Lake Erie - Bradenton (LECOM-Bradenton) Discussion Thread 2014 - 2015

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Interview today. The group interview was quite strange, I think they have a pretty good idea of who they're going to accept beforehand.

I don't know...when I had my interview, the interviewers asked some pretty bizarre questions...which may have facilitated some bizarre answers thus making the group strange.
 
I've heard of questions like "if you were trapped on a desert what are the three things you would bring and why." Not sure how I would answer that
 
Honestly, I think the entire interview is to test whether or not you can comfortably work in a group and facilitate discussion. If you can't even answer fun "get to know you" questions, then they probably assume you're not a good fit for PBL because you're shy. To give you an idea, I got "what did you listen to/read on your flight over here?" "who would you have dinner with dead or alive? Who wouldn't you have dinner with?", "what interview question are you dreading?", etc. It was a really relaxed fun conversation, the interviewers were super chill and didn't grill us at all. Just show you are capable at being successful in PBL and you should be fine.
 
Honestly, I think the entire interview is to test whether or not you can comfortably work in a group and facilitate discussion. If you can't even answer fun "get to know you" questions, then they probably assume you're not a good fit for PBL because you're shy. To give you an idea, I got "what did you listen to/read on your flight over here?" "who would you have dinner with dead or alive? Who wouldn't you have dinner with?", "what interview question are you dreading?", etc. It was a really relaxed fun conversation, the interviewers were super chill and didn't grill us at all. Just show you are capable at being successful in PBL and you should be fine.
Hey I had those exact questions.
 
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Interview scheduled on 2/13! anyone know of hotels nearby with a shuttle service?
 
Does the portal update immediately after the committee meets?
 
Got in off the waitlist after the new year. Too late though, I already committed elsewhere. I hope my spot goes to one of you still waiting!
 
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Got in off the waitlist after the new year. Too late though, I already committed elsewhere. I hope my spot goes to one of you still waiting!

how do you hear you got off the waitlist? email, portal, phone call? They wanted my fall semester grades so I sent them right after Christmas and am now anxiously waiting. I already sent a letter of intent and update letter.
 
So, I actually just received an acceptance letter after being on the alternate list
 
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how do you hear you got off the waitlist? email, portal, phone call? They wanted my fall semester grades so I sent them right after Christmas and am now anxiously waiting. I already sent a letter of intent and update letter.

I got a call from Ron Shively. Supposedly I was sent a letter, but I never got it, was probably sent to my apartment that caught on fire ha
 
Hi this is a long shot but has anyone been accepted without a bachelors but with decent mcat scores? I have an AS and will be doing their required classes so I was going to skip the bachelor's and attempt to get in with just that. Also, I will be applying for the online distance learning path in the future.
 
Hi this is a long shot but has anyone been accepted without a bachelors but with decent mcat scores? I have an AS and will be doing their required classes so I was going to skip the bachelor's and attempt to get in with just that. Also, I will be applying for the online distance learning path in the future.

I'm pretty positive you're required to have a bachelor's degree..
 
I have applied to the erie campus with no love in return thus far. I was asked to submit a secondary to Bradenton maybe 3 weeks ago. Any opinions on submitting one now? Is it too late in the cycle?
 
According to their site, they only require 60 prereq semester hours, no bachelors =]
I'm not sure where the 60 prerequisite hours you're getting. But you are right that there are exceptions. Here's what I found:
Applicants must complete a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university by the time of enrollment. Applicants participating in special affiliated programs with LECOM and other exceptions to this policy will be considered on an individual basis.
- See more at: http://lecom.edu/entrance-requirements.php#sthash.KnvaKUiM.dpuf
 
Hi this is a long shot but has anyone been accepted without a bachelors but with decent mcat scores? I have an AS and will be doing their required classes so I was going to skip the bachelor's and attempt to get in with just that. Also, I will be applying for the online distance learning path in the future.
I think you're in the wrong forum. Are you pre-pharm?
 
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Maybe we were in the same group :p January 9th?

Does you portal still say that your file is under review by the adcom or does it say that a decision has been made? Just wondering the post-interview decision time?
 
Interviewed 1/16 and just got my acceptance. Best of luck to everyone else!
 
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Interviewed 1/16 and received an acceptance. Good luck everyone who is applying this cycle,
Stats: Mcat - 28 : 11/6/11
Gpa: 3.8 overall and same for science
 
Interviewed 10/3, but just got my DO letter in on Monday. Called just now and received my acceptance. Seriously considering this place given high board scores and low tuition.
 
Interviewed 10/3, but just got my DO letter in on Monday. Called just now and received my acceptance. Seriously considering this place given high board scores and low tuition.
First of all, Congrats.

But I want to clarify something because I feel people here put LECOM-B on a pedestal. The COMLEX pass rates (not USMLE) are high and above the national pass rates for students at LECOM-B. The pass score, in general, is pretty useless if you want to match in good residencies; you need somewhere around 500-700. So having a high pass rate means nothing because the more important stat is average board scores and I don't think LECOM discloses that. I feel like people at the school use pass rate and high board scores interchangebly when they are two different things. I hope that people don't assume that this is a good school because of the pass rate because at the end of the day no ones wants to just pass, you want to excel and rock the boards. There are ofcourse other reasons that make this school a good choice
 
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First of all, Congrats.

