7. Tufts University_________
First Year Student Budget: $62,074 Score: -1
Financial Aid/ etc
: 33% of students are eligible to receive aid directly from Tufts, 80% of students receive standard govt aid, Tufts typically only provides scholarships out of its endowment for MS-IIIs and MS-IVs, Average amount per scholarship/grant: $18,785 4 major loans are covered under their endowment, include budget worksheet, Tufts is also known to be very stingy, only 19% receiving some type of grant or scholarship
hahaha, what a joke!! They even condone work study
how lame is that!!!! Average Debt: $163,637 hahahaha what a joke Score: 2.25
Curriculum/ etc
: emphasizes the basic skills needed by a generalist physician, a very universal system that emphasizes PBL...but is not the only major aspect to the curriculum, cell to organism basic science curriculum organization (so not technically organ based, but not traditional basic science either
..cool), Principles and Practice of Medicine integrates clinical medicine with basic science curriculum
.i.e. also take classes that integrate nutrition, information management, computer literacy, gerontology, health care economics (awesome), ethics, early patient contact via community and ambulatory-based learning collectively known as the Selective Program, managed care introduction (awesome
will get to tackle the inadequacies of it at an early stage in our med school education, significant incorporation of clinical cases via case conferences, small-group learning intertwined with some traditional lecture hall style learning (very little though), Clinical Clerkships: 3rd yr: medicine (12 weeks), surgery (12 weeks), OB/GYN (6 weeks), pediatrics (6 weeks), psychiatry (6 weeks), family medicine (4 weeks)
30-50% of rotation is ambulatory based experience, MS-IV curriculum layout is based on each individual students career plans and requirements (i.e allows a lot of flexibility)
thus chosen by student with faculty assistance (niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiccccccce)
have eight required 4 week rotations, one of which must be neurology, two must be ward service rotations, and five of the rotations must be completed at Tufts affiliated hospitals (but that is not limiting at all b/c there are so many)
.have a mandatory objective structured clinical examination required for graduation (good segway into PGY-I), have a Tufts University Sciences Knowledgebase computer database program (for curriculum enhancement
awesome), Optional research thesis (nice), but no mention of international clerkships (not ruled out though), Grading Scheme: 3 interval scale (Honors/Pass/Fail or equiv) for required basic science, Basic Sci electives w/ 2 interval scale (Pass/Fail), 5 intervals for required clinical clerkships (ABCDF or equivalent), 2 intervals for elective clinical clerkships, PBL and Selectives: 2 intervals
no mention of clinical skills center Score: 12.5 (b/c of the extensive PBL
I like it but would still like more of a traditional foundation
but still a great curriculum)
# Affiliated Hospitals/Facilities: 15 major hospitals (mostly in Mass. but one is in Maine) with additional affiliations to at least 15 smaller hospitals, clinics, and centers. This is by far the 2nd largest medical center in the nation
.sooooooooooo many resources
Score: 9+++++
Selection Factors: Rolling admissions, private school (no state preference), Avg. Overall GPA: 3.61 (2005), Avg. Science GPA: 3.56 (2005), Median Overall GPA: 3.71, Median Science GPA: 3.47, Avg. MCAT: 32.2 (2005), Median MCAT: 34Q (Ranges V: 6 15, P: 6 15, B: 2 15, writing: K T), 8277 applications (only 6794 of the 8277 were actually completed) for 893 interview slots, very strong commitment to affirmative action (good for me) Score: 6.75
Diversity: 12% URM, 40% minority Score: 11
Dual Degree Options: MD/MBA in health management, MD/MPH, MD/PhD, MD/MALD, DVM/MPH
plus there are MS options in several fields (but not affiliated with dual degree option) Score: 7
Student Support: established minority affairs office, both a modern computer lab and a multimedia resource center, counseling and advising services, offer pre-matriculation summer program (esp for minority students) as early intro to 1st year classes, active SNMA office, several student run clubs/organizations, one primary library, tutoring service Score: 6.25
Housing: One on campus hall (Posner Hall)
very limited, no off-campus affiliated, Boston very very expensive
and there is new development around the health science campus (Chinatown), seasonal off-campus housing coordinator hired to assist students in finding off-campus housing Score: 3.25
Location: Northeast
nasty winters, large city, in Chinatown, muggy summers, Boston is a diverse city with a diverse patient population
will have opportunity to see high tech medicine and getting-by medicine all in same city Score: 5
Class Size: 168 matriculated (473 accepted in 2005)
.so up to 53% of interviewees accepted Score: 5
Residency Match List: 42% primary care, 58% specialty
Volunteer/Research Opps: several volunteer opps around city, one major community initiative
known as the Sharewood Project, unique group called the Kids in Chemotherapy Support Group, Research: Several research centers ranging in focus, 9 core research facilities, 5 major research fellowships available to students directly from Tufts, several external funding opps (typically available to students at all med schools), over $46 million (rank 68th) in NIH grants, approx $44 million in NIH research grants Score: 11
Miscellaneous: Tufts dean very supportive of me applying to school, located around very modern and research oriented medical centers, Boston has good pub transportation, housing getting very expensive, no video, known school Score: 2.5
Total Score: NO FULL SCORE ASSIGNED UNTIL ALL SCHOOLS COMPLETED
HELPS PREVENT ANY POSSIBLE INLETS FOR BIAS
