2019-2020 Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM-Virginia)

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Secondary Prompt:

These are the secondary prompts that were given to me. Also be careful, because there is an error in the URL that they provide in the email. The link provided sends you to a blank web page, so I tried deleting the "s" in the "https:" and that seemed to work.

1. "Describe a significant challenge you have experienced in your life, share the strategies you employed to overcome the challenge, and what you learned from the experience. " (500 words)

2. "Professionalism and respect in the community in which you live is of utmost importance in medical school and as a physician. What three professional qualities do you believe a Student Doctor must demonstrate and describe how you will demonstrate these qualities as a medical student at VCOM?" (500 words)

3. "How do your professional ambitions align with osteopathic medicine?" (500 words)

4. What influenced your decision to apply to VCOM? (e.g., personal or medical experiences; influences of friends/family/physicians/mentors; etc.) (500 words)
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Sent in my primary to this program yesterday. Any current students able to comment on this program?
 
These are the secondary prompts that were given to me. Also be careful, because there is an error in the URL that they provide in the email. The link provided sends you to a blank web page, so I tried deleting the "s" in the "https:" and that seemed to work.

1. "Describe a significant challenge you have experienced in your life, share the strategies you employed to overcome the challenge, and what you learned from the experience. " (500 characters)

2. "Professionalism and respect in the community in which you live is of utmost importance in medical school and as a physician. What three professional qualities do you believe a Student Doctor must demonstrate and describe how you will demonstrate these qualities as a medical student at VCOM?" (500 characters)

3. "How do your professional ambitions align with osteopathic medicine?" (500 characters)

4. What influenced your decision to apply to VCOM? (e.g., personal or medical experiences; influences of friends/family/physicians/mentors; etc.) (500 characters)

@PapaGuava
 
jfz001 said:
These are the secondary prompts that were given to me. Also be careful, because there is an error in the URL that they provide in the email. The link provided sends you to a blank web page, so I tried deleting the "s" in the "https:" and that seemed to work.

1. "Describe a significant challenge you have experienced in your life, share the strategies you employed to overcome the challenge, and what you learned from the experience. " (500 characters)

2. "Professionalism and respect in the community in which you live is of utmost importance in medical school and as a physician. What three professional qualities do you believe a Student Doctor must demonstrate and describe how you will demonstrate these qualities as a medical student at VCOM?" (500 characters)

3. "How do your professional ambitions align with osteopathic medicine?" (500 characters)

4. What influenced your decision to apply to VCOM? (e.g., personal or medical experiences; influences of friends/family/physicians/mentors; etc.) (500 characters)

@PapaGuava
Click to expand...

Just got a secondary! And all of the limits are 500 words, not 500 characters.
 
Question for the LOR part of the secondary. I have 5 LORs submitted to AACOMAS because of all the different requirements between schools. I'm assuming all will be sent to all of the schools. However, VCOM is only asking for the "DO/MD" letter and the "Premedical Committee Chair, Academic Advisor, or Science Faculty Member". Do I just need to list the names of these two people or do I need to list all 5? In total, I have one DO, 2 science, 1 non-science, and my university baseball coach. Their wording seems like it is only required for the two LORs stated above but I'm not certain.
 
For the secondary, is it specific to one campus or is it asking for all of them at once. I didn't get it yet so just wondering!
 
BASBaseball15 said:
Question for the LOR part of the secondary. I have 5 LORs submitted to AACOMAS because of all the different requirements between schools. I'm assuming all will be sent to all of the schools. However, VCOM is only asking for the "DO/MD" letter and the "Premedical Committee Chair, Academic Advisor, or Science Faculty Member". Do I just need to list the names of these two people or do I need to list all 5? In total, I have one DO, 2 science, 1 non-science, and my university baseball coach. Their wording seems like it is only required for the two LORs stated above but I'm not certain.
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just list the DO and one of the science faculty who wrote a letter.
 
Is anyone else not able to find the "submit" button on their secondary app? lol
 
!!!! said:
For the secondary, is it specific to one campus or is it asking for all of them at once. I didn't get it yet so just wondering!
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It gives you an option to list of campuses in order of priority.
 
What exactly is this question asking? "
  • What influenced your decision to apply to VCOM? (e.g., personal or medical experiences; influences of friends/family/physicians/mentors; etc.)
Is it about why I want to attend VCOM? Like how the mission statement and its values appeal to me?
 
I was notified that my secondary app was complete today and that they will let me know if I'm invited for an interview via phone call.
 
Did anyone else get the email that their application was being reviewed by the committee as to whether or not you would receive a secondary?
 
AlexaLasko said:
What exactly is this question asking? "
  • What influenced your decision to apply to VCOM? (e.g., personal or medical experiences; influences of friends/family/physicians/mentors; etc.)
Is it about why I want to attend VCOM? Like how the mission statement and its values appeal to me?
Click to expand...
Seems pretty straightforward imo. Why did you choose applying to VCOM over applying to X, Y, and Z? (Obviously just don't say "it's out-of-state friendly" lol.)
 
"Have you ever been charged with a traffic violation such as speeding greater than 10 miles over the speed limit and reckless driving (excluding parking tickets), misdemeanor, felony, summary charge, or any other criminal charge?"

Would this include camera speeding tickets?
 
Also, for the CV -should I include several positions that overlap with my college years or should I just put I was in college during these four years?
 
Anyone have insight into the different campuses? Why would you choose one over the other? (Other than location)
 
Mjba326 said:
Anyone have insight into the different campuses? Why would you choose one over the other? (Other than location)
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I believe that the curriculum and and everything is the exact same at all campuses. I am choosing my campus preferences based on location.
 
skyebluedestiny said:
"Have you ever been charged with a traffic violation such as speeding greater than 10 miles over the speed limit and reckless driving (excluding parking tickets), misdemeanor, felony, summary charge, or any other criminal charge?"

