A.T. Still University Arizona (ATSU-SOMA) Discussion Thread 2012 - 2013

SDN Members don't see this ad. (About Ads)

New Year, New Thread!!! Discuss away!!!

So, I am applying here this year and was wondering what the school week looks like. I am married and I have a newborn who will be a 1 year old around the time I start, if accepted. I think I read that classes during 1st and 2nd year are mostly online and you only meet with your professor and group approx once a week? Is this true, and if not what does a typical day (hour breakdown look like). I am hoping that I can go to school and study the majority of the day (as if I was at a job) and then have some family time at night. If anyone is in medical school with young children and want to comment on how family life is during medical school, please expound as much as you would like. Thanks so much.

Originally Posted by deeoh2be

So, I am applying here this year and was wondering what the school week looks like. I am married and I have a newborn who will be a 1 year old around the time I start, if accepted. I think I read that classes during 1st and 2nd year are mostly online and you only meet with your professor and group approx once a week? Is this true, and if not what does a typical day (hour breakdown look like). I am hoping that I can go to school and study the majority of the day (as if I was at a job) and then have some family time at night. If anyone is in medical school with young children and want to comment on how family life is during medical school, please expound as much as you would like. Thanks so much.

I have a friend entering his 4th year here. He is at the Flagstaff CHC. In conversing with him, my understanding is that the first year is pretty involved when you're in Mesa at "home base" I guess you could call it. He said that when you move to your CHC location in the 2nd year most of your work is done online. I believe he said they met weekly as a group (about 8-10 students) and began clinical experience during this year. If you're very self-motivated this is great. I can't yet decide if this is for me or not. It's great because you can see your family more... bad because it's easier to be distracted I believe. Perhaps if a current student could provide some info it'd be more helpful?

Originally Posted by abolt18

I have a friend entering his 4th year here. He is at the Flagstaff CHC. In conversing with him, my understanding is that the first year is pretty involved when you're in Mesa at "home base" I guess you could call it. He said that when you move to your CHC location in the 2nd year most of your work is done online. I believe he said they met weekly as a group (about 8-10 students) and began clinical experience during this year. If you're very self-motivated this is great. I can't yet decide if this is for me or not. It's great because you can see your family more... bad because it's easier to be distracted I believe. Perhaps if a current student could provide some info it'd be more helpful?

Great, thanks so much for the info. That is exciting to know that the balance can be achieved. Yes, if any current students could chime in on this, that would be great. Thanks again.

Applying here, have heard positives from a friend who goes here. Good luck everyone.

I have heard nothing but great things about this school from those who go here. I have family super close, and I've toured the campus. I loved it, so this school is really high on my list!

Man I wanted to apply here but I'm not liking the sound of doing alot of stuff online......

Originally Posted by hopefulMD9

Man I wanted to apply here but I'm not liking the sound of doing alot of stuff online......

That slightly deters me also but I applied anyway. I figured if I get accepted then I'll make my final decision...

Yeah, I want to know this as well. I am married with children and want to know what didactic method (PBL,etc) they follow for that first year in Mesa, and thereafter.

Originally Posted by hopefulMD9

Man I wanted to apply here but I'm not liking the sound of doing alot of stuff online......

You don't have to do anything online 1st year if you don't want to.

2nd year you get your lectures in video-podcast format, but that's the extent of the "online" portion of the curriculum.

Honestly, I don't think this should be a concern. The vast majority of med-students don't attend lecture, but study independently instead. Most of my class (1st year) hasn't attended class since November because watching lectures online can be so much more efficient.

Anyone get the secondary yet?

Originally Posted by SLC

You don't have to do anything online 1st year if you don't want to.

2nd year you get your lectures in video-podcast format, but that's the extent of the "online" portion of the curriculum.

Honestly, I don't think this should be a concern. The vast majority of med-students don't attend lecture, but study independently instead. Most of my class (1st year) hasn't attended class since November because watching lectures online can be so much more efficient.

Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by SLC

You don't have to do anything online 1st year if you don't want to.

2nd year you get your lectures in video-podcast format, but that's the extent of the "online" portion of the curriculum.

Honestly, I don't think this should be a concern. The vast majority of med-students don't attend lecture, but study independently instead. Most of my class (1st year) hasn't attended class since November because watching lectures online can be so much more efficient.

Gotcha. So just lectures online. I take it you still have lab and stuff though? Do you still meet at least once a week? Last question....where exactly do they place you second year? Ive searched around and cant get a definitive answer.

Originally Posted by hopefulMD9

Gotcha. So just lectures online. I take it you still have lab and stuff though? Do you still meet at least once a week? Last question....where exactly do they place you second year? Ive searched around and cant get a definitive answer.

You move to your CHC (community health center A.K.A. community campus) after the 1st year. The CHC is where you will perform the majority of your rotations in years 3 and 4.

http://www.atsu.edu/soma/medschool_f...th_centers.htm

This is the list of all the locations. Hope that helps! (I'm also curious about the details of your schedule during year 2)

Originally Posted by abolt18

You move to your CHC (community health center A.K.A. community campus) after the 1st year. The CHC is where you will perform the majority of your rotations in years 3 and 4.

http://www.atsu.edu/soma/medschool_f...th_centers.htm

This is the list of all the locations. Hope that helps! (I'm also curious about the details of your schedule during year 2)

Great! Do you get to pick your CHC?

Along the lines of what hopefulMD9 asked.....once you are done with MS2 and pick your 2 choices for CHC...how do those get awarded? I mean, is there a preference such as single vs head of household? class rank? first come-first served? connections? or just plain luck?

Originally Posted by TXKnight

OK so...once you are done with MS2 and pick your 2 choices for CHC...how do those get awarded? I mean, is there a preference such as single vs head of household? class rank? first come-first served? connections? or just plain luck?

Exactly my question. Haha worded much better

Originally Posted by hopefulMD9

Great! Do you get to pick your CHC?

It's a rank system, you rank the CHC's and if there are 10 or less who rank a CHC #1 they all go there. If there are more than 10, it goes to essays and the CHC's pick their top 10 based on the essay. I think that if someone was from the area, they'd have an excellent chance of being selected to go there.

Originally Posted by TXKnight

Along the lines of what hopefulMD9 asked.....once you are done with MS2 and pick your 2 choices for CHC...how do those get awarded? I mean, is there a preference such as single vs head of household? class rank? first come-first served? connections? or just plain luck?

You pick your CHC in the first semester of 1st year; remember, years 2-4 are spent there. I've known my assignment since November or December. I'm moving out to my site this weekend.

There is probably preference for geographic location, CHC's like having students who are likely to stay in the area. The point of the CHC involvement for training is to expose students to CHC's with the hope that some will be attracted to it. I would expect some advantage for students with prior CHC involvement as well, for similar reasons.

This year the match was pretty even. A lot of folks wanted to go to Brooklyn, so some of them ended up going to places other than their 1st choice. But apart from that, the rest of the sites were pretty even with respect to spots vs. interest in going. The general trend is that folks usually get their 1st or 2nd choice unless they cling mercilessly to an overly popular site.

Every school has competition for rotation sites though, unless it's a school that has one centralized location for rotations.

GREAT info. Since 2nd year is usually when (depending on the curriculum) medical students begin to lean different organ systems etc. in a classroom setting, how does this differ during SOMA's 2nd year? Appreciate all the info! You guys have really persuaded me to apply here. Can I find a match list on their website?

Originally Posted by hopefulMD9

GREAT info. Since 2nd year is usually when (depending on the curriculum) medical students begin to lean different organ systems etc. in a classroom setting, how does this differ during SOMA's 2nd year? Appreciate all the info! You guys have really persuaded me to apply here. Can I find a match list on their website?

http://www.atsu.edu/soma/prospective...placement.html

And the link is just to 2011 post-grad placement. I don't think they've published 2012 yet (or I don't know where to find it)

Originally Posted by abolt18

http://www.atsu.edu/soma/prospective...placement.html

And the link is just to 2011 post-grad placement. I don't think they've published 2012 yet (or I don't know where to find it)

Thats a good match!

