2021-2022 A.T. Still University (Mesa, Arizona) ATSU-SOMA

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Canceled my interview and withdrew my application. Good luck everyone!
 
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Just wanted to also add for additional information for students:

That in addition to having to take vacation time if you get covid, there is now an OMM instructor for 3rd and 4th years requiring students do OMM on 180 patients in clinic during the largest covid surge to date. Many students are scared of getting covid but because of this requirement, are being forced to expose themselves to COVID for the sake of an assignment to not fail OMM. And again, if they get COVID doing these 180 procedures, they must use vacation time.

I would also like to point out a majority of students in 3rd and 4th year are extremely unhappy at this school. We had a record number of students reach out to suicide hotlines this year. Please take this into consideration when applying/ accepting at this school.

Congrats guys and good luck!
 
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aidraidfaid123423 said:
Just wanted to also add for additional information for students

That in addition to having to take vacation time if you get covid, there is now an OMM instructor for 3rd and 4th years requiring students do OMM on 180 patients in clinic during the largest covid surge to date. Many students are scared of getting covid but because of this requirement, are being forced to expose themselves to COVID for the sake of an assignment to not fail OMM. And again, if they get COVID doing these 180 procedures, they must use vacation time.

I would also like to point out a majority of students in 3rd and 4th year are extremely unhappy at this school. We had a record number of students reach out to suicide hotlines this year. Please take this into consideration when applying/ accepting at this school.

Congrats guys and good luck!
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What are the strengths / positives of attending this school? Like the top 3 reasons to consider going here from your perspective? Knowing what you know now, would you recommend this school if it was the only school someone got into this cycle or is it THAT bad that you'd still avoid it?
 
cali-native86 said:
What are the strengths / positives of attending this school? Like the top 3 reasons to consider going here from your perspective? Knowing what you know now, would you recommend this school if it was the only school someone got into this cycle or is it THAT bad that you'd still avoid it?
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+1

only school i got accepted into this cycle and seeing the suicide hotline sentence is making me really uneasy...
 
The Chair of Basic Science Education stepped down from his position yesterday. Many of the OG faculty have left or are thinking about leaving because of the changes to SOMA.

This is not to instill fear, but to be transparent with incoming students or those who are thinking about applying.
 
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cali-native86 said:
What are the strengths / positives of attending this school? Like the top 3 reasons to consider going here from your perspective? Knowing what you know now, would you recommend this school if it was the only school someone got into this cycle or is it THAT bad that you'd still avoid it?
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I can't really recommend applying again or going to this school because obviously I made a decision and can't go back. That is up to you. Its important to just take this information in and weigh it against the negatives of applying again. I did not want to talk negatively about my school because I genuinely am a positive person who tries to see the best in things, and I want to stay professional. But all of the things I am saying are true, nothing is being stretched or dramatized and I am very careful to speak respectfully.

But there are so many policies especially 3rd and 4th year that we have no say in, that actively work against us, or make life 10x more stressful. Making up holidays instead of just being able to take the day off to study, using vacation/flexible time if you happen to get infected with COVID infection, having an OMM course our 3rd and 4th years that requires us to do hands on work on potentially COVID+ patients during almost all rotations despite pleas from students to get it changed, have all contributed to the incredible stress and burnout 3rd and 4th years are experiencing. We have tried to raise these issues to administration (or in the other case the OMM instructor) and have been largely ignored, and just told to deal with it.

I talk with students from other schools (including midwestern, other MD schools), and they don't seem to feel this way.

The thing about the suicide hotline I did not actually personally use it myself or hear other students say they used it, I believe it was in an email written from someone higher up urging students to reach out if they were feeling this way because they had seen an uptick in calls to the hotline this year. This just really highlights that you must develop good habits to take care of yourself in medical school (at any medical school) and reach out to anyone if you are ever feeling like hurting yourself. This also highlights the mental state of some of the students this year.

I used to really enjoy this school my 1st and 2nd year and would never say anything bad about it, but things have taken a different turn this year, so I felt it was important to be upfront about the policies of this school. I am not saying to not come here because I can't make that decision for you and shouldn't. I am just trying to communicate some things up front about this school has and hope you all can make your own decision.

