Run Away from TCMC

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This is a message to anyone holding acceptances to The Commonwealth Medical College and ANY other school in this country.

Drop TCMC.

Everything about the school has changed from its initial lofty goals of being an independent institution. While the information is not yet public, the institution will soon be announced as a Catholic and Jesuit college, which translates to such wonderful meanings as no insurance support for things like birth control and anything else to which the Vatican objects (child molestation optional). This comes about as the institution was run straight into the ground by overpaid and underworked administrators, many of whom still hold active positions paying well over 6 figures, thus now forcing the school to partner with the University of Scranton.

Millions upon millions were spent building state-of-the-art research facilities. The researchers working in them will soon be moved into the University of Scranton, and millions more will be spent to renovate (within a year of opening) the current research space into clinic space, of which there is none in the brand new building.

Those of you with acceptances at only TCMC, you need to seriously consider how important getting in this year is. I understand that there will always be problems with opening a new medical school, but nothing remains of the great school with which I was once proud to be affiliated. Many promises have been made and broken.

Tuition has doubled and need-based aid no longer exists (unless you're one of the chosen few from NEPA, then you pay nothing and are given awards that you do not deserve). TCMC fails to rise above the nepotism and cronyism of the Scranton area. Given the financial crunch, I expect tuition will continue to rise 15-20% every year for the foreseeable future.

Add on top of all of this that TCMC is STILL not closer to being an accredited institution (and on probation), and you should be able to see why I created this account.

I've remained silent for too long. I regret not blowing the whistle much earlier on all of this. I've seen this school crumbling for a long time, from the cracks that appeared while the school was housed in Lackawanna College to the shiny new building that changed absolutely nothing and only created the current financial crisis (OH! But the building is LEED certified!).

Run. Run while you can. I've said all I can say.

You mentioned you were affiliated with TCMC....are you a student there? You should also post this on the 2011-2012 TCMC school specific page - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...=823450&page=9

No need for me cause the school already chose to keep me away from it

Originally Posted by DoNotAttendTCMC

Tuition has doubled

It went up somewhat (this is true for virtually all medical schools), but it certainly hasn't doubled.

AFAIK, there are only "continuing discussions regarding a possible affiliation." I don't see how this would be anything other than good news for TCMC as the UofS has an excellent reputaion for the sciences and recently opened a $70 million science center. They do have deep pockets and would probably be the financial cushion theat TCMC needs to get them off their financial probation status.

Moving to the school-specific discussions forum.

Let me know if I'm reading this right...

Cons:

Catholic affiliation (Loyola Chicago, Georgetown, Crieghton and SLU seem to be ok)
Bad administration (not a unique problem to TCMC)
Tuition rising (not a unique problem to *any* medical school)

Pros:
New building

Nice!

The OP appears very objective - you should probably trust his thoughts.

I wonder if this school is the OP's only waitlist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92gP2J0CUjc

I don't necessarily think you have to put your running shoes on just yet.

Here's some more information regarding the possible affiliation;

http://thedailyreview.com/opinion/he...nomy-1.1277545

Health for med school and regional economy

Published: February 27, 2012



The University of Scranton's new Loyola Science Center helps make the school a good match for the Commonwealth Medical College as the institutions pursue plans for an affiliation.

When the group that founded the Commonwealth Medical College first announced the project in 2005, one of the major questions in the community was why it was not affiliated with a university, especially the University of Scranton.
Independent medical schools are relatively rare. For financial, academic and practical reasons, most are tied to universities and many of those include "teaching hospitals."

Many people saw the University of Scranton as a natural partner for the medical school because of its strong pre-med program.

TCMC pressed on independently, pioneering a community-based, rather than university-based model as it built its spectacular headquarters on Pine Street, at the edge of downtown Scranton.

Disadvantages of that independence soon became obvious, however. The school had no parent organization and no alumni. After the state government, Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania and a core of generous private donors funded the initial development, TCMC was placed on probation by its accrediting body because of financial uncertainty - a period it has been able to navigate largely because of an ongoing commitment from Blue Cross.

Now it appears that the affiliation that seemed a natural from the outset finally might happen. The medical school and the university formally agreed recently to examine an affiliation that might make even better sense now than it would have back in 2005.

In the interim, the University of Scranton has established a joint graduate major with the medical school and it has constructed an $80 million science center. It also brings to the table its academic reputation, which would be enhanced through a medical school, a national alumni association and significant fund raising capability.
An affiliation would be a tremendous development for the two institutions and the region. TCMC already has begun to play a role in improving the region's health care quality and access, and it is a key to creating a larger knowledge-based component to the region's economy.

The university long has been a major player in the regional economy. That will increase with its growing emphasis on research, which would grow further through a medical school affiliation. Because of the extraordinary work by the medical school's developers, the university would not have to build the institution from scratch.

