Technion, Sackler, or MSIH?

[glucoseMD]

Hi Everyone,

I'm very grateful to have received acceptances to all three of the American programs in Israel! I know this has been discussed before and I've read many of the other threads, but I'm still really struggling with the decision.

To give some background, I grew up Jewish with strong ties to Israel, and I'm looking forward to an adventure regardless of which program I choose. I'm interested in a competitive specialty down the road, and while I do have significant research/experience in the specialty from the last couple years I figure it's still important to note. I have a computer science degree and hope to do research using this skill or work with a healthcare technology startup of some sort while in school. The most important factor to me is where I'll be happiest and receive the most support from the administration and my fellow students.

Here's my understanding of the pros/cons, but please share your own thoughts/experiences:

Sackler:
Been around the longest, best-known reputation among American residencies, largest alumni network.
Biggest class size, which means more people to study with/make friends with, but also means a slightly more competitive atmosphere and less individual support.
Most exciting city, though also going to be significantly higher cost of living.

Technion:
Best reputation as a University, with Nobel prize winning professors, a more research-leaning education and potential collaborations for engineering-type projects
Smallest class size, so perhaps the closest-knit student body
The medical school is literally on the beach
Newest program and smallest administration, with a marginally weaker match list compared to the other programs (though they've still had some strong matches year to year, including matching someone into my specialty of choice within the last ten years).

MSIH:
Most diverse student body, with maybe the most students making an intentional choice to attend due to the unique global health curriculum
Lots of students and young people my age in Beer-Sheva
Most "boring" city of the three, though cheapest cost of living and an up-and-coming city with a high rate of growth.
Very supportive administration, match list is becoming more impressive each year, and I already have family/connections in the area.


I'm excited to hear people's thoughts on the differences between the programs. Let me know if you agree/disagree with my descriptions, or any other advice you have to help me make this tough choice!! Thanks everyone for reading.

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[JCaesar]

Congrats on the acceptances! You have some thinking to do for sure, because there are so many positives for each school.

I studied at BGU-MSIH so I can speak from that perspective. Be'er Sheva is actually a very nice college town/city. It's growing fast. It's much bigger than people tend to give it credit for. Lots of people from different cultures. I had a very enjoyable experience living in such an interesting city. There is a high-tech sector that is being built right next to the university. It's focus is Cybersecurity. The student body is definitely more diverse. Probably half the class is Jewish. The proportion is much higher at Sackler and Technion. There is no beach which is what Haifa and Tel-Aviv would offer.

As for medical faculties, BGU likely has the best reputation in Israel of the three. However, they're all really very good.

Generally, I do not think your success in the match will differ between the three. Your success will likely depend on your step scores and research publications. You'll be able to pump out research at any of the three universities. They are all research powerhouses in Israel. I'd pick based on the type of experience you're looking for. I've been to each of these universities and the feel of each is quite different. The cities also feel very different to one another. However, given your background in computer science and desire to get involved with startups, I cannot think of a better place than the Technion for that. The Technion is the heart of the Start-Up nation.