RFU vs Upsate vs UMiami vs VCU

[jaycee]

Hey all,

Im one of the lucky ones thats holding onto more than one acceptance and have started to withdraw from some schools. Being an OOS student (cali), the only impressions of the schools I got are from the interview day. So I'd like to hear what people think about these schools strengths/weaknesses.

Heres what I got from my interviews.
Miami- I loved Dr. Hinkley, Jackson Memorial was amazing and the clinical experience was raved about. Lots of research opps too supposedly. Miami itself is beautiful and reminded me of being on vacation in Hawaii

RFU- Chicago was great, downtown especially. Reputation sounds great in working in Cooks County etc. I wonder if it would be better/worst that the Miami area. It also kinda sucks that RFU is considered the lesser liked among the Chicago schools and the idea of 2 years in North Chicago wasnt terribly appealing...but downtown! Great facilities at the campus too, though very quiet.

Upstate- instate tuition sounds awesome after a year. Very friendly class, seems like a solid program but with a push for primary care maybe.

VCU- This day was very short and I didnt get too much of a feeling for the area since I was hopping around the Coast on a string of interviews. Has a great cancer center and friendly people.

Any other thoughts about these schools in relation to each other? How are the rankings between them too? (even though they dont mean that much)
so help a confused cali kid choose his future school!

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[Robizzle]

305 MIA-YO hands down!

 

[EctopicFetus]

im from MIA went to RFU and am now in AZ for residency (#1 choice baby)..

Honestly go where it is cheapest for you. Plain and simple. All options will be open regardless of what the pre-meds say your options will be wide open no matter where you end up!

 

[EctopicFetus]

I dont check this often, if you have Qs PM me.

 

[Orthodoc40]

Sounds like you liked Miami & Upstate the best. I'd narrow it down to those 2 at least.

 

[jaycee]

Hm I'd have to say I really liked Miami and Chicago. Upstate was a tad less urbany than I'd like. Any thoughts about their programs though?

 

[Orthodoc40]

Hm I'd have to say I really liked Miami and Chicago. Upstate was a tad less urbany than I'd like.

Being from CA, you'd probably be more comfy in FL than IL, plus it seems to me you have no reservations about Miami.

 

[DrZeke]

Hey all,

Im one of the lucky ones thats holding onto more than one acceptance and have started to withdraw from some schools. Being an OOS student (cali), the only impressions of the schools I got are from the interview day. So I'd like to hear what people think about these schools strengths/weaknesses.

Heres what I got from my interviews.
Miami- I loved Dr. Hinkley, Jackson Memorial was amazing and the clinical experience was raved about. Lots of research opps too supposedly. Miami itself is beautiful and reminded me of being on vacation in Hawaii

RFU- Chicago was great, downtown especially. Reputation sounds great in working in Cooks County etc. I wonder if it would be better/worst that the Miami area. It also kinda sucks that RFU is considered the lesser liked among the Chicago schools and the idea of 2 years in North Chicago wasnt terribly appealing...but downtown! Great facilities at the campus too, though very quiet.

Upstate- instate tuition sounds awesome after a year. Very friendly class, seems like a solid program but with a push for primary care maybe.

VCU- This day was very short and I didnt get too much of a feeling for the area since I was hopping around the Coast on a string of interviews. Has a great cancer center and friendly people.

Any other thoughts about these schools in relation to each other? How are the rankings between them too? (even though they dont mean that much)
so help a confused cali kid choose his future school!

I interviewed at Upstate and Miami, but was accepted to Miami and not Upstate.

Personally...I'd pick Upstate, because of the tuition situation. Upstate is the 2nd oldest medical school in the country. The graduates are not limited in terms of matching and the cost of living is also only 12k. Sure the weather blows, but if you like skiing or snowboarding, then it's only 45 minutes away. Also, New York, Montreal, Toronto and Philly are all 5-6 hour drive away.

After you get instate residency, you will be paying a total of 30k/year as opposed to at MIA, even if you get the scholarship for 10k/year, you'll pay 53k/year. I don't think Miami is worth a price different of 23k/year, considering Upstate is still an established med school where you will get a solid education. Though research oppps may not be as amazing as MIA, they still have plenty.

 

[Scottish Chap]

I interviewed at Upstate and Miami, but was accepted to Miami and not Upstate.

