SUNY Downstate vs. Tulane

[anitra627]

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[Triggity02]

if you're a NY resident, pick SUNY without a doubt - you can't beat the cost. you'll be 200K in debt after 4 years at TUSM. i've lived in NYC and New Orleans for all my life (grew up in NO, went to school in NYC), and i would say that you will get a much more diverse clinical experience in Brooklyn than in NO. you will see more interesting patient populations and rarer diseases in NYC than NO, but you will see more ER trauma in NO than NYC. i think they are both fantastic schools and i have friends at both. ultimately though, i think SUNY would offer more opportunities for residencies at better hospitals than Tulane.

 

[anitra627]

Thank you Triggity. Are you a graduate med student now? It is interesting to me that current residents and practicing physicians seem to think there is very little to gain from the name of Tulane versus the great reputation of Downstate. This is not really the case among those who are on the earlier end of their medical careers, ie just starting med school. I am a little bit older and I am surrounded my family and friends who are physicians and the sentiment is the same. Is this an artifact of my own experiences or is this perspective generally true among those who would know by now.

Thank you so much for your reply!

 

[f_w]

Go to Downstate. The suntan you can get at Tulane will last 3 months, the student loans will last for years.
Can't beat Downstate in the 'bang for buck' category.

 

[nycIMdoc]

Re the match, I can tell you all the fellow students who wish to go to Cali for their residency got what they want, including Derm (UCLA), Internal Medicine (UCSD), Family Practice (UCLA), Ob/Gyn, Peds, Psy and some others.

Clinical experience is excellent at Downstate. Research is weak. Teaching during the first two years not so great. Hands on experience excellent. Match decent. Atmosphere very nice in general. Students in general work pretty hard.

Most people live in Park slope, nice and safe.

Hope this helps.

 

[cliff]

I have 7 weeks left of medicine prelim @ Downstate.

GO TO DOWNSTATE. The MS are super smart and many have given up going to top 10 med schools because of the tuition. They match into great specialties. Everyone I know has traded up to awesome residencies.

SUNY Downstate- I have found to be known by a lot of people in Cali.
I do not think there is any advantage of going to a private medical school.
I think it is the exact opposite- going to a state medical school with a county hospital is more respected than the other course.

Go to Downstate- enjoy Brooklyn- live in Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope.

best of luck

cliff

 

[anitra627]

Thanks everyone. Does anyone from Tulane have any thoughts?

 

[Strap]

Tulane is one of the more expensive schools, and you will come out with a significant debt.

However, having said that, you will have a great time if you do decide to attend Tulane. The students here really get along well, with a class celebration after every round of tests called "Block Parties".

I know that the Tulane name carried much weight when I was applying and interviewing for residencies.

Tulane is unique, I think, in that although it is a private school with the private hospital exposure, you also spend a significant amount of your training in the Charity system. Charity hospital, for those unfamiliar, is one of if not the oldest such hospitals in the country. It is almost a completely resident run hospital, despite what you might be hearing about that changing. This means a great deal of autonomy for the residents to really flex their med school training as well as for the students to really feel involved in patient care. I think this gives you, as a medical student, not only a tremendous amount of hands on training, but also builds your confidence when transitioning to becoming a intern. Every rotation done at charity is basically a Sub-I or AI. That's not to say that there's no attending coverage or teaching; there definitely is a lot of learning taking place. It's just different in that everything is more practical. Everything you do for your charity patient has a direct impact on their lives. It is a tremendously gratifying experience.


p.s. If you decide to come here, get to know Dr. Rodenhauser in the Psych dept., definitely the coolest guy in the world.

 

[Lysdexic]

After just finishing four years at Tulane, I would definitely come here again. But, whether it's worth paying twice as much money for is a question only you can answer. I came to Tulane because the students all seemed happy and loved the school. I thought that if I was going to work my tail off at a school, I wanted to do it at a place where you could keep you happiness/sanity intact.

I have no regrets. I also have no info about NY programs, so I won't even pretend to compare. I have no doubt you'd receive a great education at either program. So, the question is whether the "intangibles" are worth the money. Again, your call. If you have more specific questions, feel free to send me a private message. I loved Tulane and would come here again in a heartbeat.

