Tufts/GWU vs. Western

[Flyfisher]

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I'm in a very complicated situation... if you've read my posts you know that I've gotten into Western.

I am also now waitlisted at Tufts and GW, both excellent schools.

If the outcome of this was just going to impact my life, i would be less stressed. However, my partner is also going to school next year, to be a lawyer. She has been accepted to UC Berkeley, and Michigan. She has also gotten into Boston College but doesn't want to go there.

I want to get the DO perspective on this because I know what the MD people will say. Am I crazy to want to just deposit and set my sights on Western right now before I hear back from GW/Tufts? They had awesome hospitals and awesome school facilities. I liked Western and I would be happy to go there but it doesn't have the facilities or resources that these allo schools do.

Also, given that I want to go into dermatology or be an internal medicine specialist, would i be better of in an allopathic school? I really love the DO philosophy and I want to always consider treating the whole patient no matter what field I go into.

If I got to LA i will be near my partner in berkeley (relatively) or I'll be flying to cali once a month to see her from the east coast. The relationship is the most important thing to me at this point too.

Sorry for the rambling, any advice?
Thanks

 

[Packamylase]

I'm in a very complicated situation... if you've read my posts you know that I've gotten into Western.

I am also now waitlisted at Tufts and GW, both excellent schools.

If the outcome of this was just going to impact my life, i would be less stressed. However, my partner is also going to school next year, to be a lawyer. She has been accepted to UC Berkeley, and Michigan. She has also gotten into Boston College but doesn't want to go there.

I want to get the DO perspective on this because I know what the MD people will say. Am I crazy to want to just deposit and set my sights on Western right now before I hear back from GW/Tufts? They had awesome hospitals and awesome school facilities. I liked Western and I would be happy to go there but it doesn't have the facilities or resources that these allo schools do.

Also, given that I want to go into dermatology or be an internal medicine specialist, would i be better of in an allopathic school? I really love the DO philosophy and I want to always consider treating the whole patient no matter what field I go into.

If I got to LA i will be near my partner in berkeley (relatively) or I'll be flying to cali once a month to see her from the east coast. The relationship is the most important thing to me at this point too.

Sorry for the rambling, any advice?
Thanks

Sounds like you have answered your question already.

Tufts, GW, and Western U. will offer very different opportunities, so I would assume it wouldn't be too tough of a decision to make.

 

[sayoc]

Tough call! I don't know if I have any advise but may I ask you few questions? Do you think MD can also treat a person holistically? I am trying to figure out if you believe MD disects a problem too much to a point that they don't see the whole person anymore or does the MD tainning won't allow you to approch a patient holistically....

Relationship makes things complicated. I am not in a relationship so I don't know but suppose you will GW, will she planning on flying to DC everymonth? What does she thinks of all this?

I'm in a very complicated situation... if you've read my posts you know that I've gotten into Western.

I am also now waitlisted at Tufts and GW, both excellent schools.

If the outcome of this was just going to impact my life, i would be less stressed. However, my partner is also going to school next year, to be a lawyer. She has been accepted to UC Berkeley, and Michigan. She has also gotten into Boston College but doesn't want to go there.

I want to get the DO perspective on this because I know what the MD people will say. Am I crazy to want to just deposit and set my sights on Western right now before I hear back from GW/Tufts? They had awesome hospitals and awesome school facilities. I liked Western and I would be happy to go there but it doesn't have the facilities or resources that these allo schools do.

Also, given that I want to go into dermatology or be an internal medicine specialist, would i be better of in an allopathic school? I really love the DO philosophy and I want to always consider treating the whole patient no matter what field I go into.

If I got to LA i will be near my partner in berkeley (relatively) or I'll be flying to cali once a month to see her from the east coast. The relationship is the most important thing to me at this point too.

Sorry for the rambling, any advice?
Thanks

 

[Flyfisher]

Tough call! I don't know if I have any advise but may I ask you few questions? Do you think MD can also treat a person holistically? I am trying to figure out if you believe MD disects a problem too much to a point that they don't see the whole person anymore or does the MD tainning won't allow you to approch a patient holistically....

Relationship makes things complicated. I am not in a relationship so I don't know but suppose you will GW, will she planning on flying to DC everymonth? What does she thinks of all this?

