2018-2019 Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (Middletown Campus)

[deleted954943]

How well do people score on these weekly exams on average?

Exam averages are usually in the mid 80s but can be lower. I'm finding out that the people who are the most adept at cramming and memorizing are the ones who get the best grades. I happen to suck at rote memorization so the lack of time to study kills me.

Do you know why the board passage rates are so low? I’ve asked several current students, and nobody seems to know. One out of five students failing COMLEX 2 is pretty concerning.

No, I'm not even famiiar with our pass rates. I should probably look that up.

Ahh ok. But if you get 50% (which is failing) you get 5 points to your overall grade. Ehh not bad. I do think schools that have non-mandatory lectures have a huge advantage. Stinks they have not caught on yet here. Cramming for 2 years does not sound fun! Being in the middle of it sucks and is hard. But it certainly prepares you for a life in healthcare!! (at least from my viewpoint right now)

I boggles my mind that they have not taken action yet. The faculty are aware, that much I do know. They insist that discussion of topics is necessary for learning. True enough, but if you haven't got the slightest idea of what you're discussing, then how is that helpful? It is truly wicked and depraved. The frustration of being required to attend something that is ultimately detrimental to your learning and your grade is very difficult to let go.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[deleted954943]

Right, and I’d feel better about this situation if the faculty or administrators actually acknowledged it on interview day—if they said, “hey, we’ve got some stuff to try to work on as a new school, and here’s our plan.” But there was nothing like that. I’ve wondered if they’re just in denial of the fact that their board passage rates are some of the lowest among all the DO schools in the country.

And I have trouble believing that it’s a coincidence that the board scores are low at both the Harlem campus and the Middletown campus. They have an entire curriculum in common, and to my mind, that seems to be the culprit.

I’m grateful to have been accepted to med school, and Touro-Middletown has some really great qualities that appeal to me... but this is something that’s truly disturbing. Board scores are king, and board passage is truly a necessity.

I take it you've been accepted? Well congrats and buckle up. I wish I had more words of consolation but this curriculum is really designed to make preparing for tests as difficult as possible. They think that they can manage your time better than you can manage your time. Their argument is that in the absence of extrinsic motivation, students would fail at their obligations to study. What a load of crap.

 

[926585]

All it really took was one disgruntled post from one person to ignite this forum into a hot debate! TouroCOM COMLEX 1 is among the top performers in the nation, so I don't know what is the fuss with all the negative talk about low pass rates. I can understand if you're talking about COMLEX 2 and 3 scores etc..but even with that is not a blame on the curriculum per se, but more so on the quality of your clinical rotations, and most importantly, your motivation to do well on boards.

Talking about curriculum issues, and mandatory attendance, take a look at UNECOM, PCOM-Gorgegia, LECOM etc...read their threads and you'll find out what those students have to go through.

Again, I'm not here to create more heated debate, but at this point in time, give yourself a pad on the shoulders for making this far, and that you're in a US med school system, and be thankful for that. Take it the opportunity, keep your head low, study hard, and may the rest of your journey to becoming a physician be safe and sound.

 

[HaveAnOsteoblast]

All it really took was one disgruntled post from one person to ignite this forum into a hot debate! TouroCOM COMLEX 1 is among the top performers in the nation, so I don't know what is the fuss with all the negative talk about low pass rates. I can understand if you're talking about COMLEX 2 and 3 scores etc..but even with that is not a blame on the curriculum per se, but more so on the quality of your clinical rotations, and most importantly, your motivation to do well on boards.

Talking about curriculum issues, and mandatory attendance, take a look at UNECOM, PCOM-Gorgegia, LECOM etc...read their threads and you'll find out what those students have to go through.

Again, I'm not here to create more heated debate, but at this point in time, give yourself a pad on the shoulders for making this far, and that you're in a US med school system, and be thankful for that. Take it the opportunity, keep your head low, study hard, and may the rest of your journey to becoming a physician be safe and sound.

If you think Middletown’s 93% COMLEX 1 passage rate was a “top performer” rate, then I don’t know what to tell you. The national average was 96%, so idk how 93% is “top performing.” Anyway, I was primarily talking about COMLEX 2, which one of five students failed the first time.

Also, the mandatory lecture attendance at LECOM, UNECOM, etc., is way better than mandatory clicker sessions. At the schools with mandatory lecture attendance, people are able to just put on their headphones, study on their computers during the in-person lectures, and then watch the lectures at 2x speed later. With clicker sessions, it’s completely different: you have to be constantly paying attention so you can Ctrl+F through your PowerPoint and click on time.

Again, I appreciate your optimistic attitude toward the situation. I plan to try my best and excel to the extent that I can, but I can’t get myself to look forward to such an unpleasant (and unnecessary) uphill battle. Oh, well. It is what it is, I guess.

