AZPOD vs. KSCPM

[aries89]

Pros and cons? Which would you prefer?

Comparing academics, residency match percentages, what school prepares students the most?

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[SDrJJohnson]

AZPOD:
- Take classes with DO students (can be a pro and/or a con)
- Very good match rate
- Small podiatry population
- Not so good clinical exposure
- Not very diverse class
- No 24/7 library

KSUCPM:
- Class is only made up of podiatry students (no MDs, DOs, etc.)
- Not as good match rate
- Still not the best clinical setting, but better than AZPOD's
- No 24/7 library
- More "relaxed" pacing as far as curriculum goes

But as everyone is going tell you, they are both great schools, and they will both generate exceptional and poor students. Visit the campuses and interview, then make you decision based on which one you feel is the best fit.

Hope this helps.
- SDrJJohnson

 

[CoffeeMonster]

Kent had the largest number of unmatched students this past cycle. AZPOD did really well. In the end that's the most important thing, at least in my mind.

 

[bulldog1123]

What is that exact "large" number? Is it a handful of students who legitimately did not do well in class or boards or is it a larger number who did well, but still did not get spots.

 

[josebiwasabi]

8.

When you consider that another school had 3 unmatched graduates and the other 7 schools had zero unmatched, well...

Granted, there's some variance every year but 8 of 11 unmatched graduates all coming from the same school is a pretty incredible statistic. Every school has a handful of terrible students but they still managed to match or scramble into a spot. Keep in mind though, I met a few Ohio students during externships this past year and the ones I ran into were solid.

 

[heybrother]

Taking classes with DO students is never a con.
"Relaxed" schedule? Let's not speak in riddles. Are you trying to say weak curriculum?
I'm 2 months into 4th year and both programs I've visited have had nothing good to say about Kent. Those exceptional students are going to be pulling double duty carrying the burden that is their school's reputation.
Last of all - let's not wear out the word "great" putting it in front of podiatry schools. All of them are fatally flawed in some way.

 

[CoffeeMonster]

Taking classes with DO students is never a con.
"Relaxed" schedule? Let's not speak in riddles. Are you trying to say weak curriculum?
I'm 2 months into 4th year and both programs I've visited have had nothing good to say about Kent. Those exceptional students are going to be pulling double duty carrying the burden that is their school's reputation.
Last of all - let's not wear out the word "great" putting it in front of podiatry schools. All of them are fatally flawed in some way.

You shouldn't speak in absolutes. What does "fatally flawed" even mean? As in no school is worth attending because despite all their positive qualities, they each have something so bad that it's fatal to the program? Mind sharing some of these fatal flaws you're so casually referencing?

Maybe ease up on your doom and gloom attitude a little.

 

[heybrother]

We went through this in another thread dude. I like podiatry - I think it can be a great profession. I'm loving every minute of my current rotation. I just think the schools are pitiful and the quality of education is low. You've got me - "fatal" is over the top, but flawed is still apt. The schools are not "great" and if I'm doom and gloom then too many of the posters on here are "sunshine and rainbows" with an unreal expectation of what they will someday experience or become. Flaws - how about low quality clinical years of nail clipping, outside rotations with doctors who don't want anything to do with you, volumes of surgery so low that people can reach 4th year without ever scrubbing a case, watered down science curriculum, enormous attrition rates, low transparency, wild grade inflation. I ended first year on top of the world - my expectations have since been recalibrated. Some (obviously not all) of the problems listed above are things I witnessed at my own school while others are things I've been told about by students from other programs.

 

[CoffeeMonster]

We went through this in another thread dude. I like podiatry - I think it can be a great profession. I'm loving every minute of my current rotation. I just think the schools are pitiful and the quality of education is low. You've got me - "fatal" is over the top, but flawed is still apt. The schools are not "great" and if I'm doom and gloom then too many of the posters on here are "sunshine and rainbows" with an unreal expectation of what they will someday experience or become. Flaws - how about low quality clinical years of nail clipping, outside rotations with doctors who don't want anything to do with you, volumes of surgery so low that people can reach 4th year without ever scrubbing a case, watered down science curriculum, enormous attrition rates, low transparency, wild grade inflation. I ended first year on top of the world - my expectations have since been recalibrated. Some (obviously not all) of the problems listed above are things I witnessed at my own school while others are things I've been told about by students from other programs.

If that has been your experience, I can't invalidate that. I can tell you though, that the sentiment is quite different at my school. People love the program and go on to be very successful. We have great professors, great facilities, and good outcomes. Can't ask for anything else.

 

[aries89]

I think residency programs are all unique, some better than others. I can only speak from what I have witnessed. I've been shadowing in a residency program from the past 5 months. On average, I shadow 3 days a week and get to go in the OR with the residents at minimum 8-9 times. Although there aren't "surgical" residencies, the volume in which a resident can scrub in largely depends on that program. I can tell you the residents at my program see a very generous amount of OR cases.