RWJMS vs Georgetown (please help!!)

[premedgal444]

Hi everyone! As the cycle winds down and I’m working on narrowing down my options, I would love some advice/input. I’m not completely sure what I want to specialize in but have interests in neuro, cardio, ortho, ophthal, etc—I’m pretty confident primary care is not for me. I ultimately would love to complete my residency in NJ/NY/Philly and am also from NJ. As a disclaimer, I am paying for medical school on my own and will be taking loans.

RWJMS (approximately $48k a year tuition)
Pros

• familiar with campus since I did undergrad here; pretty easy to get around but would live like 10 min drive
• P/F Preclinical
• close to home (45 minutes)
• opportunity to continue programs I was a part of during undergrad/have some connections at Rutgers
• might want to do residency in NYC/NJ/Philly
• students have had positive things to say/people were nice and friendly at second look - knew people coming in which couldve made it comfortable

Cons

• doesn’t give me the opportunity to explore something new; same city as undergrad and really not sure i want to be in the same place another 4 years
• facilities not great
• match rate was 93% including soap even after people took research years?
• have heard it can be harder to get certain opportunities
• In-house exams

Georgetown (approximately 75k a year tuition)
Pros

• name is widely recognized
• DC is beautiful—I’ve always wanted to live there (would prob live in Rosslyn VA tbh so COL is equal between the two)
• great alumni network
• matches extremely well into competitive specialties with an emphasis on surgical sub-specialties
• love how they do intersessions (week break after an exam)
• feel like I really align with mission of Cura Personalis, it has summed up my whole pre-med journey—lots of unique opportunities in this realm (med hum, religion/med, public health, etc)
• no AOA
• P/F preclinical and clerkships (might change to tiered clerkships when i’m a student)
• might want to do residency in NYC/NJ/Philly

Cons

• expensive
• further from home (3.5 hour drive or like 2-2.5 hour train)
• facilities not great
• didn’t get amazing vibes at second look/day felt a bit off
• Rigid deadline for when you can take and pass step 1 by (end of feb) and if you are not ready/don't pass, have to take a research year/ cant start clinicals.
• In-house exams
• Block system with exams every 7-8 weeks. Learn 3 body systems at once so 3 seperate tests within 2 weeks after each 7-8 week block
• not quite sure what match rate was??

Overall: Georgetown is a more prestigious school and would give me the chance to be in a new city/have new experiences. I’m just torn because i’m not sure if the cost difference is worth the leap of faith.

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[premedgal444]

if you vote please let me know why you picked that

 

[Iron Man23]

I think you have a lot of cons for Georgetown but you also want to experience a new place. I still think the cheaper tuition and less cons means RWJMS is a better choice for you.

 

[newkungfukenny]

I think you have a lot of cons for Georgetown but you also want to experience a new place. I still think the cheaper tuition and less cons means RWJMS is a better choice for you.

agree. if Gtown gave you bad vibes imo its not the place for you even if you want be somewhere new!

 

[premedgal444]

agree. if Gtown gave you bad vibes imo its not the place for you even if you want be somewhere new!

i think i planned the day poorly so im going back this weekend to see it again. if i end up feeling different, do you think it should be in consideration?

 

[bananalatte]

Currently narrowing my choices but my college bff matriculated to GUSOM last year so I thought I’d share her thoughts. She believes that GUSOM is definitely not worth it for the price and while tuition is 75 most students COL comes close to 110k+ per year. The research opportunities aren’t as robust as other east coast schools but there are good health policy opportunities if you’re into that. I would say if you’re set on NYC residency, RWJMS will guarantee that more and my friend said GUSOM only gives an edge in matching in the DMV area. It’s the only school she got into and she is super grateful to be there but the price/culture definitely doesn’t match her initial expectations from GUSOM.

 

[newkungfukenny]

i think i planned the day poorly so im going back this weekend to see it again. if i end up feeling different, do you think it should be in consideration?

if it's a complete 180, it could be worth the consideration! it just seems like vibe was already so positive from RWJMS, that it sounds like it would be tough to beat

 

[LunaOri]

Cheaper and closer to home is generally a wise choice. The difference in prestige/ranking isn’t great enough to make that a factor.

