UTRGV vs UT Tyler

[superduperman7]

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Please let me know your thoughts on ranking these schools, I do want to go into surgery though not sure yet what speciality so I am trying to go to the school that will set me up for success the best though I think its possible wherever you go to school

UTRGV
Pros

• New Cancer and Surgery Center so opportunities in clinical rotations are there for Ortho, Neuro, and CT
• Exams are based of NBME question bank so its basically studying for Boards the whole time
• Recorded lectures and most students never attend and self study since exams are not faculty written
• Fully accredited school
• matches into top residencies like Johns Hopkins, Yale, Mass Gen

Cons

• In the Rio Grande Valley, Im from Dallas so its really far and I don't speak Spanish which wold be vital in speaking to the patient population in the area
• From my understanding there is no much access to wet lab research but I don't know if that sort of research is required to get into competitive specialties
• Not a big medical center though it is still growing

UT Tyler
Pros

• Small Class size, around 40 students, so more individualized learning and communication with faculty.
• New school with new building so we get to enjoy those amenities
• In Tyler which is closer to Dallas and is a pretty decent area and access to the bigger metropolitan area, I feel like I would prefer living in this location more
• I already prematched at this program and IK that shouldn't sway me but its my first MD acceptance so thats just a nice touch

Cons

• First class has not graduated so I can't compare match placements
• less clinical opportunity for rotations because first class is figuring out what rotations the school can get them
• Mandatory group sessions for case based learning, 1 full day, and 3 half days for required school a week and the rest if self directed learning which sounds like go home and study
• Unsure about the availability for research at this institution either

Summary: I would be happy a week ago to go to either program and live in ignorant bliss if the lower one was dropped but now I know based on how I rank them I could lose that program without ever knowing what could have been.

 

[wysdoc]

UT Tyler because more established teaching hospital with residents and faculty. It's a smaller city but you will get better clerkship experiences

 

[lvilol]

I think UT Tyler may be the best fit for you. Primarily because of its proximity to Dallas, like you said, and their great teaching hospitals that have already established at-home residency programs, even in gen surg, which can help you match in the future.

Plus when I interviewed at UTRGV, they seemed unsure about their hospital affiliations so some of their clinical rotations might still be in the air.