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Who is interested in attending Midwestern? I'll be there next Fall.
AZpod anyone?
- Thread starter purplescubagear
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I'm not sure just yet. But I am interviewing at Midwestern next Monday. Why did you choose Midwestern? (Besides warm weather
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Hi everybody,
I'm one of the second year student ambassadors at AZPod and would be happy to answer any questions about the school that you may have. Feel free to PM me!
I'm one of the second year student ambassadors at AZPod and would be happy to answer any questions about the school that you may have. Feel free to PM me!
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I always feel so trivial about this, but a guy from my school went to midwestern a few years ago for their PT program and he was a real meat-head. Ever since then I've always discounted their programs...
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I am extremely interested in AZPOD! I actually just received an email today saying that they have received my application. I hope I get an interview **FingersCrossed
I'm in the same boat!! I hope interviews will sway me one way or the other...
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Congrats to those accepted and good luck to those applying. There are a few AZPod folks on here, so feel free to ask any questions on the forum or PM Royal Rooters or I. I'm currently a 4th year student at AZPod.
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I received my acceptance from AZpod this afternoon as well.
But I'm still just as undecided as before... haha. Both seem to be great schools (but in different ways)!
I interviewed a couple of weeks ago so it probably was not me, but we will be future classmates.
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did you interview this past monday (the 31st)?
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Yep I did
So which school are you leaning more towards? I think I felt a bit more comfortable at AZ than Western, but I still have to interview at CSPM later this month, so I'll wait and see.
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Yep I did
I feel that curriculum-wise, AZ may be stronger, evident in their passing rate with their boards. They also seem really established with their rotations and getting students into residencies.
However, Western gave me a pretty generous scholarship, and I love the SoCal area. Dr.Harkless is also a pretty amazing podiatrist, and it would be awesome to learn under his administration... So overall, I'm leaning towards Western, but I'm going to take some more time to think it over. haha
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I am kinda in the same boat debating the two schools. Western is like 1 hour away from home, but I like the curriculum at AZ more and the rent is cheaper there. I'll probably end up picking the school with better Mexican food.....jk (or am I).
Good luck with your choice. I'm sure it'll be a hard decision, but luckily you can't go wrong with either.
What has been your favorite part of AZPod?
How do you like the area?
How do you like the year round schedule? 10 weeks on, 2 weeks off?
Any recommendations for housing?
Why did you choose AZpod?
I'm not sure just yet. But I am interviewing at Midwestern next Monday. Why did you choose Midwestern? (Besides warm weather
Yeah, I'm excited for Arizona winters!
I chose AZPod for a few reasons.
1. Great area. Suburban feel with suburban benefits like cheap living. Close to Phoenix to enjoy some big city fun (pro teams like the Suns, D-backs, Cardinals, and I believe the WNBA has the Murcury to offer, that alone should tip the scale lol.) Also, close to big airport hub PHX, they fly cheap to my hometown which is nice.
2. Dr. Page. The director of the program is phenomenal. I was more impressed with him than any other dean from any other school.
3. The students. I was soo impressed with the students when I interviewed. I actually stayed with students for 4 days when I interviewed so I got to attend class with them, hang out with them, get their opinions on everything, and just get a feel for what it's like to be a student there. They seemed to have struck a perfect balance between fun and studying. It just seemed like a fun atmosphere with high caliber students.
4. Facilities. The campus was very nice and very clean. nothing seemed old or dated. The lecture halls, labs and classrooms were impressive, and I loved the sunshine, made everything better.
5. Integrated with DO students. Self explanatory
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1. Favorite part has been knowing all of my classmates (there are only 30 of us) and feeling like we are treated as equals with the DO students. Definitely no sense of being a second-class citizen. We're expected to perform the same.
2. I like the area just fine. I was excited to live in a different area of the country and I have yet to be let down. While it is super hot in the summer, you acclimate rather quickly. Also, you can always drive to Flagstaff or Sedona (a few hours drive north) to experience snow, skiing, and awesome scenery (grand canyon!)
