Tulane or USC?

[JAD1985]

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Any thoughts? I'm pretty torn between the two. I enjoyed my visit to Tulane a bit more but I love Southern California and think it would be an amazing place to spend four years. Anyone with some experience with either school have any advice?

 

[kedrin]

tulane is in new orleans right? >50% of that place is a crap hole.
question answered.

 

[Inuranic]

Any thoughts? I'm pretty torn between the two. I enjoyed my visit to Tulane a bit more but I love Southern California and think it would be an amazing place to spend four years. Anyone with some experience with either school have any advice?

I was accepted at LSU - New Orleans, and subsequently withdrew. The city hasn't recovered from Katrina, and good housing was pricey. Additionally, the threat of encountering another hurricane was a turn-off for me. I would go with USC, simply for the fact that I would feel safer living there.

(as an aside, beyond the storm threat/expensive housing, New Orleans ruled)

 

[milkylite]

I have never been to Tulane or New but my vote goes to USC. I'm also a little biased because USC is more than likely where I will be in the fall.

Aside from the terrible condition the city is in, USC has a great clinical rep and, in my own personal opinion, a better overall rep than Tulane. And... Trojan football is a plus.

 

[clinick82]

I am currently at 3rd year medical student at Tulane and I absolutely love it here. The student body really likes to have fun, and you will get to experience all of the cool things that New Orleans has to offer (live music, great food, Mardi Gras, etc.) if you come here. The school gives you excellent preparation for both the wards and standardized tests, and those who want to do well excel (I think we had 3 matches into neurosurgery this year), but there is absolutely no competitive spirit within my class. I wouldn't trade my time here for anything.

 

[clinick82]

Also an FYI as far as hurricanes/housing - you can definitely find affordable housing here, and both LA and NO are coastal. And there aren't any earth quakes 🙂

 

[luckycharms08]

I don't think the people on this thread are doing Tulane justice. The new Murphy Oil building sounds amazing, the curriculum is P/F, the people are phenomenal, and the clinical experiences are amazing. I'd agree that the risk of another hurricane is a bit scary, but I think the city has really been revived and I personally LOVED the school. Are you from California? If you're going to be closer to family, then yeah I'd probably go there. I've heard great things about Keck too, I don't think you can go wrong either way. Good luck

 

[JAD1985]

tulane is in new orleans right? >50% of that place is a crap hole.
question answered.

lol, yeah but the rest is a pretty cool place. Plus USC isn't exactly in Beverly Hills either. I'm more concerned about where I'd get a better education and frankly also where I'd have more fun outside of class. In terms of education, both have amazing clinical opportunities, Tulane because of Katrina, and USC because LA County is ridiculous. I know that USC is ranked a bit higher, but Tulane's public health program is amazing and I'm considering MD/MPH so again I'm stuck.

In terms of extracurrics, I'm pretty outdoorsy so the idea of SoCal definitely does it for me, but I think New Orleans and Mardi Gras would be pretty amazing too. I'm from NYC so both would be far away from family and I'd be moving to a place where I know no one (I don't really have a problem with that though)

 

[Boojeee]

I don't think that fear should be a factor in your decision. You are probably as likely to be shot in LA as you are in NO and both are near the coast.

NO is more like a swamp than a coast.

 

[LadyDoc2]

I can't comment on Tulane or NO, but I think USC is amazing. From what I heard at the interview, they get great clinical experience at County and have a pretty high USMLE Step 1 average. Plus, Los Angeles is an incredibly vibrant city with tons of things to do, both indoor and outdoor!

I am also looking into an MD/MPH, can't you get one at USC? If not, maybe you could work something out with UCLA.

Looks like you have a tough decision, good luck and congratulations.

 

[JAD1985]

Are you married? If not I say go Tulane, you're going to be much more concerned with how much you like the school than the quality of the city, since that's where you're going to be spending most of your time. I think Tulane wins on personality and ties on education. On the other hand if you have a wife and especially if you have children, they're going to care a lot more about the city: maybe go USC.

