Is there really a difference in medical schools? Sorry but we are examining this on the Family Medicine list serve and the preparation in medical school is not getting high marks. Making a school and curriculum and testing are not necessarily equated with graduating a doctor who serves and communicates and balances the intellectual and the practical.
Excellence in education and class rank and residency are likely to be more learner dependent than school dependent, so I would throw out these as quality measures. Gunning for high marks somehow has to eventually give way to becoming a doctor, a servant, a humanitarian, a team player (hopefully). My father's pointed review of my medical school application and certain life events helped me realize this.
If a candidate has a particular career interest, there may be some reasons to choose one over another. In other words, I know what I want to become and I am looking for this area. US News and World Report rankings a gross guide, plus or minus 20 (or more) on the lists since they are so biased, particularly toward the established names. Some schools do more in one area, for example Einstein graduates neurologists. Where graduates go and what they do in general can be a guide.
1. research
2. clinical teaching
3. certain subspecialties
4. primary care
Looking at the mission of the school may help, if the school is honest and has not added a mission just to look good or deflect criticism. Amounts of people and resources devoted to missions may help discern.
Research - look for leaders in a particular field of interest to the medical student, attempt to gain specific info prior to choice of school
Clinical - Look for schools that have access to a larger volume of patients and a school where students tend to get to make decisions, as opposed to schools where students are more passive and observe.
Subspecialty - Again look for stars to hitch to, leaders in the nation.
Primary care - Osteopathic schools, also if any allopathic interested medical students are still looking into this area (some sarcasm indicated, but not much) then consider allopathic schools with constant primary care exposures in all years or usually with strong FP departments, opportunity for long term preceptorships which are hands down the best primary care training of all (Syracuse, Minnesota, Rockford, WV schools, ETSU) Which medical school for rural prep at
http://www.unmc.edu/Community/ruralmeded/model/preprof/Which_MedSchool4Rural.htm
Another dimension - the fit, in other words if I am in the right environment for me I will do better.
How does the medical school fit me as a learner? Am I ignored and lost in the crowd? Will there be support for me? Are there opportunities for me to demonstrate learning and leadership (service oriented schools)? How will I do in terms of proximity to family or others who can support me? Does the school have support for my particular background and culture (rural, black, etc.)? ETSU did particularly well with the black students due to members of that community in Johnson City who stepped up to the challenge. Rural students can struggle in transitions, etc. This hidden curricula can be difficult to fathom.
Hopefully the office of admissions can help students with this type of information and hopefully will not degrade their chances of admission for those that take the opportunity to ask these kinds of questions. Health advisors do need to know this info to best help their advisees.
Robert C. Bowman, M.D
UNMC Department of Family Medicine
Email: rcbowman@atsu.edu
http://www.ruralmedicaleducation.org
Education - the entire pipeline