I've been fortunate to be accepted into these three schools. It would be great to hear advice on your comparison. I’m a VA resident, so cost is obviously a factor in favor of VCU. I don’t know what specialty I want to do but possibly a competitive specialty. I believe I’d ultimately like to do my residency in the DC area - but that could definitely change within the next four years. I'm not sure where I lean at the moment.
Thomas Jefferson:
PROS
- Strong community feel with students that seem actually happy and excited to be part of the community
- Located within an attractive part of Philadelphia, which is larger than both Richmond and Boston and cheaper than Boston
- Diverse patient population in the Philadelphia area
- Decently ranked and highly regarded in orthopedics, ophthalmology, and a few other specialties
- Appealing and well established curriculum with embedded research opportunities
CONS
- More expensive than in-state tuition
- Not as well regarded as BU and less prestigious match list (or so it seems)
- Large class size
- Student body itself is not very diverse
Boston University:
PROS
- Social justice oriented school with exposure to what seems to be the widest range of patients
- More research opportunities related to public health and social determinants
- More global health opportunities
- Located in a city with lots of young people and ample healthcare related opportunities
- Strongest match list of the three (I believe?)
CONS
- Most expensive tuition. Boston is also more expensive than Philadelphia
- I would be in the first class with systems based curriculum, which is bound to have troubles
- Student body seems less enthused than those at the other two schools
Virginia Commonwealth University:
PROS
- Cheaper by over 100k and in a less expensive city
- Very close to family and some friends in the area
- Students seem friendly and less "gunner" like
CONS
- Not as well regarded as the other two, which could limit residency options in the future in more competitive residencies
- Richmond is a much smaller and less exciting city, and it appeals to me less as a city than the other two
- Less well established volunteer opportunities, especially with more of a social justice orientation
- Less research opportunities
Thomas Jefferson:
PROS
- Strong community feel with students that seem actually happy and excited to be part of the community
- Located within an attractive part of Philadelphia, which is larger than both Richmond and Boston and cheaper than Boston
- Diverse patient population in the Philadelphia area
- Decently ranked and highly regarded in orthopedics, ophthalmology, and a few other specialties
- Appealing and well established curriculum with embedded research opportunities
CONS
- More expensive than in-state tuition
- Not as well regarded as BU and less prestigious match list (or so it seems)
- Large class size
- Student body itself is not very diverse
Boston University:
PROS
- Social justice oriented school with exposure to what seems to be the widest range of patients
- More research opportunities related to public health and social determinants
- More global health opportunities
- Located in a city with lots of young people and ample healthcare related opportunities
- Strongest match list of the three (I believe?)
CONS
- Most expensive tuition. Boston is also more expensive than Philadelphia
- I would be in the first class with systems based curriculum, which is bound to have troubles
- Student body seems less enthused than those at the other two schools
Virginia Commonwealth University:
PROS
- Cheaper by over 100k and in a less expensive city
- Very close to family and some friends in the area
- Students seem friendly and less "gunner" like
CONS
- Not as well regarded as the other two, which could limit residency options in the future in more competitive residencies
- Richmond is a much smaller and less exciting city, and it appeals to me less as a city than the other two
- Less well established volunteer opportunities, especially with more of a social justice orientation
- Less research opportunities
