2019-2020 University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNECOM)

[happydo1]

Hi all, I’m interviewing here in February. I know the interview is low stress and mostly conversation but I’m not sure how to go about it. I interviewed here last year in October and was rejected . I thought my interview went very well. I asked for feedback but they gave me a generic response that didn’t really tell me much. However I do think it’s because of my weaker since grades. Honestly, nothing has really changed much with my app for this so I’m shocked that I received another interview. Since this is an open file interview I’m assuming my interviewers will know I interviewed last cycle, so I’m not sure how to address any changes Or improvements I’ve made in my application since last time.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[never-too-late]

Hi all, I’m interviewing here in February. I know the interview is low stress and mostly conversation but I’m not sure how to go about it. I interviewed here last year in October and was rejected . I thought my interview went very well. I asked for feedback but they gave me a generic response that didn’t really tell me much. However I do think it’s because of my weaker since grades. Honestly, nothing has really changed much with my app for this so I’m shocked that I received another interview. Since this is an open file interview I’m assuming my interviewers will know I interviewed last cycle, so I’m not sure how to address any changes Or improvements I’ve made in my application since last time.

I met a student there who was rejected their first cycle and accepted the second one. I think they’re looking for a good fit. If you can articulate why you’re a good fit, maybe you’ll click this time. Maybe they value persistence. The good thing is you go into this one knowing more about the school than last time! Good luck!

 

[ked1996]

Hi all, I’m interviewing here in February. I know the interview is low stress and mostly conversation but I’m not sure how to go about it. I interviewed here last year in October and was rejected . I thought my interview went very well. I asked for feedback but they gave me a generic response that didn’t really tell me much. However I do think it’s because of my weaker since grades. Honestly, nothing has really changed much with my app for this so I’m shocked that I received another interview. Since this is an open file interview I’m assuming my interviewers will know I interviewed last cycle, so I’m not sure how to address any changes Or improvements I’ve made in my application since last time.

I would say to make sure you emphasize why you applied to the school and what draws you to their program. In addition, I would explain to them any lessons/tactics you learned from courses that you received poor grades in. Personally, I have a standout poor grade on my transcript (curse you insanely strict orgo professor!). I explained how I learned the value of accuracy and implemented new study strategies. I also talked about a course with an extensive group project that didn't go so well (and ended up somewhat hurting my grade). I talked about how I learned to communicate/problem solve with difficult team members. Overall, explain how you have grown due to poor grades as well as throughout the past year and how you have persisted through a second cycle.

Don't give up hope! It isn't over until it's over

 

[juggernautalpha]

Can anyone who had a morning session tell me what time the day ended roughly? I see the lunch from 11:30 is optional, but I'm wondering if I would be able to eat lunch and make a 1:00 train in Portland

 

[My God will do it]

Has anyone come off the waitlist recently?

 

[Ali_Gator]

finished secondary since 12/11. Have not heard anything from the school. Should I call the admission's office?

 

[My God will do it]

Can anyone who had a morning session tell me what time the day ended roughly? I see the lunch from 11:30 is optional, but I'm wondering if I would be able to eat lunch and make a 1:00 train in Portland

I personally left after I had lunch. It was a sandwich bar. You should be able to make the train but I would still have a back-up plan just in case. I know a few people (like me) rented cars and drove to portland so you can hitch a ride...if someone is willing

 

[soccer96]

finished secondary since 12/11. Have not heard anything from the school. Should I call the admission's office?

A lot of people have been complete since July/August and haven’t heard anything.. I’d wait a little longer haha

 

[futureDOcter25]

Accepted off the waitlist one week ago.

Completed late October, interviewed 11/21, waitlisted mid-December.

 

[juggernautalpha]

So I have to push my interview back and I have a hotel booked that is non-refundable... Would anyone interviewing on 2/15 want a free hotel for the night before? It's the Ramada one on the list that they emailed. PM me and I can have it transferred to your name

 

[olecranonymous]

SECOND YESR STUDENTS: what’s your schedule look like? I know anatomy(mandatory) is no longer required for the second year, just the OMT classes. So with lectures being recorded, how often do you actually go to campus? I feel like there should be a lot more flexibility in the schedule than the first year because you now have to prepare to study for the board right?!

