Why no love for Georgetown?

[blueSkies]

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Hey guys,
I've noticed a bit of antipathy towards Georgetown lately. . .can anyone enlighten me as to why? I have an interview with them on 3 Jan and I'm getting the feeling I don't know something that y'all know. Much obliged,

-Blue Skies

 

[lola]

yeah, i don't know why either. i recently just got invited for an interview and am psyched! i almost went there for undergrad and think it would be a great place to go to med school.

 

[surfdevl02]

I'll probably be there Jan. 16th...hope to see some SDNers there! I probably want to see this place for myself...

 

[dancer7]

i had an interview on nov. 15 and i loved the school. yes, the facilities are definately not the best i've seen but the students are INCREDIBLY happy. i stayed with two girls the night before an anatomy exam and they were still both really really enthousistic about the place. i also know a 4th year there and he loves it. all of them said they liked the school just as much as their undergrad schools - and all of them went to really fun undergrads. additionally, i loved their mission statement. i got into rochester which is ranked considerably higher and i would have a hard time turning down georgetown if i get in. go, interview, and see what kind of feeling you get there. i loved it.

 

[scootad.]

I would take the advice you get here with a grain of salt. Remember these are your competition. They dont want you to interview at Georgetown to open up one more potential spot for them to get their foot in the door!

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by scootad.
I would take the advice you get here with a grain of salt. Remember these are your competition. They dont want you to interview at Georgetown to open up one more potential spot for them to get their foot in the door!

LOL. The conspiracy theorists are out in force in pre-allo and in the lounge. Did someone bust out some fake advice or what? Why the sudden distrust of everyone?

 

[Tremblez]

I have to agree that the nay-sayers are likely the minority on SDN. People going into medicine must have some degree of altruism. I would hope that people can see past the competition element of medical school and provide honest advice and support. What is the point of fighting to be in a profession if all of your colleagues are concerned with their own self-interests?

 

[Trix]

I cancelled my interview (sched. for 12/06) when I got into UCSD, but they have an awesome curriculum and an interesting view towards medicine.

For me it came down to cost, and location, but primarily the cost. I am a Cali resident, and the thought of paying (or I should say my husband paying) an extra $100,000 was hard to swallow.

 

[doctor girl]

Originally posted by Tremblez
I have to agree that the nay-sayers are likely the minority on SDN.

I think they are too. But one person who gives a negative review can outshadow fifty people who say that they like a school.

Congrats on your interview blueSkies !!

They have one of the best reputations of any school in the country! And their medical school is very well respected despite their fall from U.S. News; but that list is soooo political, that I don't put that much faith in it. (Again, not that statistics mean anything, but Georgetown's acceptance rates are one of the lowest of all medical schools since they get so many applicants.)

Make the most of your interview!

 

[Kovox]

I think what made me iffy about GTOWN is their buildings/facilities are so ancient and the insides are so nasty looking(extreme major ew compared to other med schools)...shrug but otherwise, I liked the curriculum and especially the shopping/community around it.

 

[Kovox]

Oh, I forgot to mention that my pre med advisor advised me not to attend GTOWN MED because he thinks that with the problems they've been having with their hospitals with having a rep for using dirty needles, med students doing inappropriate things during rotation or whatever, that it is not worht the cost to attend the school but that is just HIS opinion.

Um, yeah that's all I know.

But hey, just go to your interview with an open heart and unbiased mind, make the most out of the experience and decide for yourself 🙂

Good Luck

 

[CaNEM]

Originally posted by scootad.
I would take the advice you get here with a grain of salt. Remember these are your competition. They dont want you to interview at Georgetown to open up one more potential spot for them to get their foot in the door!

I would take scootad's advice here with TWO grains of salt. Remember, he is your competition. He wants you to think that the others are all against you, so that you will then retaliate and turn against them, you will all destroy each other in a firey explosion, creating more potential spots for scootad to get his foot in the door!

uh, yeah, or something like that 😉

 

[Nirvana]

Hi Kovox - At what undergraduate school are you taking your pre med?

