Heyy plateletfactor5, I actually interviewed on December 4th, so the turn around time was fairly quick. Goodluck, I'm sure you'll hear really soon
University of New England (UNECOM) Discussion Thread 2013 - 2014
- Thread starter BB8730
- Start date
Heyy plateletfactor5, I actually interviewed on December 4th, so the turn around time was fairly quick. Goodluck, I'm sure you'll hear really soon
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2013
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 1
Interviewed 11/19 and accepted 12/20. cgpa 3.7 sgpa 3.7 mcat 29. Not too many EC's besides research as an undergraduate. Good luck to everyone!
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2013
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 3
Received my ii this past Thursday for 1/23.
Thinking of going two days prior and making a mini getaway of it so I can familiarize myself with the area and what not.
Any suggestions as to where to stay that would give me an ideal perception of what the town is like?
Thinking of going two days prior and making a mini getaway of it so I can familiarize myself with the area and what not.
Any suggestions as to where to stay that would give me an ideal perception of what the town is like?
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2013
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 3
That's actually the town my family and I stayed in when we first visited the state. I didn't realize it was so close.
Thank you for the suggestion! I'll have to look into it
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2013
- Messages
- 38,498
- Reaction score
- 75,464
I got those from a couple of schools around Thanksgiving. It was a total rollercoaster of emotion.
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2013
- Messages
- 38,498
- Reaction score
- 75,464
I stayed in Ogunquit. It's a tourist town during the summer, so there are plenty of nice hotels to stay at and decent places to eat in the area. Since it's the off season, there aren't many tourists, so you can get a good feel for Maine and what the people are like even in a normally touristy town. UNECOM is about 20-25 minutes away if I remember correctly, plan double that if there is snow.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2013
- Messages
- 116
- Reaction score
- 78
Hey guys,
I'm a current first year at UNECOM (had to change my name, it was too obvious). Thought I might answer a few questions I saw on here:
1. Grades: Right now we are a P/HP/H system. We technically have 2 classes. OMK (osteopathic medical knowledge) which is immuno, biochem, micro, physio, etc. in which a P is 70-80, HP is 80-90 and H is 90-100. OCS (osteopathic clinical skills) which includes anatomy, histology, embryo, OMM, physical exams, etc. and is also P/HP/H but an 80 is a pass and the HP and H are based on a curve so on our block 2 exam an H was I think a 95 and a HP was a 91 or something like that.
2. Stats: They told us the class average when we arrived and that it was higher than the pervious year's class, but I don't remember what it was other than that I was below it (I was ~3.4 and 26) so sorry that's not very useful.
3. Housing: A good chunk of the class share houses in biddeford or saco, some of them year round, some of them are on the beach which generally means the lease doesn't start until september. Others live on their own. I can only think of one apartment building around and I know of a few people that live there; it's really nice, kind of pricy for biddeford but not compared to other places. Portland is also an option, as someone said it's about 25 min from school. There are a few places that are walkable (although perhaps not in a foot of snow) but you will need a car or a really nice housemate as there is no public transportation.
4. A while ago people were asking about why they wanted to know all of the schools you applied to on the secondary...I applied MD and DO about equally and in my interview they asked me why both, so be ready for that. But the interviews look different this year (I didn't have a student in mine) so who knows.
5. Out of staters- There are people from all over the place, I don't have a percentage, but I think a huge reason why there are so many New Englanders is the simple fact that we are the only DO school in New England. I'm an OOS and at my interview they asked if I had a "support team" around and why UNECOM.
7. Late appliers- I interviewed close to the beginning but many people that I have talked to interviewed in February/March. As a few people said it is very early for UNECOM. If I remember correctly last year at Osteoblast (in mid-April) there were still ~50 open spaces, so there is still plenty of time.
8. If you have questions regarding your application Lisa Lane is great, she will definitely help you out.
Good luck!
I'm a current first year at UNECOM (had to change my name, it was too obvious). Thought I might answer a few questions I saw on here:
1. Grades: Right now we are a P/HP/H system. We technically have 2 classes. OMK (osteopathic medical knowledge) which is immuno, biochem, micro, physio, etc. in which a P is 70-80, HP is 80-90 and H is 90-100. OCS (osteopathic clinical skills) which includes anatomy, histology, embryo, OMM, physical exams, etc. and is also P/HP/H but an 80 is a pass and the HP and H are based on a curve so on our block 2 exam an H was I think a 95 and a HP was a 91 or something like that.
2. Stats: They told us the class average when we arrived and that it was higher than the pervious year's class, but I don't remember what it was other than that I was below it (I was ~3.4 and 26) so sorry that's not very useful.
3. Housing: A good chunk of the class share houses in biddeford or saco, some of them year round, some of them are on the beach which generally means the lease doesn't start until september. Others live on their own. I can only think of one apartment building around and I know of a few people that live there; it's really nice, kind of pricy for biddeford but not compared to other places. Portland is also an option, as someone said it's about 25 min from school. There are a few places that are walkable (although perhaps not in a foot of snow) but you will need a car or a really nice housemate as there is no public transportation.
4. A while ago people were asking about why they wanted to know all of the schools you applied to on the secondary...I applied MD and DO about equally and in my interview they asked me why both, so be ready for that. But the interviews look different this year (I didn't have a student in mine) so who knows.
5. Out of staters- There are people from all over the place, I don't have a percentage, but I think a huge reason why there are so many New Englanders is the simple fact that we are the only DO school in New England. I'm an OOS and at my interview they asked if I had a "support team" around and why UNECOM.
7. Late appliers- I interviewed close to the beginning but many people that I have talked to interviewed in February/March. As a few people said it is very early for UNECOM. If I remember correctly last year at Osteoblast (in mid-April) there were still ~50 open spaces, so there is still plenty of time.
8. If you have questions regarding your application Lisa Lane is great, she will definitely help you out.
Good luck!
Thanks for all the info, would you happen to know what the apartment building is called?
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2013
- Messages
- 116
- Reaction score
- 78
Yea no problem!
The one I'm thinking of is: http://www.pepperellmillcampus.com/apartments/
It's down the road from run of the mill which is one of the nicer bars around. There are also apartments around in "downtown" biddeford, but I don't know much about them. When we were applying last year the second years moving out set up a nice google doc for us because a lot of landlords prefer to only rent to DO students.
The one I'm thinking of is: http://www.pepperellmillcampus.com/apartments/
It's down the road from run of the mill which is one of the nicer bars around. There are also apartments around in "downtown" biddeford, but I don't know much about them. When we were applying last year the second years moving out set up a nice google doc for us because a lot of landlords prefer to only rent to DO students.
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2013
- Messages
- 68
- Reaction score
- 29
Hi. I found this unofficial website detailing the curriculum at UNECOM. Can you this me if it is accurate? Here is the link: http://prezi.com/zgwxi9syfs2q/university-of-new-england/
If it is accurate, I was wondering how UNECOM students find the time to do extracurriculars since classes are from 8AM to 4:30PM. It seems like there is only time (just barely) for classes then studying.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2013
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 11
Do you happen to know of any other apartments similar to Pepperell Mill? I've been unable to find any legitimate apartments similar to this one on google. Thanks so much!!!
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2012
- Messages
- 994
- Reaction score
- 761
Thanks for the great info. Quick question: are all lectures video recorded and posted online (thus making attendance not mandatory)?
Thanks
Thanks
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2013
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 11
After being accepted to UNECOM, I emailed a number of current students with questions regarding a variety of subjects that were concerning to me. The students I emailed were extremely courteous and forthcoming with their answers. Overall, learning more about the program and school has left me with no doubts that I will be attending next year. The UNECOM threads are almost always quiet on SDN with tons of questions and few answers so I plan to post some of the answers I received below. I have no doubt that they will help other incoming students both this year and the next. Names have been withheld for anonymity's sake. Best of luck with everyone's applications and I look forward to meeting with you all next year!
1.What is the grading system in UNECOM? Ex. Pass/fail? A/B/C/D/F? etc.
Grading system is Fail/Pass /High Pass/Honors. Medical Knowledge (basic sciences, year 1) and Osteopathic Systems (diseases/pathology and pharm, year 2) have very straightforward grading, mostly multiple choice testing with a few extra points thrown in for attending mandatory small group sessions, etc. 70 is a P, 80 is HP and 90 is H.
Clinical Skills class runs for two years, and the grading tends to a little more fuzzy. Still the same system, but grades are "competency based" instead of a straightforward numbers scale. My Class of 2016 didn't have too many issues with this but Class of 2017 has had some complaints. There doesn't seem to be a consistent expectation for what "competency" is and this year they seem to be using the class distribution of grades to determine who qualifies for "honors" etc which has brought up concerns about creating a negatively competitive environment. I will say that they always publish the grading rubrics for you to study from, so there is never a concern about what their overall expectations are. In first year, OMM and Clinical Skills are tested together. In second year, we have separate OMM and Clinical Skills exams but again, all the rubrics are published and expectations made very clear.
2. Is it easy to do well on exams by focusing on lectures/taking notes or do you find yourself using outside resources? In essence, do the exams come from the notes/lectures or do you feel as though you’re being tested on material you’ve only come across outside of the class.
The best way to do excellent on exams is to focus on truly learning the material, NOT memorizing. Initially, I did feel that some exam questions came out of nowhere, but that was because I spent time trying to memorize information from lectures etc that didn’t do a good job of explaining the “why” and I didn’t gain a good broad understanding.
You will figure out which profs work for you and when to utilize outside resources instead. It’s hard to break out of the undergrad mentality of going to every class and expecting the ppoints to perfectly match the exams. But for the most part, learning from the lecture or doing your own thing doesn’t make much of a difference as long as you are deeply learning the concepts. You will find what works for you and your grades will eventually reflect that, but it takes a few months. In fact, it’s really liberating to have the freedom to choose how you learn best and see that reflected in your exam scores! I am SO glad I came to a school where lecture isn’t mandatory. I have so much freedom to learn in a way that works best for me.
3.What kind of curriculum does UNECOM feature? The college information book only mentions students being adult learners following case-driven curricula, but doesn’t go into very much detail. Any chance you can send me a class schedule/syllabus?
I really can’t speak to the Class of 2017 schedule because it is drastically different with the increased class size, so hopefully you have been in touch with a first year. If not, email the OCS office and ask for someone to get in touch with!
My first year:
Monday 8-12, Lecture (usually short lectures with small group work, starting off with a 10 questions quiz on all the week’s topics that you were assigned to study over the weekend)
Tues 8-5, Lecture (Similar- some short lectures, some traditional lectures)
Wed/Fri 8-12, Anatomy Lab (one hour lecture followed by 3 hour lab. Usually skipped lecture)
Wed/Fri 1:30-5:30, Two Hours Case-Based Learning , alternating with 2 hours clinical skills class
Thursday- 4 hours of OMM lab in AM, 2 hours of histology (slides are all ONLINE which is awesome, no microscope, we all just hang out and go through study guides- I eventually stopped going because you can access all the same slides from home) and 2 hours of classroom questions/discussion sessions.
Friday afternoon- “wrap up” session for the week- cases, lectures, humanities, or patients come in.
Overall, a fair amount of free time. I skipped most lecture during the spring which gave me even more time. They give you a very detailed outline of objectives to study for the week with online modules, assigned reading, etc for all subjects covered in lecture so you learn to cover the objectives in a way that works for you. In first year, Case-Based Learning is mostly making concept maps answering a few questions based on a patient case. I hated it, but it’s only 2 hours/week and a grade booster
Exams: every 6 week you have one full week of exams. Anatomy Practical is 2 hours on Monday, you’ll have a combined OMM/Clinical Assessment exam (you and a class mate do physical exam stuff and OMM on each other) either Tues, Wed or Thur. Finally, the 4 hour Medical Knowledge exam is on Friday morning. Friday night: bar night!
Second Year:
First 7 weeks is Neuroanatomy, so the schedule is totally different. You will have small group case sessions about 2-3 times/week. Lecture is all over the place schedule-wise, but AMAZING. Lots of review sessions for the anatomy. Anatomy and Neuroanatomy are both AMAZING courses at UNECOM.
Rest of year:
Monday- lecture usually 8-5 ( I don’t go)
Tuesday- lecture usually 8-5 (I don’t go)
Wed- 8-12, Case Base Learning alternating with 2 hours of Clinical Skills, all in your small group of 8 students. 1:30-5:30, more lecture (I don’t go)
Thurs: 1:30-5:30, OMM lab
Friday- 2 hours in morning of Case Based Learning. Afternoon wrap up, only mandatory if patients are coming.
Case-Based Learning is much better second year, we work through differential diagnosis, lab testing, etc for patient cases with physician mentors. I only go to mandatory stuff about 8-10 hours/week, and study mostly on my own or with a friend. TONS of free time.
Exams are approx. every 3 weeks and cover a little review material but mostly the diseases and pharm for the system covered in the last 3 weeks. Pretty straightforward.
