SLU interview

[C.P. Jones]

hi,

i got an interview to SLU (a few hours after my NYMC acceptance!). anyway, i have it scheduled for 1/16, but am not sure about going. I also have an interview at VCU on the 11th, which i already bought plane tickets for, so i will go.

what i'm trying to figure out is if it's worth going to SLU as well. I also have a Creighton acceptance. From what i've seen in looking through other threads, many people have liked SLU, but the schools that are compared with it, i would have probably gone to SLU anyway. SLU seems like a good school, but if it's on the same exact level as Creighton or NYMC, then I don't see a point in going. Does anyone have any info on SLU that makes it stand out from those other two schools? I guess SLU is "ranked" 62nd or something, but that really means nothing to me. I need something better to make me go on the interview. Everything I look up seems nice, but it all seems so "normal" in explaining the curriculum, grading, school, etc. That when somene explains the same at another school, it seems just as good

thanks for any help

 

[enigma85]

I have yet to find a compelling reason to choose SLU over any other U.S. allopathic school unless you have ties to the Saint Louis area or want to go to a Jesuit institution. They have a good vaccine research program and their hospitals are in the middle of the city (the most dangerous city in the U.S., apparently), so I'm sure you would see a very diverse patient population. SLU also has a school of public health, so if you want an MD/MPH, it may be a good choice. However, if there's nothing that attracts you to SLU, I wouldn't waste the money on the interview.

Then again, I am not a current or former student and I have never interviewed there, so someone else may have some good reasons to attend SLU.

 

[C.P. Jones]

i do like that it is a jesuit school, but so is creighton, and nymc is catholic (not sure if it's jesuit or not). so i wouldn't go for that alone. I believe I can choose to do rotations in NYC w/ NYMC, so in that respect, SLU won't win again, but i do have to look closer at how NYMC's city rotations work....e.g., if i wanted to do all of 3rd and 4th yr there, if i could do so, or if they only let you do some rotations there. anyway, Westchester Med Center is huge. And it's about an hour and a half drive from home.

I'm trying to think of SLU along the lines of Creighton since they are basically in the same area, so if SLU is better than Creighton, then I may go, but if it's pretty much equal, then no. I agree, that w/o knowing much about the school, i don't see how it stands out from other schools. (so i hope some SLU ppl have something to say too!)

 

[DrVanNostran]

C.P. I think you should go to SLU, I think its a school that many people really love once they interview there. I have a few friends who are there and love it. You earned the chance to interview there, and I think you may like SLU more than Creighton--St. Louis > Omaha imo

 

[enigma85]

you may want to compare slu's match list to that of creighton and nymc. you can get a general feel of how many students get into the competitive specialties. slu and nymc typically send ~50% into primary care while it's about a third of students at creighton. also, creighton's class size is ~120 whereas slu and nymc are 175-185, if this is important to you. If research is your thing, using NIH funding as a basic measurement, SLU ($34 million) bests both NYMC ($22 million) and Creighton ($5 million) combined.

i have to agree with DrVanNostran that saint louis>>>omaha. the stl metro area has 2.5 million whereas omaha has one third of this number. this means more diverse everything--food, shopping, dating scene, music, bars, sports, etc.

 

[Golfing_Doc]

If rankings are important to you, SLU is poised to steadily increase as they are building a new research building as we speak. I really enjoyed my time at SLU for an interview in October and even played IM soccer with the med students against an undergrad team. Seems like a good school, but with limited hospital facilties right near the campus. The Children's hospital and SLU hospital are right there though.

 

[C.P. Jones]

If rankings are important to you, SLU is poised to steadily increase as they are building a new research building as we speak. I really enjoyed my time at SLU for an interview in October and even played IM soccer with the med students against an undergrad team. Seems like a good school, but with limited hospital facilties right near the campus. The Children's hospital and SLU hospital are right there though.

is SLU physically part of the undergrad school? If so, is it integrated into some other undergrad science building, or does it actually have its own set of buildings?

 

[myleghurts]

is SLU physically part of the undergrad school? If so, is it integrated into some other undergrad science building, or does it actually have its own set of buildings?

It's about a mile down the road from the undergrad campus. It has its own set of building which includes a new research building that's on its way to completion. The facilities and med education building are pretty old but the staff and students are the nicest I've come across so far.

 

[C.P. Jones]

i have to agree with DrVanNostran that saint louis>>>omaha. the stl metro area has 2.5 million whereas omaha has one third of this number. this means more diverse everything--food, shopping, dating scene, music, bars, sports, etc.

the thing with this is that new york>>>SL>>>omaha, but again, i really have to look into how going to NYC works at NYMC since the first two years are at main campus about a half hour north, whereas w/ SLU, i'll always be there....very good points everyone, getting closer to SW.com

 

[C.P. Jones]

It's about a mile down the road from the undergrad campus. It has its own set of building which includes a new research building that's on its way to completion. The facilities and med education building are pretty old but the staff and students are the nicest I've come across so far.

can undergrad facilities be used? (gym, bookstore, library?)

