Planning the rest of my life... (Moving questions)

Chickerdoodle13

The truth is out there...
12 Years
Mar 5, 2007
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Phoenix, AZ
Ok, not exactly the rest of my life, but it does come close!

In one semester I will be a Junior in college. My current plan is to graduate with a degree in biology and a track in pre-med. I'm doing well so far. I have a 3.92 GPA and I should be able to graduate in another two years. However, what I need to start doing is choosing (or at least narrowing down) medical schools.

I currently live in NJ. I would love to move away from here, possibly out west. There are quite a few med schools all around the country, so I have many possibilities...sometimes too many I think! I have a feeling I will end up living wherever I attend med school, at least for a few years. What I want is to hear is your opinions!

I was looking at Colorado, but the school is in Denver which is a large city. Unfortunately with med schools, most of them ARE in the city. I LOVE the country, but I could live near or in a city for a few years. I was also looking at Arizona, but they don't accept out of state residents. Another few states I am thinking of are Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee...anywhere different really.

I have so many possibilities! I really do need to start thinking about this now though, because I will have to apply to med school next year.
 
congrats on planning ahead and on your outstanding accomplishments so far!
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my only suggestion to you would be before you make the committment on residency - GO AND VISIT the places you plan on looking into living, stay for a few days/week and see how you like it - THEN decide where you want to go. You have a few years left to make that final decision. Also - consider pay/income to the area/state you're going - look up what first year residence make in each area so you can be certain you will make enough to pay back your student loans and have enough to live on.

You dont want to be stuck somewhere you absolutely hate, especially given you're going to be doing residency given you're doing med.
 
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Henny's Mom gives good advice -- visit the places you are considering. MCV in Richmond is definitely an urban campus, and Richmond has grown (groan!) so far outward that it's difficult to find the country anymore (Goochland is probably the closest thing at the moment). UT SW Med school system would give you several choices of campus to start, but they're all in cities as well. At least in the Dallas/Ft Worth area you can find rural pockets pretty close and still get to them easily. Competition is fierce for those slots, so I'll wish you the best of luck; you seem to have your head on straight, keep on "cluckin' "!
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University of Washington, my step son is going there. It's a great school and they have what your looking for. Yes, it's in the city but I live 25 miles southeast of it and I live in the sticks.
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You can also check out the University of Louisville Medical School, as well as University of Kentucky. Both have the advantages of being in large metro areas readily accessible to rural areas.

Also with the Louisville area, you will have access to some of the leading areas in medical advances in cancer treatments, implants, heart procedures, research and development. Our University hospital just completed the 5th successful hand transplant surgery.

You can find housing as low as $450.00 a month in rent and up, and if you drive a car then rural areas, such as Simpsonville, Shelbyville, Radcliffe, and points inbetween are less than a half hour from Downtown were the school is located.

We have the traditional 4 seasons here as far as weather goes, and we have lots of activities that are available all year round.
 
Sweetie, I can't comment on this one as I am in the Uk...however all I want to say if well done you!!! many congrats so far!! we at the forum are so proud...have you by the remotest chance checked out any in the UK? weather awful...but experience 10/10...look at the medical facilities at Oxford and Christchurch Uni/s......
 
Well, I don't know if this applies to be a doctor, but in law school the general advice (unless you get into an elite school or the Ivey's) is to go to a school in the state where you eventually want to pratice law because your education will be gear towards that state's bar exam.

So that may be another way of looking at it; but again I don't know if it's applicable to getting your license to practice medicine.

Phyllis
 
Take this advice from someone who knows...go to an in-state school so you can pay in-state tuition. I'm getting ready to graduate from vet school in May and will have approximately $130,000 in student loans. And that's w/o any undergrad loans and paying in-state tuition. I can't even imagine what it would be if I were paying out-of-state tuition. Ouch!
 
My brother went to Mayo. They take really good care of their students. It's not like other med schools where they try to thin the herd over the years. Once Mayo accepts you they go to great lengths to help you graduate. He loved it.
I only went up there once, but it felt like a small town surrounded by mostly rural areas. The downside is that it is freakishly cold in the winters (although we are from Alabama so all winters are freakishly cold- You might not mind them).

Good luck to you!
 

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