Rutgers-RWJMS or Tulane?

[ZymurgySurfer]

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Which would you choose and why?

 

[Follow the Cairns]

Depends.

Need more info. Where are you from? What are your interests, hobbies? Have you ever spent time in New Orleans? It's a very unique and interesting place to live. It's not for everyone. I know, because I went to grad school there. I can't comment on what RWJMS is like.

Any idea what specialties you might be interested in and how Tulane and RWJMS compare with each other? Substantive cost difference between the two for tuition or COL? Sorry, just generating questions so subsequent posters an provide more detailed responses.

 

[ZymurgySurfer]

From Nj so RWJMS would be ~15k a year cheaper potentially. I'm interested in ortho but am definitely keeping an open mind as far as specialties.

 

[MedWonk]

Not knowing anything else about you or reasons to consider Tulane, I would go for RWJMS. I will say that NOLA is pretty awesome, IMO, but I don't know that it's worth the CoA of Tulane unless there's something about NOLA and that school in particular that is drawing you there that you can't get through RWJMS.

 

[KinasePro]

Tulane will give you a better clinical experience probably, but not sure its worth $15k x 4. Go wherever your life will be easier, then go beast mode for 3 yrs and ortho will be in the bag.

 

[Slack3r]

Neither of these schools are much better than the other. Go to the cheaper one.

 

[ZymurgySurfer]

What about if MUSC was suddenly thrown into the mix. Also assuming that RWJMS and MUSC came out to approximately the same COA

 

[Follow the Cairns]

Again, knowing very little about RWJMS (other than it's in your home state and has a good reputation), so throwing them out of the equation.....

I would think Tulane has a better reputation (or certainly name recognition) nationally. MUSC is a good, solid institution, though more of a regional reputation.

For living, I would actually opt for Charleston over NOLA. It's like a smaller, more genteel, much cleaner version of New Orleans. Old historical city with beautiful architecture, wonderful food and a surprisingly large array of cultural offerings. And, you are on the water. It's also a college town and the student population is large. OTOH, it's a pricey town and I would say a higher COL than NOLA.

These are good problems to have. Good luck with your decision 🙂

 

[Slack3r]

What about if MUSC was suddenly thrown into the mix. Also assuming that RWJMS and MUSC came out to approximately the same COA

Again, go with whichever is cheaper and has the most flexible 3rd year schedule (ie more time for electives). Reputation isn't a huge factor when all the schools are pretty middle-of-the-road.

 

[sazerac]

There is no way a Tulane medical degree is worth $60K more than another school's degree, no matter what your interests are.

If New Orleans got into your nerves and your blood and the very fiber of your being, then pay the premium to go to Tulane, because 20 years from now you'll want to reminisce about that unique experience in your life instead of wondering what might have been.

If New Orleans was just a dysfunctional city with a severe crime and infrastructure problem, then run far far away.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

If money means anything to you, Tulane is overpriced.
Oddly, their out of state prestige seems to be greater than their in state prestige. No I can not back this up with evidence, it's all anecdotal, but strange either way.

 

[Follow the Cairns]

There is no way a Tulane medical degree is worth $60K more than another school's degree, no matter what your interests are.

If New Orleans got into your nerves and your blood and the very fiber of your being, then pay the premium to go to Tulane, because 20 years from now you'll want to reminisce about that unique experience in your life instead of wondering what might have been.

If New Orleans was just a dysfunctional city with a severe crime and infrastructure problem, then run far far away.

How perfectly put, Sazerac. Of course, you know, like I do, it's both those things.

And Whipple is right about the fact that it seems to have a better national reputation than even locally, although there is no way to quantify that.

OP, have all of us well acquainted with New Orleans convinced you to eliminate Tulane yet, LOL?

 

[Smurfette]

Moving to School Specific discussions where this is more appropriate and others can weigh in.

 

[peyton91]

Which would you choose?

Tulane

and why?

Because Nola f*cking rocks, and if you're really gonna do ortho then $15k/ year is chump change

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

and if you're really gonna do ortho then $15k/ year is chump change

I like how you phrase it as if everyone can just pick which ever specialty they want. Also, you realize it's not going to be 15k/year or 60k after 5 years of residency, right?

So let's look at the flip side, what if he/she ends up in primary care making 200k a year, that extra 60+5 years of interest is a pretty brutal debt load.

 

[peyton91]

I like how you phrase it

thank you 🙂

 

[sazerac]

That $60Kwill turn into, what, $180K if you pay it back slowly? It's not a brutal burden, it's about 1 additional year of earnings. Is going to New Orleans worth losing a year of salary on the back end?

It's a personal decision. For me the answer was yes, but only the OP can decide for themselves.

For some of us, Nola f*cking rocks.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

That $69Kwill turn into, what, $180K if you pay it back slowly? It's not a brutal burden, it's about 1 additional year of earnings. Is going to New Orleans worth losing a year of salary on the back end?

Hmm, aren't we talking about an EXTRA 69k+interest on top of the normal debt burden (his state shool)? An extra 69k is over 2 years of tuition at my state school, that's pretty brutal.
I'm not sure how you're coming up with your numbers either.

 

[ZymurgySurfer]

As much as I loved NOLA, I was thinking of possible ways to justify the increased debt burden, and I simply can't. As far as MUSC vs. RWJMS, ignoring cost, are there any compelling reasons one is better than the other?