Hi guys--thanks ahead of time for your advice.
Anyway, I know that these threads are getting pretty common, but I could really use some thoughts besides my own/my parents/everyone else I've talked to lately. Basically, I'm trying to decide between the University of Michigan, UC Davis and Vanderbilt. I'm a CA resident--not sure if I want to stay in the area though.
UC Davis
Pros:
-Cheapest option (~average med school debt coming out of here, ~150k)
-Close to family/friends (maybe too close, haha)
-In CA--potential bonus returning to CA for residency?
-Interview day was so-so, but my informal second look went really well, the faculty/doctors here seem incredibly friendly...
-Laid-back feel to class
Cons:
-Ranking, I guess, around mid-tier...
-Possibly less research opps. I know students do research here, but I'm not sure about how easy it is to get involved in a substantial sort of way.
-Location: Sacramento's ok, but the med school and undergrad aren't on the same campus (only about a mile apart though)
-Didn't get that "wow" feeling here
University of Michigan
Pros:
-Top-ranked school/good rep with residency directors
-Tons of research/mentoring opps
-Impressive facilities/right on undergrad campus
-Very very impressed on interview day--was my top choice (after ucsf/ucla...) before I got my financial aid package. All else being equal, I probably would've gone here...
Cons:
-Very expensive (I'd be paying full sticker price as OOS, though I can borrow some $ from family interest-free...I'd probably come out with >200k in debt)
-Location: Not sure if I really want to return to ca for residency, but going oos might make it hard for me to do so if I wanted to
-Far from family/friends
-Big class size/intense students (possibly)
Vanderbilt
Pros
-Top-ranked school/good rep
-Tons of research/mentoring opps
-Impressive facilities/right on undergrad campus
-Like Michigan, got blown away on interview day
Cons:
-Expensive, but not quite as much as UM (~170-190k coming out of here, w/ scholarship)
-Far from family/friends
-Location: same issue as with UM above, but everyone keeps telling me to stay out of the south
-Not really a con, but I haven't met many students, and the ones I did seemed pretty intense.
Any thoughts would be appreciated! I'll also add that I'm not sure what my goals in medicine are, other than to just be a great doctor. I'd like to teach one day, but I'm not interested in super-high-powered academic medicine (at the moment...). But I'm not interested in primary care, surgery/anaesthesia/em are my top interests right now.
So...what do?
Anyway, I know that these threads are getting pretty common, but I could really use some thoughts besides my own/my parents/everyone else I've talked to lately. Basically, I'm trying to decide between the University of Michigan, UC Davis and Vanderbilt. I'm a CA resident--not sure if I want to stay in the area though.
UC Davis
Pros:
-Cheapest option (~average med school debt coming out of here, ~150k)
-Close to family/friends (maybe too close, haha)
-In CA--potential bonus returning to CA for residency?
-Interview day was so-so, but my informal second look went really well, the faculty/doctors here seem incredibly friendly...
-Laid-back feel to class
Cons:
-Ranking, I guess, around mid-tier...
-Possibly less research opps. I know students do research here, but I'm not sure about how easy it is to get involved in a substantial sort of way.
-Location: Sacramento's ok, but the med school and undergrad aren't on the same campus (only about a mile apart though)
-Didn't get that "wow" feeling here
University of Michigan
Pros:
-Top-ranked school/good rep with residency directors
-Tons of research/mentoring opps
-Impressive facilities/right on undergrad campus
-Very very impressed on interview day--was my top choice (after ucsf/ucla...) before I got my financial aid package. All else being equal, I probably would've gone here...
Cons:
-Very expensive (I'd be paying full sticker price as OOS, though I can borrow some $ from family interest-free...I'd probably come out with >200k in debt)
-Location: Not sure if I really want to return to ca for residency, but going oos might make it hard for me to do so if I wanted to
-Far from family/friends
-Big class size/intense students (possibly)
Vanderbilt
Pros
-Top-ranked school/good rep
-Tons of research/mentoring opps
-Impressive facilities/right on undergrad campus
-Like Michigan, got blown away on interview day
Cons:
-Expensive, but not quite as much as UM (~170-190k coming out of here, w/ scholarship)
-Far from family/friends
-Location: same issue as with UM above, but everyone keeps telling me to stay out of the south
-Not really a con, but I haven't met many students, and the ones I did seemed pretty intense.
Any thoughts would be appreciated! I'll also add that I'm not sure what my goals in medicine are, other than to just be a great doctor. I'd like to teach one day, but I'm not interested in super-high-powered academic medicine (at the moment...). But I'm not interested in primary care, surgery/anaesthesia/em are my top interests right now.
So...what do?
