I want to stay here in Nevada and become a doctor. Now I currently live in Las Vegas. The allopathic school is in Reno (an 8hr drive to the north) while the osteopathic school is in Henderson.
The school in Reno is public and the annual tuition (minus living expenses) is $15k because I’m a resident of the state. They also give admission preference to Nevada residents. Just assuming my annual living expenses would be $20k that totals $35k per year.
Touro, the DO school in Henderson is $45k, adding living expenses of $15k this is $60k per year. A plus is that Touro has a fast-track program with UNLV in which the 4th year at UNLV and the 1st at Touro are one in the same. I was told that once in the fast-track program you’re in at Touro.
Now my dilemma. Shell out $35k per year and spend two years away in Reno (the last two are done in Las Vegas) and go to UNR is option 1. All this assumes I get in at Reno. Four year total: $140k (minus interest & undergrad loans of course).
Option 2 is take my advisor’s advice and jump on the fast-track and go to Touro. This of course costs the $60k per year. Fast-track students are a lock for a spot by completing the three year course of study and getting at least a 25 on the MCAT. Four year total: $240k.
I want to keep this scenario as simple as possible. I understand there are grants and scholarships. Those would most likely be equal from both institutions (CoA over $5,500 at both, same EFC).
My question is which school? Note that to myself there is absolutely ZERO difference between a DO and an MD. That’s certainly not an issue. The issue for me is the debt. $140k at Reno and away from home for 2 years or $240k to be right here. My living expenses are lessened here because I wouldn’t have to maintain a separate household like I would in Reno. As of right now I have a wife but no kids. My age at matriculation would be 38. That’s fine by me but just want to give you that info as well.
I’d greatly appreciate the opinions and advice that you all may have.
- mooneyline702 Said:
The school in Reno is public and the annual tuition (minus living expenses) is $15k because I'm a resident of the state. They also give admission preference to Nevada residents. Just assuming my annual living expenses would be $20k that totals $35k per year.
Touro, the DO school in Henderson is $45k, adding living expenses of $15k this is $60k per year. A plus is that Touro has a fast-track program with UNLV in which the 4th year at UNLV and the 1st at Touro are one in the same. I was told that once in the fast-track program you're in at Touro.
Now my dilemma. Shell out $35k per year and spend two years away in Reno (the last two are done in Las Vegas) and go to UNR is option 1. All this assumes I get in at Reno. Four year total: $140k (minus interest & undergrad loans of course).
Option 2 is take my advisor's advice and jump on the fast-track and go to Touro. This of course costs the $60k per year. Fast-track students are a lock for a spot by completing the three year course of study and getting at least a 25 on the MCAT. Four year total: $240k.
I want to keep this scenario as simple as possible. I understand there are grants and scholarships. Those would most likely be equal from both institutions (CoA over $5,500 at both, same EFC).
My question is which school? Note that to myself there is absolutely ZERO difference between a DO and an MD. That's certainly not an issue. The issue for me is the debt. $140k at Reno and away from home for 2 years or $240k to be right here. My living expenses are lessened here because I wouldn't have to maintain a separate household like I would in Reno. As of right now I have a wife but no kids. My age at matriculation would be 38. That's fine by me but just want to give you that info as well.
I'd greatly appreciate the opinions and advice that you all may have.
I am glad you are strongly considering staying in Nevada to practice medicine; they need good docs in Las Vegas. Actually I am my way back to Las Vegas tomorrow (my family lives there). And for some reason I thought UNLV was going start classes at the shadow lane campus (next UMC) for 1st & 2nd year students but I guess my info was wrong.
As we know getting into medical any place is hard. My question is if you do go on the Fast-Track, can you also apply to UNLV/Reno or not?
From a financial standpoint, $100K in principal difference plus accrued interest is a significant sum and would lessen your debt greatly.
Is the social and partnership aspect being separated from your spouse going to cause significant hardship and anxiety?
You also have a year less schooling w/Touro
Are you sure that all 3rd and 4th year clinical rotations are in Vegas? I would assume the majority are but.... need to check
As you pointed out in Nevada, MD/DO makes little difference. You should however check the specialty and residency programs match data from each school. My guess is little difference as well.