4.Is attendance mandatory in lecture classes? What is a typical day like for you?
Pretty much covered this. Also, all lectures are recorded and available online. I usually skim through the useful ones at 1.5x speed along with the slides.
5.Do you find the class atmosphere to be supportive with students helping each other out when they can?
Absolutely. First year, one girl made AMAZING OMM study guides to help us prep before every block exam. People are constantly sharing their notes or study guides on our class Facebook page. We also have a school Google drive where study materials are uploaded by current/past students, there are a ton of treasures on there. Overall, it’s a really supportive and positive environment. There is no feeling of hostile competitiveness, no sabotage, or anything like that!
6.Are the fitness center/cardio/weight-rooms large or small? Do you have any issues with it being overcrowded?
Both fitness centers are pretty small, but the brand new one in the hockey rink is nice and usually less crowded. Honestly, the fitness facilities are kind of crap but they get the job done. We are the only grad students on campus so the worst part is being surround by so many undergrads ALL the time. If you pick gym times where they are unlikely to be there (ie morning) it’s pretty quiet. There is a pool for swimming laps, a racquetball court, and a running track. I’ve never had issues getting the weights I want when its busy, but you might have to alter your routine around somebody else’s if you are using the same equipment. There is a very active medical student fitness club on campus too. They have daily running groups, MMA workouts, Crossfit-type workouts, etc led by different students. I
7.$49,000 is quite expensive compared to many other medical programs. Despite this fact, UNECOM still remains quite high on my list. Do you feel that this school warrants the $49k price tag? Additionally, does the tuition really rise by 6% every year?
Oh gosh- I’ll have to dig out my tuition statements. It did go up this year, but I don’t remember how much. Keep in mind that your unsubsidized loans leave about $4000 each semester unpaid. You can cover that with the PLUS loans available for living expenses, and if you are taking those out for that reason you can count on about $16,000 left over for the year. I’ve been paying the difference out-of-pocket because my husband works, but that adds up too.
Honestly, I don’t think ANY school warrants a $49k price tag. It’s ridiculous. I’m here to get a medical education, so even having a stellar gym, incredible facilities, etc. probably wouldn’t make up for the cost. As far as the actual education, there are positives and negatives just like any school. The anatomy team is TOP-NOTCH. Look up Dr. Frank Willard and you will see what I mean. I don’t think any school can hold a candle to our anatomy and neuroanatomy departments. We get to work on our cadavers for an entire year, and in addition the OMM really reinforces anatomy knowledge every day. The location is amazing- I have spent the last 2 summers kayaking almost every day, exploring beautiful Maine, chilling or studying on the beach, fishing etc. Winters are long, but that’s when you need to be holed up studying anyway! Lots of folks snowboard, snowshoe etc. too. Overall, I’m really glad I’m here.
8.How much is a cab from Biddeford to Portland? I am just curous as many of the bus and train stations to Boston/NYC/etc. are located in Portland.
I think a cab is about $30. There is a train station in Saco (5 min from Biddeford) where you can get to Boston easily.
9.Do you live in Biddeford/Saco or do you commute from Portland? Do you find this a difficult commute? Is there a ton of traffic on the 95’ Highway when travelling back and forth?
I live in Biddo about 6 min from campus. I really like living so close to school. One of my closest friends lives in downtown Portland so we hang out there when I need a city fix. I think the commute is about 35-45 minutes depending on traffic. It takes at least 10 minutes to get to campus from the interstate. Some people like getting physically far away from campus, and like the drive time to detox from the school day.
10. How much does it really snow/rain in Maine? Do you feel that it would be necessary to drive an AWD (all-wheel drive) vehicle or are roads safe enough for front/rear wheel drive vehicles? Also, are there ever school closings on days with inclement weather?
Snow/Rain- Both winters have had 2 major snow storms with 2-3 feet dumps each time. Otherwise, the weather tends to be more temperate so close to the coast.
AWD- there are a LOT of hills in the city of Biddeford. So depending on where you live, it might be a good idea but you would probably be fine with winter tires. The roads get “bad” maybe 5-10 days/year.
Closings- yes, we had maybe 5 days last year. None this year! But they are pretty good about that.
1.What is the grading system in UNECOM? Ex. Pass/fail? A/B/C/D/F? etc.
Grading system is Fail/Pass /High Pass/Honors. Medical Knowledge (basic sciences, year 1) and Osteopathic Systems (diseases/pathology and pharm, year 2) have very straightforward grading, mostly multiple choice testing with a few extra points thrown in for attending mandatory small group sessions, etc. 70 is a P, 80 is HP and 90 is H.
Clinical Skills class runs for two years, and the grading tends to a little more fuzzy. Still the same system, but grades are "competency based" instead of a straightforward numbers scale. My Class of 2016 didn't have too many issues with this but Class of 2017 has had some complaints. There doesn't seem to be a consistent expectation for what "competency" is and this year they seem to be using the class distribution of grades to determine who qualifies for "honors" etc which has brought up concerns about creating a negatively competitive environment. I will say that they always publish the grading rubrics for you to study from, so there is never a concern about what their overall expectations are. In first year, OMM and Clinical Skills are tested together. In second year, we have separate OMM and Clinical Skills exams but again, all the rubrics are published and expectations made very clear.
2. Is it easy to do well on exams by focusing on lectures/taking notes or do you find yourself using outside resources? In essence, do the exams come from the notes/lectures or do you feel as though you’re being tested on material you’ve only come across outside of the class.
The best way to do excellent on exams is to focus on truly learning the material, NOT memorizing. Initially, I did feel that some exam questions came out of nowhere, but that was because I spent time trying to memorize information from lectures etc that didn’t do a good job of explaining the “why” and I didn’t gain a good broad understanding.
You will figure out which profs work for you and when to utilize outside resources instead. It’s hard to break out of the undergrad mentality of going to every class and expecting the ppoints to perfectly match the exams. But for the most part, learning from the lecture or doing your own thing doesn’t make much of a difference as long as you are deeply learning the concepts. You will find what works for you and your grades will eventually reflect that, but it takes a few months. In fact, it’s really liberating to have the freedom to choose how you learn best and see that reflected in your exam scores! I am SO glad I came to a school where lecture isn’t mandatory. I have so much freedom to learn in a way that works best for me.
3.What kind of curriculum does UNECOM feature? The college information book only mentions students being adult learners following case-driven curricula, but doesn’t go into very much detail. Any chance you can send me a class schedule/syllabus?
I really can’t speak to the Class of 2017 schedule because it is drastically different with the increased class size, so hopefully you have been in touch with a first year. If not, email the OCS office and ask for someone to get in touch with!
My first year:
Monday 8-12, Lecture (usually short lectures with small group work, starting off with a 10 questions quiz on all the week’s topics that you were assigned to study over the weekend)
Tues 8-5, Lecture (Similar- some short lectures, some traditional lectures)
Wed/Fri 8-12, Anatomy Lab (one hour lecture followed by 3 hour lab. Usually skipped lecture)
Wed/Fri 1:30-5:30, Two Hours Case-Based Learning , alternating with 2 hours clinical skills class
Thursday- 4 hours of OMM lab in AM, 2 hours of histology (slides are all ONLINE which is awesome, no microscope, we all just hang out and go through study guides- I eventually stopped going because you can access all the same slides from home) and 2 hours of classroom questions/discussion sessions.
Friday afternoon- “wrap up” session for the week- cases, lectures, humanities, or patients come in.
Overall, a fair amount of free time. I skipped most lecture during the spring which gave me even more time. They give you a very detailed outline of objectives to study for the week with online modules, assigned reading, etc for all subjects covered in lecture so you learn to cover the objectives in a way that works for you. In first year, Case-Based Learning is mostly making concept maps answering a few questions based on a patient case. I hated it, but it’s only 2 hours/week and a grade booster
Exams: every 6 week you have one full week of exams. Anatomy Practical is 2 hours on Monday, you’ll have a combined OMM/Clinical Assessment exam (you and a class mate do physical exam stuff and OMM on each other) either Tues, Wed or Thur. Finally, the 4 hour Medical Knowledge exam is on Friday morning. Friday night: bar night!
Second Year:
First 7 weeks is Neuroanatomy, so the schedule is totally different. You will have small group case sessions about 2-3 times/week. Lecture is all over the place schedule-wise, but AMAZING. Lots of review sessions for the anatomy. Anatomy and Neuroanatomy are both AMAZING courses at UNECOM.
Rest of year:
Monday- lecture usually 8-5 ( I don’t go)
Tuesday- lecture usually 8-5 (I don’t go)
Wed- 8-12, Case Base Learning alternating with 2 hours of Clinical Skills, all in your small group of 8 students. 1:30-5:30, more lecture (I don’t go)
Thurs: 1:30-5:30, OMM lab
Friday- 2 hours in morning of Case Based Learning. Afternoon wrap up, only mandatory if patients are coming.
Case-Based Learning is much better second year, we work through differential diagnosis, lab testing, etc for patient cases with physician mentors. I only go to mandatory stuff about 8-10 hours/week, and study mostly on my own or with a friend. TONS of free time.
Exams are approx. every 3 weeks and cover a little review material but mostly the diseases and pharm for the system covered in the last 3 weeks. Pretty straightforward.
4.Is attendance mandatory in lecture classes? What is a typical day like for you?
Pretty much covered this. Also, all lectures are recorded and available online. I usually skim through the useful ones at 1.5x speed along with the slides.
5.Do you find the class atmosphere to be supportive with students helping each other out when they can?
Absolutely. First year, one girl made AMAZING OMM study guides to help us prep before every block exam. People are constantly sharing their notes or study guides on our class Facebook page. We also have a school Google drive where study materials are uploaded by current/past students, there are a ton of treasures on there. Overall, it’s a really supportive and positive environment. There is no feeling of hostile competitiveness, no sabotage, or anything like that!
6.Are the fitness center/cardio/weight-rooms large or small? Do you have any issues with it being overcrowded?
Both fitness centers are pretty small, but the brand new one in the hockey rink is nice and usually less crowded. Honestly, the fitness facilities are kind of crap but they get the job done. We are the only grad students on campus so the worst part is being surround by so many undergrads ALL the time. If you pick gym times where they are unlikely to be there (ie morning) it’s pretty quiet. There is a pool for swimming laps, a racquetball court, and a running track. I’ve never had issues getting the weights I want when its busy, but you might have to alter your routine around somebody else’s if you are using the same equipment. There is a very active medical student fitness club on campus too. They have daily running groups, MMA workouts, Crossfit-type workouts, etc led by different students. I
7.$49,000 is quite expensive compared to many other medical programs. Despite this fact, UNECOM still remains quite high on my list. Do you feel that this school warrants the $49k price tag? Additionally, does the tuition really rise by 6% every year?
Oh gosh- I’ll have to dig out my tuition statements. It did go up this year, but I don’t remember how much. Keep in mind that your unsubsidized loans leave about $4000 each semester unpaid. You can cover that with the PLUS loans available for living expenses, and if you are taking those out for that reason you can count on about $16,000 left over for the year. I’ve been paying the difference out-of-pocket because my husband works, but that adds up too.
Honestly, I don’t think ANY school warrants a $49k price tag. It’s ridiculous. I’m here to get a medical education, so even having a stellar gym, incredible facilities, etc. probably wouldn’t make up for the cost. As far as the actual education, there are positives and negatives just like any school. The anatomy team is TOP-NOTCH. Look up Dr. Frank Willard and you will see what I mean. I don’t think any school can hold a candle to our anatomy and neuroanatomy departments. We get to work on our cadavers for an entire year, and in addition the OMM really reinforces anatomy knowledge every day. The location is amazing- I have spent the last 2 summers kayaking almost every day, exploring beautiful Maine, chilling or studying on the beach, fishing etc. Winters are long, but that’s when you need to be holed up studying anyway! Lots of folks snowboard, snowshoe etc. too. Overall, I’m really glad I’m here.
8.How much is a cab from Biddeford to Portland? I am just curous as many of the bus and train stations to Boston/NYC/etc. are located in Portland.
I think a cab is about $30. There is a train station in Saco (5 min from Biddeford) where you can get to Boston easily.
9.Do you live in Biddeford/Saco or do you commute from Portland? Do you find this a difficult commute? Is there a ton of traffic on the 95’ Highway when travelling back and forth?
I live in Biddo about 6 min from campus. I really like living so close to school. One of my closest friends lives in downtown Portland so we hang out there when I need a city fix. I think the commute is about 35-45 minutes depending on traffic. It takes at least 10 minutes to get to campus from the interstate. Some people like getting physically far away from campus, and like the drive time to detox from the school day.
10. How much does it really snow/rain in Maine? Do you feel that it would be necessary to drive an AWD (all-wheel drive) vehicle or are roads safe enough for front/rear wheel drive vehicles? Also, are there ever school closings on days with inclement weather?
