UPenn vs Yale

[anxiete]

Hi SDN! I was very fortunate to receive acceptances to both Penn and Yale this cycle and would like to get some thoughts on the two.

Some context:
- I'm interested in a potential MD/MBA dual degree and/or taking additional classes at the affiliated law school
- I'm currently interested in radiology and anesthesia, but I'm definitely still open to exploring other specialties; overall strength of Match is my #1 priority
- I'd like to end up back in CA and would be particularly interested if either school has stronger ties/match to UCs, but wouldn't mind doing my residency in the East Coast
- COA is thankfully not a factor

Perelman
Pros

• consistent T5 (although I wonder how much prestige matters in this comparison)
• Philly > New Haven
• stronger overall hospital system/home residency programs
• Wharton tops MBA rankings; more structured dual MD/law offerings (eg. MD/ML, Certificate in Law)
• AOA inductions happen after residency apps; no additional pressure

Cons

• tiered grading in clinical rotations
• personal anecdote - the students I talked to prior to my interview seemed more stressed than the Yale students I had the chance to chat with; wonder if this is was due to timing, or if Penn's just that much more high-strung?

Yale
Pros

• True P/F, large proportion of Honors given during clinical rotations, no AOA, no shelf exams
• curiously, LOTS of UC matches in most recent cycle - was this a one-off year with lots of CA students trying to return West, or does Yale just match better to UCs for whatever reason?
• Strong home radiology program
• Yale Law tops law school rankings; SOM is also very strong

Cons

• New Haven is harder to fly in/out, less safe than Philly
• required thesis (but this isn't really a real "con" in my mind, since I'm planning on investing a fair amount of time in research anyways... unless there are particular pain points to the requirement I'm not aware of?)

I've found myself really struggling to find true cons between the two schools and would really appreciate any insider feedback. Thanks!

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[mangowolf]

I’d go with Yale just because of how much better your mental health is likely to be with their curriculum haha, it probably depends on financial aid tho, Penn can be very generous w it!

 

[deleted1065184]

Congrats on two awesome choices! No difference in prestige imo, so I think the main two things to consider are the MBA and curricula. Wharton has a colossal name in business, and names matter much more in business than they do in medicine. Yale has a great business school too, but they're no Wharton.

Yale's curriculum is really great for some people, but not others. Yale is a school I was considering but I knew their curriculum was just way too lax for me lol. Just gotta ask yourself do you want a ton of freedom with less structure, or are you somebody who needs a bit of structure?

I don't believe either school will help you match to the West Coast more than the other. Match lists are almost entirely the result of individual effort and desire. If you work hard during med school and apply to lots of West Coast programs, you'll match to the West Coast. My guess is more Penn students wanna stay closer to Philly because it is a really cool city and has a much stronger hospital system.

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

Yale is chill and matches super well. Penn has a better name in medicine. I would go with Yale for its curriculum.

 

[sa242]

For your cons for Yale, I don't think New Haven is less safe than Philly--I'd look up the actual crime statistics b/c I don't know them well but as someone who's spent time in NH I'd wager they probably have similar stats

 

[BritainKittenMittens]

Penn for MBA and stronger in medicine, as well as location.

 

[sousa7]

Reputation and prestige are pretty negligible here. I'd just pick based off where you want to live and which curriculum you like better.

 

[laffingdead]

Congrats on the acceptances!
I had to make this exact decision last year and ultimately chose Penn, however, I got off the WL elsewhere and do not currently attend either of these schools.

Random things I remember from last year:

• "differences" in prestige should are negligible—both schools are incredible institutions
• Do you see yourself thriving in the Yale system? not everyone can. Based on my med school experience so far, I think I am better suited for the yale system than I originally thought I would be.
• Penn has "better" affiliated hospitals and thus stronger home programs on average. Yale grads still match just as well, maybe even better depending on the year
• Penn has a bigger class size, learning communities. My impression was that Penn had a more cohesive class. Yale students seemed to be doing their own thing
• Do you like city vibes?
• Wharton
• Having an accessible airport is big if you plan to travel west often
• I remember hearing that a majority of Yale students take an extra year to do research/degrees

Looking back now, I wish I put more thought in which school would best support student-wellness.