 

[myleghurts]

can undergrad facilities be used? (gym, bookstore, library?)

Yes. But none of the students told me they really used them.

 

[Darkshooter326]

I would definitely go to the interview. It is very hard to make a decision about a school without seeing it and experiencing it firsthand. Unless you are absolutely in love with one of the other schools, which it doesn't seem like, you definitely should give SLU a shot. There have been a few times where my expectations have been exceeded by going to the interview. The whole point of the interview is to get a feel for the school firsthand, something rankings and stats can't do

Besides a day's time and a couple hundred bucks, you really don't have much to lose.

 

[C.P. Jones]

I would definitely go to the interview. It is very hard to make a decision about a school without seeing it and experiencing it firsthand. Unless you are absolutely in love with one of the other schools, which it doesn't seem like, you definitely should give SLU a shot. There have been a few times where my expectations have been exceeded by going to the interview. The whole point of the interview is to get a feel for the school firsthand, something rankings and stats can't do

Besides a day's time and a couple hundred bucks, you really don't have much to lose.

yea, it's true, i was just hoping at this point i could be more selective since that couple hundred bucks....times 9 (of which i am not complaining and am very thankful for!)....comes out to quite a lot! but then again, what's another few hundred bucks on top of what i've already spent through all of this

 

[chanjurban]

can undergrad facilities be used? (gym, bookstore, library?)

Yes. But none of the students told me they really used them.

Hi. SLU MS1 here.
That's because
1. There's a much less crowded gym located near the med school campus
2. There is a med school bookstore that supplies just about everything you need, so why spend 20 minutes going to the undergrad campus
3. And there is a med school library - see point #2

We also have a great coffee shop on campus, and the Cardinal Glennon cafeteria is fabulous for meals - lots of food for low cost (plus you get an employee discount)

There's not much reason to go down to the undergrad campus. However, if we wanted to use them, all undergrad facilities are available to us.

As for whether or not you should consider SLU, by all means yes. There's adequate opportunities for research, and you'll come out of it as a doctor who's been well-trained to work with patients.

Seriously, I've lived in St. Louis for a few years. Every doctor that I've met that came from SLU (as opposed to the other school...) had a great bedside manner. It's a reflection of the faculty we have. They're almost all very approachable and helpful (we do have a gripe about 1 or 2 of them, but they don't even teach a large percentage of the lectures).

Yes, the facilities are old - what would you expect from one of the oldest schools in the country. However, we've got some major pluses - the patient simulators in the anesthesiology lab, a new research building that will probably be ready by next school year, ...

Also, SLU does train well for primary care, but we also have plenty of people match into other specialties. It's not a rare occurance. I think the reason we don't have more has to do with the interests of the students that attend rather than any deficiency in training. Please see the mission statement on the school website (medschool.slu.edu). Here it is in part:

"In pursuit of its mission, the Saint Louis University School of Medicine seeks to impart to its students the following values:

A concern for the sanctity of human life.
A commitment to dignity and respect in the provision of medical care to all patients.
A devotion to social justice, particularly as regards inequities in availability of and access to health care.
Humility in awareness of medicine’s inherent limitations in the cure of illness.
An appreciation for all of the factors that affect a person’s state of health or illness.
A mature and well-balanced professional behavior that derives from comfortable relationships with members of the human family and one’s Creator."

It's not just an arbitraty statement. They really follow through on their objectives in formulating our medical training. A lot of us resonate with this in the way we want to practice medicine.

And finally, I'm not Catholic - not even Christian. I have not felt pressured at all.

Well, there's my pitch. Hope it's worth something.

 

[RayhanS1282]

Hey CP.

Congrats on the interview. SLU is one of those schools that you don't hear a lot about on SDN but you can see that it's a kick ass school once you go there and interview.

The facilities are a bit old but it really is not that big of a problem that many make it out to be. Also, they are very oriented on producing physicians with good bedside abilities and they have a simulation (which we didn't get to see because the room was locked). The hospitals are right there...it's accessible by the basement in the school. The children's hospital looks really nice and they are building new facilities. The match lists we've been told are decent. The staff is really nice.

They don't interview an exorbitant (word-a-day) amount of candidates, so you won't see 60 candidates a la Drexel. The interviews are relatively stress free and more or less conversational (at least from my experience). If you get Dr. Wilmore as your interviewer, just know that he asks a lot of questions about your background....not academic but more or less, tries to get info about your personality.

Also, they put out a tasty sadnwich for lunch. If you do go, stay at the Watertower Inn..($75/day) and you can catch the free shuttle in the morning. Actually, the school is so close by that you can walk there. Good luck.

 

[etf]

i liked what i heard about slu when i was interviewed, but was given a regional interview so i didn't actually get to visit the school. if i get an interview next time as a reapp, i hope they have it on campus.

