Top school or money?

[Vanquisher]

I personally feel that "top schools" are overrated. But, I don't know that I would look at the money either. Look at the place you want to live. Where you want to spend those years. Look at what the schools have to offer and the locations.

I don't think my husband has ever hda a patient ask him what med school he went to. I just don't think it matters all that much. What it comes down to is being happy with where you are. What does he want to go into as far as residency?

I mean, some of the academic med people on this site will probably disagree with me, and it is true that names matter in those instances, but I don't think they matter as much as networking and research and how you do in school. Maybe it would be easier for him to do well in med school if he had scholarships and you didn't have to worry as much about money. What about the cost of living?

I mean, we were just happy to get into med school, and we went where we could get in. It was a mid-teir school, but dh did well in med school and now is in a competative specialty. He probably could have done a competative residency, but chose not to apply to the "top" programs because it was better for us not to live in the cities where those programs exist.

I think there is more to it than money versus name, but only my opinion.

State school all the way (as long as it's a good one). Seriously. "Top schools" can help you land "top residencies", but so can AOA and good reccomendations from a good state school. You'll come out SO much less in debt (ummm, we went the private school route and I TOTALLY regret it).

They all have to take the same boards at the end. The "top schools" don't get a test that pronounces them "better doctors" and it won't necessarily land you more $ in the end.

[fluffhead]

Agreed. Big name schools might help you get a good residency, but excelling in an OK school will also.
I kind of feel the same way about college - save the money, go to a city or state school, and get a Masters at a big shot school.

DW is at very strong state school where we get in-state tuition and it was the best school she earned acceptance at (independent of the money). So, we didn't have the tough choices of which I'm guessing you're referring to.

That said, I'd largely echo what Heidi and Jesher (not trying to goof your name like your MIL ) said.

But I would add one caveat - make sure the schools that are offering the dough don't close doors for your husband. For instance, with confidence you can say that just because he drops out of the "top ten" e.g. a place like Hopkins that he's still not closing the door on a wide choice of specialties or the academic route after med school by going to a strong, well-respected state program (e.g. Michigan for instance).

But if he's turning down strong schools (that are not top ten schools but are still well-regarded) to rake in cash at an extremely lower tier school is he going to face an uphill climb if he choices academic medicine and/or an extremely difficult residency?

I know even in our situation, DW was happy to have a few offers (and she / we would've gone anywhere) but we breathe a sigh of relief that it wasn't such and such school just to have some options open (no matter what specialty or academic vs. community residency she may choose).

Chrisada,

As long as he's not choosing a school where nobody (or only a couple of students) on a typical year gets accepted into competitive specialties and/or programs then minimizing debt should be a strong consideration (all other things being equal or at least acceptable) between schools. IMHO, as long as he's not passing over strong, but non-top ten schools that are not obscure to go to an obscure one for dough, I think he can feel confident about choosing a strong state school for instance and forgoing a Hopkins.

Your aunt is true in a sense (that ONE DAY he'll be well compensated) but I bet she's thinking he starts to rake in the big bucks the day he waves goodbye to his medical school friends. What if chosen specialty requires 6 - 7 years of residency / fellowship earning ~ $40 K / year AFTER medical school? And what about other debt (undergrad for instance) that he might have? Use some of those online debt calculators and figure out what an additional burden an extra six figures of loans would be (especially during those residency / fellowship years).

You and your husband will be paying that back, not your aunt.

I agree with what everyone has said.

If it is a solid state program, I think it is a good bet. DH went to a state school and has under $100K in loans because of that. He was able to match into a competitive speciality at a competitive program and feels like he got a great eduation.

DH wants to do orthoepedic surgery right now. But I honestly don't think that he will really know what specialty he will go into until he goes into rotations. My aunt told me that it's not a big deal if he has 200,000 worth of debt bec. he will be making that money when he gets out. I don't care how much money he will make; alot of debt honestly scares the crap put of me!! That's why I'm leaning towards the lower ranked schools. Bec. DH's MCAT was so high he can get scholarships there.

Your aunt is not married to a doctor, I presume? Yes - he will make big bucks -- about 11 years from now if he does go ortho. Depending on what you do for a living, undergrad debts, and your kid situation (if you've got 'em) that $200K may just be the tip of the iceberg. It's not worth the name.

[SuzySunshine]

As usual I get to be the dissenting opinion!

My DH interviewed at all the top schools, public and private and received two acceptances. One to the public in-state school where we had gone to undergrad, one to a prestigous west coast private school. He jumped at the private school and in hindsight it was SUCH a better choice for him.

