<p>Many people actually think this is an easy decision. For those aspiring to be doctors, it would be ideal to attend JHU for premed as opposed to MIT, an engineering-oriented school. But the more I think about it, the more indecisive I get.</p>
<p>JHU is known for its premed. Amazing acceptance rates to amazing medical schools, what's not to love? But I hear it's EXTREMELY CUTTHROAT and intense (especially students pursuing medicine). Do I really want to spend my undergraduate experience in that sort of enviroment? I'm a competitive swimmer so I'm definitely joining the varsity swim team when I arrive at college. I want to be able to have enough time for school work, athletics, and throw some "me" time in there as well (I know, that's a lot to ask for). Granted, MIT is just as hard, but I'm thinking since MIT's known for engineering, their premed isn't as cutthroat...? I could be completely wrong about that. But hey, that's why I'm posting this thread haha. Besides, MIT's natural sciences and premed program has really developed over the past few years. Some even say there's a Harvard Med-MIT alliance in the making. AND another point: Baltimore vs. Boston. C'mon, Boston hands down but Baltimore has got the research and clinical opportunities necessary for any successful student with aspirations to revolutionize the medical field.</p>
<p>I honestly don't know what to do. Any advice would be extremely appreciated!</p>
<p>If I had those two options, I’d choose Boston and MIT in a second. JHU definitely has a great hospital, but MIT definitely has a better set of research opportunities (you have access to Harvard and MIT, plus the concentration of biotech companies in and around greater Boston). There’s also just the simple fact that living in Boston for four years >>>>>>> living in Baltimore for four years. Please do not underestimate that importance.</p>
<p>I did a one-week shadowing/research externship at JHU where I had an all-around negative experience. I found a few of the doctors out-right pompous, with one proclaiming he won’t even look at a MRI if it wasn’t done internally at Hopkins because they’re useless otherwise. There was a sort of arrogance everywhere, but I concede that’s justified if you’re the #1 Hospital in America. I also met a college student who was completing her “research thesis/class” over winter break. This equated to her playing on her iPhone for 10 weeks (she really didn’t care she wasn’t getting anything out of it). This upset me immensely as someone who does research, appreciates the process, and respects the hard work that goes into science. I also had the pleasure of sitting next to her and a fellow student in the midst of a 20 minute discussion of their exact numerical grades on every orgo exam they both took two years prior. Let just say, that I personally walked away from that week very happy I chose not to go to Hopkins. </p>
<p>Of course, I’m sure my experience was probably an isolated one…so take it like it is. JHU is a great school, and my aversion to it was probably exacerbated by the fact that I spent 4 years in college at a hippie, non-competitive small liberal arts college. Good luck! You have two good choices.</p>
<p>She was the daughter of doctors and through connections had been working in labs since she was 16, even though she self-proclaimed to dislike research and I imagine spent a lot of her time in previous experiences as she spent in that lab. She was applying to medical school while I met her, but concurrently told me she never wanted to actually practice medicine. I’m OK with students being competitive and racking up resume boosters, which is something that I’ve seen a lot of fellow pre-meds partake in. However, in most other cases there was a least some genuine interest in what they were doing…whether it be the project they worked on in lab, or just the shear desire to help people through clinical medicine. It’s disconcerting as someone who enjoys research and wants to help others to see applicants to medical school who seem really far from these ideals. Again, most likely just a single incident, but I think it’s justified to be a little phased by someone like that.</p>
And MIT, with its close proximity to MGH, Children’s Hospital Boston, and Brigham & Women’s, doesn’t?</p>
<p>As for pre-med cutthroat-ness, I think it’s safe to say there are two things pre-meds are generally observed to do: further themselves and hinder others. However, at MIT, pre-med students only commit the former.</p>