Please help me choose

[dtothey]

Hey everybody, I was accepted into 4 medical schools. They are Boston University, Case Western Reserve University, University of Miami (Miller), and George Washington University. Can somebody help me narrow down the choices and determine where I should go? What is good/bad about these schools. Thank you!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[BBender716]

Word of warning before it gets nuts: I'd change the "medical student" status under your name because some people may get irked because you have not begun medical school yet.

That being said, if you're really having trouble deciding, think about your interview days and which one provided the best fit. Where could you best see yourself? This hopefully will narrow it down to 1-2. If you're still between two, think about the location and the financials coming from those schools. Big congrats on getting in and having choices!

 

[dtothey]

Thanks for that, I'm new to the forums, just made an account so I could get some perspectives on where I should go. And I really cannot make a choice, I can't even narrow it down to 3.

 

[LIDO]

Hey everybody, I was accepted into 4 medical schools. They are Boston University, Case Western Reserve University, University of Miami (Miller), and George Washington University. Can somebody help me narrow down the choices and determine where I should go? What is good/bad about these schools. Thank you!

Pick the school that is giving you the most money. That is the first rule.

If money does not matter, then pick Case. The other three are all comparable. Case has great clinics + research.

Case > GWU = BU > Miami

 

[illegallysmooth]

Why don't you start by listing things you like or dislike about each school? Maybe we can help you sort out your thoughts, but you have to have some thoughts to begin with.

 

[BBender716]

Thanks for that, I'm new to the forums, just made an account so I could get some perspectives on where I should go. And I really cannot make a choice, I can't even narrow it down to 3.

Good way to narrow it down at first is whether you want to focus more on research or not. If yes, remove GWU (who admits that it is definitely not researched focused). Also, if you do wish to focus primarily on research, Case Western is very good. BU's got a great focus on public health if that interests you, and I do not know much about UMiami's program other than one of their campuses has an astronomically high Step 1 avg., not sure if it's at Miller or not.

Again, though, these are just snapshots of these schools. If it's at all fiscally feasible, go to as many second looks as possible to get a clearer idea. Ask the schools if there are students you could contact.

Maybe if you give us more details as to what's good/bad about each one, so we can provide more specific input...?

 

[TexasPhysician]

Follow the money

 

[Planet Ocean]

Hey everybody, I was accepted into 4 medical schools. They are Boston University, Case Western Reserve University, University of Miami (Miller), and George Washington University. Can somebody help me narrow down the choices and determine where I should go? What is good/bad about these schools. Thank you!

Only 4??? haha jk congrats! I would talk to as many students who go to those schools as you can. They will be pretty honest. Make a chart. Things you liked when you interviewed and things you didnt. Good luck

 

[JJMrK]

Moving to the School Specific Discussions sub-forum.

 

[bannie22]

I would guess you are probably asking for our opinions and how we would choose it since you probably have your own ideas and maybe just want a couple more ideas.


This time, I might be able to help cuz I actually interviewed at a couple of these schools as they arent terribly out of my range like those ivy comparison threads. lol

I can only compare BU vs CW.

I would pick BU because
they were really nice at interview day, boston is quite a good place to live in, there seems to be lots of things to do, they seem to promise lots of cases with their 'help everyone mission' and personally cuz they gave me a scholarship which made me feel very honoured.

why i would pick CW
cuz they have a fantastic reputation for cardio-related treatment. worldreknowned. and just amazing.
they also top boston on the us news ranking

why i would not pick BU
cuz i cannot live with myself for having come close with the school next door

why i would not pick CW
lecture halls are dingy, the building feels really old, windowless, kinda sad. there is not much food sources around the area, and its kinda ghetto.

but those were just how i analyzed them.
it would have been a really tough pick for me if it came down to it. hope this helps

 

[dtothey]

That's funny because BU was the only school that did not give me as hefty of a sum of money like the others. Location is really important for me, so Case loses some points there, but it also is arguably the "best" (rankings/scores wise) of the 4.

Are there certain specialties that each school does best? I.e. I know UMiami's ophtho program is amazing and that they help their med students with ophtho (anybody who goes to UMiami is guaranteed an interview at Bascom Palmer).

Is there a way to find average Step 1 and Step 2 scores for these schools, and maybe then I can compare those?

Thanks for the input!

