UCSD vs UCSF vs USC

[Brah of Science]

Hey everybody,

I never thought I would get to make one of these lol. Although slightly stressed, I am excited to choose from some fantastic medical schools. I've narrowed down my choices to UCSD, UCSF and USC. As of right now, I am split between UCSD and UCSF. I have a long-term SO and I definitely see us getting married in the future. They will more than likely not be able to move with me for at least a few years due to the nature of their job.

In terms of interests, I see myself going for competitive specialties (urology, ortho, ENT, GI), but I am also considering EM and anesthesiology. I have an interest in academic medicine and would like to eventually pursue a pathway that involves education and possibly research. That being said, I do have a passion for working with the undeserved and desire to continue this. Lastly, I do eventually want to practice in Southern California.

UCSD (32k per year)
Pros

• Top 25 school
• Plentiful research opportunities (#11 in NIH funding)
• Beautiful campus, dope location, with amazing weather (Literally could not be better)
  
• Many things to do outside of school (Gaslamp, hiking, beaches, tons of breweries)
• San Diego is where I eventually hope to live and practice
• P/F pre-clinical grades with no internal ranking (Also no AOA --> less competitive?)
  
• Multiple established free clinics
  
• Closer to home (Can visit SO and family much easier)
• Cheap, subsidized grad housing close to campus
  
• Continuously expanding building new facilities
• Proximity to US-Mexico Border

Cons

• Not as highly ranked and possibly seems to be on a downward trend (Worried I might be limited for residency)
• Middle of the pack residency PD scores?
• Standard curriculum with only 6 weeks to study for Step 1
• Donors are not prosected during anatomy
• Have heard students here are kind of non-social (my interview day did not really give any insight towards this)

UCSF (38k per year)
Pros

• Ranking/Prestige (Ranked top 5 in research and primary care)
• Amazing clinical training at a variety of sites
• Ridiculous amount of research opportunities (#1 in NIH funding)
• Top residency PD scores
• 1.5 year P/F pre-clinical (Take Step 1 in 3rd year)
• Probably the nicest students and staff that I met throughout my interview season
• That anatomy lab though(Comes with a view and prosected donors)
• Potential to collaborate with tech industry
• Extremely diverse (patients and students alike)
• I have a few friends who are also at UCSF
• Opportunity to live somewhere different (Probably will never have time to have an adventure like this)
• Food!!!

Cons

• Not too big on the location (Far from SO/family/friends. Plus my SO did not really like the city too much)
• Cost of living is super high
  
• Weather is not ideal for me, although still relatively nice
• The curriculum gives me some hesitancy. I think the first class to go into the bridges curriculum is about to take Step 1.
• Competitive? --> AOA
• Most likely will not have a car

USC (Most likely total COA)
Pros

• Closest to SO/family/friends
• Good opportunities to conduct a variety of research
• Ability to train at LAC+USC Hospital
• ICM groups sound like a good opportunity to get to know my other classmates
• LA is also really diverse in terms of demographics and different cultures present
• Built-in research component to the curriculum
• USC Trojan Family and sports
• Class seems really down to earth

Cons

• The price-tag (Not really down to go that much in debt)
• Location isn't that great and has tons of traffic.
• Housing will more than likely not be on campus. I would likely live in Alhambra or Highland Park
• Not attached to the undergrad campus

Summary:
I know all schools will allow me to stay in CA for residency. However, I know they are not all created equal. I'm leaning to UCSD because of comfortability and location, but I know if I don't go to UCSF, I will always wonder what if. On the other hand, UCSF will provide me with essentially limitless opportunities (plus the UCSF name associated with my degree) but I am taking the hit with location and proximity to family. I have not spent much time looking at USC due to the cost, but I am open to suggestions.

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[libertyyne]

UCSF, the cost difference isnt too much. Plus in 4 years time you will potentially be moving and uprooting anyway(its part of the deal of medicine).

The career opportunities although not drastically different will come easier at UCSF.

 

[mw18]

Don't worry about AOA at places like UCSF. Look at the match list. Most of those people weren't AOA. They do fine.

 

[NeuroSoph75]

How far is UCSF from your SO/family? How will you visit without a car? (I'm not from CA -- is there a train you can take or something?)

