Urgent!! SUNY Downstate VS. UMass Chan

[greenbluewhales]

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Hello, I recently got off the WL from UMass and have 2 weeks to decide. I am a CA resident and interested in general surgery residency, but open to other specialities because I only know so much now.

UMass Chan Medical School:

• Pros:
  • better prestige + match hospitals (highly ranked in primary care in Northeast, good home residency programs)
• Cons:
  • OOS tuition (roughly 70k/yr on tuition alone)
  • Worcester, MA (1 hr away from Boston, apparently not much to do, esp in comparison to NYC)

SUNY Downstate Medical School:

• Pros:
  • can get in-state tuition starting 2nd yr (roughly 70k for 1st yr, then 40/50k for 3 years after) (so roughly total 100k difference to Umass)
• Cons:
  • apparently not great surgery home residency
  • i care about safety and maybe it can be unsafe in nyc subways/surrounding campus area/have to get used to subways which could be inconvenient compared to having my own car in MA?

Factors that matter to me are prestige and good success in residency match, especially for helping in my residency (surgery, most likely) goals. I don't think style of exams/courses matter to me because I'll have to learn the same things well anyways.

How much would it help my education/residency success to go to Umass compared to Suny downstate? is the 100k difference worth it?

Any thoughts/opinions/comments are appreciated. Thank you!