 

[monstermatch]

Tulane is overrated & expensive. Some of the departments at Tulane are truly awful. Stick with SUNY - all the SUNY schools are good quality and offer as much or more than Tulane.

 

[Purulent DC]

I agree all of the above posters who prefer SUNY Downstate. I'm a PGY1 doing a transitional year (& matched into a Cali EM PGY 2-3-4 program). I interviewed at SUNY Downstate/ Kings County for EM while applying to residency and was very impressed. I must say that place gets a LOT of action (and I disagree with the earlier post that Tulane has greater trauma, as Kings County has been ranked by the CDC for the past dozen years as having some of the highest volume of penetrating trauma out all US EDs). I'd respect any student who can thrive in that environment. It is truly one of the big and respected COUNTY hospital environments, and the training & pathology exposure there looked fantastic. Just my bias, but as future ED attending, with all else being equal, I'd pick a student from SUNY Downstate over Tulane in a heartbeat. US med. schools are all pretty much the same. Good students will get want they want no matter what school they go, and you will be one of them if you so choose.

 

[downstateguy]

there's no good reason to choose Tulane over Downstate. You will get a good education at either, but will accrue less debt at Downstate.

Don't buy into the notion that private schools are necessarily better. "Top-10" schools do offer a notable advantage in reputation, but that is not at all the case for Tulane.

good luck. the MS1 year sucks, so enjoy your summer.

p.s. Plenty of California matches for my class. If you want to go there you can.

 

[anitra627]

Thanks everyone! Well, things just got a little more complicated. . .I got into Wake yesterday. My panties are in a serious bunch. . . I have no idea what to do. I know it's a good problem to have, but still!!!! 😕

 

[downstateguy]

Nothing wrong with Wake. But nothing all that special either. Not worth the private school money.

 

[kas23]

Re-read this whole thread all over again. However, everywhere you see "Tulane," scratch it out and insert "Wake Forest" and you will have your answer.

 

[Strap]

It seems this thread has become a private school bashing thread.

It reminds me of the old advertising adage that those on top should never mention inferior competition, i.e. McDonald's never mentions Burger King by name but BK bashes away at MickeyD's every chance they get. 😉

 

[anitra627]

Well, I apologize. I didn't mean for it to be a school bashing forum when I posed the question. I love Downstate and feel very comfortable there. It's familiar to me. But I think I would get pretty exhausted commuting to school and studying and maintaining motivation over long days in addition to traveling back and forth. I really worry about this judging from my experience trekking to and from schools and jobs all over this city for my whole life. Sounds stupid, I know. But I want to be prepped to start studying at night and maybe a better environment will help me do that. Don't know for sure.

Kas, are you endorsing Wake then? Know anyone who enjoyed it there?

 

[kas23]

Well, I apologize. I didn't mean for it to be a school bashing forum when I posed the question. I love Downstate and feel very comfortable there. It's familiar to me. But I think I would get pretty exhausted commuting to school and studying and maintaining motivation over long days in addition to traveling back and forth. I really worry about this judging from my experience trekking to and from schools and jobs all over this city for my whole life. Sounds stupid, I know. But I want to be prepped to start studying at night and maybe a better environment will help me do that. Don't know for sure.

Kas, are you endorsing Wake then? Know anyone who enjoyed it there?

No, I am not endorsing Wake. I don't know anyone there, nor do I know much about Wake at all.

This thread is not really about bashing private schools. Moreso, it is saying that anyone can get an equal education where ever they decide to go. You can look at the residency match lists (they're pinned at the top of this forum). Cover up 90% of the school's names and you really wouldn't be able to tell them apart (besides by looking at where the majority are going -> usually the home school). On the flip-side, there are about 5 schools out there that have a name that will really help you out and about 5 schools whose name may hurt you residency application.

However, take the residency match lists with a grain of salt also. They will not predict where you go for your residency. Who cares if private school X sent 10 people to school Y for rads or ophtho. Does this mean that if you go to school X, you will get a rads residency? No. What if your love is peds? Or, what if you went to private school X, became 200K in debt, but still love peds? Would you still go into peds? That will require a lot of thinking. But, you certainly could go into rads though. Now, that 200K debt doesn't look so bad after all. My point is that private schools will send a larger amount of people into subspecialties and it MAY be due to their enormous amount of debt, rather than just strictly their academic achievement.

