El Paso (PLFSOM)
Pros
Cons
UTRGV
Pros
Cons
Summary: I liked both schools, PLFSOM was nice but the environment there during my interview left me with a bad feeling. Both schools are near the border so I think they might give me similar experiences with the community. However, UTRGV seemed like a better environment overall. I am interested in surgery and want to go to a school that will best prepare me for that, though I am open to pursuing other specialties as I gain more insight into them through my rotations.
Any comments concerning thoughts and insights into reasoning for ranking each school would be greatly appreciated.
Pros
- small class size
- Get to see advanced pathologist and work with the under-served.
- Has been established longer, might have more connections to residencies
- Get to see advanced pathologies and work with the under-served while learning Spanish.
Cons
- More expensive
- the environment there does not seem healthy, as in during my visit in November the students seemed to not really want to be there, with 90% of whom that were asked their reasoning of why they chose the school was because they matched. the remainder said due to financial aid and that it was their hometown.
- 14 hours from family
UTRGV
Pros
- Most students seemed to genuinely want to be there
- Most affordable school
- Small class size
- Get to see advanced pathologies and work with the under-served.
Cons
- New, might still be trying to figure out their curriculum
- New, might not have as many connections to prepare for competitive specialties
- Not sure if a Con but plastinations instead of cadavers for gross anatomy might not best prepare for surgical specialties.
- 6 hours from family
Summary: I liked both schools, PLFSOM was nice but the environment there during my interview left me with a bad feeling. Both schools are near the border so I think they might give me similar experiences with the community. However, UTRGV seemed like a better environment overall. I am interested in surgery and want to go to a school that will best prepare me for that, though I am open to pursuing other specialties as I gain more insight into them through my rotations.
Any comments concerning thoughts and insights into reasoning for ranking each school would be greatly appreciated.
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