If you decide to skip the non-mandatory lectures and watch them online, then on Mondays and Wednesdays you have to be at school for 2hrs a day for the case-based learning sessions (group of 6 students meet to discuss a case with professor) then you can go home. Tuesdays and Thursdays require you to be on campus anywhere from 2-4hrs to practice clinical skills or OMM.

On friday afternoons we have mandatory enrichment/wellness lectures that last anywhere from 1-4hrs.

So, max time you would have to spend on campus second year is about 18hrs/week (unless you have some sort of clinical thing, which is about an extra 4hrs maybe once every 1-2 months)
I feel like this schedule is a good compromise and gives us enough time to study for boards. I just wish they condensed some of the mandatory things so that I didn't have to drive back and forth from campus every day of the week. But, beggars can't be choosers lol

 

[lazybutt26]

Thanks for your response! Yeah I was just thinking why they wouldn’t put everything on one day so you don’t have to drive back and forth to the campus everyday for a couple of hours. Doesn’t seem that efficient of a schedule but it does sound like you will have a lot more free time studying for the board which is good!

 

[Rd1546]

If you decide to skip the non-mandatory lectures and watch them online, then on Mondays and Wednesdays you have to be at school for 2hrs a day for the case-based learning sessions (group of 6 students meet to discuss a case with professor) then you can go home. Tuesdays and Thursdays require you to be on campus anywhere from 2-4hrs to practice clinical skills or OMM.

On friday afternoons we have mandatory enrichment/wellness lectures that last anywhere from 1-4hrs.

So, max time you would have to spend on campus second year is about 18hrs/week (unless you have some sort of clinical thing, which is about an extra 4hrs maybe once every 1-2 months)
I feel like this schedule is a good compromise and gives us enough time to study for boards. I just wish they condensed some of the mandatory things so that I didn't have to drive back and forth from campus every day of the week. But, beggars can't be choosers lol

What was your schedule like first year?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[deleted1025001]

I was just accepted off the waitlist earlier this morning, for anyone wondering if there has been any movement!

 

[juggernautalpha]

Anyone interviewing on 2/15 and wants a hotel message me. I have the Ramada booked the night before and had to push my date back. Unfortunately it’s non-refundable, so I really don’t want it to go to waste.

 

[lazybutt26]

Current students: where do you live? Obviously somewhere in Biddeford or Saco area close to school, but I met someone from Maine and she said the crime rates in the towns are very high. Do you feel safe in general to live in the area? If you commute to school, where do you commute from?

 

[allanMED15]

Is it possible to live in the same apartment 4 years for rotations? Or do most people have to travel and sublet/find temporary living arrangements multiple times

Very unlikely unless you live in Portland and commute to Biddeford in first and second year and are placed in the Lewiston clinical site

 

[allanMED15]

Damn okay thanks

Sure thing. It’s definitely possible to stay in the same place for first and second year and then keep your apartment you get at your clinical site for 2 years.

 

[mackincheese]

Received an II yesterday, and since it's my only one this cycle I'll be attending. Only worry is that I'm assuming that at this point I'm interviewing to be put on a waitlist. According to prior threads this seems to only open around May with a possibility of being admitted from a waitlist like 2 seconds before classes start. I really cannot imagine the stress of having to drop everything in my life and move to another state and begin medical school immediately. Also if nothing happens this cycle I need to retake the MCAT (which I plan on doing in April/May) so I might be literally studying for and taking an exam that I don't need to take. I know this seems kind of ungrateful for someone who doesn't have many other options but goddamn, the reality of this situation hit me today and I'm not sure what to think of all this.

 

[never-too-late]

Current students: where do you live? Obviously somewhere in Biddeford or Saco area close to school, but I met someone from Maine and she said the crime rates in the towns are very high. Do you feel safe in general to live in the area? If you commute to school, where do you commute from?

