Go to the school with more money/on the rise? (UVA vs. Ohio State)

[Tippyboat]

I'm excited to be choosing between two such great schools, but I'm getting a little lost on the criteria I should be using to choose.

* I don't really want to discuss money. I'm OOS at both, and while I can become OH instate after the first year, OOS tuition at UVA is not that high and I care about fit more than a few thousand dollars more of debt.

* Very different curriculums I know, but they are kind of equal for me because there are positives and negatives for each system.

Loved both schools when I interviewed, although UVA won me over more with the location and the vibe of the place. Ohio state, on the other hand, is bigger and seemed to be on this energetic rise (not just in rankings). In the last few years, OSU has been shooting up in rankings and the program is really expanding with lots of exciting research. This is total conjecture, but I somehow get the feeling that the OSU program is also better funded and will have even more money coming in the future (might be a stupid conjecture, as both schools are building new hospitals and facilities. I was reminded of this comparison again though when second looks info were announced and OSU is paying for the hotel expenses while UVA is not ).

Of course, UVA is not on its way down in any way. If anything, their brand new curriculum and awesome board scores indicate otherwise. I just don't get as much of a feeling that the program is totally committed to getting to the top by catering to the students 100%. I have been very impressed by OSU going out of its way to show that they value each student, but that could also just be good advertising.

If I had to make a snap judgment right now, it would be UVA. But I also don't want to totally go with my gut instead of my head. Any input? Maybe all of this is irrelevant because both are great schools, but just wanted to see what you guys thought.

Thanks!

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[TexasPhysician]

You are right in that both are fine schools. My opinion - its 100% a judgement call. Where would you be happier? Both schools can get you wherever you want to go.

 

[gravitywave]

they're both awesome. from the sound of it, you should be choosing based on location.

and P/F, if one of them doesn't have it, don't go there.

 

[wildlifeiskey]

I know this isn't much of a help to you make your decision, but I just wanted to agree/support your assessment of OSU. It's sort of hard to point out particulars, but there is this amazing energy at the place that indicates the school is going to skyrocket with opportunities, research, funding. I want to say that I too felt that OSU personally valued each student interviewed.

 

[mvenus929]

Of course, UVA is not on its way down in any way. If anything, their brand new curriculum and awesome board scores indicate otherwise. I just don't get as much of a feeling that the program is totally committed to getting to the top by catering to the students 100%.

Just curious. What makes you feel this way?

 

[Tippyboat]

Just curious. What makes you feel this way?

Hi mvenus, I've been reading all your posts in the UVA thread and really appreciate all your insight. Like wildlifeiskey said, it's hard to explain why I got that impression, but I"ll try to explain.

I think it might come down to how these two schools have chosen to represent themselves to the applicants. At OSU, a lot of emphasis was placed on the fact that the college is making it a priority to be a top 10 school and the university is completely behind it. The introduction of the program during interviews was very forward-thinking, active and hands on. They are so very intent on actively recruiting the students they want (for me, they were the first one to release the secondary, first one to invite me to interview, first one to accept me at midnight on October 15). The dean is so dedicated to recruitment I wonder how he has time for anything else haha. And if you look at the trajectory of the school, it has been making amazing changes in the last decade. I don't actually care about ranking, but the things they're rising in is more than that: research, funding, facilities, technology, etc.

Now UVA. I was infatuated with Charlotesville and the school by the end of my interview. However, I got a much more calm, comfy, let's-all-study-and-play-together vibe, in comparison to OSU's energy. Personally, I felt more at home in UVA's atmosphere, a tiny bit more touchy-feely. But I just question if I would get more opportunities in a place that is focusing on becoming a national leader. I'm sure UVA is going there too, but it wasn't advertised as much of a priority. And I know it's silly for this to be a criteria, but I was a little turned off by UVA's "we can't accommodate friends and family at second looks" as opposed to OSU's "we'll pay for the hotel and an additional guest too".

I've been following that huge debate in UVA's thread, and it came down to personal preferences about the curriculum. But unfortunately it did give me a reality check in my rosy infatuation with UVA - made me think that maybe it's still figuring things out and working on the next step instead of being totally together and ready to tackle the future like OSU.

Hahaha this is so hard. I was also thinking that location and atmosphere trump all, in which case UVA has no competition. But what about the strength and future of the program? Thus this thread .

 

[mvenus929]

Fair enough. You will have opportunities abound at UVA (no worries there... we do have some of the leading researchers and doctors in their fields). Obviously, I"m a bit biased, though.

Sounds like you'd be happy either place. If it's really that close for you, I'd say wait it out until you get financial aid packages and go with whatever one is better for you.

 

[justinbaily]

I'm going to have to disagree with you a little Tippyboat. UVA is putting the finishing touches on a major hospital expansion, a new cancer center, a new translational care hospital and some other major hospital-infrastructure projects. We also obviously just got a new 40+ million dollar educational facility and constructed the Carter-Harrison Research Building for cancer and immunology. They're also about to break ground on a new outpatient surgery center on West Main St and a new translational research building. And in terms of being forward thinking and active, the new curriculum is exactly that.

