Yale: Pros & Cons

[ice_23]

SDN'ers,

So I was wondering if you guys could give me some feedback about Yale. I want to hear about pros and cons, but especially cons, because I think I am starting to fall in love with it...

The pros that I have are that they have a lot of money for research projects, and they seem to have great financial aid for ppl who are needy.

Gimme some cons, please (besides the fact that it is in New Haven, which I discount, because I went there and didnt think it was too bad. 🙂).

Thanks,

Ice

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[exilio]

 

[goobernaculum]

the main thing i hear is that the curriculum/grading system is too lax, and that the graduates come out kinda soft. but then again...that's a positive thing to a lot of people these days.

a rumor i heard (i don't believe it though) is that residency programs don't like yale grads for the above reason. but i THINK their match list is decent. someone from yale should address this though.

 

[boomuntilnoon]

I attend an undergraduate liberal arts college that has a similar curriculum to that of Yale Med, in that there is a pass/fail grading system, a thesis requirement, and a general lax of requirements (read: lawlessness). I would suspect that as the other poster mentioned, graduates of Yale Med tend to come across as "soft" because alumni from my school are the same way. The education is probably great, but just like my school, your peers will get on your last nerve with their flakyness. Everyone is trying so hard to be unique and highly individualistic, but in the end, the atmosphere becomes very monotonous and those who do stand out will likely be criticized by their peers.

That said, I feel like I can accomplish anything once I graduate from my school... but I would never repeat the experience, hence why I did not apply to Yale, despite the immense educational opportunities there.

 

[Lux Aeterna]

Yale match list 2003: http://info.med.yale.edu/external/pubs/ym_su03/students.html

Looks good to me!

Ice, is Yale turning out to be your definite #1?

The cons besides location that I can think of are just tangentially related to the curriculum... i.e. what an awesome place for an EXTREMELY self-motivated person, but do you need a bit more institutionalized discipline in a medical curriculum?

I have to admit I didn't think of even applying to Yale until late November cuz of all the + feedback here on SDN. When I read more about it, it sounded really great. Now I just hope for an interview 🙂

good luck you will have some great choices!

 

[bigbaubdi]

Location aside, I can't think of any cons associated with Yale. The only thing that I can think of from my interview day was that some of the students said that there were quite a few gunners in their class. One of the students I met divided the class up into two groups - those who played basketball on Friday afternoons and those who didn't.

That said, Yale seems to be a place full of great opportunities for research and community service. They give you enough time and flexibility to go after your interests - it is up to you to go after them. I can't think of a better system.

 

[NYCheartlMD]

every place has its pros and cons. the system could be a cons for someone but a pro for someone else... you have to decide what works best for your personality, study habbits and goals.

 

[emanresu]

My Cons: (waiting for an interview, perhaps?)
If the mercury falls below 50 degrees Farenheit, I?m cold. It would be nice if Yale had a lower latitude.
Also, the tuition is about twice as much as that of my state schools.

My Pros:
Yale appears committed to a diverse, population-based approach to medical education (medicine, society, and public health series). They seem especially cognizant of the need to bridge medicine and public health.
Also, Yale?s curriculum is likely the most flexible of all medical schools.

 

[cytotech27]

I work at Yale SOM and live in New Haven. All I can say is that the attendings I work with in my department are not happy with the med students, in that they are extremely lazy, her words not mine. She also says they are appreciative of the extra time she gives them though. That said I am sure it is a great school and the biggest building on the entire campus is devoted solely to research. I like living here, but after having my bike stolen (it was locked in front of my building) and worrying about my car being parked here, I will be moving to the burbs soon. Also, I have not met an attending at yale-new haven hospital who actually graduated from yale, I thought that was weird. To all potential applicants: I heard in the halls fram an adcom doc complaining about applicants that apply without having org2 (I don't know why someone would), just a head's up.

 

[Tezzie]

Huge Con for me : Location, Location, Location

 

[bigbaubdi]

Originally posted by cytotech27
I work at Yale SOM and live in New Haven. All I can say is that the attendings I work with in my department are not happy with the med students, in that they are extremely lazy, her words not mine.

I imagine that Yale's policy can bring out the best and worst in people. For some, no grades can be an excuse for completely slacking off whereas others may blossom in an environment that gives you a lot of leeway.

IMHO, Yale has the best curriculum of all medical schools but as others have pointed out, the location is a turn off.

 

[Tezzie]

Originally posted by bigbaubdi
I imagine that Yale's policy can bring out the best and worst in people. For some, no grades can be an excuse for completely slacking off whereas others may blossom in an environment that gives you a lot of leeway.

True. But the majority of people who get into Yale are people who are used to working hard. Maybe a couple may slack off because they got burned from overworking over the years but for the most part i would say that they find people who "blossom" under the Yale system.

