Hi guys! I know the pros and cons to these schools have been written over and over... however, I am very conflicted and decision time is approaching! I would love your help!!
I think my gut is telling me Temple, but all of my pro/con lists point to Jeff as the better choice (and conversations with doctors in the area, etc) but I still think Temple has something special to offer. Also, I wonder why Jeff has a much higher perceived prestige.... if anyone has thoughts I'd be happy to hear.
My main fear is that I would be putting myself at a disadvantage 4 years from now for choosing Temple and going with a gut feeling?
Temple
+ I think it would give me an edge in terms of clinical training
+ Felt at home/ liked the administration and school environment (feel like they wanted me more bc of scholarship offer)
+ Old curriculum (might?) beat Jeff because it's been tested for years, have access to MS2 resources, slower pace, etc.
+ narrative medicine and urban bioethics program
+ much less expensive and would feel less guilty about $$$
+ divided into colleges of ~30students, and class is already smaller than Jeff
- less time for Step 1 study
- commute (waste ~1.5 hours/day)
- heard negative reviews about rotations being tough, etc..
- students I talk to aren't as psyched to be there (esp. compared to Jeff students)
Jefferson
+ super convenient (close to home, walking distance to almost anything), could stay at school late
+ new curriculum makes more sense for learning (but it's NEW this year)
+ longer step 1 study time
+ more personalized curriculum- mandatory scholarly conc.
+ met wonderful people at second look,
+ students seem really happy
+ better hospitals for rotations (although maybe less hands on experience)
+ great optho and ortho home residencies
- total COA is ~60k extra over 4 years, not so significant in long term, but I would feel guilty about spending $ on a nice meal, clothes etc.. (maybe slightly lower quality of life in that sense?)
- overall less diverse and sort of stuffy
- thought they had a very poor selection of speakers/ professors at second look, felt like an old boys club (but current students raved about certain profs/ faculty)
- seems to place even more people into family medicine than Temple (?)
I think my gut is telling me Temple, but all of my pro/con lists point to Jeff as the better choice (and conversations with doctors in the area, etc) but I still think Temple has something special to offer. Also, I wonder why Jeff has a much higher perceived prestige.... if anyone has thoughts I'd be happy to hear.
My main fear is that I would be putting myself at a disadvantage 4 years from now for choosing Temple and going with a gut feeling?
Temple
+ I think it would give me an edge in terms of clinical training
+ Felt at home/ liked the administration and school environment (feel like they wanted me more bc of scholarship offer)
+ Old curriculum (might?) beat Jeff because it's been tested for years, have access to MS2 resources, slower pace, etc.
+ narrative medicine and urban bioethics program
+ much less expensive and would feel less guilty about $$$
+ divided into colleges of ~30students, and class is already smaller than Jeff
- less time for Step 1 study
- commute (waste ~1.5 hours/day)
- heard negative reviews about rotations being tough, etc..
- students I talk to aren't as psyched to be there (esp. compared to Jeff students)
Jefferson
+ super convenient (close to home, walking distance to almost anything), could stay at school late
+ new curriculum makes more sense for learning (but it's NEW this year)
+ longer step 1 study time
+ more personalized curriculum- mandatory scholarly conc.
+ met wonderful people at second look,
+ students seem really happy
+ better hospitals for rotations (although maybe less hands on experience)
+ great optho and ortho home residencies
- total COA is ~60k extra over 4 years, not so significant in long term, but I would feel guilty about spending $ on a nice meal, clothes etc.. (maybe slightly lower quality of life in that sense?)
- overall less diverse and sort of stuffy
- thought they had a very poor selection of speakers/ professors at second look, felt like an old boys club (but current students raved about certain profs/ faculty)
- seems to place even more people into family medicine than Temple (?)
