UA Phoenix vs. Colorado vs. U. Nevada Las Vegas

[Schrodinger's Chat]

Update: decided to go with UA Phoenix!

Hi all, thanks in advance for your help! I feel very lucky to have a choice in what school I'll be going to -- but I'm struggling to make that choice! I'm pretty evenly tied between my options and I feel like I would be happy and fulfilled at any of the three, so I'm having a hard time figuring out what the deciding factor should be. I'm really not leaning one way or the other and have received mixed reviews from my friends and family, so I'm hoping the wisdom of SDN can help me out!

About me: I'm a NV resident, excited to be coming back west. I think both Phoenix and Denver fit the vibe that I'm looking for in a city. Undecided about what specialty I want to pursue but I want to remain in this region of the U.S. after med school.

University of Arizona - Phoenix ($80k COA/year)
Pro:
-Really nice main building since it's new
-Awesome simulation center and anatomy lab, also nice and new
-Located in Downtown Phoenix so lots to do
-Faculty/staff seem really involved in student life and provide a lot of support
-Was really impressed by their attentiveness and organization at the interview
-Really excellent about communicating and I feel like they care and want me there
-Clerkship rotations at Mayo Clinic
-18 mo curriculum

Con:
-Campus is really only 1 main building since it's so new
-Because it's a newer school, doesn't have as strong of a reputation
-Unranked

University of Colorado - Denver ($95k COA/year)
Pro:
-Better established (older) school --> better reputation and more expansive/developed campus
-Similarly, more/stronger resources
-Lots of great hospitals and medical centers right on or around campus -- easy access for clerkship
-Higher ranking
-Aurora/Denver are diverse and growing, cool city, lots to do outdoors
-Focus on social determinants of health which I like

Con:
-Communication has been kind of lacking and frustrating from admissions
-Really bad traffic in Aurora/Denver
-Restructuring the curriculum right now which might mean there's more hiccups since we're the first class

University of Nevada - Las Vegas ($59k COA/year) - withdrew
Pro:
-I'd be close to my parents and am already familiar with the city
-Cheaper living near home and having help
-New school so really responsive to feedback and change
-Opportunity to give back to my community which I am passionate about
-Small possibility of receiving a tuition scholarship of $25k annually if somebody else drops but don't currently have it and it's kind of unlikely

Con:
-UNLV is a very new school so they do not have a well-established reputation
-No class graduating yet so don't have a sense of their match success
-Because it's new I got the sense they had fewer resources than the other two
-No gross anatomy, only virtual
-Small class of only 60 students
-The main campus building is shared with the dental school
-Not a lot of residency opportunities in Vegas so likely would go somewhere else for residency anyways
-More limited clerkship opportunities -- only one main site with occasional surgeries at another

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[carter15]

I’m in a similar boat between Phoenix, Denver and other schools and have been growing to love Phoenix and Denver over others as I have seen their responsiveness and flexibility as an administration and hospital system during the pandemic. I think both are similar in that they are really seeking to breed true servant leaders in their community. I think for me Denver offers a wider reach both in terms of clinical opportunities as well as networking/extracurricular opportunities that may Prepare you for a competitive residency match. That said, Phoenix has an amazing diversity program and appears to have lots of strong ties in the direct city and statewide community, and the administration is willing to go the extra mile for students. If you identify strongly with any MUR groups and/or want to serve any of them Phoenix will hands down support your endeavors. As you’ve mentioned, you’ll have a great time at either location and be able to get out as much as you put in. I think this will come down to a gut feeling for you, as well as myself. Which student body made you feel the most at home? What specific things can you envision yourself doing at each location? What do you bring to the table for each location such that you can grow with the institution? Which city /state might you want to match to for residency? These are just a few of the questions I’m asking myself. Would love to hear where you decide!

