'Stuck' in the Midwest

[Inspired Chaos]

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[Banco]

Depends on how strong your application is; it you're a superstar it will be easier to get selective with location. Chicago has 5 MD schools.

Edit: It actually has 6!

 

[Inspired Chaos]

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[Banco]

It may also help to mention your situation in essays or "additional information" so that the schools know that you are very serious about them.

 

[LizzyM]

Loyola
Rush
UIC (very expensive for OOS but open to OOS students -- they like those tuition dollars)
Rosalind Franklin
Northwestern
U Chicago

Would you consider Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee?

That's 7. Plus DO.

Your children will not get you a pass on anything expected or required of MD applicants.

You must have demonstrated some knowledge of the profession and an understanding of what it means to make it your career. This means shadowing at the very least and even better if you have worked or volunteered in a clinical setting.

You need to show that you have a desire to be of service and so you will need to have some volunteer service. It need not be clinical.

If you can earn some college credits doing research in junior year you will have killed two birds with one stone. Almost all successful medical school applicants (and most unsuccessful ones, too, I presume) have research experience.

U Chicago and NU are the more research oriented schools and they are going to be seeking applicants with most stellar records. Still, if you are going to apply to a few "reach schools" those would be the ones.

 

[Gandyy]

There are tons of medical schools in the Midwest. You should be in good shape with a good application.

 

[GrapesofRath]

So the question boils down to which is the bigger priority: becoming a physician or staying in Chicago. Only you can decide that and apply accordingly. Be aware that this issue will arise for residency and permanent spots at an attending physician.

Having said that, there are successful nontrads who limit themselves to few schools due to family concerns. It is all the more reason to be an outstanding candidate to gain acceptance to these limited number of schools

This

Look at how many applications Rosalind, Loyola and Rush get each year(UIC also). Even stellar applicants who want to stay in Chicago often find themselves having to move. So yes, if you want to stay in your city at all costs for medical school; you picked one of the best ones. But you are inevitably still going to have to have an answer for the question gonnif posed; what happens in the plausible scenario that you get shut out from all Chicago area schools? Only you can answer that. And you have to be well aware this is hardly the last time you will have this problem if you choose medicine as gonnif wisely pointed out. The common adage on here have a Plan B resonates in this situation more than ever. Whatever that Plan B is whether it's being a physician outside Chicago or not being one at all is what you have to figure out.

Let's look at it this way as a complete hypothetical. Let's say there is a 70% chance you are able to land a spot in a Chicago med school, Chicago residency and spot as an attending in Chicago individually(completely arbitrary and made up based off nothing). Sure 70% are great odds. But 70% odds happening 3 straight times? That's 34%. Look this is a complete hypothetical and there are many many reasons why this calcuation shouldn't be taken seriously and why those numbers are complete nonsense but it still illustrates a point. It is not that easy to be in Chicago all the way along your training even if you are a top applicant and do well in medical school.

 

[Nietzschelover]

Let's be clear, though. A married man with 3 children whose spouse is rooted in what (probably) is a very good job/career wanting to stay in the area makes sense. Seems premature to even sort of be questioning his commitment to becoming a physician. And as a married man with 3 kids I would guess this person has thought about Plan Bs and worst-case scenarios already. And he already has said he would travel some doable distance outside of Chicago.

 

[Flashfan]

Indiana is very friendly to their residents. IU Northwest is expanding their class size and IU's EDP program has 80%+ acceptance rate. The spring before you apply, meet with the admissions dean for a review. You can also expect at least an interview unless you have low stats. In addition to the Chicago area school, Would you consider Indianapolis too far? The new DO school is also a possibility.

 

[NickNaylor]

You have plenty of options in the Chicago area. It would suck, but if you're set on going to medical school driving to Milwaukie could theoretically be an option if you're willing to put up with 3+ hours of commuting everyday.

All things considered, Chicago is not a bad area to be "stuck" in given the multiple options available within a pretty small geographic area. As mentioned previously, as long as your application is reasonably competitive you'll have a good shot at being able to stay in the area.

 

[WingedOx]

Indiana is very friendly to their residents. IU Northwest is expanding their class size and IU's EDP program has 80%+ acceptance rate. The spring before you apply, meet with the admissions dean for a review. You can also expect at least an interview unless you have low stats. In addition to the Chicago area school, Would you consider Indianapolis too far? The new DO school is also a possibility.

OP, when you say "Chicago area" are you in Lake County or in IL now? That's going to make a potential difference for residency.

Also IU is one central interview for the school, then they divvy up students to their various campuses, right? If it's still that way, Indiana residents are kind of stuck with all their eggs in one basket for admissions (correct me if I'm wrong). Though you probably can't hurt your case by announcing that you'd like to be placed in the Gary or South Bend campuses.

 

[Flashfan]

You can interview at Gary and put in for Gary as your first choice campus with South Bend as a 2nd choice. Since most people people don't list Northwest as first choice you should be golden. Again, applying EDP or winning a scholarship guarantees your location. You can also do all 4 years at both NW and South Ben now, so no travel to Indy would be required.

 

[Inspired Chaos]

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[Inspired Chaos]

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[raiderette]

Hope you get IUSM. Check out IU northwest anatomical program.