UCSF vs UCLA vs Duke

[fatherlion]

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UCLA

Pros
In-state tuition (and likely waived student health insurance cost)
P/F pre-clinical (not sure about clinical? I think it’s HP/P/F??)
Strong alignment with long-term goals of practicing in CA (networking + residency placement in-state)
Very close to home + friends (2.5 hr drive with LA traffic….)
Diverse clinical training
Ideal for urban underserved work

Cons
High COL
I hate depending on cars constantly and feel stressed by driving/parking
Political/media attention stress (Tr*mp)
Anecdotal aid concerns (Current M1’s have expressed that almost everyone maxed out federal loans, which is no longer feasible for me)
Large class + big institution (did not have a big state school undergrad experience, but I know I would not initially thrive in it)

UCSF

Pros
In-state tuition (and likely no student health insurance cost if waived)
True P/F pre-clinical and generally lower internal competition vibes I think
Public transportation + walkability (lived in NYC/East Coast post-grad and really loved that aspect)
Strong alignment with long-term goals of practicing in CA (networking + residency placement in-state)
Fit with goals of working in urban underserved health, specifically unhoused exposure
Close-ish to home (1 hr flight / ~5 hr drive), so I can realistically be present for family
Diverse clinical training across multiple major sites
Best interview experience IMO, everyone came off as very personable

Cons
Extreme and unpredictable COL
STEP exam timing anxiety
Anxious about fog/gray weather
Potential housing stress
Large class but smaller institution than UCLA (no undergrads)

Duke

Pros
Mentorship culture reputation is excellent
Small class, so maybe community feels less anonymous
Strong for surgery/academic medicine
More affordable COL
Aid could significantly lower debt (as FGLI student)
Strong national match flexibility ? In case I someday decide to give up CA (unlikely)

Cons
Far from home/support system
Travel costs + time add up (speaking from 5 years of experience, cross-national flights for holidays + emergencies)
I hate driving and Durham likely has limited transit
Less natural fit for urban unhoused focus IMO
Harder to maintain CA-specific networks
Apprehension about culture shock
Doesn't seem like they match aid (explicitly said in email)

Summary:
I know I should probably wait for financial aid to come out, but I’m choosing between UCSF, UCLA, and Duke. My priorities are: (1) minimizing debt, (2) being in California long-term, (3) training in an environment aligned with urban underserved care, and (4) ideally being close to family. I am currently interested in oncology, surgery, and academic medicine.

 

[rob120]

Even as a current Duke student, it sounds like UCSF might be the best option for u!! I would wait to compare financial aid from those 2 schools.

In regards to the culture shock, dont fret! Everyone is very very nice and kind, even towards someone not from the south, like myself.

 

[riv_jordan]

You can probably rule out UCLA. UCLA is amazing, but other than being a couple hours closer to home, it has basically all the same pros as UCSF but to an equal or lesser degree. As for Duke, you've listed some significant cons relative to UCSF so unless they give you a much better financial aid package, it sounds like UCSF also takes the cake. Cost aside, UCSF sounds like the option you're most excited about. Hell, one of the cons you listed for UCSF was "Anxious about fog" so it sounds like you were slightly grasping at straws to find things you didn't like.

 

[fatherlion]

Even as a current Duke student, it sounds like UCSF might be the best option for u!! I would wait to compare financial aid from those 2 schools.

In regards to the culture shock, dont fret! Everyone is very very nice and kind, even towards someone not from the south, like myself.

Hi, thanks for the insight! Would it be OK to PM you some questions about Duke?

 

[fatherlion]

You can probably rule out UCLA. UCLA is amazing, but other than being a couple hours closer to home, it has basically all the same pros as UCSF but to an equal or lesser degree. As for Duke, you've listed some significant cons relative to UCSF so unless they give you a much better financial aid package, it sounds like UCSF also takes the cake. Cost aside, UCSF sounds like the option you're most excited about. Hell, one of the cons you listed for UCSF was "Anxious about fog" so it sounds like you were slightly grasping at straws to find things you didn't like.

That's a fair point, haha. I didn't even notice until I re-read my list. I think I'm trying to tether my expectations since I'm waiting for financial aid, but I guess one of my biggest concerns was if I were to go to Duke, would that diminish my chances of matching back into CA?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

That's a fair point, haha. I didn't even notice until I re-read my list. I think I'm trying to tether my expectations since I'm waiting for financial aid, but I guess one of my biggest concerns was if I were to go to Duke, would that diminish my chances of matching back into CA?

I don't think you should have any concerns about matching back to California if you do well at Duke.

 

[premedlightyagami]

See if you can leverage any scholarships from any of them.