Tulane vs. VCU

[Daddysoy]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Can people give me some school vs. school advice? I'm debating the merits of VCU vs. Tulane.

VCU is my instate school and is therefore much cheaper. However, I've been told not to base my choice on this parameter. It is also in Richmond, and I get the impression the hospital sees a decent amount of action in the hospital. The poeple in VCU seemed down to earth and cool, and pretty happy with the school

Tulane is of course in New Orleans. Obviously an interesting place to have an education. Expensive. Also good, down to earth people, happy with the area. Also sees a lot of interesting stuff there too. If it wasnt so expensive, I would likely choose it. It is a bit far away from VA however, but I dont know what to think about that yet.

From what I've seen so far, I am interested in some surgical specialty, although who knows what will happen to that thought as I go through school

Thanks for the advice, everyone

 

[rocknightmare]

go to tulane man.. so i can ttake ur spot at vcu.. just kidding.. seriously tho there are alot of advantages of going to vcu including cheaper, and having access to seeing meeting a number of intersting cases in the clinical years.. then again i assume you will find the same thing in new orleans...

 

[st85]

Can people give me some school vs. school advice? I'm debating the merits of VCU vs. Tulane.

VCU is my instate school and is therefore much cheaper. However, I've been told not to base my choice on this parameter. It is also in Richmond, and I get the impression the hospital sees a decent amount of action in the hospital. The poeple in VCU seemed down to earth and cool, and pretty happy with the school

Tulane is of course in New Orleans. Obviously an interesting place to have an education. Expensive. Also good, down to earth people, happy with the area. Also sees a lot of interesting stuff there too. If it wasnt so expensive, I would likely choose it. It is a bit far away from VA however, but I dont know what to think about that yet.

Thanks for the advice, everyone

Daddysoy, I am a Virginia resident waitlisted at VCU, and in all honesty, if I was in your position, I would go to VCU, I didnt interview at Tulane so its hard for me to compare the two, but VCU would be so much cheaper (although it is relatively expensive for an instate school). However, money isnt everything, and I can honstly say, if accepted to a school like Georgetown and VCU, I would go to Georgetown, just cause I love the city and school so much. So if you really love New Orleans and Tulane so much that the difference in cost isn't worth it, then go to Tulane. But if I'm in your position, I go to VCU.

 

[Daddysoy]

thanks for the responses guys and good luck on getting in where you want to go!

 

[Daddysoy]

Hey could i get more peoples' responses to this? I really appreciate the thoughts! I know there has been a recent blitzkrieg of "vs." threads in light of the deadline

 

[TheFlash]

Just so you know, VCU gave me 40K+ in loans in my "estimated award letter." It's not even cheap to go there for in-staters. So it'd be 10 thousand a year more to go to Tulane, where you'd have a blast and possibly a better education. That's small beans in my book for the beginning of your endeavor into medicine.

 

[st85]

Flash, YOu bring up a valid point, VCU is pretty expensive for a state school, so if you really like the private school, then perhaps you should go to it. I guess it depends on how much you really liked the private school.

Just so you know, VCU gave me friggin' 40K+ in loans in my "estimated award letter." It's not even cheap to go there for in-staters like us. So it'd be 10 thousand a year more to go to Tulane, where you'd have a blast and a better education. That's small beans in my book for the beginning of your endeavor into medicine. I'll be withdrawing from VCU today.

 

[themann]

I don't know much about VCU and I will probably end up at Tulane... (Thought I ought to state that first and foremost) They say that Charity hospital in New Orleans is one of the busiest in the country. A guy had scurvy when I was interviewing (I thought that was eradicated with the plague J/K), which I thought was interesting. IMHO the best thing about Tulane is the people, both the administration and students.

I have heard that VCU is good for surgery, of course that was coming from a neurosurgery resident that I was with. I don't know if this is accurate or not, but you did mention an interest in surgery.

Luckily, it sounds like two great options, so I don't think you can lose. The proverbial win/win.

 

[dookbloo]

where did you guys decide to go?

 

[Samoa]

I don't know anything about VCU, but you definitely wouldn't be making a mistake to come to Tulane. I've met some really great people here, and while I can't say that I love everything about this school (*cough* tuition *cough*), I really think that it offers the best clinical education in the nation. I heard that from several physicians before I even came here, but I'm always a little skeptical about such glowing reports. I just knew that from what I had learned about the school and it's programs, it was a good match for my particular needs as a student.

