UWSMPH vs. Feinberg

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Prosprective2017

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Hi all,

With the deadline to choose a school fast approaching, I would really appreciate some opinions on the choice I'm lucky enough to be currently facing (UW Madison vs. NW).

Here's my current thinking:

Pros, UW:
- Less expensive (in-state + 1/2 tuition scholarship)
- Madison is a pretty great city
- Students seemed very relaxed/friendly
- Have implemented integrative, systems-based curriculum
- Lots of research opportunities
- Public health focus
- Possibility of doing TRIUMPH, having an urban focus for the MD
- Friends/family here, along with connections to non-profits in the area I'd love to keep working with

Cons, UW:
- I went here for undergrad, and am concerned about getting stir-crazy after 8-10 years (MPH dependent) in the same place
- Somewhat lower ranked than NW (#28 vs. #17)
- Less diverse patient population/student body
- Could randomly be placed in a rural location for rotations, which sounds like a nightmare to me
- Seems to be a bit more primary care centric than I am

Pros, NW:
- Location! Chicago is fantastic, and NW is in a pretty great area
- Have been doing the systems-based curriculum for a lot longer, incorporate PBL (which I've liked, in the limited capacity I've seen it)
- Somewhat better ranked (#28 vs. #17)
- Global health opportunities seem to be better funded/more flexibly built into your MD
- Ability to get an MA in Medical Humanities and Bioethics (which sounds fascinating, and can be done in 4 years)
- Use of Spanish language skills in Community Health Clinics
- Match list seems somewhat more impressive, depending on specialty (though I know these are difficult to interpret)

Cons, NW:
- I got a bit more of a competitive vibe from students here
- COST. I did get a 30k/year grant, but would still be saddled with ~234K of debt upon graduation (and Streeterville seems like a nightmare in terms of housing). I fear that this would be a significant stressor
- Forced AoSC, though if I did the MD/MA this seems a moot 'con'
- Further from family/friends

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance!

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I don't think 60k is enough to make it the deciding factor. If you're happier with NW, I think the bump in prestige is worth the money.
 
How much does 60K become once interest is factored in?

Depends on many factors, namely residency/fellowship length and if you're at least paying towards your interest during these (i.e. REPAYE, IBR). AAMC has a calculator to figure out potential repayment scenarios. I don't usually think 60k is enough to be a deciding factor since relative to attending salary, the difference in monthly loan payments is usually not that big of a deal (especially if you're already in the 200k range).
 
Depends on many factors, namely residency/fellowship length and if you're at least paying towards your interest during these (i.e. REPAYE, IBR). AAMC has a calculator to figure out potential repayment scenarios. I don't usually think 60k is enough to be a deciding factor since relative to attending salary, the difference in monthly loan payments is usually not that big of a deal (especially if you're already in the 200k range).
Let's say a 3 year residency, no fellowship. With income-based repayment during residency on a $52,000 salary, what would be the difference in monthly payments post-residency assuming the plan is to be debt-free in 10 years?
 
Let's say a 3 year residency, no fellowship. With income-based repayment during residency on a $52,000 salary, what would be the difference in monthly payments post-residency assuming the plan is to be debt-free in 10 years?

This is why I linked the calculator haha

but I'm feelin generous so: assuming 1 person household and $200k post residency salary ($16,667 monthly):

Monthly loan payments during residency: $424-490 (for both)
Monthly Post-residency payments for borrowing $172: $2770, Total Interest Paid: $77,134
Monthly Post-residency payments for borrowing $234: $3853, Total Interest Paid: $106,120
 
This is why I linked the calculator haha

but I'm feelin generous so: assuming 1 person household and $200k post residency salary ($16,667 monthly):

Monthly loan payments during residency: $424-490 (for both)
Monthly Post-residency payments for borrowing $172: $2770, Total Interest Paid: $77,134
Monthly Post-residency payments for borrowing $234: $3853, Total Interest Paid: $106,120
~$1100 / month is a lot of money.

That's an extra grand for food/gas/fun/investing etc...
 
~$1100 / month is a lot of money.

That's an extra grand for food/gas/fun/investing etc...

But this is stating the obvious (don't mean that in a condescending way). You obviously can't take out $60k extra in loans and not take a financial hit. More loans is always going to mean higher monthly payments and less money for investing. But as an attending, your monthly salary is high enough that an extra $1k is not going to affect your ability to buy food/gas/essentials and spend reasonably on fun.

If money was the only consideration, then nobody would ask these sort of questions and going with the cheapest option would always be the right move. But people value things other than money (e.g. specializing in FM, choosing academic medicine), so it then becomes a question of whether the financial cost is worth the non-monetary gains. Extra $1k/month is very doable on attending salary, so if OP values the benefits associated with NW over the financial benefits of UW (which is also an amazing school), then they'll be just fine financially and potentially happier.
 
But this is stating the obvious (don't mean that in a condescending way). You obviously can't take out $60k extra in loans and not take a financial hit. More loans is always going to mean higher monthly payments and less money for investing. But as an attending, your monthly salary is high enough that an extra $1k is not going to affect your ability to buy food/gas/essentials and spend reasonably on fun.

If money was the only consideration, then nobody would ask these sort of questions and going with the cheapest option would always be the right move. But people value things other than money (e.g. specializing in FM, choosing academic medicine), so it then becomes a question of whether the financial cost is worth the non-monetary gains. Extra $1k/month is very doable on attending salary, so if OP values the benefits associated with NW over the financial benefits of UW (which is also an amazing school), then they'll be just fine financially and potentially happier.
I see your point. It's also hard for me as a starving college student to imagine $1000/month less being a reasonable hit to take haha
 
I see your point. It's also hard for me as a starving college student to imagine $1000/month less being a reasonable hit to take haha

Feel that on a spiritual level. Then I realized 200k (which might be a conservative salary estimate) works out to $16,667/month (pre-tax). If you end up being a double (physician) income household...
 
Feel that on a spiritual level. Then I realized 200k (which might be a conservative salary estimate) works out to $16,667/month (pre-tax). If you end up being a double (physician) income household...
Essentially, I need to find Mrs. MD...
 
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