 

[BBender716]

That's funny because BU was the only school that did not give me as hefty of a sum of money like the others. Location is really important for me, so Case loses some points there, but it also is arguably the "best" (rankings/scores wise) of the 4.

Are there certain specialties that each school does best? I.e. I know UMiami's ophtho program is amazing and that they help their med students with ophtho (anybody who goes to UMiami is guaranteed an interview at Bascom Palmer).

Is there a way to find average Step 1 and Step 2 scores for these schools, and maybe then I can compare those?

Thanks for the input!

Do a quick search and you'll see a can of worms you do not want to open regarding using those scores as a basis for school selection. I know I mentioned it above but it should NOT be a deciding factor. Please search for further explanation, trust me. lol

 

[bannie22]

That's funny because BU was the only school that did not give me as hefty of a sum of money like the others. Location is really important for me, so Case loses some points there, but it also is arguably the "best" (rankings/scores wise) of the 4.

Are there certain specialties that each school does best? I.e. I know UMiami's ophtho program is amazing and that they help their med students with ophtho (anybody who goes to UMiami is guaranteed an interview at Bascom Palmer).

Is there a way to find average Step 1 and Step 2 scores for these schools, and maybe then I can compare those?

Thanks for the input!

I personally wouldnt care too much about the step scores. I think they are highly variable in a school itself. and avereage scores at ecah school arent too different. its really up to urself (imo) but i dunt knw, so i cant help you here.
cardio for cw.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I'd go with Miami if money is about the same.....that's just me.

 

[dtothey]

Hmmm I searched for step scores, but to no avail.

Obviously Case is academically the best of them all and has the most spectacular match list of the four schools. Monetarily, Miami and Case will be the cheapest. I like BU's location the most. AAAAH I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

 

[TexasPhysician]

Hmmm I searched for step scores, but to no avail.

Obviously Case is academically the best of them all and has the most spectacular match list of the four schools. Monetarily, Miami and Case will be the cheapest. I like BU's location the most. AAAAH I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

Academically, the schools aren't different enough to base a decision off of.

 

[Hifey]

Hmmm I searched for step scores, but to no avail.

Obviously Case is academically the best of them all and has the most spectacular match list of the four schools. Monetarily, Miami and Case will be the cheapest. I like BU's location the most. AAAAH I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

Well then you have to decide what is most important to you from academics, location, and money. If the difference in money is not THAT big, then maybe you can choose based on academia. I feel location is not that hard because most people are pretty adaptable. And honestly, the only one with a sucky location ( at least according to my opinion because I'm definitely a coastal kinda person) is CW. Also, you mentioned Ophto before...are you sure that you want to do Optho cause you might end up changing your mind.

Honestly, when I was deciding I based it on gut feeling. Go where you will be happiest overall.

 

[papilliontat2]

Hey CONGRATS!..since these four are schools I did a lot of research on I'll give u an honest opinion...

1st & foremost: go with your gut, where did you feel most comfy, excited to be there?
2nd: money is a big issue but in the end choose happiness, review your secondaries..why did you apply? there has to be one that was higher on ur list before and or after interview!

okay now...
Miami: great school, location!!!, match rates and money wise may suit you, academics are seriously great too, they give you tons of resources(online podcasting etc) and one-on-one attn believe it or not. Jackson is AMAZING and it is a big city, u see a lot and LEARN a whole lot in Jackson, I know a lot of very happy students there.
BU: public health your thing? If so great! If not... I do not know as much on BU but I am personally into public health so...My friend goes there is loves it, very happy.
Case:Academia are a plus and yes match rate is awesome, ranking is the highest...if u plan to specialize that "may" mean something..but local & school settings are a minus
GWU: DC is awesome. love research then not for you. They are on probation I believe right now and the community health aspects are nice...if u like that. If you are big into primary care, community health...then this is a great choice.

My personal choice would be Miami.

hope that was helpful just a tad. GOOD LUCK & congrats!

 

[Pedie Packs]

Why is GWU not considered research oriented when you could do internships at NIH down the street?

 

[DrSmooth]

I would consider hospital rankings too, Cleveland clinic ranks 4th overall after only Hopkins, Mayo and UCLA. The importance of this is debatable, but it's definitely worth considering. Case Western is definitely the best school, just depends if location is a deal breaker for you. GWU is thought of by many as a safety school and they were on probation (although I know they train excellent physicians!), I would cut that one out personally unless you really loved it. And I found BU to be an odd place, but that is a personal thing I know. I would cut BU off your list too especially since it is so expensive.

