Where are the happy med students?

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Well, I guess if I were medicated heavily enough to believe that I was attending the make-believe Princeton School of Medicine, I'd be a happy camper too!

🙂
 
Originally posted by usmaple
Well, I guess if I were medicated heavily enough to believe that I was attending the make-believe Princeton School of Medicine, I'd be a happy camper too!

🙂
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:clap:
 
USF's students never say a bad word. In fact they have always been extremely complimentary towards the profs, administration, curriculum etc. It's a totally laid back school.
 
don't qoute me on this, but i've heard that vandy has ranked #1 in student statisfation for several years now
 
I gotta represent for us Texans!

In the Lone Star State, I give the thumbs up to UTMB and UT Houston students. UTMB has a really laid back campus, atmosphere (island!) and one of the most ideal curriculums out there from a happiness standpoint (4 hours/day!).

UT Houston also had really happy and friendly students. What was surprising though, is the TX Med centre where the schools is located is such a busy congested area, their anatomy labs were off campus due to the flooding, they can't park at the school without paying $10/day and they are in class all day- but were still happy! The faculty must be doing something right 🙂
 
there is no such thing as an all out happiness. we don't live in a utopia society...maybe if you are talking about iceland schools.... So, the above posts stating their school....one word 🙄
 
Originally posted by phar
there is no such thing as an all out happiness. we don't live in a utopia society...maybe if you are talking about iceland schools.... So, the above posts stating their school....one word 🙄
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I disagree. Student happiness is easily detectable by simply talking to as many students as you can on interview day. I've seen both ends of the spectrum and its obvious.

When students aren't enthusiastic about what they go through every day, it shows. Sure, there are individuals who are always bitchy or always happy or whatever, but its very possible to get a feel for the general effect a medical school has on its student population.
 
Originally posted by dem4t
don't qoute me on this, but i've heard that vandy has ranked #1 in student statisfation for several years now
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Sorry to quote you on this, but I never knew there was rankings.
 
Originally posted by Mike59
I disagree. Student happiness is easily detectable by simply talking to as many students as you can on interview day. I've seen both ends of the spectrum and its obvious.

When students aren't enthusiastic about what they go through every day, it shows. Sure, there are individuals who are always bitchy or always happy or whatever, but its very possible to get a feel for the general effect a medical school has on its student population.
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All Statistical surveys are biased!
-Even if you were to interview every single student on campus. Your results would still be inaccurate. 'Happiness' cannot be measured because it fluctuates based upon several factors. Hence, one cannot state an "X" school is an all-out happy milieu.



By the way......mikey......since, you argued very nicely for the first time at least towards me....i have given you a slight taste of my intellectual ability....😉
 
Originally posted by lil pook
USF's students never say a bad word. In fact they have always been extremely complimentary towards the profs, administration, curriculum etc. It's a totally laid back school.
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I'm going to second that. USF became my top choice during my interview because the students really liked the school a lot. My student interviewer gave up acceptances to Emory and another top 25 school to go to USF and he was extremely glad that he did. The faculty and administration are very student oriented and the students are really laid back. The location itself is going to make it enjoyable for students. Its going to be fun wearing sandals ad shorts to class everyday and having the beach just minutes away. 🙂
 
Wherever there is a keg =) j/k 😛
 
Isn't there a website that has feedback by medical students of their schools? I can't seem to find the link to it.
 
UF seems to have a lot of happy med students, all the students I've met seem to be very nice and have good things to say!
 
Originally posted by WendsJ
At which school did you find the students to be the happiest and have the most balance (between school and fun)?
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the one's who aren't in med school seem pretty happy
 
great question, and one that i intend to ask each medical student i run into at my interview places... are you happy?

i cannot contribute anything here but the mixed subjective opinion i developed from talking to a number of chicago are medical students:

the most happy: loyola
then northwestern
then U of C
least: UIC

sorry about not including Rush, I only know residents there.

also, this is quite a small sample size so take with a grain of salt.
 
