reasons to not goto a top 20 school

[abraxas20]

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money. location. money. decent school. money. husband. money.

 

[a_student]

i'm talking med schools here. maybe the girls i saw were just there by chance and not representative of the school as a whole, but the girls at 2 of the 4 top 20 schools i've interviewed at are without question the hoooottttest!!! 😉

i'm curious which two were they?

 

[drguy22]

i'm curious which two were they?

meee too

 

[tigress]

but really, what are the top 20? I mean, I can go to usnews.com and get the "rankings" as easily as anybody, but what do those rankings mean? If prestige is important in getting into top residency programs (IF it's important), are the schools that USNews ranks top 20 really the highest prestige? What I'm saying is -- do those rankings reflect any sort of reality?

 

[drguy22]

but really, what are the top 20? I mean, I can go to usnews.com and get the "rankings" as easily as anybody, but what do those rankings mean? If prestige is important in getting into top residency programs (IF it's important), are the schools that USNews ranks top 20 really the highest prestige? What I'm saying is -- do those rankings reflect any sort of reality?

😀

 

[DianaLynne]

I think interviews are really just a way for adcoms to gauge your relative hotness. I'd like to see hotness measured in the MSAR.

 

[a_student]

I think interviews are really just a way for adcoms to gauge your relative hotness. I'd like to see hotness measured in the MSAR.

dude i'll bet u good looking ppl have better time at interviews

i mean look at the average interviewer and the average accepted

for some reason the accepted ones are always better looking...

 

[tigress]

dude i'll bet u good looking ppl have better time at interviews

i mean look at the average interviewer and the average accepted

for some reason the accepted ones are always better looking...

okay this is a serious question - do you think it would be immediate rejection if a woman was pregnant at her interview?
and yah, probably if you're really ugly it's harder to get in...poor ugly people (oh wait, maybe I'm one 😕 )

 

[BigRedPingpong]

ah, exposure good...lack of willingness to let you practice, bad.

Yeah.. Good comeback. You must be really smart. I must have forgotten that those harvard kids aren't allowed to touch patients...That's why they match half their kids to Mass gen and UCSF.

 

[constructor]

i'm curious which two were they?

ucsd and columbia.

 

[SarahGM]

ucsd and columbia.

Yeah Columbia... of course, I could have told anyone that myself 😉

Y'all should check out our orientation pics

http://cait.columbia.edu:88/dept/ps/2008/media/photo.htm

 

[Rendar5]

I've got a lot more things to worry about than the name of my school. the top schools tend to be nicer, but that's just a general tendency. Drawing a line in the sand at 20 seems a bit silly to me. I liked most of the top schools, but also liked ones that weren't at the top. I got into a top 20 (Pittsburgh, i think it's up there), and decided to go to a top 40 school (Einstein). Main factor for me was geographic location. I loved both schools, honestly.

If you want to go into research, then please pay attention to the rankings. Otherwise, I think it's stupid to pay attention to the ranking without looking at the school as a whole. Go at the place you're most comfortable, not the place that the almight US News & World Report deigns worthy.

 

[constructor]

actually, the pictures kind of make me sad. those aren't the girls i saw there.

Yeah Columbia... of course, I could have told anyone that myself 😉

Y'all should check out our orientation pics

http://cait.columbia.edu:88/dept/ps/2008/media/photo.htm

 

[Shaz]

I'm Southern.

You have not even begun to hear me butcher the English language. 😀

ha!

 

[a_student]

ha!

i can't believe everyone took this thread seriously, get a sense of humor ppl this thread was a joke!

 

[dr.z]

Because you didn't get into a top 20 school!

👍

 

[calstudent]

another question is: where do you draw the line?
top 10 school? top 20? top 25?
it's all relative (didn't einstein say something like that? 🙂)

 

[USCTex]

I know this post is a joke but...

Not for myself but for others to consider: Since most AOA chapters have caps on % of the class that can be AOA its prob slightly easier to get AOA at a non-top 20 or 50 school. Personally, I'd rather be AOA when interviewing for residency than middle of the pack from a top 20.

Seriously its hard to quantify and rate things at schools except research - dollars and noble laureates, etc.

 

[kappasigMD41]

lets start a thread of the reasons why one shouldn't goto a top 20 school,

i'll start:

girls are better lookin at lower tier schools 👍

While probably somewhat true, that is a pretty dumb reason. My reason was simple: $$$$$$. Other than mayo, they are much more expensive than my state school.

 

[DrYo12]

Yeah.. Good comeback. You must be really smart.

The best judge of intellect--when someone resorts to insulting another person. Well done, BigRed.

