UPitt Med: Why do people dislike it so much???

[gotmilk]

I've been fortunate to have Pitt as the ONLY school that has accepted me this cycle. Other than a few complaints about the weather, I never heard anything but good stuff about the school when I talked to many students during my interview.

I get the feeling that Pitt gets a lot of s**t on this thread. Things such as accepting too many people, being WAY overranked, being in a crappy city, and having a pretty bad residency match list. Even outside of this thread, most people encourage me to reapply next year. Some people even laugh that I would even consider it.

I am heavily anguished and frustrated when I hear all this. I love the school and moreover, the fact that they were able to get off their high horse to understand me and accept me into their class. Now, I am feeling a little bit insecure. I don't wnat people giving me a weird look when I tell them where I'm going for medical school. I am willing to deal with my insecurities, but I'm starting to feel the hurt associated with goign to what otheres have referred to as a "no-name" school.

I would really liek some concrete opinions on this thread not concering Pitt solely, but what are the absolute weakenesses/strengths when comparing it to other schools? (I do NOT want opinions solely based off of USNews rankings.)
Do you honestly think that a hard-working and well-rounded student can get the residency of his/her dreams, a trait always attributed to top-tier schools?
Is Pitt considered a top-tier school?
What are your opinions on some of the "hater points," as listed above? Do you think that Pitt is over- or under-respected?
Will people always consider students attending top-tier schoosl to be a a higher intelligence than those at Pitt?

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[hardy]

I would really liek some concrete opinions on this thread not concering Pitt solely, but what are the absolute weakenesses/strengths when comparing it to other schools? (I do NOT want opinions solely based off of USNews rankings.)

Major reason why I dislike Pitt: It's in Pittsburgh.

What are your opinions on some of the "hater points," as listed above? Do you think that Pitt is over- or under-respected?

Personally, I think it is overrespected. 10-20 years ago Pitt was considered a lower tier school. Since UPMC has been flourishing and pumping money into the med school it is climbing the ranks. It kind of bothers me how much advertising UPMC does in the Pittsburgh area. Is their current reputation based on achievements or on marketing dollars? What would happen if the marketing dollars disappear?

But still, Pitt is a good school and I would highly recommend going there over applying again. However, Pittsburgh is not really a place where you want to spend your 20s if you can avoid it. I spent 4 years here, which is enough for me. Some people like it, but most people (including me) do not.

 

[HSteacher]

I plan on going to Pitt in August. I, too, get weird reactions when I tell people that I'm going there, but it doesn't bother me. After going to Yale for undergrad, I've come to feel that name recognition doesn't matter all that much. My main concern is that I'm able to receive a good education and accomplish what I want, and I know that Pitt can do that for me.

Also, those who think that students at "top-tier" schools are of higher intelligence don't know what they're talking about. The average MCAT for Pitt's class of 2009 was an 11.3 (from what I've read), as good or better than many of the supposed "top-tier" schools.

I am willing to deal with my insecurities, but I'm starting to feel the hurt associated with goign to what otheres have referred to as a "no-name" school.

...

Will people always consider students attending top-tier schoosl to be a a higher intelligence than those at Pitt?

 

[usrael]

I've been fortunate to have Pitt as the ONLY school that has accepted me this cycle. Other than a few complaints about the weather, I never heard anything but good stuff about the school when I talked to many students during my interview.

I get the feeling that Pitt gets a lot of s**t on this thread. Things such as accepting too many people, being WAY overranked, being in a crappy city, and having a pretty bad residency match list. Even outside of this thread, most people encourage me to reapply next year. Some people even laugh that I would even consider it.

I am heavily anguished and frustrated when I hear all this. I love the school and moreover, the fact that they were able to get off their high horse to understand me and accept me into their class. Now, I am feeling a little bit insecure. I don't wnat people giving me a weird look when I tell them where I'm going for medical school. I am willing to deal with my insecurities, but I'm starting to feel the hurt associated with goign to what otheres have referred to as a "no-name" school.

