Summary of Experience:
I was very hesitant to withdraw here. Great school, beautiful location. I was just too tired and broke from other interviews. The ultimate deal breaker is Oregon's strict residency classification (non-resident for 4 years with little to no chance of adjusting to resident status).
Summary of Experience:
Withdrew- This was the toughest decision of my life. This place is incredible, but after talking to my wife, we decided Baltimore was not as appealing as Boston.
Summary of Experience:
Withdrew- Very tough decision. Turning down the Geffen made me feel sick. However, my wife and I really want to explore the east coast (as we will likely settle along west coast) and HMS provided the perfect opportunity to do that. Below are my initial impressions.
DAVID GEFFEN SCHOLARSHIP! I'm incredibly humbled by this huge honor. It's incredible that I will be able to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor without the burdens of debt. Receiving this award was one of the most fulfilling and satisfying moments in my life.
This was one of the most enjoyable interview days. I thought I bombed several of the MMI stations, but apparently things went better than expected. This was my first interview, and I was definitely intimidated.
I really liked the approach to the curriculum. The students raved about how UCLA valued student time and tried to diminish lecture hours.
However, the most exciting thing about this school is the possibility of doing 3rd and 4th year clinical work at Ronald Reagan Medical Center.
I really liked the school when I was there. Not a huge fan of LA, but going to a warm weather school (especially an excellent one like UCLA) sounds awesome..
Interview day here was awesome. It was very relaxed. Everyone was extremely friendly and willing to answer questions honestly. My two big concerns were grades after the first year and how cold Wisconsin is.
The students I talked to (including host) did not feel that the grades created a competitive or stressful atmosphere (which I take to heart because my host was very candid about other answers he gave me).
While Madison is extremely cold, the city is extremely charming and offers the perfect example of a big little city.
I was blown away by this school! Of all the interview days, this was my favorite. OSU had the most welcoming and and warm atmosphere of any of the medical schools that I visited.
I'm a fan of their emphasis on anatomy (I have taught anatomy for around 4 years), and think that the opportunities at this school were not any less impressive than many of the "top" schools. The new cancer center, for example looks like it will be incredible. Beautiful campus! (it's connected to the undergrad)
I wish other med schools would take tOSU's approach to OOS students. If I remember correctly, about 50% of the class is OOS. They are also awesome about tuition for OOS students. Most people (over 90%) can adjust their residency status after their firs year of medical school. This school will be cheaper than my in state school! There is also a way for married couples to gain Ohio residency immediately (if the spouse is able to become an employee of the state of Ohio).
Housing seems extremely affordable for the quality. Columbus reminded me a lot of home and seems to be a safe and affordable city. I don't think I will every worry about my (or my wife's) safety. My host lived about ten minutes from campus in a very nice apartment.
Summary of Experience:
Withdrew- One of my favorite schools this cycle. Their dedication to student education was unrivaled. Subsidized housing also helps out with the cost.
This was an awesome school. I really enjoyed staying with my host and meeting other interviewers. This was definitely the most "mission driven" school. I love that BU walks the walk when it comes to helping those in need (as the campus is smack in the middle of the patient population).
The real killer here was the limited financial aid and pricey cost of living in Boston. While I really enjoyed my time there, I don't know that I can justify spending so much money (especially in light of other offers).