UF vs. USF vs. UCF

[Floriduhhh]

Hello, I’m hoping some fellow applicants can help me out… I’m a FL resident so cost is pretty much the same across the board +/- 5k per year. Not expecting much in terms of scholarships. Thanks for your help

UF
Pros

• Shand’s Hospital
• True Pass/Fail
• Higher Ranked?
• New Medical Building

Cons

• Gainesville (more rural than I’d like)…
• Required rotations in Jacksonville

USF
Pros

• New Med School building (opening late 2019/early 2020)
• Closest to home/more familiar w/area
• Diverse patient population in Tampa (compared to UF/UCF)
• Established Hospitals/Research
• P/F (but with honors)

Cons

• Current buildings/library old, etc…
• Won’t have access to new buildings until late MS3

UCF
Pros

• New Building (all the bells & whistles)
• High Step 1 (avg 238)?
• Great vision/innovation

Cons

• No primary hospital
• Fairly new school
• Not really in Orlando… Lake Nona seemed quiet
• Graded A/B/C/F

Summary: I enjoyed my interview day at UF the most, but not sure about the location! I am more familiar with USF’s campus, but there in a transition period. UCF’s vision and school is very appealing, but they’re not as established… HELP

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[docE15]

Hello, I’m hoping some fellow applicants can help me out… I’m a FL resident so cost is pretty much the same across the board +/- 5k per year. Not expecting much in terms of scholarships. Thanks for your help

UF
Pros

• Shand’s Hospital
• True Pass/Fail
• Higher Ranked?
• New Medical Building

Cons

• Gainesville (more rural than I’d like)…
• Required rotations in Jacksonville

USF
Pros

• New Med School building (opening late 2019/early 2020)
• Closest to home/more familiar w/area
• Diverse patient population in Tampa (compared to UF/UCF)
• Established Hospitals/Research
• P/F (but with honors)

Cons

• Current buildings/library old, etc…
• Won’t have access to new buildings until late MS3

UCF
Pros

• New Building (all the bells & whistles)
• High Step 1 (avg 238)?
• Great vision/innovation

Cons

• No primary hospital
• Fairly new school
• Not really in Orlando… Lake Nona seemed quiet
• Graded A/B/C/F

Summary: I enjoyed my interview day at UF the most, but not sure about the location! I am more familiar with USF’s campus, but there in a transition period. UCF’s vision and school is very appealing, but they’re not as established… HELP

Go to a school where you know where you'll be rotating. I have multiple friends at UCF who complain about how they move you around too much/don't know where you'll be for the next rotation. They are not currently affiliated with any Orlando hospitals, and if you do get a rotation in Orlando you will be competing with many DO/Caribbean students that rotate there. A couple of current UCF students wish they'd chosen USF for the pass/fail and similar (or better) location.


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[Floriduhhh]

Go to a school where you know where you'll be rotating. I have multiple friends at UCF who complain about how they move you around too much/don't know where you'll be for the next rotation. They are not currently affiliated with any Orlando hospitals, and if you do get a rotation in Orlando you will be competing with many DO/Caribbean students that rotate there. A couple of current UCF students wish they'd chosen USF for the pass/fail and similar (or better) location.


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Thanks for the info! And ya I definitely agree. I'm sure it's a lot more stressful when you're unsure of your rotation locations, and then potentially competing with other medical students from different schools!

 

[caribbeanmedguy]

USF is a beast school right now, they are pouring money into it and have the VA, Shriners Children's, Moffitt all within 1 mile of each other...


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[Floriduhhh]

USF is a beast school right now, they are pouring money into it and have the VA, Shriners Children's, Moffitt all within 1 mile of each other...


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USF definitely has a lot of funding right now, but it seems that my class (co 2021) would be studying during their transition to downtown and not really experience the new campus until I'm almost an MS4. MS1 students now are taking some classes at the main campus, then doing simulations etc in downtown. Seems their class, like ours, wouldn't benefit much from all this funding (at least not anytime soon).

 

[ScottTenorman54]

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[Floriduhhh]

This is pretty on point. We're gonna be the class that has to run back and forth from the old campus and downtown. OP, USF is great, but UF Med is the clear top dog in FL. And they've already got their new building up and running. You'll get just as diverse of a patient population as you will in Tampa. If you're okay with being in Gainesville, the Gators are the way to go. I say that as a UF undergrad going on USF med student.
UCF - good tuition in years past, fancy campus, clearly a good preclinical education. Those made it very popular with students. But its research and rotations don't stand up to UF/UM/USF. UF is expanding everywhere, USF has Moffitt. UF students have the run of Shands, while USF similarly gets TGH.

Thanks for your feedback and I agree with your points. Congratulations on your USF acceptance!