Snow/Rain- Both winters have had 2 major snow storms with 2-3 feet dumps each time. Otherwise, the weather tends to be more temperate so close to the coast.
AWD- there are a LOT of hills in the city of Biddeford. So depending on where you live, it might be a good idea but you would probably be fine with winter tires. The roads get “bad” maybe 5-10 days/year.
Closings- yes, we had maybe 5 days last year. None this year! But they are pretty good about that.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2013
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 11
1) What is the grading system in UNECOM? Ex. Pass/fail? A/B/C/D/F? etc.
You can either P (pass, 70+), HP (high pass, 80+), or H (honor, 90+), and of course you can fail (69 or lower). This is the first year grading criteria. Second year the scale changes a bit but same breakdown as far as P, HP, H, and F. When you fail an examination, they have a program called CAP (competency assurance program) where they run you through some stuff to make sure you have the basics down to continue. I recommend you don't fail tests and avoid this stuff. Grades essentially mean very little in and of themselves so long as you are passng. Residency is MAJORLY based on board scores and interview/rotation through that program, not grades. They are more of a pride thing. That being said, there IS a correlation always between those who consistency Honor and those who do best on boards.
Is 2) Is it easy to do well on exams by focusing on lectures/taking notes or do you find yourself using outside resources? In essence, do the exams come from the notes/lectures or do you feel as though you’re being tested on material you’ve only come across outside of the class?
Totally depends on which unit is being taught and by which instructor. In your first year, ALL of the material you will be tested on comes from a series of objectives they take out of your assigned reading. First year has an interesting set up. You are given a reading list to complete over the weekend, along with 20-30 objectives to help focus your reading. (you do not have to complete these for points). Then, every Monday morning you are given an IRAT (individual reading assessment test) in which you receive a 20 question multiple choice quiz on what you were supposed to have read. These do 3 things...they encourage you to stay on track, they show you what the school thinks you need to be focusing on in your studies, and they show the staff which areas the class needs more help in. THIS is where lecture comes in....lecture is NOT going to teach you all or even half the material you need to know, they will rather reinforce the important stuff and review the hard stuff. They are used as application sessions to apply what you were supposed to read, to medicine. So while you are on your own, they give you the materials and lay out what you need to know to do well on exams. Its a good set up.
What kind of curriculum does UNECOM feature?
Our school features a case-based learning style. This means a few things. One, they get away from the classic lecture style learning. As previously mentioned, they will not be lecturing you in general basic science and reading off power points. Instead, the lectures are more used as application sessions to apply what you were assigned to read on your own. Lectures are presented as cases, ie patient presentations, labs, complains, physical findings, and you guys put together the science behind the medicine, its a really good system. The class is divided into groups of 8 ish students which will be you CBL group. With this group, you spend about 4 hours a week focusing on patient cases, lead by a practicing physician as your facilitator. These sessions are pretty awesome, and students tend to learn a ton from them.
5.Do you find the class atmosphere to be supportive with students helping each other out when they can?
Some are some are not. No easy way to answer this question OTHER than if you want the medical school experience where you never have to leave your bed to do well, this school is NOT for you. I have buddies at other schools are show up to school 6 times a year for exams and do well. This is NOT that kind of school. This school requires you to be involved and be present in and at a lot of different things, so you need to understand that going in. Also, being present makes you a good student. YA sometimes lectures and such aren't "board relavent" as I hear some of my classmates complain about routinely, but its a chance to learn about medicine from clinicians and patients and being present will make you a much better person, student, and physician.
A typical day for me involve waking up at 7 am, being at school ready to rock by 7:45. On days you have lectures, all lectures are 50 minutes long followed by a ten minute break. You always get an hour and a half for lunch. This time is usually spend working out, going home to take out your dog, make lunch, study ,whatever. Afternoon, whether youre in lecture or CBL, will be done by 5:30. The rest of the time is yours. I use a lot of it to study, work out, hang out with friends...do whatever. People say you don't have free time in medical school, but those people have never had a real job before. You have TONS of time so long as you can manage it, to do with it as you please. Half of us buy ski passes are on the slopes every other weekend. As exams approach, you spend more time working...as boards are approaching for myself I will do the same.
I have never seen or heard of a more supportive class dynamic than here at UNECOM. This is DEFINITELY one of the greatest strengths. Classmates post reviews, notes, study guides, quizlets, etc on your classes FB groups. 2nd years give you access to their old stuff, give advice, etc. 2nd years also put on giant reviews every 6 weeks before you big block anatomy exams....its very cohesive. I forgot to mention with the grades, there is no fixed amount of people than can pass, HP etc. If the entire class gets 90, everyone can honor. They do not rank you, so it sets up a nice collaborative feel.
Are the fitness center/cardio/weight-rooms large or small? Do you have any issues with it being overcrowded?
There are two good fitness facilities on campus. One is brand new one is not, both a great. As someone who spend 2 hours of their day at the gym, they are both more than adequate. Like any other college gym in the world, they get crowded around 5:30 pm for a few hours, plan accordingly. You'll figure out a nice schedule that works for you. I came from a big ten college football school so I'd be hard pressed to find gyms the size I was used to, but UNE's facilities are actually pretty great.
$ 49,000 is quite expensive compared to many other medical programs. Despite this fact, UNECOM still remains quite high on my list. Do you feel that this school warrants the $49k price tag? Additionally, does the tuition really rise by 6% every year?
I was a business major in in undergrad, so from a financial standpoint, absolutely NOT, paying 50k a year for school makes literally zero financial sense especially if you wants to go into primary care, you'll be paying back loans for the rest of the your life. That being said, if you really want to be a doctor and really want primary care and don't have a cheaper school option then by all means, go for it. If I had a cheaper option I would have taken it. Sorry for being so blunt, but the numbers are crazy. As for tuition hikes, they have been going up around that percentage, but the school most likely will not let you know they plan to hike them.
How much is a cab from Biddeford to Portland? I am just curious as many of the bus and train stations to Boston/NYC/etc. are located in Portland.
Probably around 40 dollars. There are buses and classmates that can take you to and from for cheaper. There are train stations to Boston and NYC in Saco which is 7 minutes from school.
9.Do you live in Biddeford/Saco or do you commute from Portland? Do you find this a difficult commute? Is there a ton of traffic on the 95’ Highway when travelling back and forth?
I live on Hills Beach Road which is a 23 second drive from school. I don't mess with commutes, I believe they are unproductive and suck life out of people. I also don't have children or a spouse that need to be in Portland. If you don't mind driving 45 minutes (yes it takes 45 min to go door to door) twice a day, Portland is probly a "better" city to live in. I love beach towns, I love being 20 seconds from school, and I go to Portland when I want the city experience on weekends. Can't speak to traffic, but I know those who live in Portland often stumble into class late on a regular basis.
How much does it really snow/rain in Maine? Do you feel that it would be necessary to drive an AWD (all-wheel drive) vehicle or are roads safe enough for front/rear wheel drive vehicles? Also, are there ever school closings on days with inclement weather?
Not sure where you are from originally. I am from Michigan so this is all the same weather. It snows a lot during the winter, you can expect to be shoveling sometimes and wearing snow gear, youre in Maine. You definitely do not NEED a AWD vehicle but they help. If you do not have one, you may need to catch a ride from someone else a couple days out of the year. I have yet to see them close school due to weather, but they will tell you that if you deem it too unsafe to drive, they will excuse you if you had a mandatory event/lecture that day.
You can either P (pass, 70+), HP (high pass, 80+), or H (honor, 90+), and of course you can fail (69 or lower). This is the first year grading criteria. Second year the scale changes a bit but same breakdown as far as P, HP, H, and F. When you fail an examination, they have a program called CAP (competency assurance program) where they run you through some stuff to make sure you have the basics down to continue. I recommend you don't fail tests and avoid this stuff. Grades essentially mean very little in and of themselves so long as you are passng. Residency is MAJORLY based on board scores and interview/rotation through that program, not grades. They are more of a pride thing. That being said, there IS a correlation always between those who consistency Honor and those who do best on boards.
Is 2) Is it easy to do well on exams by focusing on lectures/taking notes or do you find yourself using outside resources? In essence, do the exams come from the notes/lectures or do you feel as though you’re being tested on material you’ve only come across outside of the class?
Totally depends on which unit is being taught and by which instructor. In your first year, ALL of the material you will be tested on comes from a series of objectives they take out of your assigned reading. First year has an interesting set up. You are given a reading list to complete over the weekend, along with 20-30 objectives to help focus your reading. (you do not have to complete these for points). Then, every Monday morning you are given an IRAT (individual reading assessment test) in which you receive a 20 question multiple choice quiz on what you were supposed to have read. These do 3 things...they encourage you to stay on track, they show you what the school thinks you need to be focusing on in your studies, and they show the staff which areas the class needs more help in. THIS is where lecture comes in....lecture is NOT going to teach you all or even half the material you need to know, they will rather reinforce the important stuff and review the hard stuff. They are used as application sessions to apply what you were supposed to read, to medicine. So while you are on your own, they give you the materials and lay out what you need to know to do well on exams. Its a good set up.
What kind of curriculum does UNECOM feature?
Our school features a case-based learning style. This means a few things. One, they get away from the classic lecture style learning. As previously mentioned, they will not be lecturing you in general basic science and reading off power points. Instead, the lectures are more used as application sessions to apply what you were assigned to read on your own. Lectures are presented as cases, ie patient presentations, labs, complains, physical findings, and you guys put together the science behind the medicine, its a really good system. The class is divided into groups of 8 ish students which will be you CBL group. With this group, you spend about 4 hours a week focusing on patient cases, lead by a practicing physician as your facilitator. These sessions are pretty awesome, and students tend to learn a ton from them.
5.Do you find the class atmosphere to be supportive with students helping each other out when they can?
Some are some are not. No easy way to answer this question OTHER than if you want the medical school experience where you never have to leave your bed to do well, this school is NOT for you. I have buddies at other schools are show up to school 6 times a year for exams and do well. This is NOT that kind of school. This school requires you to be involved and be present in and at a lot of different things, so you need to understand that going in. Also, being present makes you a good student. YA sometimes lectures and such aren't "board relavent" as I hear some of my classmates complain about routinely, but its a chance to learn about medicine from clinicians and patients and being present will make you a much better person, student, and physician.
A typical day for me involve waking up at 7 am, being at school ready to rock by 7:45. On days you have lectures, all lectures are 50 minutes long followed by a ten minute break. You always get an hour and a half for lunch. This time is usually spend working out, going home to take out your dog, make lunch, study ,whatever. Afternoon, whether youre in lecture or CBL, will be done by 5:30. The rest of the time is yours. I use a lot of it to study, work out, hang out with friends...do whatever. People say you don't have free time in medical school, but those people have never had a real job before. You have TONS of time so long as you can manage it, to do with it as you please. Half of us buy ski passes are on the slopes every other weekend. As exams approach, you spend more time working...as boards are approaching for myself I will do the same.
I have never seen or heard of a more supportive class dynamic than here at UNECOM. This is DEFINITELY one of the greatest strengths. Classmates post reviews, notes, study guides, quizlets, etc on your classes FB groups. 2nd years give you access to their old stuff, give advice, etc. 2nd years also put on giant reviews every 6 weeks before you big block anatomy exams....its very cohesive. I forgot to mention with the grades, there is no fixed amount of people than can pass, HP etc. If the entire class gets 90, everyone can honor. They do not rank you, so it sets up a nice collaborative feel.
Are the fitness center/cardio/weight-rooms large or small? Do you have any issues with it being overcrowded?
There are two good fitness facilities on campus. One is brand new one is not, both a great. As someone who spend 2 hours of their day at the gym, they are both more than adequate. Like any other college gym in the world, they get crowded around 5:30 pm for a few hours, plan accordingly. You'll figure out a nice schedule that works for you. I came from a big ten college football school so I'd be hard pressed to find gyms the size I was used to, but UNE's facilities are actually pretty great.
$ 49,000 is quite expensive compared to many other medical programs. Despite this fact, UNECOM still remains quite high on my list. Do you feel that this school warrants the $49k price tag? Additionally, does the tuition really rise by 6% every year?
I was a business major in in undergrad, so from a financial standpoint, absolutely NOT, paying 50k a year for school makes literally zero financial sense especially if you wants to go into primary care, you'll be paying back loans for the rest of the your life. That being said, if you really want to be a doctor and really want primary care and don't have a cheaper school option then by all means, go for it. If I had a cheaper option I would have taken it. Sorry for being so blunt, but the numbers are crazy. As for tuition hikes, they have been going up around that percentage, but the school most likely will not let you know they plan to hike them.
How much is a cab from Biddeford to Portland? I am just curious as many of the bus and train stations to Boston/NYC/etc. are located in Portland.
Probably around 40 dollars. There are buses and classmates that can take you to and from for cheaper. There are train stations to Boston and NYC in Saco which is 7 minutes from school.