I would really liek some concrete opinions on this thread not concering Pitt solely, but what are the absolute weakenesses/strengths when comparing it to other schools? (I do NOT want opinions solely based off of USNews rankings.)
Do you honestly think that a hard-working and well-rounded student can get the residency of his/her dreams, a trait always attributed to top-tier schools?
Is Pitt considered a top-tier school?
What are your opinions on some of the "hater points," as listed above? Do you think that Pitt is over- or under-respected?
Will people always consider students attending top-tier schoosl to be a a higher intelligence than those at Pitt?

You should be grateful that you were accepted to any Med-School. Many students are not as lucky. You should especially be grateful that you got into a wonderful school like UPitt. Beyond that, I think your post is kind of pathetic. It seems to me that you are looking for people to stroke your ego. I really think you should Work on your gratitude, change your attitude, and then you might stop caring about the insecurities you currently have.
Sorry to be so curt, but you really got me angry.

good luck

 

[JohnyWalker]

Personally, I think that Pitt is a great school. So far I have been accepted to three schools: University of Minnesota, Albany, and Pitt, and I must say that I like Pitt the most. I think that Pitt gets a lot of crap on this website because this website has a high number of applicants with good MCAT scores and good GPA's and Pitt doesn't always take the students with the higher scores, rather the students that fit their program better. I have also been Interviewing at Schools such as UCLA and UCSD and I can't say that they are any better than PITT. In fact, when talking to other students and hearing what people at other interviews say, I often encounter people who are making a decision between Pitt and Columbia or Pitt and some other highly ranked school. To pass up an admission to Pitt to reaply again next year would be a bad idea. Also, Pittsburgh as a city gets a bad reputation and I don't know why. 1st complaint is the weather, buy a coat. 2nd complaint is the fact that it is dangerous, which I still don't understand. People complain about the Oakland area which is just surrounding the school, obviously these people have never lived in a metropolitan area. On the plus side, UPitt has a simulation lab, just a few hours of lecture a day, early exposure to patients, and they have a good match list.

 

[drmota]

here's the bottom line that nobody will tell you straight up. the people that end up NOT getting into the harvards and yales end up going to schools like Pittsburgh (a GREAT school, so good indeed that i didn't even bother to apply). for example, my one friend interviewed at UCSF, Stanford and Upitt last year, got rejected by SF and Stanford and reluctantly went to Pitt. Now she has nothing but good things to say about it. but my point is that all these people are BITTER that they didn't get into their top choices and had to "settle" for pittsburgh. well, i'll let you know that in the medical community, UPITT holds HIGH regards in the eyes of doctors. you'll match comfortably and always have a diploma of an excellent med school resting on your walls. congratulations. if you turn it down and reapply next year i will personally backhand you.
-mota

 

[MissMD'10]

I get the feeling that Pitt gets a lot of s**t on this thread. Things such as accepting too many people, being WAY overranked, being in a crappy city, and having a pretty bad residency match list. Even outside of this thread, most people encourage me to reapply next year. Some people even laugh that I would even consider it.

Every physician that I have told I have gotten into Pitt has been very, very impressed. I also work at a highly ranked university and we do get Pitt residents here. IMO it has a great reputation. Only people outside the medical profession do not know that the medical education at Pitt is top notch. I wouldn't base your school choice on what other people think anyway. If you like the school, go there. Feel good about your choice. And really, most of the people posting on this thread are Pre Med (ie have never been to medical school). Why are you basing your school choice on our opinions anyway??? None of us know what it would be like to go to school there. Go where you will be happy and don't base your decision on a premed forum. You will get the degree either way.

