Anyone feel as though there school is not up to par?

[vsteele9]

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I am an OMS1 this year and just feel like what I'm learning and being taught is not up to medical school standards and frankly it frightens me. We have self guided lectures ( I pay the school lots of money, why is this a thing), information is incorrect on slides and professors refuse to address the problem. The school also does not talk about how you stand as a student nor are we allowed to look at our exams. Is this every osteopathic medical school or am I at an outlier? It's very upsetting that I pay all of this money and at the end of the day I feel as though I am being let down and won't achieve my aspirations just because of where I'm in school at.

 

[Azete]

Sounds pretty standard. I wouldn't fret too much about self-guided lectures though, there's a lot of very prestigious schools that are heading towards eliminating lectures entirely. Everything you're expected to learn in the first two years can easily be learned on your own.

Where you'll really get screwed is during the glorified shadowing experiences they call rotations. My first couple rotations were fine, but during my current rotation I am literally not allowed to participate in any activity other than taking notes and I get a 15 minute period to ask questions at the end of the day. I'm paying thousands of dollars to waste 4 weeks of my life -- what a time to be alive.

 

[68PGunner]

I am an OMS1 this year and just feel like what I'm learning and being taught is not up to medical school standards and frankly it frightens me. We have self guided lectures ( I pay the school lots of money, why is this a thing), information is incorrect on slides and professors refuse to address the problem. The school also does not talk about how you stand as a student nor are we allowed to look at our exams. Is this every osteopathic medical school or am I at an outlier? It's very upsetting that I pay all of this money and at the end of the day I feel as though I am being let down and won't achieve my aspirations just because of where I'm in school at.

Just pass your class and focus all of your study based on topics outlined in FA. This is coming from someone who's getting Bs on in-house exams and scoring 2 STDs above the national average on Kaplan Qbank and school administered NBME exams.

Honestly, most of the materials presented in school isn't even adequate to teach you anything except a superficial idea of the pathophysiology of Dx. Just use Uptodate and learn everything on your own. I use my professors as an outlets to cross-check facts or perhaps to clarify details about certain something. Usually, they're pretty helpful in this regard.

 

[Goro]

I am an OMS1 this year and just feel like what I'm learning and being taught is not up to medical school standards and frankly it frightens me. We have self guided lectures ( I pay the school lots of money, why is this a thing), information is incorrect on slides and professors refuse to address the problem. The school also does not talk about how you stand as a student nor are we allowed to look at our exams. Is this every osteopathic medical school or am I at an outlier? It's very upsetting that I pay all of this money and at the end of the day I feel as though I am being let down and won't achieve my aspirations just because of where I'm in school at.

My sympathies, are you at a new school?

We let the students know their class rank, as well as how they do on each exam compared to their peers. Students are allowed to see what they got wrong.

When you say something is incorrect, can you elaborate?

 

[Kkshake]

My school doesn't allow us to see what we get wrong either. I think they recycle questions.

 

[FourniersGreenGang]

My school sounds like the exact opposite of yours.

 

[vsteele9]

My sympathies, are you at a new school?

We let the students know their class rank, as well as how they do on each exam compared to their peers. Students are allowed to see what they got wrong.

When you say something is incorrect, can you elaborate?

My sympathies, are you at a new school?

We let the students know their class rank, as well as how they do on each exam compared to their peers. Students are allowed to see what they got wrong.

When you say something is incorrect, can you elaborate?

Well they do not tell us our class rank, they think it makes us more competitive. Which some people are still competitive, so I don't think it makes a difference. I wish I was at a pass/fail school I think that helps more.

I am not at a new osteopathic school, I'm at an older satellite campus, but the school has an overall fairly good reputation from what I've heard.

We do see the class average, the problem with that is our class performing higher than others? If I'm below the average what does that mean? We also don't have any feedback of how we're doing and what that means just because there really is no correlation between boards and GPA is what they say. It's hard to know if doing well will correlate with good board scores or what they teach us even matches up with boards, specifically USMLE. I finished block one with a 3.7 GPA.

When I say something is incorrect, I mean that the definitions of some words would be wrong or quiz questions would have the wrong answers and sometimes they wouldn't correct it. Little things like that. This is a professional medical school, shouldn't this be unacceptable.

 

[vsteele9]

Just pass your class and focus all of your study based on topics outlined in FA. This is coming from someone who's getting Bs on in-house exams and scoring 2 STDs above the national average on Kaplan Qbank and school administered NBME exams.

Honestly, most of the materials presented in school isn't even adequate to teach you anything except a superficial idea of the pathophysiology of Dx. Just use Uptodate and learn everything on your own. I use my professors as an outlets to cross-check facts or perhaps to clarify details about certain something. Usually, they're pretty helpful in this regard.

Is this why people do poorly in school and crush boards? Also it will make it harder because I have to take two board exams in a two week time span.

 

[vsteele9]

My school sounds like the exact opposite of yours.

What do you mean?

