Cincinnati vs Ohio State

[abracadaniel]

My partner (who will be finishing his undergrad) and I are trying to decide between OSU and Cincinnati. We initially were settled on Cincinnati, as we both were accepted earlier in the cycle, so we found a house and signed a lease. However, after signing the lease, we were both accepted into OSU and are weighing the pros and cons of both options. Interested in OB/GYN and possibly doing a Complex Family Planning or MIGS fellowship. COA for both schools is the same. I've been thinking about this decision so much that I'm losing sight of what's actually important when picking a school and would appreciate some outside perspective.

Cincinnati
Pros

• Medical student scholars program in women’s health-this is one of the biggest pros to me about Cincinnati; funded research, paired with a research project, mentorship, priority when picking related electives; however, would have to apply and be accepted in order to do this program
• Secured a house that my partner and I love in a safe, convenient area (close to several parks, is walking distance to campus, close to grocery stores) and can really envision us having a great quality of life in that house/neighborhood
• 4th year electives in OB/GYN that seem amazing
• Medical Spanish elective
• Slightly smaller class size
• All the students I've spoken with speak very highly of the program and seem to love it
• Slightly higher match rate? seems like fewer students match into transitional positions compared to OSU after accounting for OSU's class size, although this might be negligible and not significant, just my initial impression

Cons

• Biweekly exams on Mondays (although students I've spoken with seem to like this)
• Slightly lower ranking
• Further from family and friends
• Facilities seemed outdated, although this isn't super important to me, just something I noticed
• Internal rankings (10% first year, 20% second year, 70% third year performance contributes)

OSU
Pros

• 4 days off every rotation, no questions asked (and block? not sure if this is during both pre-clinical and clinical)
• Ultrasound training and OB/GYN community of practice interest group student elective
• Exams at the end of blocks
• Columbus has better food options for us
• Closer to family and friends
• Slightly higher ranking/name recognition
• More student-run free clinics
• Global health program seems more robust
• More highly ranked in OB/GYN
• Nicer facilities
• Cover Step 1 and 2 fees (with loans but don't have to pay out of pocket)
• Loved my faculty interview-was by far my favorite interview of the season, offered to help me find a mentor

Cons

• Slightly lower step scores
• Larger class size
• No house, and it is very unlikely we will get a house as nice as the one we've rented in Cincinnati, or in a neighborhood we like as much
• Would have to break lease in Cincinnati
• Slightly lower match rate: 100% for Cincinnati (including transitional/preliminary positions) vs 98% for OSU, I believe OSU's rate includes transitional/preliminary positions
• Haven't had the chance (and unfortunately won't have time to) visit, also haven't spoken with students outside of the interview day context, so hard to gauge the vibe/how students feel about the program

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[Mayocarditis]

FYI, I'm accepted at both and most likely attending OSU.

It's a toss up honestly. If possible, maybe try to reach out to the admissions offices for a tour or contact information for medical student ambassadors to get the students' perspectives. Also, if you haven't already, I'd wait for the aid packages to get the final numbers before making a decision. However, it seems that Cincy is a much better social/familiar environment for y'all which is something that should be prioritized. Both are similarly ranked, have their own clinical/research strengths, and obviously match well in the state and region. I wouldn't put that much weight on the living situation in Cincy as there's a high chance you could find a similar spot in Columbus, but trust your gut.

It comes down to which city and/or social scene y'all prefer: Cincy or Columbus? Best of luck!