If it were me I would choose Case without hesitation, as it's arguably in a different league than the others, gives you the best options in the future, and because you will only be in Cleveland for 4 yrs (and you'll be able to tell Cleveland Steamer jokes for the rest of your life ). Nice job BTW!

 

[papilliontat2]

Hey,even though NIH is like 10 min away, GWU doesn't seem to have much a research goal as say Georgetown. They are really patient based , community etc and they mention it themselves on their website and their activities. But I am sure there has to be some research opportunities if you try hard enough....but overall research is just not their forte

 

[drizzt3117]

1) ccf is not case's teaching hospital.

2) even if it were, its prestigous hospital ranking is great for patients, not so much for med students. Cclcm students are lucky bc there aren't many of them, so they actually get to do a decent amount, but generally being at an academic teaching center where you're knee deep in residents, fellows, pas, nps, etc isn't ideal. Yay for shadowing as a med student during clerkships...

3) that said,Uh and metro are nice places to learn with a good patient population.

4) Keep in mind that if you plan to go to Miami it'd be in your best interest to have a good working knowledge of Spanish if you're not completely fluent, 40+% of the population is Spanish speaking and among Jackson patients I'd say that % is closer to 60+%.

If I were making this decision I'd prolly go to bu bc of location, then cw.

I would consider hospital rankings too, Cleveland clinic ranks 4th overall after only Hopkins, Mayo and UCLA. The importance of this is debatable, but it's definitely worth considering. Case Western is definitely the best school, just depends if location is a deal breaker for you. GWU is thought of by many as a safety school and they were on probation (although I know they train excellent physicians!), I would cut that one out personally unless you really loved it. And I found BU to be an odd place, but that is a personal thing I know. I would cut BU off your list too especially since it is so expensive.

If it were me I would choose Case without hesitation, as it's arguably in a different league than the others, gives you the best options in the future, and because you will only be in Cleveland for 4 yrs (and you'll be able to tell Cleveland Steamer jokes for the rest of your life ). Nice job BTW!

 

[DrSmooth]

1) ccf is not case's teaching hospital.

Fair enough, didn't realize that.

 

[chibrown01]

BU def! but if you r not used to the cold then def Miami!
just my 2 cents

 

[CCLCMer]

1) ccf is not case's teaching hospital.

Um, yes it is. University Hospitals is the primary affiliate, and CCF, Metro, and the VA are the other affiliate Case teaching hospitals. Case students from any of the three programs (UP, CCLCM, and MSTP) can rotate through CCF as home students for their third year rotations.

2) even if it were, its prestigous hospital ranking is great for patients, not so much for med students. Cclcm students are lucky bc there aren't many of them, so they actually get to do a decent amount, but generally being at an academic teaching center where you're knee deep in residents, fellows, pas, nps, etc isn't ideal. Yay for shadowing as a med student during clerkships...

No offense, but you're not even a student here, and you have no idea what you're talking about.

dtothey, after second year, UP and CCLCM students are basically following the same curriculum. The main differences are that UP students get graded for rotations while we don't, and we do two extra research blocks beyond what they do (a total of 12 months for us compared to their 4 months). UP students who choose to rotate at CCF do the same exact rotations that we do. How much you get to do is variable depending on what teams you're on and how proactive you are as a student. But it's not true that CCLCM students get to do amazing extra things on rotations that are not available to UP students.

It also wasn't true that students didn't get to do very much on rotations at CCF or that it was like shadowing. I did eight months of rotations there plus one of my AIs, and maybe the only time where I didn't get to do much was inpatient peds and inpatient psych. But that experience isn't unique to CCF. Parents don't always want students to bother their extremely sick kids just for educational reasons, and some psych patients weren't considered safe for students to see alone. Also, sometimes I felt like I had to do too much, like taking Q4 overnight call with the team for the entire time I was on inpatient medicine. Even my intern felt sorry for me since he didn't have to do that while he was in med school.

3) that said,Uh and metro are nice places to learn with a good patient population.

