What to look for in medical schools

[Peter Pan.]

Aside from location, OOS acceptance rate, tuition, and how you stack up in competitiveness for admission (MCAT and GPA) what else are you looking for in a medical school? What are some important things to look for when deciding where to apply or when you are choosing between multiple acceptances? I've got some ideas but would like some more feedback.

Pass/fail vs graded
Recent match lists
Where do clinical rotations take place, quality of rotations
Average Step score
School mission - do you fit the mission of the school

Appreciate the feedback.

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[907914]

Aside from location, OOS acceptance rate, tuition, and how you stack up in competitiveness for admission (MCAT and GPA) what else are you looking for in a medical school? What are some important things to look for when deciding where to apply or when you are choosing between multiple acceptances? I've got some ideas but would like some more feedback.

Pass/fail vs graded
Recent match lists
Where do clinical rotations take place, quality of rotations
Average Step score
School mission - do you fit the mission of the school

Appreciate the feedback.

If you are a nontrad with family then the local school districts and spousal job opportunities.

School culture is a big one (how supportive are they, is there gunner mentality etc.)

Quality of the facilities. Was their newest building or most recent renovation done before 2010?

Are lectures mandatory?

Do they budget in to the COA the ability to credit third party resources as textbooks?




Note, all of these things are how to determine where to attend if you get multiple acceptances. As far as where to apply, GPA/MCAT/OOS/mission/location and P/F

 

[907914]

If you are a nontrad with family then the local school districts and spousal job opportunities.

School culture is a big one (how supportive are they, is there gunner mentality etc.)

Quality of the facilities. Was their newest building or most recent renovation done before 2010?

Are lectures mandatory?

Do they budget in to the COA the ability to credit third party resources as textbooks?




Note, all of these things are how to determine where to attend if you get multiple acceptances. As far as where to apply, GPA/MCAT/OOS/mission/location and P/F

Or if you don’t have the Luxury of being that selective, GPA/MCAT/LOCATION

 

[Traveler2016]

- Amount of time spent in lecture (mandatory? recorded?) vs. amount of time spent in more engaging learning environments (small groups, or even just independent study)
- Are they big on student dissection in anatomy lab or are prosections utilized more often? (Seems like a minor point but unless you're really into surgery spending 4+ hours/week dissecting in lab can be torture)
- Is there dedicated student parking? Affordable housing in the area?
- Can you apply for funding to attend conferences?
- How much time off for Step 1? What sort of support is available for step 1 studying?

 

[deleted972488]

I would worry about this when and if you/I get multiple acceptances.

 

[907914]

I would worry about this when and if you/I get multiple acceptances.

I would argue that it’s very important to have the best school list possible and taking as many things into consideration as you can is the best route. However, the only real people who have that kind of luxury are top tier students.

Edit: The intent to be why even applying to schools that you wouldn’t be happy attending?

Second edit: again, assuming you are given the luxury of being selective enough to be happy in medical school.

Third edit: no matter what however, an MD\DO is an MD/DO

 

[deleted972488]

I would argue that it’s very important to have the best school list possible and taking as many things into consideration as you can is the best route. However, the only real people who have that kind of luxury are top tier students.

Even "top tier" students shouldn't be too presumptuous. No acceptances are guaranteed and even if you're lucky enough to get into multiple schools, you have little control over which schools those are.

 

[907914]

you have little control over which schools those are.

Exactly my point. You are not guaranteed an acceptance, so if you are lucky enough to get one shouldn’t you try to plan your school list so that, no matter which school it is, you will be happy?

 

[deleted972488]

Exactly my point. You are not guaranteed an acceptance, so if you are lucky enough to get one shouldn’t you try to plan your school list so that, no matter which school it is, you will be happy?

I'm just saying that beggars can't really be choosers. I'll be happy going anywhere on my list.

 

[907914]

I'm just saying that beggars can't really be choosers. I'll be happy going anywhere.

Very true. If you just want the degree then you go wherever. But if you have the capability to theoretically go where you want to gov(or have a higher probability of acceptance at an institution that you would enjoy) a well crafted school list not only enhances your chances of acceptance but also enhances your chances of being happy with that acceptance.

For instance, like 8000 people apply to UWash every year when they only accept WWAMI applicants. Those 6000 students who never had a chance at UW would have benefited from a well crafted school list

 

[deleted972488]

Those 6000 students who never had a chance at UW would have benefited from a well crafted school list

I'm not saying that well-crafted lists aren't important. Actually, I think this just furthers my point... getting accepted isn't just about your desire to go to a certain school or whether they have pass/fail or whatever. One should carefully apply to schools that they have a reasonable chance of acceptance and then, if they have multiple acceptances, they can be more picky about curriculum, grading, location, etc.

 

[deleted972488]

Correct. The logic of putting no thought in where you apply and just go wherever you get in is wreckless.

But that’s not what I was saying. Not sure where this straw man is coming from.

 

[907914]

I'm not saying that well-crafted lists aren't important. Actually, I think this just furthers my point... getting accepted isn't just about your desire to go to a certain school or whether they have pass/fail or whatever. One should carefully apply to schools that they have a reasonable chance of acceptance and then, if they have multiple acceptances, they can be more picky about curriculum, grading, location, etc.