He is in neurosurgery, one of the most competitive specialties for residency and a very small world for a profession. His LOR from his school and the name on his diploma helped him get the residency he has today (and all the top interviews) and neither of us doubt that. He wasn't top of his class because they did pass/fail and didn't rank students, he wasn't AOA because it wasn't offered at his school. He worked his tail off to meet the right people and get the right letters.

The public school he had a position at is currently without a neurosurgery director and hasn't taken a resident in the past two years because their program is in so much turmoil.

I will agree that these are the two extreme ends of the spectrum but I think you have to look not only at the name and cost of the school but what their match percentages are. My DH's school can say with the data to back it up that 99% of their students match at one of their top three. The school he didn't go to can't come anywhere close to matching those numbers.

Good luck!

ETA: When you say ranked what rankings are you using? I still say what matters are their match percentages.

The public school he had a position at is currently without a neurosurgery director and hasn't taken a resident in the past two years because their program is in so much turmoil.

This is a good point. I don't think it happens frequently but does happen. If he was in the unfortunate position of wanting a specialty that was in serious trouble at the school, it could cause problems.

DH met some derm applicants who had a tough time applying and interviewing because their home school did not have a derm department. It makes it tough to match.

As usual I get to be the dissenting opinion!

You handle it with style! 8)

Cheri had some good points. In the situation where they are truly intested (meaning: devoted) in pursuing an ultra-competitive speciality -- the name of the school can go a very long way. In general terms (and personally I would include ortho in this -- not as super-specific-research-competitive as neuro, for example), I maintain the state school vote.

Like I get a vote! Good luck with your decisions!

[DCJenn]

and all of the above is why when my husband was accepted at a state school, a prestige school and USUHS, he picked USUHS- guaranteed match- provided the military needs what it is that you want to do- which is almost everything, these days.

I can tell you from my personal experience that racking up debt at a big name school (George Washington University) in my degree area (Health Care Administration) was so depressing that I ended up transferring to a smaller, less well known program and could afford to eat.

Jenn

[Vishenka69]

Location also plays into the equation as well. For instance in New York, there're so many private med schools that state school are looked down on, especially if you want to stay in the city for residency. I'm pretty sure that in the rest of the country state schools are not treated the way they are in NEast. DH went to the best school (private) that he got accepted to. When interviewing for residency, his school name has helped him tremendously. Yes, your scores will always trumpted the school name but I wouldn't write off going to a better school only based on $$$. Are state schools significantly cheaper?

[Gwendolyn]

I will add to Cheri and Vishenka. DH went to a state med school in the southwest to save money. He scored in the 99th percentile on his boards and was ranked in the top 15 of his class. The top residencies were simply not interested. They didn't know UofA and they didn't care. Even the residencies on the west coast mostly took east coast, top tier grads. Ophtho is very competitive, so I think it matters what specialty we are talking about. His best buddy ended up at Stanford for anesthesia. DH is in a good enough residency now that he can go to the top fellowships, but it has been a long climb back up.

I think looking at the schools output is crucial if he really wants to be a gunner and be at the top of his game. Where do they send their graduates?

In the end, DH wants to be a good doctor who will be able to help people while seeing his family often. He doesn't want to go into academic medicine or research, so it isn't a big deal. If academic medicine or research is in the future, really think about the decision. It's a tough one.

Good Luck!!

[Rapunzel]

After my husband snagged his current residency position he was told that the upper-tier East coast residency programs generally do not rank - and often won't even interview med students from places other than, well, the East - unless they're from a California school.

Admittedly, my gut reaction is that it's geographic snobbery (and, for some programs I have no doubt that is the case). But, the other factor here is the network of medical school deans that program directors know. Like it or not program directors and coordinators and their match coordinators tend to go with the programs they are the most familiar with. Medical schools from which past outstanding residents have come are more likely to have their students get a foot in the door (ie an interview). Same goes for medical schools with particularly nice reputations. I just got off the phone with dh and we talked about this thread. His response having been a huge influence on the ranking committee for his program over the last two years? "Absolutely! A medical school's reputation and name recognition will get you a better chance at an interview (and a ranking) with the program of your choice."

My husband is an exception to what he regards as a "rule" of match: He went to a state school in Texas and is now at one of the more "prestigious" programs on the East coast. But, he got his position outside of the match.

I just realized that my post may be misleading. The schools that did not have derm departments (that come to mind) are private medical schools. I don't know that every state medical school has a derm dept. Still, there could be unique situations where it would help you.

I mostly agree with Jennifer/Rapunzel about the networking and recognition, especially in competitive specialists, there is no doubt that it helps. But there are always exceptions -- I do know people from state schools who interviewed at East Coast Ivy league schools. Including DH.