What was I looking for?

Well, I hate going to class, so I wanted a school with a solid note service or videotaped lectures AND faculty who don't get all pissy about students who prefer to learn the basic sciences essentially by correspondence. The irony is that I've turned out to be a much more consistent classgoer than 90% of my classmates (which is not actually saying much, since there were people at my last exam that I swear I've never seen before).

I would do better in a more PBL-based curriculum, but most likely I'd have had to sacrifice actual hands-on clinical experience.

I've also seen a lot of variation in the way people do various parts of the physical exam, and I'm not sure that what I was taught in pharmacy school is correct. Some things I KNOW are incorrect, and others may just be sloppiness, or they may be totally legitimate alternate methods. So the fact that there's a well established standardized patient program here, going back a decade or so (?) appealed to me.

And the real thing that sealed it for me was just my own gut feeling about the people I met. It's great if you can learn from people who are role models both academically and personally. But if I have to choose, I'm going with the people I admire on a personal level. I've dealt with the others, and I'll be OK without the big name on my diploma to open doors for me. If you're good at what you do, people will see that.

But I'm actually not making that sacrifice here. Tulane is a good school with good people running it, and on the whole a student body full of good people as well.

 

[calcrew14]

I am repying to the same question in the allo forum this morning.

1) Someone posted the following note in 2002:

I graduated from MCV last year, but I can give you my opinions. I do not know anything about Univ of Ariz. so this is not a comparison.

Plus:
-Large, diverse class with people from all over and most racial groups.
-Very nice classroom for MS2 year.
-Large hospital with pretty much all residencies represented.
-Students do very well in the match and on the USMLE.
-Richmond is a fairly nice city with lots of activities for its size. And, the traffic is not bad. Cost of living is low.
-Classes end at noon everyday so afternoons are generally free for study or whatever.
-MS4 year has lots of elective time and lots of time off for interviewing, vacationing, etc..
-Good student health facilities and athletic facilities.

Minus:
-First year classroom kind of sucks.
-Student parking sucks. Not close to hospital, have to pay for it, and ride a shuttle bus or hoof it.
-MS3 year is tough. (probably is everywhere)
-Hospital does not have a very good clinical computer system right now, but should by the time you would get to MS3 year.
-Fairly structured heiarchy system of student, resident, attending. Can be kind of stuffy if you know what I mean.
-So many students that sometimes hospital support staff treats you like crap instead of like a professional.

To be fair some of the minuses are probably similar at all big teaching university hospitals.
If you have any other specific questions feel free to post or email me. All of this said I enjoyed my time and stayed for residency.

Good luck
-Very good clinical education.
-Most of the MS1 and MS2 teachers are great.

2) In case it may mean something, VCU ranks 60th in 2005 research schools ranking, dropping a notch from last year.

I don't know Tulane.

 

[calcrew14]

VCU Match List 2001 (Incomplete match list from last year is available on the school website.)



Anesthesiology (13):

YALE-NEW HAVEN HOSP-CT
BAYLOR COLL MED-HOUSTON-TX
SUNY HSC BROOKLYN-NY
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIV-PA
UNIV NORTH CAROLINA HOSP-NC
WAKE FOREST BAPTIST MED CTR-NC
UNIVERSITYOF VIRGINIA-VA
EINSTEIN/MONTEFIORE MED CTR-NY
B I DEACONESS MED CTR-MA
JOHNS HOPKINS HOSP-MD
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA (3)

Dermatology (1):

HERSHEY/PENN STATE-PA

Diagnostic Radiology (12):

LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY-CA
WAKE FOREST BAPTIST MED CTR-NC
HOSP OF THE UNIV OF PA-PA
HERSHEY/PENN STATE-PA (2)
YALE-NEW HAVEN HOSP-CT
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA-VA
BOSTON U MED CTR-MA
MAIMONIDES MED CTR-NY
VA COMMONEALTH U MED CTR-VA (3)

Emergency Medicine (11):

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA-VA
UPMC MEDICAL EDUCATION PROG-PA
ST JOHN HOSPITAL-MI
U SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA-CA
MAIMONIDES MED CTR-NY
UNIV MARYLAND MED CTR-MD
JOHNS HOPKINS HOSP-MD
U HLTH SYS E CAROLINA-NC
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA (3)

