Rush Medical College vs UAB

[atl96chix]

Hello, I have a few days to decide between UAB and Rush. I will be moving with my partner. I am not particularly set on a speciality but leaning towards surgery. I do want to match back in Florida.

Rush Medical College

Pros:

• Chicago is an amazing city and is very exciting to me. My heart is leaning this way. Spent over 4 days there and I could see us living there.
• I connect a lot more with the incoming class (more diverse & friendly)
• Amazing public transport
• Paid summer research internship I plan to do
• Community service oriented institution (Stroger Hospital)
• Cheaper flights back home
• Exams at the end of the block which I like more
• Can stay in Chicago all 4 yrs, do not have to relocate for residency
• Flipped classroom helps me guide my own learning and talk through things with classmates
• EXPLORE program gives me patient facing experiences super early

Cons:

• $40k more in loans over 4 years than UAB
• Not as highly ranked, Rush name not as venerable
• No institutional scholarships
• Will need to sell my car since 2 cars in Chicago doesn’t not make too much sense for us
• Hostile winters for this Floridian
• Worried about matching back in Florida (but heard doing any away rotation may help)
• Pre-clinical are not NBME but professor based

UAB

Pros:

• Higher ranked + more NIH funding
• Better stats when it comes to matching in FL
• Cheapest option for me (got a half tuition scholarship, $40k cheaper than Rush over 4 yrs)
• Health Equity Research Department and community clinic that attract me
• Opportunity to apply for institutional scholarships throughout my time there
• Seems a lot more well-funded (they paid flight & hotel for me)
• The primary care program in Tuscaloosa will allow me to get a lot more hands-on with patients, especially surgery (little to no residents/fellows)
• A climate I am used to
• Pre-clinical NBME exams

Cons:

• I do not feel the vibes are good with the political climate in the state right now, particularly regarding DEI and women’s rights
• Exams every week or every other week which seems too exhausting for me but something I can get used to
• We’ll have to relocate to Tuscaloosa M3-M4
• Not attracted to either city of Tuscaloosa or Birmingham
• Students have told me the school as a whole is not that inclusive and sometimes isolating for URiMs. Hearing students say they regret going here because of this is a major red flag.
• My rotations M3 will be unorthodox with 24 weeks of an integrated block: either full or half days each week in different specialty clinics working with faculty preceptors. We have learning sessions during lunch.

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[fightingillini122]

I chose Rush this cycle over two top 30 schools for a few reasons. I want to match in Chicago and Rush matches very well here. I also love the city of Chicago. That was enough for me to choose this school. You are right in the sense that Rush is not as much of a name brand as UAB might be, but it matches very well. With that being said, I am sure UAB would give you a "better" chance of matching in Florida. However, Rush will absolutely get you where you want to go with the resources and opportunities available there. If you feel the vibes with Rush, go for it. UAB is an awesome program too and I think it's absolutely reasonable to go there if even if feel the vibes a little less given your goals.

 

[atl96chix]

I chose Rush this cycle over two top 30 schools for a few reasons. I want to match in Chicago and Rush matches very well here. I also love the city of Chicago. That was enough for me to choose this school. You are right in the sense that Rush is not as much of a name brand as UAB might be, but it matches very well. With that being said, I am sure UAB would give you a "better" chance of matching in Florida. However, Rush will absolutely get you where you want to go with the resources and opportunities available there. If you feel the vibes with Rush, go for it. UAB is an awesome program too and I think it's absolutely reasonable to go there if even if feel the vibes a little less given your goals.

Thank you!

 

[JungleTrouble]

As a Southerner, I agree with your feeling about the weather. And as a minority, I feel your concern about being in Alabama and heard similar concerns about the isolating nature. I'm on the WL for Rush but it feels like you'd fit in much better there than UAB. To be fair though, maybe it's just a passing feeling and you can adjust. I have a doc I work for right now who did their residency at UAB and they met some good friends there, but the residency could totally be different from med school considering the level of work and respect you might receive. UAB is definitely more well-funded and has more research as a public school and a T30 (something along those lines). From Rush's visit day it seemed like research for competitive specialties wasn't too hard to find. Being in Chicago puts you close to other research as well such as UIC, Pritzker, and Northwestern. I thought that there were institutional scholarships that could be applied for later at Rush but that's a bummer if there aren't any. Lastly, I read the match lists of Rush and a lot tend to be West Coast and NE cause a lot of students come from there, so I am sure with your ties you can come back FL if you want afterward. I think right now it's a matter of deciding between comfort in learning and living style vs prestige/resources + money. You ain't losing either way bro so congratulations!

Also, it's crazy to me that the flights to Chicago would be cheaper than Alabama from Florida.

 

[fightingillini122]

As a Southerner, I agree with your feeling about the weather. And as a minority, I feel your concern about being in Alabama and heard similar concerns about the isolating nature. I'm on the WL for Rush but it feels like you'd fit in much better there than UAB. To be fair though, maybe it's just a passing feeling and you can adjust. I have a doc I work for right now who did their residency at UAB and they met some good friends there, but the residency could totally be different from med school considering the level of work and respect you might receive. UAB is definitely more well-funded and has more research as a public school and a T30 (something along those lines). From Rush's visit day it seemed like research for competitive specialties wasn't too hard to find. Being in Chicago puts you close to other research as well such as UIC, Pritzker, and Northwestern. I thought that there were institutional scholarships that could be applied for later at Rush but that's a bummer if there aren't any. Lastly, I read the match lists of Rush and a lot tend to be West Coast and NE cause a lot of students come from there, so I am sure with your ties you can come back FL if you want afterward. I think right now it's a matter of deciding between comfort in learning and living style vs prestige/resources + money. You ain't losing either way bro so congratulations!

Also, it's crazy to me that the flights to Chicago would be cheaper than Alabama from Florida.

I also want to add that Rush has TONS of research available for every specialty. Current students have told me it is incredibly easy to find a mentor. Rush also funded 100% of applications last year for those who applied for the summer research. Rush is highly respected within the Chicago area so there is plenty of opportunity. Congrats on a very successful cycle and congrats on having two great choices!