I think that the MD can look holistically if they so choose. I'm very into preventive medicine and holistic care. good MDs are realizing that they need to take this into account, especially with the current obesity epedemic and its associated problems.

She just said that she was willing to fly to the east coast, so i guess its up to me to decide what it best. I think she is deciding to go to berkeley because she hasn't paid the michigan deposit yet.

 

[Packamylase]

It's true, in my opinion, that allopathic and osteopathic medicine have come closer to being together than growing farther apart.

 

[Flyfisher]

It's true, in my opinion, that allopathic and osteopathic medicine have come closer to being together than growing farther apart.

I'd agree with that.

 

[strawberryfield]

I am in your situation (sort-of), I was accepted to KCOM, but am waitlisted at SLU and PSU (allo schools). I paid my deposit to KCOM (2K total), but I am still waiting to hear if I get any movement on the waitlists as I have sent letters of interest to both schools. I also want to practice hollistic medicine and I think you can do this with allo or osteo, for me, the only reason I would choose SLU and PSU over KCOM are access to hospitals (both have on-campus level 1 trauma hospitals as well as children's hospitals) and I won't have to travel to do my rotations. I don't know if this is a factor for Western.

If I were you, I would stay on the waitlists if you think those schools would give you better opportunities to go in the direction you want to go, but also put in your deposit at Western. If it is money you are concerned about, the way I thought of it was as a drop in the bucket compared to the long haul. I think your relationship will last wherever you go as long as you are both committed to it and willing to put a lot into it.

good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[sayoc]

OK. Since "we" agree on this holistically issue can/should be used by all doctors, MD or DO; therefore, choose school based on holistical approch should not be the deciding factor, agree? What is left with DO is OMM and it has limited used, right? I don't suppose you going to use OMM on someone who has skin diseases. If you are not planing use OMM in your practice, then what seprates DO and MD is just matter of loyalty and opportunity.

''she said she is willing to fly to the east coast and you "think" its up to you to decide what is best? '' Are you saying YOU have to decide what is best for you or her or for both? No matter where you go it is going to be a long distance relationship. I will leave this tpye of question to dr phil.

I think that the MD can look holistically if they so choose. I'm very into preventive medicine and holistic care. good MDs are realizing that they need to take this into account, especially with the current obesity epedemic and its associated problems.

She just said that she was willing to fly to the east coast, so i guess its up to me to decide what it best. I think she is deciding to go to berkeley because she hasn't paid the michigan deposit yet.

 

[Nate]

I would choose based on location and tuition... I know GWU and Tufts both rob you blind so that maybe something to consider. Also, staying close to a loved one is very important so don't chase letters, choose on what's important to you (unless the letters are important to you). Either way, the destination is the same. Good luck

 

[tkim]

I liked Western and I would be happy to go there but it doesn't have the facilities or resources that these allo schools do.

Also, given that I want to go into dermatology or be an internal medicine specialist, would i be better of in an allopathic school? I really love the DO philosophy and I want to always consider treating the whole patient no matter what field I go into.

Individuals determine how holistically they treat their patients. Osteopathy does not have a corner on that market, so dismiss this line of thinking.

Dermatology is insanely competitive, and while there are a few osteopathic residencies in derm, you will find yourself at a disadvantage going the osteo route if your heart is set on the greater number of allo derm programs. This goes for specialty IM as well. You've said it yourself - those allo schools have facilities and resources not available at Western.

Now, most people change their minds quite a few times during their school years - I'm beginning to see this happen with my classmates. However, give yourself the widest set of tools in order to change your mind several years down the road. Allo wins.

If I got to LA i will be near my partner in berkeley (relatively) or I'll be flying to cali once a month to see her from the east coast. The relationship is the most important thing to me at this point too.

Then you have to make an honest assessment of what is really important to you - not just now, but for the rest of your life. For that to happen, you have to make a stark assessment of what your partner means to you, not just in the short term, but for life. Certainly, it's easy to figure out how satisfied you would be if you did not match into the specialty you have your heart set on.

If you go to Western to be near your partner at Berkeley, it would certainly be easier for you to get together when you have the time, but frankly, your chances of going for something as competitive as derm will decrease.