In the end, listen to people on this board, but don't take it as gospel. Everyone has an agenda. People from state school X will say go to a state school because they have peanuts for debt. Then they will tell you that they got some fantastic residency position out of their state school. Both of these statements may be very true. Then someone will private school X will say their school sent 30 people into rads onc and that their school's name really matters. You can judge for yourself whether this statement holds any water. However, remember that going to med school (any school) is about performance. The cream always rises to the top, no matter where you go and these people will be able to choose whatever they want to go into and where.

 

[anitra627]

Thanks. I know I have to go where I'll be happy. Just wish I could figure out how to give myself an honest assessment of where that will be, and where I can best maintain that happiness beyond what I might feel now since my needs now may be different than thay will be in 3 or 4 years. Ever have a problem trusting your impressions?! This is the first time in my life where my gut has remained so silent. I feel like I'm just waiting for that moment in the shower when it will hit me, but it doesn't seem like it's getting any closer. . .

 

[anitra627]

Another thing I noticed-- Wake just sent me their match list. While I won't assume I'll go where these people went, I can't help but notice that they send far fewer people into subspecialities than do either Tulane or Downstate. No urology, for example. 6 Rads, 4 Optho, 2 Derm, but then a ton of EM, Family Practice, and Anesthesiology (which I know Wake is really strong in). Does anyone know if the atmosphere at Wake tends to encourage primary care over specialization?

 

[seethrew]

Thanks. I know I have to go where I'll be happy. Just wish I could figure out how to give myself an honest assessment of where that will be, and where I can best maintain that happiness beyond what I might feel now since my needs now may be different than thay will be in 3 or 4 years. Ever have a problem trusting your impressions?! This is the first time in my life where my gut has remained so silent. I feel like I'm just waiting for that moment in the shower when it will hit me, but it doesn't seem like it's getting any closer. . .

awww.... i totally feel the same way! for shame on me... i feel like such a *****.

i feel like i could have written the same words. u r not alone in having to make a decision that feels very important.

i truly hope that it is true - that we can kick ass wherever we go, in whichever environment - familiar, unfamiliar, expensive, cheap, laid back, or gunnerama.... and all the other stuff is just bells and whistles. 😉

 

[kas23]

Thanks. I know I have to go where I'll be happy. Just wish I could figure out how to give myself an honest assessment of where that will be, and where I can best maintain that happiness beyond what I might feel now since my needs now may be different than thay will be in 3 or 4 years. Ever have a problem trusting your impressions?! This is the first time in my life where my gut has remained so silent. I feel like I'm just waiting for that moment in the shower when it will hit me, but it doesn't seem like it's getting any closer. . .

I know exactly how you feel. I was a sick mess trying to decide where to go to med school. I wrestled with the decision for about two weeks of living hell and then just couldn't take it anymore and just made the decision. Rest assured though, no matter where you go, they will very likely lead to the same place.

 

[blue2000]

This is probably not an entirely helpful comment, but as a graduating fourth year, I understand the agony of making the choice. On the other hand? A med student's life is basically the same, where-ever you go. You'll study. A lot. You'll hang out with your classmates. You'll get sick of hanging out with your classmates. You'll feel poor. You'll study. You'll think some of your classmates are *******es, and wonder how they got in. You'll think some of your classmates are brilliant, and wonder how you got in. You'll study. If you're a basically happy person, you'll be happy most of the time. If you're a basically miserable person, you'll be down most of the time. If you work hard and are smart and understand that third and fourth year are more about working a system then showing off your superior knowledge, you'll do well. If you're lucky, you'll do really well. If you listen to the advice that is given, you'll do fine for residency. At the end, you'll be a doctor, going to a residency you're excited about, and you'll be scared to be an intern. You'll wonder if you're school prepared you enough, if you're going to be better/smarter or worse/dumber than you're co-interns.