9.Do you live in Biddeford/Saco or do you commute from Portland? Do you find this a difficult commute? Is there a ton of traffic on the 95’ Highway when travelling back and forth?
I live on Hills Beach Road which is a 23 second drive from school. I don't mess with commutes, I believe they are unproductive and suck life out of people. I also don't have children or a spouse that need to be in Portland. If you don't mind driving 45 minutes (yes it takes 45 min to go door to door) twice a day, Portland is probly a "better" city to live in. I love beach towns, I love being 20 seconds from school, and I go to Portland when I want the city experience on weekends. Can't speak to traffic, but I know those who live in Portland often stumble into class late on a regular basis.
How much does it really snow/rain in Maine? Do you feel that it would be necessary to drive an AWD (all-wheel drive) vehicle or are roads safe enough for front/rear wheel drive vehicles? Also, are there ever school closings on days with inclement weather?
Not sure where you are from originally. I am from Michigan so this is all the same weather. It snows a lot during the winter, you can expect to be shoveling sometimes and wearing snow gear, youre in Maine. You definitely do not NEED a AWD vehicle but they help. If you do not have one, you may need to catch a ride from someone else a couple days out of the year. I have yet to see them close school due to weather, but they will tell you that if you deem it too unsafe to drive, they will excuse you if you had a mandatory event/lecture that day.
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2013
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 11
1. What is the grading system in UNECOM? Ex. Pass/fail? A/B/C/D/F? etc.
- The grading system is Fail/Pass/High Pass/ Honors --> essentially this is an A,B,C,D grading scheme, but technically its pass fail. The passing grade at UNE is a 70 and I think that is pretty standard among many of the DO schools (well, at least the ones I looked at)
2. Is it easy to do well on exams by focusing on lectures/taking notes or do you find yourself using outside resources? In essence, do the exams come from the notes/lectures or do you feel as though you’re being tested on material you’ve only come across outside of the class?
- I think there is a mixture of both. If you do not go to lecture and read things on your own, you can do well. Most of the material comes from readings that are assigned, so wether you are in class or not, the material is still readily available. I found myself using board review books to prepare for exams to make the material as simple and boiled down as possible and I found that to be extremely helpful.
3. What kind of curriculum does UNECOM feature? The college information book only mentions students being adult learners following case-driven curricula, but doesn’t go into very much detail. Any chance you can send me a class schedule/syllabus?
-So, the curriculum is ever changing. What you will experience will be vastly different from what I experienced. Right now we have a few days of lecture each week, with a lot of small group activities. The curriculum is case based in the fact that each case is geared to reinforce material that you have covered (or will cover) that week. There is still lecture, but the case based approach helps to solidify the material in a more clinical way. I found the cases really helpful.
4. Is attendance mandatory in lecture classes? What is a typical day like for you?
-Attendance is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended. There are some lectures that are mandatory, but you will be notified when and where those are. My typical day first year was half days both monday and tuesday with lectures in the morning. On wednesday, we had anatomy in the morning 8-12 (lecture 8-9). Then I had CBL (case based learning) in my small group from 1:30-3:30 followed by clinical skills 3:30-530. Thursday was OMM in the morning 8-12 (lecture 8-9). In the afternoon I had break from 1:30-3:30 and then "Little Big Group." In this setting, all the small groups that had CBL the same time as me were in the lecture hall to answer case questions in sort of a grand rounds fashion. Friday was anatomy again 8-12 and then a wrap up session after lunch that lasted until either 3:30 or 5:30.
5. Do you find the class atmosphere to be supportive with students helping each other out when they can?
- YES! Our class was extremely supportive of each other. We would all make study materials and share them with the class. There are (as always) people who choose not to share with others, but its whatever those people do their own thing and the rest of us do ours.
6. Are the fitness center/cardio/weight-rooms large or small? Do you have any issues with it being overcrowded?
-the weight room facilities are small, but the campus is small. I haven't had any problems finding time or space to lift and I routinely go 4 or 5 times a week.
7. $49,000 is quite expensive compared to many other medical programs. Despite this fact, UNECOM still remains quite high on my list. Do you feel that this school warrants the $49k price tag? Additionally, does the tuition really rise by 6% every year?
-I have only been here one year, and the tuition did rise about 5k. I think with the expanding class and need for more rotation spots for third year clinical rotations, I can see where the rise comes from (also the economy still isn'y doing that well and inflation also needs to be accounted for). I don't have any qualms with the school, I think that I am getting a great education that will prepare me for a good career as a physician. With this in mind, I know 50k is a lot and my debt is going to be immense, but it will all work out.
8. How much is a cab from Biddeford to Portland? I am just curious as many of the bus and train stations to Boston/NYC/etc. are located in Portland.
-I am not sure how much a cab is. I have a car, and each time we have gone up there someone has driven. There is a train station in Saco (10mins) from campus that goes to Boston (I took it when I flew to San Diego). UNE also has a shuttle service. I have not taken it, so I cannot speak much about it, but people go to Portland all the time and I have asked for rides all the time. People are really friendly about giving rides and what not. Some people even live in Portland, so they could offer rides on their way home.
9. Do you live in Biddeford/Saco or do you commute from Portland? Do you find this a difficult commute? Is there a ton of traffic on the 95’ Highway when travelling back and forth?
-I live in Bideford. I know people who live in Portland and the traffic is to be expected on 95. I don't know what time they leave in the mornings, but they all usually make it to class on time. My commute is about 5 minutes each morning, so I have no trouble.
10. How much does it really snow/rain in Maine? Do you feel that it would be necessary to drive an AWD (all-wheel drive) vehicle or are roads safe enough for front/rear wheel drive vehicles? Also, are there ever school closings on days with inclement weather?
-I have a front wheel drive car. AWD or 4 wheel would be helpful, but it isn't absolutely necessary. I grew up in Syracuse, New York, so driving in snow was nothing new to me. It snows a lot, but it usually comes in bunches, so there will be times my car struggles, but all in all I am fine with it. I just bought myself a new car this year, and contemplated getting an AWD car, but did not end up getting it. I haven'y had problems though. I just load up the trunk with sand bags and keep a shovel in the trunk just in case. We had one school closing last year, but it was for hurricane Sandy. We never had a winter closing to date.
- The grading system is Fail/Pass/High Pass/ Honors --> essentially this is an A,B,C,D grading scheme, but technically its pass fail. The passing grade at UNE is a 70 and I think that is pretty standard among many of the DO schools (well, at least the ones I looked at)
2. Is it easy to do well on exams by focusing on lectures/taking notes or do you find yourself using outside resources? In essence, do the exams come from the notes/lectures or do you feel as though you’re being tested on material you’ve only come across outside of the class?
- I think there is a mixture of both. If you do not go to lecture and read things on your own, you can do well. Most of the material comes from readings that are assigned, so wether you are in class or not, the material is still readily available. I found myself using board review books to prepare for exams to make the material as simple and boiled down as possible and I found that to be extremely helpful.
3. What kind of curriculum does UNECOM feature? The college information book only mentions students being adult learners following case-driven curricula, but doesn’t go into very much detail. Any chance you can send me a class schedule/syllabus?
-So, the curriculum is ever changing. What you will experience will be vastly different from what I experienced. Right now we have a few days of lecture each week, with a lot of small group activities. The curriculum is case based in the fact that each case is geared to reinforce material that you have covered (or will cover) that week. There is still lecture, but the case based approach helps to solidify the material in a more clinical way. I found the cases really helpful.
4. Is attendance mandatory in lecture classes? What is a typical day like for you?
-Attendance is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended. There are some lectures that are mandatory, but you will be notified when and where those are. My typical day first year was half days both monday and tuesday with lectures in the morning. On wednesday, we had anatomy in the morning 8-12 (lecture 8-9). Then I had CBL (case based learning) in my small group from 1:30-3:30 followed by clinical skills 3:30-530. Thursday was OMM in the morning 8-12 (lecture 8-9). In the afternoon I had break from 1:30-3:30 and then "Little Big Group." In this setting, all the small groups that had CBL the same time as me were in the lecture hall to answer case questions in sort of a grand rounds fashion. Friday was anatomy again 8-12 and then a wrap up session after lunch that lasted until either 3:30 or 5:30.
5. Do you find the class atmosphere to be supportive with students helping each other out when they can?
- YES! Our class was extremely supportive of each other. We would all make study materials and share them with the class. There are (as always) people who choose not to share with others, but its whatever those people do their own thing and the rest of us do ours.
6. Are the fitness center/cardio/weight-rooms large or small? Do you have any issues with it being overcrowded?
-the weight room facilities are small, but the campus is small. I haven't had any problems finding time or space to lift and I routinely go 4 or 5 times a week.
7. $49,000 is quite expensive compared to many other medical programs. Despite this fact, UNECOM still remains quite high on my list. Do you feel that this school warrants the $49k price tag? Additionally, does the tuition really rise by 6% every year?
-I have only been here one year, and the tuition did rise about 5k. I think with the expanding class and need for more rotation spots for third year clinical rotations, I can see where the rise comes from (also the economy still isn'y doing that well and inflation also needs to be accounted for). I don't have any qualms with the school, I think that I am getting a great education that will prepare me for a good career as a physician. With this in mind, I know 50k is a lot and my debt is going to be immense, but it will all work out.
8. How much is a cab from Biddeford to Portland? I am just curious as many of the bus and train stations to Boston/NYC/etc. are located in Portland.
-I am not sure how much a cab is. I have a car, and each time we have gone up there someone has driven. There is a train station in Saco (10mins) from campus that goes to Boston (I took it when I flew to San Diego). UNE also has a shuttle service. I have not taken it, so I cannot speak much about it, but people go to Portland all the time and I have asked for rides all the time. People are really friendly about giving rides and what not. Some people even live in Portland, so they could offer rides on their way home.
9. Do you live in Biddeford/Saco or do you commute from Portland? Do you find this a difficult commute? Is there a ton of traffic on the 95’ Highway when travelling back and forth?
-I live in Bideford. I know people who live in Portland and the traffic is to be expected on 95. I don't know what time they leave in the mornings, but they all usually make it to class on time. My commute is about 5 minutes each morning, so I have no trouble.
10. How much does it really snow/rain in Maine? Do you feel that it would be necessary to drive an AWD (all-wheel drive) vehicle or are roads safe enough for front/rear wheel drive vehicles? Also, are there ever school closings on days with inclement weather?
-I have a front wheel drive car. AWD or 4 wheel would be helpful, but it isn't absolutely necessary. I grew up in Syracuse, New York, so driving in snow was nothing new to me. It snows a lot, but it usually comes in bunches, so there will be times my car struggles, but all in all I am fine with it. I just bought myself a new car this year, and contemplated getting an AWD car, but did not end up getting it. I haven'y had problems though. I just load up the trunk with sand bags and keep a shovel in the trunk just in case. We had one school closing last year, but it was for hurricane Sandy. We never had a winter closing to date.
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2013
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 11
1. What is the grading system in UNECOM? Ex. Pass/fail? A/B/C/D/F? etc.
Grading’s broken down into Fail, Pass, High Pass, & Honors. Passing is a grade over 70. HP & H fall pretty much along the lines of 80< and 90<, respectively.
2. Is it easy to do well on exams by focusing on lectures/taking notes or do you find yourself using outside resources? In essence, do the exams come from the notes/lectures or do you feel as though you’re being tested on material you’ve only come across outside of the class?
I don’t feel like I had to search for “outside” sources to help with tests, but I didn’t really count our assigned textbooks or professors’ modules as outside info.
As a first year, you’re given weekly Monday morning quizzes on information in your textbooks, online journals, etc. So you do a lot of preparing for class with that information. Lectures typically try to explain that information better and/or expound on it. I’d say you can’t get away with just going to lecture & never doing that prep work ahead of time. So in that way, some of your test material will be from those resources or from online modules that professors post. As I got further into my first year, I found that there was redundancy built in (textbook readings, lectures, modules all giving similar info), so I was able to pick which worked best.
3. What kind of curriculum does UNECOM feature? The college information book only mentions students being adult learners following case-driven curricula, but doesn’t go into very much detail. Any chance you can send me a class schedule/syllabus?
Hope the description I gave above helps. I don’t have a syllabus from my first year & my course is set up somewhat different this year, so I didn’t think it’d be particularly helpful.
In regards to the case-driven aspect of the curriculum, I’ll mention that once a week you’ll meet with a group of 6-8 classmates & a Dr/Phd and go over a case. You’ll have to present it & create a visual walkthrough of what’s going on physiologically with that patient. Lectures for that week usually relate to the case somewhat & Friday afternoon ‘wrap up’ lectures may have actual patients with similar complaints coming in.
4. Is attendance mandatory in lecture classes? What is a typical day like for you?
I’m a second year now, so my day looks a little different than it did last year. In each year, my typical day changes depending on which day of the week it is. I’m attaching a picture of a typical week for me when I was a first year.