 

[45408]

Yeah Columbia... of course, I could have told anyone that myself 😉

Y'all should check out our orientation pics

http://cait.columbia.edu:88/dept/ps/2008/media/photo.htm

whoa, not bad.

 

[BigRedPingpong]

The best judge of intellect--when someone resorts to insulting another person. Well done, BigRed.

Ooo...I'm bedazzled by the deep, philosophical bullsh1t you just pulled out of some special ed, make-feel-warm-and-fuzzy, lets-be-PC sh1t you saw on sesame street.

 

[Premedtomed]

another question is: where do you draw the line?
top 10 school? top 20? top 25?
it's all relative (didn't einstein say something like that? 🙂)

How about top 50?

C'mon ppl.

 

[lane]

whoa, not bad.

Texas chicks > *

 

[krelian]

sure, CA and NY tend to have good looking people. but i've been quite impressed by the southern schools during interviews. southern belles = hawt 👍

 

[DrYo12]

Ooo...I'm bedazzled by the deep, philosophical bullsh1t you just pulled out of some special ed, make-feel-warm-and-fuzzy, lets-be-PC sh1t you saw on sesame street.

I love you too... 😍

 

[MWillie]

I would go to a top ten school ten times out of ten over a fifty-something or unranked school.

 

[futuremsfdoc]

I would go to a top ten school ten times out of ten over a fifty-something or unranked school.

yup.

 

[USCTex]

sure, CA and NY tend to have good looking people. but i've been quite impressed by the southern schools during interviews. southern belles = hawt 👍

Coming from Texas and other southern sates and doing undergrad in cali...there is no doubt...southern girls are the hottest by far.

 

[wendywellesley]

Yeah Columbia... of course, I could have told anyone that myself 😉

Y'all should check out our orientation pics

http://cait.columbia.edu:88/dept/ps/2008/media/photo.htm

very cute 🙂 i want to go to columbia!

I have a question about residencies-
say i want to do cardiology, nephrology or endocrinology. i would apply to internal medicine (medicine) then do a fellowship for a speciality? i'm assuming medicine isn't very competitive, is that right?

 

[MadameLULU]

very cute 🙂 i want to go to columbia!

I have a question about residencies-
say i want to do cardiology, nephrology or endocrinology. i would apply to internal medicine (medicine) then do a fellowship for a speciality? i'm assuming medicine isn't very competitive, is that right?

yes, you would take that path (IM residency and then a fellowship). I think IM residencies at the "top notch" schools are competitive, but I don't think its too hard to land an IM residency anywhere else. However, if you want to do a fellowship, I think its better to go to a "top notch" residency. Check out the IM general forum.

 

[paco]

yes, you would take that path (IM residency and then a fellowship). I think IM residencies at the "top notch" schools are competitive, but I don't think its too hard to land an IM residency anywhere else. However, if you want to do a fellowship, I think its better to go to a "top notch" residency. Check out the IM general forum.

Probably the wrong place to ask this, but if one does do a cardiology fellowship (for example) after an Internal Med residency, how much different is this fellowship from going straight to a cardio residency in the first place?

edit: hmmm. is there such thing as a dermatology subspecialty after doing IM residency? Or maybe surgery? Or does IM automatically funnel you into a very specific set of them?

 

[futuremsfdoc]

Probably the wrong place to ask this, but if one does do a cardiology fellowship (for example) after an Internal Med residency, how much different is this fellowship from going straight to a cardio residency in the first place?

i don't think you can do a straight cardio path. i think it's a 3+3 deal. if i'm not mistaken, all medicine specialties are like that.

 

[MadameLULU]

edit: hmmm. is there such thing as a dermatology subspecialty after doing IM residency? Or maybe surgery? Or does IM automatically funnel you into a very specific set of them?

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. If you want to do surgery after you do an IM residency, you have to start from fresh and do a surgery residency. The two fields require different training. The same goes for Derm. However, there are some derm/im residency programs (about 3 in the country). About your 3rd question, the answer is yes. If you do an IM residency, you can apply to fellowships under IM (cardiology, gastro, hem/onc, rheumatology....the list goes on)

 

[calstudent]

hmmmm, i think surgery is generally 5 years of general, followed by fellowships
unless it is ENT or neuro, which are a total of 5 years and one of general.
check out the following website:
http://medicine.wustl.edu/~residenc/outside/spec/byspec.html

 

[paco]

hmmmm, i think surgery is generally 5 years of general, followed by fellowships
unless it is ENT or neuro, which are a total of 5 years and one of general.
check out the following website:
http://medicine.wustl.edu/~residenc/outside/spec/byspec.html

That's a great link, calstud. Thanks! Hours/wk and mean/median salaries and everything!