Medicine/Emergency Medicine (1):

ALLEGHENY GEN HOSP-PA

Family Medicine (8):

CHRISTIANA CARE-DE
CHIPPENHAM MED CTR-VA (2)
FAIRFAX FAM PRAC CTR-VA
UNIV OF SOUTH ALABAMA HOSPS-AL
FORBES FAMILY PRAC-PA
DUKE UNIV MED CTR-NC
MTN AREA HLTH ED CNTR-NC

General Surgery (7):

U FLORIDA PROG-SHANDS HOSP-FL
INOVA FAIRFAX HOSPITAL-VA
PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MED CTR-VA
WESTCHESTER MED CTR-NY
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA (3)

Internal Medicine (35):

UMDNJ-RW JOHNSON-PISCATAWAY-NJ
MAYO GRADUATE SOM-AZ
EASTERN VA MED SCHOOL-VA (2)
UNIV MARYLAND MED CTR-MD (4)
WASHINGTON HOSP CTR-DC (2)
EMORY UNIV SOM-GA
BETH ISRAEL MED CTR-NY
EINSTEIN/MONTEFIORE MED CTR-NY
FRANKLIN SQUARE HOSP CTR-MD
OLIVE VIEW MED CTR-CA
CEDARS-SINAI MED CTR-CA
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SC-SC
HOSP OF THE UNIV OF PA-PA
UCLA MEDICAL CENTER-CA
U SO FLORIDA COM-TAMPA-FL
GREENVILLE HOSP SYS-SC
WAKE FOREST BAPTIST MED CTR-NC
EINSTEIN/MONTEFIORE MED CTR-NY
UMDNJ-NEW JERSEY MED-NEWARK-NJ
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA (11)

Medicine/Pediatrics (7):

DUKE UNIV MED CTR-NC
GEORGETOWN UNIV HOSP-DC
CEDARS-SINAI MED CTR-CA
U SO FLORIDA COM-TAMPA-FL
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA (3)

Neurology (3):

YALE-NEW HAVEN HOSP-CT
HARBOR-UCLA MC-CA
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA

Neurosurgery (2):

MAYO GRADUATE SOM-MN
UPMC MEDICAL EDUCATION PROG-PA

Obstetrics/Gynecology (9):

UNIV ARIZONA AFFIL HOSPS-AZ
NEW ENGLAND MED CTR-MA
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIV-DC
U FLORIDA HSC-JACKSONVILLE-FL
BOSTON U MED CTR-MA
BETH ISRAEL MED CTR-NY
UNIV NORTH CAROLINA HOSP-NC
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA-VA
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA

Opthalmology (0)

Orthopedic Surgery (4):

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SC-SC
TULANE UNIV SOM-LA
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA (2)

Otolaryngology (2):

MED U SOUTH CAROLINA-SC
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA

Pathology (5):

U SO FLORIDA COM-TAMPA-FL
MED COLL GEORGIA-AUGUSTA-GA
HERSHEY/PENN STATE-PA
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA (2)

Pediatrics (19):

CHILDRENS HOSP-PHILA-PA
NEW ENGLAND MED CTR-MA (2)
YALE-NEW HAVEN HOSP-CT
U TX SW MED SCH-DALLAS-TX
TJU/DUPONT CHILDRENS-PA
CHILDRENS MEM HOSP-IL
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE-CA
UNIV OF MARYLAND MED CTR-MD
CHILDRENS NATL MED CTR-DC
BROOKE ARMY MED CTR-TX
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE-MS
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA (7)

Plastic Surgery (2):

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA-VA
BARNES-JEWISH HOSP-MO

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (4):

U TEXAS MED SCH-HOUSTON-TX
WILLIAM BEAUMONT HOSP-MI
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA-VA
VA COMMONWEATHH U MED CTR-VA

Psychiatry (7):

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SC-SC
INDIANA UNIV SCH OF MED-IN
UC SAN DIEGO MED CTR-CA
UC IRVINE MED CTR-CA
UNIV MARYLAND MED CTR-MD
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA (2)

Radiation-Oncology (2):

U MICHIGAN HOSPS-ANN ARBOR-MI
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA

Transitional (1):

TRIPLER ARMY MED CTR-HI

Urology (3):

MED UNIVERSTIY OF SC-SC
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIV-DC
VA COMMONWEALTH U MED CTR-VA

 

[TexasGuy41]

New Orleans or Richmond....boy thats a tough call.