 

[Saluki]

You should be grateful that you were accepted to any Med-School. Many students are not as lucky. You should especially be grateful that you got into a good school. Beyond that, I think your post is kind of pathetic. It seems to me that you are looking for people to stroke your ego. I think your insecurities are within, and not a product of UPitt bashing on SDN (I haven't seen any). Work on your gratitude, change your attitude, and you will stop caring about the BS you posted.
Sorry to come across so curtly, but you really got me angry.

good luck

Why does so many people on SDN get angry just because people struggle with insecurity about where they've been accepted or wonder whether they're making the right choice? Everyone seems to think it's rank ungratitude especially when a lot of people don't ever have the opportunity to go to med school, but if it comes down to it a lot of people never have the opportunity to go to college and yet people who don't get into any medical school get a lot of sympathy on the forums. Now, I think that we can definitely encourage someone who is someone disappointed about where they got in that getting into medical school anywhere is a great accomplishment, but I think anger is a strange reaction.

 

[drmota]

OP- just read my post and ignore everything else going on in this thread.
-mota

 

[usrael]

Why does so many people on SDN get angry just because people struggle with insecurity about where they've been accepted or wonder whether they're making the right choice? Everyone seems to think it's rank ungratitude especially when a lot of people don't ever have the opportunity to go to med school, but if it comes down to it a lot of people never have the opportunity to go to college and yet people who don't get into any medical school get a lot of sympathy on the forums. Now, I think that we can definitely encourage someone who is someone disappointed about where they got in that getting into medical school anywhere is a great accomplishment, but I think anger is a strange reaction.

wow, my friend, I did not follow your rapid thought process. I'm lost.
Regardless...in this case, the OP has no other choice (please don't offer waiting until next year as an option).

 

[unfrozencaveman]

Umm. What? This is by far and away the most confusing Pitt thread I've seen to date.

For one, I thought Pitt had a great reputation, and the problem actually lies in people thinking it was undeserved, not that it's undervalued for what it is.

Dismissing the rankings as a basis for your decision making is not unwise-- but they're not exactly pulled from thin air, and marketing your way in seems far fetched to me. Medical schools themselves take their placement on US News very seriously. Pumping money into a medical school doesn't seem like a bad way to improve one either... Pitt gets a LOT of money from the NIH (9th overall), and if you want to go into research, and even if you don't, that really isnt poor criteria for judging how "good" a medical school probably is-- it translates into a lot of opportunity, a lot of great mentors, and cool patient robots.

If anything I'd go to pitt for the name recognition, not be worried about it's lack thereof. Really you should be pretty pumped about it. Even if you have to go around to everyone the rest of your life going, "I went to Pitt. It's a really good school."

 

[MissMD'10]

Why does so many people on SDN get angry just because people struggle with insecurity about where they've been accepted or wonder whether they're making the right choice? Everyone seems to think it's rank ungratitude especially when a lot of people don't ever have the opportunity to go to med school, but if it comes down to it a lot of people never have the opportunity to go to college and yet people who don't get into any medical school get a lot of sympathy on the forums. Now, I think that we can definitely encourage someone who is someone disappointed about where they got in that getting into medical school anywhere is a great accomplishment, but I think anger is a strange reaction.

No, it makes me angry too. I am sick of people complaining about Pitt on this forum. Sorry, don't mean to be harsh, but be happy and greatful for what you have.

 

[Labslave]

OP- just read my post and ignore everything else going on in this thread.
-mota

Well said. Agreed.

 

[ti89]

Pitt is a wonderful school. I am still considering it (although passing up my state school is hard). I will atleast be there for second look and give it consideration.

I think a lot of the problem comes is when people sometimes who don't get into the top 10 seem to look at as a safety school which is crazy. They have a very high average MCAT and GPA I think, but they do a great job of looking past those as well.

Problem also is when ppl start polls here it is always like Pitt vs Harvard or something. Obviously ppl on the forum are going to vote like 100 to 1 for Harvard and find more reasons to hate on Pitt.

 

[Saluki]

No, it makes me angry too. I am sick of people complaining about Pitt on this forum. Just stop whining. Half of people who apply this year will get in nowhere. It is not bright to even think about turning them down to try to get into Harvard or wherever this person would rather be.

I also think it would be foolish to turn down an acceptance at Pitt. I'm just saying that people shouldn't be hated on just because they're disappointed that they didn't get into one of their top choices.

