is completely private in control (state has no say in decisions, board of trustees, etc.), but the state subsidizes a small portion of in-state tuition [with no strings attached].

 

[GoSpursGo]

To clear up some confusion about PittMed:

- Pennsylvania allows its schools to be "semi-private" or "semi-public."

This means that the school is completely private in control (state has no say in decisions, board of trustees, etc.), but the state subsidizes a small portion of in-state tuition [with no strings attached].

Baylor has essentially the same system, where they cover roughly half of in-state tuition with the condition being that Baylor take ~70% Texas residents. Then most of the people that come there from out of state gain residency after a year. That's why Baylor is probably the cheapest private school out there other than the free tuition schools.

 

[avo]

Pitt isn't quite that generous, I think.

There's something like a 5K difference in tuition between in-state and OOS, if I remember correctly. I might be way off because I don't feel like looking up the numbers right now.

I don't think they give any preference to Pennsylvania residents, though.