Pleeeeease x 100 help me decide: UMass vs. Emory vs. Netter

[strawberry_donuts_]

Hi everyone! First time posting on SDN, but I would appreciate thoughts on choosing a medical school. I'm extremely grateful to have multiple acceptances, and it's just a matter of figuring out where I would be the happiest and the healthiest. We're talking vibes, my dudes, I know I will do my best to succeed no matter where I am. I am also on 2 WLs (Hofstra and UConn, which is my state school) so I plan on staying on those WLs and potentially sending a LOI to Hofstra (UConn doesn't accept LOIs).

I'm not sure what speciality I would want to go into (I'm thinking internal medicine (think gastro, oncology, etc.), but I'm truly very open to whatever. I'm also waiting to hear about financial aid packages, but I know I'll be in debt regardless so it'll be fine /s.

UMass (tuition, OOS = ~$65,000)
Pros:

• True P/F pre-clinical
• Students seemed so chill, friendly, fun, happy, and welcoming
  • This is the vibe I'm going for, not trying to screw over my classmates, I want to be friends and be happy!
• Research seems strong, I think they just recently got a huge NIH grant (correct me if I'm wrong though)
• Solid mid-ish tier school
• People primarily match in MA/New England/NY (which is where I want to end up)
• Exams are 1/2 in-house, 1/2 NMBE (good for STEP 1/2)
• Wide variety of volunteer clinics
• Closer to home (would be ~2 hours from my hometown)
• Worcester seems like an up-and-coming city with a balance of suburb and city life, and it's close to the mountains (I like to hike and I don't go out very often); can go to Boston for the weekend

Cons:

• I don't quality for in-state tuition (you need to have lived in the state for 7 years which I have not)
• New curriculum in place for my incoming class
  • Which seems fine, I actually do like the structure of the new curriculum a lot since it gives you time after each block if you need to remediate, and if you don't, then you can take the week to relax and recover, whatever you need
• Thoughts on Worcester? It's up-and-coming, but it's not Boston or anything (which I do like Boston!)

Emory (tuition = ~$52,000)
Pros:

• True P/F pre-clinical
• Close to the CDC which could lead to potentially good research opportunities (I want to get into more epidemiology, public health, social determinants of health research)
• Higher "status" of school (top 25ish? Which matters to me, kind of?)
• Wide variety of volunteer clinics
• Dual degree options (open to also getting an MPH but not 100% committed to the idea)
• Cheaper tuition compared to other schools by about ~$12,000/year
  • Not sure if this makes a difference in the long-term
• Warmer weather
• Some support system (aunt, uncle, and cousin going to Mercer)

Cons:

• Scarily far from home
  • I was and raised in New England, went to school here
  • I have some family in Atlanta, but I'm very close to my mom and dad as an only child and the thought of them being so far scares the living **** out of me to be honest
  • I also dislike planes and it's like a ~16 hr road trip
• Maybe self-selecting but a lot of people end up in the South for residency
  • I plan to go back up north
• Exams are more in-house and don't focus on NMBE for pre-clinical years and students have expressed they feel unprepared/on their own when studying for STEP
  • Apparently they're working on changing this though
• Students seemed nice enough but something didn't really feel right? One student was pretty cold and short/snippy when I wanted to talk to her about her experience, others were nice enough but nothing outstanding

Netter (tuition = ~$62,000)
Pros:

• True P/F pre-clinical
• Very close to home/primary support system
  • Could live in New Haven (which I've lived in for the past 4 years in undergrad, and I love it)
• Very good match list given that it's a lower-tier MD school
• Capstone research projects and the various pathways seem very interesting

Cons:

• Seems primary care focused
  • This isn't bad, not sure what I want to do yet but I want to keep options open
• No close-by clinical rotation sites (you're going to be driving every where ~30-45 min away for rotations)
  • This one is a huge turn off to me
• Research doesn't seem very strong in-house
  • Only 10 students through lottery selection can do research at Yale, given the location
• Even though I like how it's close to home, it seems too close if that makes sense?
  • I went to Yale undergrad so I am very familiar with this landscape

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[Mikiras]

Seems like UMass is the place for you based on your own list. I could practically feel your fear of being far from home with Emory

 

[thatonegrrl]

UMass or Emory sound like your best choices. I'd probably go Emory personally, just on cost, but that's a higher priority for me than it sounds like it is for you. But I've lived in the Worcester area and actually really liked it, even though people poo-poo it.

 

[JohnJacobJingleheimer]

Disclaimer: Emory alum here so I’m biased.

Comes down to UMass or Emory here. Honestly, I’m having a tough time recommending you choose the worse of the 2 schools and pay 50k more for it in the end. Boston COL is also MUCH higher than that of Atlanta. I too am from the Northeast, and absolutely loved my time there. In terms of prestige, Emory is a full on T20 research powerhouse; its reputation is strongest in the south and along the east coast. Seeing that a HUGE amount of its undergrad population is from the tristate area, it has a strong reputation in the northeast. I think you’d have zero problem matching back home.

That being said, if you truly feel you will not be supported there and will ultimately be miserable, the prestige and 50k ain’t worth it. I do think it’s very important to step out of your comfort zone, however; this is typically where we can experience the most personal growth and learn a lot about ourselves. If you think you can embrace the independence and step up to the potential adversity you might face, do it. If you really think your performance and happiness will likely be negatively impacted by the distance from your family, that’s totally ok. UMass is a solid option, and your career goals are more than achievable from there.

