ATSU/SOMA (Arizona) Discussion Thread 2009-2010

[droogdoc]

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Ya, that's part of the problem. When you try to send them to soma, it lists the AZ address, but says they will be delivered electronically. Sooo, are they delivered electronically to AZ or MO??

This is stupid. They really need to get squared away with this. What caused me to inquire is the AACOMAS CIB. Look at the page for ATSU-SOMA. The admissions office is listed as the Kirksville address, then underneath it it lists the Arizona address for the campus. When I saw the admissions address I nearly crapped my pants. I had to contact my DO ( who is in California now) and luckily got him before he sent the letters. My committee letter is on VirtualEvals and KCOM and SOMA both show they received it.

Bet a ton of people got screwed on this.

 

[123165]

I guess I will call them tomorrow, I am not sure if I should Just manually type in the address to KCOM on interfolio, and label it for SOMA

 

[danimjo]

I guess I will call them tomorrow, I am not sure if I should Just manually type in the address to KCOM on interfolio, and label it for SOMA

Please let us know what you hear... I'm thinking maybe sending it both ways?

 

[Spider29er]

I'm ready to join the fray!!! Hopefully, this will not be a long drawn out process, but if it is - I'm in it for the long haul!

Just finished my MCAT and waiting on secondaries. This is definitely my school of choice! Sounds like a bunch of you have already submitted those and the 2013 class has not even started yet!!! I gotta get movin' but like it was mentioned, interviews don't start for a few more months - Sept/Oct, I think.

Brucecanbeatyou - I love Bruce Lee. I often refer to him as my "Uncle Bruce" as our ancestors come from the same village! It's been great reading your posts for the past year - very informative. Good luck this upcoming year!

Chocolaterie - where are you from AZ or Canada? I'm originally from Alberta, but make AZ home now. Best of luck to you as well!

If anyone needs to know of places to stay or areas to live around the school - let me know. I live nearby.

This is sooo exciting, but very nerve-wracking at the same time.

Best of luck to everyone!!!

Where in AB are you from? I lived in Banff for five years, but now live one state over in New Mexico. Good Luck to you this year...

 

[Spider29er]

I guess I will call them tomorrow, I am not sure if I should Just manually type in the address to KCOM on interfolio, and label it for SOMA

As far as I know from applying last year...Everything goes to KCOM first, then KCOM forwards it to SOMA. Don't worry everyone, your stuff will get to SOMA. Good Luck everyone.

 

[brucecanbeatyou]

Hey everyone - this is my first post as a medical student! Today was the first day of real classes (after last week's orientation, which was actually totally worthwhile, fun, and informative; at my undergrad I always skipped orientation week)

They shared some informal, incomplete numbers with us as to the board scores from the current 3rd year students who just took the COMLEX/USMLE, and things are looking very good so far. I'm hesitant to post the numbers they gave us, since they are incomplete, but suffice it to say that they are above the national average for passing rates for COMLEX and even with the national average for DO students for passing the USMLE. That is really, really good for a first class at a new school.

This doesn't surprise me at all, and everything that I have seen/done and everyone that I have met here at this school so far has been a huge reaffirmation that I made the right decision in coming here. Literally all of the class of 2013 that I have talked to so far feel the same (we had all week last week to get to know each other at the Grand Canyon, on the bus, eating lots of food, going to bars, and doing rad community service)

I really am grateful that this school even exists and feel blessed to be here. (we'll see how I feel after the first test, haha) Just wanted to pass along the good news and share my excitement, and offer any encouragement to ya'll in the long and frustrating process of applying.

 

[chocolaterie]

Hey everyone - this is my first post as a medical student! Today was the first day of real classes (after last week's orientation, which was actually totally worthwhile, fun, and informative; at my undergrad I always skipped orientation week)

They shared some informal, incomplete numbers with us as to the board scores from the current 3rd year students who just took the COMLEX/USMLE, and things are looking very good so far. I'm hesitant to post the numbers they gave us, since they are incomplete, but suffice it to say that they are above the national average for passing rates for COMLEX and even with the national average for DO students for passing the USMLE. That is really, really good for a first class at a new school.

This doesn't surprise me at all, and everything that I have seen/done and everyone that I have met here at this school so far has been a huge reaffirmation that I made the right decision in coming here. Literally all of the class of 2013 that I have talked to so far feel the same (we had all week last week to get to know each other at the Grand Canyon, on the bus, eating lots of food, going to bars, and doing rad community service)

I really am grateful that this school even exists and feel blessed to be here. (we'll see how I feel after the first test, haha) Just wanted to pass along the good news and share my excitement, and offer any encouragement to ya'll in the long and frustrating process of applying.

that's freaking awesome!

