ACOM vs WVSOM vs LMU

[captn_gator]

Whats up everyone, I’m trying to really get some advice on these 3 schools for my future especially with residency, as that is what’s most important to me. My current plan for residency would be in EM, Surgery, or Ortho and would definitely prefer to stay in the South for residency. Additionally, I am from FL and family is very important to me.

ACOM
Pros:
- Closer to FL where I currently live
- Relatively near the beach and warmer weather
- Good rotation sites and some in FL
- Great in Sim training
- Slightly above average level 1 and 2 scores
- Great flexibility for auction rotations in 4th year
- Seems like they have decent match rates for the South region

Cons:
- Very small town
- Relatively newer school and have heard higher attrition rates in the past?
- Not really much to do around campus
- Harder for my wife to find a job in her respected field
- Mandatory lectures?
- Heard some conflicting news about faculty and professors
- Roughly around 6hrs from family

WVSOM
Pros:
- State funded school
- Great rotation sites, including rotating with the MD students from WVU
- Established school, with name recognition?
- Great match placement at very established hospitals with decent numbers in surgery match
- Good sim lab
- Early clinical exposure with on-site community clinic
- Medical search and rescue squads and wilderness medicine
- No mandatory lectures
- Good level 2 scores

Cons:
- Lower than average level 1 pass rates?
- Very rural area
- Rotation sites ONLY available in WV
- Far away from family anywhere from 8-13hrs
- Colder weather
- Very tough for wife to find job in this area
- Rare match data for the South region

LMU(Knoxville)
Pros:
- City life and great area
- Close to family, within 2hrs
- Good level 2 scores?
- High match rate
- Easy for my wife to find job
- Some core rotations sites in FL
- Pretty good match data, with decent in Gen surg and in the South region
- No mandatory lectures
- Involvement with the local FD
- Established school

Cons:
- Heightened monitoring?
- I’ve heard rotation sites are not the best?
- I’ve heard this should be an avoidable school?
- Below average level 1 scores
- Faculty and administration was not the best but I guess they have recently changed that

I’m really torn so any help would be much appreciated!

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[AstroSidekick]

The cons for WVSOM make it a non-starter for me.

Generally speaking, ACOM and LMU seem to be pretty comparable. Personally, I think LMU would be my choice because your partner being able to find a job easily will help keep your relationship stronger than if she was stuck in a job she hates and couldn't change from. I also think non mandatory lectures will make a world of difference on your daily stress levels. Step 1 scores are often student dependent so I wouldn't worry about that. Figure out exactly what the heightened monitoring is for because sometimes, it was for really minor things that have no impact on students (failing to submit documents on time, etc...). However, if there is a big price difference between ACOM and LMU, then I would pick the cheaper school without a doubt.

 

[SpideyMD]

ACOM imo no question. LMU can almost be immediately eliminated from the 3 given there past and the location is really in the middle of no where. Dothan is actually a nice city you should visit I think you would be surprised. It’s the trio between the 3 states I certainly would not call it a small town. 6 hours from your fam is not bad for ACOM and during clinical you do rotations at places like Panama City beach and Jacksonville. WVSOM is nice but much farther from home. Plus OOS tuition at WVSOM makes me kinda mad

 

[captn_gator]

The cons for WVSOM make it a non-starter for me.

Generally speaking, ACOM and LMU seem to be pretty comparable. Personally, I think LMU would be my choice because your partner being able to find a job easily will help keep your relationship stronger than if she was stuck in a job she hates and couldn't change from. I also think non mandatory lectures will make a world of difference on your daily stress levels. Step 1 scores are often student dependent so I wouldn't worry about that. Figure out exactly what the heightened monitoring is for because sometimes, it was for really minor things that have no impact on students (failing to submit documents on time, etc...). However, if there is a big price difference between ACOM and LMU, then I would pick the cheaper school without a doubt.

Thank you for the input and advice! I will definitely try and seek out what the accreditation issues are for LMU, tuitions for all 3 schools are very similar

 

[captn_gator]

ACOM imo no question. LMU can almost be immediately eliminated from the 3 given there past and the location is really in the middle of no where. Dothan is actually a nice city you should visit I think you would be surprised. It’s the trio between the 3 states I certainly would not call it a small town. 6 hours from your fam is not bad for ACOM and during clinical you do rotations at places like Panama City beach and Jacksonville. WVSOM is nice but much farther from home. Plus OOS tuition at WVSOM makes me kinda mad

Even with LMU having a location in Knoxville? Also do you know what the issue was with LMU in the past?