 

[medicinepassion1]

The whole optimistic attitude is kind of naive in my opinion. Yes, we have all been accepted into a US medical school. However, medicine is a field of constant improvement, we shouldn't have to "keep our heads low". If there is change needed, the school should be open to suggestions. And I doubt they can be the top performers in the nation if they have trouble with the PE portion. As to COMLEX 3 that's just mainly the result of your intern year, barely has anything to do with med school.

 

[DObank18]

All it really took was one disgruntled post from one person to ignite this forum into a hot debate! TouroCOM COMLEX 1 is among the top performers in the nation, so I don't know what is the fuss with all the negative talk about low pass rates. I can understand if you're talking about COMLEX 2 and 3 scores etc..but even with that is not a blame on the curriculum per se, but more so on the quality of your clinical rotations, and most importantly, your motivation to do well on boards.

Talking about curriculum issues, and mandatory attendance, take a look at UNECOM, PCOM-Gorgegia, LECOM etc...read their threads and you'll find out what those students have to go through.

Again, I'm not here to create more heated debate, but at this point in time, give yourself a pad on the shoulders for making this far, and that you're in a US med school system, and be thankful for that. Take it the opportunity, keep your head low, study hard, and may the rest of your journey to becoming a physician be safe and sound.

THANK YOU!. I was reading all this at work today and couldn't help myself but ask what the heck was happening. STOP with the fear mongering. If you aren't comfortable with reverse lectures and clicker sessions, why the heck did you apply here!? I CHOSE this school because I thought this learning style would fit my needs. Speculating about stuff you have no experience in does nothing but freak everybody out and is not healthy at all. There have been two "current" disgruntled students who have come on to complain and scare everybody: This being the "wifi guy" and the one that started this fire storm about the lectures and being "thrown in the ocean with your hands tied behind your back" they clearly have a vendetta against the school

As far as the "low" scores go, if you are already that worried about being the bottom 7-10% who dont pass various tests on their first try, then you are selling yourself very short BEFORE YOU EVEN BEGIN and I feel sorry for you. As takeshi, said, "Take the opportunity, keep your head low, study hard, and may the rest of your journey to becoming a physician be safe and sound." Most importantly, however, for the love of god please stop trashing the school that myself and over a 100 other eager students chose as the stepping stone for their medical education.

 

[926585]

THANK YOU!. I was reading all this at work today and couldn't help myself but ask what the heck was happening. STOP with the fear mongering. If you aren't comfortable with reverse lectures and clicker sessions, why the heck did you apply here!? I CHOSE this school because I thought this learning style would fit my needs. Speculating about stuff you have no experience in does nothing but freak everybody out and is not healthy at all. There have been two "current" disgruntled students who have come on to complain and scare everybody: This being the "wifi guy" and the one that started this fire storm about the lectures and being "thrown in the ocean with your hands tied behind your back" they clearly have a vendetta against the school

As far as the "low" scores go, if you are already that worried about being the bottom 7-10% who dont pass various tests on their first try, then you are selling yourself very short BEFORE YOU EVEN BEGIN and I feel sorry for you. As takeshi, said, "Take the opportunity, keep your head low, study hard, and may the rest of your journey to becoming a physician be safe and sound." Most importantly, however, for the love of god please stop trashing the school that myself and over a 100 other eager students chose as the stepping stone for their medical education.

I don’t know you, but I already have this feeling of connection with you, not bc you backed me up, but bc your reasons resonate with me 100%!

 

[medicinepassion1]

I don't think anybody in this forum has "trashed" the school. Concerns were simply raised. Constructive critcism is nothing future physicians nor institutions should shy away from.

 

[Spongeman7]

Interview invite via email just now!
Secondary submitted Aug 29 and completed email received Sep 4
2 options-- september 17 and october 15
stats: ivy league grad MCAT 502 sGPA 3.2 cGPA 3.4

Congratulations! Sorry to have a question, but are you URM and what state? Thank you so much and great job!!!

 

[HaveAnOsteoblast]

THANK YOU!. I was reading all this at work today and couldn't help myself but ask what the heck was happening. STOP with the fear mongering. If you aren't comfortable with reverse lectures and clicker sessions, why the heck did you apply here!? I CHOSE this school because I thought this learning style would fit my needs. Speculating about stuff you have no experience in does nothing but freak everybody out and is not healthy at all. There have been two "current" disgruntled students who have come on to complain and scare everybody: This being the "wifi guy" and the one that started this fire storm about the lectures and being "thrown in the ocean with your hands tied behind your back" they clearly have a vendetta against the school

As far as the "low" scores go, if you are already that worried about being the bottom 7-10% who dont pass various tests on their first try, then you are selling yourself very short BEFORE YOU EVEN BEGIN and I feel sorry for you. As takeshi, said, "Take the opportunity, keep your head low, study hard, and may the rest of your journey to becoming a physician be safe and sound." Most importantly, however, for the love of god please stop trashing the school that myself and over a 100 other eager students chose as the stepping stone for their medical education.

