university med school vs free-standing med school

[anewbeginning]

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which do you prefer ? a med school that is part of a comprehensive university, or a free-standing med school ? and why ?

 

[Gnomes]

For an MD-PhD student, a comprehensive university offers much more diversity in research opportunities and scientific equipment. One of the professors I worked with as an undergrad had done his PhD at OHSU and had found it very difficult to get NMR done, etc.

 

[anewbeginning]

i've always loved the university atmosphere too... better than just having a med school and seeing the same faces over and over again.

 

[TenderRender]

What are the benefits of attending a free-standing medical school?

 

[armybound]

What are the benefits of attending a free-standing medical school?

Not having to deal with pre-meds.

 

[darkjedi]

University medical schools potentially offer resources such as faculty in business, policy, and public heath schools.

Free standing medical schools are usually the crown jewel of an institution and so receive preferential treatment typically.

With that in mind, I would much prefer a university medical school over a free standing one.

 

[patel2]

university...how am I supposed to hit on 17 year olds at a "free standing" medical school srs











not srs


























semi-srs

 

[Slack3r]

How many free standing med schools are there? I'm trying to think and all I can come up with is Jefferson and Mayo.

 

[Frazier]

how many free standing med schools are there? I'm trying to think and all i can come up with is jefferson and mayo.

mcw
mount sinai
MUSC

(I think)

 

[linebacker57]

mcw
mount sinai
MUSC

(I think)

Rosalind Franklin
USUHS (kind of)
TCMC
Rush

 

[ComradeDoktor]

university...how am I supposed to hit on 17 year olds at a "free standing" medical school srs











not srs


























semi-srs

Not really my thing, but if there are law/dental/vet school ladies around, you won't hear any complaints from me

 

[Siggy]

Rosalind Franklin
USUHS (kind of)
TCMC
Rush

Tufts (Kinda of, undergrad campus is a good distance away from the medical school and medical center).
Western University of Health Sciences (all of the programs are grad level health profession programs).

 

[TheBigCat]

Tufts (Kinda of, undergrad campus is a good distance away from the medical school and medical center)

By that logic so are Harvard, BU, and UMass

 

[ComradeDoktor]

Everyone forgot UCSF!

 

[Siggy]

By that logic so are Harvard, BU, and UMass

Well, if part of the logic is, "Well, no one else is around besides medical students," then sure. When you're looking at a 20 minute drive then you aren't going to be dealing with non-health care students (dentistry and public health and the bio grad school is at the med campus for Tufts). I didn't include UCI because, while the hospital is a good distance away (especially in traffic), the school itself is on the main campus.

 

[JABWS]

UTSW is free-standing, if we are defining that simply as lacking an associated undergraduate institution. However, UTSW medical center houses a nursing program, PA school, graduate school etc. Same with BCM and UT Houston. In fact, now that I think about it, the majority of medical schools in Texas are free-standing by that definition, with Texas Tech and A&M? the only notable exceptions.

Edit: And to answer the OP's question, I didn't consider this factor too much when choosing between medical schools, but as far as collaborative opportunities are concerned, I think having a diverse group of doctoral programs and instructors nearby will lend the same types of advantages that come along with having an affiliated undergraduate institution. So I guess it's sort of a wash for me, but I'm sure there are circumstances where being part of a comprehensive university would be beneficial from and academic standpoint. Not so much from a social standpoint, IMO.

 

[MedBound1]

EVMS is free-standing as well, no affiliated undergrad program (except for md/mph, md/phd that they share with old dominion).

 

[boopitybop]

NYMC is as free standing

 

[ChiDO]

Doesn't matter. It's about what YOU put into your education in regards to boards, grades, LORs, audition rotations. The same person getting a 270 at Harvard is getting a 270 in the no-name state school as well.

 

[anewbeginning]

51:2 !!! i guess given the choice, almost no one wants to be at a free-standing med school

 

[Ansar]

Tufts (Kinda of, undergrad campus is a good distance away from the medical school and medical center).
Western University of Health Sciences (all of the programs are grad level health profession programs).

Weill Cornell (Everything is in Ithaca, except the medical school, which is in NYC, a good 3.5hrs away)

 

[boopitybop]

51:2 !!! i guess given the choice, almost no one wants to be at a free-standing med school

well, given that's the only variable i would rather have a university attached medical school but in the big scheme of things it played little to no role in my decision making process when selecting a school.

 

[Aclamity]

One benefit of a university med school over a free-standing med school is that the general population (read: your future patients) are more likely to recognize the name of an institution because of its affiliated undergrad. Just think about Northwestern vs. Mount Sinai. Both are comparable schools if you ask any med student, but the general public oftentimes won't have a clue what Mount Sinai is. Obviously there are exceptions (UCSF, Mayo, Cleveland Clinic), but I wouldn't say that's the norm.

 

[anewbeginning]

One benefit of a university med school over a free-standing med school is that the general population (read: your future patients) are more likely to recognize the name of an institution because of its affiliated undergrad. Just think about Northwestern vs. Mount Sinai. Both are comparable schools if you ask any med student, but the general public oftentimes won't have a clue what Mount Sinai is. Obviously there are exceptions (UCSF, Mayo, Cleveland Clinic), but I wouldn't say that's the norm.

excellent point.

 

[Cinclus]

After 5.5 years of undergrad and grad school, I'm tired of the university atmosphere (and a lot of the undergrads). I'm happy to be headed to a free-standing school.

 

[Abby_Normal]

My med school is part of a larger university, but it's on a separate campus. Much as I love my medical school, I don't really like the university of which it is part all that much, so this arrangement works well for me.

Advantages:
We're close enough to main campus that it's not too annoying to go down there if we have to for some reason, but we're far enough away that the denizens of main campus rarely come and bother us.
It makes the med school feel more like a community in itself.

Disadvantages:
Fewer food options.
Kind of disconnected from the broader university community.

 

[OldWorldWarbler]

Baylor as well.

 

[rafman]

Baylor medical school and Baylor university undergrad have no affiliation. Haha, I know quite a few naive pre- meds end up going to Baylor University thinking this. Ps. Nothing against the university, its an ok school.