 

[paceac]

Yes. But none of the students told me they really used them.

I'm an MSI at SLU. I use the undergrad gym, lots of students do. I was just there a few hours ago and saw at least 10 other MS1's. It's a pretty nice rec center with multiple basketball courts, indoor track, racquetball courts, full size pool, and weight area.

As a side note I really like SLU and I haven't heard any other med student say anything different. We are a very close knit class. What I was surprised about was that in such an intense academic atmosphere the class members really do support each other. People are more than willing to take time out from their studying to help another student understand material. There is definitely a sense that we are all on the same team. That is something that you really can't get from reading a brochure or on an interview tour. The faculty goes out of their way to make themselves available to students and prepare them for success. The administration is very attentive to the needs of students and really does listen to input from students. If anyone has any questions feel free to PM me.

 

[donks06]

C.P. Jones: How long were you complete before you got an interview offer?

 

[hopefulM.D.]

I really do think that there are top 10, top 20, tier 1, then second tier schools. SLU, NYMC, and Creighton are all second tier schools...so unless u have a compelling reason to stay in st. louis, i would save your money. I got into a few schools as well, but decided to decline schools like creighton, slu, and vcu, because I'd rather go to Tulane. In your situation, NYMC's proximity to NYC makes it the most attractive option. Anyhow. good luck with your decision making.

 

[kmpedro]

Since we are discussing SLU and comparing it to other schools.... If you were holding an acceptance at both Rossalind Franklin and Saint Louis University which would you choose????

 

[toitoitoi]

Since we are discussing SLU and comparing it to other schools.... If you were holding an acceptance at both Rossalind Franklin and Saint Louis University which would you choose????

I wish I was in your situation right now... I'm waiting to hear back form both.
In my opinion, I'd choose SLU. Rosalind's been going through a bunch of changes recently and SLU is much more known. Also, it is right in the city, so it has much better opporutnities (clinical and otherwise)

 

[MadHopsMD]

I wish I was in your situation right now... I'm waiting to hear back form both.
In my opinion, I'd choose SLU. Rosalind's been going through a bunch of changes recently and SLU is much more known. Also, it is right in the city, so it has much better opporutnities (clinical and otherwise)

ya I also think SLU might be a better choice. I got interviews at both schools (but only went to RFU). And I was not impressed with Rosalind frankly to tell you the truth. It's a good school, high tech and everything...but there couple big problems

1) Far from a city, 40 miles from chicago...
2) No hospitals around it...
3) Classes seem competitive.

 

[C.P. Jones]

C.P. Jones: How long were you complete before you got an interview offer?

a very very long time....complete probably in August

 

[C.P. Jones]

This is something that I am really thinking about. I know SLU is a good school, it's just the fact that I'm in at NYMC, that I would most likely go there that makes me not want to interview at SLU....and if I do want to go away, then I can go to Creighton. I just don't see something yet that makes SLU a definite choice over either school....that's my problem. So, no, i have not yet decided. I did have plane tickets reserved, but I let them go since I couldn't definitely say yes. And I know it's not a lot of money compared to future tuition, but right now it is a lot of money. But it's still that doubt that i'm not sure if I would 100 percent go to NYMC since I have no idea if I could consider that a better school or not for me. The biggest thing right now is location, and NYMC wins....I know it's not IN the city, but I can have that if i want in 3rd and 4th yrs, AND it is close enough to go there if I ever have free time....and since I don't think there will be much free time...Valhalla is just as good as NYC and St. Louis.

I wish I could "just go", but it's hard to just say yes since it is a lot of money and hassle. Still thinking though. I may just wait until Christmas time to decide and see if I get into UVM.

hopefulMD, i am glad you did say what you said. A doc in my lab said the same, that's when I didn't buy the plane tickets. But as everyone else has said....I know it's a good school! It's just a harder decision to make right now

Basically, does anyone have a reason to go to SLU OVER my other schools....many schools have everything that has been listed here, and I think I would be happy at NYMC.

Here are two questions: Looking at the match lists, to me, NYMC looks better....bigger name hospitals (as far as i know), and what looks like a LOT of difficult specialties matched.

http://drslounge.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=271969

http://medschool.slu.edu/matchlist/index.phtml?page=matchlist_2006

I don't like NYMC's grading system though...I think that would make me more stressed out....but then again, that could be a good thing??? I'm not sure what SLU's is.

I really do think that there are top 10, top 20, tier 1, then second tier schools. SLU, NYMC, and Creighton are all second tier schools...so unless u have a compelling reason to stay in st. louis, i would save your money. I got into a few schools as well, but decided to decline schools like creighton, slu, and vcu, because I'd rather go to Tulane. In your situation, NYMC's proximity to NYC makes it the most attractive option. Anyhow. good luck with your decision making.

 

[DrHuang]

SLU started off bad and right now its good...the first 10 weeks of anatomy were hell...and then after that, man, life is great