PrePhysicianMusician
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- Oct 31, 2022
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Sorry to make one of these, and at the risk of being neurotic, but I'm just struggling to even figure out how to start thinking through these. I haven't been accepted to all of these programs, but I will most likely end at one of these three based on my IIs so far.
I have a friend that's moving with me wherever I go as well to attend grad school next year, so... the earlier I start thinking about housing etc the easier it will get. More so, coming into this cycle I realistically wasn't assuming I was going to get any MD-PhD IIs, let alone As... and then having to sort through multiple As. As a first gen kid it's a dream come true but also terrifying and no one I know irl is in this position. I'm also coming to this knowing that I don't even know what questions to begin asking for Second Look when I need to start making decisions. This whole thing is just some nebulous concept I can't seem to wrap my brain around.
So here are my list of pros and cons.
Utah MSTP:
PRo:
Pre-PhD contains clinical experience/longitudinal clerkship
Just got their MSTP affiliation
Have lots of cool PI's to work with
Overall very collaborative and everyone I met was really really nice and down to earth
Lots of fun skiing and hiking in the area
My friend has a full ride scholarship to the grad program here
Cons
VERY far away from family
IDK what their match rates are to more competitive residencies? (Derm, Anesthesia, ENT)
Small immigrant community
Not very diverse (which isn't a huge deal for me, but it still makes my inner immigrant kid feel out of place)
Would be in the first class of their new curriculum so everything might not be ironed out yet
MIAMI MD-PhD
Pros
Very diverse medical school Community
Huge immigrant community
Pride themselves on being able to get people into Ivy league residencies
Very cool research
Have had 3 years with their new curriculum so things should be more ironed out and it looks like due to new that it'll be a faster time to get you MDPhD
Closer to home (still 10ish hours driving, but closer than Utah)
Nice warm weather with lots of cool things to do year round (key west, night life, beaches etc)
Cons:
Seems very competitive
Vibe between students is nice but seems very very stressful (all medical students are but these seemed more than other places I interviewed at)
Not true P/F (you are ranked)
Will be harder to live off their stipend because the cost of living and rent is so darn expensive (easier to buy a house in the future tho!)
Higher crime ratings in the city?
More expensive for my friend, because she probably won't be getting a full ride scholarship at this place( financial aid package for her here hasn't come out yet)
Have heard some rumors about the vibe of the MD-PhD program administration isn't very nice, but again, idk, may be just other people's biased opinions
Colorado:
Pros
Cool place to live (seem to be the best of both worlds of diverse living, but lots of outdoor activities)
Diverse medical school community
Large immigrant community
Highest ranked MSTP Program out of the three
Seem to be a really lowkey hippie vibe
Very cool Research
Would be cheaper for my friend's grad program as well
Cons:
Students seem unsatisfied with new curriculum (MD-PhD in particular)
With the new shift, seem to be taking much longer to degree completion (9-10 years)
Administration seems slightly disorganized?
IDK their match rates, but they seem to be highly ranked?
Bitter cold, lol
In short, I don't even know what else to ask these programs for their second look that would help me make a decision. I love all of these programs, and am getting really confused about PD rankings, vs residency match lists, etc. All very confusing and overwhelming. I went into this process thinking the one program that accepts me will be my "best fit", and never imagined having so many IIs.
Any thoughts on rankings of these schools vs match lists? Or other questions to ask for the Second look that would make the decision easier?
According to PD rankings it goes Colorado--> Utah--> Miami. Yet Miami is known to have amazing residency placements.
I have a friend that's moving with me wherever I go as well to attend grad school next year, so... the earlier I start thinking about housing etc the easier it will get. More so, coming into this cycle I realistically wasn't assuming I was going to get any MD-PhD IIs, let alone As... and then having to sort through multiple As. As a first gen kid it's a dream come true but also terrifying and no one I know irl is in this position. I'm also coming to this knowing that I don't even know what questions to begin asking for Second Look when I need to start making decisions. This whole thing is just some nebulous concept I can't seem to wrap my brain around.
So here are my list of pros and cons.
Utah MSTP:
PRo:
Pre-PhD contains clinical experience/longitudinal clerkship
Just got their MSTP affiliation
Have lots of cool PI's to work with
Overall very collaborative and everyone I met was really really nice and down to earth
Lots of fun skiing and hiking in the area
My friend has a full ride scholarship to the grad program here
Cons
VERY far away from family
IDK what their match rates are to more competitive residencies? (Derm, Anesthesia, ENT)
Small immigrant community
Not very diverse (which isn't a huge deal for me, but it still makes my inner immigrant kid feel out of place)
Would be in the first class of their new curriculum so everything might not be ironed out yet
MIAMI MD-PhD
Pros
Very diverse medical school Community
Huge immigrant community
Pride themselves on being able to get people into Ivy league residencies
Very cool research
Have had 3 years with their new curriculum so things should be more ironed out and it looks like due to new that it'll be a faster time to get you MDPhD
Closer to home (still 10ish hours driving, but closer than Utah)
Nice warm weather with lots of cool things to do year round (key west, night life, beaches etc)
Cons:
Seems very competitive
Vibe between students is nice but seems very very stressful (all medical students are but these seemed more than other places I interviewed at)
Not true P/F (you are ranked)
Will be harder to live off their stipend because the cost of living and rent is so darn expensive (easier to buy a house in the future tho!)
Higher crime ratings in the city?
More expensive for my friend, because she probably won't be getting a full ride scholarship at this place( financial aid package for her here hasn't come out yet)
Have heard some rumors about the vibe of the MD-PhD program administration isn't very nice, but again, idk, may be just other people's biased opinions
Colorado:
Pros
Cool place to live (seem to be the best of both worlds of diverse living, but lots of outdoor activities)
Diverse medical school community
Large immigrant community
Highest ranked MSTP Program out of the three
Seem to be a really lowkey hippie vibe
Very cool Research
Would be cheaper for my friend's grad program as well
Cons:
Students seem unsatisfied with new curriculum (MD-PhD in particular)
With the new shift, seem to be taking much longer to degree completion (9-10 years)
Administration seems slightly disorganized?
IDK their match rates, but they seem to be highly ranked?
Bitter cold, lol
In short, I don't even know what else to ask these programs for their second look that would help me make a decision. I love all of these programs, and am getting really confused about PD rankings, vs residency match lists, etc. All very confusing and overwhelming. I went into this process thinking the one program that accepts me will be my "best fit", and never imagined having so many IIs.
Any thoughts on rankings of these schools vs match lists? Or other questions to ask for the Second look that would make the decision easier?
According to PD rankings it goes Colorado--> Utah--> Miami. Yet Miami is known to have amazing residency placements.