Positives for this school:

1. The CHC model: I really enjoy working with underserved populations and felt that starting in clinic 2nd year really gave us a leg up when starting 3rd year. This may not be as useful if you want to go into a surgical specialty because we are in primary care clinics mostly our second year but it is helpful to prepare you for IM, FM, Peds. I also loved the patient population at the CHCs, and the resources you have available to you (nutrition counseling, behavioral health, clinical pharmacists). This is the biggest strength of SOMA and something I enjoy a lot. I also think it also taught me to be more understanding of people (I didn't have an issue with this before but it helped expand my ability to give people the benefit of the doubt at all times- ie. everyone can improve on this). I think this is an incredible useful skill as a physician because being a physician is truly a test of emotional maturity/ ability to maintain professionalism in tough circumstances, and if you are a hot headed person who gets frustrated at little things or don't try to see things from patient's perspectives, residency is going to be tough for you. We will all be tested in many ways as physicians and working on this skill is key. I feel I have grown so much as a person due to my time at the CHC and the different types of people I have encountered and helped. Plus working with our patient population really makes you feel like you are making a genuine difference and this is what keeps me going during tough rotations.

2. The OMM curriculum in 1st and 2nd year will prepare you well for COMLEX. It is a tough course which may not be your jam, but you won't have to be learning all of that information on the back end right before COMLEX. You will have a solid foundation. This isn't helpful for step though obviously, but I know some others schools OMM curriculum is lacking.

3. The Medical directors/RDMEs at all CHCs are caring and want the best for you. They will go out of their way to help you and guide you. They are awesome mentors, and I truly wouldn't be where I am without the mentorship I have had from my RDMEs. I felt very supported by my CHC. There are also some really great professors that truly care so much and respond to emails promptly that you encounter 1st and 2nd year.
 
If anyone has any further questions please pm me. I believe I have said all I needed to on this forum and I hope my input helps you make your decision.

As always, congrats to everyone who got into medical school as this is a huge huge accomplishment and you should be so proud of yourselves!!!
 
Just had my interview here today. They stated that all acceptances from here on out are “pending an open seat”. I interviewed with several other students today. It seems like ATSU-SOMA has a habit of filling up their spots in hopes of people rejecting those acceptances. They said they were most likely to also continue what they did last year, that if you have a pending acceptance and no one gives up their seat you’ll matriculate next cycle. Also won’t say anything specific about the actual interview because NDA but if you do get an II definitely read up on their mission & curriculum and make sure you align with it (like what is says in the “preparing for interview” section on their website). Good luck everyone.
 
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Frostbite___ said:
Just had my interview here today. They stated that all acceptances from here on out are “pending an open seat”. I interviewed with several other students today. It seems like ATSU-SOMA has a habit of filling up their spots in hopes of people rejecting those acceptances. They said they were most likely to also continue what they did last year, that if you have a pending acceptance and no one gives up their seat you’ll matriculate next cycle. Also won’t say anything specific about the actual interview because NDA but if you do get an II definitely read up on their mission & curriculum and make sure you align with it (like what is says in the “preparing for interview” section on their website). Good luck everyone.
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They said that to my interview group as well, but heard back immediately within a week with full acceptance so I'm not sure how it filled up so quickly already!
 
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Bcereus96 said:
They said that to my interview group as well, but heard back immediately within a week with full acceptance so I'm not sure how it filled up so quickly already!
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people are probably accepting and rejecting acceptances from different schools at a higher rate than expected. I wonder just how quickly they fill up and have seats let go. Anyways congrats!!!!
 
Frostbite___ said:
people are probably accepting and rejecting acceptances from different schools at a higher rate than expected. I wonder just how quickly they fill up and have seats let go. Anyways congrats!!!!
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that's true, and it is the time this process is so dynamic. wishing you best of luck! :)
 
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Received II on 1/24! Super excited- first II of the cycle for me. Scheduled to interview on 2/2.
 
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Hey everyone, just curious how late are interviews usually held? I'm just submitting my secondary and wondering if it's too late.
 
What is the virtual interview format like? Is it an all-day event?
 
OMS-I here. Please think carefully before committing to this school. If you were promised of a potential CHC site rearrangement during your acceptance call, it is not as straight-forward as you might think. We were told by admin that we will get to switch sites by the first week of the first block. Fast forward to 6 months later, we are barely doing the rearrangement and the process is so backwards and unprofessional. Admin did not do anything for us and we are basically pleading with each other about why we need to switch. It has become a game of who has the most valid reason and it is unfortunate that this whole thing has become a pity game. Also, if you do not have an “attractive” site to begin with, your chances of switching is basically zero.
 
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dgdog said:
What is the virtual interview format like? Is it an all-day event?
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It’s on zoom. There’s an NDA you have to sign so there’s not much we can tell you but When you get the II email and confirm your date there’s a schedule. Like the FAQs in the beginning of this thread there are both traditional 1-on-1 and group interviews. It is a bit lengthy.
 