 

[bigbaubdi]

Originally posted by Tezzie
True. But the majority of people who get into Yale are people who are used to working hard. Maybe a couple may slack off because they got burned from overworking over the years but for the most part i would say that they find people who "blossom" under the Yale system.

I agree with you for the most part however I wonder why other medical schools haven't done away with grades or ranking systems (H/P/F)?

Shouldn't all medical students be independent learners who don't need to be coerced into learning?

 

[klooless]

Originally posted by bigbaubdi
I agree with you for the most part however I wonder why other medical schools haven't done away with grades or ranking systems (H/P/F)?

...Stanford?

 

[bigbaubdi]

Let me amend that - why haven't all or most medical schools done away with grades?

 

[bewitched1081]

yale's grading scheme is very unique. i dont think they ever give out grades plus all of the tests are anonymous. i think it definitely comes down to what suits you best. at the interview, they stress that the school needs to fit you. it is definitely nothing like pre-med. it seems like at yale it's all about what you desire to learn and to research. but the great thing is that they give you amazing opportunities and support for whatever it is that you wish to do.

 

[JohnHolmes]

Originally posted by bigbaubdi
Location aside, I can't think of any cons associated with Yale. The only thing that I can think of from my interview day was that some of the students said that there were quite a few gunners in their class. One of the students I met divided the class up into two groups - those who played basketball on Friday afternoons and those who didn't.

That said, Yale seems to be a place full of great opportunities for research and community service. They give you enough time and flexibility to go after your interests - it is up to you to go after them. I can't think of a better system.

Not that I don't believe you, but how could someone even TRY to be a gunner with no grades. I mean, what are they trying to compete for? Why would you not share your notes and materials with someone if there isn't even a P/F but not grades whatsoever?

I would imagine such people are huge tools and have probably been that way their entire life so they don't know how to behave differently.

Coops

 

[Steinway]

the football team sucks ass

 

[Petitpois]

Originally posted by Cooper_Wriston
Not that I don't believe you, but how could someone even TRY to be a gunner with no grades. I mean, what are they trying to compete for? Why would you not share your notes and materials with someone if there isn't even a P/F but not grades whatsoever?

I would imagine such people are huge tools and have probably been that way their entire life so they don't know how to behave differently.

Coops

I think there will be gunners at every school regardless of grading scale for many reasons. One off the top of my head is that some people definitely know they want to specialize in something like derm or neuro from the start and want to rock their boards.

Also, I think all schools can't do away with grades because not all medical students aren't equally innately driven and motivated to study. Some of the schools I interviewed at that had lower admissions standards may have had P/F for at least a year, but what I noticied is that they tended to have more in class hours and frequent exams to keep their students on track.

 

[hale-bopp]

Originally posted by bigbaubdi
Let me amend that - why haven't all or most medical schools done away with grades?

because few academic INSTITUTIONS believe that their students are capable of making good decisions without coercion and competition...

 

[JohnHolmes]

Originally posted by Petitpois
I think there will be gunners at every school regardless of grading scale for many reasons. One off the top of my head is that some people definitely know they want to specialize in something like derm or neuro from the start and want to rock their boards.

The problem is people who believe its ok to screw over their colleague and not help their buddy are going to become doctors.

What are they going to say when a doctor asks them for their opinion on some medical condition for a patient?

"No way, find your own @%^# answer!" ???? 😕

 

[Harps]

Grading isn't an issue, for everyone has to do well on the USLMLE....I believe Yale medical students scores very well. I liked the feel of the town...
When I interviewed, not a single student mentioned anthing about gunners. In fact, everyone seemed really chilled. I had a chance to help with some setup for the medical school Diwali show....its just a great atmosphere to study medicine.

-Harps

 

[ice_23]

Originally posted by Steinway
the football team sucks ass

LOL, do I sense a partiality towards a certain school with a good football program (read: Michigan)? 🙂🙂

-Ice

 

[indiamacbean]

When I was picking schools, I passed Yale by for a couple of reasons. First is that the Yale New Haven teaching hospital system isn't as developed and extensive as many other schools of its caliber. Also, from discussion with various attendings at UCSF where I was working at the time, Yale has incredible training/connections for basic/translational research oriented careers but its clinical training might not be the greatest. Finally, Yale surgery as a whole just wasn't as good as the other schools I was picking from. Yale is an amazing school but I think that it has a narrow range of ideal students: self motivated, tolerant of living in a crappy neighberhood, strong ambition to pursue an academic career and ideally interested in medicine or a medicine subspecialty. No one should be unhappy going to Yale and I think it is a great school for the right person.

--PittMed2007--