 

[Charlie0318]

I guess I will call them tomorrow, I am not sure if I should Just manually type in the address to KCOM on interfolio, and label it for SOMA

I was confused about this as well and almost typed in the address manually, but at the last minute decided to go with the address that interfolio auto found. It took about a week but my letters are registered as having arrived at the school, so looks like that worked out just fine 🙂

 

[123165]

My applications are both complete as well, and I only used the addresses interfolio automated to by searching for the school names. That means KCOM goes to missouri and SOMA goes to Arizona.

 

[chocolaterie]

fwiw,

I didn't use interfolio. I had my letters sent directly to the missouri campus and was complete on 7/20. I was told they keep the applications at kcom and send a copy to soma.

So if you send it to soma, I imagine they must make a copy and send it to kcom.

 

[labgirl]

In an email from Interfolio, they confirmed that letters entered for the SOMA address are, in fact, delivered electronically to the admissions department in Kirksville. Whew!

 

[Spider29er]

Hey everyone - this is my first post as a medical student! Today was the first day of real classes (after last week's orientation, which was actually totally worthwhile, fun, and informative; at my undergrad I always skipped orientation week)

They shared some informal, incomplete numbers with us as to the board scores from the current 3rd year students who just took the COMLEX/USMLE, and things are looking very good so far. I'm hesitant to post the numbers they gave us, since they are incomplete, but suffice it to say that they are above the national average for passing rates for COMLEX and even with the national average for DO students for passing the USMLE. That is really, really good for a first class at a new school.

This doesn't surprise me at all, and everything that I have seen/done and everyone that I have met here at this school so far has been a huge reaffirmation that I made the right decision in coming here. Literally all of the class of 2013 that I have talked to so far feel the same (we had all week last week to get to know each other at the Grand Canyon, on the bus, eating lots of food, going to bars, and doing rad community service)

I really am grateful that this school even exists and feel blessed to be here. (we'll see how I feel after the first test, haha) Just wanted to pass along the good news and share my excitement, and offer any encouragement to ya'll in the long and frustrating process of applying.

Congratulations...Hopefully, I am only a year behind you.

 

[danimjo]

My applications are both complete as well, and I only used the addresses interfolio automated to by searching for the school names. That means KCOM goes to missouri and SOMA goes to Arizona.

I only applied to SOMA, but sent all my LORS to both locations just in case... can anyone tell me does KCOM give a preference to in state students? I'm wondering why I didn't apply there, and thinking that maybe because they prefer in state...

 

[thanecyan]

While I felt like they do accept a good number of students from Missouri, notably Truman State University, it's more of a regional thing. Now, I don't know whether it's because people who aren't near KCOM don't apply or if KCOM just accepts people from the area but I feel like the trend is that most students that matriculate are from the surrounding states.

But then again, I was interviewed/accepted to KCOM as well as a handful of other pre-DO kids from UT-Austin.

So, in other words, KCOM doesn't have as strong an in-state preference as opposed to the state schools such as MSUCOM, OSUCOM, TCOM, etc.

 

[thanecyan]

Wait why am I talking about KCOM in a SOMA thread?
🙂

 

[Spider29er]

BCBY, could you please talk more about the COMLEX and USMLE scores? I talked with Steve Hassemer in the Admissions Office the other day about that, and he was saying that there was going to be "room for improvement with the scores"...How complete were the stats they were giving you? A quarter of the class has taken the exams? A half? More than that? I bet it would be an extra stressor being the first class of a new school to take them... Fortunately, all the bugs should get worked out before we are in the position to test... Keep the updates coming, we can live vicariously through you...Thanks,

 

[danimjo]

Wait why am I talking about KCOM in a SOMA thread?
🙂

LOL, so perhaps I should re-post my question in the KCOM thread... thanks! 🙂

 

[BassCaster]

Hey all, so I submitted my secondaries for kcom and soma. Got a confirmation of ATSU (a general email didn't specify whether from kcom or soma) of recieving the secondary and payment. It then had a link atsu.edu/application/KCOM. gave me a code number to enter and all the required information had a date next to them. I never got another email with a confirmation for SOMA so i just retyped the link with soma at the end. put the same confirmation number in it and it gave the same page with different dates next to each item required for completion. Is this a valid method for checking my SOMA status or does SOMA also send an email and are just a little behind? Any input would be great. Just want to know if I will get two confirmation number, one for each school, or will the one I got work for both schools and SOMA simply expects each student to type SOMA into the ending of the link they sent for kcom?

Thanks in advance!

 

[EckXXX]

Hey all, so I submitted my secondaries for kcom and soma. Got a confirmation of ATSU (a general email didn't specify whether from kcom or soma) of recieving the secondary and payment. It then had a link atsu.edu/application/KCOM. gave me a code number to enter and all the required information had a date next to them. I never got another email with a confirmation for SOMA so i just retyped the link with soma at the end. put the same confirmation number in it and it gave the same page with different dates next to each item required for completion. Is this a valid method for checking my SOMA status or does SOMA also send an email and are just a little behind? Any input would be great. Just want to know if I will get two confirmation number, one for each school, or will the one I got work for both schools and SOMA simply expects each student to type SOMA into the ending of the link they sent for kcom?

