Current med students in DC is a car necessary?

[medicine2006]

I will be attending Howard in the fall. I was wondering if it was necessary to have a car during the first two years of med school. I live in Philly and even though there is a metro system most med students in philly have cars. Is it the same in washington DC?

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[joojoobeware]

I find the metro rail system to be excellent here in DC. You shouldn't need a car. Actually, I think at times a car would be a handicap. The parking here is crazy and expensive. The metro rail and bus system is by far the best I have seen around.

 

[johnM]

I agree that a car in DC can be a nuisance, but I don't think it would be as bad in the area around Howard as say Georgetown or Foggy Bottom (where GW is).

Ahd yeah, the metro is great. It's clean and goes just about everywhere that you would want to go. The MARC train goes to baltimore, but aside from that, getting out of DC without a car would be the annoying part.

 

[Winged Scapula]

It depends on where you'll be living. While the Metro station is close to Howard, how will you manage getting groceries, other supplies of living? Do you have to travel to the VA (which doesn't have a Metro station, I believe) or other outside hospitals?

 

[DesperatelySeekingMD]

I'm not a med student in DC, but I work at a hospital in DC. I have a car and would feel lost in a lot of ways without it. I drive to VA and MD a lot and would have alot of problems getting exactly where I needed without it. Also, I live in Georgetown and I would have to take two buses to get to the metro. So, I find a car much more convenient. Also, you should see where your rotations will be...you maybe need to have a car to get to those hospitals- but that wouldn't be until 3rd. And parking can be a mess in certain areas of the city.

 

[DesperatelySeekingMD]

I live about 5 blocks from Georgetown and have a few friends who are MS-II, almost MS-IIIs there. First, it depends how close to campus you are living...in some areas the street parking is really tight and you have to have a DC parking permit (done by wards) to park on the street for more than two hours. You could walk/take the bus to get groceries. There is also a University bus from the campus to the closest metro (Dupont Circle) so that is convenient. You may need to get a car your 3rd and 4th year depending on where you are rotating. Washington Hospital Center is one of the main hospitals where GU students rotate and it is accesible by the metro and then a shuttle bus.
So, I think you could get by without a car, but it could be an inconvience at times- then again having a car could also be an inconvience at times. I personally would feel lost without my car, but I also lead a different life then I do when I start med school.
If you want to PM with where you are living I can tell you how the parking situation is...and whatever else you might want to know.