I’m wondering the same thing. I’m afraid I’m going to have to camp for the first 2 months of medical school till beach houses are reasonable to rent! Not that I see much that will allow me to bring my cats!

 

[never-too-late]

Received an II yesterday, and since it's my only one this cycle I'll be attending. Only worry is that I'm assuming that at this point I'm interviewing to be put on a waitlist. According to prior threads this seems to only open around May with a possibility of being admitted from a waitlist like 2 seconds before classes start. I really cannot imagine the stress of having to drop everything in my life and move to another state and begin medical school immediately. Also if nothing happens this cycle I need to retake the MCAT (which I plan on doing in April/May) so I might be literally studying for and taking an exam that I don't need to take. I know this seems kind of ungrateful for someone who doesn't have many other options but goddamn, the reality of this situation hit me today and I'm not sure what to think of all this.

This process is hard, it's ok to be frustrated with it. I guess this is one of those situations in which you have to decide what works best for you. Why not pursue both directions, and then evaluate what you want to do based on 1) your impression of the school and 2) how you're doing in your MCAT prep. If you're getting practice scores in the 515 range and decide to drop off the waitlists to attempt an MD admission next year, really who could blame you? Or if you visit campus and say "this isn't the place for me" that seems valid too. I think one of the hardest parts of this process is keeping in perspective the need to move forward in multiple directions until you have an answer. Don't try to analyze it now: do that part when you have the data to analyze it well.

 

[ked1996]

Hi guys,

Just curious if anyone has gotten the email about the accepted students day portal or the immunizations/things to get done before matriculation portal thing. They sent out an email out to accepted students in December saying that these websites would be released in January and I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything. Also, does anyone know if they are making an accepted students Facebook page?

 

[sav3000]

Hi guys,

Just curious if anyone has gotten the email about the accepted students day portal or the immunizations/things to get done before matriculation portal thing. They sent out an email out to accepted students in December saying that these websites would be released in January and I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything. Also, does anyone know if they are making an accepted students Facebook page?

I also have not gotten the email. But there is a Facebook page! Log into Facebook | Facebook


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[deleted956541]

Is anyone else attending the area reception in Portland tomorrow?

 

[Beau18]

Just got an interview invite! Complete back in July!

 

[slp2356]

Just got an interview invite! Complete back in July!

Congrats! Do you mind sharing your stats?

 

[idontwanttomakeanaccount]

Current students: where do you live? Obviously somewhere in Biddeford or Saco area close to school, but I met someone from Maine and she said the crime rates in the towns are very high. Do you feel safe in general to live in the area? If you commute to school, where do you commute from?

I literally laughed out loud when I read this. I go to UNE for undergrad and it's a small city, barely a city at all. There are really really nice parts and a side that's more working-class but I would never say I felt remotely unsafe anywhere lol

 

[allanMED15]

Current students: where do you live? Obviously somewhere in Biddeford or Saco area close to school, but I met someone from Maine and she said the crime rates in the towns are very high. Do you feel safe in general to live in the area? If you commute to school, where do you commute from?

Biddeford and Saco are very safe. You have nothing to worry about at all

 

[drpb&j]

Accepted off the waitlist today!!

 

[DocDream0228]

I am not completely sure. I would guess so. I am a 3rd year out on rotations so I am not on campus currently.

I was wondering if you can give some insight into the rotations UNE COM offers. I have read mixed reviews that 3rd year rotations are constantly changing with students finding it difficult to get adequate clinical exposure but I have also read on UNECOM website they have specific clinical rotations set for their students (core sites throughout the northeast)

 

[southerngirl7899]

I’m wondering the same thing. I’m afraid I’m going to have to camp for the first 2 months of medical school till beach houses are reasonable to rent! Not that I see much that will allow me to bring my cats!

The current class will send out a list of soon to be available apartments for the upcoming year. Stay tuned to the Facebook group for updates. Plenty of my classmates have pets. Myself included

 

[southerngirl7899]

What was your schedule like first year?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

First year expect to be in some sort of mandatory class every day. The schedule is M-F 730 to 5/530. You'll have Tuesday mornings off and Friday afternoons off, usually. Unless they have changed it - I believe Block 1 is all mandatory. After that, provided you are passing the exams, you are no longer required to attend lecture.