Finally something that I can actually agree with you about, from experience in my case.

dtothey, I agree with the people who said that you should try to attend second looks if you can. Also, I agree with the people who said you should go to one of the places that offered you more scholarship money. Some of my UP friends who are graduating this year are a little about how much debt they have. You may think right now that it doesn't matter that much, but people tend to change their minds as they get farther along and realize that they dropped enough money on tuition to have bought a house. If you don't have a choice, that's one thing, but you do have a choice, so why spend so much extra money, especially when you don't have a strong preference for one school over another? Just my opinion.

Good luck whatever you decide to do, and don't worry too much. You will get as much out of your education as you put into it no matter which school you pick.

 

[Mandiblespeaks]

Case Western for sure.

However, A lot of people in this thread WILDLY underestimate BU. Which is weird but BU is freakin AWESOME. I too am accepted to GWU BU and some others and BU is my top choice for sure.

To give you an idea of the type of training youll get, no shadowing there, MGH saw abou 37 thousand patients in their ER last year while BMC over 100 thousand patients. You get experience like no other, and residency directors love that. BU is also progressive, I dont know about UM or CW but BU is P/F which is a big deal for me because I want to take a board specific approach to my studies, rather then knowing about protein x for a midterm that WONT EVER be on the USMLE but is being tested because your PhD proff wants you to know about it. None of that. However, research is HUGE at BU. I dont know how this got overlooked. Point in fact BU has the LARGEST MD/PhD program in the country. Fact.

I too was accepted to my state school and GWU but am going with BU all the way. Over georgetown too. But UM, GW are not in the same league as BU. And by that same token you should go to Case. But you need all the facts to make a desicion and BU has been underestimated in this thread, which is unusuall. Maybe you are not a rankings guy but BU holds it own being tied with Dartmouth or Brown. I also love Boston, love the ethos at BU (everyone will get seen, this makes for one wild ride). And def look at the research, they have it. Recent Noble prize winner, the guy who made the KO model for Parkinsons disease.. etc.

GWU is deff going off my list. I wouldnt suggest going with such great options. I am willing to pay the price to go to BU for a lot of reasons, but wouldnt for GW.

So thats my 2 cents. Hope it helped. People disagree but you need a more rounded picture. Best of luck.

 

[drizzt3117]

Um, yes it is. University Hospitals is the primary affiliate, and CCF, Metro, and the VA are the other affiliate Case teaching hospitals. Case students from any of the three programs (UP, CCLCM, and MSTP) can rotate through CCF as home students for their third year rotations.

No offense, but you're not even a student here, and you have no idea what you're talking about.

I know CCF is a hospital that case students can rotate at. It's just not THE teaching hospital for CW as drs intimated.

dtothey, after second year, UP and CCLCM students are basically following the same curriculum. The main differences are that UP students get graded for rotations while we don't, and we do two extra research blocks beyond what they do (a total of 12 months for us compared to their 4 months). UP students who choose to rotate at CCF do the same exact rotations that we do. How much you get to do is variable depending on what teams you're on and how proactive you are as a student. But it's not true that CCLCM students get to do amazing extra things on rotations that are not available to UP students.

It also wasn't true that students didn't get to do very much on rotations at CCF or that it was like shadowing. I did eight months of rotations there plus one of my AIs, and maybe the only time where I didn't get to do much was inpatient peds and inpatient psych. But that experience isn't unique to CCF. Parents don't always want students to bother their extremely sick kids just for educational reasons, and some psych patients weren't considered safe for students to see alone. Also, sometimes I felt like I had to do too much, like taking Q4 overnight call with the team for the entire time I was on inpatient medicine. Even my intern felt sorry for me since he didn't have to do that while he was in med school.

I was under the impression that most or all of the rotations for CCLCM students were done at CCF as opposed to some of them being done there, like the Case students do. If that's not true I apologize.

As far as how much you get to do, my point was that at a hospital w/o residents/fellows etc, med students get to do more. CCF still has the largest residency program in the country if I recall correctly.

 

[CCLCMer]

I know CCF is a hospital that case students can rotate at. It's just not THE teaching hospital for CW as drs intimated.

I think you might be reading more into what he said than what he actually said.

Anyway, at the risk of repeating myself ad nauseum, Case has FOUR affiliated teaching hospitals. CCF is one of them, albeit not the primary affiliate. However, UP students can sign up to do all their rotations at CCF if they want to.

I was under the impression that most or all of the rotations for CCLCM students were done at CCF as opposed to some of them being done there, like the Case students do. If that's not true I apologize.

