Choosing a School

It’s that time of year. Medical school acceptances are rolling in (praise the Lord!) and you may be at the point of trying to decide which one to choose to accept.
My heart is overjoyed when pre-med students tell me they have multiple medical school acceptances. But that question of how to decide between the acceptances is real! It’s a big decision, and one you shouldn’t make lightly.
Side note, even if you’re not at this point, either you’re not applying this year or the acceptances haven’t rolled in yet- still consider the factors below on how to decide between medical schools.

Cost

Medical school isn’t cheap, let’s be real about that. And these schools aren’t hiding how much they’re charging! You can literally go look up the tuition right now! Yes, there are some tuition free medical schools out there, but only a few and they have really specific requirements and that “free” is only for a subset of people. And, if one of those isn’t in your list of acceptances, there’s no need to even think about it (but if one of them is in your list of acceptances and you have an option for a free ride to medical school, why are you reading this? You have your answer!) But, if like the great majority of students, you’re choosing between schools that you have to pay to attend, remember: like most things in life, the most expensive medical school does not make it the “best school.” Be sure to do your homework on scholarships and financial aid options and make a good financial decision. Take it from me, medical school debt is real. It’s a fact that African-American students graduate college and medical school with substantially more debt that their counterparts. Who’s out here trying to add to these statistics? Not you! There are state/public schools and institutions that are truly dedicated to providing opportunities for URIM schools and offer scholarships and financial assistance to back up that said dedication. Take a long, hard look at those schools. If you have one acceptance and you’re worried about paying for medical school, don’t. Let them know you’re coming and read through this previous post on paying for medical school.

Location

Don’t forget that you have to actually live in the place you go to medical school. So decide what you can and can’t put up with when it comes to your living environment. For example, if you grew up in a warm sunny place and hate the thought of being cold and are miserable at temperatures less than 60 degrees, 1) why did you waste your money applying to a school in a cold place? and 2) if you have options in places that better fit your temperature requirements, this one is a no-brainer– cross the cold places off the list. Also don’t base your decision on how much you “love” the city. Just because you love living your best life in NYC, DC, Atlanta, etc, that does not (again for the people skimming this, DOES NOT) mean you have to go to medical school there. There are flights leaving out to these places multiple times a day…you can catch one. And have a great time. And then go back to school.

Consider proximity to family/people you care about- is that a deal breaker for you? I went to college out of state (9 hours away from home) and at about Week 2, I could’ve kicked my own butt for choosing that. I have a super close family and had really strong community relationships and I just up and left it all! Most of my closest friends went to school in-state and were all hanging out and going home for the weekend and I was…9 hours away, getting lost every time I got on the interstate. But, because I’m me, I made the most of it and, obviously, I stayed there to graduate and ended up having a great time. But it made for a pretty rough first couple weeks and months and my grades that first semester showed it, but I bounced back. You may not have the luxury of that kind of adjustment period in medical school. If you need the support or at least to know that you can get home to your momma and back to school in the same day, you may need to take location into consideration when making a decision. It was a no-brainer for me to go to medical school closer to home after I graduated college and I wouldn’t give that back for all the world. I got to be closer to my granddaddy before he passed away at the end of medical school and I got to grocery shop in my parents’ kitchen whenever I went home! Now with that said, it’s between you and your momma…but if you’re looking at a free tuition far from home, somebody may have to invest in a Zoom account…I’m just sayin’.

Diversity

If you know you thrive in a diverse setting and/or with classmates and faculty who look like you, it’s not unreasonable to consider that when choosing a medical school. Not only is it “not unreasonable,” it’s something you need to be looking for. Hopefully you got a feel for what the program has to offer along the lines of diversity when you interviewed. Maybe you had a chance to talk to current students or (hopefully) they have a DEI office that has reached out to you with information. I will say this, and I’m gonna leave it here, don’t let the pictures on the website fool you…If being in a diverse environment is something that’s important to you, do your research and ask the questions.

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I’m a firm believer in a good Pros/Cons list and often make them when I’m making big decisions. If that’s what it takes for you too, do it. At the end of the day, having options in front of you is great. But, honestly, medical school is medical school: It’s going to be one of the hardest things you ever do, regardless of what school you choose. Don’t make it harder than it has to be; you can set yourself up to be successful before you ever step foot in the door. Be smart about making the decision and really consider cost, location, support, and need for diversity, ranked by level of importance to you.