 

[premedgal444]

Cheaper and closer to home is generally a wise choice. The difference in prestige/ranking isn’t great enough to make that a factor.

do you think the match rate drop is concerning?

 

[Sosayitditto]

Congrats on getting two great acceptances! I don’t think there is a wrong choice for this one, as both schools are great and will get you to residencies in your desired location/specialties. If you think Gtown and living in DC are worth the 100k+ difference, I would go for it. However, I think RWJMS just edges it, given the lower COA, good match to the NJ area, and proximity to family.

 

[premedgal444]

if u vote pls lmk why

 

[chilly_md]

RWJMS is much cheaper. In the modern day, Georgetown is not anything special for either undergrad, med school or their basketball program.

 

[premedgal444]

RWJMS is much cheaper. In the modern day, Georgetown is not anything special for either undergrad, med school or their basketball program.

do you think I'd be limiting myself opportunity wise if I go to rwjms? is it much less prestigious?

 

[LunaOri]

do you think I'd be limiting myself opportunity wise if I go to rwjms? is it much less prestigious?

You would not be limiting yourself. Matching is up to you—wherever you go, you will need to get the grades, scores, and recommendations.

 

[premedgal444]

i guess one of my dilemmas is im not sure if i want to be in the same city another 4 years

 

[Goro]

Is paying more tuition and acquiring a greater debt worth it just to avoid living in NJ for 4 more years?

Always go for the cheaper tuition. The 50 year old you will thank you!

 

[Doctorrocker]

Hi everyone! As the cycle winds down and I’m working on narrowing down my options, I would love some advice/input. I’m not completely sure what I want to specialize in but have interests in neuro, cardio, ortho, ophthal, etc—I’m pretty confident primary care is not for me. I ultimately would love to complete my residency in NJ/NY/Philly and am also from NJ. As a disclaimer, I am paying for medical school on my own and will be taking loans.

RWJMS (approximately $48k a year tuition)
Pros

• familiar with campus since I did undergrad here; pretty easy to get around but would live like 10 min drive
• P/F Preclinical
• close to home (45 minutes)
• opportunity to continue programs I was a part of during undergrad/have some connections at Rutgers
• might want to do residency in NYC/NJ/Philly
• students have had positive things to say/people were nice and friendly at second look

Cons

• doesn’t give me the opportunity to explore something new; same city as undergrad and really not sure i want to be in the same place another 4 years
• facilities not great
• match rate was 93% including soap even after people took research years?
• have heard it can be harder to get certain opportunities
• In-house exams

Georgetown (approximately 75k a year tuition)
Pros

• name is widely recognized
• DC is beautiful—I’ve always wanted to live there (would prob live in Rosslyn VA tbh so COL is equal between the two)
• great alumni network
• matches extremely well into competitive specialties with an emphasis on surgical sub-specialties
• love how they do intersessions (week break after an exam)
• feel like I really align with mission of Cura Personalis, it has summed up my whole pre-med journey—lots of unique opportunities in this realm (med hum, religion/med, public health, etc)
• no AOA
• P/F preclinical and clerkships (might change to tiered clerkships when i’m a student)
• might want to do residency in NYC/NJ/Philly

Cons

• expensive
• further from home (3.5 hour drive or like 2-2.5 hour train)
• facilities not great
• didn’t get amazing vibes at second look/day felt a bit off
• Rigid deadline for when you can take and pass step 1 by (end of feb) and if you are not ready/don't pass, have to take a research year/ cant start clinicals.
• In-house exams
• Block system with exams every 7-8 weeks. Learn 3 body systems at once so 3 seperate tests within 2 weeks after each 7-8 week block
• not quite sure what match rate was??

Overall: Georgetown is a more prestigious school and would give me the chance to be in a new city/have new experiences. I’m just torn because i’m not sure if the cost difference is worth the leap of faith.

