what is your first choice school and Why? (more)

[chef]

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Let's organize this thread this way:

1. Did you have a first-choice (dream) school before you applied? + reason why

2. Is that school still your #1 choice after applying and/or interviewing there, meeting the students, talking to faculty, etc? Why or why not?

 

[jargon124]

1. Easy. Hopkins. The name says it all. Going to Hopkins means following in the footsteps of some of the best physicians, surgeons, and researchers in history. And no, I don't think I'm overstating it.

2. Sure I feel the same way and I will continue to do so. No interview yet but I am sure I would only feel better about the school if/when I do get one and go. Hopkins is a dream, one that I don't expect will come true...but that's what you asked for 😉

 

[SnudgeMuffin]

1. Yale: I love their curriculum based on self-learning. Finally, you don't have to worry about grades and you can ENJOY learning. How can you ask for more than that?
and
Columbia: My all time favorite! I just get good vibes from this school. Also, the best location for someone who spent 3 years in the middle of nowhere. I would love to do my rotations at New York Presbyterian-Columbia and possibly get my residency there too.

2. I am not applying this year, b/c I decided to give my fellow SDNers a chance to get into Yale and Columbia 😛 . Just kidding! But I don't think I will change my mind after seeing the schools. I will fall in love with them even more. GOOD LUCK everybody applying this year! I hope you guys get into your dream schools.

 

[Hopkins2010]

Hopkins is probably also my dream school. I have interviewed there but still dont hold out much hope. One of the top 3 med schools in the country combined with the very top biomedical engineering program in the country? Thats a pretty tough combo to beat.

Harvard is close behind, although I get the impression their MD/PhD lacks the same cohesiveness that other top notch programs enjoy.

After that, probably a tie between Yale and WashU.

 

[nerfornothin]

1. Yale was my top choice going in. Total echo of SnudgeMuffin's reasons.

2. While visiting (didn't interview)found that I was really turned off by New Haven. I would have been willing to brave the weather and even the cost but after seeing the city I just couldn't see myself doing it. UCSF is now my first choice. SF is amazing, the school rocks, and for Cali residents it's a fraction of the cost of private and out of state schools.

 

[EMDrMoe]

Well, we're going to go off the beaten path a bit here...

1. Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. I love the campus, they emphasize learning and cooperation and the school just seemed like home to me when we visited in the past. As an older, married, nontraditional applicant, whose husband is applying also, I wanted a place that would be home. I do not want my med school experience to be four years I "just get through" to be a doctor. This time will be a significant part of my life, both chronologically and developmentally, so I want to be someplace I can thrive.

2. When I interviewed, I met some more phenomenal people. The most influential was the associate dean of admissions. She struck me a woman that I wholeheartedly look up to and would be honored to have as a colleague and possibly a friend. My feelings of the school as "home" were reinforced by my interview experience, and I can't wait to go back there when my husband interviews on the 29th (I'm not tailing along to the interviewee functions, of course!).

 

[kafshar]

1) UCSF..... the reputation is great. The location cannot get any better. The cost for in-state makes it untouchable.

2) Not anymore... got rejected from UCSF before secondary. I think my next five schools would be Michigan, UCLA, Hopkins, Penn, and Columbia... but only have seen Michigan and UCLA.

 

[DJ W.R.]

1. Cornell - Curriculum and location, location, location

2. Liked it even more than I thought I would. Students and faculty were pretty nice and laid back...loved NYC!

 

[rajneel1]

1. i think UCSF because it has a great rep for both research and primary care, located in a diverse area, cheap for cali residents, close to my family.
and also johns hopkins cause the students are layed back, everything is flexible, faculty are super committed, and great rep.
2. well, haven't gotten an offer from UCSF and am pretty worried although did get a secondary. but interviewed at hopkins and loved it for the reasons above. the only bad part is that hopkins is in a bad area. oh well...if they accepted me i would haul my butt there the same day. little hope for that however

 

[coop]

1. UCSF. Like most californians this was my dream school since I made the decision to pursue medicine. Especially since I'm on the east coast for undergrad I'd love to get back to sunny cali, but still wanted to see a new city (I'm from LA). SF seemed to offer the perfect mix of outstanding reputation (clinically and scientifically), innovative new curriculum, location (city and weather wise), and closeness (but not tooo close) to home.

2. No word from SF about an interview yet, but of the places I have seen Pritzker and Duke top the list. Both were amazing in a number of different ways. It's now impossible to rank a school I haven't seen (like SF) against those I have seen, certainly possible SF would knock those off the top of my list, but at this post it's tough to say for sure.

 

[Barin]

Originally posted by rajneel1:
•1...and also johns hopkins cause the students are layed back, everything is flexible, faculty are super committed...•••
Layed back??? At hopkins???? Hahaha 🙂 )))