Go to Tulane.

 

[Daddysoy]

I am repying to the same question in the allo forum this morning.

-MS3 year is tough. (probably is everywhere)
-Hospital does not have a very good clinical computer system right now, but should by the time you would get to MS3 year.
-Fairly structured heiarchy system of student, resident, attending. Can be kind of stuffy if you know what I mean.
-So many students that sometimes hospital support staff treats you like crap instead of like a professional.

When you say that there is a heirarchy, does that mean an M3/4 wont see as much because the higher ups are taking care of the patients, or does that mean the M3/4 is seeing more because they are actually helping/doing a lot of the procedures?

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

Dude,

Go to Tulane. Most med schools are the same. Where do you think you'll be happier, Richmond or New Orleans? Im willing to bet New Orleans. Tulane all the way!

DOCTORSAIB

 

[velouria]

So Daddysoy,
May 15 has been and gone.
Which did you choose?

 

[calcrew14]

When you say that there is a heirarchy, does that mean an M3/4 wont see as much because the higher ups are taking care of the patients, or does that mean the M3/4 is seeing more because they are actually helping/doing a lot of the procedures?

I was not the one who said that. Someone who had graduated from MCV posted it here in 2002. I guess that the hierarchy was some gesture like ?You have my order, (please/just) do it? thing. Definitely, M3/4 sees and does more at any school, I think.

I have been doing search on VCU and thought that the info might be helpful.. Richmond and NO are quite different. Anyone who has a choice should not have any problem making decision. Looks like you have not been able to identify any home court advantage, so playing away from home should be more fun

BTW, 1 br 1 bath apartment within 1/3 to 3 miles from MCV costs about $600-750. 2 br costs $ 100-150 more. Would someone correct me, please? Besides housing, I also don?t know if a student who lives close by the school should own a car or use taxi cab when needed? The latter may be more economic.

Are you sure that this is not heat and humidity in VA vs rain and hurricane in NO?

 

[AlternateSome1]

Are you sure that this is not heat and humidity in VA vs rain and hurricane in NO?

I am not quite sure what this is in reference to, but Richmond is fairly temperate, since it is regulated by the Atlantic, and hurricanes do go through, such as Isabel (2003) and Floyd (1999).

http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/USVA0652_f.html
http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/USLA0338_f.html

 

[Daddysoy]

So Daddysoy,
May 15 has been and gone.
Which did you choose?

Maybe this sounds weird, but I wasn't actually accepted to Tulane yet. I've been in pretty good with Pisano though, and I was asking everyone so I would have a more informed opinion if I got off the waitlist, and whether I should keep pursuing the school with the relatively hardcore attitude I've been putting into it

 

[calcrew14]

I am not quite sure what this is in reference to, but Richmond is fairly temperate, since it is regulated by the Atlantic, and hurricanes do go through, such as Isabel (2003) and Floyd (1999).

http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/USVA0652_f.html
http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/USLA0338_f.html

Thanks, I only know that an airconditioning system is needed for Richmond summer because it is hot and humid. Also, I heard how the weather chased my uncle away from a small Lousiana town within a week. He gave up a chance to earn a lot of $ and had to put the house that he bought back in the market then. Forgive my lack of info.

Looks like a lot of houses in Richmond are over a hundred years old. They must be hurricaneproof?

Congratulation for the committment at UVA. I have just noticed it.
BTW, our last correspondence was interrupted because I didn't want to elaborate my pessimistic character. Here's an apology in delay to you.

Now I need to know if a studious medical student really needs a car in Richmond. You, JH or anyone, please.

 

[Daddysoy]

Now I need to know if a studious medical student really needs a car in Richmond. You, JH or anyone, please.

When I interviewed there, the people recommended it, if not m1 or m2, then DEFINITELY by M3. They still suggested having one, nonetheless. I heard parking sucks from multiple sources

 

[Amy B]

Now I need to know if a studious medical student really needs a car in Richmond. You, JH or anyone, please.

