• Hi! The search index is currently updating, search results will not include the full scope of the forums until it is complete.

LECOM-B for 3rd and 4th years

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Punchap

Full Member
Moderator Emeritus
7+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2003
Messages
580
Reaction score
0
Would anyone be willing to shed some light on the clinical years...

In particular, I would like to know:

1. How are the clinical years organized, through the student or through the college?

2. Are the rotation sites accommodating to students -- do you feel they are preparing you adequately?

3. Do you find there's enough time outside of your rotations to study for COMLEX/USMLE?

4. And for those of you who have already matched into a specialty, are you pleased with how well you did?

I searched the LECOM website, but did not find enough info. to satisfy me. I appreciate all your helpful comments.
 
Not sure if we have any 3rd/4th years on here. Hopefully the couple 2nd years will comment on what they know so far. I know there are a lot of changes going on with the clinical years and the sites....trimming down the locations, developing relationships with local sites, etc... so what's true now probably won't be fully accurate when you're looking at it.

And the first class will be matching in the next month or two so you won't get any answer for #4.
 
Would anyone be willing to shed some light on the clinical years...

In particular, I would like to know:

1. How are the clinical years organized, through the student or through the college?.

Here's what I can tell you: You fill out a survey at the end of your first years asking where you want to do rotations. You are placed in groups over the summer that will best accomodate that. For instance: There are 13 four-week rotations and 13 groups that are staggered. If 13 people wanted to go to Sacred Heart in Pensacola for their third year, then they would all be placed in different groups. That way, 13 people will rotate through OB/GYN, for example, during the year-- one for each month. That's if there is only one slot available. If their are two slots available per rotation then you could theoretically have 26 people rotate in OB/GYN at that hospital during the year. In another example, St. Pete General has 12 slots per month for IM, so you have 156 slots in the year and could theoretically have my entire class do an IM rotation there if they wanted to.

You have to do all of your cores in third and forth year at a core affiliate hospital. It's really just a matter of picking where you want to go to do it. Once you are in a group you are then competing with people in your group for spots and occasionally with an overlapping group. If you are the only one in your group who wants a particular spot, then you get it. It's that simple. There's a big meeting between group leaders before our final choices are submitted to the clinical office to work any problems out. It's good to work things out in advance because if you don't the clinical office will just pick a spot for you. In reality, the people in the clinical office are really good to work with. They've been really good to me.

Once the final picks are all finished they send out a list with all the left over spots. If you want to switch at that time, then you have the opportunity to do it. You have two electives in the third year. You set those and an FP up yourself. There's a list with several hundred preceptors in addition to all the other unfilled spots to choose from. Of course, you can always go anywhere you want for electives. You have 4 electives in the forth year and a rural/underserved rotation. Again, you set those up yourself. All the other rotations have to be done with a core affiliate and you do the same group thing that you did the year before.

2. Are the rotation sites accommodating to students -- do you feel they are preparing you adequately?.

Currently, there are some good ones and probably some not-so-good ones. The number of core sites is actually being trimmed down because the school wants more control over the type of education you receive. They would rather have fewer sites, but better quality. If it's any indication, the inaugural class really didn't do very well on Step One-- they were below the national average. By the time they took Step Two they were above the national average-- 90 some percent, but I don't remember the actual figure. We are required to take tests during rotations. Based on those scores the school identified 14 people who were in a "danger" area of maybe not passing Step Two. They asked all 14 to voluntarily come off rotations for a month, come to Bradenton and have a board prep class. 8 agreed to do that and all 8 passed. The 6 who did not want to come back for the prep were the 6 failures in the class for Step Two. IMO, the scores seem to indicate that students are learning at the current sites. I only expect it to get better.

3. Do you find there's enough time outside of your rotations to study for COMLEX/USMLE?.

You need to take Step One before you go on rotations. That's all I can say about that, but we finish class in mid April and have organised board review for a month. You still have a few weeks to take the exam before rotations begin. You can take it anytime...but you SHOULD take it in May or June. As for Step Two, based on the scores I would say that the firstclass must have had adequate study time. Honestly, on some rotations there's lots of time; on other's there's not. But you also have a month of vacation to use for study if you wish.