It's student choice. Some CCLCM students do most or all of their rotations at CCF, and others do most of their rotations at the other hospitals. I did about 2/3 of mine there. But CCLCM students aren't required to mainly rotate at CCF, and UP students aren't required to mainly rotate at UH.

As far as how much you get to do, my point was that at a hospital w/o residents/fellows etc, med students get to do more. CCF still has the largest residency program in the country if I recall correctly.

All four of the Case hospitals have residents and/or fellows, including the VA and the county hospital. Maybe there are some hospitals out there where med students rotate that have no residents, but I've never experienced that. As for CCF having the largest residency program in the country, I've never heard that either. It doesn't even make sense, because residency programs for different specialties are of different sizes. Maybe what you heard was that CCF has the largest residency program for a certain specialty? I'd believe it if you're talking about one of the surgical specialties or surgical support specialties like anesthesiology. But there's no way CCF has the biggest residency in something like family medicine, and they don't have an emergency medicine residency at all.

Anyway, I know I was kind of sarcastic and hard on you, but it annoys me when people go shooting their mouth off on SDN. dtothey and other applicants with multiple acceptances have a hard enough decision as it is. They shouldn't be making it based on misinformation. I know you interviewed here, but that doesn't mean you know about how our rotations work!

 

[drizzt3117]

Anyway, at the risk of repeating myself ad nauseum, Case has FOUR affiliated teaching hospitals. CCF is one of them, albeit not the primary affiliate. However, UP students can sign up to do all their rotations at CCF if they want to.
It's student choice. Some CCLCM students do most or all of their rotations at CCF, and others do most of their rotations at the other hospitals. I did about 2/3 of mine there. But CCLCM students aren't required to mainly rotate at CCF, and UP students aren't required to mainly rotate at UH.

that's cool that you can rotate wherever you want, I guess I'm used to a lottery system when it comes to determining where you rotate.

All four of the Case hospitals have residents and/or fellows, including the VA and the county hospital. Maybe there are some hospitals out there where med students rotate that have no residents, but I've never experienced that. As for CCF having the largest residency program in the country, I've never heard that either. It doesn't even make sense, because residency programs for different specialties are of different sizes. Maybe what you heard was that CCF has the largest residency program for a certain specialty? I'd believe it if you're talking about one of the surgical specialties or surgical support specialties like anesthesiology. But there's no way CCF has the biggest residency in something like family medicine, and they don't have an emergency medicine residency at all.

Anyway, I know I was kind of sarcastic and hard on you, but it annoys me when people go shooting their mouth off on SDN. dtothey and other applicants with multiple acceptances have a hard enough decision as it is. They shouldn't be making it based on misinformation. I know you interviewed here, but that doesn't mean you know about how our rotations work!

when I said largest residency program I meant total # of residents per year. I believe that's true and I'll look for a source. Obviously some programs are bigger than others, we know ccf's ct and cards programs are big and great.

My point with my initial post was to point out that hospital ranking doesn't necc correlate with educational quality and it's one I stand by. I think cclcm and case are great schools, nonetheless.

 

[dtothey]

Thank you all so much for all of your input. Although I currently am away from home, my OSU decision should have arrived by now, as I was a late interviewer. I cannot say for sure if I was accepted, but how do you think Ohio State's medical school stacks up against the others? I'll let you know if I get in when I get home.

From what you have said and from my discussions with my parents, I think that GWU is off the list, at least until I find a reason to give it another look.

Although I will be able to pay for medical school regardless of the cost, money is still a factor. As of now, BU is the most expensive school for me after adding up all 4 years of tuition. Case, Miami, and GWU cost about 3/5 of what BU would cost me, and are all within $3000 of each other. If I get into Ohio State, it will cost me about 1/2 of what Case, Miami, and GWU will cost (3/10 of what BU costs, if I did the math correctly). Even though money is not an issue, the real question becomes where will I truly get my money's worth? These calculations are rough, and I did not include housing costs.

Also, I do not necessarily want to match into ophtho. I was just wondering if these schools/affiliated hospitals have fields and specialties in which they excel or emphasize poorly. Match lists are sometimes good indicators of this, but aren't always solid as they depend on the class and the students in it. I can't seem to get my hands on GWU's match list anywhere.

All of your opinions are very helpful, and I would love to hear more! This honestly is helping me work my way towards a decision. Thank you!