 

[Floriduhhh]

Seems like UF is the winner lol. Let me know if anyone has any additional input on any of these schools. Thanks everyone for the responses

 

[pandasaregreat]

I am an undergrad at UF and it does not feel like a rural town at all because of the college...everything is built and made for the college so it is like a mini "city", a suburban area more like it... if that is all you're worried about...don't be!

 

[IMakedThese]

I am an undergrad at UF and it does not feel like a rural town at all because of the college...everything is built and made for the college so it is like a mini "city", a suburban area more like it... if that is all you're worried about...don't be!

This is true!!!

 

[Floriduhhh]

I am an undergrad at UF and it does not feel like a rural town at all because of the college...everything is built and made for the college so it is like a mini "city", a suburban area more like it... if that is all you're worried about...don't be!

That's good to know! I haven't been to Gainesville that much, so I certainly don't know much about the city or school to be honest. Do you know anything about Shand's hospital? (it seems the students like their rotations there). And what would you say the culture of the school is like?

 

[pandasaregreat]

That's good to know! I haven't been to Gainesville that much, so I certainly don't know much about the city or school to be honest. Do you know anything about Shand's hospital? (it seems the students like their rotations there). And what would you say the culture of the school is like?

Yeah I volunteer at Shands, it's one of the best hospitals (if not the best) in Florida. I mean the undergrad is different, we have a lot of kids so you don't know everyone. It's known as a party school... but I'm assuming this is different for med school!

 

[Floriduhhh]

Yeah I volunteer at Shands, it's one of the best hospitals (if not the best) in Florida. I mean the undergrad is different, we have a lot of kids so you don't know everyone. It's known as a party school... but I'm assuming this is different for med school!

Sorry for all the questions but can you explain why it's the "best hospital in Florida"? I've only been there once, but hear all the students love it...

 

[AcademicNeurosurgery]

Only thing I'd add is if you have an idea of what you might want to go into, it helps if your school has a home residency program.

 

[pandasaregreat]

Sorry for all the questions but can you explain why it's the "best hospital in Florida"? I've only been there once, but hear all the students love it...

Like USA rankings, it was number 1 last year I believe & 2 this year

 

[ScottTenorman54]

Sorry for all the questions but can you explain why it's the "best hospital in Florida"? I've only been there once, but hear all the students love it...

Eh probably a reference to those useless USNews rankings, cuz how else would anyone be able to judge the quality of something? /s

But some relevant points for you as a med student are:

- huge hospital with patients from all over North FL, so more diversity and experience
- regularly updated facilities. New neuro and heart towers are being built, the pediatric hospital was recently upgraded. The cancer hospital and south tower OR are really swanky. The north tower OR is pretty dingy, probably due for an upgrade. In recent years, the Shands hospital system has consolidated under the "UF Health" umbrella and expanded rapidly. It's more organized than it was in years past.
- Reserved for UF students only. No competing med students from carib schools or nearby DO schools. You get all the rotations you want.
- Generally friendly and supportive faculty
- Very close to the rest of campus, enabling easy to and from the hospital
- All the residency programs you could want, which means you'll have a home residency program to rotate in and get recommendation letters. For some of the more competitive specialties, it's important to have letters from residency directors in the field you choose.
- Starbucks and Opus coffee everywhere. Their hours suck though
- Connection to the best funded uni in the state has its perks for research
- Con: Parking sucks, Archer road sucks. Take the bus. And plant a tree next to your bus stop so you get shade.

Re: school culture
- The UF app process is very touchy-feely and all about feeling and fit and healthiness, as you probably noticed. That doesn't end with applications. The school body is small and close. The administration is very receptive and approachable. Every UF med student I know sings their praises about true P/F and the stress it takes off. The students do stuff together all the time. A bulk of it involves drinking, but hey thats Gville.

 

[ecko126]

Eh probably a reference to those useless USNews rankings, cuz how else would anyone be able to judge the quality of something? /s

But some relevant points for you as a med student are:

- huge hospital with patients from all over North FL, so more diversity and experience
- regularly updated facilities. New neuro and heart towers are being built, the pediatric hospital was recently upgraded. The cancer hospital and south tower OR are really swanky. The north tower OR is pretty dingy, probably due for an upgrade. In recent years, the Shands hospital system has consolidated under the "UF Health" umbrella and expanded rapidly. It's more organized than it was in years past.
- Reserved for UF students only. No competing med students from carib schools or nearby DO schools. You get all the rotations you want.
- Generally friendly and supportive faculty
- Very close to the rest of campus, enabling easy to and from the hospital
- All the residency programs you could want, which means you'll have a home residency program to rotate in and get recommendation letters. For some of the more competitive specialties, it's important to have letters from residency directors in the field you choose.
- Starbucks and Opus coffee everywhere. Their hours suck though
- Connection to the best funded uni in the state has its perks for research
- Con: Parking sucks, Archer road sucks. Take the bus. And plant a tree next to your bus stop so you get shade.