 

[Saluki]

wow, my friend, I did not follow your rapid thought process. I'm lost.
Regardless...in this case, the OP has no other choice (please don't offer waiting until next year as an option).

I'm sorry; let me clarify. All of us on this site have a lot to be thankful for: a college education, American (or perhaps Candian citizenship), enough to eat (even if it's just ramen noodles and peanut butter)- regardless of whether or not we get into med school. So, if you would feel upset if you didn't get in anywhere, then I don't think you should hate on this person for being disappointed they didn't get in where they wanted.

 

[NoSoupforYou13]

I think that this discussion raises an important drawback of SDN. It seems that no one can be critical of a school or ask about a school’s faults because as soon as someone says something negative, everyone jumps on that individual as being ungrateful. While I think that this is appropriate in some regards, when an individual is sincerely curious or concerned about the negative aspects of a school, certain attitude “reality checks” are unwarranted.

Moreover, every school has significant drawbacks, like it or not. I do not believe that you should look past those negative qualities just because you “got into a school.” Seriously, this is supposed to be forum of open exchange, and it seems to be some sort of rule that people cannot be negative. Personally, I am tired of people being “scolded” for asking honest questions.

However, as someone who has been around these forums a bit, I know that you will all do a search on my posts and see that I have gotten into a school. I am not about to apologize.

Good question OP.

 

[NehsNairb]

I'm sorry; let me clarify. All of us on this site have a lot to be thankful for: a college education, American (or perhaps Candian citizenship), enough to eat (even if it's just ramen noodles and peanut butter)- regardless of whether or not we get into med school. So, if you would feel upset if you didn't get in anywhere, then I don't think you should hate on this person for being disappointed they didn't get in where they wanted.

I don't think the people responding to the thread hate the OP. I think they're just annoyed at the complaint. I mean it's kind of like a person with a sprained ankle bitching and moaning to a person who's had both legs amputated. If you were waitlisted or rejected at every school you applied to, wouldn't this post get on your nerves a little?

 

[MissMD'10]

I don't think the people responding to the thread hate the OP. I think they're just annoyed at the complaint. I mean it's kind of like a person with a sprained ankle bitching and moaning to a person who's had both legs amputated. If you were waitlisted or rejected at every school you applied to, wouldn't this post get on your nerves a little?

Exactly! Well put.

 

[NoSoupforYou13]

I don't think the people responding to the thread hate the OP. I think they're just annoyed at the complaint. I mean it's kind of like a person with a sprained ankle bitching and moaning to a person who's had both legs amputated. If you were waitlisted or rejected at every school you applied to, wouldn't this post get on your nerves a little?

Yes. But the person who sprained his/her ankle is still allowed to ask a question about his/her injury.

I really dislike doctor analogies in this forum because they are very cliché, but it seems that people understand them better.

OP: My ankle hurts. What can I do?
Doctor: Suck it up. At least you have an ankle. You should feel terrible for even seeing me about this problem.

Enough. This is my final post in this thread. Good luck to all.

 

[huknows00]

Pitt is a great school, I liked it a lot and once seriously considered going there. That being said, Pitt does suffer from the "no-name-outside-of-medicine/non-sexy-city" syndrome which other great schools such as Wash U suffer from. As much as people like to jump on guys who express concern over the "superficial" things such as prestige of a school, how people react to you DOES matter, more to some people and less to others. People get judged on by superficial things all the time body, looks, kind of car, but it doesn't matter as long as you don't care about it.

It does become an issue, hoever, when you do care and it constitutes a part of your happiness, which is apparently the case gotmilk is in. I am not going to sit here and call gotmilk insecure or superficial, because all of us share to some degree the same insecurities that he/she does. I would like to say to gotmilk though, your biggest obstacle is your self. If you can get over that you're going to a less prestigeous school and that it's in Pittsburgh, then Pitt will give you a great education on par with any other school. In my opinion, Pitt has a great hosptial, very caring administration, and good reputation in many areas of medicine, it is definitely a rising star.

p.s. I did not go with Pitt because I'm not "mature" enough to rise above my insecurities yet and reputation did matter, but I had other choices... you don't have a choice.