If there were "rumors" about dirty needles, that would be ALL OVER the news!!

Originally posted by Kovox
Oh, I forgot to mention that my pre med advisor advised me not to attend GTOWN MED because he thinks that with the problems they've been having with their hospitals with having a rep for using dirty needles, med students doing inappropriate things during rotation or whatever, that it is not worht the cost to attend the school but that is just HIS opinion.

Um, yeah that's all I know.

But hey, just go to your interview with an open heart and unbiased mind, make the most out of the experience and decide for yourself 🙂

Good Luck

 

[Kovox]

Originally posted by Nirvana
Hi Kovox - At what undergraduate school are you taking your pre med?

If there were "rumors" about dirty needles, that would be ALL OVER the news!!

Hi Nirv:

haha ut oh I don't think I am going to tell you which of my pre med advisors said that ( I went to three universities cuz I am a transfer dork).

And about the news thing...it was in the news. I'm an MD resident and so it's pretty much common knowledge here. You can look it up on google about some problems with GTOWN's handling of stuff.

But like I said, it's just my pre med advisor's opinion.

I really liked GTOWN, except for its buildings.😀

 

[Lady MD]

Originally posted by Kovox
You can look it up on google about some problems with GTOWN's handling of stuff.

[...]I really liked GTOWN, except for its buildings.😀

I know that reports have mentioned GTOWN's "handling of stuff" involving their financial situation.

But I never heard of dirty needles being reported.

That's a lot different from "mishandling" things. If there's an article specifically on dirty needles, what's its URL?

 

[CTIL]

Georgetown is a great place, but I'm not sure if its worth the price-tag, plus the huge cost of living in D.C. I interviewed there in October and felt kinda lukewarm about the place. The admissions pitch was pretty annoying. If you interview there you will soon know what I'm talking about. Overall though, G-town is a great school in a great location, so it might be worth checking out. I withdrew my application, so that's one less you have to compete against.

 

[The Chronic MD]

Why do a lot of people hate on G'Town? Cuz they didn't get in! And then they use the "financial troubles" and "older buildings" as a scapegoat. When it comes down to it, G'Town is good for some people and bad for others. Don't let a bunch of hardcore pre-meds make that decision for you...By the way, that "dirty needles" thing is absolutely bulls**t!

 

[jennyx]

Supposely I can't say much about GTOWN sinceI have already received rejection letter from them w/o an interview, even I have been accepted by one of top 10 med schools and some other good schools. I still couldn't understand the reason they rejected me, except I received my B.S. oversea. But this itself told me something suspicious about GTOWN's "international friendly" atmosphere and their attitude towards students with different ethnic backgrounds.

Well, given the opportunity, it still worths trying.

 

[cg1]

Originally posted by The Chronic MD
By the way, that "dirty needles" thing is absolutely bulls**t!

Seriously. Are people stupid enough to think that they can start ridculous rumors like that and that they will be believed?

I mean jeesh! Talk about slanderous allegations.

 

[sponch]

And no, I'm not trying to deter my "competition" from interviewing here so a spot is freed up for me.

Pros
- The school cares about you and your education
- You get to do your clinical rotations one of the major hospitals in the country
- You will get a good residency match if you deliver in terms of grades, USMLE, and LORs. The Georgetown name is not a liability.
- You get to live in D.C., though this may be a Con for some people.

Cons
- It's expensive, +50K/yr!
- The buildings are run down, the worst I've seen of all the schools where I interviewed
- No on campus housing and off campus housing is expensive

 

[DW]

i'd have to concur with sponch for the most part. hey, gtown is a great school. it has its problems just like any other med school i've interviewed at. if you have an interview there, GO!! seriously, some people might complain the interview day is a little long but miss sullivan's perspective on the school will make it very clear whether you'd want to go there or not (as opposed to the incredibly fluffy "we have no weaknesses" bs some schools try to propogate). By far the most informative interview day i've seen.

gtown is great i thought, just the curriculum seems a little too traditional for my tastes. but go see for yourself 🙂

 

[whyadoctor?]

if you think georgetown is run down, check out albany.

