Vanderbilt vs Northwestern

[lakerfan38]

I've been accepted to both schools. What do you guys think? Are the resources at both schools pretty much equal? I know this probably is a moot point, but I've always wanted to go into some type of surgical residency

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[jturkel]

I've been accepted to both schools. What do you guys think? Are the resources at both schools pretty much equal? I know this probably is a moot point, but I've always wanted to go into some type of surgical residency

both great schools. its tough to say which is better. you may see a more diverse group of patients at NW just because it is in Chicago (obviously larger/more diverse than Nashville).

Going into a surgical residency will obviously require better STEP scores and perhaps stronger research and ECs.......see which school offers better STEP preparation and more opportunities for research. If I remember correctly, Vanderbilt does very well on the STEP 1. I dont recall NW's numbers, but I"m sure they're up there as well.

Really though, you can get that residency wherever you go. Sure a school may HELP you prepare, but ultimately it is you that gets the score; it is your personal preparation. I would choose the school that you feel is your best fit, where you feel you belong, and where you feel the environment (academic, overall, weather lol) is compatible with yourself.

 

[alibai3ah]

Great choices to have! Both are pretty much the same in prestige and you will be fine for surgical residency at either.

Big difference is location. I love big cities and so my vote goes to Northwestern. Chicago all the way! But I have heard good things about Nashville as well. So just go to the school that "feels right".

Also wait till your financial aid packages come out. If one offers you more than the other, then your decision will be made for you. Good luck

 

[VOP]

Step 1 average for the last class that took them was 245 for Vandy. This is the first group that also went through the new curriculum. So nuff said

 

[jbz24]

It's not wise to pick a school based on average step scores. Scores are more of a reflection on the individual than the school. All schools, even the worst ones, will prepare students adequately for the boards. It just so happens that better schools have better students who end up doing better.

NW and vanderbilt are both great schools and neither will close any doors. Location should be the biggest factor in determining the two, with everything else being secondary.

 

[bannie22]

I didnt apply to Vandy, but I wouldnt pick Nashville!?? over Chicago. Just cuz I'm a city dweller.

 

[ksegnhu]

very familiar with NU...

go to vandy

pm me for details.

 

[VandyMD10]

I've been accepted to both schools. What do you guys think? Are the resources at both schools pretty much equal? I know this probably is a moot point, but I've always wanted to go into some type of surgical residency

Point a: Do not pick a med school based on some pre-med notion of what field you want to go into. I know so many people who once upon a time were planning on ortho, neurosurg, etc. and ended up changing their mind.

Point b: Despite that, if you are thinking about general surgery, Vanderbilt has the best mentor in the country. He knows (and is known by) just about everyone in the field and goes out of his way to help students. Plus he looks like Mark Twain and has the world's best catchphrases.

Anyways - take advantage of the 2nd look weekend...the whole point is to help you make an informed decision.

 

[bigman225]

You should be making your own decision, but I interviewed at both schools and would choose Vandy. I'm not a huge fan of the PBL-heavy curriculum at NU--are you? Unless you're 100% sold on PBL, it is a risky choice. Also, consider financial aid packages. There is a huge disparity in average indebtedness at NU ($170,000) verses Vanderbilt ($111,000) so there's an excellent chance you'd be saving a fair chunk of change by choosing Vandy.

 

[cdubbz]

all the above are fantastic points. i'd say also, if you have any inkling of where you want to do your residency, look at how the two schools have matched at those places. i am fairly certain that both schools post their match lists.

 

[ButImLETired]

Another point I'd like to make re: diversity of patient population.

It certainly SOUNDS like Chicago would have a more diverse patient population (or NY, or whatever), but one thing you should consider is the "catchment area" (where those patients come from). NW is in a super ritzy part of town, and there are tons of teaching hospitals and great hospitals in general in the Chicago area. That means that regardless of the fact that it's a big city, the catchment area of the hospital will mostly be local because it's "competing" with other big medical centers in the city. This is the case in NYC, where if you're at Columbia you'll really mostly see just one kind of patient, if you're at Cornell you'll mostly see one kind of patient, etc...

Vandy has the "big fish in a small pond" thing going for it. We get everything under the sun cause we're it around here. Yeah, there's another academic center downtown (Meharry) but they actually mostly get "one kind of patient" as well because of the area in which they are. We have the busiest trauma 1 heliport in the country because we get emergencies from all over the south. We get patients from downtown, patients from the ritzy areas, patients from the very poor areas, and patients from rural middle of nowhere TN.

And yeah, I'd also think pretty hard about the PBL curriculum since that's really the main difference between the two schools as far as studying is concerned. Also, don't discount the gut feeling you got while you were there...that feeling is generally right.

 

[longhorn09]

I'd pick NU over Vanderbilt because of the location. Not only because Chicago has way way more things to do than Nashville, you will also be explosed to a more diversed patient population, and probably greater connection between all other med schools in Chicago when you do the matching 4 years later.

 

[VandyMD10]

I'd pick NU over Vanderbilt because of the location. Not only because Chicago has way way more things to do than Nashville, you will also be explosed to a more diversed patient population, and probably greater connection between all other med schools in Chicago when you do the matching 4 years later.

(a) see the post above you. Vanderbilt actually has a very diverse patient population (despite the stereotypes about the south). Vanderbilt provides more indigent care than any other hospital in the Nashville area (way more than the county hospital), serves a large underresourced/underserved AA and hispanic community, as well as a very large middle-eastern community.

Additionally, while patient diversity is important, pathology diversity is more important, and Vanderbilt is ideally situated for that. As mentioned above, Vandy has a huge catchment area - you will see patients coming to Vandy from across the state, from northern AL and GA, southern KY, because Vandy is the closest tertiary referral center. All of my classmates and I have seen cases that are extremely rare. I'm sure Northwestern has a great case mix as well, but saying that b/c it's in Chicago it is better is silly.

(b) I would not claim that Vandy or Northwestern has an advantage when it comes to matching. They are both prestigious schools that put their students in a good position to get the residencies they want. Vanderbilt students generally have no trouble getting residencies at Chicago-area schools if that is what they want.