 

[hydroflaskhomie]

Bias: I'm holding an A at Yale and a WL for Penn.

I have been thinking about this question for a long time pre-decisions! Definitely two of my top schools. I'm pretty sure I would go with Yale at this point if I get off the WL but it definitely will be another decision to make.

I had my interviewer at Yale tell me that her friends at Penn Med during clinical years were not happy which sort of stuck with me throughout the cycle even before I got an II at Penn (I think she did her undergrad at Penn?). Both have very impressive match lists IMO. Resources of nearby undergrad/other grad programs very on par with each other.

Seems like a choice between slight in-medicine prestige bonus (some people would argue that Yale has the slight advantage in out-of-medicine prestige)vs more flexibility/freedom. For me, I think I am at the point where I value the latter. Again, sort of a toss-up and you should congratulate yourself on an excellent cycle no matter which you pick.

Note on locations:
I've spent a decent amount of time in Philadelphia (extended family used to live in South Jersey) and I'm not a huge fan of it - I think it feels pretty unsafe and volatile. Also high rents around Penn for not great housing IMO. I have never been to New Haven but initial impressions before visiting are that it is safer/nicer. Definitely harder to fly out of though!

 

[throwaway01564]

I will adamantly disagree with the above poster. I'll admit New Haven is pretty safe imo--at least safe enough where I've never felt threatened, but the city is the poster child of urban decay and it is so sleepy/boring in my opinion. The main attraction for New Haven is that it is close to NYC (and it has a pizza scene). I say Penn has both the better name in medicine and the better location, go with Penn.

 

[carbonylcarbon]

[Same disclaimer as hydroflaskhomie, although Penn WL seems cursed and I've written it off seeing as I can't afford to go as an international unless I'm offered merit scholarships.]

People have covered a lot of ground so I'll just throw in a few thoughts from my experience at Yale for undergrad. Food in New Haven is better than you might expect. If you like going to music/arts productions and performances, there's a lively scene for that. That being said, I found there's not a whole lot to do in New Haven outside of Yale. It was nice being reasonably close to both Boston and NYC (bus/train tickets are a couple hours and <$20 each way) without having to pay boston/nyc rent. Especially if you have friends in either place, but also if you just want to make a trip on the weekend, etc. This might not matter a ton to some, but I was a huge fan of the feel of the campus, and loved having amazing libraries to study in (even the gym looks like a cathedral). There's also a decent community of grad students to mingle with if you wanted to branch outside of the med school class.

 

[doctorBsquared]

Current Yale student so maybe I am biased, but here's my take:

Your impression about Yale being more relaxed is 100% accurate. It does not get more chill than Yale.

To the people who say Penn has a better reputation in medicine - lmao, the match lists from Yale are consistently incredible, including back to the west coast, as OP knows.

The Yale MD thesis, from what I have heard from upperclassmen, is a formality. You're going to be doing research anyway, and the thesis won't add much work to it.

Yale system is UNDERrated (no AOA, only 7 true P/F multiple choice exams with a forgiving remediation policy, almost no busywork, no shelves, no internal ranking of any kind). If you're self-motivated, Yale is the place to be. I can't believe I almost chose another school instead. It would've been a huge mistake for me.

 

[deleted1065184]

Current Yale student so maybe I am biased, but here's my take:

Your impression about Yale being more relaxed is 100% accurate. It does not get more chill than Yale.

To the people who say Penn has a better reputation in medicine - lmao, the match lists from Yale are consistently incredible, including back to the west coast, as OP knows.

The Yale MD thesis, from what I have heard from upperclassmen, is a formality. You're going to be doing research anyway, and the thesis won't add much work to it.

Yale system is UNDERrated (no AOA, only 7 true P/F multiple choice exams with a forgiving remediation policy, almost no busywork, no shelves, no internal ranking of any kind). If you're self-motivated, Yale is the place to be. I can't believe I almost chose another school instead. It would've been a huge mistake for me.

Time to come out from hiding, Nancy Brown 👀 lol jk, that 7 P/F multiple choice exams sounds awesome tho.

 

[crimson-cat]

Unless you think you'll really be taking advantage of the MBA at UPenn or love Philly, I'd go Yale. Their match lists are pretty equivalent (especially if you're aiming West) and Yale students just have better lives than most other schools