Your views on Albany, Penn State, Eastern Virginia, St Louis, and Loma Linda

[JustCallMeDoc]

Can you guys please rank Albany, Penn State, Eastern Virginia, St. Louis, and Loma Linda in the order of which school you would like to go to?

And any info/opinions you have on any of those schools would be appreciated.

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[drizzt3117]

Can you guys please rank Albany, Penn State, Eastern Virginia, St. Louis, and Loma Linda in the order of which school you would like to go to?

And any info/opinions you have on any of those schools would be appreciated.

Why does it matter to you what random people think about these schools?

I would never go to LLU under any circumstances, but that doesn't mean you might like it...

 

[GonnaHappen]

Are you trying to decide where to attend?

This is like asking people their favorite color and then deciding what yours is based on their anwers. It doesn't matter if I like blue. What do YOU like?

And any info/opinions you have on any of those schools would be appreciated.

This is more appropriate though.

 

[Brent8927]

I think you should go where you felt the most comfortable and where you saw yourself being the happiest.

On the other hand, some people care more about saving money... Others want a higher ranked school. What exactly are you looking for in a program?

 

[Handy388]

I thought all of them have similar reputation except for Loma Linda, which got a KICK ASS proton accelerater.

 

[236116]

Can you guys please rank Albany, Penn State, Eastern Virginia, St. Louis, and Loma Linda in the order of which school you would like to go to?

And any info/opinions you have on any of those schools would be appreciated.

New York sucks, Norfolk is a black hole, IDC about St.Louis, and Loma Linda has weird religious rules.

PSU, on the other hand... is in Pennsylvania.

 

[Carlin]

I go to college in VA, so I know a fair few who have gone to EVMS, and all the students seem really happy, but I think they tend to attract a local population of students who really want to stay in that area. All of the people I know who go there, are from south eastern Virginia. I don't know if that will shape your opinion in any way, but it's just the info I have.

Regrading SLU, my very best friend in the whole world is in their 8 year undergrad/med program and she loves it. She's never doubted her decision to stay there through med school, so I suppose that reflects well on the school. The faculty is supposedly very supportive, and there's great camaraderie among the students. She's also Catholic and likes that it is a Jesuit school. You can make your own judgement on that.

I have no info on the other schools. Sorry!

 

[AdemTD]

Why are pre-meds so jacked up on which med schools are better than others? Does it really matter? You still get "M.D." on your hospital ID no matter where you go. I say if you're fortunate enough to get into any of these schools, then go.

 

[236116]

Why are pre-meds so jacked up on which med schools are better than others? Does it really matter? You still get "M.D." on your hospital ID no matter where you go. I say if you're fortunate enough to get into any of these schools, then go.

Sometimes matters for residency.
Sometimes matters for research.
Sometimes matters if you're looking for a specific weirdness.

And also your post has nothing to do with this thread.

 

[BlueElmo]

I would choose either Penn State or SLU.

 

[Handy388]

Why are pre-meds so jacked up on which med schools are better than others? Does it really matter? You still get "M.D." on your hospital ID no matter where you go. I say if you're fortunate enough to get into any of these schools, then go.

you also get a M.D. on your badge if you went to Xavier U of medicine, of course, the chance of getting that badge depends on where you go to school.

 

[JustCallMeDoc]

I'm asking for advice not because I want you all to choose which of these schools I will go to, but because it is really hard to get a feel of what the school is like from only a couple days there and interactions with only a few of the students.

So, any more info anyone has on any of these schools would be appreciated.

Also, apart from the "feel" of the school, what are the other most important aspects to look at in selecting a school?

 

[236116]

I'm asking for advice not because I want you all to choose which of these schools I will go to, but because it is really hard to get a feel of what the school is like from only a couple days there and interactions with only a few of the students.

So, any more info anyone has on any of these schools would be appreciated.

Also, apart from the "feel" of the school, what are the other most important aspects to look at in selecting a school?

whatever is important to YOU

 

[BJPENNSTATE]

you should go to penn state...the people there are supportive and insanely friendly...not the kinda fake friendliness that you find in a northeast school.

plus they care a lot about research and the humanistic side of medicine (lion care clinic...clinic for homeless or low income urban folks without medical care, the patient project..going to a chronically ill patient's home in ur 1st 2 years)

 

[BJPENNSTATE]

if u had to put a gun on my head and that i would have to rank it based on my opinions about fit, i would rank it as 1. Penn state 2. St. Louis 3. Albany 4. Eastern VA 5 Loma Linda..

can u really stay away from drinking and partying for 4 years? haha

 

[chessknt]

Which state are you a resident of and how important is your faith/what is your faith?

