UTSouthwestern vs UMichigan

[adiddy1422]

What are everyones thoughts (especially current students at either school)? Really liked both schools and having a tough time deciding.

Background info - I'm a Texas resident who will pay dirt cheap tuition. Also I am getting married this summer and both of our families live Texas. However, I really liked Umich curriculum.

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[adiddy1422]

any advice will be very much appreciated,
Thanks in advance

 

[Dr. Donkey]

I withdrew your UMich application for you. Now you're all set, and I can get off their waitlist.

But seriously, I know it's tempting to post this school vs. this school threads, but it's really a decision you need to make. Try searching for both schools on this forum and seeing the various responses. Sorry, I know this isn't that helpful, but I doubt you will get a great response.

P.S. I know nothing about UT-SW.

 

[JohnBasedow]

UTSW all the way. The only way it would make sense to go to Michigan is if you hated UTSW with a passion, which is not the case.

 

[Prophecies]

You need to decide which school you liked better when you went to interview. If you like the curriculum at UMich better, then go there. If you liked UTSW's approach better, then go there. In the end, it's up to you to decide where you will be happier.

Also, in respect of others, you should make your decision as soon as you can and withdraw your application so some lucky person will have less anxiety in the next coming weeks. Good luck to you!

 

[kgm4]

as everyone else has said, you have to decide what's important to you. i didn't apply to umich and am accepted at utsw, so i can't offer complete perspective, but i can give you an idea of some things i considered.

weather: i detest the cold. do you like snow or sunshine?
location: being in a big city with a diverse patient populatoin is important to me. what about you?
price: i am poor, so cheaper is better.
hospitals: variety of hospital affiliations, especially a public hospital (utsw = parkland as main teach hospital) provides best clinical experience.
curriculum: pbl (none really at utsw), organ systems (just starting at utsw), grades (letters at utsw), patient contact first two years (utsw has none)...

good luck with your decision!

 

[Prophecies]

There is some patient contact at UTSW during the first two years. The first year you meet with standardized patients for the human behavior and ethics courses, and the second year you meet with real patients in clinics (arthritis, OB/GYN, etc) to do H&Ps.

 

[MadameLULU]

WoW. I'm in the exact same situation.
UMICH Pros
1. better curriculum- organ based, flex scheduling, quizzes every week (I'm a slacker- this will keep me on top of things)
2. associated with an Excellent public health instutiton
3. I like the idea of the clinical interludes
3. progressive city and environment
4. I've spent too much of my time in TX- i need a change
5. more international healthcare opportunities

UMich cons
1. not a diverse pt setting, but I think the students have some opportunities to do rotations in detroit
2. Cost. it's 3x UTSW tuition
3. cold...brrrr

pros to UTSW
1. i like the see one, do one, teach one philosophy
2. social ties (for me at least)
3. diverse pts.

cons to UTSW
1. relatively little pt contact the first year
2. It's in TX!!!

Anyhow, I really like UMich and I hope I end up there next year.
Adiddy: I think we met at UTSW MS0 weekend... Come to Michigan!

 

[BenYossarian]

There is some patient contact at UTSW during the first two years. The first year you meet with standardized patients for the human behavior and ethics courses, and the second year you meet with real patients in clinics (arthritis, OB/GYN, etc) to do H&Ps.

just to clarify...the people you see in human behavior are real patients and volunteers...not SPs.

Also, it sounds like you like michigan as a school better, but UTSW is more convenient...so that makes me think you should go to michigan. But maybe you like them both about the same. And I tend to be idealistic about a lot of stuff and ignore the real world implications of packing up and moving to (and paying for) michigan. Good luck! Maybe I'll see you next year.

 

[OSUdoc08]

What are everyones thoughts (especially current students at either school)? Really liked both schools and having a tough time deciding.

Background info - I'm a Texas resident who will pay dirt cheap tuition. Also I am getting married this summer and both of our families live Texas. However, I really liked Umich curriculum.

Texas has some of the lowest medical school tuition in the United States. Parkland, UTSW's affilitied hospital is one of the best hospitals, and the best trauma center in this region of the country.

There is no reason to waste the extra money to scrape ice off of your car every day.

 

[Prophecies]

Sorry if I got the information incorrect...no one was posting about patients during 1st/2nd year, so I just repeated what we were told during MS0 Day.

 

[sunnyjohn]

Texas has some of the lowest medical school tuition in the United States. Parkland, UTSW's affilitied hospital is one of the best hospitals, and the best trauma center in this region of the country.

There is no reason to waste the extra money to scrape ice off of your car every day.

well said

 

[neoncandle]

I'd go to U-Mich.. UTSW is in a bad part of town and surgical rotations there are brutal..

 

[MadameLULU]

I'd go to U-Mich.. UTSW is in a bad part of town and surgical rotations there are brutal..

It's really not -that- bad. Give me a break...i don't know where you've grown up, but that's not bad.
At either place, you're going to have to work hard. I've talked to students who have recently graduated or in their clinical years at both places and they treat you rough both years. It's not like some schools <cough> Baylor <cough> where the clinical students have it easy.

 

[thehopeful]

UM, b/c it matters where you go to school for residency. plain and simple.

people will tell you well if you work hard it won't matter but think about it you(from UTSW) and someone from UM with same stats after 4 yrs. who would you pick.

 

[sunnyjohn]

Technically, UTSW is not in a bad part of town. It is a commercial district. Yes, I wouldn't hang out near the Parkland ER entrance alone at 1am, but I did hang out there at night with my slacker co-wokers who smoked.