I apologize. I didn’t mean to upset or anger anybody. My intention wasn’t to fear monger. Like I said above, I think Touro-Middletown has some really great qualities that appeal to me, and that’s why I applied there in the first place.

I’m not a superstar applicant by any stretch of the imagination, so I’m grateful to have a shot of going to a med school where a majority of students can graduate and become physicians (unlike Caribbean programs). I’m not going to mince my words: Touro-NY was my first med school acceptance, and the day I got accepted was the best day of my life.

I’m not trying bash Touro-Middletown and make it look bad; I have no interest in doing that. It’s just that going to this school is a >$300K investment for me (not counting interest), so I thought I’d share some of my concerns about the curriculum/past outcomes and see what others thought of them.

 

[medicinepassion1]

Does anyone know how they do for USMLE Step 1? For certain specialties that's much more important than COMLEX.

 

[JudgeIsInTheHouse]

Not really sure how I feel about incoming students telling current students that they are “fear-mongering” for taking the time and sharing the truth. It’s practically disrespectful. Listen guys...the points that people are making about the curriculum are all very, very valid. You won’t truly understand the toll of the mandatory clicker sessions until you’re sitting here. It’s not just a matter of time but a matter of energy that is constantly being taxed by having to attend classes during the day and studying for tests at night and on weekends. Every hour that you spend watching a video for a clicker session the next day is an hour that you are not allocating for studying lectures for the upcoming test. This isn’t anywhere close to undergrad test preparation by the way: you need multiple passes through all the slides to take these tests. When you add up all the slides from the past three written exams (all three taken within 14 days of each other), you are looking at a total of a little less than 2,000 slides total. Throw in the OMM and OSCE practicals for a good time. This is the way we do things here at Touro.

 

[BobbyKoch]

A few points:

The clicker sessions don't usually help you with the upcoming test because the exams cover previous material. In other words, in the week before the test you will be attending clicker sessions that cover the following exam, not the upcoming one.

As some have pointed out, the difference between mandatory lectures at other schools and pseudo-mandatory clickers is that once you attend the lecture at the other school you're "done." At Touro, count on a 1:1, 2:1 or even 3:1 ratio in terms of hours of video lecture per clicker session. With 21+ credits first semester this equates to a TON of time! Granted, no one watches the videos on 1x and some people don't watch them at all.

 

[deleted954943]

Not really sure how I feel about incoming students telling current students that they are “fear-mongering” for taking the time and sharing the truth. It’s practically disrespectful. Listen guys...the points that people are making about the curriculum are all very, very valid. You won’t truly understand the toll of the mandatory clicker sessions until you’re sitting here. It’s not just a matter of time but a matter of energy that is constantly being taxed by having to attend classes during the day and studying for tests at night and on weekends. Every hour that you spend watching a video for a clicker session the next day is an hour that you are not allocating for studying lectures for the upcoming test. This isn’t anywhere close to undergrad test preparation by the way: you need multiple passes through all the slides to take these tests. When you add up all the slides from the past three written exams (all three taken within 14 days of each other), you are looking at a total of a little less than 2,000 slides total. Throw in the OMM and OSCE practicals for a good time. This is the way we do things here at Touro.

Perfectly well said. I forgot to bring up the point about how taxing it is to sit in clickers for 8 hours, and then be expected to put in another 5-6 hours of quality study time at the end of the day. My criticisms about the curriculum have nothing to do with a personal vendetta against the school. Relating my experience with the clicker sessions and commenting on objective data about pass rates is not "trashing" anything. I am being as objective as possible in presenting the facts about the curriculum. Just because what I'm saying is negative, does not mean I am fear mongering or inciting an argument (who's arguing anyway?). Think about how the flipped classroom was intended to give students more flexibility in scheduling and greater freedom in their approach to studying. What I'm saying is that the exact opposite happens. You lose any and all flexibility because so much of your time is spent in clickers and you are forced to devote all of your efforts to the next crisis. The scheduling is so bad, that sometimes ~30 people will fail an exam. This happened 3 times this year that I can think of. That should never happen in a medical school and when it does, the blame shifts from the students to the admin. Also to incoming students having such strong opinions on this issue with no experience -- I'll say again: I can't wait for you to try it.

 

[deleted954943]

And if anyone's fragile emotions are in need of some positivity--I really think Touro would have a great curriculum IF we weren't required to attend clickers. A vast improvement would be to mandate attendance at half of the sessions this way students can choose which ones to come to. Sometimes it is simply not economic to come to class so that lack of choice is the main source of strain.