Just a thought, though.. you could fly your family down every other month and spend far less than the 50k difference doing so, and still attend the better school. It seems you just might be able to have your cake and eat it too. Plus, I do miss that sweet ATL weather and the city is awesome.

There’s no wrong decision here… follow your gut here (and this is coming from someone who is a biggg logic over intuition guy). Congrats and good luck to you!!!

 

[chilly_md]

I agree with the above in that it’s probably between UMass and Emory. If you have family in Atlanta, this might be your best way of exploring a new area. And becoming more accustomed to planes. If you want to pursue gastro, oncology or other specialities, it might be good to become more comfortable going farther down the East Coast now rather than face that problem later.

 

[NotAWalrus]

Current UMass student -- sounds like you've got good options! I interviewed at Emory and loved it, but now that I'm at UMass I think it's a really great fit. I agree with everything that's been said above, except that Worcester COL is lower than Boston, esp if you're willing to live with roommates (though not sure how it compares to Atlanta). Emory is a strong institution, no question; at the same time, med school is hard enough as it is, and there's no shame in picking UMass if you want to be closer to your support network. You can't really go wrong, and (plane trips aside) you'll be able to step out of your comfort zone wherever you go. Feel free to DM me if you want to chat more about UMass

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

COL anywhere in Massachusetts is more than COL in Atlanta.

I would go Emory. Stronger program + cheaper on all fronts.

 

[Med Ed]

Cut the umbilical cord and go to Emory.

Grady Memorial Hospital is an amazing place.

 

[skimm]

Your con about Emory being far from home should honestly be a pro based on how averse you are. Time to fly the coop methinks.

 

[LunaOri]

There’s no shame in valuing your family more than you value prestige. Unless your parents are able to fly down to Atlanta regularly, you may be happier being in Worcester.

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

You sound like a true blue New Englander. No shame in staying there and going to U Mass if you are willing to afford the higher cost. Go with your gut!

 

[Apple Jacks]

Emory is the better program but if you think you’ll be happier at UMass and being close to family is that important to you then go there!

 

[JohnJacobJingleheimer]

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for everyone's feedback! My mind is pretty made up: I'm going to Atlanta, baby!
I think I need a change, Emory is the better program, and I could always go back to the Northeast if I want to be back for residency. I also really like having a bigger city "option" in the sense there are so many things to do in Atlanta where it could be exciting and I don't have to live directly in the city. It makes sense, and I want to be excited about a big change in my life.

Thank you again for everyone's suggestions and thoughts, and good luck to all those who are deciding themselves or are embarking on the medical school application journey this cycle!

Props for pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. I think you’ll come to be happy with your decision and a more well rounded person for it. IMO you made the right choice. Congrats and enjoy ATL!!!

 

[strawberry_donuts_]

(Repost because I accidentally deleted my comment)

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for everyone's feedback! My mind is pretty made up: I'm going to Atlanta, baby!
I think I need a change, Emory is the better program, and I could always go back to the Northeast if I want to be back for residency. I also really like having a bigger city "option" in the sense there are so many things to do in Atlanta where it could be exciting and I don't have to live directly in the city. It makes sense, and I want to be excited about a big change in my life.

Thank you again for everyone's suggestions and thoughts, and good luck to all those who are deciding themselves or are embarking on the medical school application journey this cycle!

 

[Dral]

Yes, it's just four years (or 5 if you did the MPH). If you're well off emotionally and from a mental health perspective, the move shouldn't do much since you'll be occupied with how busy you'll be studying.

Emory has the potential to open up more doors. That was my vote. Also agree you'll get a great experience at Grady. I did derm residency in NYC and saw a lot of underserved patients. It really does enrich you as a provider.

 

[strawberry_donuts_]

Props for pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. I think you’ll come to be happy with your decision and a more well rounded person for it. IMO you made the right choice. Congrats and enjoy ATL!!!

Thanks so much for this encouraging comment! I'm hoping for the best and looking forward to it!

 

[strawberry_donuts_]

Yes, it's just four years (or 5 if you did the MPH). If you're well off emotionally and from a mental health perspective, the move shouldn't do much since you'll be occupied with how busy you'll be studying.

Emory has the potential to open up more doors. That was my vote. Also agree you'll get a great experience at Grady. I did derm residency in NYC and saw a lot of underserved patients. It really does enrich you as a provider.

That was my similar mindset as well: I've heard nothing but great things about training at Grady and with such an extensive hospital system, it would be a tiny bit silly not to pass this up. I want to be in a diverse place and address diverse needs. Thanks so much for your input and your support!

 

[Dral]

I went to UVA (top 30-ish) and it really does help in my opinion. It's not necessary but the name does help. I know people seem to over emphasize name on SDN, but there's something to it within reason. When I was interviewing for residency, I was rubbing elbows with folks from UPenn, Harvard, Yale interviewing at places like Cornell, NYU, Hopkins, etc.

It is a separate tier for some things. Not a direct cut off, but there's something to it for sure. Emory lies around that tier for sure.

Anyway, there, hopefully that helps solidify your decision. You'll have time off on breaks to fly home. It'll work out fine.

 

[Banco]

If it makes you feel better, it's only 4 years, you won't have trouble matching back in the NE, and ATL is like the busiest airport in the country - should be pretty easy to find flights back home for weekends/extended breaks. Just pop a xanax beforehand.