The Inaugural ATSU COM-Mesa Class of 2011

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builttorock

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I'm so incredibly excited! Not only am I getting the opportunity for an osteopathic medical education, but at an A.T. Still University with a brand-new, exciting curriculum.

Has anybody else been accepted yet?
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Looks like you are the onl one so far?

Congrats..hopefully soon more of us will be joining you.


Exigente
 
builttorock said:
I'm so incredibly excited! Not only am I getting the opportunity for an osteopathic medical education, but at an A.T. Still University with a brand-new, exciting curriculum.

Has anybody else been accepted yet?
Click to expand...

congrats on the acceptance! :thumbup: What was the interview day like? How long did it take for you to hear about the good news?
 
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You are going to love the curriculum. I hope it all works out well for the new school.
 
Yeah. The curriculum is very exciting. The interview was nice. It's an entire day long, with the interview in the middle of the day--so you're not too nervous by the time the interview comes. However, after the presentations about the new curriculum I got very very excited and nervous. So be prepared for that weird see-saw of emotions.
 
Anyone else get accepted and going?

bump
 
Just sent in my deposit last week. Congrats to everyone who are on board! Excited to embark on this incredible journey...
 
hollerations, i'm just waiting for my acceptance packet to come in so i can pay and contract (though i am 99% sure). my chc site is hawaii, where's everyone elses, also where are folks coming from? i went to university of washington in seattle, and grew up mostly in spokane, washington.

i still got an interview at kcom, but i am really set on mesa, but it doesnt hurt to check it out, well it hurts like $300. anyone in the same boat, or was in the same boat?

last question: any domphs?
 
I really don't want to sound condescending, but I am curious to see how ATSU-Mesa is doing things. So you basically have only one year of classes before you start pretty much the better part of three years of rotations from my understanding of the curriculum on the website? Am I mostly correct here?

I just don't understand how this is going to prepare students well enough for the boards? I have had nearly two years classes now & I know I still need the 4+ more months of studying for boards before I will be ready. Step 1/Level 1 is huge on the basic science aspect of the why & how of all the disease processes. How does this school plan to give you all that amount of material in half the time? I'm sure Step 2 scores will be great due to the much more clinical nature of the exam, but are any of you worried about Step 1/Level 1?

It is an exciting curriculum & I mean no offense, but it is also a little worrisome that the curriculum resembles the PA training (1 yr class & 2 yrs clinical). Could someone fill me in on what the administration has been saying about what seem to be fairly significant disparities? Thank you.
 
Hi! I just recieved my acceptance packet and found out I'm assigned to Brooklyn NY! This was my #1 choice so I'm sooo happy! I have a slightly silly question regarding the deposit (this is my first acceptance, so i'm not so clear on the protocol..) If I send in the $1000 deposit and sign the forms, does that mean i'm locked into the school with no option of backing out? or if i get in somewhere else, I can back out and just lose the money? I'm not planning on going anywhere else, but i just want to be clear... Also, anyone else get Brooklyn (a.k.a crooklyn)?
 
as far as i remember, year 2 is not completely rotations. its more of a pseudo rotation year that helps contextualize the sciences, as well as helps the transition into year 3 and 4. i know that azcom has something close to this with their preceptorships, and they have a 98% pass rate on the comlex step 1. so with atsu-mesa's model there is great potential. of course there is risk with a new program (as with any), but as i posted on the pre-do thread, this school is constantly innovating other methods, and with the former aoa president for the past 10 years resigning to become dean of this school and help develop the program, then there has to be something special about it. by no means do i disrespect other schools/programs/students that are established and proven, but with how i think, study and process things, the mesa model is a great fit.

different strokes for different folks.

and for people curious about the do/mph:

from dave koeneke : You as a DO student with our school are entitled to a 20% discount on tuition for the MPH program. That makes the courses $1,116.

You must be currently enrolled in the DO program so the [mid-late] August start date will work. [vs the june date]

he also said you can spread the online mph for 7 years and take classes whenever you want. the online courses will be quarter based and it looks like 8-10 weeks.
 
I got assigned to Seattle. Which I am absolutely THRILLED about!

