UCR ($) VS Penn State (PSCOM): Need to Decide within 3 Days

[theruylopez]

Hey guys, I just got off the waitlist at Penn State, so would love to hear your thoughts before I make a decision.

UCR

Pros:
-10 minutes from home
- true p/f no class rank
- in state tuition + 40k merit scholarship (COA is half of PSCOM)
- California Weather
- support system

Cons
- fewer research opportunities
- newer school / less competitive match list
- too close to home (not a new experience / location)

Penn State

Pros:
- Strong reputation and competitive match list
- P/F with no class rank (or is it internal rank?)
- Abundant Research

Cons:
- Location (boring?) and Weather
- High COA
- No support network
- Stressful (?)

Please share your thoughts!

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[theruylopez]

why is this inappropriate? @ValPak00per

 

[m1redsox]

Any particular specialty interest? Because the reputation, resources, and home residency programs at PSU is definitely worth something if you want a surgical subspecialty or derm.

Overall, if it were me, I might go with UCR just because of its proximity to family and the price difference. It’s still a USMD school (albeit low tier), so truly no specialty is off-limits, and most of matching is personal anyways. However, if you come back and say that you are debating ortho vs plastics vs neurosurg, then I’d say go with Penn State.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

UCR by its own mission supports people who grew up in the local area to serve as physicians in that area. It's where your family is, and you are probably most comfortable there.

 

[theruylopez]

Any particular specialty interest? Because the reputation, resources, and home residency programs at PSU is definitely worth something if you want a surgical subspecialty or derm.

Overall, if it were me, I might go with UCR just because of its proximity to family and the price difference. It’s still a USMD school (albeit low tier), so truly no specialty is off-limits, and most of matching is personal anyways. However, if you come back and say that you are debating ortho vs plastics vs neurosurg, then I’d say go with Penn State.

No particular specialty interests as of now, but I would definitely like to keep my options open. Your advice is very much in line with my current thinking. Thank you for your response. If PSUCOM matches the scholarship, do you think it's the better choice?

 

[theruylopez]

UCR by its own mission supports people who grew up in the local area to serve as physicians in that area. It's where your family is, and you are probably most comfortable there.

I definitely am. I enjoy SoCal immensely and am worried about surviving East Coast winters, but I don't want to regret letting fear stop me from choosing the best program.

 

[m1redsox]

No particular specialty interests as of now, but I would definitely like to keep my options open. Your advice is very much in line with my current thinking. Thank you for your response. If PSUCOM matches the scholarship, do you think it's the better choice?

I think it’s the better program, but I don’t necessarily think it’s the better choice. I think that Penn State sub-surgery/derm residency applicants will have a slight edge over UCR grads in that they will have a home program, which lends itself to better networking, better LORs, and more research opportunities. You are also always most likely to match at your home program, if you have one. However, I think most people who want to do surgery know that they have an inclination/preference for it or something procedural going into med school, so that’s probably not you. Last, being at UCR may make it more likely that you match back into that region for residency. This is less of a factor now that signaling and region preferences dictate most of your residency interviews.