BTW, there was a similar posting to yours on SDN cost of out of state MD versus in state DO, which of course deteriorated in a flame war. However, one student did post a study of all selection criteria used to by EM residency directors. This found that out of 20 factors, school type (allopathic versus osteopathic) was 14th and was in the least weighted category.
My gut advice is to apply to take a path where you can apply to both and the decision may be made for you. If you are lucky to have the dilemma with both schools accepting you, then you'll have to deal with it.
Although I wasn’t born here, Nevada is my home. My first inclination is to remain here. Even if I were to go to school elsewhere I would always return to Nevada. I still could apply to UNSOM in the Fast-Track program at UNLV. Here I think they’ll take any and all doctors they can find! I’m not worried so much about being separated from my wife as it’s Reno not D.C. for example. As far as future specialties go I am interested in mainly a few. Family Medicine, IM & Hematopathology. Three, Three & Five years respectively. I had a real genuine love for Trauma Surgery but the horror stories I hear of some schools vehemently swaying non-trad students away from lengthy specialties was spooky. Now granted I just don’t want to be a Vascular Surgeon and my hat is off to any who do. But I love what I love and most surgical sub-specialties aren’t it.
For now I am not “nailing down” a specialty until I get my hands “dirty” in each area. For all I know I may just flip out head-over-heels with Anesthesiology or Gastroenterology.
Also I have this “Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Medical Specialty” and if anyone that hasn’t seen it is more than welcome to ask. I will send it to ya (email attachment of course).
Anyways, I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. My first priority is to get into a school first. I enjoy researching different fields but my main goal is to serve my community. I know it’s a sappy answer but mine nonetheless. I’d much rather be a physician that my southern Nevada family needs rather than a physician chasing perceptions of prestige.
I really, REALLY love the idea of being a PCP and Hematopathology is so damn fascinating!! I’m open, ready & willing to be whatever we need here.
Ok back to my post. Not all the UNSOM 3rd & 4th years rotations are in Las Vegas, of course. It’s a plus for me that most are. If in fact UNLV does start classes for 1st & 2nd years at Shadow Lane that would be GREAT!
gonnif, I know you not well but I do thank you for the reply. I have so many scenarios in my head and just want the best one to stand out. I try not to venture over to SDN because of the seething disdain for non-trads.
In checking average indebtedness for Touro-NV it was at $178k and for UNSOM it was around $97k for residents. As mentioned before, although UNSOM has no fast-track they do give preference to Nevada residents. I’m not going anywhere either. I LOVE IT HERE!!!
My suggestion would be to get into the fast track as it would allow you to pursue both Touro and UNSOM. You seem to have researched very well and, to me, you can energetically, enthusiastically, and concisely explain why you want you want to be a doc. I would print off your last post and keep it for those days in the coming years when the days seem long and hard. Besides I’ll need a good PC when my wife and I retire to Las Vegas
Sent you a PM as I will be in Summerlin this week this week.
Oh, the one thing I would suggest that you might benefit on SDN is the school specific discussions. I would do them as separate entries as anything with DO and MD together will fan the flame wars of those young hot heads. You might get some useful info from those who have attended the schools. In fact, if you do go to SDN, post in the medical school forum, not the premed so you might get some students who actually have attended the schools
Thanks for the sage advice. I am so glad I found this site as there is truly limited support and encouragement for OPM’s nearby.
I am very confident that I will get into one of the schools and possibly both. Wouldn’t that be nice? My dream scenario is to get into UNSOM and to find that the didactic portion is taught at Shadow Lane.
From then UNLV President Dr Harter on the idea of expanding the medical school’s operations in Southern Nevada:
“That could be a wonderful boon to our area, to our region of the state,” she said. “Nevada students who are place-bound, who are married and have kids, find it very difficult to go two years in Reno and two years in Las Vegas.”
Nevada medical students typically spend the first two years on the UNR campus and move to Southern Nevada, which has more hospitals, to do two years of clinical studies.
But the UNLV Shadow Lane campus, which holds the School of Dental Medicine, could open its doors to medical school courses and research activity, Harter said."
Marvelous.
Rather old but I again want to thank you for the advice and meeting. I am in the process of talking with my wife about our options. I will definitely keep you posted.