I know that making the decision is a big deal now, but try to also understand that it's not a catastrophic choice, especially with the schools you're debating between. Flip a coin. If it feels wrong, you'll know. Trust yourself, decide to be happy, and I doubt you'll regret your decision.

 

[kas23]

This is probably not an entirely helpful comment, but as a graduating fourth year, I understand the agony of making the choice. On the other hand? A med student's life is basically the same, where-ever you go. You'll study. A lot. You'll hang out with your classmates. You'll get sick of hanging out with your classmates. You'll feel poor. You'll study. You'll think some of your classmates are *******es, and wonder how they got in. You'll think some of your classmates are brilliant, and wonder how you got in. You'll study. If you're a basically happy person, you'll be happy most of the time. If you're a basically miserable person, you'll be down most of the time. If you work hard and are smart and understand that third and fourth year are more about working a system then showing off you're superior knowledge, you'll do well. If you're lucky, you'll do really well. If you listen to the advice that is given, you'll do fine for residency. At the end, you'll be a doctor, going to a residency you're excited about, and you'll be scared to be an intern. You'll wonder if you're school prepared you enough, if you're going to be better/smarter or worse/dumber than you're co-interns.

I know that making the decision is a big deal now, but try to also understand that it's not a catastrophic choice, especially with the schools you're debating between. Flip a coin. If it feels wrong, you'll know. Trust yourself, decide to be happy, and I doubt you'll regret your decision.

Excellent post!

 

[f_w]

Does anyone know if the atmosphere at Wake tends to encourage primary care over specialization?

Don't worry too much about the atmosphere at the school. At Downstate, the students were complaining that all their advisor was talking about was how great primary care is and how they could help them to get the best primary care spot there is (while quietly implying that they would not be supportive of their proteges going into subspecialties). The ones aiming for a specialty career just humored their advisors and got their letters or recommendation from the respective specialty department anyway.

If you want to go into a specialty, you will find out soon about the things you have to do to facilitate this. And it probably won't matter too much whether you are at a state school or a private institution (it will matter in your bank account though). Many medical students play with many different specialties before they make a decision, in the end it might be right at the opposite end of the spectrum from where they started out. A medstudent roomate at Downstate went from psych (at the beginning of 3rd year) through rads (beginning of 4th year) over GS to finally ortho. He was a mediocre test-taker, but with full support from the well meaning faculty he accumulated along the way, he made it into a good ortho residency.

 

[timebomb]

Tulane v. SUNY Downstate:

Tulane: more expensive; broader clinical experience - medical students rotate at Tulane University hospital, Charity/University, VA, and Ochsner as well as potential clinical experiences in rural Louisiana (FP, OB, surgery) and a private hospital OB setting (Lakeside) with potential for some rotations in another private hospital (Touro); laid back environment, with Tulane students being overall incredibly happy, with more than you can possibly imagine to do in New Orleans (for cheap) and nice weather year-round (unless you've got something against heat/humidity in deep summertime); excellent teachers; weak on research overall; in general, at Tulane people will do anything to make sure things happen for you if they like you; strong national reputation (Tulane grads probably match better than they should); strong arts connection within medical school, if that's your thing (musicians, artists, theatre)

SUNY Downstate: have no experience to people qualified enough to say, but general reputation not especially strong nationally (think outside the box, New Yorkers); definitely much cheaper than Tulane; with county hospital, likely strong clinical experience; access to New York for entertainment

to be honest, for the money, SUNY Downstate for you is an overall better value, as a NY state resident; if you were not a NY state resident, Tulane would be an easy choice

 

[anitra627]

Thanks for the info about Tulane. Why do you say that they match better than they probably should? I have friends who met Tulane students at residency interviews this year for urology etc who said the people they met were super smart and cool. So just wondering what you mean? I've noticed that the Tulane match doesn't jive with a lot of the comments on SDN since it's pretty slamming.

Also-- of those Tulane students who matched in the more competitive residencies. What was their strategy for success? Note that beyond the strategy for success in med school there's the additional question of success in med school in NeW oRLEANs. . . . .

