UVM LCOM vs Loyola SSOM

[HeadEmpty91]

Hey! Super super lucky to have received acceptances to these incredible schools, but I'm having a hard time making my decision. Based on PD rankings alone UVM is ranked higher (59) vs Loyola (69), but obviously there's more to it than that. Both schools are heavily social justice focused, which I love, but the populations they serve are vastly different and I'm not sure which I like more. COA is comparable.

UVM

Pros -

• Fell in LOVE with this school while applying. Had pictures of Dr. Moo on my secondary doc and really vibe with the school's culture.
• Students seem super happy, say they have a lot of time to pursue their hobbies outside of medicine, which is also important to me.
• (Pro/maybe Con?) Very VERY outdoorsy. I'm a bit of a nature girly myself but this is a new development, I love admiring nature, kayaking, starting to get into hiking, but I'm more into plants/wildlife. I have never done any winter sports and no joke, I'm worried that this may isolate me from my peers.
• Stunning campus and Burlington also seems beautiful, though I haven't been able to visit and won't be able to before deciding.
• Good reputation on the East Coast, would ideally like to match in NY or somewhere on the east to be close to my partner's family.
• Focus on rural/community medicine which aligns with my career goals.
• I've also seen several student at UVM do advocacy work, which is something I'd like to do during med school.

Cons -

• P/F clinical. Loyola has a tiered system for rotations and I've heard that for matching to more competitive specialties, it's going to be beneficial to have the option for high pass/honors, vs just P/F.
• Limited support system, I don't know anyone in Burlington and have never been to VT. Closest support people live in NYC. However, I'm pretty independent and as long as I make good friends, I should be ok on my own.
• Weather. I'm a Chicago native, so snow is not new to me, but Northeast snow is something I have yet to experience. Not a huge deterrent but something to consider.
• Unsure about research at UVM and opportunities available for surgical specialties. I know they don't have an in-house PRS program, but their match rates to more competitive specialties seem comparable to Loyola, still have to confirm.
• Cost of living is SO high for kinda not great housing and I really want a comfortable apartment/house because I love to study at home.
• Smaller city. Part of me thinks I'll love the slower pace of Burlington vs Chicago, but another part of me wonders if I'll regret it and get bored easily?
• No direct flights from my parents' or partners' home city, kinda expensive for them to visit (kind of a pro r/t parents, see below),
• Diversity - as a POC and a person of a minority faith, I worry about this a little bit, esp with dietary restrictions. Not an end all be all, but would like peers who understand my upbringing.

Loyola

Pros -

• Chicago! Big city, lots to do, but Loyola isn't in Chicago so I don't know how applicable that'll be
• Second Look day was fun and people were nice.
• Good community/support in Chicago - cousins, friends, sister doing residency in state.
• Tiered rotation ranking (see above)
• Bioethics institute, something that I'm interested in specifically
• More affordable housing and the option to live in the suburbs or the city
• Diverse student body
• Good jobs opps/community for partner.

Cons -

• Big con - Lots of family in the area + close-ish to my parents. Don't have the best relationship with my parents and would prefer to live further away from home. Extended family (aunts/uncles) in the area might be nice, but I also, again, would like some space to preserve my mental health.
• Medium con - Campus/Maywood area isn't as pretty as UVM/Burlington seems to be. Maybe I'm jaded because the weather wasn't amazing when I visited Loyola, but the campus seems very grey and I know I'll need more than that while studying.
• Medium con - High Midwest match rate.
• Admin seem a little more separated from students/students seem slightly less passionate about the school vs UVM.
• Also unsure about competitive specialty match. I think they have good in-home programs, but that's all I know really.
• I don't feel as excited about Loyola as I was about UVM, but I know logically Loyola makes more sense for my family.

Sorry this became an essay/rant. I'm just lost and had to word vomit all my thoughts out. TIA

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[theoceanman]

Actually, in contrast to what you said, I always am a proponent of P/F schools, especially with schools that are established (I believe UVM is from the mid-1800's LOL). P/F will save you a lot of stress and most likely reduce the likelihood of you being around gunners and a toxic medical student community.

Would you know the total COA for UVM versus Loyola by chance? Or at least a yearly breakdown between the two? If the difference is overall negligible (less than 50K total at the end of the 4 years), I would recommend UVM > Loyola but that is just my own opinion.

 

[HeadEmpty91]

Actually, in contrast to what you said, I always am a proponent of P/F schools, especially with schools that are established (I believe UVM is from the mid-1800's LOL). P/F will save you a lot of stress and most likely reduce the likelihood of you being around gunners and a toxic medical student community.

Would you know the total COA for UVM versus Loyola by chance? Or at least a yearly breakdown between the two? If the difference is overall negligible (less than 50K total at the end of the 4 years), I would recommend UVM > Loyola but that is just my own opinion.

Hey! Thanks for responding so quickly, looks like the difference in tuition is $5,000 more for UVM, unsure about total COA. I haven't received any financial aid stuff from UVM yet and can't find it online, will keep looking though! Also good to know that about P/F. I've heard mixed things from some students applying in competitive specialties who wanted tiered rotations to help them stand out more on residency apps now that step is PF. Unsure if that's a niche concerns though hahaha.

 

[theoceanman]

Hey! Thanks for responding so quickly, looks like the difference in tuition is $5,000 more for UVM, unsure about total COA. I haven't received any financial aid stuff from UVM yet and can't find it online, will keep looking though! Also good to know that about P/F. I've heard mixed things from some students applying in competitive specialties who wanted tiered rotations to help them stand out more on residency apps now that step is PF. Unsure if that's a niche concerns though hahaha.

Friend goes to a P/F school and matched ENT this year with good Step 2 score, research, and a few meaningful experiences.

 

[HeadEmpty91]

Friend goes to a P/F school and matched ENT this year with good Step 2 score, research, and a few meaningful experiences.

Incredible! Thank you so much!!! Also edit to reflect COA: UVM seems to be ~$4,000 cheaper than SSOM.

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

Seems you might be happier at UVM. Go with your gut in this case. Both mid-tiers, comparable COA's, etc. Good luck!!

 

[theoceanman]

Incredible! Thank you so much!!! Also edit to reflect COA: UVM seems to be ~$4,000 cheaper than SSOM.

Great! Props to you for an amazing cycle, best of luck future doctor!