wayne state or michigan state?

[katMD06]

hey all
I'm from CA, and interviewed at both of these schools. Just wondering what people's insights were into which one would be a better choice in case i am fortunate to be accepted at both. I didn't have strong feelings for one over the other when I interviewed. Thanks guys,

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[finch]

Wayne State and Michigan State are both great schools, so congrats on your interviews.
That being said, they do have different focuses.
Michigan State was founded to provide primary care physicians for the state of michigan. As a result, the school is heavily slanted toward pushing its grads into primary care (family practice, internal med, pediatrics, obgyn). Of course, this doesn't mean that you can't go into a specialty- the ortho resident who treated me when i broke my foot a few months ago was from msu, and ortho is one of the most competitive specialties right now. Michigan State also has a unique curriculum in some ways. They use a lot of problem based learning as opposed to traditional lectures, and also use prosections in anatomy lab instead of actually having students disect the cadavers themselves. Also, most students at MSU have to move after their second year to other cities in Michigan for their clinical rotations. This could be a plus or a minus for you.
Unique features of Wayne State include a huge class (almost 300 students per class, one of the biggest in the country) and a VERY urban location. Wayne is affiliated with the Detroit Medical Center. In my opinion, this affiliation grants WSU students some of the best clinical training in the nation. Right now, things are a bit up in the air between WSU and the DMC, as their contract is expiring and neither side seems to interested in negotiating a new one. However, I'd bet that they'll work things out eventually.
Bottom line is that both schools are great, but they are also very different. I'd probably choose Wayne myself, but that is just my personal preference.

 

[SailCrazy]

Very well summarized by finch!

I would recommend picking the one where you felt like you "clicked" the most. They are both good schools, so go with the one that feels best to you. As long as you´re happy there, you´ll be successful & can get pretty much anywhere you want to go. Either that or go with the better financial aid offer. Being OOS, that could be a big difference!

 

[ddmo]

Very well summarized by finch!

Agreed

 

[Rodney Munch]

hey all
I'm from CA, and interviewed at both of these schools. Just wondering what people's insights were into which one would be a better choice in case i am fortunate to be accepted at both. I didn't have strong feelings for one over the other when I interviewed. Thanks guys,

I would choose MSU every day of the week and twice on Sunday. WSU is embroiled in a down and dirty contract dispute right now with the DMC. To sum it up, you do not need to sign up for these politics and a chance that you will have an incomplete medical school. The CEO of the DMC has no interest in education and is treating these negotiations like he has his past jobs in SE Michigan. Trust me...When Gov. Granholm is weighing in on these negotiations with the higher ups of Wayne State and both parties don't understand the intracacies of the a medical school, you have problems. I can't comment on the benefits of MSU, but the turmoil at WSU/DMC is way too much to sign up for. That's my $0.02.

 

[silbil]

I'm having the same problem in deciding between MSU and Wayne. I really like the first two years at MSU but I'm hesitant about the clinical rotations. Does anyone know anything more about how it works, how the sites are, where students live, if there's any option to switch, etc? Any input would be super helpful and very much appreciated!

 

[juice2369]

I'm having the same problem in deciding between MSU and Wayne. I really like the first two years at MSU but I'm hesitant about the clinical rotations. Does anyone know anything more about how it works, how the sites are, where students live, if there's any option to switch, etc? Any input would be super helpful and very much appreciated!

As far as i know, the clinical sites are on a lottery system. Most people will end up at their "preferred" locations but some do not..the clinical sites in marquette are definately for those who are in the rural program and I believe they have an underserved population program in which one would go to saginaw as their site. Most go to GR. I dont think that they have arrangements for housing near the clinical area for students and as far as i know only extraordinary situations allow one to avoid the lottery system.

 

[Future_Dr_L]

Yup, it's pretty much, they have the rounds in lansing, flint, saginaw, marquette, and grand rapids, and they have an assigned number of slots at each site. If there are say, 14 slots in lansing (I hear there aren't too many slots in the Lansing hospitals and most people do end up moving) and 15 people sign up, there's a lottery. However, if the person has a wife and children in lansing, I assume that they'll make an exception for them and allow them to do rounds in the lansing area. As far as housing goes, there's no assigned med school student housing around the areas, but if you have rounds in east lansing, there are a lot of apartments in the area since there's a whole undergrad school there too (so there's a lot of apartment complexes intended for students). With the other cities, I assume you just rent an apartment wherever you're doing your rounds and hope the rent isn't too bad.