Hey everyone!
This is Christine from Erie, PA- the other side of the state. I'm 24, a graduate of Ithaca College, and thrilled to be spending my next few years in Philly. I've been accepted to Drexel for a long time, I was initially wait-listed at Temple, and now accepted there too. I'm in a bind. For months I just assumed I'd be a Drexel med student. It's been really tough for me to make a sound decision on where to go. Really tough! Obviously I'm not asking for all of you fine people I have yet to meet to tell me where to go...I'm just hoping maybe some of you wouldn't mind sharing your reasons for your excitement and/or anxiety about going to Temple. Thanks for any help! Maybe I'll see you all this summer- I'm trying to move in July and would be all about meeting up for coffee or a drink sometime before orientation.
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4 comments:
I also interviewed at Drexel, and was on their wait list before my acceptance from Temple came in the mail. There are definitely some things I liked about Temple that Drexel couldn't match. First off, everything is in one location, as opposed to spread throughout greater Philly and southeastern PA. This means that in addition to having clinical and classroom locations together, you don't have to do your rotations at 5 different hospitals. That being said, there is the option of doing regional, national, or even international rotations through Temple. The fact that many Drexel students don't even have a steady address during their second 2 years and just hop from place to place was a big turn off for me.
Also, Temple is dedicated to serving the under-served community of North Philly, and this was a big draw for me. Students I spoke with there, feedback about Temple I found online, as well as talking with an alum who's a family friend lead me to believe that I'll run into conditions and injuries at Temple that I am unlikely to see elsewhere.
Most importantly though, I felt most comfortable at Temple. The students, faculty and staff all seemed laid back yet dedicated, which I think is extremely important, given the already inherent stress in attending med school. Also, the Temple class size is smaller, another draw for me.
Your best bet is to look back to your interview day and tours you may have made, and think about which place made you feel most comfortable. Which of the two schools felt like a better fit for you? Practical considerations like clinical rotations are certainly important, but the best measure of where you'll be happiest for the next four years is personal comfort.
I know that's quite a lot, but hopefully it helps. Good luck wherever you go.
Cheers,
Ian
Hey Christine -
I also got into both schools and the major decision factor for me was the difference in course structures. Temple has block scheduling vs Drexel that does not. I have a few friends at Drexel that are taking 6 courses at once and finding it very difficult to keep up. I also think that Temple has a better "name" in terms of prestige.
Hope that helps!
Mona
Ian and Mona, thank you so much for taking the time to share your input on the two schools. Ian, I understand what you're saying about jumping all over the state of PA. At first I was really enthusiastic about the idea of getting such a mix of urban and rural, but for me, being in a serious relationship, it's not practical to be moving every 4-8 weeks.
Mona, you've addressed exactly what I'm battling with so feverishly. I think the way Drexel sets up their curriculum would best match my learning style, but with so many classes and such long days of lecture and lab, I'd have less time for self study, an essential part of my learning process.
All great things for me to consider. Thanks again!
From a historical perspective, Drexel kind of grew out of the semi-collapse of the Hahneman and MCP merger, and didn't have it's own hospital until recently. I suppose that could be an advantage as well as the obvious drawback. From the application process, I got the impression that Drexel was very disorganized, whereas Temple has been very much on top of things. My roommate, who'll be a 2nd year at Temple, says we'll be the third year of the new curriculum, and that the faculty has been great about adjusting it based on student input. Temple also has a very good clinical reputation and as ian said, is involved in the north philly community, which was a big turn on for me. I don't know as much about Drexel's reputation, but I'd consider its focus (and whether it seems more research-based or clinically-focused) when making your choice.
Good luck!
Chris
p.s. - Ditto on what Ian said about faculty, staff, and student body personalities. Everyone's been really cool and down-to-earth in my experience.
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