lg37121826
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2025
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 2
VCOM (DO) @Blacksburg
Pros
Cons
Indiana University
Pros
Cons
Summary: VCOM is definitely preferable to me for culture/ease of already being ready for school, but not sure if IU is good enough to switch to a smaller campus for essentially name alone
Pros
- Same state where my fiancé (in the military and can’t move) and family are. I’d be able to see them some weekends. I can transfer a town away from home for M3/M4 to be even closer and live with my fiancé to save money
- Heard great things about culture and mentorship
- Seems like a decent amount of research opportunities
- Looking forward to gaining knowledge about OMM
- Good residency match rate at strong programs
- I already have an apartment and am set up there
Cons
- I am worried about MD vs DO in terms of respect and residency placement. I hear some people say it’s a big deal, and others not. I know I don’t want an uber-competitive speciality (derm/surgery), and am leaning right now towards IM and specializing, but I’d like to keep my options open
- 3 week break between M1 and M2, so I wouldn’t be able to do a lot of research then
- Large 180 person lectures that are all mandatory, which I wouldn’t prefer but also not the end of the world for me
- A-F grading scale instead of P/F
- 2-3 exams a week!
- Not much exposure to standardized patients, really just to grade
Indiana University
Pros
- MD school with I assume a better reputation
- In the Urban Medicine program focusing on health disparities, which I find really interesting and want to learn more about
- Closer relationships with professors
- Smaller class sizes
- P/F
- 11 week break between M1 & M2
- Maybe IU has more opportunities/connections for M4? It’s been really hard to find information for either school about that
Cons
- States away from family/fiancé
- By committing here, I come off the waitlist for my #1 choice MD school. Slim possibility, but still a chance
- I’d be spending more time on projects and extra classes on health disparities, which I’m not 100% sure will help me in terms of residencies vs spending time on research/clubs
- I haven’t heard great things about Gary, IN where I’d have to be for 4 years. Besides it not being very safe, I’m not sure I’d enjoy being there for 4 years
- It is a smaller campus and not sure there would be as many research opportunities. Also would like a larger campus to meet more people, especially since I’m probably not hanging out with people in the community as much
- I’ll gain about another $25k in debt compared to VCOM
- Overall haven’t been able to find a student to talk to about their experience, so hard to judge culture
Summary: VCOM is definitely preferable to me for culture/ease of already being ready for school, but not sure if IU is good enough to switch to a smaller campus for essentially name alone