2018-2019 Touro University (Vallejo, California)

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
jafeel said:
Current student at Touro. Feel free to ask questions or PM me. I'm currently on rotations so my knowledge of how the preclinical curriculum is structured might be a little outdated but I can answer any questions about rotations or about student life in general
Click to expand...
jafeel said:
Not sure what you mean by paired up with patients in the community. There's a student run free clinic and students also volunteer at the peds clinic for Vallejo Unified and the suitcase clinic in Berkeley where you have a chance to do H&Ps and OMM treatments on members of the community so there's definitely opportunities for community service in that regard. The school also has several health fairs going on throughout the year to that services the Vallejo underserved population.

I personally wasn't involved in diabetes outreach since studying/school took a lot of time for me and I was involved in other extracurriculars as well. The school's diabetes outreach has definitely grown since I was a 1st year though so there's probably more opportunities to get involved with that now.

Rotations has its ups and downs but I think that's a normal part of 3rd and 4th year no matter what med school you go to. I haven't come across any major problems with the school as far as my rotations and scheduling. Anything specific you want to know about rotations?
Click to expand...

Hi jafeel, Just took you up on your offer and PM'd you a few q's. Appreciate your input..
Members don't see this ad.
 
is there a Facebook group up yet for the incoming class?
 
ammo3 said:
Do you happen to have an estimate of how many spots are in SoCal (do those people have all 3rd year rotations there since it's so much farther geographically?)? And curious how you did housing, sublet in central CA then the bay?
Click to expand...
Sorry I've been MIA for a while, I've been busy on the interview trail for residency. I believe we had like 25-30 spots in socal last I checked? However, this will most definitely change for your class since one of the hospitals, Arrowhead decided to open up their own medical school and are gradually phasing out med students from other schools that normally rotate there (Touro, Western, SGU). So its hard to say. For rotations, I think most of us try to find a friend or classmate who has an open place. If its only for a short rotation like 2 weeks you can probably manage on a couch, but for anything longer I used AirBnb. Haven't had too much difficulty finding a place for rotations, you kinda have to balance commute time vs rent range. For any rotation I was in socal for I've easily found a place thats <$1000 for a month's rent. For norcal we have plenty of 1st and 2nd years living on the island to crash at.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Members don't see this ad :)
Current 1st year. Just finished first semester and currently on winter break. I'll be happy to answer any questions to the best of my ability. Good luck all! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
AruarianDance said:
Current 1st year. Just finished first semester and currently on winter break. I'll be happy to answer any questions to the best of my ability. Good luck all! :)
Click to expand...
Thanks! Do you happen to be in the dual degree MPH program or know of someone who is? I'm interested in finding out more details about it from an inside perspective, especially about the new criminal justice focus.
 
AruarianDance said:
Current 1st year. Just finished first semester and currently on winter break. I'll be happy to answer any questions to the best of my ability. Good luck all! :)
Click to expand...

Hi! Thank you so much for offering to answer questions. I was recently admitted to Touro and I have a few questions. Are you happy at Touro? Is it practical to live in SF and commute? Do students only take Anatomy during the first semester?
 
burb said:
Thanks! Do you happen to be in the dual degree MPH program or know of someone who is? I'm interested in finding out more details about it from an inside perspective, especially about the new criminal justice focus.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, I am not in the DO/MPH dual degree program. However, all of the classmates that I've talked to who were in the program said that they loved it. If you have a strong interest in community/population health, then I'd consider looking into it! From what I remember, there's a separate MPH application that you have to complete after being accepted into the regular DO program, and there's no additional interview!

Maybe this can help: DO/MPH - Touro University, California
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Future doctor 8761 said:
Hi! Thank you so much for offering to answer questions. I was recently admitted to Touro and I have a few questions. Are you happy at Touro? Is it practical to live in SF and commute? Do students only take Anatomy during the first semester?
Click to expand...
Hey there! No problem, that's what we're here for. Also, congrats on your acceptance! :soexcited: You're one step closer to becoming a physician! :)

Yes, I've definitely enjoyed my time at Touro thus far, and I'd say that my classmates have played a huge part in that. They are some of the most driven, compassionate, and intellectual individuals that I've ever met. Everyone is very collaborative and willing to form study groups or share materials (Anki decks, Boards material, etc). I think Touro places a greater emphasis on team dynamics/collaboration than many of the other schools I interview at, as evidenced by their group interview format. You have a TBL group (5-6 students) that you will spend a lot of time with your first two years, so I'd get used to working in teams. Also, the professors and mentors are very supportive and really do want the students to succeed.