Originally Posted by hopefulMD9

Thats a good match!

I should have noted that the book included KCOM and SOMA matches, but yeah I know nothing about good vs bad residencies and whatnot so I really couldn't tell you!

Originally Posted by hopefulMD9

...Since 2nd year is usually when (depending on the curriculum) medical students begin to lean different organ systems etc. in a classroom setting, how does this differ during SOMA's 2nd year?...

This is where SOMA really shines in my opinion.

Basically, organ systems start right from day 1. As you may know, our curriculum is based around the "clinical presentation model" which holds that there are 120 some odd ways that a patient can present to a physician. Patient's don't come in telling the doctor that they have congestive heart failure, they complain that they're putting on weight, tiring easily, feeling short of breath, etc. Maybe even all of them.

Because of this, we are taught by clinical presentation. Our courses are split up into organ systems (MSK, Neuro, Cardio, Pulm, Nephro, Endo, GI, GU, etc.) and in during the course of each of these blocks we are taught all the basic and clinical science that relates to that organ system, and all in the context of clinical presentation.

I'm taking my final exam in the morning, it's for the GI course. An example of one of the clinical presentations we have in this course would be jaundice. Now of course patient's don't present to their physician telling them they have jaundice (unless they're familiar with the term), but we expect that the student can recognize yellow skin tinting to be jaundice. So how do we proceed? Here's a list of the lectures we had in that segment of the course:

1. Jaundice intro
2. Biochem of Bile Synthesis
3. General Liver Physiology
4. Microbiological causes of jaundice
5. Microbio focusing on liver flukes
6. Biochemistry of Heme Degradation
7. Biochemistry: Liver function testing
8. Physiology of portal hypertension
9. Pharmacology for the liver
10. Pathology of Liver diseases and jaundice (this includes or was preceded by a liver histology lecture)
11. Viral Hepatitis PBL session.

That all took about 3 days of class to accomplish. Then we moved on to the next clinical presentation (abdominal pain) which you can probably imagine was a lot longer and more complicated.

All of our classes were like this in 1st year. Next year will be more of the same, just with different organ systems.

What I like about this curriculum is that I'm being taught to think like a physician from day 1, and I'm taught everything in context. That's huge for me, and really helps me tie concepts together. It's a brilliant curriculum for the type of person who can work with it.

It's also nice because beginning in 2nd year we have mandatory clinical time. I'll be spending 8 hours per week seeing patients in what I like to think of as "pre-rotations" in just a few weeks. You can bet that my preceptors are going to expect me to contribute wherever I have knowledge. That will really help me solidify it, and all before I'm tested on it in the Boards at the end of year 2.

If you can't tell, I totally love my school!

Best of luck with the application season. You're all going to do awesome!

Originally Posted by SLC

This is where SOMA really shines in my opinion.

Basically, organ systems start right from day 1. As you may know, our curriculum is based around the "clinical presentation model" which holds that there are 120 some odd ways that a patient can present to a physician. Patient's don't come in telling the doctor that they have congestive heart failure, they complain that they're putting on weight, tiring easily, feeling short of breath, etc. Maybe even all of them.

Because of this, we are taught by clinical presentation. Our courses are split up into organ systems (MSK, Neuro, Cardio, Pulm, Nephro, Endo, GI, GU, etc.) and in during the course of each of these blocks we are taught all the basic and clinical science that relates to that organ system, and all in the context of clinical presentation.