Personally...I'd pick Upstate, because of the tuition situation. Upstate is the 2nd oldest medical school in the country.

Not the second oldest in the U.S. Founded in 1834, Upstate is only the second oldest medical school in New York State (after Columbia P & S), but I agree it's a GREAT school with a VERY strong clinical program, and outstanding faculty. Moreover, the students are happy which tells you a lot.

 

[MrBurns10]

I really liked UM when I interviewed last year and almost went there...their clinical training sounds great and the weather was a big plus to me as well. However, one of my best friends is an MS1 there now and hates it...the curriculum, the administration, everything. Someone on this board (not him) was actually complaining about the curriculum big time and about how the administration doesn't seem to care how the students are affected by their "poor" implementation of it. I really have no firsthand experience so these are just the words of a couple students and I'm sure you can find students that love UM...but it seems like their clinical training is far more revered than their basic science training. Anyway, I would suggest asking lots of students if you can their honest opinions about UM, as well as the other schools you listed. In the end, go where you're most comfortable.

 

[yeeseng]

Rep aside, Rosalind Franklin teaches histology without a wet lab (all on computers). I don't quite like that idea, how can you learn histology without lab experience?

On the other hand, I interviewed at upstate. I love the school. Very friendly environment and syracuse is such a charming town.

 

[DrZeke]

I really liked UM when I interviewed last year and almost went there...their clinical training sounds great and the weather was a big plus to me as well. However, one of my best friends is an MS1 there now and hates it...the curriculum, the administration, everything. Someone on this board (not him) was actually complaining about the curriculum big time and about how the administration doesn't seem to care how the students are affected by their "poor" implementation of it. I really have no firsthand experience so these are just the words of a couple students and I'm sure you can find students that love UM...but it seems like their clinical training is far more revered than their basic science training. Anyway, I would suggest asking lots of students if you can their honest opinions about UM, as well as the other schools you listed. In the end, go where you're most comfortable.

Burns, for that reason I'm starting to take the Boca campus more seriously. Their students have minimal complaints about their pre-clinical education. I think pre-clinical education is still important, because I keep hearing it can help for the boards.

 

[MrBurns10]

Burns, for that reason I'm starting to take the Boca campus more seriously. Their students have minimal complaints about their pre-clinical education. I think pre-clinical education is still important, because I keep hearing it can help for the boards.

I thought they had the exact same curriculum...do you mean the small-group learning makes for a better experience, or do they actually have different schedules?

And congrats for getting close to a decision! Are you still looking at other places?

 

[DrZeke]

I thought they had the exact same curriculum...do you mean the small-group learning makes for a better experience, or do they actually have different schedules?

And congrats for getting close to a decision! Are you still looking at other places?

LOL we've overtaken the thread. They have changed the curriculum, check it out yo!

http://med.fau.edu/biomedical/ummsm_rmc/undergrad_meded.html

All four years are now done at FAU with up to 6 months of rotations during 3rd and 4th year spent at Jackson. The first FAU class to take the boards already scored a 230 average. They will be making use of the simulation center, 10hrs/week PBL, 10hrs/week lecture, 10hrs/week free study. That's supposed to be the new design and it's going to be a highly mentored, yet student oriented and student responsible curriculum. I dunno...looks promising, but then again I'm very confused.

That's my only acceptance and then I'm on two waitlists. I don't care, LOL, hindsight is twenty/twenty and I found out I could have been a lot clearer on my AMCAS application. Ultimately, had I filled it out better, I would have done better this application cycle. At this point, an acceptance is making me very happy.

 

[jaycee]

Rep aside, Rosalind Franklin teaches histology without a wet lab (all on computers). I don't quite like that idea, how can you learn histology without lab experience?

On the other hand, I interviewed at upstate. I love the school. Very friendly environment and syracuse is such a charming town.

oh! I must have totally missed that. I thought the computer portion was to contribute to the histology learning not substitute a wetlab. thanks

 

[jaycee]

Burns, for that reason I'm starting to take the Boca campus more seriously. Their students have minimal complaints about their pre-clinical education. I think pre-clinical education is still important, because I keep hearing it can help for the boards.

Hm..so are alot of students in their preclinical years at the miami unhappy and not doing quite as well as the Boca Students?

 

[DrZeke]

Hm..so are alot of students in their preclinical years at the miami unhappy and not doing quite as well as the Boca Students?

