RVU vs DMU vs MWU

[GucciKitty]

There seem to be quite a few of these types of threads with quite a few of helpful responses. So I was kind of curious what people thought between these three schools? I enjoyed my time on all three campuses, and there seem to be pros and cons to all three! My main focus is going to the school that will give me the best opportunity to match in an internal medicine residency of my choice. Any thoughts?

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[Mavs88]

I don't think MWU can offer you anything that the other two can't, except a lot more debt...I'd personally go with DMU of these three as it has the best reputation and it's not a for-profit like RVU.

Other than that, all three of them will give you the opportunity for solid board scores and clinical ed. Perhaps location is a big factor cause those are 3 very different geographical areas.

 

[GucciKitty]

Thanks for the insight. I would say I've probably narrowed it down to DMU and RVU. I liked them both, so I would really have no problem with either. I felt like RVU might be the best fit overall, for no substantial reason other than it felt like home because liked how it only has the med school, so it's small and pretty quiet(not exactly great reasons). The history and reputation of DMU is making this decision a little harder. As far as the geographical areas, DMU is 3 hours from my hometown, and RVU is an hour from my fiance's hometown. Des Moines definitely wins when considering cost of living.

 

[AlteredScale]

There seem to be quite a few of these types of threads with quite a few of helpful responses. So I was kind of curious what people thought between these three schools? I enjoyed my time on all three campuses, and there seem to be pros and cons to all three! My main focus is going to the school that will give me the best opportunity to match in an internal medicine residency of my choice. Any thoughts?

The big thing is what kind of internal medicine residency are you looking into? If you're trying to enter a University program. A good amount of them will expect not only strong academics and LOR's but some sort of research experience. MWU, at least the CCOM campus is near some of the best research inst in the world. AZCOM I am not so sure of. DMU is also good and would rank second for research. RVU (as per the NIH Reporter System) has no funded research grants at the time.

If you are looking to do an academic residency you want to resources nearby that will allow you to conduct research.

If you are interested in just any IM residency whether at a community hospital or not...then I would pick the campus of your choosing.

 

[acapnial]

The big thing is what kind of internal medicine residency are you looking into? If you're trying to enter a University program. A good amount of them will expect not only strong academics and LOR's but some sort of research experience. MWU, at least the CCOM campus is near some of the best research inst in the world. AZCOM I am not so sure of. DMU is also good and would rank second for research. RVU (as per the NIH Reporter System) has no funded research grants at the time.

If you are looking to do an academic residency you want to resources nearby that will allow you to conduct research.

If you are interested in just any IM residency whether at a community hospital or not...then I would pick the campus of your choosing.

For IM, research is always helpful but it's really not THAT big a deal, except at a subset of research heavy programs. Its absence can keep you out of these individual programs but it's not going to keep you out of academic medicine entirely by a long shot.

Having said that, if doing research is extremely important to the OP for some reason, you're right that DMU or midwestern would be the better call.

Thanks for the insight. I would say I've probably narrowed it down to DMU and RVU. I liked them both, so I would really have no problem with either. I felt like RVU might be the best fit overall, for no substantial reason other than it felt like home because liked how it only has the med school, so it's small and pretty quiet(not exactly great reasons). The history and reputation of DMU is making this decision a little harder. As far as the geographical areas, DMU is 3 hours from my hometown, and RVU is an hour from my fiance's hometown. Des Moines definitely wins when considering cost of living.

Look, reputation really shouldn't even be on the list of factors you're looking at to pick a medical school. I really promise you that if you get more than ~100 miles from any of these schools you'll be surprised at how much no one has even heard of the school, let alone has an opinion of it based on reputation. If any one school doesn't stand out enough by gut feeling, DMU might be the better (cheaper) pick.

 

[AlteredScale]

For IM, research is always helpful but it's really not THAT big a deal, except at a subset of research heavy programs. Its absence can keep you out of these individual programs but it's not going to keep you out of academic medicine entirely by a long shot.

Having said that, if doing research is extremely important to the OP for some reason, you're right that DMU or midwestern would be the better call.

Yes not every academic program requires research I know.

But IMO, being a DO grad is disadvantageous when it comes to applying to a good amount academic IM programs. For one, you have MD students coming from full universities who more than likely have some sort of research activity under their belt (which many DO schools can't provide since they are stand alone) A case report in the JAOA won't do squat for you when a PD decides to compare your app to the other's who scored the 230.

So if the OP is interested in such..better to have it there than to not have it all.

 

[acapnial]

Yes not every academic program requires research I know.

But IMO, being a DO grad is disadvantageous when it comes to applying to a good amount academic IM programs. For one, you have MD students coming from full universities who more than likely have some sort of research activity under their belt (which many DO schools can't provide since they are stand alone) A case report in the JAOA won't do squat for you when a PD decides to compare your app to the other's who scored the 230.

So if the OP is interested in such..better to have it there than to not have it all.

Agreed that it's better. I just don't agree with the idea that no research means you're pushed into a community IM league.


But since you mention the JAOA... how do you hide a 5 dollar bill from an OMM specialist? Put it in a peer reviewed journal.

 

[AlteredScale]

Agreed that it's better. I just don't agree with the idea that no research means you're pushed into a community IM league.


But since you mention the JAOA... how do you hide a 5 dollar bill from an OMM specialist? Put it in a peer reviewed journal.

+10!!!! lol!

 

[Henry101]

What did you decide on? Curious about your decision.