2017-2018 Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine (RVU-COM)

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2XY1XX said:
paid my first deposit for utah tonight. definitely excited to be part of 2022!
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Have you received the actual letter of acceptance in the mail? and have you done the background check?
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tdinh12 said:
Have you received the actual letter of acceptance in the mail? and have you done the background check?
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not in the mail, but just on the portal. I think background check and drug test are on hold right now because they are working with a new company... that is what I gathered from the portal paperwork.
 
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skyhighdreamer said:
They had mentioned that RVU has fairly long academic years (July - June), do you think that leads to burnout? Does having a long academic year make the pace a bit slower? How have you been able to adjust to it? Also, how do you think RVU and the curriculum have been doing in terms of preparing you for a future practicing on your own? Essentially, would you choose to go to RVU again if you could do it all over again? Thank you so much in advance for being available to answer questions! :)
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Congratulations again for getting in! :D In an effort to be thorough, my answer might get a bit long and wordy, but hope you'll bear with me, haha. Here goes.

For your question on burnout... I'm not going to sugar coat it. Burnout it REAL at RVU (can't speak for other medical schools, but I can't imagine there is a total lack of burnout out there, either). I have experienced it, most often towards the end of the semester as you're nearing break, and at times we all wonder what we're doing and why we're spending our days in and out studying all the time. I don't think the pace is much slower than at other schools, if it is at all, though unfortunately I'm unable to directly compare between different schools. It certainly does not feel like a slow pace, so be prepared to potentially get your butt kicked once you start school, haha. Adjusting to it has been a challenge, but over time I think you start developing not only your own studying style (because everyone studies very differently), but also your own expectations.

But what I do love most about RVU is the amount of support they give and encourage -->
From Day 1, they try really hard to drill it into your head that the best way to get through the year is to help each other and your fellow classmates. Because competition is great and dandy (I, personally, am all for it), but not when it causes students to sabotage each other and be reluctant to give out help to your peers. Our class really took this to heart, and it's great being able to talk to each other, ask for help, and after an exam, before celebrating at dinner or something, you'll often hear someone ask "But, everyone here is okay, right? Made it through this exam?" The 2021 class after us, from what I've seen, has also been doing great at this, posting study guides and notes online for their peers. And the faculty is just as supportive - in particular, our US professor always gives a good reminder that while school is tough now, things get better, and the reason we're in medical school isn't to be in medical school, but to become doctors. and going through these next two tough years is merely a stepping stone. :) I often remind myself of that when I'm in a ditch, and things do look brighter at the end of the tunnel, so to speak.

And as for the curriculum, I certainly think that it's one of the strongest points at RVU, other than the environment.
I'm sure you have a good gist of it, but I'll explain it here for those who are curious about it as well. Essentially RVU does it systems based - in other words, we go through each system of the body, and learn everything relating to it. For example, the first course of winter semester is GI (gastrointestinal system), where we learn the anatomy, embryo, physio, etc. Another thing about our curriculum, though, is that in your first year, you will go through every single system, learning the NORMAL physiology (with some patho scattered here and there to keep things relevant). So by the end of first year, you will have hit every single system you're required to know.
Now, come second year, you repeat the process, going through every single system, but with a lot more emphasis on the PATHOLOGY of each system. In other words, what can go wrong with each system.
The idea behind this is that by allowing students to see every single system twice, the repetition further reinforces the information you have to learn, essentially preparing you for taking the boards in the summer. Can't say how much it has helped me for board prep yet, but I believe the school pass rate speaks for itself.

At the end of the day, I don't have any regrets to coming out to RVU for school, and I would likely do it all over the same, again! Not to say the school is perfect, because it isn't. We've had our share of issues here and there... but I will believe that no matter what school you go to, there will always be issues here and there. When I look at the positives of the school, the big picture, as well as the faculty and how they've tried to help prepare us to become residents (Dr. Stasio likes to emphasize the fact that medical school preps for residency, and then residency preps you to become real doctors), I can't help but think I made the right choice. I can say that though medical school has been tough so far, I have enjoyed my time here so far.
 
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odette115 said:
Congratulations again for getting in! :D In an effort to be thorough, my answer might get a bit long and wordy, but hope you'll bear with me, haha. Here goes.

For your question on burnout... I'm not going to sugar coat it. Burnout it REAL at RVU (can't speak for other medical schools, but I can't imagine there is a total lack of burnout out there, either). I have experienced it, most often towards the end of the semester as you're nearing break, and at times we all wonder what we're doing and why we're spending our days in and out studying all the time. I don't think the pace is much slower than at other schools, if it is at all, though unfortunately I'm unable to directly compare between different schools. It certainly does not feel like a slow pace, so be prepared to potentially get your butt kicked once you start school, haha. Adjusting to it has been a challenge, but over time I think you start developing not only your own studying style (because everyone studies very differently), but also your own expectations.

But what I do love most about RVU is the amount of support they give and encourage -->
From Day 1, they try really hard to drill it into your head that the best way to get through the year is to help each other and your fellow classmates. Because competition is great and dandy (I, personally, am all for it), but not when it causes students to sabotage each other and be reluctant to give out help to your peers. Our class really took this to heart, and it's great being able to talk to each other, ask for help, and after an exam, before celebrating at dinner or something, you'll often hear someone ask "But, everyone here is okay, right? Made it through this exam?" The 2021 class after us, from what I've seen, has also been doing great at this, posting study guides and notes online for their peers. And the faculty is just as supportive - in particular, our US professor always gives a good reminder that while school is tough now, things get better, and the reason we're in medical school isn't to be in medical school, but to become doctors. and going through these next two tough years is merely a stepping stone. :) I often remind myself of that when I'm in a ditch, and things do look brighter at the end of the tunnel, so to speak.

