DREXEL vs. EVMS vs. VCU

[ackaze]

I’m very indecisive so plz help <3
some background: I am from Northern Virginia. I am unsure about specialty, but interested in Pediatric Oncology, OB/GYN, or Gen Surgery.

I am waitlisted at VCU and EVMS (top tier), but in the case I get off should I choose the cheaper options?…

DREXEL:
Pros:

• major city- more fun throughout medical school. I am familiar with Philly, so adjusting would be easy
• My best friends are all in New Jersey or NYC, so it would be a good support system
• New med building in downtown Philly next to Penn Hospital and CHOP + research opportunities
• Away rotations → get to see different hospitals and make more connections

Cons:

• Expensive (~$66k tuition per year → COA of $100k)
• the reputation of the school isn't the best? Due to closing of its teaching hospital
• Lottery for clinicals and rotations for years 3 and 4 (can’t really plan where you’re going)

EVMS:
Pros:

• In-state; cheapest out of the 3 options (~$35k per year → COA $67-74k)
• EVMS's exams are all based on NBME material
• clinical training sites close to the school
• Good reputation in its local community

Cons:

• I don't know anyone in Norfolk (family is ~4 hours away) & I like cities more than suburb
• Program very focused on primary care
• During my interview, they mentioned a lot about EVMS alums being involved in politics. They also a bit old school
• Merging with Old Dominion University soon, not sure how that will affect the med school

VCU:
Pros:

• close to home (same distance as home to philly)
• I know some people going to VCUSOM from high school and they said they really like it (not close with them tho)
• rotations close to school

Cons:

• Not a huge fan of Richmond and its location
• More expensive cost of living (same as philly) but still cheaper than drexel tuition wise (~$40k per year tuition → COA of ~$80k)

All schools have a good curriculum in my opinion. I’m just having a hard time deciding if I should prioritize location/what I want (Drexel) or saving money (EVMS/VCU)... I prob won't get aid at any schools. I don’t know much about VCU so that’s why there’s not as many pros/cons.

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[m1redsox]

In my opinion, VCU is the best school on the list in terms of reputation, cost, research production, and accessibility to strong home residency programs (and all that they bring with them like better networking, research, and meaningful LORs).

I put EVMS next because of cost and the fact that they still have most home residency programs.

IMO Drexel is last because of the price, lack of home residency programs, and their crazy 3rd/4th year rotations. I saw you mentioned networking as a potential pro for the sporadic rotations, but this is not truly the case. Most of their rotations are at community hospitals (ie Tower, Kaiser, etc) which will not help you very much for matching competitively.

At the end of the day, if you end up at Drexel, it will be a great place, and you'll likely have a great experience and match whatever you want!

 

[throwaway7856]

Current preclinical student at EVMS--I wanted to address some of these points for anyone reading this.

Program very focused on primary care

I don't know why this keeps circulating around the internet. In my experience EVMS is very concerned with serving the local community, but that is not the same as focusing on primary care. If you look at their most recent match list, you'll see several neurosurgery, ortho, ENT, etc. matches. While EVMS does attract people with a strong desire to serve their communities, I have felt literally zero pressure from anyone to do primary care.

During my interview, they mentioned a lot about EVMS alums being involved in politics. They also a bit old school

I am not sure what that person meant, but so far in my experience as a preclinical student I have had zero faculty pressure me into getting involved with politics, or even talk about politics. I am not sure what you mean by "old school" either.

• Merging with Old Dominion University soon, not sure how that will affect the med school

I am not sure either. Theoretically it will increase research funding, give EVMS students access to ODU facilities (though EVMS already has a gym on campus), and give EVMS students more access to dual-degree programs and global opportunities. However, I understand how people would be concerned about such a big change.

I like cities more than suburb

I would politely disagree about the area surrounding EVMS being a "suburb." There is a lot of bland suburbia in the Hampton Roads area but Ghent/downtown Norfolk don't feel like the suburbs in my humble opinion.