Monday - 4 hours of lecture, 4 hours of anatomy lab
Tuesday - 4 hours of lecture
Wednesday - 4 hours of lecture, 2 hours of clinical skills, 2 hours of CBL concept mapping
Thursday - 2 to 4 hours of OMM, 2ish hours of histology (not mandatory as far as I'm aware)
Friday - 4 hours of anatomy lab

Throughout the year - random clinical requirements in the community that last about 4 hours, every few months.

 

[lazybutt26]

First year expect to be in some sort of mandatory class every day. The schedule is M-F 730 to 5/530. You'll have Tuesday mornings off and Friday afternoons off, usually. Unless they have changed it - I believe Block 1 is all mandatory. After that, provided you are passing the exams, you are no longer required to attend lecture.

Monday - 4 hours of lecture, 4 hours of anatomy lab
Tuesday - 4 hours of lecture
Wednesday - 4 hours of lecture, 2 hours of clinical skills, 2 hours of CBL concept mapping
Thursday - 2 to 4 hours of OMM, 2ish hours of histology (not mandatory as far as I'm aware)
Friday - 4 hours of anatomy lab

Throughout the year - random clinical requirements in the community that last about 4 hours, every few months.

What’s block 1? So once the school starts, you have to attended all the lectures in person as required and then after passing block 1, you have a choice to attend the lecture in person vs watch it online?

 

[olecranonymous]

What was your schedule like first year?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

Schedule for first year was:
Monday: mandatory quiz at 8am then non-mandatory or mandatory (it depends on the lecturer, usually non-mandatory) lecture till 12. then anatomy lecture and lab from 1:30 to 5:30PM
Tuesday: non-mandatory lecture in the afternoon. Occasional clinical thing for 4hrs maybe once every 1-2 months. So basically nothing.
Wednesday: Mandatory sometimes non-mandatory lecture in the morning or afternoon for 4hrs, then OMM for 2hrs, then case-based learning for another 2hrs (all said and done around 5:30Pm)
Thursday: OMM for 4hrs either morning or afternoon, then you have histology for 2hrs (non mandatory)
Friday: Anatomy from 8:00am to 12:00pm then free

* disclaimer: this schedule may have changed since I was a first year. Generally my first year felt like we were on campus a LOT,
but the tuesdays free and half-days on fridays were my saviour.

 

[olecranonymous]

What’s block 1? So once the school starts, you have to attended all the lectures in person as required and then after passing block 1, you have a choice to attend the lecture in person vs watch it online?

The first year is divided into three "blocks" of time. The first block includes a few different systems and I think ends after summer? Someone correct me if I am wrong. My brain is at that point where its filtering everything out that isn't boards related lol

 

[allanMED15]

I was wondering if you can give some insight into the rotations UNE COM offers. I have read mixed reviews that 3rd year rotations are constantly changing with students finding it difficult to get adequate clinical exposure but I have also read on UNECOM website they have specific clinical rotations set for their students (core sites throughout the northeast)

We have almost 20 different rotation sites where you spend the entire 3rd year. Our sites range from being one on one with the attending to being on a team with residents. I have had a fantastic experience so far. I haven’t heard from anyone who is having a bad time.

As far as sites changing, I’d imagine that’s more that they’re looking for more sites. We did lose a rotation site in Massachusetts last year but that was because the hospital was bought out and they couldn’t commit to students.

 

[lazybutt26]

The first year is divided into three "blocks" of time. The first block includes a few different systems and I think ends after summer? Someone correct me if I am wrong. My brain is at that point where its filtering everything out that isn't boards related lol

Sounds like you’re studying for the board! Best of luck to you. What’s the second year schedule like? I had asked someone else on the forum before and it sounded like you spend a lot less time on the campus-about two hours a day every day?

 

[mixtp96]

Just had an interview, which I think went really well. I hope with it being this late it's an A and not straight to the wait-list. Now to wait 4-6 weeks ugh

 

[lazybutt26]

Is UNE COM pass/fail or grade system?!

