The Boston Dilemma: BU or Tufts?

[laddr]

It seems like there are quite a few people in my predicament--choosing between Tufts and BU. Even after researching both schools thoroughly, I am still struggling to make a decision.

If you've been or are in the same position as I am, would you share your insight into how you came to a final decision?

For those who have not been confronted with this predicament, which school would you choose: BU or Tufts? Place your vote! (...if I can figure out how to create a poll)

Thanks for the help!

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[klmnop]

which way are you leaning

 

[laddr]

I think a little more towards BU. I like how established the program at BU is, but I'm also a little concerned about the flexibility of the curriculum.

 

[klmnop]

Yeah, personally I like the structure of the Tufts program. It indicates that there is a defined purpose for the program and upon successful completion your goal can be attained.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

the flexibility is really there for the situation in which you find yourself uncompetitive for medical schools. it lets you salvage something out of the program

 

[klmnop]

Which is a good thing, to have a backup. At Tufts you can also do the MPH or a Lab thesis, though I think very few people do the latter.

Anyway, to quote the fresh prince, 'There's no reason to have a Plan B because it distracts you from Plan A.'

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLN2k0b3g70&feature=player_embedded[/YOUTUBE]

 

[RogueUnicorn]

i'm certainly not one to argue with the fresh prince. just my opinion as to why this is the case...

 

[Crisco]

Which is a good thing, to have a backup. At Tufts you can also do the MPH or a Lab thesis, though I think very few people do the latter.

You can also do a MPH Thesis at BU as well. I'm not sure what people mean by the flexibility of the course because I've heard it a few times. If you're looking for back up plans already, perhaps you're not ready for SMP? You should be going into this thinking this is the only thing you want to do and that is why you are going to go through the pains of the program. Anything short of that mentality and you're not gonna do well due to the intensity of the program (anywhere)

 

[RogueUnicorn]

i like your style...

re: flexibility, our class schedules had a lot more compared to tufts in terms of choosing classes etc.

 

[laddr]

Crisco--I'm sure the post wasn't directed solely to me, but just in case I'm wrong, I definitely am not going into either of these programs with the "back-up plan" mindset. I am highly confident that I will do well in both programs, but am looking for the program that better facilitates my admission into an allopathic med school. Given the high-risk nature of these programs, I am just hesitant to choose one over the other.

Just as bleargh noted, I'm talking about flexibility in terms of which elective courses you take. BU allows you to take a variety of courses and even allows you to have a specific concentration, whereas Tufts is a set curriculum that you can barely deviate from. I do like that BU MAMS lets me take courses that I might have more interests in, but I also dislike the autonomy. However, if the academic advising is good at BU, I don't think I will be as concerned about the less-structured curriculum. Can anyone comment on the strength of BU's academic advising?

 

[klmnop]

BU's advising is covered in the MAMS thread, and supposedly it is very good. My main issue is I don't want to have to deal with choosing courses and scheduling and course advising (as menial as it may be) as my main focus needs to be just getting the work done and well and I would like to have as few extraneous worries as possible.

But thats just me..

 

[RogueUnicorn]

if you are committed to challenging/proving yourself to the fullest extent via available medical school courses, there is pretty much zero flexibility, since you will take biochem, endo, immuno, histo, biostats, and physio. you get ONE elective beyond this. considering tufts also has some electives (not sure how much) i don't think this is a crazy amount of flexibility

the point is that you can CHOOSE to load up full throttle if you want to, and not if you don't. i see this as a good thing, personally.

 

[Crisco]

I think you are confusing what is presented in BU, you have very little choice in what you are allowed to do. There's some space where you can pick one elective over another but all in all, you are spoon-fed what to do, who your advisor is and pretty much everything else. It is both more organized and at the same time if you want, can make it more flexible.

All students are required to take some form of histology, physiology and biochemistry. If you're taking the 1 semester histo/physio, you will take pharm as your default elective unless you personally choose to take something else. If you take the 2 semester histo/physio, you will take immunology as your default elective, once again, unless you choose to take something else.

You do not choose your classes. You are given a pre-decided schedule including what track you will be in and who your advisor will be and this also includes your electives. They are all decided for you and 98% of the students will follow this route. Some will decide to deviate but that is by THEIR choice and not a default choice by every student.