 

[drizzt3117]

Thank you all so much for all of your input. Although I currently am away from home, my OSU decision should have arrived by now, as I was a late interviewer. I cannot say for sure if I was accepted, but how do you think Ohio State's medical school stacks up against the others? I'll let you know if I get in when I get home.

OSU is pretty comparable to Case in reputation. If it's half the cost, I'd definitely give it some serious consideration.

Also, I do not necessarily want to match into ophtho. I was just wondering if these schools/affiliated hospitals have fields and specialties in which they excel or emphasize poorly. Match lists are sometimes good indicators of this, but aren't always solid as they depend on the class and the students in it. I can't seem to get my hands on GWU's match list anywhere.

All of your opinions are very helpful, and I would love to hear more! This honestly is helping me work my way towards a decision. Thank you!

As I mentioned briefly just a bit ago, CCF is the #1 place in the world for the heart-related specialties, meaning cardiothoracic surgery and cardiology. It's also very good in a variety of other specialties including most of the other surgical specialties.

 

[guestdoc]

Although I will be able to pay for medical school regardless of the cost, money is still a factor. As of now, BU is the most expensive school for me after adding up all 4 years of tuition. Case, Miami, and GWU cost about 3/5 of what BU would cost me, and are all within $3000 of each other. If I get into Ohio State, it will cost me about 1/2 of what Case, Miami, and GWU will cost (3/10 of what BU costs, if I did the math correctly). Even though money is not an issue, the real question becomes where will I truly get my money's worth? These calculations are rough, and I did not include housing costs.

All of your opinions are very helpful, and I would love to hear more! This honestly is helping me work my way towards a decision. Thank you!

If Case, Miami and GWU are similar, Case all the way.

If Ohio State, the, gets thrown in (at half the price), then it might get difficult. So far, though, I'd go with Case.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I'd go OSU > Miami > Case > GW > BU. That's just me.

 

[Mandiblespeaks]

If money is not an issue

Case>BU>Miami>GW

Accepted to two of them and my states equivalent to Miami. Dont underestimate BU, it is worth the money. Their match list over the last 4 years has been SERIOUSLY impressive. Same for Case.

I have decided not to use money as my factor but rather where I would be happiest because even if you save 100 grand and you are not happy it wont matter. But thats just me.

 

[pianola]

LOL, making a guest appearance to comment on this post after being absent for nearly a year.

I'm finishing up my first year at Miami and it's been good so far. I got a lot of $$ to go here. I didn't think I'd like it based on my interview day, but as of right now I know I made the right choice and I couldn't be happier that I'm here.

Drizz is right about the Spanish-speaking business here at UM - expect almost all of your patients to speak Spanish. That said, as of this year they've been offering some good classes to learn medical Spanish - knowing medical Spanish can only help your residency application. If you're up for the challenge, it's a worthwhile one.

My advice is also to follow the money. My debt load is probably going to be < $50,000.

There are advantages and disadvantages to going here, but PM me if you have any specific questions.

I'm not sure what I'd do in your shoes given that the $$ is all the same. Maybe Case, maybe Miami if you have a specific interest in either emergency medicine or ophthalmology.

 

[dtothey]

Well, I guess I may have to learn Spanish then...but I'm quick with languages. I'm fluent in English, French, Arabic, and Swedish....

I think that money-wise, I'll eliminate BU too. Now it comes down to Case and Miami (and maybe OSU)

As of now, I'm interested in dermatology, lots of internal medicine subspecialties (GI, endocrinology, and others), and many other fields of medicine. I don't know exactly what I want to specialize in, but both Case and Miami match spectacularly in internal medicine and dermatology. I know that is dependent on the students and not necessarily the school, but also helps highlight which fields are emphasized at each school. I'm incredibly torn...

 

[dtothey]

Ok, just a quick question. Is going to Case Western worth the extra 50,000 that I would save going to OSU?

 

[Infinitydrop]

is that 50k a year???
In which case, go to OSU.

If its 50k total, then its up to you whatever school you mesh with better

 

[TexasPhysician]

Ok, just a quick question. Is going to Case Western worth the extra 50,000 that I would save going to OSU?

No

 

[canada1311]

No

I agree. I interviewed at Case, and I liked it. However, it may be difficult to justify that the marginal positive benefits in going to Case over OSU (assuming there are any) are worth $50,000.