 

[Lady MD]

Pros
- The school cares about you and your education
- You get to do your clinical rotations one of the major hospitals in the country
- You will get a good residency match if you deliver in terms of grades, USMLE, and LORs. The Georgetown name is not a liability.
- You get to live in D.C., though this may be a Con for some people.

Cons
- It's expensive, +50K/yr!

Yes, it's expensive, but I think it's worth it if you see the results on Match Day.

Georgetown has one of the most reputable names in all of academia.

Its name alone could possibly be worth the extra money...but that's for each student to decide what kind of investment they want to make.

 

[ScreamingTreesRule]

Originally posted by Lady MD
Yes, it's expensive, but I think it's worth it if you see the results on Match Day.

Georgetown has one of the most reputable names in all of academia.

Its name alone could possibly be worth the extra money...but that's for each student to decide what kind of investment they want to make.

Here's a question:

What's the average price of medical school (allopathic and in the U.S. of course)?

I'm guessing it's around $40k. So, while an extra $10k is twenty five percent more, it's a drop in the bucket of what you'll make as a doctor. In the long run, we will all have to pay off a huge debt. What's an extra $40k? To some that may be a big deal. To others, it's just kept into perspective and seen as a means to get them a better residency in the end.

 

[surfdevl02]

Lady MD-

How does the match list for Georgetown look anyhow?

 

[CatsAreKillers]

Hello surfdevl02,

You could probably find a link on the 'net if you did a search.

The students there get highly competitive spots. Especially in surgery subspecialties.

 

[manicmaven]

I liked the fact that the students score so high on the boards. The classes and exams seemed to be geared toward doing well on the USMLE. Overall, the pros out weighed the cons for me at Gtown. I would definitely consider going if I'm accepted.

 

[surfdevl02]

Catsarekillers-

How do you know their students get highly competitive residencies??? Do you know how they do in ortho surgery? I've done an exhaustive search on google and can't seem to find anything that shows Gtown's match list...i don't think they publish it. Do they give you a list when you go interview? If so, can someone that has it scan it in? Thanks!

 

[blueSkies]

Guys,
thanks for all the inputs. . .will be down there interviewing next Friday. . .will be prepared for the opening speech by the interview coordinator. . .thanks for the heads up!

-Blue Skies

 

[samyjay]

They sent me the match list in the mail, since i requested it. I can scan it when i get back to school, but they are not lying when they say it is amazing, there are 16 orthopedics on it

 

[surfdevl02]

Thanks Samyjay! Wow....16 orthos in one year is amazing...almost to the point where you question the honestly of that sheet....does anyone have the match list they could scan and send to me? I really wanna see this for myself....thanks again Samyjay, i wonder why they have great competitive matches yet the rep for the school is so bad....hmm....

 

[Tuesday Weld]

16. That's really amazing.

I'm not sure why you say that the "rep for the school is so bad". There are some whiners on SDN, but don't let 1 or 2 complainers taint your image of a school.

Nationally, Georgetown's name is considered one of the best in all of the academic community, and their medical school was ranked up until last year by US NEWS, so I'm not sure why you're wondering about their "rep". 😕

Originally posted by surfdevl02
Thanks Samyjay! Wow....16 orthos in one year is amazing...almost to the point where you question the honestly of that sheet....does anyone have the match list they could scan and send to me? I really wanna see this for myself....thanks again Samyjay, i wonder why they have great competitive matches yet the rep for the school is so bad....hmm....

 

[samyjay]

Since i am bored, and i am going to a spanish bar in an hour, ill type some "competitive" specifics of the match list, since i wont scan it for another 2 weeks or so


17 Orthopedic
6 Neuro
1 plastic
5 Urology
2 Dermatology
1 ENT

if you guys want any more numbers, just PM or post, good luck!

p.s. I really liked Georgetowns philosphy when i went there, and the class on the whole is quite attractive (not to mention, the undergrad is right there, and they have a nursing school 😉)

Happy new year

 

[ScreamingTreesRule]

Nationally, Georgetown's name is considered one of the best in all of the academic community

Speaking of which, did anyone see NightLine tonight? The piece was the college admissions process for the Top schools of the country and how absolutely competitive it is to get into the most prestigious schools.