I don’t know, I started my list at 45 schools based on location because my familial priorities are number 1. Then I narrowed that down to 25 schools based on stats. Then I narrowed that down to 21 based on mission, P/F and (more importantly) average graduate indebtedness.

 

[deleted972488]

You made a post stating you should worry about medical school's characteristics after you receive acceptance. Last time I checked acceptance comes after applying

But that doesn't mean you should just apply anywhere! I literally never said that. I meant quite the opposite.

 

[907914]

I'm not saying that well-crafted lists aren't important. Actually, I think this just furthers my point... getting accepted isn't just about your desire to go to a certain school or whether they have pass/fail or whatever. One should carefully apply to schools that they have a reasonable chance of acceptance and then, if they have multiple acceptances, they can be more picky about curriculum, grading, location, etc.

For instance, I am only applying to UCLA at the chance of getting the Geffen scholarship, only applying Stanford at the chance of the Knight-Hennessy, and only applying case at the chance of the College program (that one is because of the innovation and science driven, didn’t even know about the free tuition until after it was on my list!)

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

I think everyone here is considering the right tidbits.

GPA and MCAT and OOS are crucial starting points.

From there, I found that it took much longer than I anticipated to suss out the vibe of a school. I literally spent over a week of working on my school list every day. And my roommate and my SO both helped a lot, researching schools for me and sending me their notes. It was a lot more work than I thought to figure out which schools LIKE nontrads, for example, or which schools are overzealous about stats, or which schools want you to mention research or your desire to make a start-up and whstnot.

But that research WILL help you save money. Assuming you’re within range of their avg stats, schools that you like more are often going to like you more, so it’s worth figuring out which ones really excite you, and go with your gut and make sure those schools are on your list.

 

[907914]

I think everyone here is considering the right tidbits.

GPA and MCAT and OOS are crucial starting points.

From there, I found that it took much longer than I anticipated to suss out the vibe of a school. I literally spent over a week of working on my school list every day. And my roommate and my SO both helped a lot, researching schools for me and sending me their notes. It was a lot more work than I thought to figure out which schools LIKE nontrads, for example, or which schools are overzealous about stats, or which schools want you to mention research or your desire to make a start-up and whstnot.

But that research WILL help you save money. Assuming you’re within range of their avg stats, schools that you like more are often going to like you more, so it’s worth figuring out which ones really excite you, and go with your gut and make sure those schools are on your list.

I am in the same boat. Except it has been about 3 months at an hour or two a day lol

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

I am in the same boat. Except it has been about 3 months at an hour or two a day lol

Well, to be fair you have a lot less flexibility than most applicants— which means you have to be very discerning and conscientious about your research before applying. That’ll be time well spent!

 

[907914]

Well, to be fair you have a lot less flexibility than most applicants— which means you have to be very discerning and conscientious about your research before applying. That’ll be time well spent!

Very true. I mean, it was an active choice to be less flexible (quality of life for family >>>>>>> quality of school I attend) but still.

 

[Goro]

Aside from location, OOS acceptance rate, tuition, and how you stack up in competitiveness for admission (MCAT and GPA) what else are you looking for in a medical school? What are some important things to look for when deciding where to apply or when you are choosing between multiple acceptances? I've got some ideas but would like some more feedback.

Pass/fail vs graded
Recent match lists
Where do clinical rotations take place, quality of rotations
Average Step score
School mission - do you fit the mission of the school

Appreciate the feedback.

Plenty of fodder here:

• Goro's Guide to YOUR Interview Questions (2018 edition)
• Goro's Guide for YOUR Interview Questions at a DO School (2018 ed.)

 

[BOAO523]

I think it's helpful for applicants to be very honest with themselves in terms of what truly matters to them. I applied to a couple dozen schools and in hindsight I realize that I would not have been truly happy with a singular acceptance at nearly half of these schools!

I considered so many factors when constructing my school list (e.g. school reputation, urban/rural, class size, match lists, school culture, housing situation, etc etc) but once it came time for me to choose where to matriculate I realized that the only factors that even matter to me are proximity to family and financial aid. Everything else is essentially gravy.

The point: If you have the foresight/self-honesty to identify what truly matters to you, you might save yourself a lot of $$$ in the app process!

 

[907914]

I think it's helpful for applicants to be very honest with themselves in terms of what truly matters to them. I applied to a couple dozen schools and in hindsight I realize that I would not have been truly happy with a singular acceptance at nearly half of these schools!

I considered so many factors when constructing my school list (e.g. school reputation, urban/rural, class size, match lists, school culture, housing situation, etc etc) but once it came time for me to choose where to matriculate I realized that the only factors that even matter to me are proximity to family and financial aid. Everything else is essentially gravy.

The point: If you have the foresight/self-honesty to identify what truly matters to you, you might save yourself a lot of $$$ in the app process!

When I asked the question several months ago, the general consensus on SDN was to apply to 20 schools to maximize odds as opposed to applying only 15 to save money. I am still considering dropping down to 15, honestly. But who knows.

