2017-2018 Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM)

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Anybody from 2/9 hear back tom is two weeks
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giguerex35 said:
Anybody from 2/9 hear back tom is two weeks
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Yeah, I heard from them yesterday but I was expecting to hear from them saying they can't make a decision without a DO letter. My letter should be in by next week hopefully.
 
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Noni Mousse said:
Yeah, I heard from them yesterday but I was expecting to hear from them saying they can't make a decision without a DO letter. My letter should be in by next week hopefully.
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Or do you mean they called you to tell you that you need a do letter?
 
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Has anyone tried to reach out to ARCOM to see if they could review their application sooner?
 
does anyone know/ has anyone heard whether or not they anticipate waitlist movement like last year?
 
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medschool1718 said:
does anyone know/ has anyone heard whether or not they anticipate waitlist movement like last year?
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Seeing as this is still a very new school, there will undoubtedly be lots of movement again. Probably not quite like last year, but a lot of people have this school as a final option (not saying its a bad one by any means).
 
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Does anyone know when ARCOM will be done interviewing?
 
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FuzzyPeaches said:
Seeing as this is still a very new school, there will undoubtedly be lots of movement again. Probably not quite like last year, but a lot of people have this school as a final option (not saying its a bad one by any means).
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Is it bad if I’m wanting to choose this school over several options, even UAMS? I honestly really loved it when I was there.
 
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Doctors&Dragons said:
Is it bad if I’m wanting to choose this school over several options, even UAMS? I honestly really loved it when I was there.
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ARCOM was my favorite out of the 3 schools in Arkansas. UAMS seemed a little arrogant, at my interview it was like they thought i should be honored to have the interview. At my ARCOM interview they acted like they were honored to have me there. Big difference.

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Doctors&Dragons said:
Is it bad if I’m wanting to choose this school over several options, even UAMS? I honestly really loved it when I was there.
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I get that notion, but for the love of all gods that you believe in, don't pick a DO school over an MD. Do your career path a favor by going with the school that will make your life easier, which is UAMS
 
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Doctors&Dragons said:
Is it bad if I’m wanting to choose this school over several options, even UAMS? I honestly really loved it when I was there.
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I chose ARCOM over another well established DO school, and it was mostly due to higher tuition and location. Also, I felt like ARCOM was a better fit for me based on their curriculum and the atmosphere there. In other words, I didn't think getting more student loan debt at another DO school was worth the ARCOM difference IMO. BUT I would NEVER decline any MD program for any DO one no matter how I felt about it. Going MD is just going to be the best option for you in the long run PERIOD. There's no better way to put this. I had 1 MD II (in-state) out of the 6 MDs I applied to, and I'm still waiting for a decision (probably going to come in the next couple of weeks). If I do get in that MD program, it's a no brainer, I'll have to go there. This time, it would simply not be like declining one DO for another. Anyway, with that being said, choose wisely, and do what's best for you and your future career.

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At this point md and do will make no difference in the match program since they will be merged by 2020. In all my medical experience I have seen good and bad md and DOs. The only difference i have seen between the two is how they interact with patients. DOs tend to connect more with their patients, its a big part of their training. Thats not to say mds dont, i have seen some that do. Pick the school you like the most. What you have at the end of your name doesnt matter.

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TheWorm said:
At this point md and do will make no difference in the match program since they will be merged by 2020. In all my medical experience I have seen good and bad md and DOs. The only difference i have seen between the two is how they interact with patients. DOs tend to connect more with their patients, its a big part of their training. Thats not to say mds dont, i have seen some that do. Pick the school you like the most. What you have at the end of your name doesnt matter.

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I sure hope so, but no one really knows what's going to happen after the merger.

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TheWorm said:
At this point md and do will make no difference in the match program since they will be merged by 2020. In all my medical experience I have seen good and bad md and DOs. The only difference i have seen between the two is how they interact with patients. DOs tend to connect more with their patients, its a big part of their training. Thats not to say mds dont, i have seen some that do. Pick the school you like the most. What you have at the end of your name doesnt matter.

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You can say that, but no one really knows yet. No OMM, more time/opportunities to pursue research, access to teaching hospitals...etc

MD just opens more doors, especially if you want to pursue a competitive specialty
 
Magus5454 said:
You can say that, but no one really knows yet. No OMM, more time/opportunities to pursue research, access to teaching hospitals...etc

MD just opens more doors, especially if you want to pursue a competitive specialty
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I completely agree with the extra brag rights you can get in that time. But as a practicing physician I would rather have OMM under my belt than time spent in research or volunteering. I love both, but I don't see myself doing research when I am a physician.

It honestly comes down to your interest and work ethic. I don't think anyone should say dont choose DO over MD pr MD over DO. It's what you find interesting. Plus the OMM is only 200 hours over your time in Med school.

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TheWorm said:
I completely agree with the extra brag rights you can get in that time. But as a practicing physician I would rather have OMM under my belt than time spent in research or volunteering. I love both, but I don't see myself doing research when I am a physician.

