UM versus UCF

[Konfidence]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Thoughts? All opinions are appreciated!

 

[Nymphicus]

Thread moved to School Specific Discussions—the correct forum to discuss specific schools.

 

[FijiGNR89]

Gotta be UCF. Have you SEEN those robotics?

 

[Cinclus]

Give us more info about your feelings about the two schools. Your pros and cons, and whatnot.

 

[Konfidence]

- UCF
Pros
- Modern facilities, as ^ mentioned
- Cheaper
- The attitude of UCF COM is unlike any other school I've been to. Everyone is enthusiastic and eager to hep each other. Such a bright future for this new school.
- Integrated PBL curriculum
Cons
- Brand new school that just received accreditation. Still waiting on match results but their optho and uro matches were decent.
- Orlando offers very little in terms of community work. I'm very community oriented, particular to working in areas that need the help. I believe UCF COM is just starting a free clinic downtown this year.
- Basically everything is just starting up. The medical city, where the school is, is still developing for the most part. Eventually, there will be great opportunities though.

Miami
Pros
- Beautiful location.
- Well established school.
- So many opportunities! Multiple research centers, the #1 ophthalmology centre in the nation, Jackson memorial and the Ryder trauma center.
- Free clinics for students to work in located in areas that really need it.
- Everyone is also welcoming, not as much as UCF though lol
- Documented match results are promising.
- I'll be forced to learn to speak Spanish (others see this as a con but as a hospital worker I see the number of Spanish speaking only patients increase rapidly and it would be nice to have personal conversations with them without getting an interpreter every time)
- Community physicians are so eager to work with students. I spent an extra hour talking with my interviewer about her sickle cell research and she gave me her contact info to work with her even before I got accepted. I don't have "official" research experience by the way.
Cons
- Expensive lol (this is largely due to the cost of living which I believe I can control. I received a scholarship that knocks tuition for a UM dual program down to near UCF's tuition.)
- Mostly lecture based, although I know more PBL is being included.
- Part of me thinks living in Miami will be distracting, but I think I can control that too lol
- The whole drama with Jackson Memorial's financial crisis. This will always be an issue, but it's an important issue. The program I applied to has rotations in another hospital north of Miami.

I didn't comment on things that are the same, like recorded lectures or preceptorship/doctoring which I like.

Also, a lot of people seem to think Miami is pass/fail. From what I've gathered, they give grades followed by pass or fail....which is pretty much grading. UCF is graded too.

 

[Konfidence]

USMLE statistics were great for both schools as well.

 

[prado]

Just from what you listed, I'd pick UMiami, easily. All the pros you listed for UCF, imo, don't hold any weight.

Modern facilities: I'm pretty sure you're not going to care about the facilities once you're in the grind of studying.
Cheaper: You said UMiami's scholarship puts them on equal footing
The attitude of UCF COM: In my opinion, while their attitude might have been great on interview day, I don't think that's a good way to judge the entire student body. There are happy and sad students at every school, you might have just seen the happy ones at UCF and the not so happy ones at UMiami
Integrated PBL curriculum: Do you know for 100% fact that you are going to learn better with PBL? Some students hate it and rather thrive on a traditional curriculum. Do you really have enough experience with PBL to consider it a "Pro"?

I just feel that the pros you listed aren't really good enough to justify going to a new school over an established school in a great location.

 

[gtoblobf]

Wait for financial aid.