UC Davis vs UA Tucson (Full tuition scholarship) vs UCLA (Top WL)

[Isagi]

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Please help me 😭​

UC Davis School of Medicine​

Pros
-- Strong alignment with my background in community health and working with underserved populations
-- Best positioning for staying in California long-term, especially for residency
-- I would be training in patient populations I already understand and care about
-- No service obligation, so I keep full flexibility in specialty and location

Cons
-- ~$80K/year → about $320K total cost, which is a major financial burden
-- Debt could influence my future decisions, even if I want to pursue primary care or ID
-- I would be paying full cost for a mission that already aligns with my experiences

University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson​

Pros
-- ~$20K/year → about $80K total for all 4 years, which is significantly less debt
-- PCP scholarship directly supports my interest in primary care and underserved communities
-- Lower financial stress would give me more freedom during medical school and beyond
-- I would be able to pursue meaningful work without worrying as much about income

Cons
-- I would need to commit to 4 years as an attending in Arizona HPSA after residency wherever I decide
-- Less flexibility if I change my mind about specialty or where I want to practice

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (Top Waitlist -> Accepted!!!)​

Pros
-- Strongest overall training environment with the most flexibility in career options
-- Access to major academic centers and diverse patient populations in Los Angeles where I am from!
-- Being in Los Angeles really aligns with my long-term goals and family support system

-- Probably happiest here...

Cons
-- ~$80K/year → about $320K
-- Highest financial burden out of all my options
-- Not guaranteed since I am currently on the waitlist

Basically I’m deciding between taking on significant debt to stay in California with full flexibility at UC Davis (or UCLA if I’m accepted), versus choosing Arizona for minimal debt but committing four years of my career there, so it ultimately comes down to whether I value long-term financial freedom or staying in California without restrictions.

 

[polymerization]

Congrats, fellow Bruin! I'm excited to be classmates.

 

[Isagi]

Congrats, fellow Bruin! I'm excited to be classmates.

HEHEHE, me too!! feel free to PM me!!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You know how much it costs to live in California before medical school. Imagine how your life would change if you carried the debt. If you had gotten into a PRIME program, I think you would have gotten some money to help you out, but it sounds like you didn't or it isn't enough.

If your purpose is serving low-income underserved communities, high-income opportunities are rare and only available after significant field experience.

Your UC Davis cons are much more significant. Your 40- or 50-year-old self and family will be much happier with taking the lower debt burden. Don't be afraid of not knowing as much about the underserved in Arizona; that will be part of your education and an opportunity to broaden your perspective.

 

[polymerization]

You know how much it costs to live in California before medical school. Imagine how your life would change if you carried the debt. If you had gotten into a PRIME program, I think you would have gotten some money to help you out, but it sounds like you didn't or it isn't enough.

If your purpose is serving low-income underserved communities, high-income opportunities are rare and only available after significant field experience.

Your UC Davis cons are much more significant. Your 40- or 50-year-old self and family will be much happier with taking the lower debt burden. Don't be afraid of not knowing as much about the underserved in Arizona; that will be part of your education and an opportunity to broaden your perspective.

Valid. We're going to have to manufacture an interest in concierge neurosurgery just to financially recover, it feels like.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Valid. We're going to have to manufacture an interest in concierge neurosurgery just to financially recover, it feels like.

Or ask the 7th generation AI-bot to predict... and don't be surprised if the answer is...

 

[Isagi]

You know how much it costs to live in California before medical school. Imagine how your life would change if you carried the debt. If you had gotten into a PRIME program, I think you would have gotten some money to help you out, but it sounds like you didn't or it isn't enough.

If your purpose is serving low-income underserved communities, high-income opportunities are rare and only available after significant field experience.

Your UC Davis cons are much more significant. Your 40- or 50-year-old self and family will be much happier with taking the lower debt burden. Don't be afraid of not knowing as much about the underserved in Arizona; that will be part of your education and an opportunity to broaden your perspective.

I ended up choosing UCLA actually after being accepted April 30th! I found a very cheap place for rent with all the utilities included so it will actually be cheaper than UC Davis LOL. My significant other of more than 6 years is a med student in the LA area so I have decided to stay even with the debt. I will apply to a bunch of scholarships and have also applied to the NHSC scholarship earlier this year. I am going to do everything I can to make it work. I also do not know if I absolutely want to go into PCP and want to keep my options open and I feel like UCLA is the best place to do that. I understand that with AZ I would have much less debt and less worry about that, but I think would be most truly happy in LA with my 4 younger siblings and my SO. Thank you so much for your advice, I have been debating this decision for days. Maybe UCLA will give me a small need-based aid package for being super low income too who knows!

 

[Entadus]

I can't imagine carrying that much debt and then trying to establish yourself in CA on top of that. I went out of state for med school and had a debt around $80-100k total. My wife and I were able to pay off all our student loans shortly after we got married. It's a big weight off our shoulders. My vote is for Arizona. Sad to lose the UCLA/UC Davis "vibes", but you can't eat vibes. $240,000 difference (more after interest) is a lot of money.