I am already working on my MPH through UNECOM. This is also great, because their MPH program was modelled off of ATSU's. Unfortunately, I am going to have four classes left by the time school starts on July 30. So I have talked with both schools and they are allowing me to finish my MPH at UNECOM while attending ATSU COM-M.

Also, I currently live in Mesa--and have lived in the valley for my whole life--so if anyone needs any advice on where to live, what to do, etc. just message me. I'm more than glad to help!

I wish more acceptances would post in this forum, that way we can build comradeship before school starts. I feel, especially with the school being, it may be a bumpy ride and we'll need to be tight knit. Don't misinterpret me though, I feel it will prove itself to be the best.
 
Has anyone been assigned to the SC CHC yet? I just heard yesterday that I got in and that is where I'm going to be for years 2-4.
 
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...i wonder if there will be chc teams for the first year for friendly competitions, like seattle vs. south carolina in tug of war or pie eating...ha! cant wait.
 
OK so I am waiting fo my packet to come in as well.... Im still having some hesitation, ( as I thought I had made this decision long ago, before this program came to my attention), but I really do feel that I can do well no matter where I go, and that the dean and the school in general will have a vested interest in the inauguaral class doing well.
 
dseattle said:
...i wonder if there will be chc teams for the first year for friendly competitions, like seattle vs. south carolina in tug of war or pie eating...ha! cant wait.
Click to expand...

definately a great idea!
 
HopefulDoc40 said:
Has anyone been assigned to the SC CHC yet? I just heard yesterday that I got in and that is where I'm going to be for years 2-4.
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, where exactly is the Beaufort, SC CHC site? Reason I ask is because I live in Savannah and travel through the Bluffton/Beaufort area on the way to work on Hilton Head.
 
anyone concerned at all that they might move you to a different CHC for some reason?????
 
builttorock said:
no. not really. you?
Click to expand...




if you got your contract, you'll see that there is a line that definitely looks like this may be so, ( the line where the CHC is listed), but I am hoping it's not quite as it seems....
 
i saw that too. but i'm not too worried. one step at a time.
 
Anyone else got the Portland (Woodburn) CHC?

Anyone have any ideas about where to live for a year in AZ?

Looking at Craigslist it looks like there are plenty of nice houses for rent, but not many apartment buildings.
 
Has anyone started looking at housing options in Mesa? I remember speaking with one of the students there for PT and she said that houses were the best & cheapest option for the price. She said condos are more expensive and obviously less space.
 
I currently live in an apartment in Mesa. I pay about $660/mo. for a 2 bed/ 2 bath about 10-15 minutes west of COM-Mesa--which is great because I'm practically in Tempe (where anything remotely interesting/entertaining is in the valley). Houses are very cheap in downtown Mesa, which is where I'll likely move, if I do. But they are very old, historic houses.

The area by the school is a relatively new area with tons of apartments and houses at relatively cheap prices. However, I would recommend living more west of the school, as the housing becomes increasingly cheaper and the accessability to Tempe and Phoenix makes up for the slight distance.

Furthermore, keep in mind that the US-60 (the freeway just north of the school) has horrible traffic virtually all-day. Also, there are no bus routes by the school. In the valley, there is no impressive public transit to speak of in general. I would certainly keep those factors in mind when deciding where to live.

Some areas that you will not want to live (because of distance and traffic): Phoenix, Surprise, Peoria, Glendale, Buckeye, Avondale, North Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills.
Some suburbs relatively close to the school: Mesa (obviously), Apache Junction (not the nicest area to live, although very close), Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler, South Scottsdale, Awatukee, Guadalupe.

Message me if you need anymore help!
 
Hey all.... How many/ what months out of the year is the temp basically unbearable/ too hot for a large dog or ppl for that matter? Do you just not go out in the day? Curiuos because i will be renting a much larger place if this is the case, and I have never lived in AZ.
 
MD/DO ALMOST said:
Hey all.... How many/ what months out of the year is the temp basically unbearable/ too hot for a large dog or ppl for that matter? Do you just not go out in the day? Curiuos because i will be renting a much larger place if this is the case, and I have never lived in AZ.
Click to expand...