I'm new to the forum but felt compelled to weigh in as I am a GUSOM attendee from the Lower Bucks area in Pennsylvania. As an MS3, while I am generally happy with my experience here, I am also now questioning why I paid this much money to attend. I received multiple acceptances to "mid tier" schools and decided on Georgetown because of the "prestige" factor and proximity to Phila, and while yes, I do get the occasional Oh WOW GUSOM from my other colleagues in med-school's, I am also here to tell you that based on what I have seen, my friends who recently matched from RWJ, Maryland, SUNY, Brody, MUSC and even several DO and other comparable schools didn't exactly suffer for their decision not to drop 70k in tuition. (I am pursuing Anesthesiology btw). Their match specialties were wide ranging and I didn't have a single friend that did not match (so far). As far as the pro's/cons list you provided, I will tell you that match rates vary by year for all schools and as such are not really a completely valid comparator. Your clinical rotations, interviews and grades will matter most in that order. The decision you are making should be where you feel you will be most comfortable with the best overall support system and least amount of debt based on your 2 choices IMHO. Good luck future doctor!

 

[Iron Man23]

I'm new to the forum but felt compelled to weigh in as I am a GUSOM attendee from the Lower Bucks area in Pennsylvania. As an MS3, while I am generally happy with my experience here, I am also now questioning why I paid this much money to attend. I received multiple acceptances to "mid tier" schools and decided on Georgetown because of the "prestige" factor and proximity to Phila, and while yes, I do get the occasional Oh WOW GUSOM from my other colleagues in med-school's, I am also here to tell you that based on what I have seen, my friends who recently matched from RWJ, Maryland, SUNY, Brody, MUSC and even several DO and other comparable schools didn't exactly suffer for their decision not to drop 70k in tuition. (I am pursuing Anesthesiology btw). Their match specialties were wide ranging and I didn't have a single friend that did not match (so far). As far as the pro's/cons list you provided, I will tell you that match rates vary by year for all schools and as such are not really a completely valid comparator. Your clinical rotations, interviews and grades will matter most in that order. The decision you are making should be where you feel you will be most comfortable with the best overall support system and least amount of debt based on your 2 choices IMHO. Good luck future doctor!

I think you offer a great perspective and insight

 

[premedgal444]

I'm new to the forum but felt compelled to weigh in as I am a GUSOM attendee from the Lower Bucks area in Pennsylvania. As an MS3, while I am generally happy with my experience here, I am also now questioning why I paid this much money to attend. I received multiple acceptances to "mid tier" schools and decided on Georgetown because of the "prestige" factor and proximity to Phila, and while yes, I do get the occasional Oh WOW GUSOM from my other colleagues in med-school's, I am also here to tell you that based on what I have seen, my friends who recently matched from RWJ, Maryland, SUNY, Brody, MUSC and even several DO and other comparable schools didn't exactly suffer for their decision not to drop 70k in tuition. (I am pursuing Anesthesiology btw). Their match specialties were wide ranging and I didn't have a single friend that did not match (so far). As far as the pro's/cons list you provided, I will tell you that match rates vary by year for all schools and as such are not really a completely valid comparator. Your clinical rotations, interviews and grades will matter most in that order. The decision you are making should be where you feel you will be most comfortable with the best overall support system and least amount of debt based on your 2 choices IMHO. Good luck future doctor!

I'm not sure if this is backwards thinking, but I chose to attend a cheaper undergrad institution and have no debt (rutgers) because I knew medical school was in the picture and I wanted to have the freedom to choose for that. I have talked to some people who have said cost should be your #1 factor and others who have said if I want to do something competitive, go where I'm happiest. I just have mixed feelings about being in the same city for another 4 years (8 years total) but going to DC will mean moving 3 hours (drive) away from family and to a new city.

 

[Jason1211]

I'm not sure if this is backwards thinking, but I chose to attend a cheaper undergrad institution and have no debt (rutgers) because I knew medical school was in the picture and I wanted to have the freedom to choose for that. I have talked to some people who have said cost should be your #1 factor and others who have said if I want to do something competitive, go where I'm happiest. I just have mixed feelings about being in the same city for another 4 years (8 years total) but going to DC will mean moving 3 hours (drive) away from family and to a new city.