Would this include camera speeding tickets?
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It says "AND wreckless driving" so if you only received a speeding ticket then it should be marked no.
 
blking4 said:
It says "AND wreckless driving" so if you only received a speeding ticket then it should be marked no.
Click to expand...

Are you sure? I see the "and" part of the sentence, but I read it differently. I guess it makes sense if they want to know about reckless driving on your record rather than just a speeding ticket.
 
Does anyone know of applicants being invited to complete a secondary with a sub 3.2 science GPA? I like all 3 campuses, but don’t want to spend the money on all 3 if I’ll be automatically screened out without my app being reviewed. Thanks!
 
Mjba326 said:
Does anyone know of applicants being invited to complete a secondary with a sub 3.2 science GPA? I like all 3 campuses, but don’t want to spend the money on all 3 if I’ll be automatically screened out without my app being reviewed. Thanks!
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I don't know the answer, but you only have to submit 1 primary and 1 secondary for all 3 sites and it was my cheapest one so far at $25.
 
Why is there only one secondary for all 3 campuses when there was the option to send a primary to each school? I sent a primary to both the Virginia and Carolinas campuses because I am interested in both options. However, the secondary says you will only be interviewed at one of the campuses... Did I waste money by applying to both?
 
docinthebox3 said:
Why is there only one secondary for all 3 campuses when there was the option to send a primary to each school? I sent a primary to both the Virginia and Carolinas campuses because I am interested in both options. However, the secondary says you will only be interviewed at one of the campuses... Did I waste money by applying to both?
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I attended an open house in April and they said that you can apply with 1 primary for all 3 sites. I think it’s on their website somewhere as well.
 
jboogie500 said:
I was notified that my secondary app was complete today and that they will let me know if I'm invited for an interview via phone call.
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Submitted 6/25 but no confirmation yet. Just received a Paypal receipt. You received an email separate from the PayPal receipt?
 
Can someone elaborate on the following secondary question: How do your professional ambitions align with osteopathic medicine?
I'm having a hard time answering it and I'm not really sure what they're asking for either or what they would be looking for?
 
Hi All,
so for the section in the app with the instruction

Description of Work Experience and Volunteer Activities:


Please list below any clinical, healthcare, and/or research experiences and volunteer activities NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR AACOMAS APPLICATION, beginning with the most recent. Be sure to include location (site, city, state), dates of experience (month/year, hours/week), and description of experience

If all my current experiences are Listed in AACOMAS does that mean I leave this site blank?
 
2K17MD2BE said:
Hi All,
so for the section in the app with the instruction

Description of Work Experience and Volunteer Activities:


Please list below any clinical, healthcare, and/or research experiences and volunteer activities NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR AACOMAS APPLICATION, beginning with the most recent. Be sure to include location (site, city, state), dates of experience (month/year, hours/week), and description of experience

If all my current experiences are Listed in AACOMAS does that mean I leave this site blank?
Click to expand...
Yes. leave it blank.
 
Can anyone clarify this question? :thinking:

"Have you ever been charged with a traffic violation such as speeding greater than 10 miles over the speed limit and reckless driving (excluding parking tickets), misdemeanor, felony, summary charge, or any other criminal charge?"

A normal speeding ticket going 12 mph over wouldn't count as yes for this question? It has to be with a reckless driving charge?
 
BBQisgood4u said:
Can anyone clarify this question? :thinking:

"Have you ever been charged with a traffic violation such as speeding greater than 10 miles over the speed limit and reckless driving (excluding parking tickets), misdemeanor, felony, summary charge, or any other criminal charge?"

A normal speeding ticket going 12 mph over wouldn't count as yes for this question? It has to be with a reckless driving charge?
Click to expand...

To be honest I don't think it's being put together. I think they are saying speeding greater than blah blah blah, reckless driving, etc as separate examples. Speeding 10+ usually isn't even reckless driving. I would list it in case.
 
Do you think if it was reduced that counts? Mine was reduced to like 4 over so I'm not sure how it gets listed in a background check
34nights said:
To be honest I don't think it's being put together. I think they are saying speeding greater than blah blah blah, reckless driving, etc as separate examples. Speeding 10+ usually isn't even reckless driving. I would list it in case.
Click to expand...
 
34nights said:
To be honest I don't think it's being put together. I think they are saying speeding greater than blah blah blah, reckless driving, etc as separate examples. Speeding 10+ usually isn't even reckless driving. I would list it in case.
Click to expand...

That's what I originally thought, I'll just list the 11 mph over ticket from 5 years ago just in case, but I'm hoping they don't throw it in a a giant no pile just because I said yes to one of their criminal questions.
 
Submitted secondary but my application status shows incomplete for LORs, but then under the document status, it has received all my LORs. Anyone else have this issue?
 
skyebluedestiny said:
"Have you ever been charged with a traffic violation such as speeding greater than 10 miles over the speed limit and reckless driving (excluding parking tickets), misdemeanor, felony, summary charge, or any other criminal charge?"

Would this include camera speeding tickets?
Click to expand...
Hey! I am an accepted student at VCOM and I will be starting school there soon. I checked with admissions and got some clarification regarding this question: the AND implies two different scenarios. So, if one happened to receive a speeding ticket for going 10 miles over the speed limit even if it was NOT reckless driving, you should still mark "yes." Marking yes will not automatically disqualify applicants as it really is just a way of admissions knowing upfront of any potential records since it would show up on your background check either way.
 
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