 

[BobbyKoch]

I think it would also be improved by having actual in-person, non-mandatory lectures. They could update them easily, you could actually interact with the faculty, and they could use their suite of video equipment to record and post them.

 

[deleted954943]

I don’t know you, but I already have this feeling of connection with you....

Dude it's an online post. Calm down.

 

[926585]

Dude it's an online post. Calm down.

It's funny that you said that. I was gonna say the same for you. You and a few others may have made your point about the clicker sessions, but those who can read, can also tell what kind of a student you are. I'll leave it as that.

 

[HaveAnOsteoblast]

It's funny that you said that. I was gonna say the same for you. You and a few others may have made your point about the clicker sessions, but those who can read, can also tell what kind of a student you are. I'll leave it as that.

As someone who can read, I’ll tell you what kind of student he is: a current student at TouroCOM-NY (unlike either one of us). There are multiple current students saying the exact same things about the “exams-every-week + clicker” curriculum, and if you go to past threads, you’ll find even more students from both the Harlem and Middletown campuses sharing the same concerns.

Anyway, glad you’re maintaining your optimism. I’ll see you in the 2019-2020 cycle thread, where you might be singing a different tune when talking to prospective students.

 

[926585]

As someone who can read, I’ll tell you what kind of student he is: a current student at TouroCOM-NY (unlike either one of us). There are multiple current students saying the exact same things about the “exams-every-week + clicker” curriculum, and if you go to past threads, you’ll find even more students from both the Harlem and Middletown campuses sharing the same concerns.

Anyway, glad you’re maintaining your optimism. I’ll see you in the 2019-2020 cycle thread, where you might be singing a different tune when talking to prospective students.

Trust me, I won't be lurking on these forums complaining about this and that when I have an issue. I would rather use my time wisely to cope with the problems head on.

 

[dr.doglover]

Dude it's an online post. Calm down.

I find it amazing that you’re complaining about not having adequate time to prepare for exams and clicker sessions, yet you’ve spent a good majority of your time on here...

 

[deleted954943]

I find it amazing that you’re complaining about not having adequate time to prepare for exams and clicker sessions, yet you’ve spent a good majority of your time on here...

I've spent a good majority of my time on here? And how much time was that exactly? Are you familiar with my daily schedule that you can conclude I've spent "a good majority" of my time "complaining"? You shouldn't make such definitive statements in the absence of facts. And I'm not complaining at all; I'm simply relating the experience of most of the students here. There's a difference between the way things are and the way we'd like them to be. I think the people who are triggered by my posts are disturbed by the possibility (i.e. reality) that Touro's curriculum is seriously flawed. If you think I'm just some whining brat struggling through medical school, then why don't you just ignore me? I have said nothing disrespectful about the school. I didn't go into a hysterical tirade telling people they should never come here. I didn't "connect" with anyone who agreed with me. Instead, I congratulated those who got in, wished them well and even stated that Touro would have a great curriculum if it weren't for the simple fact that clickers are mandatory. My aim is to spread the word that Touro is perversely continuing down a path that does not work. My hope is that if more people find out about this awful system and speak out, things will change. If you were one of the ones that got in, I assure you that you will see my point. I hope you aren't one of the ones who suffer and struggle and sleep 3-4 hours a night prepping for tests. I don't want that for anyone, hence the posts. But hey, guess I better get back to studying.

 

[Lady B]

Does anyone have any information regarding the background check and drug test?
I saw on last years thread it was required but I don't see any mention of it in the acceptance email checklist.

 

[DOctorStill]

Hi guys, OMS-II at TouroCOM Middletown here.

Kinda bored at 3AM so I decided to check SDN and see what's been going on, and answer some questions. I've turned off notifications so I won't be able to respond very promptly/won't if you have f/u questions, primarily because our board exams are coming up. Apologies in advance if I ramble. I tried to be as thorough as possible.

