ACOM vs KCOM

[TwoForehands]

Long time poster. New account to try and maintain anonymity.

Accepted at ACOM (deposit down) and to interview at KCOM. I've researched both schools and basically will have to move for rotations for either (and both seem to be decent - AMEC and established rotations).

Dothan is a good area for my family and I. I am m encouraged by everything the school has done. Honestly my main/only reservation is the mandatory lectures. It is not my learning style to listen to someone else.

This is why I am considering interviewing at KCOM. Would free me up tremendously to study how I prefer. Main con is how rural it is - I have a spouse and two kids. Spouse will attend interview with me to help determine if they could see living there for two years.

Obviously KCOM is much more established (history of strong board scores and has actually matched classes). For me ACOM is preferred with the exception of the lectures. Is that a reasonable line of thinking (a single determinant for choosing one school over another)? All input would be really appreciated.

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[AnatomyGrey12]

KCOM and this shouldn't even be a question. Dothan is a city with about 50,000 population Kirksville is about 30,000 population. So it won't be much more rural than Dothan.

At least go to the interview.

 

[TwoForehands]

KCOM and this shouldn't even be a question. Dothan is a city with about 50,000 population Kirksville is about 30,000 population. So it won't be much more rural than Dothan.

At least go to the interview.

Yeah. I'm really posing an impossible question; "will my spouse be happy?". They just need to attend with me and check the area out (job is the primary concern - Dothan has ready and desirable employment for my spouse's career).

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Yeah. I'm really posing an impossible question; "will my spouse be happy?". They just need to attend with me and check the area out (job is the primary concern - Dothan has ready and desirable employment for my spouse's career).

For what it's worth, I know KCOM is known for being really family friendly. Maybe (if you are accepted obviously) your wife should contact some current spouses there and chat with them, that has really helped my wife out.

Besides that on a purely career level it is the better school by a large margin. It has good rotations at lots of places with residency programs in most fields. They are very well known and have grads all across the country and consistently have grads place in very competitive fields and programs. The ACOM rotations are good for a new DO school but there are very few residency programs affiliated and are almost exclusely preceptor based. Not to mention the mandatory attendance of ACOM is a big con for most people.

 

[GreyWarden]

Match is up for AOA this year, and ACOM had its first class.

I'm not sure what you consider rural. I know you have already been here and seen some of Dothan. I'm from a Big city and Dothan has just about everything you could want. As far as residencies programs go, you realize you have to apply to them just like everyone else. Just because you go to school that controls the OPTI doesn't mean you automatically get a spot. You still have to do well on boards and interview well.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Match is up for AOA this year, and ACOM had its first class.

I'm not sure what you consider rural. I know you have already been here and seen some of Dothan. I'm from a Big city and Dothan has just about everything you could want. As far as residencies programs go, you realize you have to apply to them just like everyone else. Just because you go to school that controls the OPTI doesn't mean you automatically get a spot. You still have to do well on boards and interview well.

Yes but KCOM is still the much better school. I am curious though do you have any more info on the ACOM AOA matches? I am curious into how they did as I do think they are fairly strong for a new school.

 

[GreyWarden]

Yes but KCOM is still the much better school. I am curious though do you have any more info on the ACOM AOA matches? I am curious into how they did as I do think they are fairly strong for a new school.

I mean what do you want to know? Like what specialties people have been getting?

 

[deleted244469]

I mean what do you want to know? Like what specialties people have been getting?

Yes. I am interested as well.

 

[TwoForehands]

Match is up for AOA this year, and ACOM had its first class.

I'm not sure what you consider rural. I know you have already been here and seen some of Dothan. I'm from a Big city and Dothan has just about everything you could want. As far as residencies programs go, you realize you have to apply to them just like everyone else. Just because you go to school that controls the OPTI doesn't mean you automatically get a spot. You still have to do well on boards and interview well.

I definitely don't consider Dothan rural, not considering where I live now.

For what it's worth, I know KCOM is known for being really family friendly. Maybe (if you are accepted obviously) your wife should contact some current spouses there and chat with them, that has really helped my wife out.

