USF vs. OSU

[BoxingTheStars]

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I'm very torn. Cost of attendance for 4 years comes out to be about the same, too close to base a decision on.

Anyone who goes to/went to these schools (or just has an opinion or things to think about) feel free to chime in

 

[littlealex]

OSU is really, really good. One of the better public med schools around.

 

[thoffen]

Are you OOS for both?

 

[BoxingTheStars]

instate at OSU (but instate tuition is cheaper in FL after the first year).

I know OSU is a good school and all but I did part of my undergrad there and I feel like maybe I should be getting a new experience (and winter sucks).

 

[BoxingTheStars]

OSU is really, really good. One of the better public med schools around.

can you elaborate on what makes it so good, besides usnews rankings?

 

[thoffen]

Does FL offer residency after being full-time enrolled in school for one year? The state residency thing is a bit hairy and not the same for every state.

 

[BoxingTheStars]

Does FL offer residency after being full-time enrolled in school for one year? The state residency thing is a bit hairy and not the same for every state.

yep, double checked and even got a copy of the form needed to claim residency. It's really simple: basically a FL drivers license and a FL voter registration card dated 12 months before the term I apply for is all I need.

 

[thoffen]

yep, double checked and even got a copy of the form needed to claim residency. It's really simple: basically a FL drivers license and a FL voter registration card dated 12 months before the term I apply for is all I need.

OK. 👍

I'll add my $.02. I know nothing of OSU, but I'm hoping to get in off the USF waitlist. The program is very progressive and constantly changing. Very relaxed and friendly environment. It's probably not the place to go, however, if you just want to keep to yourself. Being progressive is great, but sometimes things need a little ironing out before they work smoothly. On the plus side, they very actively get student feedback for improving their program. One cool new thing they have is scholarly concentrations, somewhat like a minor in public health, law, business, etc. One disadvantage I noticed, though, was the way they structure their curriculum. There is a class for colloquium, and some lesser but still very important (at least to me) topics are not given their due.

Again, plusses and minuses to every school.

 

[UFGatorMed]

two words:

Terrelle Pryor

0-9?

 

[ankit999]

pick osu! open up a waitlist spot from usf!

at usf--> you're in class a whole lot from 8-5 everyday. not really known for research either.

dont know anything about osu.

 

[thoffen]

Oh, BTW, just a thought about the cost since I had this one myself about NY schools which offer the same situation. The first year, you're probably going to have to take out a higher interest rate loan to cover the balance. Either way, very unlikely to get a subsidized loan. You have to factor in the interest cost of that loan for at least the 4 years of med school. That's pretty significant.

 

[BoxingTheStars]

Are you really in class 8-5 everyday at USF, or only a few days a week? I missed the second look program... due to none other than a BLIZZARD here that same weekend.

Here's where I'm at, if anyone wants to elaborate.

USF positives:
-weather/location (no more winter!! yes I'm serious)
-new experiences (hospitals, meeting new people)
-faculty & students seem helpful, caring, down to earth
-full body scans of cadavers sounds really helpful
-already have someone there to be my mentor
-like having my own desk for 24/7 study space

USF negatives:
-possibly being in class forever?
-moving far away
-not so well known (research, prestige, etc) <-not sure this even matters
-the gyms & libraries are not all that impressive
-like to run outside but i've heard summers are unbearably hot for this? (i've only lived in tampa during the wintertime so i don't really know)

OSU positives:
-don't have to move, at least if i don't want to
-RPAC (the gym) is amazing
-great reputation
-usually get out of class in the early afternoon
-already know my way around campus, city, hospitals
-closer to family

OSU negatives:
-parking is a nightmare
-places around campus are mostly overpriced dumps. so if you commute you have to park... and if you're late, forget even getting a spot
-winter sucks about 10x worse when you have to walk 15 min or more from your car to class and you can't feel your limbs once you finally get to class
-I've worked & volunteered in 2 of the main hospitals here already
-love to run outside but it's nearly impossible in the winter
-heard the cockiness of "THE osu" tends to hurt you once you leave the state
-kind of intimidated that the rest of my class would be way smarter than me since my mcat was 4 points below their average (this may be slightly irrational but I don't want to be last in the class)
-feel it may be a more "competitive" vibe (not sure how grading is though)
-winter makes me sad and grumpy

