UICOM vs TTUHSC El Paso

[PortofinoDavinci]

University of Illinois COM
Pros

• Higher Ranked/More established
• Research in line with my interests (Regenerative medicine), and I get to continue the research I had been doing since undergrad and graduate degrees.
• Student body diversity
• My family lives in Chicago

Cons

• High Tuition for OOS
• Not sure if I will be assigned to Chicago for my campus :S

Texas Tech El Paso Paul L Foster SOM
Pros

• Cheaper Tuition (IS) and COA
• Spanish Classes
• My home country recognizes the degree and can be transferred to practice back home
• Smaller class size

Cons

• Stopped recording lectures (although previous year lectures are available)
• As per the current student, not so optimal traffics and transportation (apparently parking is abysmal)
• Seemed to be more focused on the primary care

I am interested in a surgical specialty (Gen Surg/Otolaryngology) and in academic medicine. I am a non-traditional with a significant time of my life spent on regenerative medicine and stem cell biology, and I want to be able to continue to do that during and after my medical education. I prefer to stay in a city. I was sure I wanted to go to UICOM, knowing I would be rejected by PLFSOM, but I got matched and I am so thrilled about it. Both seemed to have True P/F for pre-clinical, and the current students are super chill and seem to really enjoy their school and the program.


Summary: It all boils down to tuition/COA vs Ranking/Opportunities.

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[deleted555445]

University of Illinois COM
Pros

• Higher Ranked/More established
• Research in line with my interests (Regenerative medicine), and I get to continue the research I had been doing since undergrad and graduate degrees.
• Student body diversity
• My family lives in Chicago

Cons

• High Tuition for OOS
• Not sure if I will be assigned to Chicago for my campus :S

Texas Tech El Paso Paul L Foster SOM
Pros

• Cheaper Tuition (IS) and COA
• Spanish Classes
• My home country recognizes the degree and can be transferred to practice back home
• Smaller class size

Cons

• Stopped recording lectures (although previous year lectures are available)
• As per the current student, not so optimal traffics and transportation (apparently parking is abysmal)
• Seemed to be more focused on the primary care

I am interested in a surgical specialty (Gen Surg/Otolaryngology) and in academic medicine. I am a non-traditional with a significant time of my life spent on regenerative medicine and stem cell biology, and I want to be able to continue to do that during and after my medical education. I prefer to stay in a city. I was sure I wanted to go to UICOM, knowing I would be rejected by PLFSOM, but I got matched and I am so thrilled about it. Both seemed to have True P/F for pre-clinical, and the current students are super chill and seem to really enjoy their school and the program.


Summary: It all boils down to tuition/COA vs Ranking/Opportunities.

For starters, I would hold off on any decision until you have your site assignment from UICOM. Paying UICOM OOS tuition vs TX in-state tuition would be a tough pill to swallow, so you would have to make sure you really want to attend UICOM to justify that. UICOM will probably set you up better for a surgical speciality, but you can still match from Texas Tech, especially if you want to stay local in Texas. Pretty much all schools match well locally, check to see what sort of ENT residency opportunities there are around El Paso.

In terms of your home country recognizing the degree, is that not true of UICOM? They're both MD schools, right?

In general, you can't go wrong with either school, so congrats! That will only make the decision tougher unfortunately, but it may be easier once you have site assignments and financial aid packages in hand.

 

[PortofinoDavinci]

Thank you so much for your help! I will be going to the campus tour for PLF and the second look for UICOM so I can decide better!

 

[123OkayGoogle]

Confused about your home country recognizing the degree from El Paso. Would still choose El Paso for the tuition

 

[PortofinoDavinci]

In terms of your home country recognizing the degree, is that not true of UICOM? They're both MD schools, right?

Confused about your home country recognizing the degree from El Paso.

My home country only recognizes a few schools in the US, and it's an appeal-based system. The graduates are supposed to report to the governing body to get the school evaluated before the graduates are allowed to take a test for a license. I am sure if I chose to go back, I can apply for an evaluation for UICOM, but it's not guaranteed!

 

[HM2009]

UICOM will definitely be a better choice for surgical/ent residencies. Unfortunately, most of the residencies in/around EL Paso are in primary care specialties. There is a general surgery residency, but that’s all I’m aware of. Congratulations, and good luck on making a decision!

 

[PortofinoDavinci]

El Paso is a nice city! I really enjoyed when I visited there. The Program seems to be less stressful as per the current students. Lubbock program seems to also be considered to be Home Program for El Paso as well through arrangements.

I was assigned to Chicago for UICOM which makes the decision harder. I will be attending the Second Look Day for UICOM; is there any specific things I should be looking at?