Other EVMS pros are minimal mandatory classes, free garage parking very close to campus, a generally very kind and laid-back student body, kind faculty, and multiple opportunities to work with Spanish-speaking patients and military patients if that's your thing.

The biggest cons for me are the lack of certain home residency programs and a relative lack of research opportunities, depending on what type of research you want to do. There are still plenty of opportunities to do research but I won't pretend that EVMS is a massive research powerhouse. But EVMS also tends to attract people who have better things to do than crank out 40 publications by the time they graduate.

Feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Current preclinical student at EVMS--I wanted to address some of these points for anyone reading this.

Thank you for your perspective. Don't be a stranger.

I am not sure either. Theoretically it will increase research funding, give EVMS students access to ODU facilities (though EVMS already has a gym on campus), and give EVMS students more access to dual-degree programs and global opportunities. However, I understand how people would be concerned about such a big change.

Just to comment on this piece: I think for the benefit of financial security, the EVMS/ODU formal agreement helps with consolidating resources in the area and keeps both institutions more financially stable. (This is similar to the move in podiatry when Kent State was allowed to consolidate with the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine some years ago.) I think they both had an articulation agreement so undergrads at ODU could get an expedited assurance admission to EVMS.

State Support Enables ODU, EVMS Integration to Move Forward

The Virginia General Assembly included funding to support the integration of Old Dominion University (ODU) and Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in its amended budget approved by Governor Glenn Youngkin on Thursday. The allocation represents a significant step forward in the process to join...

www.odu.edu

ODU Integration Information - Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS), Norfolk, Hampton Roads

www.evms.edu

 

[premed2022hopeful]

I interviewed with all three of these programs and will be choosing between these and several other programs.

If you are accepted to either state school both are better than Drexel imho. COA and dedicated nearby home teaching hospital being the two factors that would most strongly push me to this conclusion.

EVMS vs. VCU is more about how you feel. Currently, struggling with this.

Both match well, although VCU probably has historically had a slight advantage here. This last years match results are very comparable. Plenty of competitive specialties and prestigious names on both lists. If you are interested in neurosurgery or orthopedics EVMS does not have those home residency programs but matches about as well as VCU despite this.

Richmond has a better food scene but no beach. Depends on your preferences. I like both WAY more than Phili but that’s just me.

As far a student vibes, EVMS for sure. Look up YouTube clips from VCU and EVMS selling the school. EVMS students seem like a strong knit community while some VCU students come off seem more focused on reputation/prestige. Just my impressions. Also EVMS selects for community oriented individuals that have a strong desire to serve while in school.

I can second that students do not seem pressured for primary care or politics. When they mentioned the political accomplishments I took this as more of a boasting about what notable alumni they have not that you’re required to follow in that pursuit. Talked to students interested in competitive specialties that feel very supported.

I think the merger with ODU will bring more research since it is R1 designated but VCU has historically been more respected for its research. Not that EVMS does not have research they are just not as well known or funded for it independent of merger with ODU.

I think it depends on what you like. I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Both are well respected programs and while their are slight differences your success in matching will be more dependent on you as a student and less on the differences between perceived prestige with VCU and EVMS. Neither is Harvard so try not to get to twisted up. You will be a doc either way.

 

[thefirerisen]

Current preclinical student at EVMS--I wanted to address some of these points for anyone reading this.

I don't know why this keeps circulating around the internet. In my experience EVMS is very concerned with serving the local community, but that is not the same as focusing on primary care. If you look at their most recent match list, you'll see several neurosurgery, ortho, ENT, etc. matches. While EVMS does attract people with a strong desire to serve their communities, I have felt literally zero pressure from anyone to do primary care.


I am not sure what that person meant, but so far in my experience as a preclinical student I have had zero faculty pressure me into getting involved with politics, or even talk about politics. I am not sure what you mean by "old school" either.


