A little about me:
Pros:
NOVA (Ft. Lauderdale campus):
Pros:
Cons:
- Currently live in CO, but have no family here (but I do have SO, friends and community)
- Plugged into CO non-profits and other volunteer work, along with connections to potential research opportunities
- I love to move and see new places (I'm originally from the South but moved to CO for undergrad and stuck around after to work during gap years)
- I have family in South Florida and on the East Coast
- Cost feels comparable between the two and is not a factor I'm weighing in my decision
Pros:
- located in CO, where I already have community, friends, and my SO lives here (he will not be moving with me if I move out of state..)
- I felt a good community during my interview and on the accepted students' day. Everyone seemed supportive and the students seem to uplift one another and not just be super competitive
- Good match rates and some competitive specialties I'm interested in
- I like the curriculum layout more at this school (systems. big pro)
- P/F
- Has cadaver lab
- Feels like there is little clinical exposure/patient interaction in years 1 and 2 and they don't allow their students to shadow in years 1-2
- Smaller school that is not tied to a larger campus.
- Extremely limited research opportunities
- While in CO, the city it's in (Parker) is farther from the mountains and not that exciting
- For-profit institution (concerned with where funding is going and how this affects student advocacy)
- I've heard that there is high turnover with administration/student advisors
- I've heard concerning things about 3rd year placement with rotations from current students
NOVA (Ft. Lauderdale campus):
Pros:
- Tied to a larger institution and has been established longer (potentially more resources and school comradery)
- 1 hour away from my family that lives in Florida and our family business (and closer to my immediate family that lives on the East coast)
- BEAUTIFUL location with lots to do (I've always kinda wanted to live in FL)
- Research opportunities, including the option to apply for a research year (5-year program)
- More clinical opportunities during years 1 and 2 (at least it feels that way.. they have a class you can apply for to shadow a physician a few times a month)
- Also has good match rates within specialties I'm interested in
Cons:
- NO cadaver lab (this feels like a HUGE con)
- Graded system (Not P/F)
- lower exam pass rates in the past
- Much larger class size (approximately 400 between the two campuses)
- I've heard concerning things about the administration / the school
- Moving away from SO who I live with and have been with for over 2 years (another really big con. Unfortunately, he is finishing school in CO and wants to stay to continue working at his current job and I don't think he has much intention to meet me in Fl any time soon if I went..)