Nope no wife. Thanks for the advice. I guess what I'm wondering is does Tulane really tie on education? I feel that it probably does, but rankings say otherwise

 

[Jolie South]

I went to grad school at Tulane and was accepted there this fall. I personally love the school, the city, and the people. If things were better in terms of school for my husband there, it probably would have been a hard decision for me.

people that don't like new orleans now wouldn't have liked it before the hurricane either. it has a culture, character, and history unlike any other city i've visited in the US. this has been strengthened by katrina not weakened. the people that live there that i've talked to seem to have the same feeling about it. i also know many people that were there before and chose to go back afterwards, if that's a testament.

hurricanes are a real possibility, but even in houston i'll have to deal with that.

 

[LadyDoc2]

I believe that most, if not all, of USC's lectures are recorded, and they are a "system based" curriculum.

 

[flaahless]

Real talk, Tulane was the best school I visited. The class was extremely relaxed, very friendly and fun. New Orleans has it's positives and negatives, but I honestly believe that it offers the best education in the country right now. New Orleans offers an unparalleled opportunities in working with public health, the underserved, rebuilding a city etc. Some people may shy away from the challenge of working with New Orleans, but I think it will greatly enhance your medical education.

Keck is also amazing. The curriculum seemed really cool, the kindergarted-like MDL rooms were cute. Although Keck is my number 1 for a variety of reasons, mainly location and my family, if Tulane kicked me down with more cheese, I'd be there.

However, I don't think you can go wrong with either choice. Congrats on getting accepted to two incredible schools. Good luck with your choice.

 

[TouchOfGrey]

New Orleans is the most unique and vibrant city in America. It is extraordinary relaxed (what's better for med school?), with good natured and colorful characters. There is more great music and food that you can shake a stick at, and not what the tourists see either. This means that whenever you DO have a minute to relax and go out, there is always something to do. There is a whole other hidden, local part of the city that is safe and fun. There are no words to describe the beauty of New Orleans, you just have to go with someone who knows.

To say that it has not recovered from Katrina is not entirely accurate. While many areas have not, they are mostly the neighborhoods that any medical student would likely NEVER have step foot in anyway. They were gangland central; this is where NOLA's infamous crime/murder rate happens. The areas where you would be are even nicer and safer now. The city lost MOST of the upper upper income people, and most of the lower lower income folks. It is more middle class now than its ever been. That being said, there are some great opportunities for community outreach, with real need. If you want to help people, this is a great place to do it.

To say that prices have gone up is a true statement, but the fact is you can get housing at bargain basement prices still (far below the national average), in great areas. That's neglecting as well the charm and beauty that many of the houses in NOLA possess.

As far as another hurricane, sure. But how about massive earthquakes in SoCal, tornadoes in the midwest, blizzards/Nor'easter's in the northeast, and volcanoes in the Pacific northwest? Disaster can strike anywhere, and just because it DID, doesn't infer that it will again in the next 4 years.

I am not necessarily advocating Tulane (although this where I'm going; I lived there for 2 years and love it, can you tell?). I am just providing some perspective. SoCal has great weather, the beach, a great school; it also has crime, smog and idiots.

 

[paranoid_eyes]

USC over Tulane anyday (despite the fact that im a bruin)

 

[Nodelphi]

I don't know, personally I think it's to your advantage to train in places where people are sicker and have more complicated medical problems. That way you get to see and, in theory, do a lot more than your peers in areas where they're more likely to see the more run of the mill stuff.

 

[pntgrd]

I don't know, personally I think it's to your advantage to train in places where people are sicker and have more complicated medical problems. That way you get to see and, in theory, do a lot more than your peers in areas where they're more likely to see the more run of the mill stuff.

In that case, nothing would compare to LA County USC hospital.

