Things to Consider When Deciding Between Schools?

[maroonspinstress]

This is something I've noticed while talking to other applicants on the interview trail. This thread is not specific to my situation and is just a springboard for a more general discussion that I hope many other applicants will find helpful!

Other than big deciding factors, such as location and cost of attendance, medical schools seem very similar. Even two schools with very different "rankings" on a site like US News can both be very good at preparing their students for competitive residencies. As much as we labor over these decisions, there doesn't seem to be a "wrong choice" when it comes to med schools. I either liked or loved all of the schools I've interviewed at.

So I was hoping that some current medical school students could shed some light on this issue (in general, or with concrete examples from your specific school).

1. Is there anything that you wish you knew, or that you wish you'd given more weight to when deciding between schools?
2. What are some things that seemed attractive but really aren't that amazing?
3. What are some things that seemed annoying but actually aren't that bad?
4. Given two schools with similar tuition/location but different "rankings/prestige," what factors (if any) would make you consider attending the lower ranked school? (Asking this question not because I care about ranking but because I think it might tease apart some other "important things to consider" beyond rankings/cost of attendance that people in my shoes don't think to factor into their decision.)
5. Regarding "Fit": How do you know if you will thrive at a school? What are some giveaways, and what are some red flag?

For example, I felt that I "connected well" with students at some schools and less so at others, but on reflection, it seems that my experience on interview day won't at all be representative of how my MS class will be. Or, I found things like simulation centers really cool, but they don't seem to meaningfully affect how well students learn/how happy students are. On the other hand, it seems that many of the true complaints about medical schools come up during 3rd year when students feel frustrated by rotation scheduling/apathetic attendings, etc., but this is so rarely discussed since most of the students we meet on interview day are M1/M2.

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[Dr.TonySoprano]

i love this!!! I need this help too!!

 

[WedgeDawg]

Here are all the things I considered when making my decision in no particular order:

1. Location (geographically - was it close to family/friends? was the temperature warm or cold or neither?)
2. Location (big city? small city? suburban? rural? outer space?)
3. Prestige
4. Curriculum (how much TBL and PBL? 1 vs 1.5 vs 2 preclinical? time given for non-classroom activities like research?)
5. Grading System (Pass/Fail Unranked? Pass/Fail Ranked? H/P/F? letter grades? no grades?)
6. Where were clinical rotations held?
7. Diversity of patient population?
8. Cost of attendance / financial aid
9. Match list (both specialty and location - where do people generally end up?)
10. Gut feeling of "fit"
11. Personalities of other students I met at second look weekend
12. How excited current students were to be there
13. Opportunities for research
14. Methods of transportation between school and home
15. Living situation
16. Food options
17. Support systems for students

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

I pretty much ranked my schools after interviews, research. Once I got accepted/rejected, I just went to the next top ranked school. I will probably be attending my #3 rank, as that is the highest school I got admitted to. Financial aid probably isn't coming my way, so COA is a big factor in determining what schools to even apply to, as it will all be on my nickel. Location really impacts COA.

 

[jl lin]

Here are all the things I considered when making my decision in no particular order:

1. Location (geographically - was it close to family/friends? was the temperature warm or cold or neither?)
2. Location (big city? small city? suburban? rural? outer space?)
3. Prestige
4. Curriculum (how much TBL and PBL? 1 vs 1.5 vs 2 preclinical? time given for non-classroom activities like research?)
5. Grading System (Pass/Fail Unranked? Pass/Fail Ranked? H/P/F? letter grades? no grades?)
6. Where were clinical rotations held?
7. Diversity of patient population?
8. Cost of attendance / financial aid
9. Match list (both specialty and location - where do people generally end up?)
10. Gut feeling of "fit"
11. Personalities of other students I met at second look weekend
12. How excited current students were to be there
13. Opportunities for research
14. Methods of transportation between school and home
15. Living situation
16. Food options
17. Support systems for students

Good list. 6&7 are very important to me. 10&17 are important b/c people have to work together and a supportive environment can be crucial to growth and functioning.

 

[Long Way to Go]

This is something I've noticed while talking to other applicants on the interview trail. This thread is not specific to my situation and is just a springboard for a more general discussion that I hope many other applicants will find helpful!

Other than big deciding factors, such as location and cost of attendance, medical schools seem very similar. Even two schools with very different "rankings" on a site like US News can both be very good at preparing their students for competitive residencies. As much as we labor over these decisions, there doesn't seem to be a "wrong choice" when it comes to med schools. I either liked or loved all of the schools I've interviewed at.

So I was hoping that some current medical school students could shed some light on this issue (in general, or with concrete examples from your specific school).