I'm taking my final exam in the morning, it's for the GI course. An example of one of the clinical presentations we have in this course would be jaundice. Now of course patient's don't present to their physician telling them they have jaundice (unless they're familiar with the term), but we expect that the student can recognize yellow skin tinting to be jaundice. So how do we proceed? Here's a list of the lectures we had in that segment of the course:

1. Jaundice intro
2. Biochem of Bile Synthesis
3. General Liver Physiology
4. Microbiological causes of jaundice
5. Microbio focusing on liver flukes
6. Biochemistry of Heme Degradation
7. Biochemistry: Liver function testing
8. Physiology of portal hypertension
9. Pharmacology for the liver
10. Pathology of Liver diseases and jaundice (this includes or was preceded by a liver histology lecture)
11. Viral Hepatitis PBL session.

That all took about 3 days of class to accomplish. Then we moved on to the next clinical presentation (abdominal pain) which you can probably imagine was a lot longer and more complicated.

All of our classes were like this in 1st year. Next year will be more of the same, just with different organ systems.

What I like about this curriculum is that I'm being taught to think like a physician from day 1, and I'm taught everything in context. That's huge for me, and really helps me tie concepts together. It's a brilliant curriculum for the type of person who can work with it.

It's also nice because beginning in 2nd year we have mandatory clinical time. I'll be spending 8 hours per week seeing patients in what I like to think of as "pre-rotations" in just a few weeks. You can bet that my preceptors are going to expect me to contribute wherever I have knowledge. That will really help me solidify it, and all before I'm tested on it in the Boards at the end of year 2.

If you can't tell, I totally love my school!

Best of luck with the application season. You're all going to do awesome!

Wow. That sounds really cool..... I think I'll add it to my list of schools!

Originally Posted by SLC

This is where SOMA really shines in my opinion.

Basically, organ systems start right from day 1. As you may know, our curriculum is based around the "clinical presentation model" which holds that there are 120 some odd ways that a patient can present to a physician. Patient's don't come in telling the doctor that they have congestive heart failure, they complain that they're putting on weight, tiring easily, feeling short of breath, etc. Maybe even all of them.

Because of this, we are taught by clinical presentation. Our courses are split up into organ systems (MSK, Neuro, Cardio, Pulm, Nephro, Endo, GI, GU, etc.) and in during the course of each of these blocks we are taught all the basic and clinical science that relates to that organ system, and all in the context of clinical presentation.

I'm taking my final exam in the morning, it's for the GI course. An example of one of the clinical presentations we have in this course would be jaundice. Now of course patient's don't present to their physician telling them they have jaundice (unless they're familiar with the term), but we expect that the student can recognize yellow skin tinting to be jaundice. So how do we proceed? Here's a list of the lectures we had in that segment of the course:

1. Jaundice intro
2. Biochem of Bile Synthesis
3. General Liver Physiology
4. Microbiological causes of jaundice
5. Microbio focusing on liver flukes
6. Biochemistry of Heme Degradation
7. Biochemistry: Liver function testing
8. Physiology of portal hypertension
9. Pharmacology for the liver
10. Pathology of Liver diseases and jaundice (this includes or was preceded by a liver histology lecture)
11. Viral Hepatitis PBL session.

That all took about 3 days of class to accomplish. Then we moved on to the next clinical presentation (abdominal pain) which you can probably imagine was a lot longer and more complicated.

All of our classes were like this in 1st year. Next year will be more of the same, just with different organ systems.

What I like about this curriculum is that I'm being taught to think like a physician from day 1, and I'm taught everything in context. That's huge for me, and really helps me tie concepts together. It's a brilliant curriculum for the type of person who can work with it.

It's also nice because beginning in 2nd year we have mandatory clinical time. I'll be spending 8 hours per week seeing patients in what I like to think of as "pre-rotations" in just a few weeks. You can bet that my preceptors are going to expect me to contribute wherever I have knowledge. That will really help me solidify it, and all before I'm tested on it in the Boards at the end of year 2.

If you can't tell, I totally love my school!

Best of luck with the application season. You're all going to do awesome!

this actually sounds awesome indeed. The only two things that I don't like about SOMA are AZ for 1 year (no offense to Arizonians) AND the 45k tuition.