Also, congratulations on your many acceptances, and best of luck in making your decision.

 

[Mandiblespeaks]

If you are happy, carrying an extra 50-100 grand in debt wont matter as much. Saving a chunk of change while you are miserbale...."I hate my education/people/town/fill in the blank/ but atleast I saved some money.." makes the debt harder to carry anyway.

my 2cents.

 

[QofQuimica]

If you are happy, carrying an extra 50-100 grand in debt wont matter as much. Saving a chunk of change while you are miserbale...."I hate my education/people/town/fill in the blank/ but atleast I saved some money.." makes the debt harder to carry anyway.

my 2cents.

You say that now because you're a premed, and you haven't yet experienced the joys of having six figure student loans. Once you're a fourth year and/or resident, your two cents is liable to change. Money may not buy happiness, but lack of money often buys misery.

OP, the financial decisions you make now will affect your quality of life for many years after you get out of med school. Unless there are major extenuating circumstances for choosing Case over OSU that you haven't mentioned, go to OSU. They both teach the same stuff. You'll be glad you saved that money four years from now when some of your classmates are wondering how they'll ever manage to pay their loans back while dealing with declining physician reimbursements, buying a house, affording children, etc. $50,000 isn't chump change--it will cover your med school living expenses for two years.

Congrats on your acceptances, and best of luck this fall.

 

[Mandiblespeaks]

You say that now because you're a premed, and you haven't yet experienced the joys of having six figure student loans. Once you're a fourth year and/or resident, your two cents is liable to change. Money may not buy happiness, but lack of money often buys misery.

OP, the financial decisions you make now will affect your quality of life for many years after you get out of med school. Unless there are major extenuating circumstances for choosing Case over OSU that you haven't mentioned, go to OSU. They both teach the same stuff. You'll be glad you saved that money four years from now when some of your classmates are wondering how they'll ever manage to pay their loans back while dealing with declining physician reimbursements, buying a house, affording children, etc. $50,000 isn't chump change--it will cover your med school living expenses for two years.

Congrats on your acceptances, and best of luck this fall.

Love that "silly premed" tactic. It's lame and old. No one is bowing down. There are plenty of people willing to carry the debt to receive the education they want. The numbers speak for themselves in this regard. 1200 applicants to BU alone.

And fyi, I worked to pay my way through college. Have also taken out loans and paid the monthly installments. Not your typical "pre-med," Not everyone is the same so please save your generalizations and "know it all" attitude to yourself.

There are numerous threads discussing this issue. And the reality is not everyone agrees. I for one am willing to pay more for the education I want. I also am comfortable carrying a larger debt load because I have had another career and understand finances.

Again, a difference of 50grand while large, is worth going to the medical school that you will be happier at ---> more successful in ---> etc and the list goes on.

 

[TexasPhysician]

Love that "silly premed" tactic. It's lame and old. No one is bowing down. There are plenty of people willing to carry the debt to receive the education they want. The numbers speak for themselves in this regard. 1200 applicants to BU alone.

And fyi, I worked to pay my way through college. Have also taken out loans and paid the monthly installments. Not your typical "pre-med," Not everyone is the same so please save your generalizations and "know it all" attitude to yourself.

There are numerous threads discussing this issue. And the reality is not everyone agrees. I for one am willing to pay more for the education I want. I also am comfortable carrying a larger debt load because I have had another career and understand finances.

Again, a difference of 50grand while large, is worth going to the medical school that you will be happier at ---> more successful in ---> etc and the list goes on.

If Case actually made you a better doctor, then I might agree with your arguement, but it won't. Your medical education is what YOU make of it. Sure there may be a few more research opportunities at Case, but if you aren't getting a PhD as well, you won't take enough of an advantage to warrant the worth. You can get anywhere you wish from Miami....just like Case.

 

[Golf Shoes]

Love that "silly premed" tactic. It's lame and old. No one is bowing down. There are plenty of people willing to carry the debt to receive the education they want. The numbers speak for themselves in this regard. 1200 applicants to BU alone.

And fyi, I worked to pay my way through college. Have also taken out loans and paid the monthly installments. Not your typical "pre-med," Not everyone is the same so please save your generalizations and "know it all" attitude to yourself.

There are numerous threads discussing this issue. And the reality is not everyone agrees. I for one am willing to pay more for the education I want. I also am comfortable carrying a larger debt load because I have had another career and understand finances.