I am not sure either. Theoretically it will increase research funding, give EVMS students access to ODU facilities (though EVMS already has a gym on campus), and give EVMS students more access to dual-degree programs and global opportunities. However, I understand how people would be concerned about such a big change.


I would politely disagree about the area surrounding EVMS being a "suburb." There is a lot of bland suburbia in the Hampton Roads area but Ghent/downtown Norfolk don't feel like the suburbs in my humble opinion.

Other EVMS pros are minimal mandatory classes, free garage parking very close to campus, a generally very kind and laid-back student body, kind faculty, and multiple opportunities to work with Spanish-speaking patients and military patients if that's your thing.

The biggest cons for me are the lack of certain home residency programs and a relative lack of research opportunities, depending on what type of research you want to do. There are still plenty of opportunities to do research but I won't pretend that EVMS is a massive research powerhouse. But EVMS also tends to attract people who have better things to do than crank out 40 publications by the time they graduate.

Feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

That area of Norfolk is definitely not suburban (unless you're like from the concrete jungles of NYC?). I live nearby and I go there to get my urban fix (shopping malls, good restaurants, et).

 

[thefirerisen]

I interviewed with all three of these programs and will be choosing between these and several other programs.

If you are accepted to either state school both are better than Drexel imho. COA and dedicated nearby home teaching hospital being the two factors that would most strongly push me to this conclusion.

EVMS vs. VCU is more about how you feel. Currently, struggling with this.

Both match well, although VCU probably has historically had a slight advantage here. This last years match results are very comparable. Plenty of competitive specialties and prestigious names on both lists. If you are interested in neurosurgery or orthopedics EVMS does not have those home residency programs but matches about as well as VCU despite this.

Richmond has a better food scene but no beach. Depends on your preferences. I like both WAY more than Phili but that’s just me.

As far a student vibes, EVMS for sure. Look up YouTube clips from VCU and EVMS selling the school. EVMS students seem like a strong knit community while some VCU students come off seem more focused on reputation/prestige. Just my impressions. Also EVMS selects for community oriented individuals that have a strong desire to serve while in school.

I can second that students do not seem pressured for primary care or politics. When they mentioned the political accomplishments I took this as more of a boasting about what notable alumni they have not that you’re required to follow in that pursuit. Talked to students interested in competitive specialties that feel very supported.

I think the merger with ODU will bring more research since it is R1 designated but VCU has historically been more respected for its research. Not that EVMS does not have research they are just not as well known or funded for it independent of merger with ODU.

I think it depends on what you like. I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Both are well respected programs and while their are slight differences your success in matching will be more dependent on you as a student and less on the differences between perceived prestige with VCU and EVMS. Neither is Harvard so try not to get to twisted up. You will be a doc either way.

I also was accepted at all three programs here but I'll be turning them down to go to a different school. If you can avoid Drexel, definitely pick EVMS or VCU. Drexel in recent years has been losing hospital rotation sites and my interview with them felt super unprofessional. I feel like they cram hundreds of students into their school and current students literally described to me that they have to fight each other and struggle for opportunities for research, service, etc.

EVMS definitely has a service-orientation to it, and they have a lot of cool programs to serve the Hampton Roads area. They also have a great match list so you could pursue competitive specialties there no problem.

In the end, I feel like VCU edges out EVMS. In terms of research prowess, it is definitely ahead and VCU Health is also one of the best hospitals in the region and you get so much great exposure to amazing doctors and renowned programs. Since you mentioned OB-GYN and Pediatrics, I will say that those two specific programs is something VCU is known for. Their OB-GYN program is arguably even better than the program at UVA and the Children Hospital of Richmond is world-class. Even if you look at their department-specific NIH funding, OB-GYN and Pediatrics is some of their highest ranked departments, and being in urban Richmond exposes you to a very diverse patient population (more so than EVMS I'd say).