Other than that, I hope they consider my crappy MCAT/GPA as worth of an interview

Originally Posted by SLC

This is where SOMA really shines in my opinion.

Basically, organ systems start right from day 1. As you may know, our curriculum is based around the "clinical presentation model" which holds that there are 120 some odd ways that a patient can present to a physician. Patient's don't come in telling the doctor that they have congestive heart failure, they complain that they're putting on weight, tiring easily, feeling short of breath, etc. Maybe even all of them.

Because of this, we are taught by clinical presentation. Our courses are split up into organ systems (MSK, Neuro, Cardio, Pulm, Nephro, Endo, GI, GU, etc.) and in during the course of each of these blocks we are taught all the basic and clinical science that relates to that organ system, and all in the context of clinical presentation.

I'm taking my final exam in the morning, it's for the GI course. An example of one of the clinical presentations we have in this course would be jaundice. Now of course patient's don't present to their physician telling them they have jaundice (unless they're familiar with the term), but we expect that the student can recognize yellow skin tinting to be jaundice. So how do we proceed? Here's a list of the lectures we had in that segment of the course:

1. Jaundice intro
2. Biochem of Bile Synthesis
3. General Liver Physiology
4. Microbiological causes of jaundice
5. Microbio focusing on liver flukes
6. Biochemistry of Heme Degradation
7. Biochemistry: Liver function testing
8. Physiology of portal hypertension
9. Pharmacology for the liver
10. Pathology of Liver diseases and jaundice (this includes or was preceded by a liver histology lecture)
11. Viral Hepatitis PBL session.

That all took about 3 days of class to accomplish. Then we moved on to the next clinical presentation (abdominal pain) which you can probably imagine was a lot longer and more complicated.

All of our classes were like this in 1st year. Next year will be more of the same, just with different organ systems.

What I like about this curriculum is that I'm being taught to think like a physician from day 1, and I'm taught everything in context. That's huge for me, and really helps me tie concepts together. It's a brilliant curriculum for the type of person who can work with it.

It's also nice because beginning in 2nd year we have mandatory clinical time. I'll be spending 8 hours per week seeing patients in what I like to think of as "pre-rotations" in just a few weeks. You can bet that my preceptors are going to expect me to contribute wherever I have knowledge. That will really help me solidify it, and all before I'm tested on it in the Boards at the end of year 2.

If you can't tell, I totally love my school!

Best of luck with the application season. You're all going to do awesome!

I just wanted to thank you for the valuable info you provided us. ATSU is one of the schools I am applying to and this solidified my decision.

SECONDARY RECEIVED!

Asks for some bio info and Clinical experiences then these prompts.

Have you applied to SOMA previously? Yes No
If yes, previous application year(s) and detail below what has changed since your last application.

What aspects of the Osteopathic Philosophy had the greatest influence in your decision to seek a career in Osteopathic Medicine?
(Please limit your response to 500 words or less. All information provided in this section must be the original work of the applicant and not from another author.)

What is your motivation for participating in the activities you have described in the clinical, volunteer and community service section? How have these experiences changed you?
(Please limit your response to 500 words or less. All information provided in this section must be the original work of the applicant and not from another author.)

How does your character, qualities, and experiences distinguish your ability and resolve to serve in underprivileged communities?
(Please limit your response to 500 words or less. All information provided in this section must be the original work of the applicant and not from another author.)

Plus some info about any convictions and whatnot. Total cost = $70.00.

Good luck to everyone!

got my secondary as well. Should be sent out in a couple of hours

Is anyone using Interfolio? Or did anyone who applied last year send their letters via Interfolio? The secondary says that letters should be sent directly from evaluators...

Originally Posted by guydudcl371

Is anyone using Interfolio? Or did anyone who applied last year send their letters via Interfolio? The secondary says that letters should be sent directly from evaluators...

My school uses Virtual Eval (I seriously have no idea how this all works. I just know they send all my letters)

Originally Posted by guydudcl371

Is anyone using Interfolio? Or did anyone who applied last year send their letters via Interfolio? The secondary says that letters should be sent directly from evaluators...

