AZCOM Discussion Thread 2011-2012

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Originally Posted by xajtx

I was curious as to what questions they asked you. It was a panel interview, right?

Fairly standard stuff. I didn't read the interview feedback questions and I did fine. I was able to relate a lot of stuff from my personal experiences though.

did the interview last until 2:30 pm?

ohh I see. Thank you for clearing that up. I can't wait for my interview next week!

Originally Posted by randomusername

Correct, the volunteering at the clinics/shelters is all optional for students to do, though many (perhaps most) students end up volunteering at some point. This article's old and I think an additional site or two have been added, but it's still applicable to the experience:
http://www.midwestern.edu/News_and_E...10th_Year.html


If I'm following your second question...yeah, the bulk of your 88 weeks of rotations will be preceptor-based (that's just the nature of DO clinical education). You'll have one mandatory ward-IM rotation and the possibility of a few additional ward-rotations (I forget the other ward rotations the school offers, I just know one of them is surgery and another is FP) but the bulk of your rotations will be you tagging along with a single physician, a group, or a single department.

Hi all!

This is sort of off topic, I guess. I am interviewing Friday at AZCOM and will have 7 or so hours after the interview to explore Phoenix. Anyone have any suggestions as to what to do in the area? I will be by myself but will have a rental car.

Thanks!

If anyone is interviewing next Thursday (Sept 22nd) and is staying at the Drury, let me know. Would be nice to chat and relax.

Originally Posted by randomusername

If I'm following your second question...yeah, the bulk of your 88 weeks of rotations will be preceptor-based (that's just the nature of DO clinical education). You'll have one mandatory ward-IM rotation and the possibility of a few additional ward-rotations (I forget the other ward rotations the school offers, I just know one of them is surgery and another is FP) but the bulk of your rotations will be you tagging along with a single physician, a group, or a single department.

Note: this is really long, so there is a tl;dr at the bottom and some general advice.


As a current third year, I can chime in on this. This is correct for the most part, with ward based OPTIONS for peds, family, psych and I believe surgery. Now when I say option, I mean you have to apply for them separately and fairly early (mid 2nd year). Unfortunately, how it is chosen is based on part grades and part how well you know the faculty. If you're the type who does well the first two years but only shows up for exams and rarely talks to anyone, it may be very difficult to land a spot.

That said, the rotations are a massive hit or miss. I've heard reports coming in from the front of where students did literally nothing or simply assisted with the mundane everyday issues to a private practice. Some preceptors will treat students like a fly on the wall simply because they'd rather control the pace and at the end of it, you'll get nothing from it and probably never look back.

Ward based doesn't always equal better either. I'm in Tucson for 3rd year and my next door neighbor is a 3rd year UofA student and he is also on OB/GYN for 6 wks (as opposed to our 4 wk stints). He has yet to deliver a baby and it's been a month for him already, which means he probably never will. I'm two weeks in and have delivered 2 and will likely have to deliver 2 more. Our preceptor is insanely busy so we're on call often and I guess you could say the down side is there is very little time to study for the shelf, but I'm a little glad I got to at least do some stuff.

Thus the nature of the beast: if you are in a busy ward based rotation with residents, fellows and auditioning 4th years, as a 3rd year, you're at the bottom stuck with scut work and observation 95% of the time. That said, it can give you a 1st hand experience into what life will be like should you enter it, but honestly, 4th year auditions are more important for actually learning things and impressing people.

Still, some residencies do want to see some ward based experience and 1 required month may not be enough. Even with auditions, this can be a problem in an interview, as noted by scpod during his IM residency interviews.

Wow, this is a lot longer than it meant to be, but I just want to leave it with this.

tl;dr - Rotations are hit and miss since preceptors vary wildly in what they will let you do. There is 1 required ward based IM but optional ward based psych, surg, peds, and family that must be applied for in 2nd year.

Advice: actively shape your 3rd year. Don't accept the schedule they give you and change things like seeking out "underserved" areas to replace your rural rotation. It is your education and bend their strict rules to get what you want.

Can someone please link me to the status page? I accidentally deleted the email. Thanks

Originally Posted by DwightKSschrute

Can someone please link me to the status page? I accidentally deleted the email. Thanks

You mean online.midwestern.edu?

Current students, can you tell me how long it took to find out you were accepted vs. how long they told you it would be? At the end of the interview they said it would be 2-3 weeks, but reading last year's page people were finding out like 2-4 days post interview.