I know of a few people who commute from further out (SF, Oakland, etc.), so it's doable. One potential issue I see is the toll bridges. There's a $5 toll as you drive North on I-80 into Vallejo. There's another $5 toll as you drive South back into SF, I believe. That's $10 in addition to the driving, gas, time, etc. In my opinion, I'd rather live closer to campus and have more time for studying, etc. But to each their own. Most students, including myself, live either on Mare Island or in the surrounding cities (10-20 mins away). It's convenient because I can always go home for lunch or quickly retrieve something I forgot at home. Also, I don't have to worry as much if I'm running a bit late for our morning labs.

Yes, our Anatomy module is completed during the first semester. You'll usually have a few Anatomy lectures throughout the week (1 hr lecture, 3 times/week on average) followed by the associated Anatomy lab for each lecture. I'd say Anatomy was definitely the most challenging module for me since I didn't really take any classes during undergrad. Dissecting the cadaver grew on me as the semester went on, so lab was enjoyable for me. Even though the Anatomy module ends first semester, you'll be referencing it over and over again since everything builds from it. In particular, OMM/OPP utilizes Anatomy a lot, so I'd try to learn it well.
 
I have a few questions : ) How many electives do you have the opportunity to take and how do you feel your work life balance is at Touro? Thanks and congrats on finishing up your first semester!
 
yazmataz said:
I have a few questions : ) How many electives do you have the opportunity to take and how do you feel your work life balance is at Touro? Thanks and congrats on finishing up your first semester!
Click to expand...
At this moment, I am unaware of any limit to the number of electives that you are allowed to take. I personally did not take any electives during Fall semester because I wanted to get a feel for the main course load before trying to take on anything extra. To give you an idea of the unit spread, your three main courses will total up to 20 units (Fundamentals of Medicine-13.0, Doctoring-3.5, and OPP/OMM-3.5). Electives are generally 1.0 unit.

Here's a list of some of the electives currently being offered: Preclinical Electives - Touro University, California
Some of them sound really fun, so if you're interested, I'd definitely attend a session or two and determine what's to be expected of you.

In terms of work-life balance, I think it really depends on the individual and what they are hoping to accomplish or achieve. I would say that I study more than the average student does, and that's mostly because I like to push/challenge myself to learn as much as I can. I have friends/classmates who are a little bit more lax when it comes to studying, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. They generally seem a little less stressed. Even though I study more on average, I still have time to participate in other activities (extracurriculars, gym, etc) a few times a week and spend time with friends on the weekends. As long as you plan ahead and stay on top of everything, you'll be fine. One thing to note is that, on average, there is one exam per week, at least for Fall semester. Other programs may have more of a midterm/final structure. There are pros and cons to both. Having an exam every week means less total material for each exam and it keeps you disciplined from week to week.
 
AruarianDance said:
Hey there! No problem, that's what we're here for. Also, congrats on your acceptance! :soexcited: You're one step closer to becoming a physician! :)

Yes, I've definitely enjoyed my time at Touro thus far, and I'd say that my classmates have played a huge part in that. They are some of the most driven, compassionate, and intellectual individuals that I've ever met. Everyone is very collaborative and willing to form study groups or share materials (Anki decks, Boards material, etc). I think Touro places a greater emphasis on team dynamics/collaboration than many of the other schools I interview at, as evidenced by their group interview format. You have a TBL group (5-6 students) that you will spend a lot of time with your first two years, so I'd get used to working in teams. Also, the professors and mentors are very supportive and really do want the students to succeed.

I know of a few people who commute from further out (SF, Oakland, etc.), so it's doable. One potential issue I see is the toll bridges. There's a $5 toll as you drive North on I-80 into Vallejo. There's another $5 toll as you drive South back into SF, I believe. That's $10 in addition to the driving, gas, time, etc. In my opinion, I'd rather live closer to campus and have more time for studying, etc. But to each their own. Most students, including myself, live either on Mare Island or in the surrounding cities (10-20 mins away). It's convenient because I can always go home for lunch or quickly retrieve something I forgot at home. Also, I don't have to worry as much if I'm running a bit late for our morning labs.