 

[907914]

On the contrary, however, the entire application process is the equivalent of only like a month of MD tuition...so like, it really isn't a lot of money in the long run.

 

[Peter Pan.]

Plenty of fodder here:

• Goro's Guide to YOUR Interview Questions (2018 edition)
• Goro's Guide for YOUR Interview Questions at a DO School (2018 ed.)

Appreciate it! I printed out those interview questions you have. Definitely want to keep those for application cycle coming up.

 

[BOAO523]

I'm in full agreement that one should apply to more schools to boost one's odds. I guess the point that I was trying to make is that those extra 5-10 schools should be ones that will meet your true important needs as a medical student. I personally feel like I flushed a lot of $$ applying/interviewing at schools that were a plane flight away. I should've known better and either not applied to those schools at all or substituted them for some that were closer.

Basically I recommend not trying to increase odds of getting into school by throwing in completely random schools with locations/missions/attributes that you want nothing to do with just because your MCAT/GPA falls within their range. Next thing you know you'll end up with a single acceptance at mid-tier med school in the middle of where-the-heck-is-that with a 350k pricetag.

 

[deleted972488]

Next thing you know you'll end up with a single acceptance at mid-tier med school in the middle of where-the-heck-is-that with a 350k pricetag.

To me, that would be much better than no acceptances, which is a risk you take if you restrict your list too much.

 

[907914]

that were a plane flight away.

Lucky enough to not have to worry about flying. I live in the PNW where we only have 3 schools within a 600 mile radius. No Bueno.

Next thing you know you'll end up with a single acceptance at mid-tier med school in the middle of where-the-heck-is-that with a 350k pricetag.

This is a very true sentiment for many applicants. However, I feel like most applicants are in the <3.7/<512 boat where the only selling point a school has to offer is the student falling about their 25th% lol

 

[907914]

To me, that would be much better than no acceptances, which is a risk you take if you restrict your list too much.

Going through my current school list there are:
6 schools that I am applying to strictly for the prospect of bomb FA
4 schools that I am applying to strictly for the prestige aspect, Decent FA is the only thing that would pull me there
2 schools as safety net due to being my state schools
4 schools that are OOS friendly state schools in areas my wife liked
1 that is not OOS friendly, but my wife made me apply at the chance of staying in the PNW (Darn OHSU...)
5 the are literally just because my stats match/are slightly above them and they are a nice area

The point of this being that if you can justify your application there then don't second guess it.

 

[Tenk]

The first things you listed make up about 99% of why you should choose to apply to a school if you add in availability of in house programs (ie if you want dermatology, you should try to go to a school with a decent derm program) and also any special connections you may have (ie you are family friends with the dean or something). All the other factors are so insignificant in comparison that you shouldn’t let them weigh much on your decision to apply or not.

 

[deleted889094]

I would worry about this when and if you/I get multiple acceptances.

Yeah, worry about this after you get interviews. I was too picky my first cycle and really regretted it. Plus, you learn most about a school during the interview day

 

[Gilakend]

What I cared about (in no particular order):

School culture
Student body attitude/student stress levels
Pass/Fail unranked
Length of preclinical/clinical curriculum
Opportunities for research (for residency apps)
Location
Total 4-year COA
Amount of self directed learning (i.e. streaming at home)
Social scene

 

[907914]

What I cared about (in no particular order):

School culture
Student body attitude/student stress levels
Pass/Fail unranked
Length of preclinical/clinical curriculum
Opportunities for research (for residency apps)
Location
Total 4-year COA
Amount of self directed learning (i.e. streaming at home)
Social scene

There better not be a social scene in the library. Cus’ that’s where you’ll be living

 

[Gilakend]

There better not be a social scene in the library. Cus’ that’s where you’ll be living

Sleep more than you study, study more than you party, and party as much as you can.

 

[907914]

Sleep more than you study, study more than you party, and party as much as you can.

See, my idea of a party is forcing my toddler to watch a documentary about Apollo 11 to convince her that astronauts are people as opposed to robots, but that’s just me.

 

[965978]

See, my idea of a party is forcing my toddler to watch a documentary about Apollo 11 to convince her that astronauts are people as opposed to robots, but that’s just me.

My idea of a party is going to six flags.

You’re never too old for roller coasters.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

See, my idea of a party is forcing my toddler to watch a documentary about Apollo 11 to convince her that astronauts are people as opposed to robots, but that’s just me.

Personally I prefer trying to convince the toddlers to watch any nature documentary narrated by David Attenborough

 

[907914]

Personally I prefer trying to convince the toddlers to watch any nature documentary narrated by David Attenborough

I agree. Really just any science documentary. My three year old is still in the final phases of potty training and just starting to read/draw things as opposed to scribbling...but she knows all 9 planets, she can kind of explain plate tectonics, she knows that dinosaurs were killed by an asteroid, she knows what a B cell/T cell and Macrophage are....Kids learn what they want to learn, not what we teach them lol

She also knows like 175 Pokémon by sight and the names of all three dragons on GOT...so there is that too