 

[timebomb]

i say they matched better than they should have because I've worked with many Tulane students, and then seeing where they match sometimes I'm a bit surprised. but the reason why they match well, I think, is manyfold. one is the reputation of the school. another is that the Tulane faculty do a great job of networking among their peers and helping med students match well at other institutions. a third is that Tulane students tend to have high grades and be fairly booksmart with high board scores due to the structure of the curriculum. so, to answer your question, you will match well and you will match nationally if you choose to do so as a graduating Tulane med student.

as far as medical school in New Orleans....it's a great experience. the city is always alive. it's so great for one's sanity to be able to always have something to do when you're working so hard so often. the weather is nice, which makes everything more cheerful. and the medical school mirrors the atmosphere of the city...laid back, friendly, supportive.

 

[Strap]

I agree with Timebomb; as far as intangibles, Tulane simply can't be beat.

The students love it here and every class is just so diverse. The admissions committee genuinely looks at the entire application, not just MCAT scores and GPA. We attract people from literally the entire country, from sea to shining sea. So many from California that we were once known as UC-New Orleans. We have a well supported and very active student run interest group called SARBA (Students Against Right Brain Atrophy). There are numerous concerts every semester called Music in Medicine where any Med student/resident/attending with any musical inclination will perform, usually during lunch in the auditorium in front of a packed house. It's a hoot!

If you don't think intangibles matter, think back to your college years. Do you remember the classes or the professors? Are your best memories of sitting in on a supposedly wonderful, world renown lecturer, or is it that special group of friends that you met and spent almost every day with?

As me Pappy always said, if you have to make a decision about something, take away monetary cost from the equation, and choose the best. You'll never be disappointed!

 

[EMApplicant]

Downstate.

 

[amimigut]

DOWNSTATE 👍

 

[kas23]

Enough horsing around; post the match lists please.

 

[Strap]

Enough horsing around; post the match lists please.

Highlights from Tulane Match 2005:

Derm-Mayo
Derm-Tulane (2)
Surgery-UCLA
Neurosurgery-Georgetown
Radiology-Dartmouth
Ortho-Tulane (2)
Ortho-University of Penn.
Ortho-Hopkins
Rad/Onc-Hopkins
Ortho-Barnes Jewish
ENT-U of Washington
Urology-Minnesota
Urology-Tulane
Radiology-Hopkins
Ortho-Jackson Memorial (Miami)
Neurosurgery-UT Southwestern
General Surgery-Mt Sinai
Urology-Vanderbilt
ENT-Georgetown,
ENT-SUNY Downstate 😉

And on, and on, and on . . . (as you can see, we take care of our own 😀 ).

Another advantage of such a diverse incoming class is a diverse graduating class. Ask anyone in the know, and they'll tell you that networking is the key to securing choice residencies. Anywhere you go, you'll find Tulane Alumni as residents or staff.

Anywhere.

 

[anitra627]

Strap and Timebomb: Thank you for answering my questions better than anyone I've spoken to so far: this specific issue of how much faculty are willing to go to bat for 4th year students who are looking for competitive residencies is exactly what I haven't been able to get a straight answer about for several reasons: a) no one i know who is practicing went to Tulane so they can't tell me. b) everyone I know at tulane is a first or second or third year and a 4th year who didn't have much experience with needing to network given where she wanted to match. Yet I know for a fact that this is a hugely important issue and that matching can be just as much about networking and politics as it can be about the applicant's qualifications.

That being said, I am specifically looking for a school that has a trend of sending people to programs elsewhere, where those programs have been happy with the Tulane grads they have received, and where faculty is willing to make some phone calls for me if need be. I want to be in a place where the paths to various specialities in great places are well worn so that I can keep all my options open when its time to decide what I want to specialize in.

So thanks for your input!!!

Lastly, what is it about the curric that you feel prepares Tulane students well for the boards and do you know how the class as a whole does on Step 1?

 

[anitra627]

And in case your wondering. . .my motivation to do well in med school isn't driven by gunner tendencies. In general, my right brain has always outweighed my left, so I need to work harder to keep the left up to speed so that I can get where I want to go with as little "should have could have would haves" as possible.