Yes, our Anatomy module is completed during the first semester. You'll usually have a few Anatomy lectures throughout the week (1 hr lecture, 3 times/week on average) followed by the associated Anatomy lab for each lecture. I'd say Anatomy was definitely the most challenging module for me since I didn't really take any classes during undergrad. Dissecting the cadaver grew on me as the semester went on, so lab was enjoyable for me. Even though the Anatomy module ends first semester, you'll be referencing it over and over again since everything builds from it. In particular, OMM/OPP utilizes Anatomy a lot, so I'd try to learn it well.
Click to expand...


Thank you so much for the response! This was so helpful!
 
Accepted today via email. Interviewed on 12/18
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Members don't see this ad :)
hey I'm surprised by how little pages we have in this thread...is there another thread for TOURO CA?
I just got an interview invite and is debating on whether to go or not...it's also weird that they ask us to call instead of giving us some available dates...
 
ok I called them!
right now they have available spots on the 7th, 14th, and 23rd of Jan.
 
Elliemore38 said:
hey I'm surprised by how little pages we have in this thread...is there another thread for TOURO CA?
I just got an interview invite and is debating on whether to go or not...it's also weird that they ask us to call instead of giving us some available dates...
Click to expand...
you should go if you are considering attending! I went to mine a few months ago and I really enjoyed my time!
 
Saleemrodman1 said:
Are people still getting IIs? Completed 08/30...nothing yet
Click to expand...
yes! I was completed around the same time and finally got an II last week. They are definitely sending out more because I heard that Touro runs late in the cycle
 
Still waiting to hear back. Secondary submitted towards mid September. Is this normal?
 
Interviewed here yesterday 1/7/19!
it was the first day after winter break so we were able to see a lot of the rooms because they were empty!
Surprised by how well the school is organized and structured despite its small size.
I actually loved those abandoned buildings ---really wanted to go in and see what it's like. haha. It can totally be in one of those thriller/killer series

The students and faculties were really nice! They truly want to see that you are happy here and will support you in the best way they can.
Also, I completely agreed with the Dean's vision, so that's a plus.
Perks about the school:
-you can obtain DO/MPH with an extra 2-summer courses (global health/community health/social justice tracks)
-emphasis on wellness/nutrition
-heavy on research
-diabetes/obesity prevention

Definitely one of my top choices now! The only thing I'm not a fan of is its location, but I will still need to dig deeper in order to come to a conclusion.

Interview is panel of 3 with 4 peers!
they each asked us questions and we took turns to answer.
Nothing really special, just general interview questions.

but seriously...the bay area is hella expensive...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Hey guys!! I just received a II and I’m thrilled, Touro-CA is my top choice. Does anyone have any good interview advice/experience to share , would really appreciate it:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
II received yesterday, complete 7/25. Definitely thought I had been ghosted lol

Does anyone know if TUCOM-Ca organizes 4th year rotations, or is that on us? I've read that we get placed into a sort of lottery system for rotations during 3rd year, but where are the locations? And does the campus really not have a sim lab? I've also heard that they don't do a great job prepping students for boards, and their COMLEX is a bit below average. I guess I'm debating whether to fly across the country and attend this interview given the general rumor around SDN that TUCOM-Ca is "bad." I really want to like this school because obviously the location is amazing, but I'm having doubts. Anyone have thoughts?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
scuba_cat said:
II received yesterday, complete 7/25. Definitely thought I had been ghosted lol

Does anyone know if TUCOM-Ca organizes 4th year rotations, or is that on us? I've read that we get placed into a sort of lottery system for rotations during 3rd year, but where are the locations? And does the campus really not have a sim lab? I've also heard that they don't do a great job prepping students for boards, and their COMLEX is a bit below average. I guess I'm debating whether to fly across the country and attend this interview given the general rumor around SDN that TUCOM-Ca is "bad." I really want to like this school because obviously the location is amazing, but I'm having doubts. Anyone have thoughts?
Click to expand...

