UC Irvine vs U Maryland!!??

[CPL23]

I literally can not bring myself to decide. The vaccinology research (my area of interest) is top dolla at Maryland, but I'm out of state the first year! Board prep is better at UC Irvine, and its cheaper, but the research in my area of interest is lacking. Anyone?

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[DoctaFuture]

Hard choice, you're right though UCI is not really into vaccinology research.

 

[ssdk]

How much would the tuition be at UC Irvine? It's listed as 0 on USNews for in-state residents. If this is actually accurate, I would take that acceptance and run.

 

[CPL23]

Unfortunately, its a little misleading. "Fees" are the cost of tuition. I'm instate so "fees" at UCI would be about 25K a year.

 

[ssdk]

This is a tough decision. Having the support of family and friends while attending medical school is a huge plus, and Baltimore is definitely a different kind of environment than Cali. However, if you're dead set on going into vaccinology research, then UMD might be the school for you.

I would call UMD admissions again to clarify the steps you need to do in order to get in-state residency at Maryland after 1st year. I was under the impression that you needed to work and file MD income taxes to qualify. If it's difficult to obtain residency without employment, then I would definitely go to UCI. If it's just a matter of changing your driver's license and such, then you have a real decision, and you'll have to go with your gut.

 

[ssdk]

Forgot to ask one thing-

Are you MD/PhD?

 

[CPL23]

Just MD. MD/MPH at Maryland, but that likely won't factor in.

 

[Brachyury]

Just MD. MD/MPH at Maryland, but that likely won't factor in.

In med school, you'll have time to do minor resarch projects, but if you're hoping to do an intense basic research project, it's going to be very, very difficult. Besides, your interests (including research) are likely to change. It's not as if UCI is lacking in research opportunities: UCI had 125 million in NIH funding last year (Maryland had 150 million).

 

[Naijaba]

This is quite interesting, I'm most likely going MD/PhD at UC Irvine, and one of the current MSTP students at UCI said that he faced the same choice as you. I dunno what his name was, but his reasons were twofold: 1. Close to home (his family lives in San Diego) and 2. He knew the exact professor with whom he wanted to work.

 

[Carbon inc]

Hey (this is a little biased) come to UMD! It'd be nice to have some fellow Californians in my class Have you lived in CA your entire life (like me)? I think a change of environment for a few years is good for anyone...it'll give you an enhanced perspective on life. CA is beautiful and you can always come back but you should take advantage of the opportunity to study elsewhere while you're still young. As far as state residency, if you aren't employed, I don't think you need to file income tax in Maryland to become a resident. More info here http://www.maryland.gov/Living/Pages/moving.aspx

From what I've heard, it's not "easy" becoming an MD resident but not impossible either. I'm definitely going to do everything i can to become a resident.

 

[CPL23]

I forgot what I was going to say?..... oh yeah! BUMP!

 

[Brachyury]

I forgot what I was going to say?..... oh yeah! BUMP!

I think you've gotten some good advice so far. If you really want to do some type of vaccine research--and you feel you can't do that at Irvine--you can always apply to take a year off to do an HHMI/Doris Duke program.

I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but there are a lot of good reasons for picking a specific school: close to family/loved one, cost, dual-degree options, unique curriculum, etc. However, picking a school based on one research department, especially since you aren't MD, PhD (and it doesn't sound like you're interested in switching into an MD, PhD program), doesn't seem like a particularly convincing reason.

To me, it seems like you think you'll have a lot time to do research in med school. In my case, I did basic and translational research during and after college for a few years: I can work independently and I have the skills such that were I to start med school all over again, I could have been capable of doing a basic research project (granted, it would have been difficult). Instead, I opted to get involved in two clinical projects and one public health project. Why? Because they require less commitment, and unlike basic research, I can put plasma samples in a -80 for two weeks while I study for an exam; I can't make cell cultures or mice wait for two weeks while I'm busy.

If you have no interest in getting a PhD, I think you should remove the element of UMD's vaccine opportunities from your list of reasons to decide between UMD and UCI.

Also, I don't know why no one else has said this: Irvine/Orange>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Baltimore. The only nice thing about Baltimore is the waterfront, and even that is only nice during the day

 

[floppydisque]

i think you've gotten some good advice so far. If you really want to do some type of vaccine research--and you feel you can't do that at irvine--you can always apply to take a year off to do an hhmi/doris duke program.

i'm not trying to be a jerk here, but there are a lot of good reasons for picking a specific school: Close to family/loved one, cost, dual-degree options, unique curriculum, etc. However, picking a school based on one research department, especially since you aren't md, phd (and it doesn't sound like you're interested in switching into an md, phd program), doesn't seem like a particularly convincing reason.