The answer to these two questions will have a significant impact on where you will like to go.

EVMS/Penn will be cheapest if you are a VA/PA resident, so consider that.
LLU will be the most faith-based school fi you are a 7th day Adventist.
SLU is a catholic university so you can stay really well connected to Catholics there (although you can probably do this anywhere).

 

[DrMattOglesby]

Can you guys please rank Albany, Penn State, Eastern Virginia, St. Louis, and Loma Linda in the order of which school you would like to go to?

And any info/opinions you have on any of those schools would be appreciated.

for me, this is how it played out:

Penn State > EVMS > Albany > St Louis > Loma Linda

I enjoyed the home-y environment of Penn State, their opportunities for research (a project is required as part of the MD curriculum), their mix of both PBL and didactic instruction (this was a big one for me), patient simulators, and their ever-expanding hospital (same building you take classes in)...as BJPENN said earlier--their Patient Project is quite unique and offers a great opportunity to connect with patients.

Two things I don't look forward to at Penn State are; 1) paying $60K/year and 2) snow in the winters.


PS: I was invited to interview at EVMS and Albany but declined due to acceptance at ATSU-SOMA and Penn State, respectively.
I never filled out Loma Linda's secondary...I realized I wasn't a good match for them based on their secondary alone.

 

[BJPENNSTATE]

for me, this is how it played out:

Penn State > EVMS > Albany > St Louis > Loma Linda

I enjoyed the home-y environment of Penn State, their opportunities for research (a project is required as part of the MD curriculum), their mix of both PBL and didactic instruction (this was a big one for me), patient simulators, and their ever-expanding hospital (same building you take classes in)...as BJPENN said earlier--their Patient Project is quite unique and offers a great opportunity to connect with patients.

Two things I don't look forward to at Penn State are; 1) paying $60K/year and 2) snow in the winters.


PS: I was invited to interview at EVMS and Albany but declined due to acceptance at ATSU-SOMA and Penn State, respectively.
I never filled out Loma Linda's secondary...I realized I wasn't a good match for them based on their secondary alone.

I thought ur going into HPSP matt...so free tuition, no?

 

[Handy388]

Penn state charge 60k for OOS?

Please, go to albany. Penn State is not worth the additionally 20 k a year.

go with the money among all those schools, their reputations are similar.

also, Penn state is out of no where, and do you REALLY, REALLY want PBL?

I know I stay away from PBL like I stay away from fire. (just studies better by myself)

 

[BJPENNSTATE]

Penn state charge 60k for OOS?

Please, go to albany. Penn State is not worth the additionally 20 k a year.

go with the money among all those schools, their reputations are similar.

also, Penn state is out of no where, and do you REALLY, REALLY want PBL?

I know I stay away from PBL like I stay away from fire. (just studies better by myself)

i think pennst is 47K a year for OOS (tuition)..but they give a lot of scholarships

 

[BJPENNSTATE]

albany's tuition for 2009 is 48K, plus the expensive cost of living in NY

 

[DrMattOglesby]

I thought ur going into HPSP matt...so free tuition, no?

nawh, i chose against the HPSP...might regret it later on, might not. But I just wasn't terribly gung-ho for it so I'm using loans for at least the 1st year. I am still considering their FAP though.

and thanks for clarifying that cost of attendance vs tuition on Penn State

 

[Jfasten]

Albany is not New York City. The cost of living there is not bad at all from what I have heard and read. I can't offer much advice about the other schools, but I was really pleasantly suprised by Albany and what it had to offer students.