It honestly comes down to your interest and work ethic. I don't think anyone should say dont choose DO over MD pr MD over DO. It's what you find interesting. Plus the OMM is only 200 hours over your time in Med school.

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Totally missed my point. For the competitive specialities you will have to put in research, etc. As an MD or DO. If you want to do something like FM or another less competive speciality, DO is fine.

The merger is wiping out the DO only competitive speciality residency spots, so if you want to pursue something like plastics, derm, ENT, etc..
 
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I agree with Magus5454. The merger is going to make things worse for DOs. I just interviewed at LECOM and the dean was very blunt and said he expects the merger to wipe out most of the DO specialty residencies. He even brought up the match list from the previous year and said we should not expect to get spots in any of the specialties that were matched previously. I interviewed at ARCOM and I absolutely loved it, but I would take a terrible US MD program over ARCOM any day just because of the unknown for DO with the merger.
 
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Magus5454 said:
Totally missed my point. For the competitive specialities you will have to put in research, etc. As an MD or DO. If you want to do something like FM or another less competive speciality, DO is fine.

The merger is wiping out the DO only competitive speciality residency spots, so if you want to pursue something like plastics, derm, ENT, etc..
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In my situation, I’m really not considering the more competitive specialties, and am almost entirely certain that I want to do IM. Also location, and proximity to family are factors in my decision. Would you say that puts me in a position that those saying to never pick any DO over any MD may not be right about?
 
Tr1LL said:
I get that notion, but for the love of all gods that you believe in, don't pick a DO school over an MD. Do your career path a favor by going with the school that will make your life easier, which is UAMS
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If my career goals are to stay in Arkansas in primary care, do you think it matters as much as it would for the general student? I feel like being 48th in healthcare access and outcomes affords me some wiggle room to take a calculated risk and go to the school I liked better and felt I could grow more at, while still being able to practice in the manner and environment that I want. (Genuine question here) Would it still be a case where I should not even consider anywhere but my state allopathic school?
 
Doctors&Dragons said:
If my career goals are to stay in Arkansas in primary care, do you think it matters as much as it would for the general student? I feel like being 48th in healthcare access and outcomes affords me some wiggle room to take a calculated risk and go to the school I liked better and felt I could grow more at, while still being able to practice in the manner and environment that I want. (Genuine question here) Would it still be a case where I should not even consider anywhere but my state allopathic school?
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Even if you're considering a primary care path and want to stay in Arkansas, UAMS will give you the easier route with least resistance to your desired residency. I'm not familiar with UAMS but I'm sure they're cheaper than ARCOM, also I'm positively sure they have their own teaching hospital since it's a state funded MD school. Both those things will play to your advantage. Factor the time that you won't be forced to spend doing OMM, and you are at a big advantage compared to your DO counterparts at ARCOM. I loved ARCOM but it's only logical to pick any MD acceptance over every DO school.

There is a huge difference in training between middle of the pack community hospital residency and a top academic center. Let's say you are an average MD student, then that average USMLE score will still get you in better institutions for residency than us peasants at the DO side. I know it's been said that your happiness should matter and going with your gut is advised, but listen to the swarms of people that are telling you to go the MD route.
 
JaMkHa2017 said:
Will there be an admitted student day anytime soon where students can meet other accepted students who have finalized ARCOM as their choice?
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Doctors&Dragons said:
Is it bad if I’m wanting to choose this school over several options, even UAMS? I honestly really loved it when I was there.
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I don’t think it’s bad at all. I think it’s important to take into account where you will feel most comfortable and be able to do your best. Regardless of where you choose, what you get out of medical school is what you put into it. It doesn’t matter how big or small the school is, I think the top priority should always be yourself when making a choice like this.
 
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jnhh812 said:
Hello, everyone!
I am applying for the 2018-2019 cycle at ARCOM. I was hoping to get some feedback from students who are familiar with ARCOM's application/interview process. I want to start my application in May as soon as it opens, but I will not get my MCAT scores back until July 3. The admissions office said that was fine as long as I notify them of my score.

-When did you apply and when did you get your secondaries/interviews?
-Do you know when the earliest interviews are conducted?
-For those who have been accepted: what are your stats?

ARCOM is my first choice by far. I live in Fort Smith and graduated from UAFS. My family and my husband's family live close, so we both would like to stay where we are (my husband is applying too). I like to be as prepared as possible, so any other information would be much appreciated :)
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Apply early. This would be my advice for all schools. I received a quick response submitting my application early. I received a secondary within a few days and an interview a couple of weeks after that. I felt like the quick turn around time was due to being early in the cycle. Keep in mind that you have to have a letter of recommendation from an osteopathic physician to fulfill their requirements and they won't make a decision until all requirements are met. I had and above average GPA and my MCAT was average. They called me with an acceptance a week after my interview. Good luck to you!
 
