Vandy VS WashU

[deleted1132530]

First time posting - thank you for your advice/opinion in advance.

I won't do a pros/cons list because they are the same for both schools.

1. Both are good schools (WashU's reputation seems to be marginally better in medicine but I'd say there's not much of a difference)
2. Both have the same COA for me (Vandy may be slightly cheaper but the difference is so small it'd be within a margin of error - think less than 10K across 4 years)
3. Both have curriculums that I like (lots of research opportunities - both have been modified in the last ten years to be more fitting of the times - I like that Vandy has slightly longer breaks but WashU starts a whole two months later so the number of days in medical school seems roughly equivalent - WashU's M4 seems ever so slightly more flexible?)
4. Both gave me positive vibes at the interview
5. Both are in okay cities (based on my personal taste - I've been in STL enough to know that it isn't that bad - neither are NY or LA but they are both sizable mid-American cities with plenty to do)
6. Both are the same distance from my home
7. Both have great match lists

I really don't see any major cons that stick out for me at either school.

Given this, I would like to know if there are any other categories by which I should be comparing the schools that I haven't thought of - or even just your personal opinion on where you'd go if you had these options (for whatever subjective reason).

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[deleted1074206]

Are you going to the second look weekends? That might be the best way to feel the vibes of the school and your potential future classmates.

 

[beepbeep197]

Disclaimer: Accepted at WashU, did not apply to Vandy.

One (potentially silly) differentiating factor here is the weather? I have a feeling Nashville winters are better than St. Louis ones. Other than that I can't think of any. What a tough choice to make! Congrats on the As 🙂

 

[Dogruffle01]

P/F clerkships would make me lean towards Vandy, but others might not care as much as I do.

 

[crimson-cat]

St Louis is much cheaper than Nashville, and the weather is probably marginally worse. WashU is more storied in medicine with more very top residency programs, whereas Vandy is a more well known overall university with lots of interdisciplinary opportunities. I’d pick based on the locale and vibe at this point, but they are fairly different beyond being good schools in the Midwest.

 

[Saturday’s Child]

St Louis is much cheaper than Nashville, and the weather is probably marginally worse. WashU is more storied in medicine with more very top residency programs, whereas Vandy is a more well known overall university with lots of interdisciplinary opportunities. I’d pick based on the locale and vibe at this point, but they are fairly different beyond being good schools in the Midwest.

Nashville in the Midwest?? Country music stars of old would roll over in their graves at such a comment 🤠

 

[indecisiveconvention]

Another thing to consider is that WashU does not have AOA, which I didn't realize was a big deal as a premed, but it's huge for keeping clinical years low-stress and non-competitive.

 

[deleted1065184]

St Louis is much cheaper than Nashville, and the weather is probably marginally worse. WashU is more storied in medicine with more very top residency programs, whereas Vandy is a more well known overall university with lots of interdisciplinary opportunities. I’d pick based on the locale and vibe at this point, but they are fairly different beyond being good schools in the Midwest.

Nashville is absolutely NOT in the Midwest, Prince's Hot Chicken is pure Southern cuisine.

 

[deleted1065184]

P/F clerkships would make me lean towards Vandy, but others might not care as much as I do.

For all folks reading who are considering WashU and Vandy, I think it's important to mention that Vandy is P/F for clerkships, but final two clinical years DO have internal rankings...which I believe residency programs see. In contrast, WashU has no ranking and there's no limit to who can get honors. So I'd say they end up canceling each other out in this regard.

 

[vaselinecat]

Also deciding between these two schools! I've been told Wash U has also now moved to P/F clerkships. I still don't fully understand how the new system of assessments and grading works, but it seems like they're bringing in elements from Vandy's grading scheme and focusing on achieving competencies and such.

 

[deleted1065184]

Who did you hear it from that WashU has moved to P/F clerkships?

 

[vaselinecat]

Who did you hear it from that WashU has moved to P/F clerkships?

They mentioned "competency-based" grading during one of the Why Wash U Wednesdays (in the comments of that Zoom, Dr. Hagemann said "There are no “grades” per se, because in a competency-based system the goal is to progress towards competency—not ace everything"). I've also heard this from current students, one of whom characterized the new grading system as pass/fail

Edit: again, not entirely sure how it's actually working out and whether residencies will see pass/fail or if it'll end up being honors/pass/fail in disguise (esp since it sounds like this might be the first year implementing any change in grading) but from what was described in the Why Wash U Wednesday session, it sounds to me very similar to how Vandy assesses students through their clinical years

 

[MedPath_]

They mentioned "competency-based" grading during one of the Why Wash U Wednesdays (in the comments of that Zoom, Dr. Hagemann said "There are no “grades” per se, because in a competency-based system the goal is to progress towards competency—not ace everything"). I've also heard this from current students, one of whom characterized the new grading system as pass/fail

Edit: again, not entirely sure how it's actually working out and whether residencies will see pass/fail or if it'll end up being honors/pass/fail in disguise (esp since it sounds like this might be the first year implementing any change in grading) but from what was described in the Why Wash U Wednesday session, it sounds to me very similar to how Vandy assesses students through their clinical years

As of now, they are graded on a three tier system: competency with distinction, competency, and non-competency.

 

[skimm]

As of now, they are graded on a three tier system: competency with distinction, competency, and non-competency.

Can I ask where you got that? I only see on their website H/HP/P/F (MD: Evaluation and Grades < Washington University in St.Louis)

 

[MedPath_]

Can I ask where you got that? I only see on their website H/HP/P/F (MD: Evaluation and Grades < Washington University in St.Louis)

Directly from current students and faculty. I was also unsure because I saw conflicting information, but this has been clarified by current students (in the accepted students FB page) and by faculty when I asked.