I have lived here my whole life and here is my input, once again:

December - begining of April: very nice weather; cold (45F) in morning, (70F) by midday.
mid-April - May: starts to get hot (any habitable climates' summer) (80-100F)
June - mid-October: disgustingly hot. everyday over 100F; July and early August peak at about 120F.
end of October - mid-November: starts to cool down; (60F) in morning, (85F) by midday.
end of November - December: very nice weather; cold (45F) in morning, (70F) by midday.

You REALLY cherish the "winter" months, but the summers really drag on. During the summer, stay very well hydrated, and try to maximize time indoors.

And although people from the northeast and southeast say that the summers here are beautiful because they have no humidity. 120F in a dry heat is pretty unbarable.
 
ughh...looks like i'm shaving my head. anyone else down? housing...did anyone start browsing that reccomendation list they gave?
 
Just a quick note about passing "step 1" (it is COMLEX Level I)...I am of the opinion that this school will lead the country in passing rates for Level I. I wouldn't worry two bits about getting the basic science. Many of my friends from last year said they got 1-2 questions/400 on anatomy. So, if you move hours away from that course to other high yield ones, such as path, pharm, infectious, or medicine...then, you should get the info you need easily.

Also, my brain stores the basic science info until about 20 minutes after my exam...at which point everything is just flushed. When you see patients, it will stick so much more.

Don't let any naysayers worry you about your decision. You guys are gonna rock the boards. I'm very envious of your program.

This doesn't mean you guys aren't going to have some hiccups...I think many of you will be frustrated with things that a couple of years from now will be solidified. First and foremost is that most of our "info" comes from upperclassmen. You just won't have that.

Good luck to all! If you have any questions, I'll try to help. I am working on making videos for things that you will use on a daily basis at ATSU. I'll let you all know when they are posted (http://www.erikpaul.net).
 
^Erik, good info. If you all don't know this man, you soon will. He's a blessing to many ATSU students. Start thanking him in advance. :clap:
 
Hiya inthe415; I'm going to Portland too!!:D
This is so awesome. I agree that this first class is going to seriously rock the comps. Our curriculum is so cutting edge; it seems tailored for retention (at least the way I learn!).
And yes, we have great mugs!!!
 
anyone here a wiche resident and applying for the scholarship?
 
i'm bored at work. please update.

ATSU-COMM CHC Sites 2008-2011:

Brooklyn, New York: rarekare,
Beaufort, South Carolina: hopefuldoc40,
Troy, Alabama:
Milford, Ohio:
Flagstaff, Arizona:
Phoenix, Arizona:
Tucson, Arizona:
Visalia, California: stringerbell, ifpx181,
Woodburn, Oregon: inthe415, gonnabeob,
Seattle, Washington: builttorock, greenshirt, nonsdn1
Waianae, Hawaii: dseattle,
 
dseattle said:
i'm bored at work. please update.

ATSU-COMM CHC Sites 2008-2011:

Brooklyn, New York: rarekare,
Beaufort, South Carolina: hopefuldoc40,
Troy, Alabama:
Milford, Ohio:
Flagstaff, Arizona:
Phoenix, Arizona:
Visalia, California: stringerbell,
Woodburn, Oregon: inthe415, gonnabeob,
Seattle, Washington: builttorock, greenshirt,
Waianae, Hawaii: dseattle,
Click to expand...


very nice idea! everyone please add. if you know someone who's been accepted, add them!
 
What happened to the CHC at Tuscon?? I was really interested in that one:confused:
 
Visalia, CA for me!!!
 
ATSU-COMM CHC Sites 2008-2011:

Brooklyn, New York: rarekare, igtx,
Beaufort, South Carolina: hopefuldoc40,
Troy, Alabama:
Milford, Ohio:
Flagstaff, Arizona: jfeyko,
Phoenix, Arizona:
Tucson, Arizona: rpinnell,
Visalia, California: stringerbell, ifpx181
Woodburn, Oregon: inthe415, gonnabeob,
Seattle, Washington: builttorock, greenshirt,
Waianae, Hawaii: dseattle, soccergrl03

SDN'ers missing from the list: MD/DO Almost,
 
MD/DO ALMOST said:
anyone concerned at all that they might move you to a different CHC for some reason?????
Click to expand...