Other than that I would go to UCSF! I agree living in a new location is a wonderful adventure. And it's nice you already have a few friends there. The clinical training at UCSF is outstanding and since you're interested in a wide variety of specialties I think it would be a great place to get exposure to all of the fields you mentioned.

What does "standard curriculum" mean at UCSD? Is it 1.5 years pre-clinical? Is it systems-based? (If not, that would be a con for me.)

 

[Brah of Science]

How far is UCSF from your SO/family? How will you visit without a car? (I'm not from CA -- is there a train you can take or something?)

Other than that I would go to UCSF! I agree living in a new location is a wonderful adventure. And it's nice you already have a few friends there. The clinical training at UCSF is outstanding and since you're interested in a wide variety of specialties I think it would be a great place to get exposure to all of the fields you mentioned.

What does "standard curriculum" mean at UCSD? Is it 1.5 years pre-clinical? Is it systems-based? (If not, that would be a con for me.)

Oh yes sorry. I believe the pre-clinical curriculum at UCSD is a 2-year systems based curriculum.

Edit: Forgot to answer your other question. SF is about 6-7 hour drive, or 1 hour plane ride, from my family. It's not too far, but far enough to make it difficult.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

UCSF

 

[Brah of Science]

I’m seriously surprised UCSD isn’t getting more love

 

[DubbiDoctor]

I’m seriously surprised UCSD isn’t getting more love

For someone who wants to go into academic medicine, UCSF is the clear choice. It's reputation is legendary; its research unparalleled. Being a UCSF graduate will open doors for you.

 

[MDhopeful324]

It's not that UCSD is getting no love. It's a top school with an amazing reputation! Many people would LOVE to go there. Rather, for most, going UCSF is something else entirely. Best of luck with making your choice!

 

[DSM_302.0]

I don't see any reason anywhere near compelling enough in these pros/cons to turn down UCSF.

 

[NeuroSoph75]

Oh yes sorry. I believe the pre-clinical curriculum at UCSD is a 2-year systems based curriculum.

Edit: Forgot to answer your other question. SF is about 6-7 hour drive, or 1 hour plane ride, from my family. It's not too far, but far enough to make it difficult.

Does either school require attendance? Does either school incorpoarte PBL or CBL? Does either school have protected research time built into the curriculum? (more things to think about)

How much time does UCSF give for Step 1 studying? Six weeks at UCSD seems sufficient, but I would prefer an extra week or two of wiggle room. Also, I personally would prefer the condensed pre-clinical time at UCSF.

I doubt UCSD would limit you in any way and I doubt every single student there is non-social so I wouldn't factor these things into your decision.

 

[Brah of Science]

Does either school require attendance? Does either school incorpoarte PBL or CBL? Does either school have protected research time built into the curriculum? (more things to think about)

How much time does UCSF give for Step 1 studying? Six weeks at UCSD seems sufficient, but I would prefer an extra week or two of wiggle room. Also, I personally would prefer the condensed pre-clinical time at UCSF.

I doubt UCSD would limit you in any way and I doubt every single student there is non-social so I wouldn't factor these things into your decision.

I do not believe either school requires lecture attendance, but there are weekly events that do require attendance. UCSD does incorporate weekly PBL. They have a required independent study project (ISP), but this does not appear to considered protected research time.

At UCSF, I do believe there is a modified PBL present in the curriculum (There is so much going on in this Bridges curriculum that I could be wrong). Research wise, UCSF has a component titled Deep Explore, where you can pursue a basic/clinical research project. This is done during 3rd and 4th year, where you are also doing electives and sub-Is. In regard to Step 1, I think UCSF gets 8 weeks. However, when I look at the curriculum calendar, study time starts after a winter break so it might even be 10 weeks.

 

[NeuroSoph75]

I do not believe either school requires lecture attendance, but there are weekly events that do require attendance. UCSD does incorporate weekly PBL. They have a required independent study project (ISP), but this does not appear to considered protected research time.

At UCSF, I do believe there is a modified PBL present in the curriculum (There is so much going on in this Bridges curriculum that I could be wrong). Research wise, UCSF has a component titled Deep Explore, where you can pursue a basic/clinical research project. This is done during 3rd and 4th year, where you are also doing electives and sub-Is. In regard to Step 1, I think UCSF gets 8 weeks. However, when I look at the curriculum calendar, study time starts after a winter break so it might even be 10 weeks.