 

[dragonfly99]

St. Louis U is a pretty good med school...I've known folks who have gone there. They have a good geriatrics division. I think that Penn would have higher prestige, if that floats your boat, but SLU is good enough to get you a solid residency if you do well. You don't see as many folks matching out @other programs for a lot of things that are hard to get, like urology and ortho, but I haven't heard any major complaints about the teaching. Their teaching hospital is all right, though it was sold to a for profit hospital a while back I know - not sure if/how that affects the education on the clinical rotations. They have nice classrooms, b/c they built a new education building not too many years ago. It does have expensive tuition, but cost of living in St Louis would be << some big northeastern cities. It gets quit hot and humid in summer, but doesn't stay really cold for long in winter. I don't get the feeling that the Catholicism is pushed on students there, though b/c they feed some students in from their undergrad, and b/c St Louis has a good amount of Catholic folks, there are probably a > normal number of Catholic students. Loma Linda - you might want to check out what the rules are r.e. religion, etc., b/c I heard they require certain things from you...or you might feel out of place if you aren't their religion? EVMS - I think is more of a regional school.

I think you need to decide more what you want in a school - do you want Penn State or SLU b/c you want more of a national student body, do you want to try for an in state school for your state, to save money? Do you like primary care a lot or think you might specialize?

 

[Handy388]

albany's tuition for 2009 is 48K, plus the expensive cost of living in NY

where did you get that info?

42873 is the tuition and fee for 2007-08 school year at albany. I think the cost of living is comparable.

Personally it would come down to fin aid for me. I would not shell out an additionally 4k a year for penn state.

Seriously, Albany is a pleasant city and I thought the school was a very nice place.

 

[BlueElmo]

for me, this is how it played out:

Penn State > EVMS > Albany > St Louis > Loma Linda

I enjoyed the home-y environment of Penn State, their opportunities for research (a project is required as part of the MD curriculum), their mix of both PBL and didactic instruction (this was a big one for me), patient simulators, and their ever-expanding hospital (same building you take classes in)...as BJPENN said earlier--their Patient Project is quite unique and offers a great opportunity to connect with patients.

Two things I don't look forward to at Penn State are; 1) paying $60K/year and 2) snow in the winters.


PS: I was invited to interview at EVMS and Albany but declined due to acceptance at ATSU-SOMA and Penn State, respectively.
I never filled out Loma Linda's secondary...I realized I wasn't a good match for them based on their secondary alone.

hey, DrMatt, is Penn State Pass/No Pass? Also, do they rank students?
I think these two points would be a huge part of where I choose to attend medical school.

How about SLU? I'm interested in both schools.

 

[nogolfinsnow]

albany's tuition for 2009 is 48K, plus the expensive cost of living in NY

Albany is much, much, much, much, much, much, much cheaper than NYC. Except for the winter heating bills.

 

[BJPENNSTATE]

hey, DrMatt, is Penn State Pass/No Pass? Also, do they rank students?
I think these two points would be a huge part of where I choose to attend medical school.

How about SLU? I'm interested in both schools.

blue elmo..pennst is not p/np...its honors, high pass, pass, fail. and they do rank you....like if ur the #1-30 students out of 120...ur gonna get a sweet letter from the director (highly recommended), #31-60 student..then ur gonna be recommended...#61-120...they're gonna recommend you to the residencies, but they dont mention that you have recognition.

that's what i got from the interview experience. these numbers are just estimations

 

[Handy388]

ranking like that promote in class competition though.

 

[BlueElmo]

ranking like that promote in class competition though.

Which could be a good or a bad thing, depending on your outlook.

 

[Suenya]

Of them, I prefer Penn State (I'm on their hold list, so if you don't prefer it that would make me happy hehe). The only other one I applied to was Albany, on your list.

Location is something to consider. Penn State is in the middle of nowhere. When my wife and I went to it for my interview, she couldn't believe how in the middle of nowhere it was. I don't love Albany, but I think many people would prefer to live there than in Hershey. Honestly, I actually like living in a small town, so Penn State appeals to me more because of it, but I know alot of people who would hate living there. You might want to consider what type of environment you want to live in during the next four years, and the school itself isn't the only part of that environment.

 

[Conky]

albany's tuition for 2009 is 48K, plus the expensive cost of living in NY

sorry, but that's stupid. it's not ny city. average rent for a nice place is going to work out to about 400 bucks a person.

 

[BJPENNSTATE]

i stated NY..not NYC...NY=new york...i estimated the tuition because every medical school that i interview at says that tuition increases 3% each year. so if its 42K in 2007-2008...then it'll be 45K in 2008-09 and 48K in 09-10.