So I e-mailed Joyce about that line in the contract. Here's what she wrote: "The wording on the contract is to protect us in the event that something catastrophic happens to the CHC you were assigned to. Our intent is not to change anyone. Hopefully, we won't have to." Hope that puts everyone at ease.

Hi everyone, I'm on team Seattle.
 
Well, I put my deposit in the mail yesterday, so looks like it's going to be ATSU-Mesa for now. There doesn't seem to be too many SDNers heading there, I wonder if they're having trouble filling their class.
 
I thought the day would never come, 4 years ago, that I would ever be able to add my name to the list of one of these class threads. Got accepted, though, today and I'm stoked beyond comprehension! Loved the interview and I'm so on-board with the curriculum I can't wait to start. Good luck to those still gunning for this school. There's some good advice on these forums and on the interview feedback. PM me if you have any questions. See you all in July(?)!
 
Almost forgot to update. Email me fellow "islanders" if you'd like to know more about where we're going to be serving. I'm from Oahu and am quite familiar with Waianae.

ATSU-COMM CHC Sites 2008-2011:

Brooklyn, New York: rarekare, igtx,
Beaufort, South Carolina: hopefuldoc40,
Troy, Alabama:
Milford, Ohio:
Flagstaff, Arizona: jfeyko,
Phoenix, Arizona:
Tucson, Arizona: rpinnell,
Visalia, California: stringerbell, ifpx181
Woodburn, Oregon: inthe415, gonnabeob,
Seattle, Washington: builttorock, greenshirt,
Waianae, Hawaii: dseattle, soccergrl03, v-lander

SDN'ers missing from the list: MD/DO Almost
 
I am missing from the list :laugh:

going to check out HI and visit friends there this coming week until the end of the month.
 
ATSU-COMM CHC Sites 2008-2011:

Brooklyn, New York: rarekare, igtx,
Beaufort, South Carolina: hopefuldoc40,
Troy, Alabama:
Milford, Ohio:
Flagstaff, Arizona: jfeyko,
Phoenix, Arizona:
Tucson, Arizona: rpinnell,
Visalia, California: stringerbell, ifpx181
Woodburn, Oregon: inthe415, gonnabeob,
Seattle, Washington: builttorock, greenshirt,
Waianae, Hawaii: dseattle, soccergrl03, v-lander, MD/DO Almost
 
I guess I've sent one too many e-mails to Dr. McWilliams asking about the clinical curriculum, because he's ignoring me now. I wish we knew more about the clinical rotations. He said we'd do FP, Peds, OB/GYN, and Internal all at the CHC. I guess we'll have to go to a hospital for Surgery and EM....although I haven't gotten an answer yet. I still have my doubts about the CHC beng able to provide everything. For example, I'm guessing that women don't give birth at the clinic, but at a local hospital. How are we going to get the full OB/GYN experience. If we follow our patient to the hospital, I just feel that we'd be in the way......so many questions!
 
GreenShirt said:
Well, I put my deposit in the mail yesterday, so looks like it's going to be ATSU-Mesa for now. There doesn't seem to be too many SDNers heading there, I wonder if they're having trouble filling their class.
Click to expand...

Do you think they are having trouble filling their class or they are just being picky about their selection?
 
May be a little of both..alot of people from SDN are on hold there..:cool:
 
exigente chica said:
May be a little of both..alot of people from SDN are on hold there..:cool:
Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree, though probably a little more on the side of being ultra-picky. This is a good thing, though, because it's going to take a different cat to be successful and happy in this new model. It's interesting on interview day - within in an hour, you can see which interviewees are eating things up and which are just dying for the day to be over because they don't like what they're hearing at all.
 
This post kinda belongs in the financial aid forum but I wanted to see what everyone's thoughts were on the cost of Mesa and how they are going to fund their med school education. Unfortunately, I am going to be paying for everything myself, I have about 5k from the AmeriCorps I am going to use but that is all I have coming in, which is nothing. I plan on using a combo of Perkins (hopefully) and Stafford loans to cover tuition and living expenses. Just using Mesa's model budget ~$69k a year, I'm/we are looking at almost $280,000 of debt plus interest. This is a hefty price tag, especially considering my interest and desire to practice in primary care as of now. Anyone have thoughts or suggestions beyond the little packet of financial aid/scholarship info they gave us?
 
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