1. HOUSING: I lived on campus for the past 3 years and, while I'll be moving off campus for rotations for a change of pace, I generally liked it and the changes they've made since I've been here. Notably, they've upgraded from the one microwave and refrigerators to make more of a kitchenette situation, with a almost commercial (?) looking toaster oven, and a couple of large hot plates. If you're a cooking type of person, this might not be a situation for you, but for someone who is severely lacking in skill, it's good enough for me! Lots of students use services like Hello Fresh and seem to do fine. They've also just opened a new gym, with pretty great equipment and TV's fitted with Roku. It also has a facial recognition scanner which feels very high tech. Finally, they've swapped out the cafe/restaurant (which was failing) with a self-service convenience store. The sandwiches come from a local caterer & store and they're pretty good, if somewhat on the expensive side. The dorms themselves cost around 5k per academic semester, which comes out to $833 with everything included over 12 months, or if you decide to move out early at the end of the academic semester, about 1,000 per semester (10mo). You'll get a single person room, with furniture and a bathroom. HOWEVER, you do have to pay extra for a room with a shower. Otherwise, you have to use a communal shower. There are multiple single person showers in various places if you prefer your privacy. The drawback with the dorms is that not all floors are created equal. The rooms on the fourth and fifth floors are somewhat outdated compared to the 2nd and 3rd floor dorms. Due to how the windows are constructed on those floors (it's really one giant metal unit that spans the length of the building), noise does leak from one room to the next, and you do get a weird draft from them in winter because they're basically un-insulated metal. But, the 3rd floor/2nd floor dorms are great. So pick one of those. Also, pets are allowed on one of the 3rd floor wings.
2. OFF CAMPUS HOUSING: The housing facebook page has been posted already and there is a housing spreadsheet and room mate swap available for you guys to find roommates and houses. This is a good time to start looking because there are many second years are moving out of the area to their rotation sites/planning to do so ahead of our dedicated board prep time.
3. LOCAL AREA: As a male, I've always felt pretty safe in the local area. To be sure, some places in Middletown feels a bit grungy but I've never felt unsafe. In the end, it's just a city/town with the basics: 24 hour walmart, mcdonald's and subways, some diners. The mall has a Round One which I've never encountered before in the NE but it's great - bowling, arcades, the whole thing. There's a large undocumented/hispanic population so oddly enough you get some great taco places if you know where to look. There's also a new pho place - it's not the best but do-able. There are some 'cuter' towns nearby, like Goshen. Newburgh and if you venture out farther, New Paltz. Lots of hiking opportunities as well, which are very pretty.
4. STATISTICS / BOARD RESULTS: So, I'm not going to sugar coat it, our first year's (2018) COMLEX II scores are pretty bad. But, our COMLEX 1 I was 9th in the nation. I am not sure if the 2019 COMLEX scores have come back yet. Keep in mind that the COMLEX II is a reflection of rotation sites while COMLEX I is a reflection of the preclinical curriculum. Some of your comments made me want to clarify that. I know the school is working at making the rotations experience better, but in general I want to give the school a bit of slack since, unlike the preclinical curriculum which was copied over from Harlem initially, they had to integrate themselves in the local system here, which isn't as medical school or hospital dense as NYC. From feedback from our current third years, most have liked their rotations and, even if they didn't receive their #1 site, they have made the best of their rotations. Do note also that in third year, you rotate at core rotation sites in the (mostly) local area with the exception of one elective month, where you can pretty much go anywhere, and one vacation month which you can use how you see fit. In fourth year, you get two core rotations and all of the remaining ones (like 7) can be done anywhere in the country. So, if you are from California, or some far away place and wish to go back - that would be a good chance to establish yourself back home for residencies there.
5. USMLE BOARD RESULTS: Our school does not track USMLE performance, and I suspect that this is the case with most other DO schools since it is not a 'required' examination for DO schools. That said, there are good tidings. The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) just stated that the USMLE and COMLEX are equivalent. Whether or not residency directors believe that is a whole other conversation. There is definitely bias against DOs. I do wish our school tracked this data as well.
6. BOARD PREP TIME: Someone mentioned on here that there was 4(?) weeks of dedicated which isn't true. Our last module exam is next week April 22nd. Rotations start beginning of July, though you are asked to keep the last week of June free for orientations for 3rd year rotations (but I'm sure many don't; I mean, let's face it, what's more important - another hospital orientation or your board exam?). So effectively you have that much time to do dedicated board prep time, which is 7-8 weeks.
7. RANDOM: If you have questions about background checks, urine drug screens, and health stuff - I think you guys should probably just reach out to the registrar rather than ask ppl on here. Recommend that you call them. They're trying to process 135 DO's + 60ish MS students at the same time, and probably helping out the other campus here and there and you don't want your email to be the one they lose in the shuffle.
8. FLIPPED CLASSROOM CURRICULUM: Saving the best for last! So, here's the deal. Clickers count for 10% of the grade, which are based off of a Z-score created from how previous years did, with a faculty adjustment - meaning there are hard cut offs for A, B, C, F. At the end of the semester, they will drop 2 of your lowest clicker grades, meaning you can decide not to show up to two of them and be perfectly fine (not including labs where adjunct professors or standardized patients come). In a typical week schedule, you get 16 hours of required classroom time in year 1, and 12 hours in year 2(I just counted!) with a bunch of extra hours for supplemental sessions if you need more. There are also lots of Jewish holidays that must be observed, which is great because sometimes you'll just have a week with 2 days of class and you end up with a very very long unproductive weekend. You get weekly exams in first year in a basic science discipline, and may have an extra exam and practical in an 'easier' more clinical class like OMM or physical diagnosis. On average, you're looking at 19-20 hours of lecture video per week as well. Keep in mind you will spend a multiple of that time if you want to really understand it. How much that multiple is depends on the person. So, for example, I take 2-3 hours per video to do the things I need to do. For some classes, some ppl can get by just by reading the powerpoints, or reading the book. So, that does add up to a lot and, as you can tell by now, the first years have it pretty rough. Particularly since they got rid of Friday classes, the days on T/W/Thursday are long and it can be hard to focus once you get home from class. It is not impossible, however. You have the opportunity to discuss every question, so you do not need to be 100% prepared for class in order to achieve that extra 10%. Meaning, you can just skim the videos at 2x or more beforehand for the clickers, get reinforcement in clickers, and then focus on the material later on before the exam. Some students do very well in this model. Others exam chase (nothing wrong with it!) and focus on the material in a lump sum the week before. Some students who have failed every module exam (for second year) have managed to pass because of the clicker grade. Like I mentioned before, our inaugural COMLEX 1 score was 9th in the nation and they had WAY more hours of lecture video than we have now. It can be a drag, but other schools have straight up mandatory lectures every day and I'd prefer this over that. I also have tried not going to class and, due to personal issues with self-discipline, I've found that going to class still helps me in keeping the material in my head. In the end, it depends on how your approach the curriculum, which I'm sure is the case for any medical school. Ultimately, you'll have to make the determination of whether or not this model works for you and, perhaps more pointedly, whether or not you have a choice in the matter if you don't have other acceptances.

