- Joined
- Apr 24, 2015
- Messages
- 298
- Reaction score
- 270
VCU:
Pros:
- Accepted to fmSTAT (family medicine program) so I'll get individualized, 1:1 mentorship in my chosen specialty with first dibs on any FM opportunities
- Affiliated hospital for core rotations (no excessive traveling between sites)
- Opportunities for research (not super interested in research, but I do understand that it makes one more competitive for residency)
- I completed VCU's SMP and so have familiarity with both the medical school coursework and professors
- Extensive support network for both me and my partner (our hometown is a 90 minute drive away; I know a huge chunk of the medical school students and he still talks to his old friends in Richmond)
- I could continue shadowing/working with my mentor who works in the specialty I eventually want to go into, and having that longitudinal working relationship for residency apps would be dope
Cons:
- Not too many residency matches in New England where I eventually want to end up
- Not the biggest fan of Richmond, VA despite having lived there for 3 years
- As a non-trad, I feel that VCU is more geared towards younger, traditional students than someone like me
- Unclear if I can (re-)establish VA residency after my M1 year - if I can't, VCU and Netter are comparable in price
Netter:
Pros:
- Heavy emphasis on primary care with the opportunity to work with a community PCP once per week for the first 2 years
- Incredibly supportive environment at the school, and I feel that they would specifically cater to my needs as a non-traditional student/woman of color
- Small class size (~90-100)
- Plenty of residency matches in the New England area with some fairly impressive ones for a newer school
- Beautiful, brand-new facilities
- Scholarly capstone project would allow me to continue working on my interests outside of medicine and give me a unique edge when it comes time for residency apps
Cons:
- My partner and I have no connections whatsoever in CT and would need to start fresh in finding a support network
- Clinical rotation sites are spread throughout southern CT with a minimum 30 minute drive to each from the school so I would be spending a lot of time just driving
- Limited research opportunities on campus and though students can get research at Yale, that would be yet another thing that I have to drive to
- North Haven, CT and even New Haven are very small compared to where I've lived in the past, and I don't feel that I would be exactly happy in smaller towns
- Newer school; has graduated 2 classes so far - not sure how much this should weigh on my decision
Summary: I have an extensive support network at VCU with what I see as greater opportunities for professional development (continuing work with my mentor in my chosen specialty, research, etc.), but I ultimately want to end up in New England and want to attend a school that will be supportive to me, which is why I think Netter may also be a good choice. Of note, if I'm OOS for VCU, both schools are comparable in price (barring any scholarships/need-based aid), but if I can claim IS for VCU after M1, then VCU would be about $100k cheaper.
Pros:
- Accepted to fmSTAT (family medicine program) so I'll get individualized, 1:1 mentorship in my chosen specialty with first dibs on any FM opportunities
- Affiliated hospital for core rotations (no excessive traveling between sites)
- Opportunities for research (not super interested in research, but I do understand that it makes one more competitive for residency)
- I completed VCU's SMP and so have familiarity with both the medical school coursework and professors
- Extensive support network for both me and my partner (our hometown is a 90 minute drive away; I know a huge chunk of the medical school students and he still talks to his old friends in Richmond)
- I could continue shadowing/working with my mentor who works in the specialty I eventually want to go into, and having that longitudinal working relationship for residency apps would be dope
Cons:
- Not too many residency matches in New England where I eventually want to end up
- Not the biggest fan of Richmond, VA despite having lived there for 3 years
- As a non-trad, I feel that VCU is more geared towards younger, traditional students than someone like me
- Unclear if I can (re-)establish VA residency after my M1 year - if I can't, VCU and Netter are comparable in price
Netter:
Pros:
- Heavy emphasis on primary care with the opportunity to work with a community PCP once per week for the first 2 years
- Incredibly supportive environment at the school, and I feel that they would specifically cater to my needs as a non-traditional student/woman of color
- Small class size (~90-100)
- Plenty of residency matches in the New England area with some fairly impressive ones for a newer school
- Beautiful, brand-new facilities
- Scholarly capstone project would allow me to continue working on my interests outside of medicine and give me a unique edge when it comes time for residency apps
Cons:
- My partner and I have no connections whatsoever in CT and would need to start fresh in finding a support network
- Clinical rotation sites are spread throughout southern CT with a minimum 30 minute drive to each from the school so I would be spending a lot of time just driving
- Limited research opportunities on campus and though students can get research at Yale, that would be yet another thing that I have to drive to
- North Haven, CT and even New Haven are very small compared to where I've lived in the past, and I don't feel that I would be exactly happy in smaller towns
- Newer school; has graduated 2 classes so far - not sure how much this should weigh on my decision
Summary: I have an extensive support network at VCU with what I see as greater opportunities for professional development (continuing work with my mentor in my chosen specialty, research, etc.), but I ultimately want to end up in New England and want to attend a school that will be supportive to me, which is why I think Netter may also be a good choice. Of note, if I'm OOS for VCU, both schools are comparable in price (barring any scholarships/need-based aid), but if I can claim IS for VCU after M1, then VCU would be about $100k cheaper.