 

[kas23]

About the match lists and networking: you should be looking at where the people are going, not exactly what they are going into. For many, what people go into is a personal choice. Who cares if a school matches ever single one of its students into derm? What if you hate derm? Look at where the graduates are going. Are they only matching within their university? State? Region? Or, are they scattered throughout the country. I would think that you would want to go to a place where the graduates are scattered througout the country, unless we are taking about Hopkins or Harvard, where many people would choose to stay. What you need to carefully look at are the complete match lists. Highlights are just that. They can be misleading.

Don't stress over the curriculums and board scores. Everyone from every medical school studies out of the same review books when it comes time for Step 1. What would be most helpful is their pass rate, rather than their average. The average tells you nothing about what you woud likely score.

 

[EMApplicant]

Highlights from Tulane Match 2005:

Derm-Mayo
Derm-Tulane (2)
Surgery-UCLA
Neurosurgery-Georgetown
Radiology-Dartmouth
Ortho-Tulane (2)
Ortho-University of Penn.
Ortho-Hopkins
Rad/Onc-Hopkins
Ortho-Barnes Jewish
ENT-U of Washington
Urology-Minnesota
Urology-Tulane
Radiology-Hopkins
Ortho-Jackson Memorial (Miami)
Neurosurgery-UT Southwestern
General Surgery-Mt Sinai
Urology-Vanderbilt
ENT-Georgetown,
ENT-SUNY Downstate 😉

And on, and on, and on . . . (as you can see, we take care of our own 😀 ).

Another advantage of such a diverse incoming class is a diverse graduating class. Ask anyone in the know, and they'll tell you that networking is the key to securing choice residencies. Anywhere you go, you'll find Tulane Alumni as residents or staff.

Anywhere.

Looks like Tulane grads do well in the match. I'm sure Downstate grads do as well. I don't think anyone would consider either school a "top tier program", but you'll be able to do whatever you want coming out of either. The question is do you want to pay a quarter million for med-school or not? That seems pretty darn persuasive against Tulane, IMHO...unless they're offering you some sweet financial aid.

 

[anitra627]

You have to remember to factor in cost of living. At the end of the day it's the difference between 200 K at tulane and 140 K at downstate once you factor in living expenses in new york.

Here's Tulane's full match:
http://www.som.tulane.edu/departments/StudentAffairs/MATCH 2005.htm

Here's Downstates for the past several years:
http://sls.downstate.edu/studentaffairs/match.html


And from another thread :Wake Forest Match List...some highlights...numbers might be off. Didn't include any prelims

Ortho: (3) Duke, Wake Forest, UCLA-Harbour
Derm: (1) Vandy
Plastics: (1) Loma Linda
Emergency Medicine: (9) U Pitt, U Chicago, Cook County, Boston Med, OHSU, Wake, Maryland Peds/EM, Mayo
Rads: (6) Wake, Mayo, Maryland, Syracuse, UC Davis
ENT: (1) Univ Utah
Urology: (1) UT-Southwestern
Rad/Onc: (1) Wake
Gen Surgery: (4) Wake, UAB
Medicine: (14) Duke, U Washington, NorthwesternX2, UNC, Colorado, Lenox HillX2, IndianaX2, UC Davis
Anesthesia: (19...yes that's right 19) Wake X 7, Duke, BWH, Mich, Mayo, U San Diego
Optho: (5) NYU, U South Carolina, Missouri, Georgetown, OHSU
Ob/Gyn: (3) Rochester, U Ariz, MCP
Peds: (11) WakeX5, Vanderbilt, U Mich, Duke, Indiana, Stanford
Neurology: (4)Vandy, Boston U, UC Davis, Mayo
FP: (7) UNC, UCSF, U Colo
Path: (2) VCU, New Mexico
Med/Peds (2): U Cinn, Bay State

 

[kas23]

For what its worth, I am more impressed with Tulane's match list. They did send people all over the country and to some impressive places too. The majority of the people from Downstate are pretty much staying in the "area" (NY/PA/New England). I don't know if that is just a function of their personalities (NYers are funny this way, they see no life outside of NY) or a function of their applications.

However, I still think the financial factor is more important than these match lists.