If it makes you feel better, I am in a similar situation and am likely choosing the place much farther from home (Colorado vs home in Florida). Loans will be VERY annoying, and I dont want to discount the price tag that choosing a new place comes with, but I also think there may not be another opportunity in life to explore and live in a new city like this. Georgetown will not prevent you from matching back to the NY/NJ area - especially if you do away rotations in the area (and with geographic signaling for residency programs).

I also attended my state school and I did not have to take on any student debt at that time - so I feel okay taking on the extra loans. I think do what makes you feel most comfortable and happy, because everyone has different priorities when choosing a school. Whether that is cost vs location vs support system. I'd say go and visit Georgetown again and see how you feel afterwards.

 

[premedgal444]

If it makes you feel better, I am in a similar situation and am likely choosing the place much farther from home (Colorado vs home in Florida). Loans will be VERY annoying, and I dont want to discount the price tag that choosing a new place comes with, but I also think there may not be another opportunity in life to explore and live in a new city like this. Georgetown will not prevent you from matching back to the NY/NJ area - especially if you do away rotations in the area (and with geographic signaling for residency programs).

I also attended my state school and I did not have to take on any student debt at that time - so I feel okay taking on the extra loans. I think do what makes you feel most comfortable and happy, because everyone has different priorities when choosing a school. Whether that is cost vs location vs support system. I'd say go and visit Georgetown again and see how you feel afterwards.

right like i don’t want to have any regret not choosing to be in dc but a lot of people have told me to take the cheaper option, idk what to value

 

[Jason1211]

right like i don’t want to have any regret not choosing to be in dc but a lot of people have told me to take the cheaper option, idk what to value

At the end of the day, everyone here can only share their opinions but you have to just think about what you value most. Four years is a decent chunk of time to spend in a location, but an extra ~100k over four years is also a lot of money. As ****ty as it sounds, I'm okay to take on that extra debt to explore what else life has to offer. See how you feel after your next visit to DC, and make your decision from there. Just wanted to throw in my experience so you know other people are dealing with this same dilemma!

 

[premedgal444]

At the end of the day, everyone here can only share their opinions but you have to just think about what you value most. Four years is a decent chunk of time to spend in a location, but an extra ~100k over four years is also a lot of money. As ****ty as it sounds, I'm okay to take on that extra debt to explore what else life has to offer. See how you feel after your next visit to DC, and make your decision from there. Just wanted to throw in my experience so you know other people are dealing with this same dilemma!

can i PM u

 

[ilovematcha]

I think you’re over-romanticizing DC, and while I understand the appeal of a new beginning, I don’t think GUSOM will give you a better experience than RWJMS. My brother graduated from GUSOM a few years back and the student culture isn’t very collaborative which is definitely something you’d want if you’re going to dish out the money. Don’t underestimate the power of your support system in medical school and it’s definitely a plus that you can get that with the pre-made ties you have in NJ!

 

[premedgal444]

I think you’re over-romanticizing DC, and while I understand the appeal of a new beginning, I don’t think GUSOM will give you a better experience than RWJMS. My brother graduated from GUSOM a few years back and the student culture isn’t very collaborative which is definitely something you’d want if you’re going to dish out the money. Don’t underestimate the power of your support system in medical school and it’s definitely a plus that you can get that with the pre-made ties you have in NJ!

agh i keep hearing that about the culture

 

[Iron Man23]

agh i keep hearing that about the culture

Anecdotally also know someone who went to GTown for undergrad and med school and was sick of Dc at that point.

 

[chilly_md]

do you think I'd be limiting myself opportunity wise if I go to rwjms? is it much less prestigious?

No. Up to you if you want to pay expensive tuition to live in DC when you can go to that city for residency or work.

You can visit NYC or Philly on some weekends with friends from Rutgers.

 

[TheRealBibFortuna]

This one is a close call but I'm leaning towards RWJ, and I'll discuss why using the cons from RWJ and both the pros and cons of GTown.