1. Is there anything that you wish you knew, or that you wish you'd given more weight to when deciding between schools?
2. What are some things that seemed attractive but really aren't that amazing?
3. What are some things that seemed annoying but actually aren't that bad?
4. Given two schools with similar tuition/location but different "rankings/prestige," what factors (if any) would make you consider attending the lower ranked school? (Asking this question not because I care about ranking but because I think it might tease apart some other "important things to consider" beyond rankings/cost of attendance that people in my shoes don't think to factor into their decision.)
5. Regarding "Fit": How do you know if you will thrive at a school? What are some giveaways, and what are some red flag?

For example, I felt that I "connected well" with students at some schools and less so at others, but on reflection, it seems that my experience on interview day won't at all be representative of how my MS class will be. Or, I found things like simulation centers really cool, but they don't seem to meaningfully affect how well students learn/how happy students are. On the other hand, it seems that many of the true complaints about medical schools come up during 3rd year when students feel frustrated by rotation scheduling/apathetic attendings, etc., but this is so rarely discussed since most of the students we meet on interview day are M1/M2.

One of the things I have tried to gather from my interview days is how M3 rotations, and to a lesser extent early clinical experience in M1-M2, is handled. Are you guaranteed to be at the flagship teaching hospital if you want it? Does the hospital system own multiple hospitals including some community hospitals that are affiliates functionally in name only? If you are going to be at a community affiliate, how often do the attendings (and trainees, if any) do teaching? Are any of them faculty in more than just title? How often do preceptors take students: all the time (meaning they probably like teaching) or just every so often (the university pressured them to be added to the teaching serve)?

I don't know if these are helpful criteria, but it is something that I have paid attention to on the interview trail if possible.

 

[URHere]

Things I considered were:

1) Good research fit (this is important for MD/PhDs, not so much for MD-only applicants)
2) Location (weather, size of city, etc)
3) Local and institutional culture (laid-back vs. hyper-academic vs. NE competitive vs. blindingly hipster vs. very conservative)
4) Location and quality of clinical sites (how much traveling would be involved for MS3-4? Any huge hassles?)
5) Cost of living
6) Name recognition
7) How much I liked faculty and students I had the chance to meet during interview day
8) Cost (doesn't matter much for MD/PhDs, but it would be important to consider for MD-only applicants)

Things that I considered, that were really minor in hindsight:

1) Early clinical exposure
2) Grading scheme (I ended up going to a H/NH/P/F school and that was totally fine. This may be important to some, but I think it's overblown)
3) Any extracurriculars the school tries to sell you on (you can find your own hobbies, too)
4) Class size
5) PBL vs lecture (most of your learning will come from MS3/4 regardless)
6) Dedicated USMLE study time (you don't need as much as everyone seems to think you do)

 

[bearintraining]

Things I considered were:

1) Good research fit (this is important for MD/PhDs, not so much for MD-only applicants)
2) Location (weather, size of city, etc)
3) Local and institutional culture (laid-back vs. hyper-academic vs. NE competitive vs. blindingly hipster vs. very conservative)
4) Location and quality of clinical sites (how much traveling would be involved for MS3-4? Any huge hassles?)
5) Cost of living
6) Name recognition
7) How much I liked faculty and students I had the chance to meet during interview day
8) Cost (doesn't matter much for MD/PhDs, but it would be important to consider for MD-only applicants)

Things that I considered, that were really minor in hindsight:

1) Early clinical exposure
2) Grading scheme (I ended up going to a H/NH/P/F school and that was totally fine. This may be important to some, but I think it's overblown)
3) Any extracurriculars the school tries to sell you on (you can find your own hobbies, too)
4) Class size
5) PBL vs lecture (most of your learning will come from MS3/4 regardless)
6) Dedicated USMLE study time (you don't need as much as everyone seems to think you do)

Curious about this..what do you think is the (1) ideal amount of USMLE studying time, and (2) the minimum amount?

 

[URHere]

Curious about this..what do you think is the (1) ideal amount of USMLE studying time, and (2) the minimum amount?

The rule of thumb you always hear for Step 1 vs. 2 vs. 3 is "two months, two weeks, number 2 pencil", but I don't know anyone who spent 2 months studying for step 1.

I'd say 3 weeks is probably the bare minimum. Most people I know took 4-5 weeks off with a week of vacation mixed in and I'd say that's about ideal. For step 2 CK two weeks is plenty. For step 2 CS, just show up.

 

[Officer Farva]

Let me make it simple: A combination of price, location, and prestige. Everything else is not too relevant. Medical schools are all basically the same otherwise, whether you attend Harvard or Albany.