Wayne State vs. Meharry

[senioritaelena]

I know there are a million of these threads, but i want advice from fellow premeds and meds.

I am currently waitlisted at my top choice, but have these two aceptances.

If I only end up with these two, which is better.

I am Canadian , female and URM, first time applying to med school.

Wayne tution will be 47 k, Meharry 29 k
Wayne is a mid tier school, Meharry lower tier
Wyane is in dangerous detroit, Meharry in ghetto of Nashville
I am pretty sure I want to be a GP, but do not know what might interest me once I am in school
Will I get a better residency match going to Wayne?
Wayne is way closer to home, 3 hr drive, versus 4 hour plane to tennesse
Wayne has a huge class size, Meharry is like a family
I just do not know what are the most important factors I should be looking at.

Please and comments are appreciated.

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[UMP]

I know there are a million of these threads, but i want advice from fellow premeds and meds.

I am currently waitlisted at my top choice, but have these two aceptances.

If I only end up with these two, which is better.

I am Canadian , female and URM, first time applying to med school.

Wayne tution will be 47 k, Meharry 29 k
Wayne is a mid tier school, Meharry lower tier
Wyane is in dangerous detroit, Meharry in ghetto of Nashville
I am pretty sure I want to be a GP, but do not know what might interest me once I am in school
Will I get a better residency match going to Wayne?
Wayne is way closer to home, 3 hr drive, versus 4 hour plane to tennesse
Wayne has a huge class size, Meharry is like a family
I just do not know what are the most important factors I should be looking at.

Please and comments are appreciated.

ummm... if you want to just be a GP, get the cheapest education you can get. You can get a good GP residency coming out of anywhere in the US, since hardly anyone really wants them... and you will not be making that much money so the debt will be a pain coming from Wayne... If you wanted to specialize, I'd say Wayne in a hearbeat, though...

 

[CagedBird]

First let me say that I know this is a difficult decision and I think it would be in your best interest to make a pros/cons list. I did one when I had to make a decision and it REALLY helped. Now, this list will include things that you mentioned: tuition, class size, location, proximity to home, etc. I went with the list that had the most pros and the least cons in addition to talking to students at both schools. I don't know much about Wayne State so I can't make a sound comparison between the two schools.

I do know that I liked what I saw at Meharry and there is ~ 20k difference in tuition between the two schools, which amounts to ~80k after 4 years. I have always been told by physicians that you really don't want to put yourself into too much debt because of the stress with paying it off. I do believe that coming from either institution, you can go into whatever field you want. It's not like you can't specialize if you go to Meharry. I know a guy who went into orthopedic surg. from Meharry so I mean the sky is the limit. It all comes down to how YOU do as an individual at whichever medical school you attend. Medical School is what you make of it, the medical school does not make you. I know you must have heard this phrase before but it is so true. What will matter more is where you do your residency training. So....your decision should not focus so much on which school has more prestige.

Another thing you want to look at is the cost of flights home from Nashville (since you mentioned it would be a 4 hr. plane flight home) for vacations, etc...that cost is also something that should be considered when composing this list.

Hope this helps and Good Luck with your decision

 

[MadHopsMD]

I would choose Meharry. Check the matchlist, lots of people in Meharry also specialise in other fields (the vandy-meharry alliance as opened lots of doors). The difference in cost doesnt make up for choosing Wayne and Detriot. IMO.

 

[BarrySanders]

...The parts of Detroit you will be in as a medical student are not that dangerous

 

[Carlin]

...The parts of Detroit you will be in as a medical student are not that dangerous

Agreed. Detroit has definitely been improving, too.

 

[MissSonu]

Okay, no need to be freaked out about Detroit. Yes, it has its bad areas, but the area that Wayne State is in is fine. They are actually building up the area a lot. In some years, it will probably be beautiful. You should even check out some of the changes they are making near the Tiger Stadium. Gorgeous, awesome, and amazing! So no Detroit dissing, but maybe do Meharry since it's cheaper

 

[GuzzyRon]

I do believe that coming from either institution, you can go into whatever field you want. It's not like you can't specialize if you go to Meharry. I know a guy who went into orthopedic surg. from Meharry so I mean the sky is the limit. It all comes down to how YOU do as an individual at whichever medical school you attend. Medical School is what you make of it, the medical school does not make you. I know you must have heard this phrase before but it is so true. What will matter more is where you do your residency training. So....your decision should not focus so much on which school has more prestige.

To underscore what you said, this year's match had Meharry sending someone to Baylor for Plastic Surgery and another to Johns Hopkins for anesthesiology.

 

[UMP]

Meharry only has residency programs in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Preventative Medicine and Psychiatry. Wayne State has huge home programs in pretty much everything. And it is always easier to match in to a home program if you specialize. Just a thought.

 

[GuzzyRon]

Meharry only has residency programs in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Preventative Medicine and Psychiatry. Wayne State has huge home programs in pretty much everything. And it is always easier to match in to a home program if you specialize. Just a thought.

Well noted. But you don't necessarily have to do residency in your home program. And I don't know if it is easier to match into your home program or not but I'm sure your home program will ditch you for an applicant from elsewhere with better credentials.

 

[UMP]

Well noted. But you don't necessarily have to do residency in your home program. And I don't know if it is easier to match into your home program or not but I'm sure your home program will ditch you for an applicant from elsewhere with better credentials.

Yes, you don't have to do your residency at your home program... but you probably rotated there so they'll know you, and know the people your recommendations are coming from, and you can easily use the program as a backup... of course these are small intangibles, and you'll get a good education at either school. Just go where you will be most happy, so you have a better study environment and do well on the boards. That price difference is a big deal, though. And I'm not sure 18k difference a year can really out-weigh any of those intangibles.

 

[senioritaelena]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

I am still unsure, but you all have givewn me some more valid points to think about. My fam is coming over this wkend to help me put together a pros/cons list for each school and hopefully that will clarify things a little more. Kepp the thoughts coming though!

 

[maestro1625]

Yes, you don't have to do your residency at your home program... but you probably rotated there so they'll know you, and know the people your recommendations are coming from, and you can easily use the program as a backup... of course these are small intangibles, and you'll get a good education at either school. Just go where you will be most happy, so you have a better study environment and do well on the boards. That price difference is a big deal, though. And I'm not sure 18k difference a year can really out-weigh any of those intangibles.

and wayne's residencies still have a bit of an aura of instability from the whole DMC thing.

 

[Dr.Inviz]

Go Wayne State.

 

[senioritaelena]

Dr. Inviz

Any particular reason????

 

[ptr2477]

I would choose Meharry. 2 years ago, one of my friend got accepted there and he loves it. I won't choose Wayne over Meharry.

 

[GuzzyRon]

I would choose Meharry. 2 years ago, one of my friend got accepted there and he loves it. I won't choose Wayne over Meharry.

Did your friend tell you why? Reasons, please, reasons.