And as for the curriculum, I certainly think that it's one of the strongest points at RVU, other than the environment.
I'm sure you have a good gist of it, but I'll explain it here for those who are curious about it as well. Essentially RVU does it systems based - in other words, we go through each system of the body, and learn everything relating to it. For example, the first course of winter semester is GI (gastrointestinal system), where we learn the anatomy, embryo, physio, etc. Another thing about our curriculum, though, is that in your first year, you will go through every single system, learning the NORMAL physiology (with some patho scattered here and there to keep things relevant). So by the end of first year, you will have hit every single system you're required to know.
Now, come second year, you repeat the process, going through every single system, but with a lot more emphasis on the PATHOLOGY of each system. In other words, what can go wrong with each system.
The idea behind this is that by allowing students to see every single system twice, the repetition further reinforces the information you have to learn, essentially preparing you for taking the boards in the summer. Can't say how much it has helped me for board prep yet, but I believe the school pass rate speaks for itself.

At the end of the day, I don't have any regrets to coming out to RVU for school, and I would likely do it all over the same, again! Not to say the school is perfect, because it isn't. We've had our share of issues here and there... but I will believe that no matter what school you go to, there will always be issues here and there. When I look at the positives of the school, the big picture, as well as the faculty and how they've tried to help prepare us to become residents (Dr. Stasio likes to emphasize the fact that medical school preps for residency, and then residency preps you to become real doctors), I can't help but think I made the right choice. I can say that though medical school has been tough so far, I have enjoyed my time here so far.
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Thank you SO much for this detailed and thorough response! It is extremely helpful to me (and to others as well, I am sure)! We all appreciate you taking the time out of your busy life to help us out. It is very encouraging and comforting to hear that you have no regrets going to RVU and would attend there again. Thank you again! Your response has been incredibly helpful and has made my decision picking schools that much easier :)
 
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What is the interview format at RVU? Traditional, panel, or MMI? Is it open or closed file?
 
Kimochero said:
And open file.
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Actually, it's not entirely open file. They only have access to your secondary application, so they don't see your GPA or MCAT. The belief is that if you got an interview, your academic credentials were good enough.
 
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Does anyone know what time they usually call after they admission commite meets post interviews? Like morning or afternoon?
 
Anyone have the secondary prompts? It doesn't appear you can go back and look at them once you have an interview scheduled.
 
Wilddrpepper said:
Does anyone know what time they usually call after they admission commite meets post interviews? Like morning or afternoon?
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From both schools I got my call at around 2 in the afternoon, and on here I noticed people started getting calls after at least noon
 
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fldoctorgirl said:
Actually, it's not entirely open file. They only have access to your secondary application, so they don't see your GPA or MCAT. The belief is that if you got an interview, your academic credentials were good enough.
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My interviewers had definitely read my primary application. I think they just redact the GPA/MCAT but let them access everything else.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
Actually, it's not entirely open file. They only have access to your secondary application, so they don't see your GPA or MCAT. The belief is that if you got an interview, your academic credentials were good enough.
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They actually ask me questions in regards to my primaries and personal statement.

BombsAway said:
My interviewers had definitely read my primary application. I think they just redact the GPA/MCAT but let them access everything else.
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Mine too.
 
I submitted by supplemental on 9/11 and am still not marked complete. Should I contact the admissions office or just wait a little longer?
 
pb_kines said:
I submitted by supplemental on 9/11 and am still not marked complete. Should I contact the admissions office or just wait a little longer?
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Longer. I submitted mine mid- late August and was marked complete last week.
 
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Both campuses referenced my primaries and secondaries in the interview. In CO they told me directly they had everything I've submitted to aacomas, my LOR's and my secondary, and only grades and MCAT have been stripped. My first interviewer specifically told me "I like how you said ----- in your personal statement."
 
Accepted to the CO campus!!!!!!! I'm so excited
 
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For 10/9 interview.. we should be hearing today right?
 
Accepted to CO just now. Interviewed 10/4. My first choice over MD schools as well. Will be canceling DO interviews and withdrawing my UT acceptance soon. Look forward to meeting my future classmates!
 
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Anyone who interviewed 10/9 through 10/11 gotten a call yet??? Anxiously waiting for my phone to ring ><
 
They said us 10/9 people could also hear back on Tuesday! I guess it depends if they manage to get through all the earlier dates first.
 
Just got the call!!!!! I'm going to be a doctor omg
 
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Accepted! I'm so dumb, I accidentally deleted the voicemail before I heard the rest. Can anyone please tell me if there were some instructions at the end?
 
Petrana2013 said:
Accepted! I'm so dumb, I accidentally deleted the voicemail before I heard the rest. Can anyone please tell me if there were some instructions at the end?
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No, they just said the portal won't get updated till tomorrow more than likely because they are trying to get to call everyone first.
 
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Just got the email!!! I gave them my new phone number and almost had a sad heart attack!
 
Last edited:
Just paid the deposit for the Utah campus! Been pondering on it for the last couple of weeks and honestly the cost of living in St George vs Parker is a pretty big push to choosing that campus. Congrats who was accepted yesterday!
 
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have anyone done background and drug test ? I can't find any information on that
 
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