2indecisive
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Hello! I'm beyond grateful to have gotten acceptances to these three schools but I'm having a really hard time deciding between them. I was banking on Second Looks being helpful for making a choice... but seeing as that's no longer an option due to covid-19 I thought I'd see if others had any helpful opinions!
If any of this is helpful to know:
Specialties I'm currently interested in = psychiatry, OB/GYN, neurology
Other interests = global health, research, potentially want to pursue an MPH
Grew up in = a mix of suburban and urban areas (I prefer urban) on mostly the East Coast but went to undergrad in Bay Area and currently live in SF. I moved around a lot as a kid and I like the feeling of picking up and going somewhere new every few years.
Cost of attendance/living is not a deciding factor as with scholarships/family help they all average to be about the same.
UCSF
Pros:
- Highly ranked program
- Urban location
- Went to undergrad in the Bay Area (and currently live here) and have a lot of friends that stayed in the area so some sense of support
- Diverse patient population (important to me!)
- Live in SF currently and like it here
- Lot's of research opportunities
- Would be able to stay living in apartment/houses rather than going back to a dorm
- All pre-clinical and clinical are true P/F
- Loved the student/faculty member I interviewed with and if they were representative of the overall UCSF population then I could definitely see myself finding community
- Bridges curriculum seemed great but hard to tell without being in it/experiencing other types of curriculums (I like it's <2 years pre-clinical though)
Cons:
- Have been living in this area for 5 years now and feel ready for a change
- Was viewing medical school as a "fresh start" and a place to make new friends and explore a new environment, which staying in SF wouldn't provide as much as going somewhere new would.
- Did research at UCSF as an undergraduate and had a bad mentorship experience, I don't know if it was just me or if researchers at UCSF just aren't that interested in working with students (or if it would be different as a med student vs undergrad)
- It seems like there aren't as many student groups of interest as the other schools
- As far as I can tell exams aren't given online in that weekend window like at the other two schools but rather in class on Mondays
Mt. Sinai
Pros:
- I love NYC
- My father lives in NYC so support from him would be really close by
- Stronger sense of Jewish community (important to me but I don't think it should make or break my decision)
- Strong global health program (I think? But also has had a lot of scandal surrounding it recently so I don't know)
- I love the ability to take your tests online on the weekends. That really works with my learning style.
- Tons of students groups I'm interested in
Cons:
- I have a cat and likely wouldn't be able to live in Aron Hall -- I'm worried I would feel disconnected from the rest of my class
- Not as highly ranked as Michigan and UCSF
- 2 years of pre-clinicals
- NYC winters are not my favorite
Michigan
Pros:
- Amazing curriculum, I love that you get your pre-clinicals done with in a year and have a third year to pursue a dual degree/do research/etc.
- I loved my interview day and was happiest afterward compared to all other interviews
- Thought Ann Arbor was cute and enough of a college town that I could (hopefully) live there for 4 years without going crazy and missing city life
- Same as Mt. Sinai, I love the ability to take your tests online on the weekends.
- Lectures mostly non-mandatory/online which also works with my learning style
Cons:
- Not urban
- Less diverse patient population
- No support system nearby
- Again about the winters
- Would definitely need a car and driving is not my favorite activity
If there are other things you think I'm forgetting to consider I would love to hear it! I appreciate any/all help I can get at this point as I'm feeling pretty stuck.
If any of this is helpful to know:
Specialties I'm currently interested in = psychiatry, OB/GYN, neurology
Other interests = global health, research, potentially want to pursue an MPH
Grew up in = a mix of suburban and urban areas (I prefer urban) on mostly the East Coast but went to undergrad in Bay Area and currently live in SF. I moved around a lot as a kid and I like the feeling of picking up and going somewhere new every few years.
Cost of attendance/living is not a deciding factor as with scholarships/family help they all average to be about the same.
UCSF
Pros:
- Highly ranked program
- Urban location
- Went to undergrad in the Bay Area (and currently live here) and have a lot of friends that stayed in the area so some sense of support
- Diverse patient population (important to me!)
- Live in SF currently and like it here
- Lot's of research opportunities
- Would be able to stay living in apartment/houses rather than going back to a dorm
- All pre-clinical and clinical are true P/F
- Loved the student/faculty member I interviewed with and if they were representative of the overall UCSF population then I could definitely see myself finding community
- Bridges curriculum seemed great but hard to tell without being in it/experiencing other types of curriculums (I like it's <2 years pre-clinical though)
Cons:
- Have been living in this area for 5 years now and feel ready for a change
- Was viewing medical school as a "fresh start" and a place to make new friends and explore a new environment, which staying in SF wouldn't provide as much as going somewhere new would.
- Did research at UCSF as an undergraduate and had a bad mentorship experience, I don't know if it was just me or if researchers at UCSF just aren't that interested in working with students (or if it would be different as a med student vs undergrad)
- It seems like there aren't as many student groups of interest as the other schools
- As far as I can tell exams aren't given online in that weekend window like at the other two schools but rather in class on Mondays
Mt. Sinai
Pros:
- I love NYC
- My father lives in NYC so support from him would be really close by
- Stronger sense of Jewish community (important to me but I don't think it should make or break my decision)
- Strong global health program (I think? But also has had a lot of scandal surrounding it recently so I don't know)
- I love the ability to take your tests online on the weekends. That really works with my learning style.
- Tons of students groups I'm interested in
Cons:
- I have a cat and likely wouldn't be able to live in Aron Hall -- I'm worried I would feel disconnected from the rest of my class
- Not as highly ranked as Michigan and UCSF
- 2 years of pre-clinicals
- NYC winters are not my favorite
Michigan
Pros:
- Amazing curriculum, I love that you get your pre-clinicals done with in a year and have a third year to pursue a dual degree/do research/etc.
- I loved my interview day and was happiest afterward compared to all other interviews
- Thought Ann Arbor was cute and enough of a college town that I could (hopefully) live there for 4 years without going crazy and missing city life
- Same as Mt. Sinai, I love the ability to take your tests online on the weekends.
- Lectures mostly non-mandatory/online which also works with my learning style
Cons:
- Not urban
- Less diverse patient population
- No support system nearby
- Again about the winters
- Would definitely need a car and driving is not my favorite activity
If there are other things you think I'm forgetting to consider I would love to hear it! I appreciate any/all help I can get at this point as I'm feeling pretty stuck.
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