Originally Posted by Juice9

Current students, can you tell me how long it took to find out you were accepted vs. how long they told you it would be? At the end of the interview they said it would be 2-3 weeks, but reading last year's page people were finding out like 2-4 days post interview.

I found out within a couple of days but most people have a decision around the 1-2 week range.

How are people getting from the airport to hotel? Im staying at the Drury on Friday and I don't fly out until early saturday morning so Im trying to figure out if it is worth it to rent a car or to just take a taxi/super shuttle everywhere?

Also anyone else interviewing friday and wanna hang out after?? I'll be free all night haha

Had my interview yesterday. Really awesome experience, but holy crap was it hot. Ladies, wear something under your jacket so that you can take your jacket off during the tour. I didn't do this and I was dying. Also, flats are a wonderful idea, as there is a decent bit of walking.

Originally Posted by RavensGal

How are people getting from the airport to hotel? Im staying at the Drury on Friday and I don't fly out until early saturday morning so Im trying to figure out if it is worth it to rent a car or to just take a taxi/super shuttle everywhere?

Also anyone else interviewing friday and wanna hang out after?? I'll be free all night haha

+1

Any other people interviewing Friday?

im interviewing thursday and staying at the comfort inn. anyone in my boat?

I'm going to rent a car. Does anyone know if the parking lot on the map they emailed out is for anyone or do you need some sort of pass to park there?

Originally Posted by runningute

I'm going to rent a car. Does anyone know if the parking lot on the map they emailed out is for anyone or do you need some sort of pass to park there?

Parking's a lot friendlier when you don't have an MWU sticker on your car, you should be fine.

Originally Posted by runningute

I'm going to rent a car. Does anyone know if the parking lot on the map they emailed out is for anyone or do you need some sort of pass to park there?

Just stop and talk with the security guard on the way in, they don't care about where you park, but they do give you a security card that you'll need to get into the building.

annddd $135 later I have a rental car. Hopefully it was worth it to get one. and I dont get another SUV.

Interview Invite!!

But, the first interview dates aren't until January now. Hoping someone reschedules so an earlier date comes up. Yikes!

Complete: 9/12 (added this school later than the others)

Originally Posted by Dotpats

Interview Invite!!

But, the first interview dates aren't until January now. Hoping someone reschedules so an earlier date comes up. Yikes!

Complete: 9/12 (added this school later than the others)

Got the interview invite today, as well. I didn't receive an email so people might want to check the portal.

I rented a car last year. The school is about 20-25 min from the Airport. Honestly, there is not much around the school -- I remember a plaza across the street with a coffee shop. I stayed with a friend that lived 5 min away.

Just withdrew my app from this school. Good luck everyone, I liked the school when I interviewed last year.

App completed 9/14, offered an interview today for Jan 20th. Really looking forward to this school, it looks incredible. Still waiting for CCOM though..

Submitted my secondary today! All other paperwork is in.. now just have to wait. This is the hardest part!

Interview for next year! Looks like a great school! If anyone's going to withdraw please send me a PM. I'd love to interview earlier! Thanks

I'm ready to hear back from this school... they said the 29th but that seems so far away.

I keep checking the portal every day....maybe we'll find out sooner?

I searched on their website for the address to send my LORs but can't find one. Is it just the school's main address?

Originally Posted by light warrior

I searched on their website for the address to send my LORs but can't find one. Is it just the school's main address?

Yep, just do yourself a favor and add "Office of Admissions" somewhere on there.

For any current AZCOM students, are there any clinical rotations (elective or otherwise) for pathology in AZ? While you never know what specialty you'll end up in, I am very interested in both anatomical and clincal pathology, and am hoping to become a medical examiner someday.

Originally Posted by lysase

For any current AZCOM students, are there any clinical rotations (elective or otherwise) for pathology in AZ? While you never know what specialty you'll end up in, I am very interested in both anatomical and clincal pathology, and am hoping to become a medical examiner someday.

According to the ACGME website http://www.acgme.org/adspublic/ (under search, click on "accredited programs" and you can find listings for every residency type in every state) there are two pathology residencies in Arizona (one in Phoenix, the other in Tucson). While there aren't any required rotations in path, certainly you might be able to do an elective rotation at one of them.

Just got into Glendale.

chillen at the Drury. I highly recommend it for anyone interviewing here. Its an easy drive from the airport and they have a ton of free food and drinks for dinner. and theyre playing the NC State game right now so I can eat food and watch us lose.

