- Joined
- Oct 20, 2002
- Messages
- 36
- Reaction score
- 0
Current lurker, rare poster on SDN.
I'm a second year resident in an allopathic institution, and a graduate of a DO program in 2002.
There's a lot of talk on this website about the new DO schools that are opening up (PCOM in Atlanta, LECOM in Florida, some school in Vegas, VCOM recently), and I feel I just have to let this out.
DO schools are the biggest money makers out there and they do NOT care about YOU as the student whatsoever. All you are doing is lining the pockets of the Dean, the administration, and the PRIVATE owners of the school.
My tuition in medical school started at 20k. When I ended, it was 28k. Why did I have to pay so much?
Ok, fair enough, the private MD school's tuition is roughly the same. But here's where the schools make their money (its a big secret, but I'm going to let it out):
When a medical student is in their third and fourth year, your attendings are paid by the school/university to teach you, to have you on their team. Your surgeon, your IM attending, your pediatrician attending... all reimbursed by the school (not much but enough) to take you in under their wing. Your tuition pays for this.
However, in the DO medical education system, your third and fourth year attendings are VOLUNTEERS. It is against the AOA philosophy to PAY the attendings. So, your school still collects the same tuition that the MD institutions are charging (that they use to pay the attnedings), and POCKETS the difference. This is a HUGE money maker. Think about it:
100 students. 30k a year tuition. That's 3 million a year. Multiply that by 4 years worth of students: $12 million a year, PER year. Since the third and fourth year students dont' require much expenditure, the school pockets the money.
Why do you think there are so many more DO schools starting up?!?!?!?
It is INFURIATING and I am PISSED about it. The DO schools are taking advantage of pre-meds willingness to go ANYWHERE for ANY AMOUNT of tuition, just to reach their dreams. The schools will gladly accept almost anyone just to fill their coffers. They dont' care that the student will be 200k in debt (and they pocket 80k of that to buy JETS for their deans and BOATS for all their administrators).
If I were to go back, I might not consider being a DO based on this. It is absolutely disgusting and I am ASHAMED. The AOA is powerless in starting or stopping new DO schools, it is the DO "LCME" committee that is in charge of new school accredidation... and I can bet you that they have a financial interest.
Another tip: The "new" school opening up in Bradenton, FL. Why did LECOM start a school there? is it because of the perceived lack of care in central florida? Oh wait, there is Univ of FL, Univ of Miami, Univ of South Florida (in Tampa, about 30 minutes away from LECOM-FL), FSU, and Nova Southeastern Univeristy COM. No, that's not it. There are plenty of medical schools.
It is because the administrators and professors at LECOM all own property on Lakewood Ranch near the school. They plan to retire, and still work part time for LECOM to supplement their income. They ALL OWN HOUSES NEAR THE SCHOOL. That is why there is a new school there.
Hope this opens your eyes.
-A fellow DO
I'm a second year resident in an allopathic institution, and a graduate of a DO program in 2002.
There's a lot of talk on this website about the new DO schools that are opening up (PCOM in Atlanta, LECOM in Florida, some school in Vegas, VCOM recently), and I feel I just have to let this out.
DO schools are the biggest money makers out there and they do NOT care about YOU as the student whatsoever. All you are doing is lining the pockets of the Dean, the administration, and the PRIVATE owners of the school.
My tuition in medical school started at 20k. When I ended, it was 28k. Why did I have to pay so much?
Ok, fair enough, the private MD school's tuition is roughly the same. But here's where the schools make their money (its a big secret, but I'm going to let it out):
When a medical student is in their third and fourth year, your attendings are paid by the school/university to teach you, to have you on their team. Your surgeon, your IM attending, your pediatrician attending... all reimbursed by the school (not much but enough) to take you in under their wing. Your tuition pays for this.
However, in the DO medical education system, your third and fourth year attendings are VOLUNTEERS. It is against the AOA philosophy to PAY the attendings. So, your school still collects the same tuition that the MD institutions are charging (that they use to pay the attnedings), and POCKETS the difference. This is a HUGE money maker. Think about it:
100 students. 30k a year tuition. That's 3 million a year. Multiply that by 4 years worth of students: $12 million a year, PER year. Since the third and fourth year students dont' require much expenditure, the school pockets the money.
Why do you think there are so many more DO schools starting up?!?!?!?
It is INFURIATING and I am PISSED about it. The DO schools are taking advantage of pre-meds willingness to go ANYWHERE for ANY AMOUNT of tuition, just to reach their dreams. The schools will gladly accept almost anyone just to fill their coffers. They dont' care that the student will be 200k in debt (and they pocket 80k of that to buy JETS for their deans and BOATS for all their administrators).
If I were to go back, I might not consider being a DO based on this. It is absolutely disgusting and I am ASHAMED. The AOA is powerless in starting or stopping new DO schools, it is the DO "LCME" committee that is in charge of new school accredidation... and I can bet you that they have a financial interest.
Another tip: The "new" school opening up in Bradenton, FL. Why did LECOM start a school there? is it because of the perceived lack of care in central florida? Oh wait, there is Univ of FL, Univ of Miami, Univ of South Florida (in Tampa, about 30 minutes away from LECOM-FL), FSU, and Nova Southeastern Univeristy COM. No, that's not it. There are plenty of medical schools.
It is because the administrators and professors at LECOM all own property on Lakewood Ranch near the school. They plan to retire, and still work part time for LECOM to supplement their income. They ALL OWN HOUSES NEAR THE SCHOOL. That is why there is a new school there.
Hope this opens your eyes.
-A fellow DO