Interfolio works best. ATSU has a form that your letter writers can complete if you want, but they also take letters directly from interfolio.

I just got my secondary too!

Ugh! My DO letter writer still has not submitted to inter folio :-(

Just got my invite an hour ago! Not too excited though Im pretty sure they send these to everybody. :/

For the evaluations page on the secondary, do we have to fill out the information part if we are sending our letters via Interfolio, or can we leave it blank?

Originally Posted by psychkub

For the evaluations page on the secondary, do we have to fill out the information part if we are sending our letters via Interfolio, or can we leave it blank?

Would like to know. This part is very confusing.

Also what right are we waiving, exactly? What is the importance of waiving the right to access of an evaluation?

And where do we send letters of rec to? It doesn't give a discrete address.

I'm not sure what it is you waive or why you have to do so. However, if you use interfolio, your letters should be confidential as it is. So there really is no difference. Y

First secondary is submitted 6/26.

Send them to the Kirksville admissions office. It should say in your secondary.

Everything at ATSU goes through K-ville first.

Is it necessary to fill out information regarding the letter writers? (Academic Rank or Title, Address, etc)

Originally Posted by chiddler

Would like to know. This part is very confusing.

Also what right are we waiving, exactly? What is the importance of waiving the right to access of an evaluation?

And where do we send letters of rec to? It doesn't give a discrete address.

It is because of FERPA...which states you have a right to access all academically related files about you. You have to sign away your rights so that the school knows the letter is and will remain confidential.

Originally Posted by hopefulMD9

Just got my invite an hour ago! I'm way excited; Im pretty sure they send these to everybody that gets accepted. :/

Fixed that for you!

Stay optimistic, optimism breeds confidence, confidence gets acceptance letters!

You guys are going to kill it!

Originally Posted by psychkub

For the evaluations page on the secondary, do we have to fill out the information part if we are sending our letters via Interfolio, or can we leave it blank?

Originally Posted by chiddler

Would like to know. This part is very confusing.

Also what right are we waiving, exactly? What is the importance of waiving the right to access of an evaluation?

And where do we send letters of rec to? It doesn't give a discrete address.

Yes, you must fill out the info part on the eval page even if you are sending the letters via Interfolio. Please DO NOT leave it blank.

Also, you are waiving your right to look at the contents of the letters, this is essentially a formality, but they really look down upon it if you don't waive and want to read (and possibly tamper with) what your letter writers wrote about you. It is very important that you waive your right to view them.

Originally Posted by guydudcl371

It is because of FERPA...which states you have a right to access all academically related files about you. You have to sign away your rights so that the school knows the letter is and will remain confidential.

thanks very much.

Originally Posted by chiddler

Is it necessary to fill out information regarding the letter writers? (Academic Rank or Title, Address, etc)

Only the bold information is required, e.g. first/last name, address, phone # etc. The non-bold is not required, e.g. department, what school the D.O. graduated from, etc.

Originally Posted by aspDO

First secondary is submitted 6/26.

Originally Posted by SLC

Fixed that for you!

Stay optimistic, optimism breeds confidence, confidence gets acceptance letters!

You guys are going to kill it!

Hahahaha thanks man!!!

No point in sending it early without the MCAT score, right?

For the volunteer section where they want you to list the supervisor and their number etc.... do they honestly verify your hours and experience???

Originally Posted by ShabNasty

For the volunteer section where they want you to list the supervisor and they number etc.... do they honestly verify your hours and experience???

Where does AACOMAS want you to list the supervisor and their number??

FYI...I asked the same question to the volunteer coordinator at the hospital I volunteer at and she told me that she does get a bunch of requests for verification.

Originally Posted by TXKnight

Where does AACOMAS want you to list the supervisor and their number??

FYI...I asked the same question to the volunteer coordinator at the hospital I volunteer at and she told me that she does get a bunch of requests for verification.

Its on the SOMA secondary.