Just to add insult to the wound about the CHC rearrangement - the dean in charge of the switch made a mandatory 8AM Zoom session to announce how the switch is going to happen. She scheduled this the morning after our exam. 8AM comes and she does not show up. Many were upset because it took her so long to announce anything and most of us are so tired from the exam the day before. She shows up 30 minutes after and does not even acknowledge that we were waiting on her or how unprofessional her behavior was. All of that and she basically tells us that she did not do anything to facilitate the rearrangement. What an embarrassment!
 
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Any calls from
Frostbite___ said:
Haven't heard anything back yet and I interviewed on 1/21. Looking back they take anywhere from 1 week to 6 weeks to get back to people.
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I interviewed 01/14. A bit anxious to be honest. Nothing yet.
 
Whelp just received a post II R. Good luck to everyone else!
 
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HopefulPremed. said:
congrats! stats?
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Non trad, >3.5 sgpa, mid 500s MCAT, a lot of Clinical Experience. I hear the seats are full but I don’t have any acceptances so I’m still going 😂
 
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is there an accepted student group? i was emailed to join it but no link
 
Got placed on the alternative list. Has anyone had any luck and has been offered a spot for this cycle?
 
kittymeg said:
Got placed on the alternative list. Has anyone had any luck and has been offered a spot for this cycle?
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I think the alternate status is a somewhat new status this year. I don't recall this status was issued last year but you can review previous year's threads to see. I would imagine ATSU would first pull from all the accepted pending a seat (APS) students first to fill any new openings and than the waitlisted / alternate candidates. Last year, not all the APS students were able to start the year for which they applied; hence the school issued deferred acceptances to them to start a year later. If this year's shaping up to bw like last year, than the chances are probably quite slim as an alternate but def send in an any significant updates / continue to express your interest to the admissions office over the coming months. Good luck and hang in there. Applying to medical school is a crappy process for sure.
 
reallyneedanA said:
OMS-I here. Please think carefully before committing to this school. If you were promised of a potential CHC site rearrangement during your acceptance call, it is not as straight-forward as you might think. We were told by admin that we will get to switch sites by the first week of the first block. Fast forward to 6 months later, we are barely doing the rearrangement and the process is so backwards and unprofessional. Admin did not do anything for us and we are basically pleading with each other about why we need to switch. It has become a game of who has the most valid reason and it is unfortunate that this whole thing has become a pity game. Also, if you do not have an “attractive” site to begin with, your chances of switching is basically zero.
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Hi, so what exactly do you mean by rearrangement? Are students having to contact other students they would like to switch CHC sites with? I’m just curious because I locked down the Brooklyn CHC, but I’d really like to switch to one of the Cali ones.
 
furutedoctor0711 said:
Hi, so what exactly do you mean by rearrangement? Are students having to contact other students they would like to switch CHC sites with? I’m just curious because I locked down the Brooklyn CHC, but I’d really like to switch to one of the Cali ones.
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I am in the same boat! Locked down the Brooklyn location but I am waitlisted at all the cali locations...i am not sure how the movement works and such but i was going to ask to speak to any student ambassadors at these locations
 
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furutedoctor0711 said:
Hi, so what exactly do you mean by rearrangement? Are students having to contact other students they would like to switch CHC sites with? I’m just curious because I locked down the Brooklyn CHC, but I’d really like to switch to one of the Cali ones.
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Yeah better say goodbye to that unless you find someone who is willing to switch with you personally. Most people who get NY and Cali don’t really wanna give up their spots so if you know someone in Cali who might be originally from NY or would like to be in NY, then you *have* the chance of switching. If not, you might have to involve multiple people to get to where you need to be (3 people switches Is common too).

All I’m saying is that there is a *chance* to switch, but it really depends on you to find that person. Hopefully admin doesn’t f*ck up your rearrangement schedule and actually get it done by the beginning of the school year, when it’s supposed to be done. (This is where the admin tripped on us - they kept telling us since week 0 that they will have the rearrangement done by the first week of classes but for some reason that they didn’t even properly explained, it’s only happening now where most people know each other and people who initially wanted to switch have come into terms/made plans with their primary spots. This honestly sucks for a lot of us because they made it even more difficult to switch in the first place. It’s becoming awkward between friends/classmates who now have to fight for a spot after they have become friends. And don’t even get me started on the process of switching. It’s basically a pity Olympics in that Teams page right now.)

Since you have a Brooklyn CHC, you might have a better chance of switching than those who got Ohio or Texas bc not a lot of ppl wanna go there. This is the f*cked up part of this whole process. If you were given a flyover state to begin with, your chances of switching is essentially non-existent.
 