(Bias: interviewed and waitlisted at GTown, did not apply to RWJ)

Cons

• doesn’t give me the opportunity to explore something new; same city as undergrad and really not sure i want to be in the same place another 4 years ---> it can be difficult to say at this point in your education (before it even starts) whether being close to home is a blessing or a curse. From most people I've heard from that choose to stay at home, they are exceedingly happy with their choice. Parents grow old, friends drift apart, family grow more distant. This isn't necessarily a con but you won't know whether it is or is not until later.
• facilities not great you said the same thing about GTown, cancels out
• match rate was 93% including soap even after people took research years? ---> certainly a red flag, but given that RWJ is ranked in the fifties, I'm not necessarily concerned about this. If you don't match during ERAS, and you want to match somewhere, you will match. There are many more SOAP spots than SOAP applicants each year. As a USMD graduate, the odds of failing to SOAP are incredibly slim. I suspect the 93% SOAP stat comes from people unwilling to SOAP into FM, IM, or EM. If you are gunning for competitive specialties, that could be you, but a willingness to SOAP means you're safe. I believe that the bulk of that remaining 7% intend to reapply following a research year/masters year/delayed graduation/etc.
• have heard it can be harder to get certain opportunities --> funnily enough, I heard this exact same thing from GTown students during interview day (particularly research). Your results may vary.
• In-house exams you said the same thing about GTown, cancels out

Georgetown (approximately 75k a year tuition)
Pros

• name is widely recognized --> undergrad prestige is vastly different from medical school prestige. It might give you a social boost at a cocktail party, but not when trying to land jobs out of training.
• DC is beautiful—I’ve always wanted to live there (would prob live in Rosslyn VA tbh so COL is equal between the two) --> fair
• great alumni network --> fair, but remember that network comes from the undergrad schools, not the med school. Cocktail party versus employment.
• matches extremely well into competitive specialties with an emphasis on surgical sub-specialties --> funnily enough, I can't find a match list. Where did you learn this? Conversely, RWJ posted their match list and I'm seeing tons of T20 program matches. Schools hiding their match list is never a good sign...
• love how they do intersessions (week break after an exam) --> fair
• feel like I really align with mission of Cura Personalis, it has summed up my whole pre-med journey—lots of unique opportunities in this realm (med hum, religion/med, public health, etc) --> This is my personal opinion, but I think the cura personalis is moreso performative soapboxing than a concrete difference in their curriculum. Do other medical schools ignore their patient's traits outside of their illness? Of course not.
• no AOA -->fair
• P/F preclinical and clerkships (might change to tiered clerkships when i’m a student) --> the fact that they're hiding their match list makes me think they might be looking for a change in curriculum, but that might just be me.
• might want to do residency in NYC/NJ/Philly you said the same thing about RWJ, cancels out

Cons

• expensive
• further from home (3.5 hour drive or like 2-2.5 hour train) --> but being close to home is a con. Which is it?
• facilities not great --> said the same thing about RWJ
• didn’t get amazing vibes at second look/day felt a bit off --> agreed, but from my interview
• Rigid deadline for when you can take and pass step 1 by (end of feb) and if you are not ready/don't pass, have to take a research year/ cant start clinicals. --> I don't have anything to say except that, to my understanding, a lot of Caribbean schools operate this way. Bad look.
• In-house exams --> said the same thing about RWK
• Block system with exams every 7-8 weeks. Learn 3 body systems at once so 3 seperate tests within 2 weeks after each 7-8 week block --> can't speak to this one
• not quite sure what match rate was?? --> bingo. I'd take the school that's upfront with their data rather than the one that hides it.

And with a difference of $120k in total loans (+interest), I'd take RWJ

 

[Iron Man23]

This one is a close call but I'm leaning towards RWJ, and I'll discuss why using the cons from RWJ and both the pros and cons of GTown.

(Bias: interviewed and waitlisted at GTown, did not apply to RWJ)

