Univ of Colorado vs UNLV vs Georgetown

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PhilzCoffeeAddict

PhilzCoffeeAddict

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Hello,

So I've been fortunate to have multiple acceptance and waitlist at various medical schools. I've been pondering on it on my own but am now ready to get some public opinions on the schools.

UNLV
Pros:
- full ride all 4 years, just have to pay cost of living
- 60 students in a very big city with only 1 other DO school.
- Students were very happy, they emphasized (almost excessively) how happy they were...
- Students said professors were very quick to fix anything that was wrong
-Longitudinal clinical phase (not sure if this is a pro or con)

Cons:
- New med school, I'll be the 2nd class to partake
- No cadaver dissections (they purposely did this to avoid have students dissect fascia, they're thinking of adding cadavers for dissection during 3rd year)'


Univ of Colorado (CUSOM)
Pros:
- Only MD school in Colorado
- Great facilities (Anschutz medical campus)
- I get to move to Denver!!!
- They have a transplant center (something I'm very interested in)
- Lots of research funding and a required research participation
- Students were very happy to be at CUSOM, got good vibes.

Cons:
- Cost of attendance would be around 80k (hoping I get a scholarship)
- Class of 184 (not sure if this is a con… I don’t mind large classes)

Georgetown (WAITLISTED)
Pros:
- Big name school?
- Longer surgery rotation than most schools
- Required research experience
- Lots of clinical affiliates (Walter Reed, NOVA, Medstar)

Cons:
- Going to be expensive
- Felt very impersonal at the school. They just said hi and let us go on our way.
- I felt I was interrogated at my interview...
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Bumping to top. I just got a full-ride to UNLV for all 4 years. Wanted to see if this changes the public opinion. Either way, I would be very happy at UNLV or CUSOM, but career wise I'm worried about choosing UNLV because its a newer school. I feel guilty for choosing CUSOM because of how expensive it is... any input?
 
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PhilzCoffeeAddict said:
Bumping to top. I just got a full-ride to UNLV for all 4 years. Wanted to see if they changes the public opinion. Either way, I would be very happy at UNLV or CUSOM, but career wise I'm worried about choosing UNLV because its an newer school. I feel guilty for choosing CUSOM because of how expensive it is... any input?
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I don't think going to uc is worth 200k more. For that price you could take a research year to tighten up your app for residency . Imho.
 
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Even with no cadaver dissection? I really want to become a surgeon (I know agendas change during med school, but I have scrubbed into a lot of surgery and worked some crazy hours with a variety of surgeons)
 
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this is an interesting dilemma but I think it really comes down to are you willing to gamble on yourself to save $200k+? are you willing to work hard, make connections, seek outside resources, etc in order to match into a difficult specialty from a brand new school? if the answer is "yes", then I recommend saving that life changing amount of money and attend the new school.
 
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We are in the same boat.... I got a full ride at a newer school too and have been fighting to figure out what to do. I'm honestly leaning towards taking the full ride even though CO is home.. Leaving med school with minimal debt is life changing.. But CU is so dope.... It's tough...
 
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SpringsHTTR said:
We are in the same boat.... I got a full ride at a newer school too and have been fighting to figure out what to do. I'm honestly leaning towards taking the full ride even though CO is home.. Leaving med school with minimal debt is life changing.. But CU is so dope.... It's tough...
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What types of characteristics of another school would make you consider not taking a full ride at a new school?
 
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humblethinker said:
What types of characteristics of another school would make you consider not taking a full ride at a new school?
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Being P/F is big to me but not big enough to justify. Also Support System, staying home, being near SO all big factors why I am even deliberating between CU and my Full ride. But yeah $250k+ more in debt isn't rational.
 
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For me it would be around 400k, if I don't get any scholarships. Please, CU give me anything to help me love you back.

UNLV scares me because of the no cadaver dissection (I want to become a surgeon), all PBLs (very few lectures), and longitudinal clinical year. I know I would save a lot of money and avoid debt because of this choice but I'm scared I may jeopardize my career if I select this school.

400k vs 40k, I know what the responsible thing to do is... but I'm just scared I will regret not spending money (which I can always make) for a unique opportunity? Maybe I'm trying to push for CU too hard...
 
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PhilzCoffeeAddict said:
For me it would be around 400k, if I don't get any scholarships. Please, CU give me anything to help me love you back.

UNLV scares me because of the no cadaver dissection (I want to become a surgeon), all PBLs (very few lectures), and longitudinal clinical year. I know I would save a lot of money and avoid debt because of this choice but I'm scared I may jeopardize my career if I select this school.

400k vs 40k, I know what the responsible thing to do is... but I'm just scared I will regret not spending money (which I can always make) for a unique opportunity? Maybe I'm trying to push for CU too hard...
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1) dissecting a cadaver isn't surgery.
2) Repaying that 400k isn't a sure thing. What if you get in a car accident as a resident and crush your hand? You still have that 400K to pay. Please read what i suggested. You need to educate yourself and make a mature decision.
 
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PhilzCoffeeAddict said:
Even with no cadaver dissection? I really want to become a surgeon (I know agendas change during med school, but I have scrubbed into a lot of surgery and worked some crazy hours with a variety of surgeons)
Click to expand...

PhilzCoffeeAddict said:
UNLV scares me because of the no cadaver dissection (I want to become a surgeon)
Click to expand...

Take the full ride. Take it from a medical student who had to spend hours digging through fascia and picking through fat: dissection isn't surgery and you won't be a better surgeon because you picked through mountains of fat and wasted hours every week doing so.

This shouldn't even be a thought. If CU knocked their price down a bit I would go there in a heart beat, but a full ride is hard to beat. UNLV has a surgery residency + there are two Vegas community programs on top of that, and transplant might be the least competitive fellowship after GS (ie if you have a pulse you'll get a spot).
 
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PhilzCoffeeAddict said:
Bumping to top. I just got a full-ride to UNLV for all 4 years. Wanted to see if this changes the public opinion. Either way, I would be very happy at UNLV or CUSOM, but career wise I'm worried about choosing UNLV because its a newer school. I feel guilty for choosing CUSOM because of how expensive it is... any input?
Click to expand...

UNLV hands down. Colorado isn't worth the significantly higher debt.
 
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I am literally in the exact same boat as you. Full tuition at UNLV, but CUSoM is amazing.....

I spoke to Colorado this morning asking when we would be hearing about any financial resources available, they told me it should be in the next two weeks. It seems like half the people I've spoken to are pro-UNLV (the older docs and close friends who want me to save money), however lots of current med students and recent residency grads are suggesting to go to the school with better connections, especially since I am not interested in primary care.

Full tuition at UNLV is pretty great, my friends have said it'd be like throwing away $350K in the long run after loan interest - is that worth Colorado?

I think some things to consider, or at least what I'm thinking about, is where we will end up in residency. I'm not particularly confident in completing a residency in Vegas. I know CU has great matching in places I would love to complete a residency (CU, for example!). However, residency placement doesn't necessarily determine where you eventually end up...

It's such a tough decision. Before being awarded the UNLV tuition scholarship I was ready to bite the financial bullet and choose CU because I figured I'd be shelling out some dough already for UNLV and might as well go to my dream school, but once I got that scholarship things changed. I'm going to second look day on the 19th here in Vegas, hoping that I can feel out the school and potential future classmates a little bit more.
 
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