Think that covered most of it. For the FB groups and links to them, they can be found on the SGA website (which hasn't been fully updated I think but the links should be fine): touromiddletownsga.com. Recommend adding yourself not just to the 2023 page, housing page, but also the general Middletown Osteopathic page if you have questions for 3rd years, 4th years, and alumni.

And finally, congratulations guys - you're in medical school!

 

[DOctorStill]

Oh yeah also Match Results. I'll leave it for the school to update the website with the actual results BUT, we did get a lot of FM, IM, Pediatrics (as you'd expect in a DO school given the focus on primary care), but also a fair number in EM and Anesthesiology. One guy got into Anesthesiology at John's Hopkins. Others include radiology at Mayo Clinic, neurology, and ENT.

Since the school hasn't put out anything yet, I won't say anything about the % of people who matched but we did fine when compared to the national average for both DO and MD students. I suppose you guys will just have to trust me on that one.

 

[DOctorStill]

Does anyone have any information regarding the background check and drug test?
I saw on last years thread it was required but I don't see any mention of it in the acceptance email checklist.

I would trust your acceptance email more than an oudated post on SDN lol.

 

[Lady B]

I would trust your acceptance email more than an oudated post on SDN lol.

Haha that's true. I was worried about how it would sound calling on 4/19.

 

[Seaghost144]

Does anyone have any idea why there's no 2019-2020 thread? I've been accepted to class of 2023 and I wanted to get involved with the facebook group and such. So far, I've been waiting to join for 2-ish months. I wanted to know how the COMLEX USMLE merger I've been hearing about is affecting the school and why I'm not registered for classes yet. What will the day to day schedule be like when I start in July? Can you get by with powerpoints, or do you absolutely need the book? How do you know what to study? Will the syllabus tell you?

I'm sorry to go Pompeii with all these questions, but I've not had anyone I could ask besides Ms. Degnan and she has a life.

 

[DOctorStill]

Does anyone have any idea why there's no 2019-2020 thread? I've been accepted to class of 2023 and I wanted to get involved with the facebook group and such. So far, I've been waiting to join for 2-ish months. I wanted to know how the COMLEX USMLE merger I've been hearing about is affecting the school and why I'm not registered for classes yet. What will the day to day schedule be like when I start in July? Can you get by with powerpoints, or do you absolutely need the book? How do you know what to study? Will the syllabus tell you?

I'm sorry to go Pompeii with all these questions, but I've not had anyone I could ask besides Ms. Degnan and she has a life.

Lecture videos should be your first resource, for all classes. Then, decide whether or not you can make do with the lecture powerpoints. Generally the books are not required unless the lecture videos are not clear enough. The one exception is physiology, in which the book (Physiology by Linda Costanzo) is a 100% must read. Reach out to your student mentor when you are assigned one for specifics. Try not to freak out too much before you're actually here. You'll have plenty of time to freak out about medical school when you've actually started.

Not sure what you mean by the COMLEX/USMLE merger because there isn't one. There is a 'merger' (although that isn't the correct term either) between the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Match and the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) which refers to residencies. COMLEX/USMLE = 'board' examinations, which have definitely not been integrated (yet?). That merger affects all DO and MD medical students but won't really affect one school more than another as far as I can tell.

As for the fb group, not sure about your particular situation but generally SGA requires you send proof of acceptance to their email inbox, which is indicated in the questions you're supposed to answer when you first request. I can reach out to the pertinent SGA member to review the requests.