Cons

• doesn’t give me the opportunity to explore something new; same city as undergrad and really not sure i want to be in the same place another 4 years ---> it can be difficult to say at this point in your education (before it even starts) whether being close to home is a blessing or a curse. From most people I've heard from that choose to stay at home, they are exceedingly happy with their choice. Parents grow old, friends drift apart, family grow more distant. This isn't necessarily a con but you won't know whether it is or is not until later.
• facilities not great you said the same thing about GTown, cancels out
• match rate was 93% including soap even after people took research years? ---> certainly a red flag, but given that RWJ is ranked in the fifties, I'm not necessarily concerned about this. If you don't match during ERAS, and you want to match somewhere, you will match. There are many more SOAP spots than SOAP applicants each year. As a USMD graduate, the odds of failing to SOAP are incredibly slim. I suspect the 93% SOAP stat comes from people unwilling to SOAP into FM, IM, or EM. If you are gunning for competitive specialties, that could be you, but a willingness to SOAP means you're safe. I believe that the bulk of that remaining 7% intend to reapply following a research year/masters year/delayed graduation/etc.
• have heard it can be harder to get certain opportunities --> funnily enough, I heard this exact same thing from GTown students during interview day (particularly research). Your results may vary.
• In-house exams you said the same thing about GTown, cancels out

Georgetown (approximately 75k a year tuition)
Pros

• name is widely recognized --> undergrad prestige is vastly different from medical school prestige. It might give you a social boost at a cocktail party, but not when trying to land jobs out of training.
• DC is beautiful—I’ve always wanted to live there (would prob live in Rosslyn VA tbh so COL is equal between the two) --> fair
• great alumni network --> fair, but remember that network comes from the undergrad schools, not the med school. Cocktail party versus employment.
• matches extremely well into competitive specialties with an emphasis on surgical sub-specialties --> funnily enough, I can't find a match list. Where did you learn this? Conversely, RWJ posted their match list and I'm seeing tons of T20 program matches. Schools hiding their match list is never a good sign...
• love how they do intersessions (week break after an exam) --> fair
• feel like I really align with mission of Cura Personalis, it has summed up my whole pre-med journey—lots of unique opportunities in this realm (med hum, religion/med, public health, etc) --> This is my personal opinion, but I think the cura personalis is moreso performative soapboxing than a concrete difference in their curriculum. Do other medical schools ignore their patient's traits outside of their illness? Of course not.
• no AOA -->fair
• P/F preclinical and clerkships (might change to tiered clerkships when i’m a student) --> the fact that they're hiding their match list makes me think they might be looking for a change in curriculum, but that might just be me.
• might want to do residency in NYC/NJ/Philly you said the same thing about RWJ, cancels out

Cons

• expensive
• further from home (3.5 hour drive or like 2-2.5 hour train) --> but being close to home is a con. Which is it?
• facilities not great --> said the same thing about RWJ
• didn’t get amazing vibes at second look/day felt a bit off --> agreed, but from my interview
• Rigid deadline for when you can take and pass step 1 by (end of feb) and if you are not ready/don't pass, have to take a research year/ cant start clinicals. --> I don't have anything to say except that, to my understanding, a lot of Caribbean schools operate this way. Bad look.
• In-house exams --> said the same thing about RWK
• Block system with exams every 7-8 weeks. Learn 3 body systems at once so 3 seperate tests within 2 weeks after each 7-8 week block --> can't speak to this one
• not quite sure what match rate was?? --> bingo. I'd take the school that's upfront with their data rather than the one that hides it.

And with a difference of $120k in total loans (+interest), I'd take RWJ

This is like the best comment on one of these ever lol.

 

[pedneuro6894]

This one is a close call but I'm leaning towards RWJ, and I'll discuss why using the cons from RWJ and both the pros and cons of GTown.

(Bias: interviewed and waitlisted at GTown, did not apply to RWJ)

Cons

• doesn’t give me the opportunity to explore something new; same city as undergrad and really not sure i want to be in the same place another 4 years ---> it can be difficult to say at this point in your education (before it even starts) whether being close to home is a blessing or a curse. From most people I've heard from that choose to stay at home, they are exceedingly happy with their choice. Parents grow old, friends drift apart, family grow more distant. This isn't necessarily a con but you won't know whether it is or is not until later.
• facilities not great you said the same thing about GTown, cancels out
• match rate was 93% including soap even after people took research years? ---> certainly a red flag, but given that RWJ is ranked in the fifties, I'm not necessarily concerned about this. If you don't match during ERAS, and you want to match somewhere, you will match. There are many more SOAP spots than SOAP applicants each year. As a USMD graduate, the odds of failing to SOAP are incredibly slim. I suspect the 93% SOAP stat comes from people unwilling to SOAP into FM, IM, or EM. If you are gunning for competitive specialties, that could be you, but a willingness to SOAP means you're safe. I believe that the bulk of that remaining 7% intend to reapply following a research year/masters year/delayed graduation/etc.
• have heard it can be harder to get certain opportunities --> funnily enough, I heard this exact same thing from GTown students during interview day (particularly research). Your results may vary.
• In-house exams you said the same thing about GTown, cancels out