Re: school culture
- The UF app process is very touchy-feely and all about feeling and fit and healthiness, as you probably noticed. That doesn't end with applications. The school body is small and close. The administration is very receptive and approachable. Every UF med student I know sings their praises about true P/F and the stress it takes off. The students do stuff together all the time. A bulk of it involves drinking, but hey thats Gville.

do you know if USF students share TGH and the other hospitals with DO and Carib schools?

 

[ScottTenorman54]

do you know if USF students share TGH and the other hospitals with DO and Carib schools?

Not as far as I know in terms of an official affiliation. Students can always schedule their own away rotations. I'm pretty sure TGH, Moffitt, and Haley VA are USF exclusive. St. Pete General is affiliated with LECOM-B and a couple community clinics. Nova students can do rotations at Largo Medical Center. Overall, Tampa isn't really on the radar for the carib schools. It's not like NY and Miami, where SGU/Ross etc are signing huge contracts with hospitals for their students and creating crowding issues.

 

[IMakedThese]

do you know if USF students share TGH and the other hospitals with DO and Carib schools?

There are some LECOM-B students that do rotations at TGH, but this is seldom and it won't cause any loss of clinical experience/competition as you might see in south Florida. TGH is awesome!

 

[Floriduhhh]

Eh probably a reference to those useless USNews rankings, cuz how else would anyone be able to judge the quality of something? /s

But some relevant points for you as a med student are:

- huge hospital with patients from all over North FL, so more diversity and experience
- regularly updated facilities. New neuro and heart towers are being built, the pediatric hospital was recently upgraded. The cancer hospital and south tower OR are really swanky. The north tower OR is pretty dingy, probably due for an upgrade. In recent years, the Shands hospital system has consolidated under the "UF Health" umbrella and expanded rapidly. It's more organized than it was in years past.
- Reserved for UF students only. No competing med students from carib schools or nearby DO schools. You get all the rotations you want.
- Generally friendly and supportive faculty
- Very close to the rest of campus, enabling easy to and from the hospital
- All the residency programs you could want, which means you'll have a home residency program to rotate in and get recommendation letters. For some of the more competitive specialties, it's important to have letters from residency directors in the field you choose.
- Starbucks and Opus coffee everywhere. Their hours suck though
- Connection to the best funded uni in the state has its perks for research
- Con: Parking sucks, Archer road sucks. Take the bus. And plant a tree next to your bus stop so you get shade.

Re: school culture
- The UF app process is very touchy-feely and all about feeling and fit and healthiness, as you probably noticed. That doesn't end with applications. The school body is small and close. The administration is very receptive and approachable. Every UF med student I know sings their praises about true P/F and the stress it takes off. The students do stuff together all the time. A bulk of it involves drinking, but hey thats Gville.

Wow thanks for all the info on UF! It's sounding like a great option! In terms of cost between UF and UCF. UF would be about $32k more expensive over 4 years (as UCF's tuition is cheaper etc..) does 32k make a difference? And if not, in your opinion, what amount of $$$ would make a difference for you to change your school choice?

 

[ScottTenorman54]

Wow thanks for all the info on UF! It's sounding like a great option! In terms of cost between UF and UCF. UF would be about $32k more expensive over 4 years (as UCF's tuition is cheaper etc..) does 32k make a difference? And if not, in your opinion, what amount of $$$ would make a difference for you to change your school choice?

That's a really interesting question, I've never given it much thought. Between UF and UCF, 32k probably wouldn't be enough to make me switch. To people outside med, that sum is a huge game changer, but it doesn't feel like much of a difference in the grand scheme of medical education debt. As for what number would be enough...that's a tough one. Off the top of my head, if UCF's tuition was approaching half of UF's, I'd take it. Like 30k/year vs 60k/year. But I don't have personal experience with UCF (or experience handling such large sums of money), so I'm sure I'm biased here.

 

[Floriduhhh]

That's a really interesting question, I've never given it much thought. Between UF and UCF, 32k probably wouldn't be enough to make me switch. To people outside med, that sum is a huge game changer, but it doesn't feel like much of a difference in the grand scheme of medical education debt. As for what number would be enough...that's a tough one. Off the top of my head, if UCF's tuition was approaching half of UF's, I'd take it. Like 30k/year vs 60k/year. But I don't have personal experience with UCF (or experience handling such large sums of money), so I'm sure I'm biased here.

Thanks for your response! And I agree with you, I think that 32k is not really a game changer, but probably something over 100-120k+ over the course of four years would make me re-consider. Thanks again! Definitely leaning towards UF!

 

[REL]

Like USA rankings, it was number 1 last year I believe & 2 this year

JACHO is THE national standard for hospitals. Shands has not been the best hospital in Florida by JACO standards for over 5 years. Since then it was Jackson, TGH and now the massive Florida Hospital North in Orlando for the last 3 years....