But I want to clarify something because I feel people here put LECOM-B on a pedestal. The COMLEX pass rates (not USMLE) are high and above the national pass rates for students at LECOM-B. The pass score, in general, is pretty useless if you want to match in good residencies; you need somewhere around 500-700. So having a high pass rate means nothing because the more important stat is average board scores and I don't think LECOM discloses that. I feel like people at the school use pass rate and high board scores interchangebly when they are two different things. I hope that people don't assume that this is a good school because of the pass rate because at the end of the day no ones wants to just pass, you want to excel and rock the boards. There are ofcourse other reasons that make this school a good choice


Thanks for clearing that up! What are those other reasons?
 
Thanks for clearing that up! What are those other reasons?
Positives: For those that learn best with PBL, they will like the school's cirriculum. Cheaper tuition is a huge plus, cheaper housing. Western Florida and surrounding environment are better suited for some people that don't like the cold and get seasonal depression.

Negatives: mandatory dress code, no drinking from water bottles in the building, faculty seems old and not that qualified to teach (maybe thats why PBL and self-directed learning works well here), lack of quality rotation sites during 3-4 year, clinical site selection based on GPA (they encourage collaboration and teamwork in PBL but at the end of the day your grades matter and can create a cut throat competitive environment), zero research, cirriculum is based on COMLEX.

This is what I saw when I went down to interview and this was the list I made for myself when I came back from the interview. It seemed like not a good fit for me even though pBL cirriculum works great for my learning style.
 
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Does you portal still say that your file is under review by the adcom or does it say that a decision has been made? Just wondering the post-interview decision time?
Mine said decision made about 3 days post interview, and I called to find out I got in.
 
First of all, Congrats.

But I want to clarify something because I feel people here put LECOM-B on a pedestal. The COMLEX pass rates (not USMLE) are high and above the national pass rates for students at LECOM-B. The pass score, in general, is pretty useless if you want to match in good residencies; you need somewhere around 500-700. So having a high pass rate means nothing because the more important stat is average board scores and I don't think LECOM discloses that. I feel like people at the school use pass rate and high board scores interchangebly when they are two different things. I hope that people don't assume that this is a good school because of the pass rate because at the end of the day no ones wants to just pass, you want to excel and rock the boards. There are ofcourse other reasons that make this school a good choice
During my interview they made it extremely clear that they had the highest mean average COMLEX scores, NOT simply the highest pass rate. That was reiterated over and over during the last presentation of the day.
 
During my interview they made it extremely clear that they had the highest mean average COMLEX scores, NOT simply the highest pass rate. That was reiterated over and over during the last presentation of the day.
Oh ok I may have missed that during my interview.
 
I also got the sense that the clinical rotations may be an issue. I did like the fact that they are trying to consolidate the sites so that you are at one location for extended time doing all the core rotations there.

What I don't like is the feeling that there is a very scarce amount of research opportunities and also early clinical exposure to patients (other than the simulated patients).
 
First of all, Congrats.

But I want to clarify something because I feel people here put LECOM-B on a pedestal. The COMLEX pass rates (not USMLE) are high and above the national pass rates for students at LECOM-B. The pass score, in general, is pretty useless if you want to match in good residencies; you need somewhere around 500-700. So having a high pass rate means nothing because the more important stat is average board scores and I don't think LECOM discloses that. I feel like people at the school use pass rate and high board scores interchangebly when they are two different things. I hope that people don't assume that this is a good school because of the pass rate because at the end of the day no ones wants to just pass, you want to excel and rock the boards. There are ofcourse other reasons that make this school a good choice
Definitely have the highest COMLEX average in the country. Their USMLE average is above the national mean as well. That's why LECOMB is on a pedestal. It's the best DO program in the country by the numbers.
 
Availability of rotations definitely is an issue that's worrying me...the student sitting in at our lunch seemed stressed out that she still doesn't know where she's going for her rotations as a second year in January, it was still very up in the air.

During one of my other interviews one of the doctors said she recently interviewed a student from PA for an internship and that she was shocked he only had exposure to standardized patients/actors during his first two years. I assumed he came from LECOM, so the lack of legit patient exposure is also something to take into consideration as well as last minute scrambling for rotations
 
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Hi guys,
Approx. how long did it take to hear back regarding an interview invite after "your file was sent to the admission committee for a review"? And were you notified on the website? Thank you!
 
Hi guys,
Approx. how long did it take to hear back regarding an interview invite after "your file was sent to the admission committee for a review"? And were you notified on the website? Thank you!

2 days
 
Anyone have an interview, this upcoming Friday (1/30)? and if so anyone interested in grabbing dinner the night before. Always better to recognize a few friendly faces going into the interview
 
Availability of rotations definitely is an issue that's worrying me...the student sitting in at our lunch seemed stressed out that she still doesn't know where she's going for her rotations as a second year in January, it was still very up in the air.

During one of my other interviews one of the doctors said she recently interviewed a student from PA for an internship and that she was shocked he only had exposure to standardized patients/actors during his first two years. I assumed he came from LECOM, so the lack of legit patient exposure is also something to take into consideration as well as last minute scrambling for rotations

This is pretty standard, you shouldn't expect much non-simulated patient interaction during the first two years of most medical schools.
 
I'm sorry I completely misread that. Thought you asked about decision on the file POST interview. Sorry, I'm not sure about the thing you asked!
Its ok! I was just wondering after your file was complete, how long did it take to hear back regarding an interview invite?
 
Its ok! I was just wondering after your file was complete, how long did it take to hear back regarding an interview invite?

6 days, but that was backin late August.
 
Ok thank you!

I interviewed on Friday 1/16 and heard back on Thursday 1/22.

Edit: Misread OP, I sent in my secondary mid-November and heard back like two weeks later.
 
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Quick question for everyone who has already interviewed!
Is there any place to place your luggage on interview day? I'll have to head out back to the airport right after the interview and am wondering if they're accommodating about these kinds of things
 
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