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reallyneedanA said:
Yeah better say goodbye to that unless you find someone who is willing to switch with you personally. Most people who get NY and Cali don’t really wanna give up their spots so if you know someone in Cali who might be originally from NY or would like to be in NY, then you *have* the chance of switching. If not, you might have to involve multiple people to get to where you need to be (3 people switches Is common too).

All I’m saying is that there is a *chance* to switch, but it really depends on you to find that person. Hopefully admin doesn’t f*ck up your rearrangement schedule and actually get it done by the beginning of the school year, when it’s supposed to be done. (This is where the admin tripped on us - they kept telling us since week 0 that they will have the rearrangement done by the first week of classes but for some reason that they didn’t even properly explained, it’s only happening now where most people know each other and people who initially wanted to switch have come into terms/made plans with their primary spots. This honestly sucks for a lot of us because they made it even more difficult to switch in the first place. It’s becoming awkward between friends/classmates who now have to fight for a spot after they have become friends. And don’t even get me started on the process of switching. It’s basically a pity Olympics in that Teams page right now.)

Since you have a Brooklyn CHC, you might have a better chance of switching than those who got Ohio or Texas bc not a lot of ppl wanna go there. This is the f*cked up part of this whole process. If you were given a flyover state to begin with, your chances of switching is essentially non-existent.
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Thank you for the insight!!
 
Bcereus96 said:
I am in the same boat! Locked down the Brooklyn location but I am waitlisted at all the cali locations...i am not sure how the movement works and such but i was going to ask to speak to any student ambassadors at these locations
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I’m in the same exact position I’m waitlisted at one of the Cali ones and Desiree said I have two people ahead of me in the waitlist position, but that easily could’ve changed because I asked months ago. Are you at the platinum or silver location for Brooklyn?
 
Bcereus96 said:
I am in the same boat! Locked down the Brooklyn location but I am waitlisted at all the cali locations...i am not sure how the movement works and such but i was going to ask to speak to any student ambassadors at these locations
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Also, if you get the chance to speak to a student ambassador from one of the Brooklyn locations, can you let me know? I’ve been trying to get in contact with some, I’m really curious how it is there
 
Does anyone know about the Flagstaff location? Is it a good one?
 
Sent an update letter this morning and got a pre-II R hours later. OOS, complete mid September.
 
i sent an update letter on 1/7/2022 and received an II on 1/24/2022. I have no clue if it helped or didn't but nonetheless, I am hoping you hear something good soon!
HopefulPremed. said:
Wow that’s crazy. I sent update and been silence since. It was back in October
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Hello! Quick question my interview is tomorrow but I did not get an email yet with the zoom links or anything? Does anyone know when they send them usually? Appreciate the help!
 
Frijolitas said:
You should have received the email already! I would reach out to them via phone or email ASAP.
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My interview is in two weeks. When do they usually give interviewer info or zoom links etc?
 
reallyneedanA said:
Don’t go to this school. Mark Coty is a nightmare and his PBL bull**** is the reason why good professors are dropping like flies. This school is a **** show because of him. Don’t go to this school.
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Hey there. What exactly is the issue with PBL? Is it like self studying (MCAT like) on steroids?
 
Welp7 said:
Hey there. What exactly is the issue with PBL? Is it like self studying (MCAT like) on steroids?
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I would refer to the ATSU-SOMA transcript discussion posted in the beginning of this thread, but yes - very little guidance from professors (which is why they’re probably leaving - they don’t really have a job anymore when the transition occurs 100%)

Just pulling out an excerpt from the document:

“
e. Lectures
i. There’s a rumor that lectures are gone.
1. “That’s not true at all. What we’re going to do is have you learn however you want to learn and apply it to the clinical case as you go through.” -Dr. Coty
ii. “You are going to have lectures, but the lectures are going to be screened” so that they’re putting things into a clinical context. -Dr. Coty
iii. “It may be an outside speaker coming to talk about a pathology that you’re dealing with at the time.” -Dr. Coty
iv. You won’t have hours and hours of lectures. “You’ll have lectures, but they will be lectures that can highlight and accentuate the things that you’re learning.” - Dr. Coty
v. “We’re not going to do the lectures because if we give you the lectures, that’s all you’re going to concentrate on and it’s not enough.” Dr. Coty”

So basically, you’re in charged of your own learning. There are pros and cons to this, but I personally did not pay $62k per year to teach myself medicine with very little guidance from people who are expert in their fields. It doesn’t help that plenty of our good professors have left or are leaving in the midst of the school year. We (students) are left in the dark and admin is not doing a good job of showing that they care about the quality of our education at all.
 
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Gonna decline my interview and withdraw my app. Hope y’all get in!
 
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