Definitely a tough call. I am also currently trying to decide between Netter and another school with its own associated teaching hospital (will be posting my own thread momentarily haha) so while I can't speak on PSU, I'll weigh in on Netter FWIW.
Based on speaking to current students, a few quick facts on Netter which could either sway you toward / away from it depending on your priorities:
- Doesn't really have much in the way of home residency programs, whereas PSU does. However, this also means you get more 1:1 time with attendings / are often learning from them, so on some rotations you can function similar to an intern level of involvement as a student (as opposed to those tasks being taken by residents).
- Definitely a ton of driving; many students cite commutes of 60 min each way are not uncommon (pretty universally a con, however, all schools have at least some faraway rotations-- nevertheless, PSU probably wins out here).
- The MeSH program is a HUGE plus for Netter and a huge draw for me. Allows for very close 1:1 physician mentorship and very early real-life patient exposure that I have thus far not seen paralleled at any of my schools. You are in there every single week actively examining real patients. Graduating students say that it was noticed that they seemed better prepared for residency than other students. If being a clinician is your first priority, (As it is for me) this is a huge plus and I would compare it against whatever PSU offers to see if it measures up. At many schools with opportunities like this, you are in there a lot more infrequently / not nearly as involved (i.e. just shadowing, not putting your stethoscope on the patient).
- In regards to no on-campus housing, this is a con for me as well; however, I hear from upper-years that it's a very close-knit community and they never feel isolated. Moreover, the majority live in East Rock so you run into fellow classmates all the time and regularly spend time at others' apartments (I'm told).
- Despite its lack of name recognition, Netter does well in the Match. I've attached its last 4 match lists. Most competitive specialties are highlighted yellow, and top-10 programs are highlighted green (mostly in FM / primary-care specialties, but still impressive). At the end of the day, I think performance in the Match speaks for itself. Its lack of recognition is simply due to its newness.
Which one you choose depends on your priorities. For me, I have more interest in an urban, diverse, especially low SES population, so Netter is good for this. As the above commenter mentioned, PSU is likely going to give you more exposure to a more rural population.
PSU and Netter both seem to be similar in that they both have a primary-care slant.
