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I think CCOM should be at the top of the list with others. yes i am biased bc i will be attending CCOM. I did also interivew at DMU and the oppurtunities during years 3/4 did not impress me very much. The clinical oppurtunities CCOM seemed much better to me. The facilities at DMU are nicer, yes. But besides years 1+2, when are you going to use them?
*Looking through the 2006 CCOM match list. 11 students matched into an Anesthesiology residency (most of them allopathic)*
I'll throw my $0.02 in on the CCOM - DMU debate:
After interviewing at CCOM, it moved from the top of my list to the bottom. They may have a long tradition, but the basic science years were nothing special compared to other programs, especially in clinical skills development (e.g. no patient sims, OMM didn't seem as strong as some other programs, and basically no standout clinical skills training program/tools). As for years 3 and 4, I see no difference in quality of rotations compared to other schools. CCOM's supposed "edge" in years 3 and 4 is that rotation sites are in Chicago, but the fact is the majority of their sites are located in outlying suburbs of Chicago. In fact, there were very few sites in Chicago proper according to the handout they gave us of sites at the interview.
To me DMU was a stronger program because of the ability to either rotate in Des Moines and not have to move, or to rotate through the Ohio or Michigan OPTIs, which are quite possibly the best osteopathic rotation programs. Combine that with superb basic science years and focused clinical skills labs in everything from optho to cardio, not to mention the surgical skills lab and the new patient sim program. This provides excellent preparation for DMU students to enter their clinical years at some of the strongest sites in the country.
If you're looking for a strong program, it's really what fits you best. Of the programs I interviewed at, I would say some strong programs are:
DMU
UNECOM
KCOM
NOVA
Again, this is based on programs I have visited. I cannot really speak on behalf of those I did not visit/interview because I really have no clue what they're all about.