 

[f_w]

The majority of the people from Downstate are pretty much staying in the "area" (NY/PA/New England).

It is probably a function of the high proportion of in-state residents attending the school. Students coming to Tulane from 'all over the country' are more likely to return to their home state for residency.

Don't worry too much about the match list. It is your individual achievement that will determine where you go. (It is the same as people moving into a house they can't afford just so their dumb kid can get into a seemingly high-achieving school district.)

 

[kas23]

The majority of the people from Downstate are pretty much staying in the "area" (NY/PA/New England).

It is probably a function of the high proportion of in-state residents attending the school. Students coming to Tulane from 'all over the country' are more likely to return to their home state for residency.

I go to a state school and we're all gettin' the hell outa Dodge.

Don't worry too much about the match list. It is your individual achievement that will determine where you go.

I couldn't agree with this any more.

(It is the same as people moving into a house they can't afford just so their dumb kid can get into a seemingly high-achieving school district.)

This seems like a great idea!

 

[f_w]

I go to a state school and we're all gettin' the hell outa Dodge

I didn't mean to stay at the school for residency, I meant the general geographic area.

There seems to be a quota system in downstate admissions. 30% of students have to be doctor's kids from upstate and long-island 😉 (All these kids got to hear from their dads when they showed them the Columbia and NYU acceptance letters was: 80k, above that you are on your own. They realized a long time ago that it doesn't really matter were you go to medschool.)

 

[ZephyrX]

The majority of the people from Downstate are pretty much staying in the "area" (NY/PA/New England). I don't know if that is just a function of their personalities (NYers are funny this way, they see no life outside of NY) or a function of their applications.

I will agree that the Northeastern people as a general rule prefer to stay there but i think that it's more of an application function as you say. Let's not forget the number of academic programs in the area. From MA to MD there is a huge cluster of residency programs (all within a 5 hour give or take drive/train ride).

If you are at Tulane your options are somewhat limited, you will have to fly out to the coasts and the midwest.

Thats why you see the very visible geographic placement differences.

Now competitive residencies, top tier programs, etc is a different story.

However, I still think the financial factor is more important than these match lists.

I agree!

 

[seethrew]

ok. the financial thing *is* important. i feel like ive been getting some smoke blown in my eyes tho. my face-off is tulane v. uva. i cant comprehend what difference 30K will mean to me in the future... the more expensive option (tulane) is dangling a nomination for an award that will make it the cheaper option, but wont tell me when such information is revealed - vagueness. really frustrating. 🙁

*sigh* poor me, right. 🙄

 

[f_w]

what difference 30K will mean to me in the future

Well, I can tell you. Unless you start out in vitreoretinal surgery, it will mean that you'll have to put off buying that beamer by another year.

By the time you come out of residency, 30k extra will have turned into 45k extra (particularly in view of rising interest rates). Even if you make a decent salary coming out of residency, lets say 220k it's not easy to fork that kind of dough over every month. Remember, you'll have to pay your debt out of after-tax $$s. And by that time, you'll probably have to feed a couple of short ones and a spouse....

Cash rules. If you are dumb as dirt, even the best medschool will only get you into a prelim surgery slot. If you sit down and study, doors will be open for you regardless of the 'ranking' of your school (which outside of SDN nobody really cares about).

 

[kas23]

ok. the financial thing *is* important. i feel like ive been getting some smoke blown in my eyes tho. my face-off is tulane v. uva. i cant comprehend what difference 30K will mean to me in the future... the more expensive option (tulane) is dangling a nomination for an award that will make it the cheaper option, but wont tell me when such information is revealed - vagueness. really frustrating. 🙁

*sigh* poor me, right. 🙄

I am now starting to get a hold of this debt payoff thing (but a bad way of becoming familiar with it, I should be on the other side), so I'll give this one a shot. The difference of about 30K, and this is a big assumption, is about $150-200 extra per month over 30 years. This is based on a 6% interest rate.

Granted, the interest rate is at 2.77% right now, but it WILL be going up. In fact, I really feel sorry for the future graduates due to this. This may sound weird, but the debt 2005 graduates will have to pay off will probably only be a small fraction of what students will have to pay off in 2010 (based on rising interest rates and rising tuition). I shudder even thinking about it. Just pick the cheapest school.