Lectures are not mandatory, though on Monday mornings, the 8-9am hour is spent taking those quizzes I mentioned above & reviewing them with your small group, so that is mandatory. Histology reviews & help sessions on Thursday & Friday afternoons are optional. Everything else is mandatory, but as you can see, there is built in “self-directed learning” time which people use to study on their own.
5. Do you find the class atmosphere to be supportive with students helping each other out when they can?
The atmosphere on campus is my favorite part about UNE. My classmates are fantastic. Everyone knows everybody else (most of the faculty do too, especially the physicians), it’s like a big family on campus. We have a facebook page where people post lecture notes, study guides, helpful resources, etc. There are student led reviews held pretty frequently. There’s none of the stereotypical backstabbing or competitions on campus. Everyone’s really helpful & supportive. I have to spend a lot of time with everyone, so it’s nice that it’s such a great group.
6. Are the fitness center/cardio/weight-rooms large or small? Do you have any issues with it being overcrowded?
Our campus center gym is pretty large & I don’t feel like it’s overcrowded too often. Our lunch period is a popular time there & I don’t think I’ve ever heard any classmates complain it was too crowded. We also have a second fitness center on campus that’s a little smaller but it is only 2 years old, so it’s pretty nice. COM students tend to like to work out together. We have classmates who put on fitness classes or set up workouts for people of differing fitness levels.
7. $49,000 is quite expensive compared to many other medical programs. Despite this fact, UNECOM still remains quite high on my list. Do you feel that this school warrants the $49k price tag? Additionally, does the tuition really rise by 6% every year?
I don’t think I could predict how much tuition rises every year. I haven’t ever heard there was a distinct amount it jumps, but I wouldn’t be surprised it if increased a bit from year to year.
I can’t speak for any of those other programs, because I don’t have any experiences there, but I can tell you that UNECOM students are scoring 95% on our level 1 COMLEX & 99% on our level 2 (above national average in both cases). I can also say that many of the physicians we come into contact with speak very highly of UNE students during rotations & on residencies. I’m not there yet, but I do feel like I’m learning a lot & working with some fantastic physicians. We start our patient interactions within the first 6 weeks of first year & from what I can tell based on stories from friends at other schools, we’re ahead of the game when it comes to interacting & thinking clinically.
I certainly know it’s a hefty price tag, but I do feel like I’m getting a really solid education & that I’m doing it in a place with a down-to-earth & friendly atmosphere that really works for me.
8. How much is a cab from Biddeford to Portland? I am just curious as many of the bus and train stations to Boston/NYC/etc. are located in Portland.
I’ve never taken a cab from Biddeford to Portland but my roommate tells me it’s something like $40-50. There’s also the jetport in Portland which a lot of people fly out of (not sure where ‘home’ is for you.) When it comes to getting up there for travel purposes, I know people have posted on our class’ facebook page about getting a ride & typically someone’s willing to help out.
9. Do you live in Biddeford/Saco or do you commute from Portland? Do you find this a difficult commute? Is there a ton of traffic on the 95’ Highway when traveling back and forth?
I live in downtown Biddeford. I spent most of my undergrad at UNE & I commuted about an hour and though it wasn’t hard, I didn’t want to do it for med school. My drive’s only 15 minutes now, which I like. There are a number of my classmmates who live in Portland, so it’s totally doable. Again, not sure where you’re from, so “ton of traffic” might mean something else to you, but I’ve never had a problem getting anywhere on 95 & I’ve lived around here my whole life.
10. How much does it really snow/rain in Maine? Do you feel that it would be necessary to drive an AWD (all-wheel drive) vehicle or are roads safe enough for front/rear wheel drive vehicles? Also, are there ever school closings on days with inclement weather?
Haha… I don’t think I can give you a good answer to how much it snows here. It’s pretty variable! We had two storms a week or so ago & got something like 19 inches total, which is a little abnormal for us in December. We don’t typically get all that at once, but it’s certainly not unheard of.
I’m from around here & I don’t have AWD or snow tires and I don’t really have too many problems. I wouldn’t go out in the middle of a blizzard with it, but I wouldn’t do that w/ AWD either. We’re pretty used to dealing with snow & ice, so the roads are cleared pretty efficiently.
We occasionally have school closings/delays due to storms, but it’s not too often. Remember it’s Maine, we don’t panic too much about a little snow
Grading’s broken down into Fail, Pass, High Pass, & Honors. Passing is a grade over 70. HP & H fall pretty much along the lines of 80< and 90<, respectively.
2. Is it easy to do well on exams by focusing on lectures/taking notes or do you find yourself using outside resources? In essence, do the exams come from the notes/lectures or do you feel as though you’re being tested on material you’ve only come across outside of the class?
I don’t feel like I had to search for “outside” sources to help with tests, but I didn’t really count our assigned textbooks or professors’ modules as outside info.
As a first year, you’re given weekly Monday morning quizzes on information in your textbooks, online journals, etc. So you do a lot of preparing for class with that information. Lectures typically try to explain that information better and/or expound on it. I’d say you can’t get away with just going to lecture & never doing that prep work ahead of time. So in that way, some of your test material will be from those resources or from online modules that professors post. As I got further into my first year, I found that there was redundancy built in (textbook readings, lectures, modules all giving similar info), so I was able to pick which worked best.
3. What kind of curriculum does UNECOM feature? The college information book only mentions students being adult learners following case-driven curricula, but doesn’t go into very much detail. Any chance you can send me a class schedule/syllabus?
Hope the description I gave above helps. I don’t have a syllabus from my first year & my course is set up somewhat different this year, so I didn’t think it’d be particularly helpful.
In regards to the case-driven aspect of the curriculum, I’ll mention that once a week you’ll meet with a group of 6-8 classmates & a Dr/Phd and go over a case. You’ll have to present it & create a visual walkthrough of what’s going on physiologically with that patient. Lectures for that week usually relate to the case somewhat & Friday afternoon ‘wrap up’ lectures may have actual patients with similar complaints coming in.
4. Is attendance mandatory in lecture classes? What is a typical day like for you?
I’m a second year now, so my day looks a little different than it did last year. In each year, my typical day changes depending on which day of the week it is. I’m attaching a picture of a typical week for me when I was a first year.
Lectures are not mandatory, though on Monday mornings, the 8-9am hour is spent taking those quizzes I mentioned above & reviewing them with your small group, so that is mandatory. Histology reviews & help sessions on Thursday & Friday afternoons are optional. Everything else is mandatory, but as you can see, there is built in “self-directed learning” time which people use to study on their own.
5. Do you find the class atmosphere to be supportive with students helping each other out when they can?
The atmosphere on campus is my favorite part about UNE. My classmates are fantastic. Everyone knows everybody else (most of the faculty do too, especially the physicians), it’s like a big family on campus. We have a facebook page where people post lecture notes, study guides, helpful resources, etc. There are student led reviews held pretty frequently. There’s none of the stereotypical backstabbing or competitions on campus. Everyone’s really helpful & supportive. I have to spend a lot of time with everyone, so it’s nice that it’s such a great group.
6. Are the fitness center/cardio/weight-rooms large or small? Do you have any issues with it being overcrowded?
Our campus center gym is pretty large & I don’t feel like it’s overcrowded too often. Our lunch period is a popular time there & I don’t think I’ve ever heard any classmates complain it was too crowded. We also have a second fitness center on campus that’s a little smaller but it is only 2 years old, so it’s pretty nice. COM students tend to like to work out together. We have classmates who put on fitness classes or set up workouts for people of differing fitness levels.
7. $49,000 is quite expensive compared to many other medical programs. Despite this fact, UNECOM still remains quite high on my list. Do you feel that this school warrants the $49k price tag? Additionally, does the tuition really rise by 6% every year?
I don’t think I could predict how much tuition rises every year. I haven’t ever heard there was a distinct amount it jumps, but I wouldn’t be surprised it if increased a bit from year to year.
I can’t speak for any of those other programs, because I don’t have any experiences there, but I can tell you that UNECOM students are scoring 95% on our level 1 COMLEX & 99% on our level 2 (above national average in both cases). I can also say that many of the physicians we come into contact with speak very highly of UNE students during rotations & on residencies. I’m not there yet, but I do feel like I’m learning a lot & working with some fantastic physicians. We start our patient interactions within the first 6 weeks of first year & from what I can tell based on stories from friends at other schools, we’re ahead of the game when it comes to interacting & thinking clinically.
I certainly know it’s a hefty price tag, but I do feel like I’m getting a really solid education & that I’m doing it in a place with a down-to-earth & friendly atmosphere that really works for me.
8. How much is a cab from Biddeford to Portland? I am just curious as many of the bus and train stations to Boston/NYC/etc. are located in Portland.
I’ve never taken a cab from Biddeford to Portland but my roommate tells me it’s something like $40-50. There’s also the jetport in Portland which a lot of people fly out of (not sure where ‘home’ is for you.) When it comes to getting up there for travel purposes, I know people have posted on our class’ facebook page about getting a ride & typically someone’s willing to help out.
9. Do you live in Biddeford/Saco or do you commute from Portland? Do you find this a difficult commute? Is there a ton of traffic on the 95’ Highway when traveling back and forth?
I live in downtown Biddeford. I spent most of my undergrad at UNE & I commuted about an hour and though it wasn’t hard, I didn’t want to do it for med school. My drive’s only 15 minutes now, which I like. There are a number of my classmmates who live in Portland, so it’s totally doable. Again, not sure where you’re from, so “ton of traffic” might mean something else to you, but I’ve never had a problem getting anywhere on 95 & I’ve lived around here my whole life.
10. How much does it really snow/rain in Maine? Do you feel that it would be necessary to drive an AWD (all-wheel drive) vehicle or are roads safe enough for front/rear wheel drive vehicles? Also, are there ever school closings on days with inclement weather?
Haha… I don’t think I can give you a good answer to how much it snows here. It’s pretty variable! We had two storms a week or so ago & got something like 19 inches total, which is a little abnormal for us in December. We don’t typically get all that at once, but it’s certainly not unheard of.
I’m from around here & I don’t have AWD or snow tires and I don’t really have too many problems. I wouldn’t go out in the middle of a blizzard with it, but I wouldn’t do that w/ AWD either. We’re pretty used to dealing with snow & ice, so the roads are cleared pretty efficiently.
We occasionally have school closings/delays due to storms, but it’s not too often. Remember it’s Maine, we don’t panic too much about a little snow
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2013
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 11
1-The grading system at UNECOM is P/F. This system helps eliminate intraclass competition and I really like it. Everyone helps each other out by sharing notes/resources. That being said, it's not JUST Pass and Fail, there are opportunities for High Pass and Honors. So you can make the argument that it looks like an A, B, C, and F system but Pass is what you strive for as the pass mark for most exams is an 80. Don't worry, I was absolutely horrified when I first heard that but so far it hasn't been an issue at all for the class to pass as we study pretty hard for exams.
2-It is easy to do well on exams by doing whatever works best for you. That sounds cliche but my study methods differ from my friends and differs even more from other classmates. It will vary based on professor too, once you gauge what types of questions they ask and the level of detail they will hold you accountable for will influence your study approach to certain topics. For me, I like to attend all the lectures and take notes, not frantically, just things I think are worth writing down. Many professors make their power points available and if all the information is on the slides I'll just sit back and listen and jot down anything they say verbally that I think might be important later.
3-The exam questions themselves come from the topics we discussed, obviously, but the school does a great job of giving us weekly objectives so we are more or less directly told what we are responsible for. No question will be asked outside of that spectrum. On rare occasions we will get an exam question or two that stumps the entire class but a good system of grading is in effect so that if greater than 70% of the class gets it wrong then it's thrown out, I've found this to be extremely effective. We can also "challenge" questions we thought were unfair/ambiguous so the faculty are VERY receptive to our feedback.
4-The curriculum is team-orientated and case-based. We learn about certain topics in the medical knowledge portion of class (your basic science courses) and it's coupled nicely in the clinical skills lab. For example, as we were learning pulmonary and cardio mechanics in class, we learned all the respiratory and cardio clinical exams simultaneously. I find this to be quite beneficial as the curriculum is very structured and they group things together so you can focus on one area, this avoids learning about allergies in one class and plantar fasciitis in the clinical lab at the same time, kind of uncoupled ideas there.
5-A typical week, for me, is a full day Monday and Tuesday from 8am-5:30pm. This is about 4 hours of lecture in the morning, 1.5 hrs of lunch/break then 4 more hours of anatomy lab. I have Weds afternoons off, Thursday mornings off and Friday mornings are more anatomy and a light afternoon lecture session. There is plenty of time to study I think and once you establish a good schedule and time management then everything seems to just fall into place.
