UVM Vs Einstein Vs UC Davis

[biobossx99]

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Which do you think would be the best choice?

I'm leaning towards UVM right now for top school and Davis purely for cost.

 

[yohji]

definitely davis for cost.

 

[rHinO1]

I loved UCD (was accepted), canceled my interview at uvm, and didn't even apply to Einstein. If I had to go oos, the uvm would have been a good option. However, considering cost, weather, quality of school, and proximity to family.. . How could you possibly want to leave CA?

Obviously, I would pick UCD without a second thought.

Also, are you just basing "top school" on your personal preference?

 

[ponybreeder4]

I would pick Davis hands down. For the record, it does not matter where you go for med school in terms of getting residency. so just do well at davis and you will be set, except this way your loan will probably be 100k less. which you will appreciate immensely when the time comes.

 

[DoctwoB]

Davis if you want to match on the west coast. Einstein if you want to match on the east coast.

Davis may not be a huge nationwide name, but their students match very well within California, they have fantastic medical education facilities, and you get California weather without high cost of living. Downside of course is that Sacramento != LA or SF. Davis was my first interview, and I was impressed by the way the dean and the students sold the school, which I felt was pretty absent at Einstein.

 

[drizzt3117]

I would pick Davis hands down. For the record, it does not matter where you go for med school in terms of getting residency. so just do well at davis and you will be set, except this way your loan will probably be 100k less. which you will appreciate immensely when the time comes.

The pre-med has spoken... end of story.

 

[lockjaw]

Pick whatever school will make you happiest - I wouldn't base it off of what others think of the reputation of the school; you're going to get a similar education and therefore have good residency options wherever you go, but you'll probably perform better in class/on boards/rotations if you're happy with where you are in your life. If you think you'll be close to equally happy at any of these schools, then I'd say pick the cheapest one. But don't pick a school only for the money if you think you'd be miserable there - sure you'll save a lot of money, but will it be worth it if you hate every minute of it and your performance, and hence residency options, suffers as a result of it. I don't know anything about UC Davis, so this is just general advice. If you think you'll be genuinely happy there, then it's hard to turn down the cost. If you think UVM or Einstein is more in line with what you're looking for in a school, then you should give serious thought to paying a bit more to get the right experience for you.

 

[biobossx99]

Sounds good. It'll probably be a big toss up between Davis and UVM then.

Thanks everyone.

Pick whatever school will make you happiest - I wouldn't base it off of what others think of the reputation of the school; you're going to get a similar education and therefore have good residency options wherever you go, but you'll probably perform better in class/on boards/rotations if you're happy with where you are in your life. If you think you'll be close to equally happy at any of these schools, then I'd say pick the cheapest one. But don't pick a school only for the money if you think you'd be miserable there - sure you'll save a lot of money, but will it be worth it if you hate every minute of it and your performance, and hence residency options, suffers as a result of it. I don't know anything about UC Davis, so this is just general advice. If you think you'll be genuinely happy there, then it's hard to turn down the cost. If you think UVM or Einstein is more in line with what you're looking for in a school, then you should give serious thought to paying a bit more to get the right experience for you.

 

[CytokineStorm]

I cannot speak to the quality of the experience that you would get at Einstein or UVM (I know both have good reputations), but I can tell you that I am loving UC Davis. I'm a first year here and I can tell you that:

1. The facilities are awesome.
2. All the professors have been helpful. However, not all them have been particularly good lecturers, but I think you'll discover that anywhere you end up deciding to go.
3. The administrative faculty have been great.
4. There is really, really good student camaraderie.
5. I haven't heard any horror stories about UC Davis related matching issues from any of the 4th years that I have encountered.
6. Sacramento is a pretty cheap place to live.

Any other, more detailed questions, PM me! Good luck with the decision, it's a nice one to have!

 

[tomato1]

I am going to say go with UC Davis...because I am on the waitlist at UVM 🙂.

 

[Thunder256]

Unlike what the unhappy med student above said, this med student will tell you that everyone takes the same boards. If you are somewhere where you feel comfortable, go there. It doesn't matter if you are at Harvard or at whatever is the worst medical school in america, if you score a 185 on step 1 because you hate where you are, you aren't going to match very well. Sure ranking and research becomes important if you are applying to the more competitive residencies, but that is on you as a student and academic investigator to make yourself more attractive to those future selection committees. Also, money will always play a larger factor than it should, but there are plenty of ways to pay for med school, which you will be informed of ad nauseam in med school and as you prepare for residency.
So, long story short, go where you think you'll be happiest and most comfortable.

 

[dbeast]

I vote Einstein because nobody has voted for it yet and I love to make things complicated.

 

[GoWiththeFlo]

I think the responses are good but you should consider the most important things in choosing a Medical School:
1. Where will I get my best meal?
2. What pro baseball team will I root for?
3. Where are the best bars?
4. Will I be able to lounge outside and get a good tan?
5. Who has best cell service?

When you can truly, and honestly answer these questions, then it will be obvious where to go to school.

 

[pl2gid9sdms]

I think the responses are good but you should consider the most important things in choosing a Medical School:
1. Where will I get my best meal?
2. What pro baseball team will I root for?
3. Where are the best bars?
4. Will I be able to lounge outside and get a good tan?
5. Who has best cell service?

When you can truly, and honestly answer these questions, then it will be obvious where to go to school.

1. NYC
2. NYC
3. NYC
4. CA
5. NYC/CA

I'm at Einstein and loving it. I can only speak for UCD and Einstein.