I knew quite a few MS and would see them all when they came through on surgical rotations. ( I worked in the OR). They did say it was brutal. I even saw a few of them down at the VA (now THAT'S a bad part of town). They all said the VA was easier.

I suppose though, med students get their butt kicked everywhere.

I used to catch the train at 8pm about 500 yards from the ER entrance and no one ever bothered me.

True, there are alot of indigent folks that hang out at Parkland. That's because there is on one county hospital in the Metroplex.

IMHO Parkland is a great place to learn.

Go were you will be happy and can see yourself for the next 4 years.

I love Dallas, BBQ, Texas and detest snow. So I am biased.

 

[adiddy1422]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

thehopeful, why do you think that Umich has a residency placement edge over UTSW? just wondering b/c I was factoring that in my decision as well.

UM, b/c it matters where you go to school for residency. plain and simple.

people will tell you well if you work hard it won't matter but think about it you(from UTSW) and someone from UM with same stats after 4 yrs. who would you pick.

PS - Whats up MadameLULU I thought that was you

 

[heeter]

UM, b/c it matters where you go to school for residency. plain and simple.

people will tell you well if you work hard it won't matter but think about it you(from UTSW) and someone from UM with same stats after 4 yrs. who would you pick.

My understanding is that UTSW has a great rep w/ residency directors. Don't know how it compares w/ UMich though.

 

[MadameLULU]

bumping....any thoughts?

 

[Prophecies]

"with same stats after 4 yrs. who would you pick."

...since that happens all the time...RIGHT...you shouldn't let that kind of hypothetical thinking guide your decision you have to make now.

But back to my original comment(s)...you need to choose the school that has the best curriculum for YOU, in the place YOU will be spending four years of your life, and in an academic environment where YOU feel most comfortable. La'az.

 

[Harrie]

I see a lot of talk on here about patient contact in the first two years. As an MSIV at UTSW, I want to offer a word or two on this. I was very worried about this years ago. My friends all went to schools that had a lot of pt contact early on and I remember wondering how I would ever catch up. Well, you will! Within a month in crazy Parkland, I had caught up to their clinical abilities. Within two months I will say I had easily surpassed them. The students at UTSW are a lot more hands on than many other schools (I know this not only from talking with a lot of med student friends and on the interview trail, but also from rotating at other schools). Please, do not be so worried about patient contact in the first two years. It will be like a micro-drop in a huge bucket by the time you finish med school. Trust me.

 

[Tx Guy]

UM, b/c it matters where you go to school for residency. plain and simple.

people will tell you well if you work hard it won't matter but think about it you(from UTSW) and someone from UM with same stats after 4 yrs. who would you pick.

Don't be so sure...
UM is probably better known by medstudents and laypeople because of its affiliation with the undergrad school, whereas UTSW is not affiliated with an undergrad. But among program directors and people in the know, UTSW is extremely well regarded...at least as well as UM.

UM is probably more respected up in that region of the country, but UTSW is more respected in the South. This means that if you think you'd want to match for residency in the upper midwest, coming from UM will help you, but if you want to match in south, UTSW will help you more. California programs won't care about either. Both are well regarded, though. Its only four years, not the end of the world!

 

[MadameLULU]

This means that if you think you'd want to match for residency in the upper midwest, coming from UM will help you, but if you want to match in south, UTSW will help you more.

I plan on coming back to the south, and i've been told by several physicians that this is not true-- I've been advised not to even consider that since UMich is highly regarded both in the midwest and in the south.

 

[jjmack]

This is what I would believe too.

I plan on coming back to the south, and i've been told by several physicians that this is not true-- I've been advised not to even consider that since UMich is highly regarded both in the midwest and in the south.

 

[Tx Guy]

I plan on coming back to the south, and i've been told by several physicians that this is not true-- I've been advised not to even consider that since UMich is highly regarded both in the midwest and in the south.

Well, I have to disagree with those physicians. I don't think it makes a huge difference for two top programs like these two, but it does matter. I spent a long time on the interview trail (both for ophtho early match and regular match for prelim medicine) all over the country, and regional biases absolutely exist. The reason is that often the faculty in a certain program (lets say San Antonio or Houston, for example) are more likely to be familiar with the faculty at the other schools in that region (esp BCM and UTSW). They may have even gone to one of those med schools. When you look at smaller fields like ophtho, it's a very small world and everyone knows each other, but the programs in the South all know about the schools in that area.

But the really good students are wanted all over the country, so just do well wherever you go.

 

[Surgeonizer]

2 cents from an M1 (soon to be M2!) at Michigan...

The curriculum at Michigan rocks and is continually scrutinized by the faculty, with the result that it gets better and better each year. The pace of the curriculum is very manageable, the exam schedule forces students to stay abreast of the material but doesn't crush students, and the material is well integrated. I've learned a tremendous amount this past year, but I rarely felt very stressed out; this place is really student friendly. P/F is the best thing since sliced bread, and Michigan is P/F for the first 2 years. The clinicians at Michigan are brilliant (easily some of the smartest people I've ever met in my life), dedicated and very passionate about teaching. The preclinical instructors, with a few exceptions, are excellent. Students get a lot of patient contact in the first 2 years... There are so many things about this place that I find commendable. The bottom line is that Michigan is a great place to study medicine.

One caveat: The winters in Michigan are absolutely brutal. Do NOT underestimate how cold it gets here. If you can handle the winters, however, don't hesitate to attend. You won't be disappointed.