DMU vs. KCU

[Paperbag]

I know this is usually a hot topic each year and I apologize to those who have participated in a thread like this before. I have read the previous posts and they seemed to do a pretty good job, but I figured that some students could benefit from a new [updated] and maybe some people who faced this decision could chime in and hook it up. I am incredibly lucky and thankful to be in a position with options and I realize not everyone has the same opportunities as I do, so please don't say "just pick one, whatever..." Anyways, here goes nothing:

Both:
- Established programs
- Dope atmosphere and student body
- Similarly priced tuition/cost of living
- Getting new Deans
- Very similar curriculum (even though KCU says theirs is different)
- Great match results (100% for 3-4 years) and board scores
- Rotation sites looked good and both give freedom for 4th year rotations

DMU pros:
- Gym here is sick, definitely a huge selling point for me
- Smaller class size
- Surgery suites/surgery class (very unique)
- Formal research opportunities & electives throughout the school year and during the summer
- Normal summer break (6-8 weeks) vs. 4 weeks at KCU. I feel like this is also big because I plan on going back to my home institution to do research with my current PI.
- Offers more ward based rotation options than KCU (KCU was like ~70% preceptor)
- Better student to cadaver ratio (5:1 vs. 10:1)

KCU pros:
- SWEET BABY JESUS THEIR BBQ IS GOOD
- KC > DM, KC was more of a city and had more to offer
- Formal global health program
- Campus was a big bigger, felt more like a real campus (coming from a humongous UG)
- Other medical schools in the area. This could be big for research opportunities or doing electives/shadowing, etc...

Thank you all in advance. MUCH LOVE.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Peach Newport]

Honestly I don't think you can go wrong here. DMU and KCU are both really solid DO programs. IMO there are some "which DO schools should I go to?" threads with really obvious answers, but this is not one of them. This is not a "PCOM vs. DCOM" situation.

So I'll nitpick, because here we can afford to.

First, you're not going to have a lot of time to hang out in the city. I wouldn't have that as a major factor for me, but you might be the Greek god of time management.

If it were ME, I'd pick KCU. I'm a ***** for big cities and bright light and in-house residencies and good reputations, even if I end up making no use of any of them.

But you're not me.

And dude, I'm looking at your pros and cons list. It seems to me that DMU is where your heart is.

 

[MADD!!!]

KCU for sure. DMU's OPTI is terrible, and the state itself has fewer residencies than medical students. Basically that means that there aren't enough residencies in the state for all the MD students, let alone the DO students from DMU. Combine that with all of these new DO schools competing for residency spots that DMU students have until now, and I project things looking worse for their graduates in the future.

 

[AlteredScale]

I would 100% PM @SynapticDoctah or @Higherprimate as they had a similar predicament. Good luck with your decision! You can't go wrong either way IMO.
Moving this to school specific forum.

 

[Paperbag]

And dude, I'm looking at your pros and cons list. It seems to me that DMU is where your heart is.

Looking back now I feel like you're right. I gave myself a lot of time to sit on the decision and it hasn't gotten any easier so I appreciate all your input.

KCU for sure. DMU's OPTI is terrible, and the state itself has fewer residencies than medical students. Basically that means that there aren't enough residencies in the state for all the MD students, let alone the DO students from DMU. Combine that with all of these new DO schools competing for residency spots that DMU students have until now, and I project things looking worse for their graduates in the future.

I don't feel like this would be a big factor for me because I want to go back to the east coast for residency to be close to family. You do make a good point. The students at KCU said that KU and KUMC really liked KCU students so that def gives them an advantage for residency spots there.

I would 100% PM @SynapticDoctah or @Higherprimate as they had a similar predicament. Good luck with your decision! You can't go wrong either way IMO.
Moving this to school specific forum.

Awesome, thank you!