Hi guys, I am a new member here (second thread ever on any forum) and wanted to hear your thoughts on UCSF vs UCLA Med School. I have been accepted to both and am having a hard time making a decision. I am interested in community work, working with an ethnically diverse population, and clinical research. I want to go into surgery also, if that helps. I posted my acceptance letter in my other thread in case there is a question regarding my authenticity. Any advice which will add to my pro con list would help. I am from Southern Cal so I really just wanted to hear about how people in the bay like it, what's great about it? Thanks in advance, I am not trolling (didn't know what that was before SDN) so if you're here to tell me I am check my other thread for proof.
UCSF vs. UCLA Decision Time
- Thread starter mgaer001
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2010
- Messages
- 6,907
- Reaction score
- 82
Ucsf>ucla
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2011
- Messages
- 194
- Reaction score
- 0
I would choose LA (and will hopefully have that choice in the next week or two!) but that is b/c I have a long term girlfriend in SoCal. They are both baller schools but I recommend SF. You get a new experience away from SoCal (NorCal is essentially a different state) and I really liked all the students/what they told me about classes on my interview day.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2010
- Messages
- 457
- Reaction score
- 0
.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2009
- Messages
- 2,987
- Reaction score
- 6
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2010
- Messages
- 457
- Reaction score
- 0
.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2010
- Messages
- 550
- Reaction score
- 2
LOL at suggestions from people whose info comes from looking at a map or reading a magazine's rankings.
OP, both are great schools, you know that. Not every school specializes in everything. If one is stronger than the other in a particular clinical or research area that appeals to you in particular, let that make your decision. Otherwise, pick where you want to spend the next 4 years or more. The environments you'd live and work in for each of the two schools are very different but realistically the quality and opportunities are pretty similar.
OP, both are great schools, you know that. Not every school specializes in everything. If one is stronger than the other in a particular clinical or research area that appeals to you in particular, let that make your decision. Otherwise, pick where you want to spend the next 4 years or more. The environments you'd live and work in for each of the two schools are very different but realistically the quality and opportunities are pretty similar.
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2010
- Messages
- 892
- Reaction score
- 80
Med students having fun!?! Sacrilege! I don't get it. I hate when people try to have fun and aren't serious and mature all the time.
- Joined
- May 21, 2010
- Messages
- 191
- Reaction score
- 2
I personally would pick UCLA because I chose where I went to college for prestige and ended up sorely regretting the choice (and now simply look for fit/weather/happiness more than anything), but I would advise anyone else to pick UCSF.
UCSF will always stay ahead of UCLA in terms of US News rankings and NIH funding so I'm guessing fewer people would have regrets going there.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2011
- Messages
- 1,262
- Reaction score
- 2
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2008
- Messages
- 1,471
- Reaction score
- 8
I've never lived in the Bay, but I have visited often as my girlfriend and her family live there. It's a great place to live and SF is a legit big city, it's densely populated with a lot of skyscrapers/attractions, unlike LA which is really spread out. The weather OUTSIDE of SF is nice, but it is a little cold for my tastes in SF itself. I will try to go to UCSF for residency, and if I do, I am definitely going to live out of SF and drive in for work. SF is a lot of fun, has great public transportation, but I wouldn't want to live IN it per se.
Honestly they're both great schools and neither will restrict you in terms of opportunities offered, not in the least. If you flipped a coin to pick them, you would still make a great decision. I would focus on non-educational factors to break the tie, like where you want to live, and cost of attendance. If it were between UCSF and podunk med school, that would be a different story, but it's not.
Honestly they're both great schools and neither will restrict you in terms of opportunities offered, not in the least. If you flipped a coin to pick them, you would still make a great decision. I would focus on non-educational factors to break the tie, like where you want to live, and cost of attendance. If it were between UCSF and podunk med school, that would be a different story, but it's not.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2011
- Messages
- 1,262
- Reaction score
- 2
I lived just outside the city and believe it or not there are places surrounding SF where it is usually foggier and colder than it is in the city. I just didn't live in SF cause it's significantly more expensive, parking sucks hard and I don't like the crowdedness.
