USF vs. UCF

[premed888484848]

USF
Pros:
Access to clinical sites in Tampa General Hospital, Motif Cancer center, large VA
CALMS simulation center
Brand new medical school building downtown, very cool area
Plenty of research opportunities
More robust home specialty programs

Cons:
Students SOAPed twice the national average last year, the match this year looks a little stronger than last year but still about 1.5x higher SOAP than national average (based on rumors)

UCF:
Pros:
strong match list year after year
Admin seems to guide students better and are more receptive
Research opportunities (FIRE project), but not as strong as USF
Brand new teaching hospital (But its small/HCA)

Cons:
Lost clinical rotations at the two largest hospital systems in Orlando
May have to travel to other parts of Florida for away clinical rotations

Overall, both seem like great programs. I am more excited about living in the Tampa area, but UCF matches seem to be stronger. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

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[floridaheatkills]

I think you should just go with USF! Great program + stellar research opportunities. Reach out to current M3/4's to discuss match results because they'll have better input than anyone on SDN or Reddit. Best of luck 🙂

 

[MEtoMD]

USF is a better program

 

[premed888484848]

USF is a better program

can you explain why you think this other than the rankings? Thanks

 

[MEtoMD]

can you explain why you think this other than the rankings? Thanks

Partnership with Tampa General is top notch, more research funding, better facilities etc

 

[premed888484848]

Partnership with Tampa General is top notch, more research funding, better facilities etc

What do you think of the SOAP situation?

 

[bigdbron]

What do you think of the SOAP situation?

you should really reach out to current students about this, their insight is far more valuable than ours.
But I would otherwise agree with what @MEtoMD says

 

[premed888484848]

Update: after scholarships, USF would cost about $75,000 more. Do you think this is worth it?

 

[aspiringdoctor9701]

Update: after scholarships, USF would cost about $75,000 more. Do you think this is worth it?

Honestly, USF is absolutely worth 75 K more and I was in a similar situation actually. I ended up declining my UCF seat, for a variety of reasons.
Honestly, A/B/C/D grading system at UCF is something I heard you just can’t compromise on. They say it’s still collaborative, but I’ve heard from current students it’s still very stressful. Obviously USF isn’t strictly P/F bc there is honors and all, but this is significantly better than UCFs A/B/C/D grading. I’ve heard that you will literally be so thankful for not having to worry about grading if you can avoid it. Maybe USFs grading isn’t ideal, and if you have other options, definitely consider those but A/B/C/D grading is tough and psychologically strenuous.

In addition, while USF has had SOAP problems, USF is still a widely renowned and an incredibly established institution. The hospital and research access you’ll get there is absolutely amazing, and you won’t have to worry about this whole primary hospital situation and loss of clinical rotations you would at UCF. And while match numbers for USF are slightly concerning, rest assured that if you work hard and make the most of your med school education, you can land at any residency you want from here - the medical exposure, education, research, and opportunities are extremely solid. Do I think UCF might be a better choice than USF in 15/20 years if it can resolve its clinical rotation and grading problems? Potentially, and I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised. But for now, given the instability of clinical rotation sites, grading system, and significantly less established reputation generally speaking, I lean strongly in favor of USF.