Originally posted by IrishOarsman
great question, and one that i intend to ask each medical student i run into at my interview places... are you happy?

i cannot contribute anything here but the mixed subjective opinion i developed from talking to a number of chicago are medical students:

the most happy: loyola
then northwestern
then U of C
least: UIC

sorry about not including Rush, I only know residents there.

also, this is quite a small sample size so take with a grain of salt.
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I'm glad someone else got that vibe about U. of Illinois as well. Most everything I saw on interview day didn't sit well with me, including their panel "Interview" (more like an inquisition), and the students talking to me about the importance of getting into AOA.

I think Case Western students seemed pretty happy. Most people were smiling, even during a final exam period. Meharry students were VERY happy and friendly, also during an exam period.
 
from my interviews people were

the happiest at UCI
then at UCD
the least at UCSD
 
Thanks for the link MDin200?. That is what I was looking for.
 
From my 13 interviews:

Happiest: UCSF, Cornell and URochester. The main reason is that I think the administration in those schools is very receptive to students' inputs.

Z.
 
OHSU students were very happy. They kept raving about their experiences.
 
Students seemed happy:

OHSU
Dartmouth

Unhappy and/or ambivalent:

NYMC

Happy to be in med school after applying as a CA resident:

Drexel
😉
 
I'm going to represent my school. Miami has the happiest students around (especially my class 😉 ). We are constantly cracking jokes and laughing. We are also the first to lend a helping hand to a fellow classmate. Besides, why wouldn't we be happy? The climate rocks, we wear shorts and sandals everyday, the school is laid back, and we're close to South Beath.😉 😀
 
Isn't the grading system very competitive there? Like top 5%, top 10%, etc. I would prefer Pass/Fail no?

Other than that, I think UM (not Univ. of Michigan, but Univ. of Miami) is a great school.

If they could only change the grading, any work/student committees doing that Miami "Chica?" You guys should all rebel or something and demand the Pass/Fail or at least Honors/Pass/Fail.😀
 
I thought Pitt, Cornell, and Columbia students were happy.

However, this is all relative. eg had I not interviewed at those places I would have listed Pritzker students as happy, as they were happier than some of the other schools I interviewed at...but having seen those first three Pritzker students didn't seem as happy anymore.
 
Happiest: Sinai, Cornell, Stanford

Unhappiest: Hopkins, UMich

Most off-putting: Columbia

But it really depends on who you get. Also, every class is different, so Sinai's class next year could gel poorly. Two years ago I heard of UCSD's students being really unhappy, this year I'm seeing it completely different. I just hope my class turns out great! Like everyone I'm knocking on wood, but its what you make of it.
 
Originally posted by Lab-Rat21
Isn't the grading system very competitive there? Like top 5%, top 10%, etc. I would prefer Pass/Fail no?

Other than that, I think UM (not Univ. of Michigan, but Univ. of Miami) is a great school.

If they could only change the grading, any work/student committees doing that Miami "Chica?" You guys should all rebel or something and demand the Pass/Fail or at least Honors/Pass/Fail.😀
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Maybe Canes has a better answer for this, but I know people who are M1's and M2's at Miami and they don't seem to think that the grading system necessarily creates competition among the students. The students there are cool and get along well. But, from what I hear, it can contribute to disappointment. Everything is based on a curve, meaning you can get a 92% on an Embryology exam and be 2 standard deviations from the mean, which is equivalent to a D or a failing grade (something like that). The constant class ranking is something that also contributes to disappointment because I know people who study their ass off and can never get out of the 3rd quartile. Its kind of looked down upon if you are not in the top 2 quartiles (top half of the class) and people in the 4th quartile can be sent to the Dean for a "pep talk." Again, Canes might have a better answer for this, but I'm sharing what I understand from people I know at Miami.

I find it interesting that top schools are starting to become strictly pass/fail. I think they have figured out that it creates an improved atmosphere to enhance learning for everyone.
 
Columbia just really rubbed you the wrong way huh, Snoop? :laugh:

I saw happy students at Sinai, Cornell, Columbia, and UConn. Columbia students in particular really liked to party and have a good time, but I guess not everyone likes that. :hardy:
 
I did not see very many students at NYU, nor at NYMC. The students I saw at Columbia, Temple and Drexel all seemes to be pleasant and satisfied. The Columbia students did nothing but plug their school, and that really affected me. Tricky admissions office gives out coffee int he interview room and the current students come in, grab somthing to drink and say hi.
 