Besides that on a purely career level it is the better school by a large margin. It has good rotations at lots of places with residency programs in most fields. They are very well known and have grads all across the country and consistently have grads place in very competitive fields and programs. The ACOM rotations are good for a new DO school but there are very few residency programs affiliated and are almost exclusely preceptor based. Not to mention the mandatory attendance of ACOM is a big con for most people.

Yeah man, I am definitely going to interview. You and a friend really made me realize KCOM is super solid.

Going to let my wife retain veto power gor final call (I could definitely be happy at ACOM, but KCOM seems the better bet).



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[deleted244469]

I definitely don't consider Dothan rural, not considering where I live now.



Yeah man, I am definitely going to interview. You and a friend really made me realize KCOM is super solid.

Going to let my wife retain veto power gor final call (I could definitely be happy at ACOM, but KCOM seems the better bet).



Sent from my Nexus 6P using SDN mobile

Really? Dude, it's YOUR future, not hers. Go where YOU feel you will succeed.

I apologize if I'm stepping out of line here, but KCOM >>> ACOM. Regardless, it's essentially only two years, wherever you go....

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Really? Dude, it's YOUR future, not hers. Go where YOU feel you will succeed.

You obviously aren't married.... it is most definitely her future as well. My wife gets as much say in this as I do.

 

[TwoForehands]

Really? Dude, it's YOUR future, not hers. Go where YOU feel you will succeed.

I apologize if I'm stepping out of line here, but KCOM >>> ACOM. Regardless, it's essentially only two years, wherever you go....

One day you will see
(I'm assuming you arent married). This journey isn't worth it if I lose my family in the process (career notorious for doing so).

The way I see it, next two years of my life will be head down studying, not varying much between institutions. She will be the one sacrificing the most.

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[moyamoya6]

"Happy wife is a happy life!" That's what I kept hearing the doctors say anyway. Also, when you are doing rotations and audition rotations, very crucial to have a supportive wife because those times are going to be tough. You may not see your family as much as you like, and if you're doing audition rotations in other cities, you may see them even less weeks at a time.

 

[deleted244469]

One day you will see
(I'm assuming you arent married). This journey isn't worth it if I lose my family in the process (career notorious for doing so).

The way I see it, next two years of my life will be head down studying, not varying much between institutions. She will be the one sacrificing the most.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using SDN mobile

Haha maybe that was a bit unintentionally shallow of me. I apologize. If OP is happy at either school, then it really doesn't matter.

 

[SurgDoc95]

Haha maybe that was a bit unintentionally shallow of me. I apologize. If OP is happy at either school, then it really doesn't matter.

Girlfriend? Sure it's your future.

Wife? Unless you dislike her and are looking for a divorce (not to mention losing half your stuff) she definitely gets a big say.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Girlfriend? Sure it's your future.

Wife? Unless you dislike her and are looking for a divorce (not to mention losing half your stuff) she definitely gets a big say.

Oh yeah if it's just a gf then she can just deal with it. Say that to a wife? The couch gets new friend for a very long time

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

I vote KCOM

Now onto those ACOM matches... I'm very interested as well.

 

[Goro femme]

KCOM for sure. For two years, the two of you can make the best of location. The school is good at developing close classes and family support. The only unhappy spouse situations I have seen here is when the spouse is expecting to acquire employment that is conquerable to the higher pay they are used to in larger locales.

 

[8404HMFMF]

I definitely don't consider Dothan rural, not considering where I live now.



Yeah man, I am definitely going to interview. You and a friend really made me realize KCOM is super solid.

Going to let my wife retain veto power gor final call (I could definitely be happy at ACOM, but KCOM seems the better bet).



Sent from my Nexus 6P using SDN mobile

When I interviewed here a couple of months ago I asked specifically about family support. The answers I got made it seem like family support was a point of pride for them. The city isn't anything special but the whole interview day made me fall in love with the program. I think you are taking the right approach but like others have said, at KCOM it will only be for 2 years, then you could be off to a larger city in several different states.