No...lots of people at main campus are happy. They complained about the constantly changing curriculum.

The Boca students ALL seemed happy and kept commenting about how much the faculty cared about them. There seemed to be a BIT less of this at the main campus, but it's a different style program with more people.

 

[jaycee]

any people that chose one of these schools? I'd like to hear some of your reasons

 

[p9142]

No...lots of people at main campus are happy. They complained about the constantly changing curriculum.

The Boca students ALL seemed happy and kept commenting about how much the faculty cared about them. There seemed to be a BIT less of this at the main campus, but it's a different style program with more people.

That is the exact same read I got when I visited both campuses. In fact, at the Miami campus we had a lunch with interviewees and current students only. The students kept saying that Miami was very weak at basic science. I was shocked to hear this, and I half expected Hinkley to kick down the door and lay down the law. However, once they stopped talking about how poor the first two years were, the older students started talking about how awesome the clinical education was. Clinical education is Miami's huge selling point, and I think that the first two years are much less important anyways. What is really important is how well you do on the boards, and that is something you have control over by how much you study and your own abilities.

 

[DrZeke]

That is the exact same read I got when I visited both campuses. In fact, at the Miami campus we had a lunch with interviewees and current students only. The students kept saying that Miami was very weak at basic science. I was shocked to hear this, and I half expected Hinkley to kick down the door and lay down the law. However, once they stopped talking about how poor the first two years were, the older students started talking about how awesome the clinical education was. Clinical education is Miami's huge selling point, and I think that the first two years are much less important anyways. What is really important is how well you do on the boards, and that is something you have control over by how much you study and your own abilities.

Yeah, funny that we had a similar experience Anyways, I am concerned about pre-clinical education at main campus and wonder if I wouldn't be screwing myself over for the boards by going there. But, then I wonder how I would handle living in Boca with 32 people and being far away from all the relationships and friends I've developed in Miami. I know med school is about going away, but I've only lived here for 2 years and have kind of become attached .

 

[Boris Badenov]

I'm a 4th-year at Miami. I'd pick UM without hesitation over the other three.

To answer your question about rankings, I'd say it's easily the most reputed out of that group. I'd probably peg VCU at #2, Upstate at #3, and RFU last out of those four. That said, none of these schools are top-tier, so you might want to consider things like money and location over things like reputation.

About the match--I don't know why, but we're inordinately specialty-heavy here in the match. Even most who go into IM are planning to do cards/GI over things like primary care. The departments here are extremely inbred; most of the attendings have UM blood, and a good chunk of the med students tend not to want to leave Miami. It's kinda surprising (and disappointing) to watch the top students in my class ranking UM programs #1 on their match lists over the Ivies that they interview at.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. In the end, you'll probably end up coming here; that's what all you cali people do.

 

[p9142]

I'm a 4th-year at Miami. I'd pick UM without hesitation over the other three.

Hey Boris. You, me, and Zeke keep ending up in the same threads. Anyways, can you comment on the issue Zeke and I were discussing in the posts above about people complaining about the first two years at Miami. I think I may have gotten a group of students who just took a test or something, and I would like to know your perspective as a 4th year.

 

[DrBowtie]

How crucial is knowing spanish at MU?

 

[Instatewaiter]

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. In the end, you'll probably end up coming [to miami]; that's what all you cali people do.

I'm an M1 at VCU now. Apparently Cali people flock here. Of the 80 out of state students over a quarter are from Cali alone.

Anyway people here are very friendly and there is a very relaxed atmosphere. Students are really helpful to one another and the administration actually cares what the student have to say about the curriculum. Overall I am very happy here. Richmond is relatively easy to adapt to and really not all that Southern. You'll get decent basic science teaching and excellent clinicals.

Personally I think Chicago and Syracuse would be too cold for me. So I would be between VCU and Miami. But it's a hard decision. If you have questions about VCU feel free to PM me.

 

[MadHopsMD]

miami miami miami...why Dr. Christian Troy went there

 

[dasacohen]

wait can't i make my random miami thread appearance?

I agree with everyone from before, except that inless you are very impoverished, I wouldn't let money be a deciding ultimate factor in your decision. If you throw money out of the equation, I think miami looks best not only in terms of it as a school, but also the clinical opportunities and quality of life are far better (in my opinion) than the other places.