 

[Page]

Umm, I don't know what kind of bubonic bird flu you're hoping they have in New Orleans, but I'm pretty sure that you're going to be seeing similar symptoms just about anywhere. Of all the various reasons to choose one medical school over another, this should probably be at th bottom of the list.

there's a reason Tulane has the only school of tropical medicine in the US....

 

[Page]

I believe that most, if not all, of USC's lectures are recorded, and they are a "system based" curriculum.

Tulane will be all systems based for this incoming class. 2nd year was already. Lectures are recorded at Tulane as well.

 

[uzybear]

Are you married? If not I say go Tulane, you're going to be much more concerned with how much you like the school than the quality of the city, since that's where you're going to be spending most of your time. I think Tulane wins on personality and ties on education. On the other hand if you have a wife and especially if you have children, they're going to care a lot more about the city: maybe go USC.

what lame advice; personally, i think USC wins hands down, unless YOU like tulane better of course

 

[Page]

The thing I like about Tulane is that when I walk out the front entrance of the med school, I can take a left and after a short walk I'll be amongst hundreds of homeless people with serious medical needs OR I can take a right and end up in the french quarter.

There are amazing opportunities in this city for someone getting their medical education (and if you want it, you can see and do things in your first semester that most other med students won't have the opportunity to do in their entire four years.)

 

[ELDude]

OP: I'm an MSIV at USC who has just gone through the match. I would suggest the following in choosing a medical school (assuming money is no object):

1) Rank (Top 5) --> Go, simple as that
2) Location
3) Clinical education
4) Strength of dept/specialty you're interested in
5) Student body

I can speak to USC's location as I grew up 5 miles away. USC is a commuter school. 99.9% of the students live away from HSC in nice suburbs, and so its working-class location should not be considered a negative (ie, you'll be spending almost zero time in the immediate surrounding area). What this means is that you'll drive from your suburb to HSC, work in an insulated academic setting, and then drive home. Within a 10 mile radius you have San Marino, South Pasadena, Pasadena, Arcadia, etc, all with million-dollar homes. That, in fact, is the theme of Los Angeles; very rich and very poor areas intermingled.

 

[154241]

just adding on to what everyone has said about new orleans. it is a great place with a culture and spirit you won't find anywhere else. but i wouldn't recommend it if you're just coming down for mardi gras/bourbon street style partying. the effects of katrina can be seen/felt everywhere and i think it would be depressing if you didn't involve yourself in relief efforts in some way. that being said, living here and being a part of the rebuilding has been the greatest experience of my life. there is such a vacuum in leadership that i think the opportunities to make a difference here are greater than in other places. absolutely come here if you are interested in public health/underserved populations, etc.

 

[TheRealMD]

OP: I'm an MSIV at USC who has just gone through the match. I would suggest the following in choosing a medical school (assuming money is no object):

1) Rank (Top 5) --> Go, simple as that
2) Location
3) Clinical education
4) Strength of dept/specialty you're interested in
5) Student body

I can speak to USC's location as I grew up 5 miles away. USC is a commuter school. 99.9% of the students live away from HSC in nice suburbs, and so its working-class location should not be considered a negative (ie, you'll be spending almost zero time in the immediate surrounding area). What this means is that you'll drive from your suburb to HSC, work in an insulated academic setting, and then drive home. Within a 10 mile radius you have San Marino, South Pasadena, Pasadena, Arcadia, etc, all with million-dollar homes. That, in fact, is the theme of Los Angeles; very rich and very poor areas intermingled.

Cost is no where in that list. And number 4 is odd considering most people change their minds. 5 is difficult to figure out, especially with schools that have to go through a larger number of acceptances to get their final class (and each class is different from year to year).

 

[87138]

Cost is no where in that list. And number 4 is odd considering most people change their minds. 5 is difficult to figure out, especially with schools that have to go through a larger number of acceptances to get their final class (and each class is different from year to year).

ElDude did say "assuming money is no object."