to me, it seems like you think you'll have a lot time to do research in med school. In my case, i did basic and translational research during and after college for a few years: I can work independently and i have the skills such that were i to start med school all over again, i could have been capable of doing a basic research project (granted, it would have been difficult). Instead, i opted to get involved in two clinical projects and one public health project. Why? Because they require less commitment, and unlike basic research, i can put plasma samples in a -80 for two weeks while i study for an exam; i can't make cell cultures or mice wait for two weeks while i'm busy.

if you have no interest in getting a phd, i think you should remove the element of umd's vaccine opportunities from your list of reasons to decide between umd and uci.

also, i don't know why no one else has said this: Irvine/orange>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>baltimore. The only nice thing about baltimore is the waterfront, and even that is only nice during the day

+1

 

[DoctaFuture]

I'm kind of amazed no one has mentioned that the NIH is based in Bethesda, Maryland. If he goes to U of Maryland, he can probably just easily go to the NIH and work w/ them during all 4 yrs of med school.

 

[Brachyury]

I'm kind of amazed no one has mentioned that the NIH is based in Bethesda, Maryland. If he goes to U of Maryland, he can probably just easily go to the NIH and work w/ them during all 4 yrs of med school.

No one has mentioned it because it's a horrible idea. Not to be condescending, but you're pre-med and don't understand med school. Not only is med school a lot of work, part of why med school is difficult is because you have to learn how to maximize your time. Spending an hour each-way getting to Bethesda from Baltimore is not only a waste of time, it's also expensive. Even when you don't have exams, wasting two hours of your day on travel is not a smart idea

When you work on a basic research project, the project does not revolve around you: you are part of a lab, and your PI needs you to provide data. When you cannot come to lab for one week a month because of exams, your PI is going to be angry. This is of course besides the fact that tailoring projects to be convenient around your schedule is not always feasible.

Also, the OP will not have anytime to do much research during his/her third year unless they use elective time for research

 

[DoctaFuture]

No one has mentioned it because it's a horrible idea. Not to be condescending, but you're pre-med and don't understand med school. Not only is med school a lot of work, part of why med school is difficult is because you have to learn how to maximize your time. Spending an hour each-way getting to Bethesda from Baltimore is not only a waste of time, it's also expensive. Even when you don't have exams, wasting two hours of your day on travel is not a smart idea

When you work on a basic research project, the project does not revolve around you: you are part of a lab, and your PI needs you to provide data. When you cannot come to lab for one week a month because of exams, your PI is going to be angry. This is of course besides the fact that tailoring projects to be convenient around your schedule is not always feasible.

Also, the OP will not have anytime to do much research during his/her third year unless they use elective time for research

lol chill Brach. yes I know med school is hard, I have a grip load of family and friends who are in it right now. I just threw in NIH as an option for him since the OP was asking about Maryland. Of course it's difficult to be a med student while wanting to do a lot of research unless you end up doing an MD/PhD program.

 

[Naijaba]

I'm kind of amazed no one has mentioned that the NIH is based in Bethesda, Maryland. If he goes to U of Maryland, he can probably just easily go to the NIH and work w/ them during all 4 yrs of med school.

Baltimore != Bethesda

I did the NIH Summer Internship in Baltimore at NIDA, and was NOT able to attend any of the events for interns in Bethesda. It simply wasn't practical to travel back and forth.

 

[CPL23]

Well, I went with Maryland. Not based on research before anyone (cough, cough) freaks out. I also did research for a few years before school (With a protein named Brachury none the less), so I too possess said "skill set". It was the personality of the school, people working on international health policy, patient population, opportunities outside of class, and the campus that sold me. In the end its a holistic decision, but I really appreciate everyone's feed back.

 

[Brachyury]

Well, I went with Maryland. Not based on research before anyone (cough, cough) freaks out. I also did research for a few years before school (With a protein named Brachury none the less), so I too possess said "skill set". It was the personality of the school, people working on international health policy, patient population, opportunities outside of class, and the campus that sold me. In the end its a holistic decision, but I really appreciate everyone's feed back.

Really, was that necessary?

Congratulations, UMD is a solid choice

 

[CPL23]

All in good fun. I appreciate the kind words.

 

[Carbon inc]

Hey congrats! Good choice looking forward to meeting you in august!

 

[Stixman28]

Well, I went with Maryland. Not based on research before anyone (cough, cough) freaks out. I also did research for a few years before school (With a protein named Brachury none the less), so I too possess said "skill set". It was the personality of the school, people working on international health policy, patient population, opportunities outside of class, and the campus that sold me. In the end its a holistic decision, but I really appreciate everyone's feed back.

we've got lots of cali ex-pats here.

its a great school, and if you're really into gallo (hiv) or fasano (cholera), you'll most definitely be able to get some one on one face time.

 

[saracha]

i'm going to maryland too. and i'm a cali resident. glad i'll have some west coast buddies out there

congrats on ur decision!

 

[HAV000]

I love these kinds of threads! They show people's thought processes and different viewpoints leading up to a *decision.*