UCLA vs UCB/UCSF JMP

[raininspain]

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I just received my acceptance offer from the JMP program at Berkeley, and now I have 2 weeks to decide if I want to accept their offer.

Does anyone have any advice/insights on the two very different programs.

I know the JMP program is 5-year program with a small group of 16 students, 100% PBL, and a strong public health focused that gives you a master's degree upon graduation.

Pros:
1) PBL curriculum would prepare me to be a more efficient clinician, reflecting the way that patient cases are dissected in the medical world. Since you only retain 15% (??) of what you learn anyway, it might be better for me to learn how to read a situation, search for information, and analyze the findings rather than traditional methods of lecture learning.
2) I would come out of this program with a broader set of skills, especially interpersonal skills, since I will be hashing it out with the same 16 people for the next 3 years.
3) Fully integrated master's thesis throughout the first 3 years at Berkeley.
4) Clinical training the last two years at UCSF.

Cons:
1) What if I don't like my classmates?😕 With a class of 100+ at UCLA, I can avoid people I don't necessarily care to be around😉
2) What if I don't like PBL? At UCLA, they have an integrated curriculum.
3) What if I don't like Berkeley? I went to undergrad at UCLA, so I know I'll love it there.
4) UCLA has an awesome medical program!

 

[Mbekweni]

I just received my acceptance offer from the JMP program at Berkeley, and now I have 2 weeks to decide if I want to accept their offer.

Does anyone have any advice/insights on the two very different programs.

I know the JMP program is 5-year program with a small group of 16 students, 100% PBL, and a strong public health focused that gives you a master's degree upon graduation.

Pros:
1) PBL curriculum would prepare me to be a more efficient clinician, reflecting the way that patient cases are dissected in the medical world. Since you only retain 15% (??) of what you learn anyway, it might be better for me to learn how to read a situation, search for information, and analyze the findings rather than traditional methods of lecture learning.
2) I would come out of this program with a broader set of skills, especially interpersonal skills, since I will be hashing it out with the same 16 people for the next 3 years.
3) Fully integrated master's thesis throughout the first 3 years at Berkeley.
4) Clinical training the last two years at UCSF.

Cons:
1) What if I don't like my classmates?😕 With a class of 100+ at UCLA, I can avoid people I don't necessarily care to be around😉
2) What if I don't like PBL? At UCLA, they have an integrated curriculum.
3) What if I don't like Berkeley? I went to undergrad at UCLA, so I know I'll love it there.
4) UCLA has an awesome medical program!

First off, you have until April 1st to accept the JMP's offer. You would have 2 weeks to accept if they would have notified you after April 1st. So no need to rush your decision. Also, is UCSF's regular program an option for you? I know several people who are going to UCSF over the JMP but fewer who would go to UCLA.

The JMP will give you excellent clinical preparation, and I think you'll like Berkeley. You'd also get an MD from UCSF and a masters from Berkeley: 2 degrees that will carry a lot of weight. PBL is really great, and I think it has it's place in medical education. However, all PBL just isn't my style, and UCLA's mix of PBL with traditional lecture seemed a bit efficient while still teaching you how to find information and work up a case. Berkeley's a diverse place, and you'd have all of your interactions with the small group of medical students on campus and the rest with non-medical people from a variety of disciplines. That could also be a problem in that you just aren't in the same huge medical environment for 3 years that you'd see at UCSF for UCLA. At UCLA the health sciences area is a little medical city, with a ton of energy and constant reminders of why you want to be a doctor. And, since it's next to the regular campus, you'd have plenty of exposure to other people as well so it wouldn't be terribly limiting.

I think UCLA's hospital/clinical setup was probably the best that I've seen out of all the UC schools and any other schools I saw during interviews. Seriously impressive.

In all, I don't think it's an easy choice. Do the financial aid apps for both and get an offer. Compare those and see if finances could help make the decision easier for you. Assuming that they would cost about the same (per year, +1 more year of grad tuition at about 8k per year at Cal) then I would probably go to UCLA. Otherwise, maybe go with the cheaper option? PM me if you come up with anything yourself or want further details. I haven't heard back from UCLA yet post interview, but am looking at a similar decision.