Thanks for the info about macs...do you like the DPC program (that is the PBL track correct)?
Hi,
Yes, I do like the DPC program (it is the PBL track). Cases are presented in a progressive format (you order tests as you go along), and we meet 3 times a week to discuss. Heres a quick rundown of how it works:
Pt presents with chief complaint(s) and you talk about it for a while. You might order some tests. At the end of the discussion, you as a group decide what you're all going to go home and learn. Ex - pt presents with loss of motor control, so one of your learning objectives might be to find out how motor innervation works. You do this throughout, so you order more tests, narrow down your differentials, etc.
It isn't for everyone; nothing is handed to you and you have to do the information searching on your own, which usually means doing a lot of book reading. Tests are fairly frequent, but no one really knows if you can fail or not. We had a test Tuesday and Tuesday night I was back to studying for Wednesday's session. It's a new program at NYCOM but has been run in the same format at other schools. The literature indicates students do comparable to lecture based counterparts on Step 1 and better on Step 2 (I don't have a cite for this, it's coming from Portanova's mouth). Also, if your group members don't challenge you, you will come away with wrong information, since facilitators won't tell you when you're wrong or barking up the wrong tree. Usually there is an MD/DO, a fellow, or PhD in something or other as a moderator.
If the process is done correctly, you walk away from each session with a conglommeration of basic science issues (motor innervation) and clinical issues (what test would you order next, how to narrow your differential, etc). You must keep in mind though that you'll be in charge of your medical education - no one will tell you what you need to learn and when you need to learn it by. Our group is just consistently told we need to learn everything by the time boards come around.
I like it bc it gives me a context in which I can remember things; we're also constantly questioned to make sure we know the underlying physiological mechanism of things (it's like a 2 yo brat constantly asking "why" about everything.. I'm not kidding). I feel that I'll never memorize everything, but if I can know the basic underlying principle behind the pathology, I'll be able to deduce from there. There is early clinical exposure, which might be nice in making connections, getting recs, etc. It's a small, tightly knit group and you meet some great people with really diverse experiences. I think it's probably the best decision I've ever made in regards to my education, but it's a heavy decision so don't take it lightly.
If you're interested in it, I would suggest asking around about it and getting the +'s and -'s.
