WashU vs Mt. Sinai

[soccergirl1043]

Hello!
I'm having a difficult time choosing between WashU and Icahn Mount Sinai and I would really appreciate any and all insight!

For context - I have been living in NYC for the past few years. I'm not decided on which specialty I want to pursue, but I’d like to keep the door open for more competitive ones and I’m also interested in academic medicine. Financial aid is roughly the same at both schools.

WashU

Pros -

- the faculty seem warm and willing to mentor (midwestern culture?)
- the Immersions (9 weeks in clinical setting during preclinicals) seem like useful early clinical exposure. could be helpful in determining specialty earlier on
- more prestigious in medicine

Cons -
- location. while I could get used to living in st. louis for med school, I definitely don't want to stay for residency and beyond
- long distance with my partner for the first 1-2 years

Mt. Sinai

Pros
- location, near my partner. Also, I wouldn't mind staying in NYC for residency. I'd tbh be happy with NYC, Philly, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, or somewhere in California. The NE definitely seems like where many Sinai grads end up
- even though washu is better ranked, the match lists at both schools look equally strong to me. please correct me if I'm wrong
- while their faculty or curriculum didn't make a big impression on me, current students tell me that they are happy and supported

Cons
- maybe less supportive attendings and harder to find supportive faculty mentors, given the fast-paced culture of the city. (this is a big deal for me - do people think that washu will be better in this regard?)
- lack of space / old facilities / no real campus
- less prestigious in medicine

In summary, I'd prefer to stay in nyc but I wonder if washu will open more doors for my career given its higher ranking and seemingly warm / supportive environment. Please help!

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[YellowSalamander]

Have you calculated the cost of attendance difference between the two programs? It’s significantly more expensive to live in New York City, even with subsidized housing.

WashU is a sligthly stronger program and Barnes Jewish I would argue the better teaching hospital. If academic medicine is truly what you are interested in long-term, I’d recommend WashU. That is not to say that you can’t be successful in academic medicine from Mount Sinai, which is also a great program.

You seem to prefer NYC over St. Louis and being closer to your support system and significant other is a definite plus.

I’d also consider looking into how medical students and residents are treated in NYC. From what I have gathered its not the best experience. https://www.reddit.com/r/medicalschool/s/PWwWNjv0AR

You will do great wherever you go! Good luck!

 

[lazymango93]

There's really no prestige or program strength difference between these schools. Since your support system seems to be in NYC, I would go with Sinai. You'll easily fulfill your goals in academic medicine from either.

 

[newkungfukenny]

Sinai for your support system and the city. imo, the negligible difference in your career outcomes due to WashU's very slight edge in prestige isn't worth enduring STL and long distance over NYC and being close to family.

 

[taquitolord]

sinai; there's no difference in quality of education at this level and the life benefits are huge.

Also re: cost of living in NYC, I believe sinai has significantly subsidized housing which is around $700 a month (and really nice) so that should quell those worries for sure

 

[johnr42700]

WashU is the stronger program and Barnes Jewish the better teaching hospital. If academic medicine is truly what you are interested in long-term, I’d recommend WashU.

Premeds telling wrong advice confidently to other premeds always baffles me.

 

[soccergirl1043]

Premeds telling wrong advice confidently to other premeds always baffles me.

Can you lmk what your take is if this is incorrect! 🙏

 

[YellowSalamander]

Premeds telling wrong advice confidently to other premeds always baffles me.

I am more than prepared to defend my perspective—are you? Love people who don’t contribute anything meaningful to the conversation while claiming others are wrong with no explanation.

 

[johnr42700]

Can you lmk what your take is if this is incorrect! 🙏

You are splitting hairs. Most don't know if they actually want to pursue academic medicine before medical school, and it sounds like you are mainly trying to "keep doors open" rather than trying to find a particular career path for yourself. You're over-emphasizing perceived prestige as a predictor of a fuzzy notion of "success."

Sinai and WashU are both excellent programs regardless, and if you do decide to pursue a competitive specialty or something in academia, you'll have many, many mentors available for research at either program.

Your partner is in NYC, and it sounds like you have history there. Unless you're particularly keen on shipping off to the midwest, I would think Sinai is the clear choice.

 

[YellowSalamander]

You are splitting hairs. Most don't know if they actually want to pursue academic medicine before medical school, and it sounds like you are mainly trying to "keep doors open" rather than trying to find a particular career path for yourself. You're over-emphasizing perceived prestige as a predictor of a fuzzy notion of "success."

Sinai and WashU are both excellent programs regardless, and if you do decide to pursue a competitive specialty or something in academia, you'll have many, many mentors available for research at either program.

Your partner is in NYC, and it sounds like you have history there. Unless you're particularly keen on shipping off to the midwest, I would think Sinai is the clear choice.

I disagree with your perspective that I'm splitting hairs. Furthermore, it's almost like keeping doors open is valuable when you are unsure about the direction of your career long-term.

I argued that Barnes Jewish (including St. Louis Children's and Siteman Cancer) is the better teaching hospital, which I think its an entirely legitimate opinion given its rather unique position as both a critical access hospital and a tertiary referral center for most of Missouri and Southern Illinois, and its top-tier residency programs in almost every specialty. It provides exposure to both urban, suburban and rural patient populations, something that is quite unique as a teaching hospital.

Nobody is saying that you can't be successful in academic medicine coming from Mount Sinai. As explicitly stated in my post "she will do great wherever she goes".