Both ARE great schools. Maybe it really does come down to what city you like better and distance from family etc, OP.
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2010
- Messages
- 1,674
- Reaction score
- 25
Your talk at the end of your MDApps is truly baffling.
Stanford is still in the running, I just got a call from one of their first years and he gave me a different perspective on their program. My qualm with them originally was whether or not they are too heavily research oriented with not enough clinical skills focus. I guess in the wake of the massive curricular overhaul at these schools they all are offering this integrative approach and the free clinics. I am torn between them because the living experience will be so different and the cost of attendance will be significantly higher at UCSF then UCLA. I must admit I got a better feeling at UCSF during interview day then at UCLA, but I think after I go to their admit weekends in April I will be better able to make a final decision. I just wanted to get a feel from people regarding the bay vs socal. Thanks for all the great posts I will keep you all updated. I'm still holding USC because I do have an interest in Emergency medicine can anyone speak to the relevance of a particular school having a stronger foundation in a specialty of interest during the Four years of Undergraduate Med Ed, i.e. if you like ER Med should you lean towards the school with the best ER program?
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2008
- Messages
- 1,471
- Reaction score
- 8
I am not sure about the benefits, but UCSF has a new EM program that seems like it is pretty strong, and UCLA should have good EM opportunities as well. USC is the school I am most likely going to end up at, and I am really excited about their EM program and the opportunity to occasionally see patients with tropical diseases coming in. I don't think you will find yourself limited in terms of EM opportunities for any of those 3 programs, however.
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2006
- Messages
- 4,735
- Reaction score
- 6
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2008
- Messages
- 1,165
- Reaction score
- 26
UCSF is in San Francisco.
UCLA is not.
/End Thread
UCLA is not.
/End Thread
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2008
- Messages
- 1,012
- Reaction score
- 19
Definitely goes in the PRO column for UCLA.
Seriously though, if you hate traffic don't go to UCLA. Its planted in the worst traffic area of all LA which puts it in the running for worst traffic area in the US.
Both are good schools but I would choose UCSF. The higher ranking is nice, but I don't think that's the most important factor. I agree with the person who said it's more about fit and where you would be most happy. I have some friends who are first years at UCSF and they love it. Obviously they're getting a great medical education but they also say they're having a lot of fun. I've lived in SF and it's an awesome city. It's beautiful there, great public transportation and there's a lot of good restaurants and things to do. The people are really nice there too. UCSF is also located in a great part of the city.
It's a good problem to have and you'd probably like it at both places, but I'd say UCSF.
It's a good problem to have and you'd probably like it at both places, but I'd say UCSF.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2010
- Messages
- 83
- Reaction score
- 1
This thread disgusts me
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2008
- Messages
- 5,669
- Reaction score
- 59
Moving to SSD. Good luck!
- Joined
- May 21, 2010
- Messages
- 191
- Reaction score
- 2
I fail to see how it is...although you're free to disagree with either my points or my approach.
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2008
- Messages
- 244
- Reaction score
- 0
Wrong.
- Joined
- May 25, 2010
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 0
where can we find your MDapp? I'd be interested to see how the journey's gone for you. and congrats on two amazing choices!
I am probably the only person here with both schools on my c.v. and I would have to tell you that they are very similar schools with very similar intense cultures. The students tend to come from the same undergraduate schools with more from NorCal at UCSF and more from SoCal at UCLA. Which school you attend will probably not affect your residency chances unless one or the other has a much better department in your area of interest. Cost of tuition and living should be similar at both schools. Recent UCSF grads appear to be coming out with somewhat under 200K in debt and I suspect the same is true for UCLA so cost should not be an issue. If one for some reason or another is significantly less expensive I would choose it. You should otherwise make your choice primarily by where you want to live.
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2011
- Messages
- 43
- Reaction score
- 14
- Status