Originally Posted by RavensGal

chillen at the Drury. I highly recommend it for anyone interviewing here. Its an easy drive from the airport and they have a ton of free food and drinks for dinner. and theyre playing the NC State game right now so I can eat food and watch us lose.

Funny, I was just at a bar for a friend's birthday watching the same massacre.

yeah it was pretty bad.. I only saw the 2nd and 3rd quarter and was done.

I had to leave after the end of the 3rd, it was horrible and studying pharm sounded more fun.

welcome to NC State athletics. Will you be around today while we're interviewing?

Is there a link to the rotation sites available in 3rd and 4th year? It would be pretty awesome to do a neurosurg rotation at BNI

Originally Posted by RavensGal

welcome to NC State athletics. Will you be around today while we're interviewing?

Nah, I'll be sitting in our ICM class for about five hours today. Good luck with the interview!

Originally Posted by canadian18

Is there a link to the rotation sites available in 3rd and 4th year? It would be pretty awesome to do a neurosurg rotation at BNI

There is...somewhere. I want to say Flushot or myself might have posted a link in last year's thread. If you don't have any luck finding it, I might be able to track it down again.

Got a letter in the mail today.. The admissions committee has put my application "on hold pending possible future interview invitation"

Originally Posted by Eric552

Got a letter in the mail today.. The admissions committee has put my application "on hold pending possible future interview invitation"

Good news is it's not the end of the world. Just keep them updated with new MCAT scores, semester/quarter grades, activities, publications, and/or LORs.

Interesting interview day today... lots of ethical questions. and this was the first interview where there weren't like any med students around to ask questions to. also lots of sitting around just talking to each other. but the campus was gorgeous and Ive heard lots of good things about the school. I don't feel like my interview went well though..

I got an interview invite yesterday, and the next available dates aren't until January!! They are filling up fast...

Really liked the school today. I hope I get in, this school is great. Good weather, rotations in LA, and good board score pass rates.

Originally Posted by RavensGal

Interesting interview day today... lots of ethical questions. and this was the first interview where there weren't like any med students around to ask questions to. also lots of sitting around just talking to each other. but the campus was gorgeous and Ive heard lots of good things about the school. I don't feel like my interview went well though..

That is a bit odd that there weren't med students available because they try to get MS2s to sign-up for doing that and my class is always eager to do...anything. If you have any specific questions, feel free to pm myself or Flushot.

Originally Posted by help2

I got an interview invite yesterday, and the next available dates aren't until January!! They are filling up fast...

Keep checking the portal regularly, dates will open up. That being said, interviewing in January isn't too late by any means so don't sweat it if that's all you can get.

Originally Posted by randomusername

Keep checking the portal regularly, dates will open up. That being said, interviewing in January isn't too late by any means so don't sweat it if that's all you can get.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Originally Posted by help2

Thanks for the suggestion!

FYI for you or anybody else with an interview already scheduled, don't worry about losing your current interview date if you're trying to see if new dates have been added, you won't lose it by clicking to see the available interview dates schedule (somebody always seems to express this concern, so just in case...).

Originally Posted by randomusername

That is a bit odd that there weren't med students available because they try to get MS2s to sign-up for doing that and my class is always eager to do...anything. If you have any specific questions, feel free to pm myself or Flushot.

Yep, same here as well. There were two dental students answering questions, but no DO students.

Originally Posted by poopyhead

Yep, same here as well. There were two dental students answering questions, but no DO students.

If everybody interviewed on Friday, I guess those interview groups are getting shafted because we're stuck in our clinical class (one of the few with mandatory attendance) most of the day and nobody is wanting to do a working lunch break; that or it was just a random thing that happened today. Either way, pm me if any of you have questions.

Originally Posted by RavensGal

Interesting interview day today... lots of ethical questions. and this was the first interview where there weren't like any med students around to ask questions to. also lots of sitting around just talking to each other. but the campus was gorgeous and Ive heard lots of good things about the school. I don't feel like my interview went well though..

I really didn't feel like I had the opportunity to highlight my strengths in the interview. I'm not sure if it was the questions they asked, or how they asked them but I left feeling as though I had a lot more to say. I really hope that they had a chance to thoroughly consider everything in my file...

Anyone staying at Extended Stay America Phoenix - Deer Valley on Sept.25th (for Sept.26 interview)? If so, let me know so we can split the cab on the day of