 

[Yearningformedschool!]

Hi everyone! For those who will be taking summer anatomy and are looking for a place to stay, I will be subletting my room, which is 10 minutes walking distance from the Middletown campus. It is a one bedroom in a 3 bedroom house, so if you're interested, please inbox me and I will give you more details.

 

[Seaghost144]

Lecture videos should be your first resource, for all classes. Then, decide whether or not you can make do with the lecture powerpoints. Generally the books are not required unless the lecture videos are not clear enough. The one exception is physiology, in which the book (Physiology by Linda Costanzo) is a 100% must read. Reach out to your student mentor when you are assigned one for specifics. Try not to freak out too much before you're actually here. You'll have plenty of time to freak out about medical school when you've actually started.

Not sure what you mean by the COMLEX/USMLE merger because there isn't one. There is a 'merger' (although that isn't the correct term either) between the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Match and the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) which refers to residencies. COMLEX/USMLE = 'board' examinations, which have definitely not been integrated (yet?). That merger affects all DO and MD medical students but won't really affect one school more than another as far as I can tell.

As for the fb group, not sure about your particular situation but generally SGA requires you send proof of acceptance to their email inbox, which is indicated in the questions you're supposed to answer when you first request. I can reach out to the pertinent SGA member to review the requests.

Do you have the email for SGA? Do they want a copy of my acceptance letter?

 

[papakakaka]

Has anyone been pulled off the waitlist recently? I am not sure if i should send an interest letter. Movement has been so slow

 

[HaveAnOsteoblast]

Has anyone been pulled off the waitlist recently? I am not sure if i should send an interest letter. Movement has been so slow

At your interview day, didn't Frank say that letters showing interest are important? He said that at mine

 

[applicant45]

At your interview day, didn't Frank say that letters showing interest are important? He said that at mine

said that at mine too

 

[DOctorStill]

Do you have the email for SGA? Do they want a copy of my acceptance letter?

touromiddletownsga AT gmail

Has anyone been pulled off the waitlist recently? I am not sure if i should send an interest letter. Movement has been so slow

Also, letters of intent are important.

 

[deleted954943]

I am no longer invested in my class rank or GPA. I simply want to survive this abomination. Anyone apologizing for or defending this curriculum is probably suffering from Stockholm syndrome. God help all of you incoming students.

 

[HaveAnOsteoblast]

I am no longer invested in my class rank or GPA. I simply want to survive this abomination. Anyone apologizing for or defending this curriculum is probably suffering from Stockholm syndrome. God help all of you incoming students.

Some prospective students aren’t taking your posts seriously because they don’t understand the obscene volume of material that you have to learn in med school or the limited time you have to digest it all. They’re thinking, “Oh, he’s probably just a lousy student. When I attend, I’ll be able to balance weekly tests, hours of lecture videos, clickers, ECs, board prep, a social life, etc.!” A lot of pre-meds have an overly idealistic, gung-ho attitude, and a lack of perspective.

I feel fortunate to have multiple friends in med school, so I have a good idea of the sort of impact mandatory clickers would have (especially during second year). I know your points are valid, and I’m peppering my angus for a supremely unpleasant pre-clinical experience. Unlike a lot of the people here, I do appreciate what you have to say as a current student (especially since other current students seem to completely agree with you).

 

[deleted954943]

Some prospective students aren’t taking your posts seriously because they don’t understand the obscene volume of material that you have to learn in med school or the limited time you have to digest it all. They’re thinking, “Oh, he’s probably just a lousy student. When I attend, I’ll be able to balance weekly tests, hours of lecture videos, clickers, ECs, board prep, a social life, etc.!” A lot of pre-meds have an overly idealistic, gung-ho attitude, and a lack of perspective.

I feel fortunate to have multiple friends in med school, so I have a good idea of the sort of impact mandatory clickers would have (especially during second year). I know your points are valid, and I’m peppering my angus for a supremely unpleasant pre-clinical experience. Unlike a lot of the people here, I do appreciate what you have to say as a current student (especially since other current students seem to completely agree with you).

I like to think that what I say is objectively true but obviously everybody's experience will vary to some degree. I was one of those gung-ho premeds and would've had the same reaction reading these things. We are coming to the end of the year and we have been ceaselessly pounded since September. I realize my posts are tinged with personal angst. Constantly being deprived of study time can get to you. Never having any time away from school can get to you. But that doesn't take away the reality of things as I've outlined. The only advice that I can give is to resign yourself to the fact that the next year of your life will be totally consumed with school. Don't resist it. And don't forget to tell them how much you despise mandatory class when you do your course evaluations ;-)

 

[HaveAnOsteoblast]

I’ve sent a letter of intent and a follow up email, no response to either.

