SLU vs MCW

[EndureVascular]

Hi everyone could use some help picking between these 2 schools!

Saint Louis University
Base stats: 2.19% acceptance rate, 3.91 GPA, 515 MCAT, 180 People per class, Tuition- $64,472

Pros:

• True P/F preclinical
• Has AOA- can be given to top 20% of class
• Established curriculum
• More well-known nationally
• Better weather
• I liked living in St.Louis for 4 years, understand the city well
• Good class size, not too big
• WashU med is only a few minutes drive away. As a WashU undergrad I wouldn’t hesitate to try and get research opportunities there
• Cost of living index estimated- $4,800 (slightly cheaper than Milwaukee)

Cons:

• Traditional curriculum- 18 months of preclinicals. Clerkships are guaranteed to be tiered grading
• Less research funding
• Commands less local prestige as WashU/Barnes-Jewish holds more weight in St.Louis

Medical College of Wisconsin
Base stats: 2.38% acceptance rate, 3.75 GPA, 511 MCAT, 265 People per class, Tuition- $62,335

Pros:

• True P/F preclinical
• Has AOA- can be given to top 16% of class
• Transitioning to a new curriculum, there is a chance that clerkship years are also P/F (“not decided yet”). 18 months instead of 24 months of preclinicals which is nice given the decreased importance of Step 1 in matching
• More researching funding. Also as a larger school has more projects consistently underway
• Would be a new city and experience
• Well known and respected in Milwaukee
• Cost of living index estimated- $5,321 (still very reasonable in the grand scheme, just more expensive than St.Louis)

Cons:

• Transitioning to a new curriculum, will assuredly have some hiccups in the first year
• Colder weather- not a huge negative as I’m from a cold state, but likely worse weather than St.Louis
• Starts first week of July- minimal summer break prior to starting med school
• Less known nationwide as there is no associated undergraduate school
• Class size seems rather large

At this point I’m pretty solely focused on neurosurgery, I have been for a long time. Like anyone I could get to 3rd year and change my mind but for now I’m operating under the assumption that I will pursue NSGY, thus intend to get involved with neurosurgical research during my preclinical years. With this being such a small and competitive prospective match, I’m weighing it pretty heavily in my decision.
Interest specific data:

SLU has matched 2, 2, and 0 neurosurgeons over the past 3 years.
Has 6 professors and assistant professors in the Neurosurgical Department.
Currently has 6 residents in home neurosurgical residency.

MCW has matched 4, 1, and 0 neurosurgeons over the past 3 years.
Has 17 professors and assistant professors in the Neurosurgical Department.
Currently has 10 residents in home neurosurgical residency. *5 of these are international medical graduates, seems curious why so many are IMGs?

Looking at other surgical specialities:
SLU 3 year residency match average: GenSurg- 10.66, NeuroSurg- 1.33, Ortho- 4.33, ENT- 2, Plastics- 1.33, ThoraxSurg- .66, Uro- 4.66, VascSurg- 1.33
MCW 3 year residency match average: GenSurg- 20.66, NeuroSurg- 1.66, Ortho- 8.66, ENT- 3, Plastics- 2.33, ThoraxSurg- .33, Uro- 5, VascSurg- .33
*worth noting MCW is 47% larger



Conclusion: At this point I’m not leaning super hard either way. I’m on 4 waitlists including a T5 and T20 so if I were to get off those I’d take it but for now I’m content choosing between these two. Money is even, the schools are relatively comparable, and neither would seem to offer a distinct advantage in the field I wish to pursue. Still waiting to hear in regards to potential scholarship offers so that could potentially be a deciding factor. I would appreciate any insight, opinions, or experiences anyone could offer. I’m particularly curious to hear any stories about the culture or rigor for either school. Thanks!

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[chilly_md]

Choose SLU since you are familiar with the area and it gives you a longer summer break. I assume their CTE deadline is further away then, so you could hang on to the WLs longer and see how those turn out.

 

[potatoofmagic]

I believe SLU is a 17-month preclinical, then 1 month of step 1 study time, then clinical rotations.

Office of Curricular Affairs

www.slu.edu

Click on the School of Medicine Foundation and Core Diagram (PDF).

Also at second look they gave us a pamphlet detailing a 17 month preclinical period.

 

[EndureVascular]

I believe SLU is a 17-month preclinical, then 1 month of step 1 study time, then clinical rotations.

Office of Curricular Affairs

www.slu.edu

Click on the School of Medicine Foundation and Core Diagram (PDF).

Also at second look they gave us a pamphlet detailing a 17 month preclinical period.

Yep you're right. Changed that

Are you a current SLU student? Or are you picking SLU to go into?
If so you tell me why SLU?

 

[potatoofmagic]

I am choosing SLU mainly due to a full tuition scholarship that makes the COA very affordable, but the more I learn about the school the more I like it. I compiled previous SDN X v Y school threads about SLU and made this pro list:

• Cheaper CoL
• New hospital built for rotations, opened in 2020
• Cheap things to do in the city (Forest Grove Park, Tower Park)
• Facilities are older-looking but well-kept. The library is nice, there are plenty of little cafes and study nooks, the sim lab looks better than I've seen in other schools, and the new hospital is so beautiful.
• The students sounded generally pretty happy. The new hospital building seemed really nice, and the campus is really pleasant. The administration sounds like it really genuinely cares about student wellness and has lots of support. One of the students said 'it is really hard to fail here' lol which I took as a positive!
• True P/F (pass/fail) with no internal rankings until 3rd year
• 1.5 pre-clinical years which use NBME exams
• Due to the NBME true P/F shortened preclinical, there's a lot of flexibility and free time to study for USMLE and watch lectures on your own.
• I'd lean toward SLU. Very established. Matches well back to CA. Lower cost. The area right around SLU is ok but the neighborhoods north and south aren't good.
• Lectures aren't mandatory, all are recorded.
• WashU is next door which means potential research opportunities.
• Right next to SLU undergrad campus
• Free things to do in St. Louis i.e Zoo, Art Museum, Forest Park, big beer scene and conveniently located next to big supermarkets, IKEA, etc.
• Emphasis on mental wellness and independent learning.
• TLDR: Excellent Step 1 scores, clinical opportunities/training, high student satisfaction/mental health, and great match list on top of all of that.
• Free access to the rec center gym at SLU’s undergrad campus which is nearby.

I attended second look and just enjoyed the vibe I got for what that's worth. The new hospital is beautiful, there's a brand new research building and lecture room as well, and it seems like the school/facilities are really geared towards student learning. The students seem to have enjoyed their time there as well. The area around the school is also under development (adding more housing and a Target within walking distance), and there are cool places to hang out (city foundry, the armory), plenty of things to do with Forest Park nearby, many free activities, and seemingly a great food scene. School-wise, I see it as a place where I can be successful and have a good shot at a competitive residency if I go down that road. I think, mentally, going somewhere where you think you can "flourish" is really important and for me, SLU ticks all the boxes.