 

[Goro]

Well they do not tell us our class rank, they think it makes us more competitive. Which some people are still competitive, so I don't think it makes a difference. I wish I was at a pass/fail school I think that helps more.
More competitive??? I can't understand thier reasoning.

We do see the class average, the problem with that is our class performing higher than others? If I'm below the average what does that mean? We also don't have any feedback of how we're doing and what that means just because there really is no correlation between boards and GPA is what they say. It's hard to know if doing well will correlate with good board scores or what they teach us even matches up with boards, specifically USMLE. I finished block one with a 3.7 GPA.
A 3.7 GPA means you're going ace COMLEX. Being below avg could be meaningless if the class as a whole is doing really well, but being FAR below avg can be concerning....if you're closer to barely passing.

When I say something is incorrect, I mean that the definitions of some words would be wrong or quiz questions would have the wrong answers and sometimes they wouldn't correct it. Little things like that. This is a professional medical school, shouldn't this be unacceptable.
I agree, and you should be complaining long and hard about this to both Dep't Chairs and Deans. But overall quizzes are not worth getting worked up over. Bad exams are worth getting worked up over.

Is this why people do poorly in school and crush boards? Also it will make it harder because I have to take two board exams in a two week time span.
At our school, people who do poorly in school and still crush Boards are in the extreme minority. So the people who fit this category in SDN really are outliers.

I don't know how your school schedules your exam timing, but you CAN take USMLE later (or possibly even COMLEX, if you're worried about that. My students can take an elective and spend that time studying for COMLEX.)

Overall, I get the sense that you have nothing to worry about. Your pre-clinical years will flash away before you know it.

 

[vsteele9]

Well they do not tell us our class rank, they think it makes us more competitive. Which some people are still competitive, so I don't think it makes a difference. I wish I was at a pass/fail school I think that helps more.
More competitive??? I can't understand thier reasoning.

We do see the class average, the problem with that is our class performing higher than others? If I'm below the average what does that mean? We also don't have any feedback of how we're doing and what that means just because there really is no correlation between boards and GPA is what they say. It's hard to know if doing well will correlate with good board scores or what they teach us even matches up with boards, specifically USMLE. I finished block one with a 3.7 GPA.
A 3.7 GPA means you're going ace COMLEX. Being below avg could be meaningless if the class as a whole is doing really well, but being FAR below avg can be concerning....if you're closer to barely passing.

When I say something is incorrect, I mean that the definitions of some words would be wrong or quiz questions would have the wrong answers and sometimes they wouldn't correct it. Little things like that. This is a professional medical school, shouldn't this be unacceptable.
I agree, and you should be complaining long and hard about this to both Dep't Chairs and Deans. But overall quizzes are not worth getting worked up over. Bad exams are worth getting worked up over.

Is this why people do poorly in school and crush boards? Also it will make it harder because I have to take two board exams in a two week time span.
At our school, people who do poorly in school and still crush Boards are in the extreme minority. So the people who fit this category in SDN really are outliers.

I don't know how your school schedules your exam timing, but you CAN take USMLE later (or possibly even COMLEX, if you're worried about that. My students can take an elective and spend that time studying for COMLEX.)

Overall, I get the sense that you have nothing to worry about. Your pre-clinical years will flash away before you know it.

I wish they were only a flash away haha I'm quite miserable, but I guess everyone is?

 

[thepoopologist]

Your experience isn't a unique one and was something my classmates discussed amongst each other way back when I was in med school. While I do agree that considering the tuition DO schools should be better than they are, it works out just fine in the end as long as you keep making the effort to improve and do well.

 

[vsteele9]

Your experience isn't a unique one and was something my classmates discussed amongst each other way back when I was in med school. While I do agree that considering the tuition DO schools should be better than they are, it works out just fine in the end as long as you keep making the effort to improve and do well.

I hope so and really appreciate the post. I want to be the best physician I can be and don’t want to be handicapped during rotations or matching with a residency just because of the school I’m at. I’m fine with putting in the work, but if it’s not going to pay off then what’s the point? I have no way of knowing, you know? I don’t want a crystal ball either just some confirmation that I’m headed in the right direction.

 

[Peach Newport]

Doesn’t sound too out of the ordinary for medical school in general, MD or DO.

My school is pretty different - we know everything about what we did wrong on exams, we know damn well how we’re doing, and we definitely know our class rank. However, I have friends at DO and MD schools that say they don’t have any of these. However, our slides occasionally have wrong info, and a lot of the learning is very self-directed.

Don’t worry too much about it. Use the resources available to you to correct your deficits the best you can and move on. Dwelling on the inadequacies of your school is a really good way to ruin your mental health, and exacerbate the (often baseless) catastrophism that stressed medical students are prone to.

 

[harkas]

I hope so and really appreciate the post. I want to be the best physician I can be and don’t want to be handicapped during rotations or matching with a residency just because of the school I’m at. I’m fine with putting in the work, but if it’s not going to pay off then what’s the point? I have no way of knowing, you know? I don’t want a crystal ball either just some confirmation that I’m headed in the right direction.