6-In main, the word "overcrowded" is rarely used. Even with the increase in class size from the class above me and my own, there is no shortage of resources and never do I feel like I'm just a lost figure amongst the masses at the school. Faculty are extremely personable and helpful and know each of us by name. They are honestly phenomenal in that aspect.
7-I agree that UNECOM has a very high tuition, to which I am a direct victim. But truthfully, medical school is expensive. It's an investment anywhere you go. You WILL graduate in debt unless you are a fortunate individual who can attend on full scholarship. There are options to do the military program and have your tuition covered so that's worth checking out if you are willing to become a Navy or Army Doctor for a few years before practicing. I think the school is, pardon my language, pretty on top of their ****. I wanted a no BS school that I could just get an education and pass my boards, and so far UNECOM has been able to provide that. Good faculty and resources, with the option to rotate at several different sites throughout New England, etc. I worked at Boston Children's Hospital for a couple of years after college and all the physicians I worked with (as a researcher) graduated from prestigious MD schools such as Harvard, Duke, Case Western, etc. and they all had high respect for UNE and said they have enjoyed working with graduates from this school.
8-Cabs to Portland are kind of expensive, but you can take that same train out of Saco (right next to Biddeford) that brings you right into North Station in Boston and you wouldn't even need a cab there, someone would definitely drive you because it's 5-10 mins down the road.
9-I live in Biddeford, probably 10 mins from campus, and I like it. Many students live in Biddeford, Saco or Portland. The commute isn't bad at all and there isn't really traffic from what I've heard.
10-It snows here no more/less than any other New England coastal area. It's snowed a couple times this winter but since it's Maine it gets cleared out pretty quickly and efficiently as this is not their first time encountering snow. I drive a tiny Civic with front wheel drive and snow tires and I have no problem at all. I've had this car through many many winters in New England and I can make it fine. AWD is not mandatory by any means but it obviously doesn't hurt.
11- We haven't had any school closings yet, but under extreme weather circumstances I'm sure we would.
2-It is easy to do well on exams by doing whatever works best for you. That sounds cliche but my study methods differ from my friends and differs even more from other classmates. It will vary based on professor too, once you gauge what types of questions they ask and the level of detail they will hold you accountable for will influence your study approach to certain topics. For me, I like to attend all the lectures and take notes, not frantically, just things I think are worth writing down. Many professors make their power points available and if all the information is on the slides I'll just sit back and listen and jot down anything they say verbally that I think might be important later.
3-The exam questions themselves come from the topics we discussed, obviously, but the school does a great job of giving us weekly objectives so we are more or less directly told what we are responsible for. No question will be asked outside of that spectrum. On rare occasions we will get an exam question or two that stumps the entire class but a good system of grading is in effect so that if greater than 70% of the class gets it wrong then it's thrown out, I've found this to be extremely effective. We can also "challenge" questions we thought were unfair/ambiguous so the faculty are VERY receptive to our feedback.
4-The curriculum is team-orientated and case-based. We learn about certain topics in the medical knowledge portion of class (your basic science courses) and it's coupled nicely in the clinical skills lab. For example, as we were learning pulmonary and cardio mechanics in class, we learned all the respiratory and cardio clinical exams simultaneously. I find this to be quite beneficial as the curriculum is very structured and they group things together so you can focus on one area, this avoids learning about allergies in one class and plantar fasciitis in the clinical lab at the same time, kind of uncoupled ideas there.
5-A typical week, for me, is a full day Monday and Tuesday from 8am-5:30pm. This is about 4 hours of lecture in the morning, 1.5 hrs of lunch/break then 4 more hours of anatomy lab. I have Weds afternoons off, Thursday mornings off and Friday mornings are more anatomy and a light afternoon lecture session. There is plenty of time to study I think and once you establish a good schedule and time management then everything seems to just fall into place.
6-In main, the word "overcrowded" is rarely used. Even with the increase in class size from the class above me and my own, there is no shortage of resources and never do I feel like I'm just a lost figure amongst the masses at the school. Faculty are extremely personable and helpful and know each of us by name. They are honestly phenomenal in that aspect.
7-I agree that UNECOM has a very high tuition, to which I am a direct victim. But truthfully, medical school is expensive. It's an investment anywhere you go. You WILL graduate in debt unless you are a fortunate individual who can attend on full scholarship. There are options to do the military program and have your tuition covered so that's worth checking out if you are willing to become a Navy or Army Doctor for a few years before practicing. I think the school is, pardon my language, pretty on top of their ****. I wanted a no BS school that I could just get an education and pass my boards, and so far UNECOM has been able to provide that. Good faculty and resources, with the option to rotate at several different sites throughout New England, etc. I worked at Boston Children's Hospital for a couple of years after college and all the physicians I worked with (as a researcher) graduated from prestigious MD schools such as Harvard, Duke, Case Western, etc. and they all had high respect for UNE and said they have enjoyed working with graduates from this school.
8-Cabs to Portland are kind of expensive, but you can take that same train out of Saco (right next to Biddeford) that brings you right into North Station in Boston and you wouldn't even need a cab there, someone would definitely drive you because it's 5-10 mins down the road.
9-I live in Biddeford, probably 10 mins from campus, and I like it. Many students live in Biddeford, Saco or Portland. The commute isn't bad at all and there isn't really traffic from what I've heard.
10-It snows here no more/less than any other New England coastal area. It's snowed a couple times this winter but since it's Maine it gets cleared out pretty quickly and efficiently as this is not their first time encountering snow. I drive a tiny Civic with front wheel drive and snow tires and I have no problem at all. I've had this car through many many winters in New England and I can make it fine. AWD is not mandatory by any means but it obviously doesn't hurt.
11- We haven't had any school closings yet, but under extreme weather circumstances I'm sure we would.
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2013
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 11
The grading at UNECOM is H/HP/P/F. There is some variability as to what the cutoff for H is, but some likely it will be a 93+. For me personally, during first year I used the resources suggested by the curriculum and took notes during lecture and that was definitely enough. Some people like to use board review books during first year as a supplement or another option, but that is up to you. During second year, I chose to supplement course work with First Aid for the USMLE.
For first year you basically have two classes. Osteopathic Medical Knowledge (OMK) and Osteopathic Clinical skills (OCS). In OMK you focus on the basic sciences - physiology, biochemistry, bacteriology, immunology, etc. OMK is composed of lectures. Also once a week you meet with your group and go over a case (case based learning CBL) and make a concept map (basically a map of connections using science and clinical terms). Also once a week you meet with your group and half the class and go over some questions that pertains to information learned over the week (disscussion session). I believe CBL and discussion session are mandatory, but lectures are optional. As a general rule, if you have to work in your group those sessions will be mandatory. For OCS, it is composed of anatomy (2X/week), small group clinical skills (1x/week), and OMM (1x/week). All classes here are mandatory.
You will have an anatomy practical, a clincal skills exam which includes OMM, and a written exam which includes about 120 OMK questions and 100 OCS questions. Exams for first year occur after 6 weeks worth of material and occur during a full week with no other classes, which allows plenty of study time. So you usually take the anatomy practical on Monday, the clincal skills exam on either Tues/Wed/Thur, and the combined written exam on Friday.
During my year, I found my class to be supportive. Students would post study guides on facebook .
I do not use the weight room, so can't answer that one. The basketball courts are usually free though.
Honestly, I do not think any school warrants a 49K/ year price tag. If you do not get into a state school or get a good scholarship (UNECOM offers half tuition scholarships, I think 5 or so, but only Maine residents qualify), most medical school tuition is 40+. Our tuition from first year to second year went up about 1500. So I would expect a rise by some amount every year.
I live about 3 minutes away from school. I do know some people live in downtown Biddeford and the commute is about 12 minutes. Some students do live in Portland, but not sure what the traffic is like in the morning.
Since UNECOM is part of an undergraduate campus, it will definitely be closed if they deem it is dangerous to drive.
For first year you basically have two classes. Osteopathic Medical Knowledge (OMK) and Osteopathic Clinical skills (OCS). In OMK you focus on the basic sciences - physiology, biochemistry, bacteriology, immunology, etc. OMK is composed of lectures. Also once a week you meet with your group and go over a case (case based learning CBL) and make a concept map (basically a map of connections using science and clinical terms). Also once a week you meet with your group and half the class and go over some questions that pertains to information learned over the week (disscussion session). I believe CBL and discussion session are mandatory, but lectures are optional. As a general rule, if you have to work in your group those sessions will be mandatory. For OCS, it is composed of anatomy (2X/week), small group clinical skills (1x/week), and OMM (1x/week). All classes here are mandatory.
You will have an anatomy practical, a clincal skills exam which includes OMM, and a written exam which includes about 120 OMK questions and 100 OCS questions. Exams for first year occur after 6 weeks worth of material and occur during a full week with no other classes, which allows plenty of study time. So you usually take the anatomy practical on Monday, the clincal skills exam on either Tues/Wed/Thur, and the combined written exam on Friday.
During my year, I found my class to be supportive. Students would post study guides on facebook .
I do not use the weight room, so can't answer that one. The basketball courts are usually free though.
Honestly, I do not think any school warrants a 49K/ year price tag. If you do not get into a state school or get a good scholarship (UNECOM offers half tuition scholarships, I think 5 or so, but only Maine residents qualify), most medical school tuition is 40+. Our tuition from first year to second year went up about 1500. So I would expect a rise by some amount every year.
I live about 3 minutes away from school. I do know some people live in downtown Biddeford and the commute is about 12 minutes. Some students do live in Portland, but not sure what the traffic is like in the morning.
Since UNECOM is part of an undergraduate campus, it will definitely be closed if they deem it is dangerous to drive.
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2013
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 11
1- The grading system is kind of a hybrid between a pass/ fail and an A/B/C/D/F system. We are graded on a Honors/ High Pass/ Pass/ Fail system. It is a pass/ fail system but if you are able to pass, you will be graded on a Honors/ High Pass/ Pass scale. How they calculate the final grade is a little more complicated (they will drop your lowest grade and take your middle grade, etc.) but I attached both class syllabuses if you'd like to look further into it.
2- I would say it isn't necessarily easy to well on exams in general. There is a lot of material to learn over a short period of time and they expect us to be able to learn certain subjects with little class input. With that said, I find that most of the exams are based off the material that lectures are based on but the material is also available in our readings. For me, I learn mostly from the class readings and use class to supplement my learning. The class structure is set up to fit any type of learning so it is really up to the student.
3- UNECOM curriculum is actually very distinct from other medical colleges. Instead for having large lecture based classes that are focused around a specific subject of medicine, our classes are designed to promote team based learning that integrates multiple facets of our medical curriculum. We focus on a certain aspect of the body and learn everything that integrates with it. For example, we just finished the pulmonary system which included an integrated approach involving pathology, physiology, pharmacology, anatomy etc. It is kind of complicated to explain without seeing, but I will attach the syllabus for the classes.
4- Some of the lectures are mandatory while others are not. There are two classes (OMK and OCS) that you will be enrolled in and certain lectures in each class will be required. Although it may be different for you, this is what is required for me. In OMK, the only required lectures are Thursday from 3:30pm to 5:00pm and Friday from 1:30pm to 3:30pm. In OCS, there are actually no required lecture. There will be certain labs that are required though so keep in mind that there is a large amount of in class time commitment. I will attach a normal class schedule week for you.
5- The atmosphere at UNECOM is very supportive and there is a lot of students helping each other. Everyone is sharing lecture notes, study guides, and helping each other learn the material. It was a big reason why I choose to come to UNECOM and I am very happy with it. You will feel like you are part of a family working towards a common cause together.
6- I don't use the weight room much (I have my own at my house) but I have never had an issue using the equipment. It is a pretty small campus and there are two gyms. I haven't heard anyone having any issues with the facilities being crowded.
7- The price of UNECOM is quite expensive but to be fair, any private medical school will be expensive. It will not be as affordable as in state medical programs but I do find it is worth the price tag. Many other medical school have also been increasing their price over the years. I think any medical school will be worth the price because it is a great investment that provides a career that is stable and well compensated. If I was able to attend an in state program that provided a comparable education, I would definitely attend that school (Unfortunately, I am from New Hampshire so I wasn't give that choice).
8- I am not too sure how much a cab cost from Portland to Biddeford. I own a car so I haven't had to pay for a Taxi yet. I would suggest checking online prices if they are available.
9- I live in Saco, Maine so I experience about a 20 min commute. Commuting back and forth is not a problem at all and there are many people that commute from Portland. Although I don't do the trip very often, I have not had a problem with traffic while commuting on 95. It is a well designed highway that doesn't experience much traffic.
10- I would say that it doesn't snow as much in Maine as you might think. I is definitely cold but large amount of snow fall at once is quite rare. Having an AWD vehicle will make you feel more confident while commuting but it is not necessary. I have a rear wheeled car that hasn't had an issue with the weather yet. UNECOM will close school if they deem the weather to be too dangerous to travel.
