2022-2023 A.T. Still University (Mesa, Arizona) ATSU-SOMA

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
i learned about the Brooklyn chc closure on SDN about 1-2 weeks prior to the school calling me directly and notifying me of the closure. They said I could rerank my chc list but that placement would depend entirely on the existing sites’ willingness to take on additional students. But a month passed, I was still not reassigned a new chc and was told the school could no longer guarantee a new chc placement so I withdrew. Seems like since then, Seattle (ie Renton) has also now closed overnight. Your doubts are definitely valid and I had the same concerns. At the end of the day you need to decide for yourself if the risk of attendance is worth it to you. Personally I think you’re better off reapplying than mortgaging your future on a very iffy med school. I contacted other DO schools and they said if I were to reapply to med school, they would not hold my rescinding of my admission from atsu against me given I was deferred by the school only to lose my chc (Brooklyn) during the deferral year.
Just wanted to add as long as you dont MATRICULATE you can reapply to AMCAS/ACCOMAS since they ask if you ever went to medical school and dropped out not if you had previous acceptances
 
Just wanted to add as long as you dont MATRICULATE you can reapply to AMCAS/ACCOMAS since they ask if you ever went to medical school and dropped out not if you had previous acceptances
Thanks yeah I think it should be okay. I didn’t matriculate at atsu, but am simply rejecting their offer of admission on the grounds that their school seemingly can’t uphold their end of the agreement
 
SOMEONE HELP ME!! I have to decide between ATSU SOMA and CHSU COM and I have no idea which one to pick, I hear a lot of bad things with ATSU but I really don't know what to expect.
 
I mean go ask the kids at CHSU how they feel. Can confirm it isn’t great here at SOMA. SOMAs didactic style is new to us and two of our best clinical sites closed. The only pro that could come out of all this is if you get more free time to self study actual board material. We do have a steadily more robust alumni network but you’ve got to get to that point first.

I will say most low level professors and local coordinators have been great and huge in getting rid of the toxic LECOM-sequel leadership SOMA tried to setup. Aka reducing Dr Sheridan and Dr Coty’s roles.

The beauty of CHSU is it does sound like they stay mostly in Clovis/Fresno and honestly the 1+3 kinda sucks and I miss my friends.
 
I mean go ask the kids at CHSU how they feel. Can confirm it isn’t great here at SOMA. SOMAs didactic style is new to us and two of our best clinical sites closed. The only pro that could come out of all this is if you get more free time to self study actual board material. We do have a steadily more robust alumni network but you’ve got to get to that point first.

I will say most low level professors and local coordinators have been great and huge in getting rid of the toxic LECOM-sequel leadership SOMA tried to setup. Aka reducing Dr Sheridan and Dr Coty’s roles.

The beauty of CHSU is it does sound like they stay mostly in Clovis/Fresno and honestly the 1+3 kinda sucks and I miss my friends.
thank you for this I really needed it, is your curriculum in house or is it based off of board information?
 
Just received an A from here earlier today! Interviewed 01/18, Waitlisted on 03/01.

Will be declining as I got in at KCU, but I hope the spot goes to one of you!
 
I received an A this past week after being on the Alternate list since last November. I declined my A since I was accepted to another school.
 
I got the acceptance a few weeks ago, declined my seat for another school. Hope it goes well for you guys still waiting!
 
dont come here. here is what a friend of a friend told me- people in this area (primary care physicians) might I add have no idea what this school is and only accept midwestern students for residency. they constantly put their students down and discourage them from specializing. they make everything mandatory attendance which in turn causes people to lose out on study time and fail and then they kick them out. if you get in literally nowhere else, wait another year and apply again.

while we are on the subject, they find any possible reason to put students on probation and kick them out because they have no relationship with medical training facilities and have no available rotation spots for basically half of their second year class. they had to cut down on the number they accepted drastically. the resources provided change and get cut down constantly. the fees for the 2nd-4th years are entirely made up (ie- technology fee) when all of the students are off campus. there is no leeway in terms of loans and the amount given is not livable. the school is absurdly expensive and provides no financially traceable services.
 
In the first half of year 1, we were going to 'small groups' sessions (which are essentially PBL sessions) once a week. Almost every student stated to the administration that small group sessions were ineffective and inconsistent. Out of the blue, we were mandated to 2 small group sessions per week. Just more busy work on top of an already loaded curriculum.

The previous dean decided to change the COMAT passing score from 6th to 30th percentile for unknown reasons. So many students failed rotations that they reverted back to 6th percentile shortly after.

We were promised anatomy wouldn't be a part of our 2nd year curriculum since it was all covered in the 1st year. Several weeks into the curriculum, it was decided that anatomy would be a significant part of our OMM exams. The anatomy department provided little-to-no guidance as to what was going to be tested. They essentially told us to read the provided anatomy book and get bent. The topics didn't relate at all--we would learn cranial but somehow be tested on the anatomy of kidneys. The reason for this was that ATSU students scored poorly in the anatomy and OMM section of COMLEX, which is funny because our OMM course doesn't prepare us for OMM on COMLEX (which leads me to the next point/change).

The OMM department reversed their decision on cheat sheets just as we started 2nd year. Previous classes could bring unlimited notes to their tests. We were limited to 1 sheet of paper. So not only did we get tested on more material, our chances of passing a test were reduced. How do cheat sheets even help us prepare for COMLEX? Does NBOME permit cheat sheets? No... It became a competition as to who can fit the most words on a sheet of paper.

Can't forget the fact that SOMA administration was secretly transitioning to a full PBL curriculum during the latter half of my first year. They were misleading prospective/incoming students about the changes which you can read about here (original post) and here if you haven't already.

I really pray that you find the COMLEX/match stats.​

Former ATSU student here. Would you be able to shoot me a PM? Thanks.
 
Top