What are the very best osteopathic schools?

[rocketbooster]

Yeah, I know. I'm a n00b haha. Can you guys give me some names please? How's the school in Kansas City? What about Oklahoma State? What are the top DO schools, period?

Thanks!

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[slim78]

They aren't ranked. There is no way to answer this question. Perhaps if we knew what qualities were most important to you we might be able to give you a subjective opinion on which schools best met the criteria.

 

[bioman2006]

.

 

[spicedmanna]

Well, what are your criteria?

 

[rocketbooster]

My only criteria is a school that will make me most competitive for med-peds.

I don't know any DO med students to ask, to be honest...

 

[235750]

This topic has been discussed at nauseum. Just search SDN and you'll find many threads on this

Traditionally (ie by US News and World Report), ranking of universities and medical schools is done by how much research money they earn. So when people say "Yale is ranked better than Ohio State" for example, what they're saying is Yale gets more NIH grants.

DO schools don't research a lot, so they don't get a lot of research money. I work at Penn State COM and the grant I'm in charge of now is worth $2 million. In the MD world, this is nothing. Our school (PSU) sustains itself on research grants and we get $100s of millions of dollars this way

Now, when I went to PCOM (a well respected DO school in Philadelphia), they bragged about their center for aging and the NIH grant there was less than a million. And they were happy about that. And at LECOM-Erie they also bragged about thier research facilities, and they too had pittance for research. I don't mean to be insulting, it's just the way things are.

So when you try to rank DO schools by research, it's almost impossible. What you have to ask yourself is (and what others have already mentioned), which one suits you best?

Good luck

 

[CardioPlus]

My only criteria is a school that will make me most competitive for med-peds.

I don't know any DO med students to ask, to be honest...

well since peds isn't one of the most competitive fields, any school would make you competitive as long as it's a good fit for you to do well in.

 

[MrBeauregard]

Here we go again...

 

[MedStudentWanna]

My only criteria is a school that will make me most competitive for med-peds.

I don't know any DO med students to ask, to be honest...

Aren't you the one who just posted on the pre-allo forum that you didn't get into MD, but you know you'll be highly sought after with DO schools because your stats are better than all the osteo school applicants?

It's awfully nervy to then come here and ask for help with your school list.

 

[schussboarder]

isn't it great when pre-meds already know what specialty they want prior to clinical rotations......gets me every time

 

[AdemTD]

They aren't ranked. There is no way to answer this question. Perhaps if we knew what qualities were most important to you we might be able to give you a subjective opinion on which schools best met the criteria.

What do you mean by this? According to USNWR, MSUCOM is ranked #7 among all medical schools for primary care. I know a lot of people don't think much of these rankings, however.

 

[AdemTD]

isn't it great when pre-meds already know what specialty they want prior to clinical rotations......gets me every time

If they've had a wide variety of shadowing experiences, then they can get excited about a certain specialty.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

What do you mean by this? According to USNWR, MSUCOM is ranked #7 among all medical schools for primary care. I know a lot of people don't think much of these rankings, however.

That's only because they turn out more primary care students. The schools themselves aren't ranked like the allo schools are.

 

[AdemTD]

That's only because they turn out more primary care students. The schools themselves aren't ranked like the allo schools are.

I didn't realize their ranking system was that simple, lol. Why would they make a whole ranking system based on that?

 

[slim78]

People often confuse the importance of rankings/tiers in law school with medical school. The name of the school on your diploma has much less to do with future income potential than it does in law school.

Your individual performance at whatever school you attend is what is important.

 

[Exalya]

The best school is the school you feel that you would be successful at. LECOM-B is a good school--but if you hate PBL, it's not a good school for you. It's not about what anyone else says, or what a school is ranked. It's whether you will be happy learning there.

 

[drfosho]

LECOM Bradenton is the best. Hands down.

 

[Bacchus]

LECOM Bradenton is the best. Hands down.

I beg to differ and throw all in for PCOM.

 

[Cp22kjer]

Best school = _____ <---The school you end up at. Trust me it's a forum favorite.

 

[JanikeyDoc]

I don't think it really matters, any school that accepts you is going to be fine. Although I heard some bad things being said about RVU, the owner of the school's father owns a school in the Caribbean, AUC, and RVU is a for profit school. A lot of people in the Osteopathic community are up in arms about this.

There are a lot of schools that opened up over the past decade. I would assume the older programs are probably the best ones with regards to residency positions and other opportunities. I have heard of a PCOM graduate who teaches at Duke University Medical school and a few others who teach at top universities.

 

[scudrunner]

isn't it great when pre-meds already know what specialty they want prior to clinical rotations......gets me every time

Nothing wrong with that at all. It may very well change for many people, but having a goal in mind is a good thing. In fact, it allows for more planning of your education.

 

[bioman2006]

.

 

[apumic]

isn't it great when pre-meds already know what specialty they want prior to clinical rotations......gets me every time

Hmm...maybe it's because I'm a semi-non-trad pre-med, but to be honest, I find that kind of ignorant statement a bit annoying, perhaps even borderline offensive. The fact is that if a student has had sufficient shadowing, research, and professional healthcare experience, he/she likely does have legitimate interests in a given specialty in medicine. Sure, that may (and often does) change during clinical rotations, but I don't know that I see that as a reason to insult the OP for having an area of interest. If anything, having chosen one area of interest but still remaining open-minded about other areas of interest when entering med school is something to be lauded.

 

[Deceptacon]

Msucom

 

[p30doc]

nsucom is clearly the best

 

[millepora]

I would like to add on to the initial question, but my criteria being the best clinical rotation sites. Anyone have input for this?

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Rotation sites can be somewhat dynamic, particularly at osteopathic schools. This is a tough question to answer.

And what makes a good rotation site? High volume/high acuity? Location? Opportunities for the students to perform procedures? Good teachers on the service? Number of hot nurses?

 

[MrReno]

And what makes a good rotation site? Number of hot nurses?

i find this very important to consider.