Location and vibe are also excellent, as you pointed out. I love being a block from the center of such a beautiful campus. I would recommend going to both second looks and then deciding based on your gut feeling, rather than the way that they both try to advertise themselves.

 

[motomed]

curriculum change=drop in board scores. you can count on this for at least a little while.

I'm currently employed at OSU medical center and can't imagine going to med school anywhere else if I have the chance to stay here. The campus is a city unto itself with more opportunities than you will find anywhere else. The place already has pretty much everything you could think of to offer in terms of innovation and opportunity, and they can't spend money fast enough to add more. Most every other medical profession has a school right next door (pharmacy, dental, optometry...) and I don't think you can appreciated how much this place has to offer until you've spent some time here. Take anything the other schools you're considering are touting as benefits and look it up, OSU has probably been doing it longer. (they stopped using the da vinci robot years ago while other places are still bragging about their new toy). The entire university is sold out on the idea of becoming a top university/hospital and I have no doubt they'll be able to pull it off. That energy you feel comes straight from the top, read up on gordon gee, the university president. He's a cool guy and is actively involved in the medical center.

I am fairly certain that OSU already has a larger footprint and more name recognition in the US and throughout the world, and I am sure that will continue. The university is huge and the profesiional schools are top notch. Go to Ohio State.

and for the record, I have no degrees from here and hate Ohio State sports with a passion. I'm a transplant and have only been here for two years, more than enough time to convince me that this place stands alone in terms of what they have to offer patients and graduate students.

 

[afob100]

Looks like the consensus here is that both schools are great. Go to both of their second look days and figure out where you "fit" in/feel better. Ultimately, you can't go wrong at either place. Good Luck!!!

 

[mvenus929]

curriculum change=drop in board scores. you can count on this for at least a little while.

We shall see in a year. Considering they're not changing what's presented, merely how and when it's presented, and so far we're learning better than the second years, I have a feeling our scores won't go down.

 

[clinicallabguy]

Fair enough. You will have opportunities abound at UVA (no worries there... we do have some of the leading researchers and doctors in their fields). Obviously, I"m a bit biased, though.

Sounds like you'd be happy either place. If it's really that close for you, I'd say wait it out until you get financial aid packages and go with whatever one is better for you.

The bolded statement is the wisest thing said on this forum in my opinion, especially if you feel like you'd be happy at either place like you said. I think your right that the change to in state tuition at OSU isn't enough to make the decision definitively, but the financial aid packages you are offered just might. You never know. If there isn't much differences between the financial aid packages, then I guess that you're in the same pickle. But you're right that it's not a bad pickle to be in.

curriculum change=drop in board scores. you can count on this for at least a little while.

While this may be true, you should remember that the school's average board scores doesn't necessarily indicate what your own board scores will be. Ultimately that is up to you. The curriculum in medical school goes by you like a speeding train, so I don't think it matters a ton if the boxcars are a little different on either train (or curriculum if you get my corny analogy). Ultimately, you will learn what you put the time in to learn, as long as the curriculum isn't so bad that it's an obstacle.

You can get a good score at either school. Check into how much protected time you get to study for step 1. That's on my mind right now, and I'm happy with the amount of time that my school is giving me. My state school, that I got rejected from, only gives students 2 weeks (or so I've heard) to study for step 1 and their students' scores reflect that.

 

[Steeler7588]

At OSU, a lot of emphasis was placed on the fact that the college is making it a priority to be a top 10 school and the university is completely behind it. The introduction of the program during interviews was very forward-thinking, active and hands on.

I'd say that the focus on being a top 10 school in the rankings is a weird way of thinking. I'd rather my school do things to improve the educational experience as best as possible, and have the rankings will follow. Maybe this is how OSU is approaching it, and I just misunderstood. UVa's new curriculum and educational facilities drew in a tremendous class last year, as the interest in the school increased by a lot. It appears the rankings came out yesterday, and while we rose, I don't think our year's data has even been used by US News yet. Ohio State dropped by ~10 spots, for whatever reason.

Our new healthcare facilities have been brought up already, but I really feel like our condensed curriculum puts us in a select group of schools who are doing a lot to improve the flexibility of our opportunities. 5 months of extra time for electives or research? Yes, please.

curriculum change=drop in board scores. you can count on this for at least a little while.

This is straight up false. Emory and Vanderbilt have experienced better scores from their new curriculum.

 

[Geekchick921]

Moving to SSD.

 

[RookTookIt]

Loved both schools when I interviewed, although UVA won me over more with the location and the vibe of the place. Ohio state, on the other hand, is bigger and seemed to be on this energetic rise (not just in rankings). In the last few years, OSU has been shooting up in rankings and the program is really expanding with lots of exciting research. This is total conjecture, but I somehow get the feeling that the OSU program is also better funded and will have even more money coming in the future (might be a stupid conjecture, as both schools are building new hospitals and facilities. I was reminded of this comparison again though when second looks info were announced and OSU is paying for the hotel expenses while UVA is not ).

Well, I hope you're not considering that part anymore.