 

[olecranonymous]

Sounds like you’re studying for the board! Best of luck to you. What’s the second year schedule like? I had asked someone else on the forum before and it sounded like you spend a lot less time on the campus-about two hours a day every day?

Yes, about 2 hrs a day second year. Except occasionally tuesday and thursdays OMM/clinical skills are longer labs (4hrs instead of 2), and/or you have an extra activity scheduled by the school (mock patient experience, student clinic, simulation lab). Those extra scheduled activities only happen a few times per semester. Fridays we have afternoon "wellness" lectures that are anywhere from 2-4hrs.

 

[southerngirl7899]

What’s block 1? So once the school starts, you have to attended all the lectures in person as required and then after passing block 1, you have a choice to attend the lecture in person vs watch it online?

Yes that is correct. Block 1 lasts about 8 weeks in total. After block 1, it is up to professor if they want to make their lecture mandatory or not. Generally...they don't. But there are usually a few lectures every block where you are asked to come to class.

 

[southerngirl7899]

Is UNE COM pass/fail or grade system?!

technically it's graded as....

"Exceeds expectations" (~90 to 100)
"Meets expectations" (~80 to 90)
"Need Improvement" (but passing) (~70-80)
"Unsatisfactory" (<70)

The grade windows, as far as I know aren't firm. They can vary a little bit based on the class performance as a whole on a specific assessment.

 

[lazybutt26]

Yes that is correct. Block 1 lasts about 8 weeks in total. After block 1, it is up to professor if they want to make their lecture mandatory or not. Generally...they don't. But there are usually a few lectures every block where you are asked to come to class.

Do you know when we’re expected to get our first year schedule? I heard it’s literally like a day before the school starts like at the end of June? How are people supposed to plan their life with that?

 

[lazybutt26]

technically it's graded as....

"Exceeds expectations" (~90 to 100)
"Meets expectations" (~80 to 90)
"Need Improvement" (but passing) (~70-80)
"Unsatisfactory" (<70)

The grade windows, as far as I know aren't firm. They can vary a little bit based on the class performance as a whole on a specific assessment.

Interesting. So it’s categorized into A/B etc later on the transcript later? How does that work? What’s unsatisfactory(<%70)? You have to repeat the course again?

 

[allanMED15]

Every assessment is graded on the scale mentioned. It is then converted into a score of pass, high pass, honors or fail depending on how many of each of those categories you got (exceeds, meets, needs improvement, unsatisfactory)

 

[Positivevibes5]

Current students: where do you live? Obviously somewhere in Biddeford or Saco area close to school, but I met someone from Maine and she said the crime rates in the towns are very high. Do you feel safe in general to live in the area? If you commute to school, where do you commute from?

I've commuted from the Portland area for the last two years. I don't mind it at all. I've never felt unsafe living where I live and my friends who live in biddeford or saco never have either.

 

[Positivevibes5]

Do you know when we’re expected to get our first year schedule? I heard it’s literally like a day before the school starts like at the end of June? How are people supposed to plan their life with that?

I would say as far as scheduling goes being flexible is your best bet. I believe the schedule gets sent out right around the time you start and even then things may change. There are different type of absences that we have the ability to use if we need them, so there is some room to be able to plan.

 

[lazybutt26]

I would say as far as scheduling goes being flexible is your best bet. I believe the schedule gets sent out right around the time you start and even then things may change. There are different type of absences that we have the ability to use if we need them, so there is some room to be able to plan.

Okay, helpful to know! Thank you!

 

[ghusky9616]

I've commuted from the Portland area for the last two years. I don't mind it at all. I've never felt unsafe living where I live and my friends who live in biddeford or saco never have either.

If you don't mind sharing, why did you choose to live in Portland rather than Biddeford/Saco? I have been considering the same since I will be moving from a large city and quite enjoy the city feeling. What would you say are the pros and cons or living in Portland?

 

[neat45]

Does anybody know if this school is still sending IIs?