Yale vs. Northwestern (Feinberg)

[cassidy_grace2325]

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Yale
Pros

• Love the class size of 90
• Adcoms and students really seem to love it
• Really interested in the Yale system, given that I’ve always seen myself as someone who likes to take unconventional paths through medicine
• 90 mins from nyc, where the majority of my friends are living (but I’m too apprehensive to move to!)
• New Haven is cheaper than other places I’ve been accepted into
• Prestige that could be leveraged in a career in academic medicine
• Match lists on the west coast which is where I want to end up
• Medical school with the happiest students (rumored/reputation)

Cons

• Yale system might be too much freedom; I really like going to lectures and having set assignments
• I don’t have a lot of friends actually in New Haven, and I don’t really know what there is to do there
• Safety of New Haven??
• Not as many student organizations available
• Majority of the students take optional research year, which makes me concerned that if I don’t I may not be ready for residency through the Yale system
• No immediate family nearby
• Can’t get an actual read on the students

Northwestern
Pros

• Immediate family lives nearby, as whole family has ties to Chicago (family on faculty, sibling at undergrad campus)
• Chicago as a city is amazing, especially where Feinberg is located
• Love the student groups available, especially in vivo
• pre-existing relationships mean access to research mentors would be really easy and plentiful
• West coast match list
• Prentice hospital is amazing, especially because I’m interested in women’s health

Cons

• I’m not all that excited or invigorated by the curriculum? Seems very standard, which isn’t always a bad thing
• Class size of 150 is a bit big for what I had in mind for myself
• Potentially slightly less prestigious? I honestly can’t tell, and the main reason I look at prestige is because I’d love to pursue academic medicine

Summary: I won’t have financial aid packages from either school for a bit, but am expecting them to be about to same! Although I’m waiting to hear back from some more schools, I think it will ultimately come down to these two. From the south originally but went to school in New England, want to do residency in the west coast, interested in OBGYN academic medicine. Thank you!!

 

[jvquarterback]

I’d go based on financial aid packages. Prestige is a wash. OB gyn residency should be straight forward on the west coast from either program. Just set up away rotations at UCSF and Stanford your fourth year.

 

[neymarpluto]

Very difficult decision but you cannot wrong so you are really blessed. In terms of prestige both are great but maybe Yale is slightly higher ranked overall (although NW is ranked higher by PDs). OBGYN would be easy to match from both programs if you have some research and a step 2 score. I would look at the financial packages and maybe go to both second looks. Curriculum wise both are great but I persoanlly think Yale just has more freedom which I like. If I was picking blindly without any financial or living considerations I would probably go Yale at the end.

 

[newkungfukenny]

BOOLA BOOLA

I'm also unsure about Yale System for the same reasons, but I can speak on New Haven since I went there for undergrad. To be frank and to the point: it is really like any other city in that you shouldn't walk around alone at night type of thing. But it certainly is not an inherently dangerous city ESPECIALLY the part of town yale and the med school are in. There's a ton of resources to also aid you in walking to and from places if you need and a pretty good shuttle system on top of it.

But beyond that, I would say in medicine, prestige here is truly a wash. Both schools are gonna get you where you need to go, no question. I would say SLW and financial aid packages should sway you the most once you pick up on vibes of both locations and a set price tag

 

[king10000]

I can speak on Yale because i did a lot of research on it.

Imo, you get out of med school what you put in. If you're going to fail, you will, whether you have structure or not.

Yale accepted YOU because they think you'll do well in the system, so I don't think you should be worried about the flexibility. That's actually the best thing about it. You're going to be an attending one day, and you will call the shots.

Think about it this way, you're going into med school not as a student, but as an adult. You already went to undergrad. You did well. You got in because you were impressive in undergrad. At this point of your career, you're training to become the type of physician you want to be, and yale is probably the best place for that. You'll do great.

I am no expect tho

 

[cassidy_grace2325]

BOOLA BOOLA

I'm also unsure about Yale System for the same reasons, but I can speak on New Haven since I went there for undergrad. To be frank and to the point: it is really like any other city in that you shouldn't walk around alone at night type of thing. But it certainly is not an inherently dangerous city ESPECIALLY the part of town yale and the med school are in. There's a ton of resources to also aid you in walking to and from places if you need and a pretty good shuttle system on top of it.

But beyond that, I would say in medicine, prestige here is truly a wash. Both schools are gonna get you where you need to go, no question. I would say SLW and financial aid packages should sway you the most once you pick up on vibes of both locations and a set price tag

This is so good to know, thank you!!! Did you feel as though there were lots of things to do? I know it's not a New York or Chicago (I'm actually okay with this), but wanted to make sure there were communities to be engaged with. I hope to see you at SLW, I went to the rival school up north and am excited to see New Haven sober and outside of a football game 😉

 

[cassidy_grace2325]

I can speak on Yale because i did a lot of research on it.

Imo, you get out of med school what you put in. If you're going to fail, you will, whether you have structure or not.

Yale accepted YOU because they think you'll do well in the system, so I don't think you should be worried about the flexibility. That's actually the best thing about it. You're going to be an attending one day, and you will call the shots.

Think about it this way, you're going into med school not as a student, but as an adult. You already went to undergrad. You did well. You got in because you were impressive in undergrad. At this point of your career, you're training to become the type of physician you want to be, and yale is probably the best place for that. You'll do great.

I am no expect tho

This is so kind. Thank you thank you thank you. I'm really excited, and feel like my heart is with Yale. Time to wait for some more decisions!

 

[Mangoenthusiast]

My 2 cents on the 5 years thing … in competitive specialties, like the ones that Yale tends to match a lot of students into, taking an extra year for research is become a soft requirement. Due to Step 1 and preclerkships becoming P/F, research productivity is a huge metric, and it’s not possible to have that productivity without a research year usually. I’ve also heard that Yale students are highly motivated (that’s why they pick them to go through the Yale system), and that often times they’ll take the extra year just cuz there’s something cool they want to do (ex. Someone trying to match peds taking a research year, not cuz they need to but there’s a cool thing they want to look at). Definitely not a requirement and the Yale system should prepare you well (definitely talk to current students though, I’m a premed who knows nothing)

 

[TheGOOD_MD_slimreaper]

It would be very hard for me to give up Yale for another school. The stress-free environment is unmatched, and you can match anywhere you want?

 

[DoneDone3451]

Yale, dont think twice.

 

[cassidy_grace2325]

I heard back from another school so I think I'm going to need to redo this hahahaha. But thank you!!

Yale, dont think twice.

 

[DoneDone3451]

I heard back from another school so I think I'm going to need to redo this hahahaha. But thank you!!

Saw it was Columbia?! If that's the case, I don't blame you! I personally still would pick Yale, but at that point, you are splitting hairs; both programs can set you up to place anywhere and in anything and will offer the resources that you need. I look forward to seeing the next post, though!

 

[cassidy_grace2325]

Saw it was Columbia?! If that's the case, I don't blame you! I personally still would pick Yale, but at that point, you are splitting hairs; both programs can set you up to place anywhere and in anything and will offer the resources that you need. I look forward to seeing the next post, though!

THANK YOU! Making it right now🙂 this is a super helpful perspective to have. I truly whip back and forth and back and forth

 

[DoneDone3451]

THANK YOU! Making it right now🙂 this is a super helpful perspective to have. I truly whip back and forth and back and forth

Also saw your signature, wild to think 12 programs denied you when THE BEST medical schools in the country accepted you, just shows how ass backwards this whole process can be and unexplainably random. Either way, you are going to be a physician at a great program, what a moment.