4. And for those of you who have already matched into a specialty, are you pleased with how well you did?.

Ask again in a couple of months 🙂.

I searched the LECOM website, but did not find enough info. to satisfy me. I appreciate all your helpful comments.

I hope some of this helps. I'm sure others will weigh in too.

:luck::luck::luck:
 
Very informative...any chance you guys can email your 3rd or 4th year classmates to get their opinions?
 
Is it very hard to set up your own electives? Id like to do all of my electives in Chicago, because this is where I would like to eventually match. However, there are only a few hospitals with a neo fellowship and Id like to match at those.. and thus do electives at those. So is it very hard to do this? I have no idea how you would even go about setting up your own rotations if they are not on the preceptor list, if you could shed some light, that would be great!! Lecom B is where I am most likely going to end up!
 
Is it very hard to set up your own electives?
"Electives" are quite easy to set up. You make a call to the Med Ed office where you want to be and set it up, fill out an online form, about 6 weeks prior to the start, and your done. There are 2 electives in your 3rd year and 4 in your 4th.
The "selectives" must come from affiliated sites, but even this has been bent in the past. (But as the clinical affiliates continue to grow I will not say that this bending will last forever)

Id like to do all of my electives in Chicago, because this is where I would like to eventually match. However, there are only a few hospitals with a neo fellowship and Id like to match at those.. and thus do electives at those. So is it very hard to do this? I have no idea how you would even go about setting up your own rotations if they are not on the preceptor list, if you could shed some light, that would be great!! Lecom B is where I am most likely going to end up!

Here is the best piece of information I can give you. Your going to need to remember it for a while though as this will need to be played later in the game, around the beginning of your second year. If you are looking for some highly competitive spots you need to be seen at those sites on rotation. You may want to start seeing some sites you are interested in towards the end of your third year when you are a little more competent as a clinician. So if you have knowledge of the sites that we are affiliated with from the previous class you will know which ones you can use in your selectives slots and anything else can be seen early in the fourth year in elective spots.

I have heard this talked about as a weakness of LECOM-B that we do not have a core third year where you stay local but I found that the ability to move was a nice way to get some face time at my desired locations, although it was a lot more expensive when dealing with places that did not provide housing (furnished housing on a monthly basis gets expensive quick).

Feel free to email me if that's not clear.
Bill
 
Would anyone be willing to shed some light on the clinical years...

In particular, I would like to know:

1. How are the clinical years organized, through the student or through the college?

Clinical years go as stated above. You pick early 2nd year ... the list comes out and you revise as needed. Electives and selectives you call for ... like anywhere else.

I personally love the fact I get to go to outside sites as a 3/4 year.




2. Are the rotation sites accommodating to students -- do you feel they are preparing you adequately?

The beauty of LECOM-B, is you should be a self learned by year 3/4. So anything you will NEED to know (boards, shelfs) should be available in books. I have been to a great deal of sites and other institutions hospitals and can promise you ... they dont teach to boards ANYWHERE.

You will need First aid, Blueprints ... like anywhere else to get by for the boards in the end.

The sites are very accomodating. I have heard of people going everywhere from big to small name places and the outcomes all depend on the site. You will find some places are better than others ... and being a DO wont matter ... in the end the sites you chose will.





3. Do you find there's enough time outside of your rotations to study for COMLEX/USMLE?

Time is always an issue. There is time if you make it.





4. And for those of you who have already matched into a specialty, are you pleased with how well you did?

None of us could have matched yet. But, I am sure we will all be willing to let you know as soon as we do. I can tell you this though, I have had many offers in a variety of fields. (All verbal, none on paper though)

You will get the feel of who likes you and who will take you based on your board scores, externship achievement and personality. Pick a program you fit in with ...
 
Top