3. I love the quarter system. In fact, I don't think I could ever go back to semesters. By week 8 or 9 I'm ready to be done, so when finals comes arounds it's at the perfect time. Plus I've been going to school year round for a few years now, so not having summers off it no big deal in my opinion.
4. I rent a house about 8 miles from campus and it's super cheap. Granted, the electric bill can be a big high in the summer, but it's nice to get away from campus when classes are over. With that being said, I know who people who live on campus or very close to campus and like it just the same. It all depends on your situation (married, pets, price, etc).
5. Lots of reasons I came to AZPod. Like I mentioned, living in a different part of the country was one. Dr. Page was a great guy upon meeting him during interviews. Board pass rates are incredibly high. Biggest thing though was that I felt the most comfortable here when I interviewed. Just a visceral feeling that I got. I trusted that more than anything else.
Yeah I like the idea of a smaller class size. Thanks for your input, it's always good to hear the opinions of those who have been where I'm headed
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1. I really like the other classmates, a lot of us have become really good friends. We will be close for a long time. It is really fun to go to school with such great people. That includes most of the medical students who we study with too.
2. The area is great. I have a house off campus and I love the area. You can find so much to do in phoenix. If you like music, sports, nightlife, art, outdoor activities, shopping, oh and don't forget cheap golf (Hey Royal you still owe me for fixing your swing).
3. I did year round in undergrad so it's not much of a change for me. Lot's of the DO students I talked to have said the first few weeks was nice to have off, but they were ready to get back to studying after that point. They also said they struggled to get back into the swing of studying after the summer. I guess that is an advantage for us. We can stay in the groove by studying over the summer.
4. I love having my own place. It's very affordable, and I can do what I want to my place. Heck some of my classmates have their own pool! It's tough to beat that. I would ask around and get a few different opinions on this.
5. I chose AZpod because of the location, affiliation with the medical school, board pass rates, residency placements, facilities, and my wife wanted the shopping.
Any other questions, feel free to PM me. Good luck to all the applicants.
Another question, this is for anybody to answer. Would you recommend buying a home or renting? I've looked at buying in AZ and it is sooo cheap. What are the pros and cons of renting or owning in your experience?
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Personally I am renting a house. It's a total buyers market for a house in AZ, however, I never intended to relocate her permanently. My wife and I look at living here as a chance to experience the Southwest for a few years without being tied down. Also, we didn't want to be saddled with the possibility of trying to rent out a house during residency. Renting will be obviously be more expensive than buying, but again, buying a house is a long-term investment and not something we were willing to do for only a 4 year stay in AZ.
On the flip side, there are a good number of my classmates who bought homes/condos/town homes and their mortgages are close to half of what our rent is! Some of them even have pools which is a must when looking back in hindsight! However, they plan on staying here long term.
Either way, I think once you figure out what's best for you and your situation you'll have great opportunities to take advantage of when it comes to housing.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
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I agree with you that there are pros and cons to renting and buying. We rented, and are pretty glad we did looking back. We paid more month by month, but didn't have to deal with selling/renting the property when we moved. Some classmates of mine lost a lot of money on houses they bought.Personally I am renting a house. It's a total buyers market for a house in AZ, however, I never intended to relocate her permanently. My wife and I look at living here as a chance to experience the Southwest for a few years without being tied down. Also, we didn't want to be saddled with the possibility of trying to rent out a house during residency. Renting will be obviously be more expensive than buying, but again, buying a house is a long-term investment and not something we were willing to do for only a 4 year stay in AZ.
On the flip side, there are a good number of my classmates who bought homes/condos/town homes and their mortgages are close to half of what our rent is! Some of them even have pools which is a must when looking back in hindsight! However, they plan on staying here long term.