Georgetown (approximately 75k a year tuition)
Pros

• name is widely recognized --> undergrad prestige is vastly different from medical school prestige. It might give you a social boost at a cocktail party, but not when trying to land jobs out of training.
• DC is beautiful—I’ve always wanted to live there (would prob live in Rosslyn VA tbh so COL is equal between the two) --> fair
• great alumni network --> fair, but remember that network comes from the undergrad schools, not the med school. Cocktail party versus employment.
• matches extremely well into competitive specialties with an emphasis on surgical sub-specialties --> funnily enough, I can't find a match list. Where did you learn this? Conversely, RWJ posted their match list and I'm seeing tons of T20 program matches. Schools hiding their match list is never a good sign...
• love how they do intersessions (week break after an exam) --> fair
• feel like I really align with mission of Cura Personalis, it has summed up my whole pre-med journey—lots of unique opportunities in this realm (med hum, religion/med, public health, etc) --> This is my personal opinion, but I think the cura personalis is moreso performative soapboxing than a concrete difference in their curriculum. Do other medical schools ignore their patient's traits outside of their illness? Of course not.
• no AOA -->fair
• P/F preclinical and clerkships (might change to tiered clerkships when i’m a student) --> the fact that they're hiding their match list makes me think they might be looking for a change in curriculum, but that might just be me.
• might want to do residency in NYC/NJ/Philly you said the same thing about RWJ, cancels out

Cons

• expensive
• further from home (3.5 hour drive or like 2-2.5 hour train) --> but being close to home is a con. Which is it?
• facilities not great --> said the same thing about RWJ
• didn’t get amazing vibes at second look/day felt a bit off --> agreed, but from my interview
• Rigid deadline for when you can take and pass step 1 by (end of feb) and if you are not ready/don't pass, have to take a research year/ cant start clinicals. --> I don't have anything to say except that, to my understanding, a lot of Caribbean schools operate this way. Bad look.
• In-house exams --> said the same thing about RWK
• Block system with exams every 7-8 weeks. Learn 3 body systems at once so 3 seperate tests within 2 weeks after each 7-8 week block --> can't speak to this one
• not quite sure what match rate was?? --> bingo. I'd take the school that's upfront with their data rather than the one that hides it.

And with a difference of $120k in total loans (+interest), I'd take RWJ

Match List - School of Medicine

Below you will find the match placement for the graduating classes of 2019 through 2025. All institutions with at least one match from GUSOM in that time period are listed. Please note that these lists are self-reported and, as a result, not exhaustive. Anesthesiology | Dermatology | Emergency...

som.georgetown.edu

Here's the link to their match list just for reference. Idk why they do it like this but it does show all the schools people matched to for each specialty over the years, including 2025.

EDIT: it does not show the match rate percentage. You can't find that anywhere

 

[premedgal444]

This one is a close call but I'm leaning towards RWJ, and I'll discuss why using the cons from RWJ and both the pros and cons of GTown.

(Bias: interviewed and waitlisted at GTown, did not apply to RWJ)