These options include replacing pharm/immuno with another elective, doing a concentration, or doing a MPH. However, very little students deviate from the set route handed from you. If anything, the only choice you should TRY to make is whether you want a 2 semester histo/phyhsio or a 1 semester histo/physio. However, even that is difficult to choose because of space constraint.

I'll make sure to reiterate this for both of you guys because for some reason people seem to think otherwise. Everything is predetermined for you and unless you CHOOSE to do something different, you will follow that course. You are handed your advisor, your track, your schedule, and basically what you'll be doing for a year ... about a MONTH before you even go to school. If you're like me or most of us, you won't deviate from that and most likely you won't even take more courses than that. BUT, if you want to do things differently, there is SOME room for that to be possible.

 

[klmnop]

yup
these programs are nearly identical as far as i can tell, hence the indecisiveness and the poll

Edit: we are aware that there is a defined default route, but the fact that the possibility for flexibility exists confuses some because then you have to decide if it is more beneficial to deviate or not.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

just as a small correction, histo is an elective. i don't know about you guys, crisco, but for track 2 i had to set my entire 2nd semester... even physio

you are correct in that they had already filled in pharm as the elective for me. i dropped it and chose another though, and that worked out for me... but overall people have very similar schedules within a given track

 

[laddr]

yup
these programs are nearly identical as far as i can tell, hence the indecisiveness and the poll

Edit: we are aware that there is a defined default route, but the fact that the possibility for flexibility exists confuses some because then you have to decide if it is more beneficial to deviate or not.

WORD. Well said. That is exactly why I've been so conflicted...especially since, in theory, those who do deviate might perform better in the program if they choose an "easier" elective. But on the other hand, it is possible that med school adcoms pick up on this?

 

[Crisco]

WORD. Well said. That is exactly why I've been so conflicted...especially since, in theory, those who do deviate might perform better in the program if they choose an "easier" elective. But on the other hand, it is possible that med school adcoms pick up on this?

i can confidently say that if you didn't take histology for example (and yes histo is an elective as bleargh pointed out) you will perform much, much better in the course overall. It is a difficult and time consuming class for it's credit amount.

If you choose an easier elective and get a better grade, kudos to you. Will the adcoms know? Probably maybe not. Will it change anything, also probably not. No matter if you're in Tufts or BU, you will still be "competing" against these students who attempt at a easier route when you apply to schools. Some do drop histology because it is too hard or takes up too much work. If that raises your GPA by doing that, then that's fine. Are there many people who do that? No. Deviating from the program in terms of picking electives you normally would never take can be good or bad. Some classes if you choose incorrectly will be nearly impossible to get an A in. But, with proper guidance you can probably avoid the dangerous electives.

So.. in conclusion: No, if you weasel your way out of some of the more dangerous electives (the only one is histology really) you will not be penalized and your GPA will be higher for sure. How does that affect other people? It doesn't change anything. Don't forget (as mentioned before) that no matter what SMP you're from, you will be competing with ALL the SMPers including those who tried to go the easy route. Therefore, even if you go to Tufts, you will still be pitted against students who took the easy route in BU and those in BU will be pitted against those who took the easy route in Tufts. You are thinking too much into things. It's like being angry that you accidently dropped a penny out of your wallet when you also have ten $100 bills.

I will say this though. It probably will be harder to get into BU med if you don't take histology but i'm just guessing at that.

Edit: In terms of benefiting yourself, that is up to you to decide. I found histology extremely hard. But I know of others who thought it was the easiest thing ever. You know yourself and you should play it safe. Your GPA matters more than anything. Don't jeopardize your GPA because everyone is doing the same thing. If you know you're gonna have problems, get out of it! Take care of yourself and be selfish and don't care what others do or do not do. Do whatever is best for yourself. It's all that matters.

 

[klmnop]

they should just merge and start a super program.... where entrants are guaranteed to go the med school afterward

it could be called: BUfts

 

[RogueUnicorn]

or TUBU

 

[klmnop]

or we could make a bizarro smp and just do it all backwards

STFU TUB | BU TUFTS

Edit: SMP backwards is PMS, which may explain the anger behind the new program's title.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

LOL! ftw for sure

 

[RogueUnicorn]

it'd be nice if people putting in votes chimed in as to why they voted that way as well as with their qualifications..

 

[laddr]

i second that. can yall justify your votes?