Penn! The students I met at Penn were all really cool and definitely were happy with their program. They all just seemed like they loved being there. 😀
 
By far the happiest students I've met were at Northwetern....even the night before a big exam they were chill....good thing I'm going there this August, huh? 😀

I also thought students were happy at USC, Stanford, Pitt, OHSU, Dartmouth

I don't think I interviewed at a school where the people just absolutely hated it.

The thing about this thread is that I think most people are happy where they are or else they wouldn't have chosen to go there(unless it was the only school they got into). Furthermore, most people usually try to make the best of whatever situation they are in. I really think happiness in medical school really depends on how "happy" the individual wants to make it. There will always be people who whine and complain and always seem to hate whatever situation they are put in. No matter where one goes to medical school they can either look at the glass as half full or half empty.
 
Originally posted by snoopdizzle

Most off-putting: Columbia
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:laugh: strange, I must admit I wasn't that impressed with the couple Columbia students I met, even though I would describe them as happy. However, I only met 2 students so its hard, as with all these statements to say anything definitive 😉
 
Don't get me wrong Entai, lad-dee da-dee I likes to party... Columbia is my favorite school to bash, so pardon me BUT....

1) My archnemesis from undergrad goes there, and I bumped into him. Personally, I know he is a complete toolbag and full of hot air. But he's just one guy. He claims to love it, but in terms of Columbia students liking to party, my friend here just does it because its what he's "supposed to do" to appear normal. There is no way the student body could be as scheming and twisted as this human being.

2) The tour guide I had repeatedly used the word "******ed." "The curriculum can kinda be ******ed at times" or "Yeah, the area is kinda ******ed." I'm not very PC, but something about that just struck me to be a bit ridiculous.

3) Columbia is the only place something like this happened, and I've toured multiple Ivy League schools. It seemed like the place was uber-focused on where you did your undergrad. In the cafeteria, interviewees from Princeton went and found the Princeton med students and talked about Rugby, the Yalies found other yalies, and having gone to Wisconsin I felt really out of place. Standard state school inferiority complex, but no other place seemed to have that air than Columbia. Just looking at their yearbook shows how focused they are on your pedigree (your undergrad college is listed under your name). Hell, why even put your name there? There should just be faces with "UPenn" and "Yale" underneath the face. That's the vibe I got.

4) "Watch out for crazy Dominican lunatics." Ouch. Double shot at mental illness and Dominicans.

5) Interviewer was exceedingly pompous.

Well, I just didn't like the school, but I'm sure its a lot better than I think it is. Its inevitable for at least one person to get a terrible impression of any school, but I can say that I don't hold anything against Columbia on the whole. I just have become acquainted with some of their worst students personality wise.
 
i know a bunch of first year pritzker students (i'm an undergrad at u of chicago) and i don't know a happier bunch. really chill, happy, fun.

in terms of other places that i interviewed at, Emory students seemed really happy, even though they have grades (one student also exclaimed, "we may not be the brightest med students out there but we're certainly the best-looking!) ... and Pitt students seemed pretty chill too.

I think at some of the "higher ranked" schools they seem happy too, but maybe more because they're happy that they've gotten into those higher ranked schools, and not because they actually love it. And UCLA and Columbia students I met also love it in part because of the cities that they live in ...
 
Originally posted by snoopdizzle

4) "Watch out for crazy Dominican lunatics." Ouch. Double shot at mental illness and Dominicans.


GOOD LORD!!! as a frequent visitor to Washington Heights (area where Columbia Health Sciences is located), i have to say while there is a significant Dominican population there--they are not "crazy lunatics"...

how incredibly shallow and misguided. argh! that would certainly be enough to turn me off. but then again, i wasn't fortunate enough to interview there even though i did my MPH at Columbia.

but i know, for a fact, that the meds at Columbia are not all like that... congrats to all--am sure that you'll be happy there!
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Originally posted by SolidGold
Its going to be fun wearing sandals ad shorts to class everyday and having the beach just minutes away. 🙂
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are you kidding? sandals and shorts to class every day in san francisco? maybe you should read up on their weather.
 