Sorry to steer off topic. I think the biggest issue for me is prestige vs cost. How much extra do you pay to go to a top 10/20/50 school vs a less prestigious (and therefore less well funded, facultied, etc) cheaper in-state option?

 

[Shaz]

hmmmm, i think surgery is generally 5 years of general, followed by fellowships
unless it is ENT or neuro, which are a total of 5 years and one of general.
check out the following website:
http://medicine.wustl.edu/~residenc/outside/spec/byspec.html

Sweet website. Too sweet.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

Warning on that one: It's not terribly accurate as far as salaries go.

Physician salaries are hard to classify. There is a great deal of variation.

 

[Cat's Meow]

Hi all. Someone might have posted this already, but what are the top twenty schools???

 

[MWillie]

I think people usually mean 1-20 on the US News research rankings when they say top twenty. That means Harvard to Northwestern, too bad for Mayo and Pritzker ahaha.

 

[Cat's Meow]

I think people usually mean 1-20 on the US News research rankings when they say top twenty. That means Harvard to Northwestern, too bad for Mayo and Pritzker ahaha.

Why isn't primary care factored into this evaluation? Why only research?

Just curious 😕

 

[Rendar5]

Cause big name schools aren't in that top 20 list, plus the ranking parameters are even more dubious and center on primary care without considering specialties.

 

[wendywellesley]

Why isn't primary care factored into this evaluation? Why only research?

Just curious 😕

it's a separate ranking. US news does a research list and a primary care list.

 

[Cat's Meow]

Cause big name schools aren't in that top 20 list, plus the ranking parameters are even more dubious and center on primary care without considering specialties.

But when you say "big name schools aren't in that {primary care} top 20 list," I think: "Hmm...if we based medical school rankings on primary care, then we would have a new top 20. And we don't base rankings on research cause big name schools aren't in that {research} top 20 list."

But your point about primary care ranking methods is well taken.

 

[Cat's Meow]

it's a separate ranking. US news does a research list and a primary care list.

So why not have a third "overall ranking" incorporating quality of patient care, hospital quality, teaching quality, and research. Why should only research be the only hallmark of a top 20 medical school?

 

[lawmd]

Cat's Meow-there are tons of politics in it, and as you see, it doesn't make any sense. Don't get hung up on it, it really doesn't matter.
As you will eventually see-there are students at top 20 schools who simply suck, and people at bottom tier schools who will blow your socks away.
two students from my school went to AMSA several years ago and placed 1st and 2nd in kaplan's little mini step 1 contest. both are doing optho. both went to a "non top-20" school.

Also-you will meet tons of people who say they will only go to a top 20 school and not get into anywhere. I work with some of them now, many who snubbed my school-they never made it into medical school. Pride is a dangerous thing...

 

[Cat's Meow]

Cat's Meow-there are tons of politics in it, and as you see, it doesn't make any sense. Don't get hung up on it, it really doesn't matter.
As you will eventually see-there are students at top 20 schools who simply suck, and people at bottom tier schools who will blow your socks away.
two students from my school went to AMSA several years ago and placed 1st and 2nd in kaplan's little mini step 1 contest. both are doing optho. both went to a "non top-20" school.

Also-you will meet tons of people who say they will only go to a top 20 school and not get into anywhere. I work with some of them now, many who snubbed my school-they never made it into medical school. Pride is a dangerous thing...

Thanks for the honest feedback 👍

God bless and good luck!

🙂 😀 👍

PS--it's nice to see someone who isn't a "name *****"!

 

[MWillie]

As you will eventually see-there are students at top 20 schools who simply suck, and people at bottom tier schools who will blow your socks away.

That doesn't mean all schools are equal. There are reasons the top is considered the top.

Also-you will meet tons of people who say they will only go to a top 20 school and not get into anywhere. I work with some of them now, many who snubbed my school-they never made it into medical school. Pride is a dangerous thing

Yup, those people sound pretty lame to me. They shouldn't be saying anything unless they have the goods to get in.

 

[constructor]

Thanks for the honest feedback 👍

God bless and good luck!

🙂 😀 👍

PS--it's nice to see someone who isn't a "name *****"!

isn't it obvious why someone who didn't go to a top 20 wouldn't be a name *****??

 

[Cat's Meow]

isn't it obvious why someone who didn't go to a top 20 wouldn't be a name *****??

i am not familiar with the poster lawmd, so i don't know what school s/he goes to 😕

but all i am saying is that those rankings seem sketchy. i mean there is a lot more to a medical school's quality than its research alone, no? that is why i liked lawmd's post 🙂