 

[Megflyin]

I'm VERY partial to OSU b/c I grew up in Columbus, but USF did offer me an interview so I like them for that. OSU has a much stronger medical school but depending on the speciality you want to go into, this may not matter. Maybe you should take a look at both match lists and see if both will get you where you want to go. To be fair, USF does have that research program that you can do in conjunction w/ med school and the weather is DEFINITELY better.

 

[RunShare]

Okay, I'm on hold at OSU, so this may be biased, but...

I've been saying since I applied last summer that I want to get more out of life than what I have been. And I think a big part of that is because I've lived in the same place for so long and I've sort of gotten everything out of it that I can. You know what it will be like to stay here - what you don't know is what you can do in Florida. So if you feel like you're "done" with Ohio, pick USF. But if you feel like moving so far from the comforts of home would be detrimental to what you can achieve, pick OSU.

But really, pick USF. 😀

 

[Kiara08]

Are you really in class 8-5 everyday at USF, or only a few days a week? I missed the second look program... due to none other than a BLIZZARD here that same weekend.

Here's where I'm at, if anyone wants to elaborate.

USF positives:
-weather/location (no more winter!! yes I'm serious)
-new experiences (hospitals, meeting new people)
-faculty & students seem helpful, caring, down to earth
-full body scans of cadavers sounds really helpful
-already have someone there to be my mentor
-like having my own desk for 24/7 study space

USF negatives:
-possibly being in class forever?
-moving far away
-not so well known (research, prestige, etc) <-not sure this even matters
-the gyms & libraries are not all that impressive
-like to run outside but i've heard summers are unbearably hot for this? (i've only lived in tampa during the wintertime so i don't really know)

OSU positives:
-don't have to move, at least if i don't want to
-RPAC (the gym) is amazing
-great reputation
-usually get out of class in the early afternoon
-already know my way around campus, city, hospitals
-closer to family

OSU negatives:
-parking is a nightmare
-places around campus are mostly overpriced dumps. so if you commute you have to park... and if you're late, forget even getting a spot
-winter sucks about 10x worse when you have to walk 15 min or more from your car to class and you can't feel your limbs once you finally get to class
-I've worked & volunteered in 2 of the main hospitals here already
-love to run outside but it's nearly impossible in the winter
-heard the cockiness of "THE osu" tends to hurt you once you leave the state
-kind of intimidated that the rest of my class would be way smarter than me since my mcat was 4 points below their average (this may be slightly irrational but I don't want to be last in the class)
-feel it may be a more "competitive" vibe (not sure how grading is though)
-winter makes me sad and grumpy

class is unranked and "no grades", just honors/pass/fail

 

[RunDMCMD]

I was under the impression that you never had to go to class if you didnt want to. I recall that conversation during student guided tour.

I cant stand going to class. I plan on attending every lecture via video lectures on the web.

Any USF med students please comment on the class schedule. Can everyone pretty much study on their own if they chose ?

 

[BoxingTheStars]

I'm VERY partial to OSU b/c I grew up in Columbus, but USF did offer me an interview so I like them for that. OSU has a much stronger medical school but depending on the speciality you want to go into, this may not matter. Maybe you should take a look at both match lists and see if both will get you where you want to go. To be fair, USF does have that research program that you can do in conjunction w/ med school and the weather is DEFINITELY better.

definitely interested in sports medicine. right now leaning on family medicine then a sports med fellowship (or maybe EM, or IM? then fellowship)... however I may also like ortho... I guess I'm trying not to get too excited about it until I know if it's even gonna be a possibility (ie after I get my step 1 scores).

so if i go family med then i know it doesn't matter... OSU has more matches into ortho i think. (Actually Temple had the most, something like 16 or so last year? something ridiculous... but price didn't seem worth it to live in philly)

now as far as location of residency... say i kind of want to move somewhere warm after school/forever... it kind of seems like students match closer to the geographic area where their med school is, am i right?