2- I would say it isn't necessarily easy to well on exams in general. There is a lot of material to learn over a short period of time and they expect us to be able to learn certain subjects with little class input. With that said, I find that most of the exams are based off the material that lectures are based on but the material is also available in our readings. For me, I learn mostly from the class readings and use class to supplement my learning. The class structure is set up to fit any type of learning so it is really up to the student.
3- UNECOM curriculum is actually very distinct from other medical colleges. Instead for having large lecture based classes that are focused around a specific subject of medicine, our classes are designed to promote team based learning that integrates multiple facets of our medical curriculum. We focus on a certain aspect of the body and learn everything that integrates with it. For example, we just finished the pulmonary system which included an integrated approach involving pathology, physiology, pharmacology, anatomy etc. It is kind of complicated to explain without seeing, but I will attach the syllabus for the classes.
4- Some of the lectures are mandatory while others are not. There are two classes (OMK and OCS) that you will be enrolled in and certain lectures in each class will be required. Although it may be different for you, this is what is required for me. In OMK, the only required lectures are Thursday from 3:30pm to 5:00pm and Friday from 1:30pm to 3:30pm. In OCS, there are actually no required lecture. There will be certain labs that are required though so keep in mind that there is a large amount of in class time commitment. I will attach a normal class schedule week for you.
5- The atmosphere at UNECOM is very supportive and there is a lot of students helping each other. Everyone is sharing lecture notes, study guides, and helping each other learn the material. It was a big reason why I choose to come to UNECOM and I am very happy with it. You will feel like you are part of a family working towards a common cause together.
6- I don't use the weight room much (I have my own at my house) but I have never had an issue using the equipment. It is a pretty small campus and there are two gyms. I haven't heard anyone having any issues with the facilities being crowded.
7- The price of UNECOM is quite expensive but to be fair, any private medical school will be expensive. It will not be as affordable as in state medical programs but I do find it is worth the price tag. Many other medical school have also been increasing their price over the years. I think any medical school will be worth the price because it is a great investment that provides a career that is stable and well compensated. If I was able to attend an in state program that provided a comparable education, I would definitely attend that school (Unfortunately, I am from New Hampshire so I wasn't give that choice).
8- I am not too sure how much a cab cost from Portland to Biddeford. I own a car so I haven't had to pay for a Taxi yet. I would suggest checking online prices if they are available.
9- I live in Saco, Maine so I experience about a 20 min commute. Commuting back and forth is not a problem at all and there are many people that commute from Portland. Although I don't do the trip very often, I have not had a problem with traffic while commuting on 95. It is a well designed highway that doesn't experience much traffic.
10- I would say that it doesn't snow as much in Maine as you might think. I is definitely cold but large amount of snow fall at once is quite rare. Having an AWD vehicle will make you feel more confident while commuting but it is not necessary. I have a rear wheeled car that hasn't had an issue with the weather yet. UNECOM will close school if they deem the weather to be too dangerous to travel.
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2013
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 11
I want to answer your question about the curriculum first, as this plays into a few of your other questions. We take two classes, osteopathic medical knowledge (OMK) and clinical skills (OCS). OCS is relatively straight forward in that we have two anatomy lectures per week (M and F) with time devoted to working in the lab, small group sessions where we cover how to do a physical exam (what questions to ask, neurologic, orthopedic, cardiac exams, etc) and often spend time looking at radiographic imaging, and OMM lectures where we learn OMM.
OMK is less traditional in its approach. The first major difference between UNE and other schools (or what I've heard) is that all of our courses are spread out across the year. In other institutions (or so I'm told) you'll do 4-6 weeks of each of the biomedical subjects (immunology, histology, embryology, anatomy, physiology) and once you've completed the course you're done until you start preparing for the first part of the boards (Step 1/COMLEX). We see a little of each of the subjects as we progress through each of the 6 blocks during the first year. This has the advantage of forcing some repitition in the curriculum and allowing you to learn the material, forget some of the details, and return to and reinforce it later in the year. Soo, the "adult learning" that they talk about during the interview day is important in OMK. Every Monday we have a quiz first thing on readings we had to do over the weekend. Those readings cover the material for the entire week and we're given learning objectives to guide our reading. We'll only get ~6 hours of lecture per week on that material, so it's really up to you to make sure you do the readings and are spending the time outside of class to really understand/memorize the material. The rest of the week is devoted to the integrated exercises (Concept mapping and Fight Club) where you apply the knowledge to more complicated cases to help reinforce the concepts and, more importantly, begin thinking critically. This may sound like a lot to take in, or intimidating, but it's really not bad once you get into the swing of it and the first two weeks of school are purposely made easy to help you transition into med-school and the curriculum.
On to grading! The grading system is pass/fail, however within pass there are different hierarchies: pass, high pass, and honors. At the end of the day, the difference between passing and honors is quite small, as residencies don't really consider pre-clinical (year 1 and 2) grades very highly. When applying for residency spots, the board scores, letters of recomendation, and clinical grades are what will largely determine your placement. Passing in OMK is above a 70 percent on exams, quizzes, concept mapping, and professionalism with high pass and honors being set at 80 and 90% respectively. So in some ways OMK is almost graded on an A/B/C scale, but at the end of the day it really isn't. The OCS grade is based on the written anatomy practical, an oral physical exam test, and a multiple choice exam.
When studying for tests, you'll probably get different answers depending on who you ask, but I would say that using lecture notes is by an large the best way to study the material for OMK. The readings are important to be familiar with, but more often than not the lectures are sufficient to do well. I've personally never reread any sections after taking the Monday quiz and have made Honors on the first two exams. OCS is a little different in that there's greater variety in learning styles, but I found myself using the textbooks more than lecture notes. The exams shouldn't ask questions that weren't covered in the readings or lecture, but if something like that does happen the question can be challenged by the students and thrown out (the same goes with poorly phrased questions, ambiguous questions, things like that).
Attendance is mandatory for some classes, but not others. You do have to be present for the quizzes on Monday mornings and the concept mapping, but otherwise lecture is optional. The lectures are audio recorded, but not video recorded. Most people got to the lectures, however there are a few lectures that have lower attendance than others. I would recommend going to lecture, as they cover the material that's important on exams and boards. OCS has mandatory attendance across the board with the exception of the anatomy lecture that precedes lab time.
Since each day is different, it's difficult to describe a typical day, so I'll just give you a quick description of a typical week at UNECOM.
Monday morning is devoted to the quiz and 2 hours of lecture. The afternoon is devoted to anatomy lecture and lab.
Tuesday morning has 4 hours of lecture, and I get the afternoon off (yay!)
I also get Wednesday morning off (more yay!), and have small group (clinical skills) and concept mapping in the afternoon.
Thursday morning sees OMM lecture and the afternoon has Fight Club (where we get high level questions to answer as a group, then argue with other groups who have different answers) and an optional histology session (I usually don't go, unless it's a review)
Friday morning is devoted to anatomy lecture and lab, and during the afternoon we usually see a patient or panel to discuss some aspect of health care or a particular disease condition (ranging from antibiotic resistance or the cost of medicine to muscular dystrophy).
The class atmosphere was probably one of the deciding factors for me to come to UNECOM! Most people are very helpful and will share notes or help explain things if you need. We actually have a google drive where people upload notes and even copies of the text-books for others to use. Most people are also quite easy going and down to earth, and nobody is out to sabotage anyone else's performance. Two weeks before the block exam, we hold a comprehensive review of OCS for ourselves, and week later the second years do the same. So, there's definitely a supportive environment at UNE.
There are actually two fitness centers on campus. There's one that's a 2 second walk from the Alfond Center (where you interviewed), and the other is about a 5-10 minute walk. The closer one is older and a little smaller, and the other is larger with an ice rink that has open skating. Most people use the closer one and have no problems with it. I've never noticed the closer gym being super crowded, but I tend to go after class (between 7 and 8) so I can't really speak to other times. I've never been to the other gym, so I can't speak to that (though I hear more undergraduates go there, so it would probably be busier).
So, the tuition is definitely up there. I believe I'm getting my money's worth, and it's also worth noting that the cost of living is generally a little lower in Biddeford than other areas so it does balance a little. The school is great at working with nearby hospitals to preceptor at (which you start in the first year), and they also bring in standardized patients starting your first year (first block even). There's a heavy emphasis on the clinical aspect of medicine here, and the school does a lot to get the students exposed as soon as possible to patients and clinical settings in general. As you progress from year 1 to 4, the tuition does increase a little (I'm not sure if it's 6%), and unfortunately I'm not sure if the price for each incoming class increases that much either. I've just come to accept that it's an investment and I try to ignore how much money is going where, so long as I have enough to eat and sleep.
There are cabs that go from Biddeford to Portland for about 50-60 dollars flat rate. So, split among 4-7 people (if you get a van-cab), it's not that bad. If you're going to Portland to enjoy the night life it's usually easier to get someone to be designated driver, and just switch off who is driving. There are also a few bars to go in Biddeford so if you don't want to go all the way to Portland, there are closer options.
There's a train station in Saco (just across the river from Biddeford) that's part of Amtrak. I think it only goes to Boston, but you can definitely connect from there to New York. I think there's a bus station in Biddeford, but if there isn't there is one very close by. A lot of people will take the train or bus home for break, and they usually have a google document to coordinate rides if possible.
I live in Biddeford about 1.25 miles from campus by the beach. With housing, there are a lot of possibilities depending on your price range and if you want roommates. I know people that live right by the beach in houses of 3-4 that pay 600-700 a month, and people that live by themselves by the beach and pay from 700-900 a month. Living downtown is generally less expensive and the commute is only about 10 minutes from downtown. Most of the people in my class live in either Biddeford or Saco. There's houses close to school on Pool street that a of med students live in as well. From Saco the commute will be longer (15-20 minutes), but I haven't heard of there being many issues with traffic. I don't actually know any first years who live in Portland. I personally think it would be a hassle, as you do have to come in at least 4 days a week. I don't really know about the traffic issues on 95, though my best guess would be that there would be more traffic going into Portland than coming out but that's speculation. If you do choose to come to UNECOM, there's a pre-orientation in April where they have a lot of information on housing and I know a lot of people who met their roommates there.
OMK is less traditional in its approach. The first major difference between UNE and other schools (or what I've heard) is that all of our courses are spread out across the year. In other institutions (or so I'm told) you'll do 4-6 weeks of each of the biomedical subjects (immunology, histology, embryology, anatomy, physiology) and once you've completed the course you're done until you start preparing for the first part of the boards (Step 1/COMLEX). We see a little of each of the subjects as we progress through each of the 6 blocks during the first year. This has the advantage of forcing some repitition in the curriculum and allowing you to learn the material, forget some of the details, and return to and reinforce it later in the year. Soo, the "adult learning" that they talk about during the interview day is important in OMK. Every Monday we have a quiz first thing on readings we had to do over the weekend. Those readings cover the material for the entire week and we're given learning objectives to guide our reading. We'll only get ~6 hours of lecture per week on that material, so it's really up to you to make sure you do the readings and are spending the time outside of class to really understand/memorize the material. The rest of the week is devoted to the integrated exercises (Concept mapping and Fight Club) where you apply the knowledge to more complicated cases to help reinforce the concepts and, more importantly, begin thinking critically. This may sound like a lot to take in, or intimidating, but it's really not bad once you get into the swing of it and the first two weeks of school are purposely made easy to help you transition into med-school and the curriculum.
On to grading! The grading system is pass/fail, however within pass there are different hierarchies: pass, high pass, and honors. At the end of the day, the difference between passing and honors is quite small, as residencies don't really consider pre-clinical (year 1 and 2) grades very highly. When applying for residency spots, the board scores, letters of recomendation, and clinical grades are what will largely determine your placement. Passing in OMK is above a 70 percent on exams, quizzes, concept mapping, and professionalism with high pass and honors being set at 80 and 90% respectively. So in some ways OMK is almost graded on an A/B/C scale, but at the end of the day it really isn't. The OCS grade is based on the written anatomy practical, an oral physical exam test, and a multiple choice exam.
When studying for tests, you'll probably get different answers depending on who you ask, but I would say that using lecture notes is by an large the best way to study the material for OMK. The readings are important to be familiar with, but more often than not the lectures are sufficient to do well. I've personally never reread any sections after taking the Monday quiz and have made Honors on the first two exams. OCS is a little different in that there's greater variety in learning styles, but I found myself using the textbooks more than lecture notes. The exams shouldn't ask questions that weren't covered in the readings or lecture, but if something like that does happen the question can be challenged by the students and thrown out (the same goes with poorly phrased questions, ambiguous questions, things like that).
Attendance is mandatory for some classes, but not others. You do have to be present for the quizzes on Monday mornings and the concept mapping, but otherwise lecture is optional. The lectures are audio recorded, but not video recorded. Most people got to the lectures, however there are a few lectures that have lower attendance than others. I would recommend going to lecture, as they cover the material that's important on exams and boards. OCS has mandatory attendance across the board with the exception of the anatomy lecture that precedes lab time.