Einstein has amazing funding for whatever you want to do, this includes financial aid. Einstein also has 2 hospital affiliations onsite, a 3rd that sees over 4 times the amount of pt's as UCD's ED, a 4th hospital in Manhattan and some other ones scattered throughout the city. Better funding, greater pt volume, amazing match list, much more exciting location while getting a comparable (if not better) education - Einstein wins. PM me if you have any questions.

 

[dbeast]

1. NYC
2. NYC
3. NYC
4. CA
5. NYC/CA

I'm at Einstein and loving it. I can only speak for UCD and Einstein.

Einstein has amazing funding for whatever you want to do, this includes financial aid. Einstein also has 2 hospital affiliations onsite, a 3rd that sees over 4 times the amount of pt's as UCD's ED, a 4th hospital in Manhattan and some other ones scattered throughout the city. Better funding, greater pt volume, amazing match list, much more exciting location while getting a comparable (if not better) education - Einstein wins. PM me if you have any questions.

Normally I'd vote Davis, but with in-state tuition costs rising every year in CA, this argument is even more legitimate.

 

[zebalong]

another einstein student Cali student here. Love it here - academic setting is relaxed, chill - class schedules are made to revolve around exams (ie they lighten your load drastically as the exams come closer) and all classes host a review session put on by the course leader. We've been really spoiled here. I personally thought some of the requests we've made this year were a little outrageous but am surprised every little thing we wanted changed the admin has made an effort and made changes. gym times, exam review policies, more study space all changed within a few months of asking. The second years even wanted more board study time so admin 2 months ago rearranged all their classes for the last month of their year so that now they have like 2 months instead of 5ish. you get the support here, a really good community feel with a school that supports your individual interests. Upper classmen make it a point to get to know the new kids which is surprising with our relatively larger class size.

Einstein ended up being my cheapest school too so wait for the fin. aid. A personal tip is that it says our tuition is like 43.8k/yr? Well that includes an outrageous 3.6k/yr premium health plan. Opt out of it and you get a private school tuition of 40k/yr.. which is i think one of the cheapest private school tuition around, include that with dirt cheap housing and not needing a car (school provides all transport to your off campus sites - ie free taxi service or shuttle).

That being said if you want to match in Cali I'd definitely say at Davis you will probably have a leg up, it is a matter of where the school is regionally located- at least you can probably have an in with your own home instit. But Einstein matches really really well in NYC and across the country, so if you wanna match in manhattan or a surrounding hospital come here. Pm me if there is anything else i can answer for you.

 

[yohji]

Davis hands down, especially if you want to stay in Cali and can get in-state tuition. Maybe it'd be worth shelling out more for top 10 prestige somewhere, but that doesn't apply here. Ucd is a solid school, housing is cheap in sac, and you are close to napa/sf/tahoe. Plus they are true p/f for the first two years.

 

[zebalong]

That in state tuition thing is kind of a joke now...

http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/medschool/financialaid/pdfs/1112-coa-medicine.pdf

Used to be really cheap and a GREAT deal but with cali's budget in the crapper.. it's increased so much that i wonder what next year will bring. Its not a deal anymore.

 

[Thom1986]

That being said if you want to match in Cali I'd definitely say at Davis you will probably have a leg up, it is a matter of where the school is regionally located-

Is this a myth? I am looking at west coast vs east coat right now as well (ohsu vs NYU), and I have spoke to three residency directors here in Oregon who say it makes no difference whatsoever, except getting some attention from your own medical school

 

[zebalong]

Is this a myth? I am looking at west coast vs east coat right now as well (ohsu vs NYU), and I have spoke to three residency directors here in Oregon who say it makes no difference whatsoever, except getting some attention from your own medical school

If you keep reading from that quote you'll see what i mentioned mostly is that the OP would have an inside with his home institution like you mentioned. I think the general thinking is that any US allo school.. if you do well enough you will be able to match into any specialty you want. I have heard though that very prestig. acadmic centers do show some preference to top 10 top 5 applicants but by no means does that mean that if you don't go to those schools the door is shut.

 

[DoctwoB]

That in state tuition thing is kind of a joke now...

http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/medschool/financialaid/pdfs/1112-coa-medicine.pdf

Used to be really cheap and a GREAT deal but with cali's budget in the crapper.. it's increased so much that i wonder what next year will bring. Its not a deal anymore.

Wow, thats really bad. It was low 20ks just a few years ago. Thats only a few thousand cheaper then my private school.

 

[zebalong]

Wow, thats really bad. It was low 20ks just a few years ago. Thats only a few thousand cheaper then my private school.

The worst thing about it is that California's budget crisis hasn't gotten any better so i wonder if the UC's will creep up that last small step and be the same as private schools. They are great schools none the less and people would still pay those prices to attend... its just sad b/c they are public schools.

 

[Thom1986]

Wow, thats really bad. It was low 20ks just a few years ago. Thats only a few thousand cheaper then my private school.

It's funny that even with a budget crisis, California school tuition is still less than Oregon (50K tuition/fees for in-state residents, 60K total in loans and no financial aid), be thankful!

 

[Obliquity]

I sort of have the same situation... I've been accepted to Einstein and both of the UMDNJ schools (Robert Wood Johnson and NJMed) and tution for 2010-11 for RWJ/NJMS was $30k, whereas Einstein was $39k. I can't help but feel the disparity will be even less going forward... I didn't realize California has it worse!

My vote is Einstein, because I'm going there, too (because my state schools aren't really cheaper) 🙂

 

[Thom1986]

Doesn't oregon have only one med school?

That is correct.