 

[Dr. Giggles]

This is how I think of it: if I were involved with Natalie Portman, I wouldn't be complaining because I couldn't be with Eva Longoria, especially to the guy who can't even get a date on New Year's Eve.

Seriously, you should be overjoyed. Anyone who disparages a great school such as Pitt is pitifully misguided, and hence his/her opinion is worthless.

 

[QofQuimica]

I get the feeling that Pitt gets a lot of s**t on this thread. Things such as accepting too many people, being WAY overranked, being in a crappy city, and having a pretty bad residency match list. Even outside of this thread, most people encourage me to reapply next year. Some people even laugh that I would even consider it.

I am heavily anguished and frustrated when I hear all this. I love the school and moreover, the fact that they were able to get off their high horse to understand me and accept me into their class. Now, I am feeling a little bit insecure. I don't wnat people giving me a weird look when I tell them where I'm going for medical school. I am willing to deal with my insecurities, but I'm starting to feel the hurt associated with goign to what otheres have referred to as a "no-name" school.

I would really liek some concrete opinions on this thread not concering Pitt solely, but what are the absolute weakenesses/strengths when comparing it to other schools? (I do NOT want opinions solely based off of USNews rankings.)
Do you honestly think that a hard-working and well-rounded student can get the residency of his/her dreams, a trait always attributed to top-tier schools?
Is Pitt considered a top-tier school?
What are your opinions on some of the "hater points," as listed above? Do you think that Pitt is over- or under-respected?
Will people always consider students attending top-tier schoosl to be a a higher intelligence than those at Pitt?

I think you will run into these problems any time you ask other people for their opinions. Be very careful, OP, from whom you take advice, because it certainly isn't all equal. If you want a real sense of Pitt's esteem, you should listen to people who are involved in academic medicine over anonymous pre-meds on SDN.

In answer to your questions:

1) I think Pitt is a great school. I applied there and was accepted, and I am considering attending. The school's strengths in my opinion are the simulation center, the clinical scientist training program, and the relatively large number of non-trads there. People sometimes say the city reminds them of SF, and I can see why they would say that; it has that same kind of quaint feel to it. I also like that the school has a strong research orientation in general, and I think it would be a good fit for me socially. I would say the biggest weaknesses for me are that it's cold there (I'm from the South), and I wish the grading system were plain P/F instead of H/P/F.

2) Yes, I do. I have never gone to a big name school in my life, and I'm still here interviewing and being accepted to the same schools as the people with Ivy degrees are. I've said this many times here on SDN: if you're a good candidate, you're a good candidate, and the name on your degree doesn't change that fact.

3) In my opinion, yes. But I suppose everyone has thoughts of their own about what makes a school top tier or not.

4) I don't have a strong feeling that Pitt is over- or under-respected. I think the school is very well-respected, and rightfully so.

5) I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. *I* know that I am pretty d*** smart, even though I'm coming from a state school that no one ever heard of. If people think that I'll magically gain a couple of IQ points by attending a higher-ranked school over Pitt, that's their problem (and their idiocy), not mine.

My advice: You have a medical school acceptance, and the opportunity to do with it what you will. The only person who determines your destiny is you. Go to Pitt with your head held high, work hard, and learn as much as you can. If other people don't like your school, that's their problem, not yours. What matters is whether YOU like it. The best medical school in the world is going to subjectively be horrible if you hate being there, or if you're too lazy to take advantage of the opportunities afforded to you. You're in the driver's seat of your own life; hit the gas, and see how far you can go.

 

[Reimat]

I get the feeling that Pitt gets a lot of s**t on this thread. Things such as accepting too many people, being WAY overranked, being in a crappy city, and having a pretty bad residency match list. Even outside of this thread, most people encourage me to reapply next year. Some people even laugh that I would even consider it.