Hey! I'm not the authoritative source of knowledge.. but have been accepted to TUCOM and pretty set on going, so I'll try my best.
  • Not sure about 4th yr rotations, but yes about the lottery system. Let me know if you'd like a list of the rotation sites can PM.
  • Apparently on the most recent round of COMLEX-I, TUCOM-CA was #1 in board scores. I forget what they said about USMLE... either everyone who took it passed, or they had > nat'l average. Sorry I forget, interview was in Dec. This is all I could find (a little old) when it comes to comparing COMLEX scores to national averages.
  • I've been hearing mixed things about the school overall. I personally put the most trust in personal testimonies > online posts. Thus far, all students I've spoken to directly (over email & in person) seem to really enjoy it. Faculty have "open door policy" and appear very open to speaking with students. Had the same vibe from my panel interview, too. The facilities are on an old Naval base, so I suppose it's "to each their own" about how much you care about what the facilities look like.
Personally, what I look for in a school is 1) how well they prep students for boards, 2) openness of faculty to supporting students, 3) satisfaction of students, 4) rotation sites.

Ultimately it's up to you if you'd like to come out here :) think depending on if you have other offers, whether/not you could see yourself out here. Good luck!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Today there was a DO school virtual fair and after reading the chat room I found out from the admissions officers that were in the chat that they are still accepting applications and that interviews will go up to May! Also some faculty members mentioned that they had a 100% COMLEX L1 pass rate last year!
 
scuba_cat said:
II received yesterday, complete 7/25. Definitely thought I had been ghosted lol

Does anyone know if TUCOM-Ca organizes 4th year rotations, or is that on us? I've read that we get placed into a sort of lottery system for rotations during 3rd year, but where are the locations? And does the campus really not have a sim lab? I've also heard that they don't do a great job prepping students for boards, and their COMLEX is a bit below average. I guess I'm debating whether to fly across the country and attend this interview given the general rumor around SDN that TUCOM-Ca is "bad." I really want to like this school because obviously the location is amazing, but I'm having doubts. Anyone have thoughts?
Click to expand...

Current Touro 3rd year here. You will set up your own 4th year rotations, and this is a good thing because you can choose to pursue more audition rotations to increase your chances of matching into a specific specialty. You are correct about 3rd year rotation sites. Sites include 2 northern california Kaisers, Northbay in fairfield, San Joaquin General, St Joseph's in Stockton, Natividad, Arrowhead regional medical center in San Bernardino county, Sutter Roseville, and a few more I forget off the top of my head, but those are the major sites. More often than not, the hospitals that Touro CA rotates at have residency programs.

There is a new sim lab somewhere on campus that was just put together, although there was not a sim lab during my first two years. Honestly, the value of a sim lab is quite low, because you should be spending your time studying for your board exams. If I were an incoming first year, I would hope that activities in the sim lab are optional.

I'm not quite sure what COMLEX average of Touro CA is like, but the class of 2020 had a 100% pass rate, but honestly this isn't saying much. Pass rates are more of a measure of how many "bad students" the school prevents from taking COMLEX/USMLE. There was a lot more "weeding out" of the class in 2020, which explains the sudden jump in pass rate. Preparing for board exams falls on you and you alone. The ways a school can help prepare you for boards is less mandatory attendance lectures and labs. Touro has a wide range of people that score high and score low on COMLEX/USMLE.

Feel free to post more questions about the school or PM me
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
momentaryaffliction said:
Hey! I'm not the authoritative source of knowledge.. but have been accepted to TUCOM and pretty set on going, so I'll try my best.
  • Apparently on the most recent round of COMLEX-I, TUCOM-CA was #1 in board scores. I forget what they said about USMLE... either everyone who took it passed, or they had > nat'l average. Sorry I forget, interview was in Dec. This is all I could find (a little old) when it comes to comparing COMLEX scores to national averages.
Click to expand...

Do you have a reference for Touro-CA having the top COMLEX? I believe that TCOM (University of North Texas) had the top mean COMLEX for the 2019 class.
 
interviewed 1/7/19 and accepted on 1/18/19! they kept their words! I'm very impressed by the fast turn-around time :D
Now...am I ready to put down this $2000 deposit...hmmmm
 
Just got one email from them about getting accepted but I didn't see a follow-up email. Anyone else have this issue?

I hope that I didn't get trolled.
 
II received today. Haven’t called yet to schedule the interview, wonder what dates are open. To those of you that have interviewed here, what was it like and do you have any advice?