Meanwhile, two major hospital groups that have relationships with TCMC have become the biggest players in regional health care delivery. Community Health Systems of Franklin, Tenn., has purchased the former Mercy Hospital and Moses Taylor Hospital and their related institutions, and Geisinger Health System has expanded its presence with its acquisition of the former Community Medical Center. Both groups have vowed to invest scores of millions of dollars in the region.

All of those developments hold the potential to make health care, medical education and research-based related developments new drivers of the region's economy.

A TCMC/University of Scranton affiliation is a complex undertaking. The region will benefit enormously if they can pull it off.

Oh no, not a JESUIT school! The most liberal and left leaning group in the entire Church? Brb gonna kill myself.

That being said, it did take the University of Scranton a long time to get a Gay-Straight Alliance, but that was largely due to pain in the ass mid level bureaucrats playing obstructionist. Once it came to the then-president's attention, Fr. Pilarz, he not only immediately approved of the club but I believe it's budget was partially supplied by the office of campus ministry.

Good times.

The bishop tends to be a real jerk sometimes, though.

Anyway, your financial concerns are legit.

“unless you're one of the chosen few fromNEPA, then you pay nothing and are given awards that you do not deserve”
Wow! It looks like someone is having a littledifficulty adjusting to the fact that they are not the shining star of medicalschool. Did those undeserving NEPA locals take the credit that YOU deserve? Itseems like the same old story as at the University of Scranton, students moveto Scranton to attend school and have so much difficulty dealing with the localpopulation they so obviously are better than.
Give me a break! People from NEPA areextremely hard working and deserving. Unless you came from Appalachia or asimilarly impoverished region please keep your judgmental attitude to yourself!

I thought that one of TCMC's main missions was generating doctors for NE PA? Would it not then be logical to provide financial aid for those individuals?

Pretty sure this wasn't an April Fools joke.

Published: April 1, 2012

Before a possible affiliation begins between the Commonwealth Medical College and the University of Scranton, the schools need more time.
In a joint statement, the presidents of the schools said they are extending an agreement to discuss a possible affiliation until May 18. The first deadline, which was announced in February, was the end of March.
"Over the past several weeks, we have engaged in wider discussions with our respective faculty, staff and students," according to the statement released Friday from university President the Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., and Lois Margaret Nora, M.D., the medical college's interim dean and president. "We are continuing to consider the complex questions and issues that surround the possibility of deepening our existing collaborations into an affiliation."
Last summer, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which accredits American medical schools, notified the college that it would be put on probation because of financial difficulties.
At the time, the medical college announced it may consider an affiliation with another institution.
In September, the college and Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania entered into an agreement in which the insurance company would "provide a cushion" to the college when it needed additional funding in the next five years.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/medical-college-university-of-scranton-need-more-time-for-possible-affiliation-1.1293600#ixzz1r6TmZIGI

Originally Posted by couldabeenadoc

Pretty sure this wasn't an April Fools joke.

Published: April 1, 2012

Before a possible affiliation begins between the Commonwealth Medical College and the University of Scranton, the schools need more time.
In a joint statement, the presidents of the schools said they are extending an agreement to discuss a possible affiliation until May 18. The first deadline, which was announced in February, was the end of March.
"Over the past several weeks, we have engaged in wider discussions with our respective faculty, staff and students," according to the statement released Friday from university President the Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., and Lois Margaret Nora, M.D., the medical college's interim dean and president. "We are continuing to consider the complex questions and issues that surround the possibility of deepening our existing collaborations into an affiliation."
Last summer, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which accredits American medical schools, notified the college that it would be put on probation because of financial difficulties.
At the time, the medical college announced it may consider an affiliation with another institution.
In September, the college and Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania entered into an agreement in which the insurance company would "provide a cushion" to the college when it needed additional funding in the next five years.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/medical-college-university-of-scranton-need-more-time-for-possible-affiliation-1.1293600#ixzz1r6TmZIGI

Ouch... http://golackawanna.com/stories/U-of...b_type=stories

Originally Posted by flatearth22

Ouch... http://golackawanna.com/stories/U-of...b_type=stories

That is fairly concerning... perhaps a current student can give us their perspective?

Current student here. The school is fine. We don't NEED an affiliation to stay afloat, but some extra cash never hurt anyone.

Yesterday, the LCME removed our probation, promoted us to the next level of accreditation, and gave us the OK to expand our class size to 100 for the class of 2017. I think that should speak volumes about how they view our current situation.

Here is a link to our dean's summary of the LCME findings: http://thecommonwealthmedical.com/lcme

Originally Posted by MichaelScottMD

Current student here. The school is fine. We don't NEED an affiliation to stay afloat, but some extra cash never hurt anyone.

Yesterday, the LCME removed our probation, promoted us to the next level of accreditation, and gave us the OK to expand our class size to 100 for the class of 2017. I think that should speak volumes about how they view our current situation.

Here is a link to our dean's summary of the LCME findings: http://thecommonwealthmedical.com/lcme

That is good news indeed and I am sure will help quell some of the concern surrounding TCMC.