If you are honestly working your hardest, then it will pay off. Trust me. I’m not a med student yet but I’ve been in a similar situation. It’s important to remember that working hard doesn’t mean trying to work yourself through a brick wall. If something isn’t working for you, try something else. There is no excuse for your school but being willing to adjust and adapt to difficult situations will do so much more for you. You may even appreciate some of the shortcomings of your school at some point in your life because you may achieve just as much as your colleagues despite the hurdles and will know not to stress about other difficulties in your life because you’ve overcome so much.

 

[FourniersGreenGang]

What do you mean?

I just mean that for each item you wrote that your school does, my school does the opposite it seems.

 

[UserUnidentified420]

Just pass your class and focus all of your study based on topics outlined in FA. This is coming from someone who's getting Bs on in-house exams and scoring 2 STDs above the national average on Kaplan Qbank and school administered NBME exams.

Honestly, most of the materials presented in school isn't even adequate to teach you anything except a superficial idea of the pathophysiology of Dx. Just use Uptodate and learn everything on your own. I use my professors as an outlets to cross-check facts or perhaps to clarify details about certain something. Usually, they're pretty helpful in this regard.

I've been on UpToDate and it confuses me so much. What is a good/efficient way to learn from UpToDate? What worked for you?

 

[68PGunner]

I've been on UpToDate and it confuses me so much. What is a good/efficient way to learn from UpToDate? What worked for you?

Scroll all the way down and get the recommendation and summary if you're looking for something quick about that study. Otherwise, you will just have to read. When I use UpToDate, I already have 70-80% of the info, I just use UpToDate to augment my clinical knowledge, something that PhDs doesn't teach very well.

 

[UserUnidentified420]

Scroll all the way down and get the recommendation and summary if you're looking for something quick about that study. Otherwise, you will just have to read. When I use UpToDate, I already have 70-80% of the info, I just use UpToDate to augment my clinical knowledge, something that PhDs doesn't teach very well.

Thanks fam. Those huge pages are intimidating and you summed up usage quite nicely, thank you.

 

[NontradCA]

Focus on your boards, which will be your saving grace. Use review sources that go along with whatever subject you’re on.

 

[UserUnidentified420]

I am an OMS1 this year and just feel like what I'm learning and being taught is not up to medical school standards and frankly it frightens me. We have self guided lectures ( I pay the school lots of money, why is this a thing), information is incorrect on slides and professors refuse to address the problem. The school also does not talk about how you stand as a student nor are we allowed to look at our exams. Is this every osteopathic medical school or am I at an outlier? It's very upsetting that I pay all of this money and at the end of the day I feel as though I am being let down and won't achieve my aspirations just because of where I'm in school at.

sorry this is happening bud. my schools really perceptive to students but the above poster is right, focus on boards

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

Self guided lectures are in a way, a bonus,
The problem I faced with my now-former school was- the lectures. They focused too much on what the professor was saying and one of our professors just spewed out a whole bunch of extra stuff that wasnt on the slides or written down or relevant really to the exams. Another guy wanted us to read the book and there is alot more info in a book than you actually need to know (especially for anatomy)
Typically self guided lectures set a standardized fair game curriculum , you may not like it which is fine, but it is a love/hate relationship for most people

Regarding your school as a whole, yes some schools are worse than others.

 

[JustPlainBill]

Ahem --- *their --- there is a destination.

 

[Roxas]

Ahem --- *their --- there is a destination.

I was waiting for someone to say it

 

[vsteele9]

Ahem --- *their --- there is a destination.

My apologies, written out of frustration.

 

[JustPlainBill]

My apologies, written out of frustration.

Understood....but you get the irony of a thread complaining that the school is not up to par with poor usage in the title of the thread, right? Not a ding on you -- done it myself....

 

[vsteele9]

Understood....but you get the irony of a thread complaining that the school is not up to par with poor usage in the title of the thread, right? Not a ding on you -- done it myself....

Yes I understand the irony and yes

Understood....but you get the irony of a thread complaining that the school is not up to par with poor usage in the title of the thread, right? Not a ding on you -- done it myself....

Yes

Understood....but you get the irony of a thread complaining that the school is not up to par with poor usage in the title of the thread, right? Not a ding on you -- done it myself....

Yeah quite disappointed in myself. I know you didn't mean it as a ding, but.... haha. I laughed it off and face palmed myself.

 

[alecseriously]

How arrogant do you have to be to critique grammar when someone is asking for help/advice?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[ortnakas]

OP, everyone feels that way about one aspect of their school or another. All schools could improve, of course, but I think it’s a “grass is greener” effect. At any rate, first year is rough everywhere. Hang in there.

How arrogant do you have to be to critique grammar when someone is asking for help/advice?
Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

You don’t have to be arrogant... just on the internet.

 

[Carbon090]

Focus on your boards, which will be your saving grace. Use review sources that go along with whatever subject you’re on.

This. Focus on board material alongside the class work. Do research if possible. You'll be fine if you go above your classmates and work your ass off.