Frank said he can’t respond to all updates because his email gets so congested but that he does add updates to people’s files

 

[dr.doglover]

I’ve sent a letter of intent and a follow up email, no response to either.

I sent multiple without a response! I also called and left a message. No response until the day I got accepted so just keep it up!

 

[dr.doglover]

I’ve sent a letter of intent and a follow up email, no response to either.

Also if there is anything new that you’ve done or accomplished definitely add that too. I took on a few volunteering projects and made sure to mention that

 

[hopefulmedgal1]

Current 1st year here--keep sending those LOI's and make sure you give them as many updates as possible. I made sure to keep sending updates and got in about 3 weeks before white coat ceremony. Dont give up!

 

[Juliamatic]

Heard back yesterday from my 3/18 interview. Waitlisted! I'll be going elsewhere so I gave up my spot on the list . Best of luck, folx

 

[inspiringdocter]

Hey guys,

Has anyone applied for private loans, in specific , Discover. If so, do you know what Middletown school code is? Additionally, should I apply for health professions loan or graduate loan, the former correct?

 

[applicant45]

giving up my spot here. someone enjoy <3

 

[HaveAnOsteoblast]

1st year at Middletown here. Haven't read many of the previous posts, but would recommend against going here lol. Wish I went to one of the other schools I was accepted to. Oh well now.

Saw one post that said why would you come here if you didn't like the idea of reverse classroom. Well in theory it's nice, but you have no idea what med school is until you get here. It's BS that class is required with all we have to do.

Averages for exams are not very high. Although master students have less courses, their averages are nearly 100% for every exam. Wouldn't you want the med students, who are actually going to be doctors (though many of the masters will), have the better average? Well, if we had more time, the students would actually be able to master the material. Clicker's are pointless and huge waste of time. They're literally posted online after class. We are sleep-deprived and have less study time because of them.

I have friends all over the US who attend med schools and they're appalled at what I tell them we go through. Most of them have exams every few weeks and don't have to go to class. Averages for exams are usually in the high 90's. Good board scores and residency placements too. These include people I know who go to different DO schools. It isn't anything wrong with the students who go here. Everyone I've met is hardworking and intelligent. We definitely have the potential to do really well. We simply have too many exams per week (between 1-3) and mandatory attendance. The school is stuck in old ways, unwilling to adapt and listen to the students, and do what the rest of successful med schools are doing. Curriculum could be better as system-based to remedy a lot of the problems.

Good luck to those in our incoming class. You'll need it. But hey, at least you'll get to see the therapy dogs for 2 seconds after exams on your way out the door. Lol.

Has the student association tried talking to the administrators about it?

 

[deleted954943]

Has the student association tried talking to the administrators about it?

A formal appeal to adjust the mandatory class requirement has not, to my knowledge, been submitted by the SGA. But the curriculum committee has raised this issue repeatedly and has offered various solutions to correct the problem. All attempts to lessen number of mandatory class hours in any significant way have been voted down. There is a lot of behind the scenes politics that students are not aware of. Another hindrance to meaningful curriculum reform is the fact that we are tied to the Harlem campus, so whatever happens there, must by necessity happen here in Mtown. Middletown can be thought of as a satellite to Harlem, not so much a "sister campus" as it is commonly phrased. Everyone, including the faculty, is aware that the system is utterly flawed. It's now become the elephant in the room. The faculty themselves must be getting tired of lecturing a class full of people who are on Facebook, Instagram, playing computer games, shopping, or studying for other classes. Like my friend above mentioned, people look at me cross-eyed when I try to explain the way the curriculum is run here. We had a so-called town hall meeting last semester with the deans and the issue of mandatory class was raised. The dean tactfully sidestepped every question regarding this issue. When pressed further, he said this is not the time to discuss this and that students should submit concerns to the curriculum committee. It's terrible and unjust but that's the way it is.

 

[LobsterGuy]

I'm really apprehensive about starting here after what several students have stated. Can someone post an example of their syllabus or class schedule?

 

[HaveAnOsteoblast]

I'm really apprehensive about starting here after what several students have stated. Can someone post an example of their syllabus or class schedule?

At the end of the day, a majority of the students who go here (>120 out of the 135 who start each year) will end up becoming physicians. Going to Touro-NY beats not going to med school or going to the Caribbean. Sure, the academic policies aren’t ideal, but you have great odds of achieving the dream. Gotta just treat it as a means to an end and take it for what it is.

 

[LobsterGuy]

At the end of the day, a majority of the students who go here (>120 out of the 135 who start each year) will end up becoming physicians. Going to Touro-NY beats not going to med school or going to the Caribbean. Sure, the academic policies aren’t ideal, but you have great odds of achieving the dream. Gotta just treat it as a means to an end and take it for what it is.

That makes sense and makes me feel a bit better lol. Are you starting this fall or a current student?