Since each day is different, it's difficult to describe a typical day, so I'll just give you a quick description of a typical week at UNECOM.
Monday morning is devoted to the quiz and 2 hours of lecture. The afternoon is devoted to anatomy lecture and lab.
Tuesday morning has 4 hours of lecture, and I get the afternoon off (yay!)
I also get Wednesday morning off (more yay!), and have small group (clinical skills) and concept mapping in the afternoon.
Thursday morning sees OMM lecture and the afternoon has Fight Club (where we get high level questions to answer as a group, then argue with other groups who have different answers) and an optional histology session (I usually don't go, unless it's a review)
Friday morning is devoted to anatomy lecture and lab, and during the afternoon we usually see a patient or panel to discuss some aspect of health care or a particular disease condition (ranging from antibiotic resistance or the cost of medicine to muscular dystrophy).
The class atmosphere was probably one of the deciding factors for me to come to UNECOM! Most people are very helpful and will share notes or help explain things if you need. We actually have a google drive where people upload notes and even copies of the text-books for others to use. Most people are also quite easy going and down to earth, and nobody is out to sabotage anyone else's performance. Two weeks before the block exam, we hold a comprehensive review of OCS for ourselves, and week later the second years do the same. So, there's definitely a supportive environment at UNE.
There are actually two fitness centers on campus. There's one that's a 2 second walk from the Alfond Center (where you interviewed), and the other is about a 5-10 minute walk. The closer one is older and a little smaller, and the other is larger with an ice rink that has open skating. Most people use the closer one and have no problems with it. I've never noticed the closer gym being super crowded, but I tend to go after class (between 7 and 8) so I can't really speak to other times. I've never been to the other gym, so I can't speak to that (though I hear more undergraduates go there, so it would probably be busier).
So, the tuition is definitely up there. I believe I'm getting my money's worth, and it's also worth noting that the cost of living is generally a little lower in Biddeford than other areas so it does balance a little. The school is great at working with nearby hospitals to preceptor at (which you start in the first year), and they also bring in standardized patients starting your first year (first block even). There's a heavy emphasis on the clinical aspect of medicine here, and the school does a lot to get the students exposed as soon as possible to patients and clinical settings in general. As you progress from year 1 to 4, the tuition does increase a little (I'm not sure if it's 6%), and unfortunately I'm not sure if the price for each incoming class increases that much either. I've just come to accept that it's an investment and I try to ignore how much money is going where, so long as I have enough to eat and sleep.
There are cabs that go from Biddeford to Portland for about 50-60 dollars flat rate. So, split among 4-7 people (if you get a van-cab), it's not that bad. If you're going to Portland to enjoy the night life it's usually easier to get someone to be designated driver, and just switch off who is driving. There are also a few bars to go in Biddeford so if you don't want to go all the way to Portland, there are closer options.
There's a train station in Saco (just across the river from Biddeford) that's part of Amtrak. I think it only goes to Boston, but you can definitely connect from there to New York. I think there's a bus station in Biddeford, but if there isn't there is one very close by. A lot of people will take the train or bus home for break, and they usually have a google document to coordinate rides if possible.
I live in Biddeford about 1.25 miles from campus by the beach. With housing, there are a lot of possibilities depending on your price range and if you want roommates. I know people that live right by the beach in houses of 3-4 that pay 600-700 a month, and people that live by themselves by the beach and pay from 700-900 a month. Living downtown is generally less expensive and the commute is only about 10 minutes from downtown. Most of the people in my class live in either Biddeford or Saco. There's houses close to school on Pool street that a of med students live in as well. From Saco the commute will be longer (15-20 minutes), but I haven't heard of there being many issues with traffic. I don't actually know any first years who live in Portland. I personally think it would be a hassle, as you do have to come in at least 4 days a week. I don't really know about the traffic issues on 95, though my best guess would be that there would be more traffic going into Portland than coming out but that's speculation. If you do choose to come to UNECOM, there's a pre-orientation in April where they have a lot of information on housing and I know a lot of people who met their roommates there.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2013
- Messages
- 162
- Reaction score
- 26
Thank you CheckMate2013 for posting these emails, it's such a huge help! I hope to receive great news after my January 16th interview and become your future classmate!
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2013
- Messages
- 38,498
- Reaction score
- 75,464
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2013
- Messages
- 38,498
- Reaction score
- 75,464
As I understand it lectures aren't required and only about 10% of students go to them, as they are recorded and you can watch them whenever, which makes your schedule quite flexible.
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2012
- Messages
- 2,585
- Reaction score
- 2,198
You realize that each post seems to be feedback from a different student, right? It sure was a lot of information, but great to see what people agree (and disagree) on!
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2013
- Messages
- 38,498
- Reaction score
- 75,464
Oh, it wasn't a comment on the quality of said posts. Like I said, good info, and I'm really glad he posted it. I'm just wondering whether he's got the support or the strike package with the number of points he just racked up.
- Joined
- May 5, 2013
- Messages
- 475
- Reaction score
- 118
I have asked this in other school-specific forums but am wondering if UNECOM cares for letters of interest post-secondary? I know I am probably being neurotic but I have been complete since 10/31.
I've been accepted to UNECOM (before Christmas) and am planning on going. Anyone interested in my stats/timeline can PM me
I'm from Canada and am interested if any other Canadians have been accepted and planning on going to UNECOM?
I'm from Canada and am interested if any other Canadians have been accepted and planning on going to UNECOM?
I've been accepted to UNECOM (before Christmas) and am planning on going. Anyone interested in my stats/timeline can PM me
I'm from Canada and am interested if any other Canadians have been accepted and planning on going to UNECOM?
I'm from Canada and will be going to UNECOM as well!
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2013
- Messages
- 162
- Reaction score
- 26
Hey guys!
These questions are brought up for current students who are willing to give honest and helpful comments about some concerns I have come up with from reading the prior years UNECOM threads. I completely understand that these forums may not always be the best place to take advice and that everything must be read with caution, however, I do REALLY appreciate current students opinions as they know best and what is currently going on with the school. I am specifically bringing up these thoughts here to see what the students are currently thinking about the program and if (hopefully) many of the concerns I was reading have been/are being resolved.
It seems as though from reading prior posts that many people had some negative feelings about where UNECOM was at, as well as the direction UNECOM was heading - for example lack of supportive leaders, constant curriculum changes, tuition hikes, increased class size, etc. Would any current students be willing to touch on these issues and where you feel you are at right now? Hearing both sides to a story is always good... neg or positive, I appreciate the help. Honestly UNECOM was/is my #1 choice and I am really excited about it, however, after reading some of the issues I was very bummed since I have had other acceptances (Campbell, NYCOM, and WVSOM) and have not felt like those schools have been through so much turmoil within the past 4 years. Below are some of the most concerning things for me...
-With the increase in class size how have rotations been affected? Have they really just supplemented spots with ONLY more rural locations - if so what does that exactly mean for our abilities in rotations? (Dont get me wrong, I love the idea of someday working in rural medicine, but as a student I dont want this to hinder my education.)
-Were the number of cadavers increased? How many students/body now since there is a larger class?
-Isn't there another new Dean this year? Do the students like him/do you think he is doing good things for the medical program? (It seems as though there has been multiple deans within the last few years...???)
-Do students start clinical/have hands on experience in the first year? What kind of experiences?
-How much time do students get for studying for the boards? (Is there still very limited time in your 2nd year and are students still pissed about this?)
-Is Curriculum still changing and Is it essentially PBL now?
Thank you for any and all input!
These questions are brought up for current students who are willing to give honest and helpful comments about some concerns I have come up with from reading the prior years UNECOM threads. I completely understand that these forums may not always be the best place to take advice and that everything must be read with caution, however, I do REALLY appreciate current students opinions as they know best and what is currently going on with the school. I am specifically bringing up these thoughts here to see what the students are currently thinking about the program and if (hopefully) many of the concerns I was reading have been/are being resolved.
It seems as though from reading prior posts that many people had some negative feelings about where UNECOM was at, as well as the direction UNECOM was heading - for example lack of supportive leaders, constant curriculum changes, tuition hikes, increased class size, etc. Would any current students be willing to touch on these issues and where you feel you are at right now? Hearing both sides to a story is always good... neg or positive, I appreciate the help. Honestly UNECOM was/is my #1 choice and I am really excited about it, however, after reading some of the issues I was very bummed since I have had other acceptances (Campbell, NYCOM, and WVSOM) and have not felt like those schools have been through so much turmoil within the past 4 years. Below are some of the most concerning things for me...
-With the increase in class size how have rotations been affected? Have they really just supplemented spots with ONLY more rural locations - if so what does that exactly mean for our abilities in rotations? (Dont get me wrong, I love the idea of someday working in rural medicine, but as a student I dont want this to hinder my education.)
-Were the number of cadavers increased? How many students/body now since there is a larger class?
-Isn't there another new Dean this year? Do the students like him/do you think he is doing good things for the medical program? (It seems as though there has been multiple deans within the last few years...???)
-Do students start clinical/have hands on experience in the first year? What kind of experiences?
-How much time do students get for studying for the boards? (Is there still very limited time in your 2nd year and are students still pissed about this?)
-Is Curriculum still changing and Is it essentially PBL now?
Thank you for any and all input!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2012
- Messages
- 143
- Reaction score
- 45
Hm I'll be interested in hearing about this as well. I will say though that I have been in the same boat as you: multiple acceptances and obsessively digging into them through old posts on here. Your points are all valid but in my experience, if you dig deep enough into any school you'll see these types of complaints. I didn't apply to Campbell or WVSOM but I know I saw bad stuff on NYCOM regarding class size, attrition rate, curriculum I think. I even saw negative stuff on CCOM and DMU so it seems no one is immune. In the end I went with my gut, and personal experience with the school, and that's why I'm choosing UNE.
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2013
- Messages
- 113
- Reaction score
- 15
Hey Everyone,
For those of you like myself that have interviewed and are waiting to hear back, I emailed Lisa today and she said the committee will not be meeting again until Jan 27th at the earliest. So the wait continues, just wanted to pass this on....at least you might be able to relax alittle for the rest of the month
For those of you like myself that have interviewed and are waiting to hear back, I emailed Lisa today and she said the committee will not be meeting again until Jan 27th at the earliest. So the wait continues, just wanted to pass this on....at least you might be able to relax alittle for the rest of the month
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Messages
- 14
- Reaction score
- 4
Hey Everyone,
For those of you like myself that have interviewed and are waiting to hear back, I emailed Lisa today and she said the committee will not be meeting again until Jan 27th at the earliest. So the wait continues, just wanted to pass this on....at least you might be able to relax alittle for the rest of the month
you beat me to it! I should've checked here first, haha.
I just called Lisa and she gave me the same response.
this has been a long wait so let's all hope it is worthwhile!
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2013
- Messages
- 162
- Reaction score
- 26
Anyone else out there interviewing next Thursday?
Also, for those of you who have already interviewed... during the tour of the campus do you get to see the Anatomy lab, OMM lab, SIM lab, Library, Lecture halls, Gym, etc? Essentially all of the basic stuff but those bolded I am most curious about - some schools do not show them where as other do.
Also, for those of you who have already interviewed... during the tour of the campus do you get to see the Anatomy lab, OMM lab, SIM lab, Library, Lecture halls, Gym, etc? Essentially all of the basic stuff but those bolded I am most curious about - some schools do not show them where as other do.
you get to see all of the above except for the Anatomy Lab.. the student giving my tour took me to the door and explained about the lab, but said they aren't allowed to bring us inside
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2013
- Messages
- 162
- Reaction score
- 26
Thanks for the info! That's sort of odd you "were not allowed" ... all of my other interviews showed us the anatomy lab without even signing any documentation.
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2011
- Messages
- 270
- Reaction score
- 45
II today!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited, this school is my top choice! Interviewing on January 28th!
OOS (NY), 27O MCAT (8, 9, 10), 3.79 sGPA, 3.94 cGPA
Primary Complete 11/14/13
Secondary Received 11/18/13
Secondary Complete 12/17/13
Interview Invite 01/13/14
OOS (NY), 27O MCAT (8, 9, 10), 3.79 sGPA, 3.94 cGPA
Primary Complete 11/14/13
Secondary Received 11/18/13
Secondary Complete 12/17/13
Interview Invite 01/13/14
Last edited:
I'm sorry if this was addressed already, but can anyone tell me how the interviews are conducted and maybe what to expect on interview day?
Very laid back. Traditional questions, so just be prepared why you want to do what you want to do. Fresh up on your own application and be personable. If you do that I think you will be set. They give you a presentation of the school, then you get lunch/wait for your interviews and then go for tours!
Phone call or email? Would love to have some more II soon.
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2013
- Messages
- 138
- Reaction score
- 16
Thanks! Stats???
Similar threads