Froggg said:
Apply early. This would be my advice for all schools. I received a quick response submitting my application early. I received a secondary within a few days and an interview a couple of weeks after that. I felt like the quick turn around time was due to being early in the cycle. Keep in mind that you have to have a letter of recommendation from an osteopathic physician to fulfill their requirements and they won't make a decision until all requirements are met. I had and above average GPA and my MCAT was average. They called me with an acceptance a week after my interview. Good luck to you!
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I just realized this was an old post.... but says 2018-2019 cycle which I'm assuming is for class of 2023.
 
Did they stop interviewing yet or are they still doing so
 
Has anyone been pulled off the WL recently?
 
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TheWorm said:
At this point md and do will make no difference in the match program since they will be merged by 2020. In all my medical experience I have seen good and bad md and DOs. The only difference i have seen between the two is how they interact with patients. DOs tend to connect more with their patients, its a big part of their training. Thats not to say mds dont, i have seen some that do. Pick the school you like the most. What you have at the end of your name doesnt matter.

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Not true at all. DO's were protected with the AOA residencies and were able to match into the AOA ortho residencies and AOA derm residencies. They were protected because MD's couldn't apply to them. Now, since they are merging, MD and DO will all apply to the same programs. This makes it a lot harder for a DO to match into a competitive specialty than before. The reasons are as stated above: access to teaching hospitals, not having to take 2 board exams, having more time because of no OMM to research or even board prep. I would hands down take any US MD school over any DO school
 
smurfeyD said:
Not true at all. DO's were protected with the AOA residencies and were able to match into the AOA ortho residencies and AOA derm residencies. They were protected because MD's couldn't apply to them. Now, since they are merging, MD and DO will all apply to the same programs. This makes it a lot harder for a DO to match into a competitive specialty than before. The reasons are as stated above: access to teaching hospitals, not having to take 2 board exams, having more time because of no OMM to research or even board prep. I would hands down take any US MD school over any DO school
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Misunderstood me, i said there will be no difference in they match program... meaning they will go through the dame process. MD and DO will apply to the same programs. DO's however will not have to take two exams or worry about a bias when applying to an MD program. I would rather have the knowledge of OMM personally. Many DO students I have talked to told me they have plenty of time to do research/volunteer. Its all about what you want out of your medical school and how you delegate your time. I chose ARCOM before UAMS even sent out their acceptance letters because I preferred ARCOM. I made that statement because some people were saying to choose MD over DO. It is a preference, people shouldnt put DO schools down because they want different things out of their school.

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TheWorm said:
DO's however will not have to take two exams
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Even though the merger makes COMLEX meaningless, it will still be required to graduate. There is no indication that DO students will be able to take only the USMLE and still be able to graduate.

TheWorm said:
worry about a bias when applying to an MD program.
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There is always going to be a general bias against DOs. There are a good number of MD residency programs that will not even consider DO candidates. The merger will essentially make every program an MD program.

TheWorm said:
I chose ARCOM before UAMS even sent out their acceptance letters because I preferred ARCOM
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On paper, any MD school is better than any DO school and that's all any of us can say. Nobody on this site can tell you what school is right for you and if you think ARCOM gives you the better chance for success, go for it!
 
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Odds that there will be DO residency programs that won’t consider mds
 
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giguerex35 said:
Odds that there will be DO residency programs that won’t consider mds
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Same goes the other way. The merger doesnt regulate the usmle/comlex test requirement that the residency chooses to put in place. It mostly creates a central accreditation. Some DO residencies had both AOA and ACGME accreditation and some had only AOA. Now they will all be ACGME.

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Hi all, ARCOM was my back up school
as I live in Tulsa and will need to commute. I got an invite for an interview this Friday. If anyone can point me towards posts regarding interview prep that would be great. Also, what is the current climate there for commuters? Is there any form of interactive lectures or attendance when needed? Last question is about 3rd and 4th year. Does ARCOM allow out of state rotations? I’m wondering if I can rotate through sites closer to home. Thanks in advance!
 
medschool1718 said:
did you happen to overhear when they are going to start pulling from the waitlist? haha
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It’s going to be around May when some students jump ship for UAMS- instate MD school. That happened last year around that time as well.
 
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Faustian said:
It’s going to be around May when some students jump ship for UAMS- instate MD school. That happened last year around that time as well.
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i saw on last years thread that there was some movement towards the end of March. the wait is so hard!
 
Does anyone know details about the March 24th open house? ie. What time the events start and end?
 
JaMkHa2017 said:
Does anyone know details about the March 24th open house? ie. What time the events start and end?
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You’ll receive the details once they’re finalized. The current students are very excited to meet the incoming class.
 
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Faustian said:
You’ll receive the details once they’re finalized. The current students are very excited to meet the incoming class.
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I am super excited to meet the current students and faculty. Our trip will be very long. Over 12+ hour car drive. My husband and I are planning to fly half way and drive the rest. But I think it will be worth the travel again to meet everyone!
 
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