Again, a difference of 50grand while large, is worth going to the medical school that you will be happier at ---> more successful in ---> etc and the list goes on.

.Well put. Money doesn’t rule over everyone. It’s only one of many factors when deciding on a medical school. 50k is close enough to where it shouldn’t make the difference for the OP. Go where you’ll be happiest, become the best doctor. Personally, I’d go with Miami. Plenty of hunnies down there..

 

[Golf Shoes]

If Case actually made you a better doctor, then I might agree with your arguement, but it won't. Your medical education is what YOU make of it. Sure there may be a few more research opportunities at Case, but if you aren't getting a PhD as well, you won't take enough of an advantage to warrant the worth. You can get anywhere you wish from Miami....just like Case.

You may be extremely versatile, but not everyone can function the same in varying environments. Perhaps the environment at Case will make the OP a better doctor and perhaps it won't. He must make a choice and go for it.

 

[Mandiblespeaks]

If Case actually made you a better doctor, then I might agree with your arguement, but it won't. Your medical education is what YOU make of it. Sure there may be a few more research opportunities at Case, but if you aren't getting a PhD as well, you won't take enough of an advantage to warrant the worth. You can get anywhere you wish from Miami....just like Case.

I am not talking about research in that post. I specifically make the inference that a students happiness/comfort/appreciation for etc with an education would make him or her the best they could be. And also make them "more" comfortable carrying a heavy debt load, plus OR minus 50 grand. If that school is Miami then I say go with Miami. But if the OP "sees" himself at Case then I am suggesting that that is where he will be the most well adjusted and most successful.

That being said. I disagree with you a bit. Not in a major way but I believe that a larger research program means diversity in research interests. Thus if a student wants to get involved in cardiovascular/neurdegenerative/... or optho research (rare) a school with greater diversity and greater "means" will be able to provide ""better"" experiences for a student desiring a competitive residency. I agree however that it is up to the student to make the best of his education etc. And that a student coming from medical school in Mexico """""could""""" get into the top residency program for a desired specialty. But is it advantageous? Not really. Is it advantageous to have more options, with greater funding, with more PI's? Absolutely.

OP, You should also consider that not every school has a Residency Program in every specialty. If you wanted neurosurgery it would be a good idea to go to a school with a residency program in that specialty. Not that you couldn't become a neurosurgeon coming out of any medical school, but what is advantageous to it? Don't be fooled.

I agree, definitely hotter chicks in Miami!!

Someone once told me: "Getting into medical school isn't the climb it's getting to base camp. You have to choose which camp you want to join and whose flag you want climbing up the mountain. Everyone climbs up the same mountain. But choose the camp and path that is right for you."

Its a good thing you are taking your financial s seriously. But in the end, 50 grand shouldn't choose your flag. It is the rest of your life.

 

[TexasPhysician]

That being said. I disagree with you a bit. Not in a major way but I believe that a larger research program means diversity in research interests. Thus if a student wants to get involved in cardiovascular/neurdegenerative/... or optho research (rare) a school with greater diversity and greater "means" will be able to provide ""better"" experiences for a student desiring a competitive residency. I agree however that it is up to the student to make the best of his education etc. .

My small state school even has extensive research in ophtho. Finding research in your specialty isn't very hard assuming your school has a residency program.

You are right that having a residency there will make research easier. Once you have that, I would argue that a lesser-known school will give you more research opportunities. At my state school, few students want to do research (not a research powerhouse by any means), therefore those that want to do research have the pick of the litter. We literally have case reports and clinical research thrown at us if we are willing to write it up.

 

[Mandiblespeaks]

My small state school even has extensive research in ophtho. Finding research in your specialty isn't very hard assuming your school has a residency program.

You are right that having a residency there will make research easier. Once you have that, I would argue that a lesser-known school will give you more research opportunities. At my state school, few students want to do research (not a research powerhouse by any means), therefore those that want to do research have the pick of the litter. We literally have case reports and clinical research thrown at us if we are willing to write it up.

 

[slowbutsteady]

I was accepted to three of those: Case, BU and GW.

Because I, like so many of us, am a bit of a sucker for rankings, I would have chosen Case, except for it being in Cleveland.

I chose BU over Case because it's in Boston and because the BU interview day was the best of my 10 interviews.

It has far exceeded my expectations and I know I made the perfect choice for me.