 

[f_w]

I am now starting to get a hold of this debt payoff thing (but a bad way of becoming familiar with it, I should be on the other side), so I'll give this one a shot. The difference of about 30K, and this is a big assumption, is about $150-200 extra per month over 30 years. This is based on a 6% interest rate.

Say, did you sell cars in your prior life ? (oh yeah, sure you can afford this, the weekly rate is only $25 more)

Its 30k+interest, end of story.

 

[kas23]

I am now starting to get a hold of this debt payoff thing (but a bad way of becoming familiar with it, I should be on the other side), so I'll give this one a shot. The difference of about 30K, and this is a big assumption, is about $150-200 extra per month over 30 years. This is based on a 6% interest rate.

Say, did you sell cars in your prior life ? (oh yeah, sure you can afford this, the weekly rate is only $25 more)

Its 30k+interest, end of story.

No, I am just trying to become financially more astute considering I will have to be paying back loans starting in about 2 months. I figured all this out by plugging it into a loan calculator. Here, you can try:

http://www.smartloan.com

Click on the light blue box on the right that says "Calculate Your Savings," which is obviously a misnomer.

And paying back an extra $150-200 per month is not as benign as you may think, especially when you already are paying $700 for loan repayments. It is more like $150-200 less you can spend on leisure, food, or savings. This counts a lot as a resident. Remember, life doesn't start after residency ends.

 

[seethrew]

what difference 30K will mean to me in the future

Well, I can tell you. Unless you start out in vitreoretinal surgery, it will mean that you'll have to put off buying that beamer by another year.

jeez. i'm just hopin my 89 chevy silverado's cracking windshield will still be intact until residency. LOL

the reason why it is so hard for me to think about these numbers, is that i have lived a very simple adult life until now, by choice i suppose - which is not always an option for the truly disavantaged. i mean, there was a time i was livin in a converted chicken coop, a 1/2 mile from a bathroom, making less than all y'alls monthy interest - a YEAR.

last year i was in a post bac program, livin off of loans, sorta like med school will be. no savings. first time i had health insurance in 8 years. it actually felt pretty damn luxurious. its not like i'm a stranger to middle class wealth (parents in 80's), all this $$$ stuff just seems so surreal. as if finally gettin to go to med school wasn't surreal enuf.

its like wow. i can be a surgeon maybe. if i kick enuf ass.

OP - hows the decision makin goin?

 

[deleted4401]

Tulane was an amazing place to go to school. Even though I didn't end up getting exactly what I wanted (I made a valiant effort for rad-onc, but alas ... ), I had a great time, learned lots, and loved New Orleans. I chose it over my state school, as well. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I just can't imagine a more fun, happy, vibrant, nurturing, environment. It was a blast, and the people there were amazing. I don't know anything about Downstate or UVA, but I do know my school. I know it's super expensive, one of the most in the country. I know it isn't a top 5 school. But, you ask almost anyone who went there or goes there, we absolutely LOVED our experience.

It really was possibly the best 4 years of my life ... and I got an MD out of it. Or, actually, I'll have one in 9 days.

I don't think you can go wrong by going to any of those places, but I do think you'll do right by choosing Tulane 🙂

Any questions, feel free to e-mail

Simul

jeez. i'm just hopin my 89 chevy silverado's cracking windshield will still be intact until residency. LOL

the reason why it is so hard for me to think about these numbers, is that i have lived a very simple adult life until now, by choice i suppose - which is not always an option for the truly disavantaged. i mean, there was a time i was livin in a converted chicken coop, a 1/2 mile from a bathroom, making less than all y'alls monthy interest - a YEAR.

last year i was in a post bac program, livin off of loans, sorta like med school will be. no savings. first time i had health insurance in 8 years. it actually felt pretty damn luxurious. its not like i'm a stranger to middle class wealth (parents in 80's), all this $$$ stuff just seems so surreal. as if finally gettin to go to med school wasn't surreal enuf.

its like wow. i can be a surgeon maybe. if i kick enuf ass.

OP - hows the decision makin goin?