 

[Schrodinger's Chat]

I’m in a similar boat between Phoenix, Denver and other schools and have been growing to love Phoenix and Denver over others as I have seen their responsiveness and flexibility as an administration and hospital system during the pandemic. I think both are similar in that they are really seeking to breed true servant leaders in their community. I think for me Denver offers a wider reach both in terms of clinical opportunities as well as networking/extracurricular opportunities that may Prepare you for a competitive residency match. That said, Phoenix has an amazing diversity program and appears to have lots of strong ties in the direct city and statewide community, and the administration is willing to go the extra mile for students. If you identify strongly with any MUR groups and/or want to serve any of them Phoenix will hands down support your endeavors. As you’ve mentioned, you’ll have a great time at either location and be able to get out as much as you put in. I think this will come down to a gut feeling for you, as well as myself. Which student body made you feel the most at home? What specific things can you envision yourself doing at each location? What do you bring to the table for each location such that you can grow with the institution? Which city /state might you want to match to for residency? These are just a few of the questions I’m asking myself. Would love to hear where you decide!

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thought process and for writing such an insightful response! I really appreciate your perspective. And congratulations on all of your options! Maybe we'll be classmates at one of these two haha
Do you mind if I ask, are you IS for either Arizona or Colorado? I'm wondering how much emphasis I should place on the cost and if that's a factor to consider in addition to everything you mentioned

 

[carter15]

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thought process and for writing such an insightful response! I really appreciate your perspective. And congratulations on all of your options! Maybe we'll be classmates at one of these two haha
Do you mind if I ask, are you IS for either Arizona or Colorado? I'm wondering how much emphasis I should place on the cost and if that's a factor to consider in addition to everything you mentioned

Great question! I’m OOS for both but was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship from Denver to bring the cost down to pretty much match that of Phoenix. With that said, I’ve turned down my in state offer (university of maryland) despite it being much cheaper because I’m prioritizing those things that I’ve mentioned above. I have some work experience at UMD and haven’t had the best experience living in Baltimore so knew I wanted to be somewhere else even though UMD’s Med program is very respectable. At the end of the day I think the cost is a personal decision that should factor in your finances, lifestyle, and potentially what specialty you see yourself entering. For me, unless I were offered a full ride somewhere, I personally feel confident that I can carry as much of a financial burden as needed to ensure that I’m happy and supported wherever I choose to attend. I personally don’t want to close any doors due to finances, which is something I fee privileged and fortunate enough to do. Also keep in mind that there are career moves you can make After your education to reduce your loan burden, like loan repayment programs, military and government work, negotiating salary on the basis of your loan burden, etc.

If you ever want to talk-out the decision feel free to dm me! I grew up in the Phx area and know two guys who are brothers that each go to one of the two schools (Phx and Denver) and have shared some of their experiences if you’re interested in hearing more.

 

[Schrodinger's Chat]

Bump! Would love some more input from others and also my poll is currently tied haha please help!

 

[HopefulPilot]

Any idea of what you want to do as a physician?

 

[Schrodinger's Chat]

Any idea of what you want to do as a physician?

Not really, I feel like I need to explore more in medical school, especially since people so frequently change their minds. Right now I think I'm less inclined towards primary care and pediatrics, but I'm still open! I think I ultimately want to specialize but again, not sure in what -- I know that's not really helpful lol

 

[HopefulPilot]

I may be a little biased, but I'd choose Phoenix if I were you. You hit a lot of great highlights of the school. Excellent faculty that are responsive and care about the students. I would also say that in my experience, the clinical sites are excellent. While you may move between major hospitals, the locations generally all have residencies associated with them and offer great learning opportunities. The good news is, I think you're choosing between two places that are great options. Good luck wherever you end up!

 

[Biscuitboy11]

I’d go with Denver- well established, well respected medical centers, more of a real city (not a big fan of Phoenix, mom has lived there for years), with seasons! Lots going on for a young person. Mountains 90 minutes away. Congratulations on your success and good luck!

 

[Schrodinger's Chat]

Thank you @HopefulPilot and @Biscuitboy11 for your opinions and for your well wishes! I really appreciate the input!