Originally posted by dancer7
are you kidding? sandals and shorts to class every day in san francisco? maybe you should read up on their weather.
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Uh, USF=University of Southern (or South?) Florida. I think SolidGold is correctly anticipating the weather-appropriate attire.
 
Originally posted by snoopdizzle
Unhappiest: Hopkins, UMich
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Really? I got the exact opposite impression at JHU, both at the interview and the revisit. (I hope I'm right, because I'm going there!) I'm curious, what gave you that impression?
 
JHU was no where near my experience at Columbia, but the Columbia students did have smiles on their faces. I got a very serious, somber vibe from the 3 or 4 students I met there. I guess I wouldn't say unhappy, but just not vibrant or enthusiastic. However, I did like the school a lot. It is the Mecca of medicine.

These threads are fun to have, but they can't really accurately describe a school. So many people loved Columbia, and I didn't, but that doesn't mean anything. The vibe I got from JHU was so intense, and I was a little in awe of the institution. That may have factored into my impression of the students. Who knows?
 
I think the mingling component of the JHU interview can be intimidating, too. I get kind of talkative when I'm nervous (what, don't look so shocked), so that situation worked in my favor, but I can see how it might color other one's perceptions of the school. I'm not saying that you were intimidated, snoop, just that one's mood on interview day can affect how the students are seen.

I agree, these threads are fun but maybe not so helpful. I know so many people who fell in love with Wash U, but I just didn't get that vibe. Everyone was nice and the school was impressive, but I didn't leave with that omigod-I-have-to-come-here feeling ... It's something you can't know until you visit the place.
 
I'm not discounting possibly legitimate reasons for liking or disliking one's school, but...I don't think it's a good idea to take a few comments from students during an interview day too seriously. It's very possible you saw them on or around an exam day. That's enough to sober anybody up. 😉
 
Originally posted by VienneseWaltz
Uh, USF=University of Southern (or South?) Florida. I think SolidGold is correctly anticipating the weather-appropriate attire.
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oops, i read that too quickly and thought it said ucsf. my apologies.🙁
 
I thought that the Drew/UCLA students seemed very happy......:laugh: 😉 😉
 
Everyone will have a different experience at each school and all of the advice you will get will be biased based upon where that person is going/went etc. (Thanks to Art Vandelay for pointing that out to me).

Also, thanks for posting the AMSA link.. I never even knew there was such a site!! 😀

One thing I did on all of my interviews was I went around and asked all the students that I could what they liked about their school and what they disliked about their school. I got some bizarre answers from things like no windows in the buildings and so forth, but those are the things that you will notice after 2 years in a building that you overlook while touring on a visit.
 
woah, i'm not sure where y'all got the impression that the nation's unhappiest students are at hopkins...! hopkins is classic, and our class rocks... we work hard (but less then at other schools) have a good time (my class is seriously a bunch of fools)...

just had to stick up for my school 🙂

take care y'all,
swaroop

hopkins, ms I
 
it seems like most of you guys are depressed............FIRST FIND HAPPINESS IN YOURSELF..........THEN YOU CAN BE HAPPY AT YOUR SCHOOL.
 
Hello,

I was wondering if there are any UIC students in Chicago. Do you need a car in the first year for any rotations?? Or can my friend get away without a car? When will he need a car, what year?

Also, is there a tunnel/connection between the uic dorm (chicago) and the school? And do you recommend living there?
 
I've been doing a little research...

Happy Students: Tulane, Baylor, Case Western, Cornell, Duke, Emory, Loyola Chicago, Mount Sinai, MUSC, Northwestern (?), Rush, Stanford & Vandy

Students seem happy because..
1. Class cohesiveness, not overly competitive
2. Good faculty, teaching system
3. Grading System
4. Like the city/town

I've heard Tufts is crappy, Columbia is chock-full of gunners... ah ha!
 
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