One must always remember that pre-allo people are very eager to voice their biased, often uneducated opinions. You have to remember that when referring to "those outside the medical profession," that includes pre-meds too (myself included) - and people outside the medical professional realm generally underestimate how strong a program Pitt has.

 

[wowzer]

bump

 

[Modanq]

what about Northwestern Vs. Pitt???? City vs school rank, Prestige, money etc.

 

[zzman]

Choosing med schools isn't that difficult... First of all Pitt is the safest city in america with a population over 1 million. If you want to be in a city but never lived in one before this would be a good one for you. There's tons to do there, not as much as nyu or columbia, but it's safer. Columbia is in one of the worst neighborhoods in America, but you don't hear of students there getting shot... get over it, pitt is a great school, the city is nothing to complain about. The weather there is just like nyc, exactly. If you don't like weather, go somewhere else. Pitt is not Cali. or Florida, it's also not canada. Winter is WINTER, it will snow. All in all, don't ask other people for advice where you should go. You could ask about what it's like at the school... but the rest is up to you. good luck

 

[skypilot]

Pitt does suffer from the "no-name-outside-of-medicine/non-sexy-city" syndrome which other great schools such as Wash U suffer from.

This is it! Anyone who gives you funny looks when you tell them you are going to Pitt has no clue about the reputation of the school within the medical community. If you told them you were going to Dartmouth they would ooh and ah because it has an ivy league name even though it isn't the kind of powerhouse medical center that Pitt is.

I was bowled over when I visited Pitt. It is an amazing place to go to med school or to do a residency. Anyone that turns down an acceptance there to reapply is a ******. As far as the city of Pitt not being that great, Baltimore is no great shakes either but I wouldn't turn down an acceptance to Hopkins because of it.

 

[theunderdog]

I've been fortunate to have Pitt as the ONLY school that has accepted me this cycle. Other than a few complaints about the weather, I never heard anything but good stuff about the school when I talked to many students during my interview.

I get the feeling that Pitt gets a lot of s**t on this thread. Things such as accepting too many people, being WAY overranked, being in a crappy city, and having a pretty bad residency match list. Even outside of this thread, most people encourage me to reapply next year. Some people even laugh that I would even consider it.

I am heavily anguished and frustrated when I hear all this. I love the school and moreover, the fact that they were able to get off their high horse to understand me and accept me into their class. Now, I am feeling a little bit insecure. I don't wnat people giving me a weird look when I tell them where I'm going for medical school. I am willing to deal with my insecurities, but I'm starting to feel the hurt associated with goign to what otheres have referred to as a "no-name" school.

I would really liek some concrete opinions on this thread not concering Pitt solely, but what are the absolute weakenesses/strengths when comparing it to other schools? (I do NOT want opinions solely based off of USNews rankings.)
Do you honestly think that a hard-working and well-rounded student can get the residency of his/her dreams, a trait always attributed to top-tier schools?
Is Pitt considered a top-tier school?
What are your opinions on some of the "hater points," as listed above? Do you think that Pitt is over- or under-respected?
Will people always consider students attending top-tier schoosl to be a a higher intelligence than those at Pitt?

from my experience... since i do live right next to the school for the past 4 years and still do... pitt is an amazing school. everyone here god damn knows it. its an incredibly hard school to get yourself in. i've also worked with many of the residents and the med students in the rotations, and they are the clearest examples of why the school is so good.

people don't dislike the school. they dislike the location and city it's in. the weather is crap. it's cold and it rains or snows quite often. the sun rarely comes out. yes, it's true. pitt med school is on a very steep hill, and it gets windy up there. it does have a nice view of the city though.

 

[i61164]

I would pick Pitt over Wash U. Pittsburgh not only has a great med school, it's also home to the world champion Pittsburgh Steelers. If you must have a glamorous name, go to Hopkins or Harvard, but good luck getting in.

 

[dbhvt]

Columbia is in one of the worst neighborhoods in America, but you don't hear of students there getting shot...

Ehhh? 25 years ago during the peak of the crack epidemic, yes. Now, no. Washington Heights actually seems quite nice.