 

[Megflyin]

Hmm I'm not sure to be honest. I would think that state med schools may match closer to their area whereas private med schools may be more likely to match far away. I have no proof of that though, just a guess. I'd say looking at the match lists could help you figure that out.

 

[ankit999]

I was under the impression that you never had to go to class if you didnt want to. I recall that conversation during student guided tour.

I cant stand going to class. I plan on attending every lecture via video lectures on the web.

Any USF med students please comment on the class schedule. Can everyone pretty much study on their own if they chose ?

Most of the classes are video streamed so you dont necessarily have to go to class. However, some of the classes are mandatory and those you cannot skip. however, classes are long, but most ppl are able to just study on their own and watch lectures online. sorry if i got you worried... wasnt my intention at all!

 

[littlealex]

OSU is in a college town, give the students lots of individual freedom, and has impressive buildings and faculty.
If USF has classes from 9-5 every day I don't think this should even be a choice. Imagine working a full work day and studying for 5-8 hours afterwards. The long instruction hours are ******ed.

 

[custard]

class is unranked and "no grades", just honors/pass/fail

OSU isn't completely unranked. I remember them saying that they use how well you do on exams to assign you to one of several (maybe 4 or 5?) groups which they will talk about in your Dean's letter. The groups are based on the class' performance as a whole. So the top 10% (not sure about specific %) will be in the top group etc

 

[mordounhas]

I think they said that the class is ranked by quartiles for the Dean's letter- but I could be mistaken.

 

[Jennifer5109]

OSU is in a college town, give the students lots of individual freedom, and has impressive buildings and faculty.
If USF has classes from 9-5 every day I don't think this should even be a choice. Imagine working a full work day and studying for 5-8 hours afterwards. The long instruction hours are ******ed.

Lectures are 8-5 3 days a week, but attendance is not mandatory. I think a student told me only a few lectures are mandatory and small group meetings were mandatory. So for those students that learn better on their own they can just watch the lecture on video.

 

[MossPoh]

If you want research at USF you are going to get research. There are plenty of opportunities for you there. If you feel like you'll go stir crazy in Ohio then go USF.

P.S. I'm not totally convinced Pryor will be that spectacular. Those rankings are crap. Xavier the savior anyone?

 

[BoxingTheStars]

Lectures are 8-5 3 days a week, but attendance is not mandatory. I think a student told me only a few lectures are mandatory and small group meetings were mandatory. So for those students that learn better on their own they can just watch the lecture on video.

so for the other 2 days, is it 8-12 or something else?

also are the lectures actually videotaped, or do they record the sound and sync it to the powerpoints?

 

[Jennifer5109]

so for the other 2 days, is it 8-12 or something else?

also are the lectures actually videotaped, or do they record the sound and sync it to the powerpoints?

The other days are half days for your LCE work. The only thing is your LCE is only one afternoon a week so you have the other afternoon free. I don't know how they do the video. I guess a current student will have to weigh in on that one.

 

[nash103]

My brother is a first-year at USF. He never goes to lecture, but instead watches them all online according to his schedule. There are a few mandatory things, but not many.

 

[mikedc813]

pick osu! open up a waitlist spot from usf!

at usf--> you're in class a whole lot from 8-5 everyday. not really known for research either.

dont know anything about osu.

I don't understand either of your arguments against USF. Being in class from 8-5 is a reason to not go to a school? (It's 8-5 only two days per week btw.) And how is not being known for research a valid argument? I did plenty of research at USF, as did many other people in my class.

 

[mikedc813]

My brother is a first-year at USF. He never goes to lecture, but instead watches them all online according to his schedule. There are a few mandatory things, but not many.

I should mention that this is looked down on by the faculty. They were VERY against implementing video streaming because they feared no one would go to class anymore. I will tell you that I didn't go to all of my classes, but there is a benefit to going to class at least some of the time. It's not a good feeling when you show up to graduation and people didn't even know you were in the class. 😉

 

[ryandote]

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