Either way, I think once you figure out what's best for you and your situation you'll have great opportunities to take advantage of when it comes to housing.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
As far as people planning on staying in the area long term, I would say to be cautious on using that as a guide when looking to buy a house when you start school. For one, most people don't usually know much about residencies when you start school, and most peoples attitudes and interests change during school/rotations. Plus, what happens if you buy a house assuming that you will do residency in a city, and it doesn't end up happening? This goes for all cities with a school, but since I know Arizona the best, I will use that. I think there are total of 6 first-year spots in Phoenix (4 at the VA, 2 at Maricopa). I know that in my class there are probably at least 5 or 6 people who want to stay in Phoenix for residency. Obviously not all of them are going to match there. So I would just say to be cautious if you buy a house with the thought that you will do your residency in the same city you went to school in. It happens sometimes, but it's a big investment to make when you may not even like the residencies avalable after you get a chance to visit them. Just some extra food for thought.
The pool is great during the summer. However, given how much i pay to maintain it I'm not sure if I would go for a pool again. Eh.....on second thought...I have a pool in my backyard. It's awesome.
My mortgage is less than half of what I would be paying for rent. With all utilities, etc. I still pay less for a house than many would for an apartment elsewhere in the country.
I do not intend to be here long-term, and I intend to sell my home when the time comes. The housing market is quite slow here, but depending on your situation, you can lose quite a bit on your home and still pay less than you would renting.
Anywho...AzPod has been a good place for me. Winters are nice. For Halloween my neighbors sat out in front of their house in lawn chairs and sipped wine while watching the kids come and go.
If anyone has any questions, I would be more than happy to help.
My mortgage is less than half of what I would be paying for rent. With all utilities, etc. I still pay less for a house than many would for an apartment elsewhere in the country.
I do not intend to be here long-term, and I intend to sell my home when the time comes. The housing market is quite slow here, but depending on your situation, you can lose quite a bit on your home and still pay less than you would renting.
Anywho...AzPod has been a good place for me. Winters are nice. For Halloween my neighbors sat out in front of their house in lawn chairs and sipped wine while watching the kids come and go.
If anyone has any questions, I would be more than happy to help.
There is a lot to consider but when I think I'll likely be spending $50k on rent in 4 years it makes me want to buy a townhouse (which can be done for around $60k! It wouldn't be the lap of luxury like san lagos across from campus but it has its benefits... I think I nice excel spredsheet is where I may find my answer.
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4th year kind of throws a wrench in the numbers though, doesn't it? If you rent, you might be able to work it to end your contract and go away for 6 months of externships, then come back and rent a short term place for your home rotations. If you buy a house, that would not be possible, unless you planned on renting it out to other students (like those doing clerkships in AZ!). Hey, I'm on to something here....
Seriously, there should be a website set up for podiatry students to exchange their apartments/homes to other 4th years... a swap, if you will
hi, I know its an old post.. but just wanted to know that what can you suggest me about choosing between azpod and western u... both are my top choices... but im leaning more towards AzPod.. but just cant seem to come to a final decision.. any suggestions??
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Honestly, you just need to go with whichever place you feel will give you the best opportunity and environment to succeed. For me, that was AZPod. For other people it will be someplace else. I know how I learn best and their curriculum was structured to my strengths. IMO, every school will prepare you with the information to do well on boards, but its up to you to put in the time and effort. Anatomy labs, sweet facilities, school clinic…none of these will have a tremendous impact on your potential as a future podiatrist.
As a side note, I also interviewed and was accepted to both Scholl and DMU (both great places). The main difference was that I had a "gut feeling" after my interview at AZPod and knew that it was the best place for me.
PM me if you have any other questions about AZPod. Good luck!
just wondering what do you mean by anatomy labs, sweet facilities or school clinic.. won't matter?
I mean if you referring to the fact that we will specialize in the foot and ankle care.. than by the same token, for example, ENT doctors should not care about ear, nose or throat .. ? not trying to be rude or anything, just wanted to understand what exactly you mean by that. Thanks for your time.
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