You need a car in Richmond. Unless you want to rely on the busses. Yes parking sucks, but you can buy a pass to the lot and ride the VCU bus which will drop you off right in front of Sanger Hall. The busses do get very crowed during peak times though and they aren't always reliable. You will have to buy your pass early prefereably on the first day they go on sale, whihc has already passed.

The immediate surrounding areas around MCV are not all that great and are in fact unsafe in many spots. I wouldn't walk around at night. I hated to walk to the VCU busses at night in that area when I had Honor Council and SGA meetings.

$600 apartments??? Where? My friend lived in the Fan and paid $800 for a one bedroom. I guess it will depend on where you live and how far you want to drive. Commute times are not too bad but it can take awhile to get to class and get home depending on what time it is. I drove everyday to VCU as an undergrad for the Far West End. My commute time was 30 -50 minutes depending on traffic. Sun delays were always bad in the morning when going east on 64. But again, it will depend on where you live.

I wouldn't live there without a car. Grocery stores and Target, Walmart,etc are not easy walking distances from the school, so again you would have to rely on the busses. And as an MSIII you will need a car. MCV and VCU ticket parking violators heavily and often so beware.

 

[st85]

I live in the RIC now, and Amy pretty much hit it on the head, you definately are going to need a car.

You need a car in Richmond. Unless you want to rely on the busses. Yes parking sucks, but you can buy a pass to the lot and ride the VCU bus which will drop you off right in front of Sanger Hall. The busses do get very crowed during peak times though and they aren't always reliable. You will have to buy your pass early prefereably on the first day they go on sale, whihc has already passed.

The immediate surrounding areas around MCV are not all that great and are in fact unsafe in many spots. I wouldn't walk around at night. I hated to walk to the VCU busses at night in that area when I had Honor Council and SGA meetings.

$600 apartments??? Where? My friend lived in the Fan and paid $800 for a one bedroom. I guess it will depend on where you live and how far you want to drive. Commute times are not too bad but it can take awhile to get to class and get home depending on what time it is. I drove everyday to VCU as an undergrad for the Far West End. My commute time was 30 -50 minutes depending on traffic. Sun delays were always bad in the morning when going east on 64. But again, it will depend on where you live.

I wouldn't live there without a car. Grocery stores and Target, Walmart,etc are not easy walking distances from the school, so again you would have to rely on the busses. And as an MSIII you will need a car. MCV and VCU ticket parking violators heavily and often so beware.

 

[calcrew14]

Thanks Amy and everybody. What a lucky day, Integra892, an MS1 at VCU has confirmed the need for a car for a class called FCM. He adds that the current tuition fee for out of state student is $36,500/year. It may increased by 5% this coming year. Integra also told me that there should not be any problem getting into one of the Residence Hall for housing. Otherwise, the cost of housing for one person in an area nearby (Shockoe Bottom) is about $500-700.

Hoping for the bargaining off campus rent of $600 for a 1 bed 1 bath in the Fan area, I was looking at the followings:


The Berkshire Apartments
300 West Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23220
1-877-276-4795

Efficiency 0 1 From $575 Per Month $350
Apartment 1 1 From $680 Per Month $350
Apartment 2 2 From $1000 Per Month $350

Presidents' Walk Apartments
115,201,305,308, 315,325 W Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23220
1-866-855-6755
Style Beds Baths Price Term Deposit
Garden 1 1 $650-$700 Per Month
Garden 2 1 $750-$900 Per Month


But Amy must be right. Most of better ones are more expensive.

I am wondering. what crime prevention in the area surrounding MCV looks like.

I am glad to hear that buses are crowded during rush periods. No resuscitation needed for Richmond yet.

 

[AlternateSome1]

Looks like a lot of houses in Richmond are over a hundred years old. They must be hurricaneproof?

Yes, large portions of Richmond are zoned as historical sites, so you get to see a lot of very old houses that can only be modified according to their particular zoning laws. I am not sure about hurricane-proof, but they seem to last.

Now I need to know if a studious medical student really needs a car in Richmond. You, JH or anyone, please.

I can't comment on the MCV campus (Amy's firsthand experience should be enough), but I can't imagine living in Richmond without a car. It is a pretty big city and though you could survive without, I don't think it would be pleasant. You are also going to be right between Norfolk, DC, and Charlottesville, so there are plenty of places to drive to.