If you get into an allo school, all other things being equal, you will have a better advantage when applying for competitive allopathic residencies. But you will be a lot farther away from your partner, and chances are that you won't be able to meet as frequently. Who knows if that will adversely impact your relationship.

It's a tough choice to make, I don't envy the decision.

However, if Western is the *only* accceptance you have in hand at the moment, I'd drop the deposit down now and prepare to eat it if you get accepted off waitlist and decide that that was the way to go.

Good luck!

 

[Flyfisher]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the input. I'm definetly going to put the deposit down at western come june 1st if I haven't gotten in anywhere else. I do feel a certain loyalty to them since they were the only school to actually accept me.

what are the hospitals like where western students do their rotations? I heard about an arrowhead place i think, but I don't really know anything about it.

at GWU/tufts you see the hospital as part of your tour, but i didn't get that chance at western obviously.

🙂

 

[Jinyaoysiu]

Being a DO opens you to both DO and MD residencies. I think there are some people that matched DO derm/ortho/Optho that otherwise would not have matched into those specialties if they went to MD schools and were only able to apply to MD match. It doesn't mean the DO dermatologist will be any less competent, it's just that spots are so few the competition is insane, even though maybe all of the applicants will be great dematologist/xxx surgeons if given the chance. But it's true that if you have your eyes set on certain competitive MD derm residencies, being a DO will put you at a disadvantage. But if you will be an incredibly competitive applicant(A+ research, A+ grades, A+ scores) then I am someone who believes that you will get what you deserve no matter DO/MD. The person in COMP 2006 that match rad onc at USC could probably agree to that.

Also, with the way the schedule at Western is, there are people(~50%) that never come to school except for the required classes, and some of the required classes(i.e. OMM) gives you up to 3 free absences. Maybe not in your first semester because of anatomy, but I think you can easily spend a week or up to 2 weeks per month not to mention holidays here and there...etc up in Berkeley if you want to and just study with the lectures online and come back when there's an exam. The drive up to SF is doable especially if you put the COMP lectures/Goljan board reviews on your mp3 player and just listen while you drive. And if you want more free time during 1st semester so you can visit berkeley, then do ISAC in the summer. You'll have to be a TA for all of the anatomy labs in Fall, but on lab-free days or during breaks like Thanksgiving when other students have to study for the monday exam coming back from break, you can just chill.

Good luck on your tough decision.

 

[Packamylase]

Sounds like you're in a good position, Flyfisher. A very enviable position.

That doesn't make you feel any better, huh?

 

[skypilot]

She has been accepted to UC Berkeley, and Michigan. She has also gotten into Boston College but doesn't want to go there.

If you go to Tufts and she goes to BC at least you can be living in the same city. It requires a compromise by both of you instead of just by you.

Berkelely and Western still equals a long distance relationship.

 

[Flyfisher]

Sounds like you're in a good position, Flyfisher. A very enviable position.

That doesn't make you feel any better, huh?

hey, it feels great to know that I'm finally going to med school at almost 27 years of age and having applied 4 times to medical school over the past 5 years.

Its still hard to make decisions like this though when more than one person are involved and there is also a cross country move involved.

 

[Alpenmuffin]

hey, it feels great to know that I'm finally going to med school at almost 27 years of age and having applied 4 times to medical school over the past 5 years.

Its still hard to make decisions like this though when more than one person are involved and there is also a cross country move involved.

Speaking from personal experience, I would opt for Western. I was in a long distance relationship (New York <-> So-Cal) for two years while I completed a post-bacc program. Having a long distance relationship for four years is challenging enough; medical school is exhausting (so I've heard); with rising fuel costs, flight prices have also risen (even on Jet Blue)-- and it's really not fun to study using a tiny tray as your desk; there's a 3 hour time difference to consider when phoning/texting/instant messaging....

However, with this said, if you're both truly committed to your relationship these things can be overcome. I won't say it's easy though...

If you're at least in the same state, you can get great deals on trains, planes and automobiles with in-state travel. Pomona to Berkeley is a 6.5 hour drive, while Boston to Berkeley is 2 days and 4 hours.

I believe that becoming a great doctor has less to do with what school you attend, and more to do with your attitude, motivation and personal convictions. It's clear that you have a strong sense of perseverance, so whatever school you end up at I think you'll be able to overcome all of the challenges- including those that come with a long-distance relationship.