MD Should I move to Oregon, Wisconsin or Vermont?

[Nomad1]

All three have good state schools with high in-state acceptance rates (especially at UVM). I'm not looking to enter medical school until 2018 so I have time to establish residency. I'm looking to maximize my chances at a school that fits me well. I have lots of family in Wisconsin so that's the most convenient, but I also have some connections in Vermont and a professional contact in Oregon for work. UW is the cheapest and highest-ranked in research, but those would only be tiebreakers.

My background:
-Non-trad, hope to enter at 26/27.
-CGPA and SGPA are both above 3.8, from postbac and a famously difficult undergrad school.
-I haven't taken the MCAT yet but I test well and I plan to be prepared.
-Several publications, some medical and some political/think tank-type stuff.
-I'm more interested in research/academic medicine, but not averse to primary care.
-Lots of fairly unusual international work experience, in some rough places.
-I'm considering an MD/MPH, and I'm interested in MSF-type work.
-I'm bilingual, although the other language isn't spoken widely in the US.
-I'm a good writer, and I write a good "why medicine?" essay.
-Varsity athlete in undergrad.
-I need to get a lot more clinical experience and patient exposure.

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[Skydive Fox]

There's perks to all three of those places. This probably isn't the answer you were hoping for, but follow your intuition and heart.

For me, I worry about my parents' health and my kid brother's upbringing, so I'd stay as close to them as possible for as long as possible. For others I know, the former isn't much of a factor in their lives and they focus more on opportunties like research, career, and academia. For others I know, they just pick a place because it's somewhere they've always dreamt of living.

At the end, you have to ask yourself what matters most to you and let this guide you.

 

[GrapesofRath]

I'm looking to maximize my chances at a school that fits me well.

If you want to maximize your chances of getting into an MD school Vermont is BY FAR your best option here. You should look into resdiency requirements for each state and how each state school tends to view these types of applicants. Many state schools wont care about someone moving a year or two before applying, others will.

You cant really decide which one of these schools is going to be a fit for you before applying. Now as an example if you feel like you would enjoy living in Wisconsin much more than Vermont that is different and obviously something to consider. Vermont is one of the best states for MD admission. Wisconsin is a solid one. Oregon is a mediocre one. Decide how much you enjoy living in each region vs how much you want/need the "boost" from having a generous state.

 

[Nomad1]

If you want to maximize your chances of getting into an MD school Vermont is BY FAR your best option here. You should look into resdiency requirements for each state and how each state school tends to view these types of applicants. Many state schools wont care about someone moving a year or two before applying, others will.

You cant really decide which one of these schools is going to be a fit for you before applying. Now as an example if you feel like you would enjoy living in Wisconsin much more than Vermont that is different and obviously something to consider. Vermont is one of the best states for MD admission. Wisconsin is a solid one. Oregon is a mediocre one. Decide how much you enjoy living in each region vs how much you want/need the "boost" from having a generous state.

Thanks, I was wondering if states might not want someone gaming the residency system. FWIW, one of my parents' entire family is from (and mostly still lives) in Wisconsin, and they almost all went to UWM for their BAs, JDs, MBAs, etc (no doctors though). Plus, I visited my grandparents out there most summers when I was growing up. So I have a pretty plausible case for claiming Wisconsin ties, no?

 

[paran0idandr0id42]

Thanks, I was wondering if states might not want someone gaming the residency system. FWIW, one of my parents' entire family is from (and mostly still lives) in Wisconsin, and they almost all went to UWM for their BAs, JDs, MBAs, etc (no doctors though). Plus, I visited my grandparents out there most summers when I was growing up. So I have a pretty plausible case for claiming Wisconsin ties, no?

Be aware of Madison's new writing-intensive upper-level humanities/social studies course requirement beginning next cycle; there are more than a few students who have to take classes post-bacc now. Otherwise, great/easy place to establish residency in a year.

 

[Nomad1]

Be aware of Madison's new writing-intensive upper-level humanities/social studies course requirement beginning next cycle; there are more than a few students who have to take classes post-bacc now. Otherwise, great/easy place to establish residency in a year.

From what I see on their website it takes just one class to fit that requirement, right? I've got several that should fit. Aside from engineers (and maybe econ majors), I'm surprised it's even possible to graduate from college without at least one writing-heavy class.

 

[paran0idandr0id42]

From what I see on their website it takes just one class to fit that requirement, right? I've got several that should fit. Aside from engineers (and maybe econ majors), I'm surprised it's even possible to graduate from college without at least one writing-heavy class.

Madison doesn't technically require any writing-intensive humanities for its life science related majors--and if people do end up taking them, they almost always take introductory level courses. Needless to say, the fact this policy was introduced only a couple months ago, and applies to this upcoming cycle, is messing with a whole lot of students. And seeing as though 1/3 of the matriculating class comes from the undergrad, it's a pretty big deal.

 

[Nomad1]

Madison doesn't technically require any writing-intensive humanities for its life science related majors--and if people do end up taking them, they almost always take introductory level courses. Needless to say, the fact this policy was introduced only a couple months ago, and applies to this upcoming cycle, is messing with a whole lot of students. And seeing as though 1/3 of the matriculating class comes from the undergrad, it's a pretty big deal.

Oh, interesting. Is there any clear standard on what is considered "upper-level?" I'd expect a small religious studies seminar where I was the only non-major to count, but you never know.

Also: Between Wisconsin residents, does someone with a BA from Madison get looked at differently than someone who went to, say, Duke for undergrad?

 

[paran0idandr0id42]

Oh, interesting. Is there any clear standard on what is considered "upper-level?" I'd expect a small religious studies seminar where I was the only non-major to count, but you never know.

Also: Between Wisconsin residents, does someone with a BA from Madison get looked at differently than someone who went to, say, Duke for undergrad?

Upper level is anything that isn't introductory. You can always call the admissions office and check with them too. And that's sort of hard to say about where you went undergrad--if you declare residency I doubt they'd give a rat's behind; Duke may even look better. If you don't, it probably looks better to be a Wisconsin student than Duke, since it demonstrates pretty strong ties to the state.