which med schools to apply to

[rogersce]

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This may seem like a dumb question....

I've got pretty good stats, and expecting (from diag. tests) to get a pretty good MCAT score. In short, I expect to be admitted to medical school. Further, I think I'll be competitive at top 20 schools. However, I live in Indiana, and IU is a reasonably good medical school. I know it's nowhere near as prestigious as some other schools I have a shot at, but I'm wondering if it really matters where you go to med school in the end, as you are applying for residency programs. I know you have the 'prestige' factor coming from top schools...but I've heard class standing (AOA), LORs, and most importantly USMLE 1 scores are key for residency placement. Were I to go to IU and rank at the top of my class with great USMLEs, would the fact that I didn't go to a top 20 school preclude me from obtaining a competitive residency spot (ie derm or neurosurgery) or put me at a SIGNIFICANT disadvantage? There are top 20 schools I know I'd love being at just as much as being at IU, so I'm not really considering the 'pick a school that you'll be happy at' theory. I'd just like to get some well-informed feedback on the impact of prestige on residency placement.

 

[Tezzie]

1. Take the MCAT and see how you do.

2. Apply and get accepted.

Trying to choose schools before you even apply/are accepted is somewhat vain and stupid.

3. You assume that you are going to be at the top of your class. Wait until you actually make it there.


Oh and btw no Hopkins students matched for Dermatology this year. I hope that answers your question about prestige and difficult to get in residencies.

 

[Wednesday]

Roger,

A search on this topic will give you hours of reading. Once you do that, you will see that just about everyone has an opinion on this.

I second the above poster. Don't count your chickens before you even build the coup. 😉