Cons

• doesn’t give me the opportunity to explore something new; same city as undergrad and really not sure i want to be in the same place another 4 years ---> it can be difficult to say at this point in your education (before it even starts) whether being close to home is a blessing or a curse. From most people I've heard from that choose to stay at home, they are exceedingly happy with their choice. Parents grow old, friends drift apart, family grow more distant. This isn't necessarily a con but you won't know whether it is or is not until later.
• facilities not great you said the same thing about GTown, cancels out
• match rate was 93% including soap even after people took research years? ---> certainly a red flag, but given that RWJ is ranked in the fifties, I'm not necessarily concerned about this. If you don't match during ERAS, and you want to match somewhere, you will match. There are many more SOAP spots than SOAP applicants each year. As a USMD graduate, the odds of failing to SOAP are incredibly slim. I suspect the 93% SOAP stat comes from people unwilling to SOAP into FM, IM, or EM. If you are gunning for competitive specialties, that could be you, but a willingness to SOAP means you're safe. I believe that the bulk of that remaining 7% intend to reapply following a research year/masters year/delayed graduation/etc.
• have heard it can be harder to get certain opportunities --> funnily enough, I heard this exact same thing from GTown students during interview day (particularly research). Your results may vary.
• In-house exams you said the same thing about GTown, cancels out

Georgetown (approximately 75k a year tuition)
Pros

• name is widely recognized --> undergrad prestige is vastly different from medical school prestige. It might give you a social boost at a cocktail party, but not when trying to land jobs out of training.
• DC is beautiful—I’ve always wanted to live there (would prob live in Rosslyn VA tbh so COL is equal between the two) --> fair
• great alumni network --> fair, but remember that network comes from the undergrad schools, not the med school. Cocktail party versus employment.
• matches extremely well into competitive specialties with an emphasis on surgical sub-specialties --> funnily enough, I can't find a match list. Where did you learn this? Conversely, RWJ posted their match list and I'm seeing tons of T20 program matches. Schools hiding their match list is never a good sign...
• love how they do intersessions (week break after an exam) --> fair
• feel like I really align with mission of Cura Personalis, it has summed up my whole pre-med journey—lots of unique opportunities in this realm (med hum, religion/med, public health, etc) --> This is my personal opinion, but I think the cura personalis is moreso performative soapboxing than a concrete difference in their curriculum. Do other medical schools ignore their patient's traits outside of their illness? Of course not.
• no AOA -->fair
• P/F preclinical and clerkships (might change to tiered clerkships when i’m a student) --> the fact that they're hiding their match list makes me think they might be looking for a change in curriculum, but that might just be me.
• might want to do residency in NYC/NJ/Philly you said the same thing about RWJ, cancels out

Cons

• expensive
• further from home (3.5 hour drive or like 2-2.5 hour train) --> but being close to home is a con. Which is it?
• facilities not great --> said the same thing about RWJ
• didn’t get amazing vibes at second look/day felt a bit off --> agreed, but from my interview
• Rigid deadline for when you can take and pass step 1 by (end of feb) and if you are not ready/don't pass, have to take a research year/ cant start clinicals. --> I don't have anything to say except that, to my understanding, a lot of Caribbean schools operate this way. Bad look.
• In-house exams --> said the same thing about RWK
• Block system with exams every 7-8 weeks. Learn 3 body systems at once so 3 seperate tests within 2 weeks after each 7-8 week block --> can't speak to this one
• not quite sure what match rate was?? --> bingo. I'd take the school that's upfront with their data rather than the one that hides it.

And with a difference of $120k in total loans (+interest), I'd take RWJ

this is extremely helpful thank u so much for taking the time!!!

 

[premedgal444]

would love input from any current students at either program

 

[account]

I went to RWJ, and am thus biased. I think Georgetown has a fancier name for laypeople. I think the difference in career opportunity is negligible between these two institutions. You can do any specialty you want coming from Rutgers.

If living in DC is worth an extra 100k to you then Georgetown is a reasonable choice. You will sacrifice at some point paying that back, but medicine is a long road and if it is important for you to feel fulfilled. If you had only gotten into Georgetown, nobody would tell you that you made a dumb choice attending Georgetown Medical School.

 

[premedgal444]

I went to RWJ, and am thus biased. I think Georgetown has a fancier name for laypeople. I think the difference in career opportunity is negligible between these two institutions. You can do any specialty you want coming from Rutgers.

If living in DC is worth an extra 100k to you then Georgetown is a reasonable choice. You will sacrifice at some point paying that back, but medicine is a long road and if it is important for you to feel fulfilled. If you had only gotten into Georgetown, nobody would tell you that you made a dumb choice attending Georgetown Medical School.

pmed u

 

[premedgal444]

any other current students out there lol