Guess which University they featured?

Yep. Georgetown.

Whoever told you that they don't have a good rep doesn't know what they're talking about. Saying that Georgetown doesn't have a good name is like saying the same thing about Johns Hopkins or Chicago?? They're not making sense if they say that 😕
(or they're jealous that you got an interview because they're one of the most selective schools in the U.S.).

Georgetown has one of the best names in the country. Good luck !

 

[surfdevl02]

Sorry Screamingtreesrule, i didn't mean to imply that gtown doesn't have a reputable name but it can be argued that their reputation in the medical realm doesn't match their undergrad and other graduate school reps...that's all i'm saying. It's a great university as we can all see from Samyjay's examples but for some reason, which i'm unaware of, they don't seem to garner the same attention for their medical school.....maybe because of their financial problems, who knows...

 

[ScreamingTreesRule]

Hi surfdevl02 - My comments weren't directed towards you. They were concerning the original premise of the OP's first message about how they heard from someone that Georgetown doesn't have a good reputation. I was just prompted to write it after I saw the NightLine feature.

Sorry to imply otherwise. 😀

 

[surfdevl02]

Did the Nightline piece look specifically at the undergrad school specifically??

My friend today who went to gtown undergrad told me she knows some kids at the med school that really hate life while they're in their 3rd year cause they work so much but that on match day it pays off for them....i guess if you're willing to put in the grueling hours gtown may be right for you....

 

[coolwaters]

I was accepted at Georgetown in November. I loved the school when I interviewed there and was very excited to receive my acceptance.

Since getting accepted, however, I have had a couple of my friends who are currently interviewiing for residency positions discourage me from attending - or more accurately, they tell me to be cautious when I'm making my decision. Both of my friends attend medical school in Virginia (UVA and MCV). Apparently, both of their residency advisors have advised them not to apply to Georgetown for residency. Apperently the university has lost some faculty since the hospital went through the restructuring period. In addition, for residents, there is the possiblitiy of having a residency program cut in the middle for lack of funding. This is how it applies to us: as medical students, part of your training during the clinical years is from residents. If you don't have good residents at your school, your training will be sacrificed. I don't know what kind of finanical state the hospital is currently in, I which I knew. It does worry me, however, that both of my friends - who will be excellent doctors and are applying to top programs around the country - were told not to apply to Georgetown.

food for though. If anyone has insite or knowledge as to the real state of G"town's financial situation, I would be very curious to hear. I want to be excited about this school, however what I've heard has given me pause.

Thanks,

Coolwaters

 

[surfdevl02]

aint that a b*tch......

 

[surfdevl02]

What is ENT? And i have never understood why Dermatology and ortho are so competitive? Is there one specific reason???

 

[samyjay]

These are competitive simply because of Supply and Demand. Derm is highly coveted because it is a "posh" 9-5 type of job, with no calls. There are only a fixed number of positions, and a great number of people vying for them. ENT is ear, nose, and throat surgeon, better known as Otolaryngology. Also, it is what i have heard talking to M4 and interns as "competive" residencies. hope that helps

 

[surfdevl02]

Gtown match list for internal medicine, if anyone is interested, i'm not sure how reputable these schools are for internal:

http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/adamsm/

 

[samyjay]

I just scanned the match list for Georgetown. PM if you want me to email it to you

 

[GuesswhozBizzak]

They show no love for me! Just joking. I think it would have been great to have been accepted to Georgetown, but unfortunately I just got my rejection letter (pre-interview) yesterday. I was kind of bummed, but gotta keep my spirits up for the 2 interviews I have coming up at the end of this month and early Feb. Hopefully those interviews go well, and 4 years from now I'll be able to look back and say "whatever"!

~JZ