Elective time will be important since you're interested in a variety of areas that aren't core clerkships.

If UCSD has a required research project then I would imagine there will be time built into the curriculum somewhere for you to work on it.

UCSD is a great option with its own unique strengths. I think you should first deicide how important it is for you to be close to your family/SO and go from there.

I'd still go to UCSF

Good luck with your decision!

 

[trobinsonmd]

First off, congratulations on getting accepted to three great programs... UCSF seems like the best option here wrt residency applications and potential job prospects. I am also from SoCal and several of my mentors got their MDs at UCSF and have told me that there was no limit to what they could achieve in terms of residencies and getting hired down the road. Assuming you perform well on step and clinicals, you will pretty much be able to get into any residency you want. As for the cons you mentioned, you should view your four years at UCSF as an investment... spend 4 years in SF, and then you can reap the benefits for the rest of your life and practice wherever you please. I personally wouldn't do USC or UCSD if I know I want to enter a competitive residency; USC because of their recent administrative fiasco (it is unclear how that will affect the longterm reputation of the school), and UCSD seems to be slipping a few spots every year for some reason and isn't quite the premiere school that it used to be... Another point of view is just the value... UCSD and UCSF are almost the same price, but a UCSF MD opens up so many more doors and could potentially lead to higher earning potential (in some cases), and not many people can say they have their MD from UCSF... as someone who has lived in both Santa Monica and SF, I would agree with you on the weather issue, although it is still better than most of the country. The public transit in SF is fairly decent (def a lot better than LA lol) and the city is pretty walkable, so I don't think you should worry all that much about not taking your car up there (it is more of a liability than an asset in SF to have a car)... I did an away rotation a few months ago @ UCSD (hillcrest) and I felt like the students and residents were a little cliquey and i felt some tension, obviously i cant extrapolate and say everyone at UCSD is like that, but in my limited exposure to the program I felt like they were a little socially inept... in terms of being away from your family, I would recommend buying your tickets when United or SWA have flash sales all at once, you can find round trip deals for less than $90 in many cases... good luck!

 

[greenthumb_]

I'm struggling with a similar decision between UCSF and UCSD, except my tuition for UCSD would be 100K less over the 4 years due to a merit scholarship. I am lucky enough to have parents that are willing and able to pay for my medical school, so personal debt is not an issue, but more the guilt factor. For all the people that voted UCSF, would 100K at UCSD change your mind?

 

[DSM_302.0]

I'm struggling with a similar decision between UCSF and UCSD, except my tuition for UCSD would be 100K less over the 4 years due to a merit scholarship. I am lucky enough to have parents that are willing and able to pay for my medical school, so personal debt is not an issue, but more the guilt factor. For all the people that voted UCSF, would 100K at UCSD change your mind?

Not in the slightest. If you feel guilty, pay them back later. Or, see a therapist and work through your guilt, it's much cheaper
I would pay $100k more in *loans* to go to UCSF.

 

[trobinsonmd]

I'm struggling with a similar decision between UCSF and UCSD, except my tuition for UCSD would be 100K less over the 4 years due to a merit scholarship. I am lucky enough to have parents that are willing and able to pay for my medical school, so personal debt is not an issue, but more the guilt factor. For all the people that voted UCSF, would 100K at UCSD change your mind?

Not in the slightest. If you feel guilty, pay them back later. Or, see a therapist and work through your guilt, it's much cheaper
I would pay $100k more in *loans* to go to UCSF.

I would agree with DSM... you can't put a price on the doors that UCSF can open for you professionally... it will really help you get into whatever speciality you want/wherever you want at the end of the day

 

[greenthumb_]

I would agree with DSM... you can't put a price on the doors that UCSF can open for you professionally... it will really help you get into whatever speciality you want/wherever you want at the end of the day

Thank you for your insight! After a few days of thinking about it, I've come to the same conclusion and am definitely leaning UCSF. And it helps that it's still in-state tuition.

 

[Kingsmen2018]

U are the God of California Pre-Meds. All hail

 

[Mammogram]

I would pay USC tuition to go to UCSF