UICOM (in-state) vs WMED

[hotsaucemuffin]

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[octopusbee]

Hi! Congratulations on your acceptances so far!

I'm a current M3 at WMed and just wanted to comment on my thoughts/perspectives on WMed in case you find them helpful in your consideration!

I loved reading through your pro-list because these are all things that I and many of my classmates really value about the school. Now that I have finished our preclinical curriculum, I can affirmatively say that WMed cares about you as a person, a student, and a future clinician, and they make it a priority to support you in all of those aspects. Whether you are looking for support in your academic endeavors, research interests, or just navigating life in this new stage, there are other students, faculty, and mentors who are willing and always available to help. Above all else, the community at WMed functions as a family. WMed's culture also closely aligns with that of the Kalamazoo community; many of our student interest groups frequently collaborate with community organizations and events (ex. our Medical Student Pride Alliance puts on multiple events throughout the year at the school and also have a presence at Kalamazoo's annual Pride celebration), so you may find that our sense of community at the school even extends into the city around you.

In terms of academics, our pass/fail grading and decompressed curriculum allow you to focus on all aspects of your medical education (research, shadowing, leadership, community involvement) besides just classes and the frequent breaks give you the freedom to use the time for these things, an elective (often remote!), travel, or just to take a break and decompress! As a newer school, I agree that we don't have as extensive home residency programs or research opportunities as more established schools. However, we have a great career development team to help navigate preparation for residency regardless of your specialty of interest, and there are still abundant opportunities for research here! Most, if not all, of my classmates who are interested in research have found opportunities and are often involved in multiple projects. If you don't find a project that interests you, there are also many basic science and clinical faculty that will work with you to make it happen! I also know some who find opportunities at other programs/institutions, so these are feasible if the opportunity arises and you want to get involved!

I hope you find this helpful, and feel free to ask more questions if you have any!

 

[hotsaucemuffin]

Hi! Congratulations on your acceptances so far!

I'm a current M3 at WMed and just wanted to comment on my thoughts/perspectives on WMed in case you find them helpful in your consideration!

I loved reading through your pro-list because these are all things that I and many of my classmates really value about the school. Now that I have finished our preclinical curriculum, I can affirmatively say that WMed cares about you as a person, a student, and a future clinician, and they make it a priority to support you in all of those aspects. Whether you are looking for support in your academic endeavors, research interests, or just navigating life in this new stage, there are other students, faculty, and mentors who are willing and always available to help. Above all else, the community at WMed functions as a family. WMed's culture also closely aligns with that of the Kalamazoo community; many of our student interest groups frequently collaborate with community organizations and events (ex. our Medical Student Pride Alliance puts on multiple events throughout the year at the school and also have a presence at Kalamazoo's annual Pride celebration), so you may find that our sense of community at the school even extends into the city around you.

In terms of academics, our pass/fail grading and decompressed curriculum allow you to focus on all aspects of your medical education (research, shadowing, leadership, community involvement) besides just classes and the frequent breaks give you the freedom to use the time for these things, an elective (often remote!), travel, or just to take a break and decompress! As a newer school, I agree that we don't have as extensive home residency programs or research opportunities as more established schools. However, we have a great career development team to help navigate preparation for residency regardless of your specialty of interest, and there are still abundant opportunities for research here! Most, if not all, of my classmates who are interested in research have found opportunities and are often involved in multiple projects. If you don't find a project that interests you, there are also many basic science and clinical faculty that will work with you to make it happen! I also know some who find opportunities at other programs/institutions, so these are feasible if the opportunity arises and you want to get involved!

I hope you find this helpful, and feel free to ask more questions if you have any!

Thank you so much for your in depth response!! 🙂 And I appreciate your offer to answer questions I have a few!

Would you say that with a specialty like dermatology, for example, they could still help you find a way to make it there, or would students interested in that be mostly on their own?

Also, am I correct in thinking that WMed is really strong in pathology research? Or are they strong specifically in forensic pathology only?

 

[octopusbee]

Thank you so much for your in depth response!! 🙂 And I appreciate your offer to answer questions I have a few!

Would you say that with a specialty like dermatology, for example, they could still help you find a way to make it there, or would students interested in that be mostly on their own?

Also, am I correct in thinking that WMed is really strong in pathology research? Or are they strong specifically in forensic pathology only?

I sent you a DM!