UMDNJ-RWJ v. UMaryland

[lucysbiggestfan]

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Hey so I need some advice- I have had the good fortune to be accepted into multiple medical schools. Currently I am trying decide between UMDNJ-RWJ, and University of Maryland I am in-state at RWJ and I really liked the school when I visited for my interview. However, I also really liked Maryland. Maryland would cost me significantly more in tuition and fees (44,000/year) and has ABCDF letter grading, whereas RWJ only costs about (27,000) and has pass/fail grading. I also can't figure out which school would give me better clinical training and matches better, or if it is about the same. Advice would be appreciated.

 

[Cytotoxic]

Both are comparably reputable. But pass/fail + cheaper >>>>>>>> ABCDF + more expensive.

 

[PsxDcSquall]

I agree. They are both US accredited medical schools so you really can't go wrong with either. I'd say go with the cheaper school.

 

[metallica81788]

If pass/fail and cheaper are on the same side, I'd go with that one unless the location bothers you tremendously.

 

[lucysbiggestfan]

Thank you guys so much for your advice. One other thing that is weighing pretty heavily in my mind is that I want a career in academic medicine, possibly in psychiatry, and Maryland I believe has a stronger reputation for research, especially in psych. I can't decide if this is a significant enough factor though to choose Maryland over RWJ. On the other hand, I really like RWJ too, its closer to my family and its so much less money and the pass-fail grading is a big draw for me.

 

[nonsciencemajor]

I was about to say UMD because of its national reputation... and while I have heard of UMDNJ (its great like any other US MD school), UMD just brings with it this vibe of research heavy, nationally-known reputation that UMDNJ might not necessarily... though it really doesn't matter when it comes to residency selection.. but anyways I would have gone to UMD even if the cost is much more....

BUT after knowing that UMD is an ABCD system, I say go to UMDNJ. Everything is better at UMD in my opinion, but UMDNJ has a better grading scale of p/f.

And this grading scale is so important, that I would go to UMDNJ over UMD.... I heard that a good gpa in med school is like a 2.5.... now would you really wanna put that on your residency application or have that show on your med school transcript when applying to residency programs.. unless you think you can get at least a 3.2+, I would go to UMDNJ... but if you really believe you can get a 3.2+ I would go to UMD. But let me tell you from what I heard, a 3.2 GPA at med school is no where as easy as getting a 3.2 in undergrad..

Residency PD's I believe really can't evaulate a student with the preclinical grades of being either P/F, and thats why focus heavily on USMLE Step 1. But UMD does a GPA in preclinical courses so that will play a part into residency selection I must imagine. In fact, I am guessing your USMLE Step 1 score will be viewed heavily, but in addition so will your GPA..... as for most other AMG's only their USMLE score will be looked at... and once again, it is very difficult to get a good gpa in med school from what I heard so choose wisely... it can either greatly help you when it comes to residency app time (if your GPA is 3.2+), or it can greatly hurt you (less than 3.2, and I believe it will look horrible if less than a 3.0)

my final vote after all this: go to UMDNJ

 

[runawaytrain]

Here's RWJ's latest match list for Psychiatry. It is incredibly strong, and I think such matches would be good for someone wishing to enter academic medicine. I also don't think RWJ is inferior to Maryland in research, especially considering its research ties to Rutgers and Princeton.

Psychiatry

Duke Univ Med Ctr-NC
U North Carolina Hospitals-NC
Johns Hopkins Hosp-MD
Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY (2)
Brown Univ Psych Res-RI

 

[Stixman28]

Maryland has a fantastic psychiatry track:

http://medschool.umaryland.edu/osa/handbook/capp.asp

the only one like it in the nation. Im in it. best part of my week, every week.


also a post i wrote a couple of months ago in the maryland thread:

"I just wanted to throw out an answer to a question I get from all of you interviewing students.
Maryland does give out grades, A,B,C etc.

However, this does not foster a environment of competitiveness. This is due to the fact that there is NO CURVE. You get a 80, that's a B. You get a 95 and so does everyone else? great, A for everyone.

When folks find an awesome website that helped them learn a difficult concept, the first thing they often do is email it to the whole class. This was a bit foreign to me coming from a hypercompetitive environment, but it's easy to get used to.

Very few people actually care a lot about their grades, as along as they're passing."

 

[nonsciencemajor]

Maryland has a fantastic psychiatry track:

http://medschool.umaryland.edu/osa/handbook/capp.asp

the only one like it in the nation. Im in it. best part of my week, every week.


also a post i wrote a couple of months ago in the maryland thread:

"I just wanted to throw out an answer to a question I get from all of you interviewing students.
Maryland does give out grades, A,B,C etc.

However, this does not foster a environment of competitiveness. This is due to the fact that there is NO CURVE. You get a 80, that's a B. You get a 95 and so does everyone else? great, A for everyone.

When folks find an awesome website that helped them learn a difficult concept, the first thing they often do is email it to the whole class. This was a bit foreign to me coming from a hypercompetitive environment, but it's easy to get used to.

Very few people actually care a lot about their grades, as along as they're passing."

Do UMD students have a cumulative GPA they report when they are applying for residency programs?

 

[lucysbiggestfan]

All your help has been much appreciated! I still don't know where I'm going yet, but I have awhile to decide 🙂

 

[alibai3ah]

Hey so I need some advice- I have had the good fortune to be accepted into multiple medical schools. Currently I am trying decide between UMDNJ-RWJ, and University of Maryland I am in-state at RWJ and I really liked the school when I visited for my interview. However, I also really liked Maryland. Maryland would cost me significantly more in tuition and fees (44,000/year) and has ABCDF letter grading, whereas RWJ only costs about (27,000) and has pass/fail grading. I also can't figure out which school would give me better clinical training and matches better, or if it is about the same. Advice would be appreciated.

My vote goes to the state school. NMDNJ-RWJ is a reputable school, and just as good as Maryland. Plus P/F >>>>> Abcdf

 

[alibai3ah]

Thank you guys so much for your advice. One other thing that is weighing pretty heavily in my mind is that I want a career in academic medicine, possibly in psychiatry, and Maryland I believe has a stronger reputation for research, especially in psych. I can't decide if this is a significant enough factor though to choose Maryland over RWJ. On the other hand, I really like RWJ too, its closer to my family and its so much less money and the pass-fail grading is a big draw for me.

It's great that you have a field in mind right now. But LOTS and LOTS of people change over the course of medical school. It would be ridiculous to pay so much just for the mere chance that you might go to a better psychiatry program.