Was complete 1/9/19 to those that are wondering
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5 users
Kiwi95 said:
II received today. Haven’t called yet to schedule the interview, wonder what dates are open. To those of you that have interviewed here, what was it like and do you have any advice?

Was complete 1/9/19 to those that are wondering
Click to expand...
really happy for you dude. i've seen you all over these threads, worrying about R's and seemingly "accepting silent R's." Go kill it!! good luck!
 
Kiwi95 said:
II received today. Haven’t called yet to schedule the interview, wonder what dates are open. To those of you that have interviewed here, what was it like and do you have any advice?

Was complete 1/9/19 to those that are wondering
Click to expand...

I had vowed not to post on SDN, but homeboy Kiwi asked something I could answer. I got the A here back in October. LM 65-70; Non-trad; Bay Area native. Two weeks elapsed between II and A.

You interview with 3 other students in front of a panel. My advice would be to keep it real, talk slowly, and understand how OMM might play a role in your career as a physician.

You will kill it Kiwi, based on your posts here and on reddit I have a lot of faith in you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Kiwi95 said:
II received today. Haven’t called yet to schedule the interview, wonder what dates are open. To those of you that have interviewed here, what was it like and do you have any advice?

Was complete 1/9/19 to those that are wondering
Click to expand...

Caspase 9 hit most of the points. I'd say also be interested in the school and know what they're good at. Like Touro is big on diabetes research.

Also really listen to other people. If you want to add something good to what an interviewee just said and/or you have commonalities then really nod in agreement. The interviewers may ask you to then talk. This may give you some brownie points. But you don't have to force this.

Also I would recommend just being comfortable before the actual interview happens. In the morning you'll be in a room with all other the interviewees. Although the group will be split in two for interviews, you should still talk with the people and see what they're up to. If there's commonalities, it'd be good to build off each other later in the interview. At the very least the interview should be less stressful since other people aren't total strangers.

BTW I thought I botched my interview with a OK answer on why osteopathic medicine, but I got accepted. I think I did better on the other questions especially on my research on diabetes. Just do the best you can.

Best of luck kiwi, I dig the memes on reddit. Message me if you have any questions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I decided to attend my interview! The prospect of living in the Bay Area and networking there for residency is too good to pass up.

For those still waiting to hear back about IIs, they had open slots throughout February and March. There’s still lots of time!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Kiwi95 said:
II received today. Haven’t called yet to schedule the interview, wonder what dates are open. To those of you that have interviewed here, what was it like and do you have any advice?

Was complete 1/9/19 to those that are wondering
Click to expand...
Make sure you eat a good breakfast beforehand!! They don't provide any snacks.

I thought my interview went bad (felt like one of the interviewers didn't like me) but I ended up getting accepted and will most likely be going here. Group interview was a little weird but just prepare for it (know your app, have general answers and examples for common questions) and try to pay attention/look like you're paying attention when the other interviewees are talking.

Good luck! You'll be fine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I found the pre clinical group for touro on fb, is that something incoming students can join or should we wait for an email or something ?
 
Does this cycle require casper, i wasn't told to send in a casper or read about it anywhere?
 
any interview tips anyone can pass on? I'm OOS so I feel like the odds are slightly against me. Any advice is appreciated!
 
Anyone else have any issues obtaining quantitative immunizations? I contacted student health services and it seems like they're not strict with the 60 day policy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

PapaGuava
2022-2023 Touro University (Vallejo, California) TUCOM-CA
4 5 6 7 8
Replies
385
Views
69K
lalalaloopsy
L
PapaGuava
2021-2022 Touro University (Vallejo, California) TUCOM-CA
3 4 5 6 7
Replies
331
Views
92K
FindingPeaceinDecision
FindingPeaceinDecision
PapaGuava
2020-2021 Touro University (Vallejo, California) TUCOM-CA
10 11 12 13 14
Replies
674
Views
114K
Squish miss
Squish miss
PapaGuava
2019-2020 Touro University (Vallejo, California) TUCOM-CA
4 5 6 7 8
Replies
382
Views
80K
kus676
K
PapaGuava
2022-2023 Western University of Health Sciences (Pomona, California)
20 21 22 23 24
Replies
1K
Views
204K
shinbong
S
Top