Abstract
INTRODUCTION: We aim to compare the experience of medical students at higher- versus lower-ranked medical schools in terms of levels of competition, feelings of animosity amongst students, emphasis on subspecialty choice, and the influence of financial situation on choice of residency specialty. METHODS: Students at randomly chosen medical schools were contacted via email and administered a 10-question survey assessing levels of burn out, peer relations, and school pressures on career choice. RESULTS: Perceptions of adverse competition were higher in the non-top-45 cohort. Pressure to pursue subspecialty training was higher in the top-45 cohort. DISCUSSION: Medical school reputation appears to be inversely correlated with symptoms of animosity amongst peers, and these findings should be evaluated for downstream ramifications.