<p>if i want to go to a top medical school, where would be a better place to attend for undergrad? uva or jhu?</p>
<p>It is interesting that all the premeds on this board want to go to a top medical school.</p>
<p>Are most of you aware that for private practice - by far the most prevalent career choice - the caliber of the medical school you go to is quite unimportant?</p>
<p>Not to mention, just getting into A med school is quite an accomplishment.</p>
<p>well why settle for less when you could achieve higher?</p>
<p>I don't want to drag the thread too off-base, (private schools often have better odds, but Hopkins has a notorious reputation for viciousness), but, by analogy:</p>
<p>Let me ask you this: </p>
<p>It's much more challenging to be admitted into MD/PhD programs than to simple MD programs. Why settle for less (just the MD) when you could achieve more?</p>
<p>Because your career plans wouldn't involve using the PhD.</p>
<p>Similarly, why aim for HMS if you don't plan to go into academic medicine? If you plan on going into private practice, your academic pedigree doesn't matter. These elite private med schools are much more expensive, harder to get into, and more difficult once you're there compared to, say, your state medical school. So why?</p>
<p>Unless your aim is to be in academics, with the research that that entails - don't bother with the high med schools on US News. Just go for an MD - any MD whatsoever.</p>
<p>PS: I have every intention of entering academic medicine.</p>