Thanks in advance!

I only received one confirmation code for use at both schools. My dates match for each item at both schools except the "MCAT" and "Evaluations I/II."

 

[TruBlue]

This one is mostly directed at any current students or anyone really familiar with the CHCs. Ok - here are some of my questions/concerns...(sorry for the long read)...

Can someone provide me with a little more insight into whether there are electives available either through the CHCs or in general? For example - let's say that I want to do a residency in FL or have family in FL that I would like to be by, and as of yet there are no CHC rotations in FL, is there a way to do some rotations there in preparation for residencies, etc?

How well are the different CHCs preparing you to see "all types of patients?" For example, I would assume that the Phx CHCs are seeing lots of diabetes considering that Pima Indians have the highest rate of DM, but do you feel like you get a good well-rounded education, or is it more specialized/tailored to the population that you are working with? If it is more of the latter - how much does that play into "matching" with the CHC that you want to participate in? In other words - if I planned on working on the east coast - does it make sense to work at a CHC in Phx or Hawaii when I probably won't be seeing a whole lot of Pacific Islanders or Native Americans? Then what if I don't chosen for the CHC that I prefer? Is my experience going to be lessened/diminished at all based on the different pt populatin that I will be seeing? Does that make sense? I know that people are people, but I would hate to spend 3 years at a Native American-based CHC when I would have very few Native Americans where I eventually plan to work. Medicine is medicine, but I am wondering if any students have had the same thoughts/concerns as I do? Or I'm I looking at this all wrong?

Also - is anyone specializing? I know that SOMA is FP oriented, but was just curious if there is anyone out there planning on specializing. If so - how has the experience at the CHCs been working for you?

 

[chocolaterie]

This one is mostly directed at any current students or anyone really familiar with the CHCs. Ok - here are some of my questions/concerns...(sorry for the long read)...

Can someone provide me with a little more insight into whether there are electives available either through the CHCs or in general? For example - let's say that I want to do a residency in FL or have family in FL that I would like to be by, and as of yet there are no CHC rotations in FL, is there a way to do some rotations there in preparation for residencies, etc?

How well are the different CHCs preparing you to see "all types of patients?" For example, I would assume that the Phx CHCs are seeing lots of diabetes considering that Pima Indians have the highest rate of DM, but do you feel like you get a good well-rounded education, or is it more specialized/tailored to the population that you are working with? If it is more of the latter - how much does that play into "matching" with the CHC that you want to participate in? In other words - if I planned on working on the east coast - does it make sense to work at a CHC in Phx or Hawaii when I probably won't be seeing a whole lot of Pacific Islanders or Native Americans? Then what if I don't chosen for the CHC that I prefer? Is my experience going to be lessened/diminished at all based on the different pt populatin that I will be seeing? Does that make sense? I know that people are people, but I would hate to spend 3 years at a Native American-based CHC when I would have very few Native Americans where I eventually plan to work. Medicine is medicine, but I am wondering if any students have had the same thoughts/concerns as I do? Or I'm I looking at this all wrong?

Also - is anyone specializing? I know that SOMA is FP oriented, but was just curious if there is anyone out there planning on specializing. If so - how has the experience at the CHCs been working for you?

There are 10 CHCs nationwide, and you will have to go to one of them. But if I remember correctly, you can also try to set up rotations during the time you're off. Your best bet would be to contact the school. I think classes are just about to start, if they haven't already.

In regards to the Phoenix CHC's they're no longer directly affiliated with IHS. Since they tend to be in areas that served the underserved, I don't think you'll have any problem seeing a variety of patients. The only ones you probably won't see are the very affluent ones (I haven't seen any based on dress - of course I don't have access to financial records🙂). But you have to remember that the school is trying to create physicians who will ulitmately go into primary care and work in CHC's. For this reason, it's logical that some CHC's will have a greater emphasis on a certain demographic. I have read a forum somewhere, where one of the poster's intends to do psychiatry. If I can find the post, I'll add it here. I think there are quite a few people who will specialize. At first I thought that's the route I wanted, but I've just been really impressed by the Primary care doctors I have met.

 

[supergumbo]

There are 10 CHCs nationwide, and you will have to go to one of them. But if I remember correctly, you can also try to set up rotations during the time you're off. Your best bet would be to contact the school. I think classes are just about to start, if they haven't already.

In regards to the Phoenix CHC's they're no longer directly affiliated with IHS. Since they tend to be in areas that served the underserved, I don't think you'll have any problem seeing a variety of patients. The only ones you probably won't see are the very affluent ones (I haven't seen any based on dress - of course I don't have access to financial records🙂). But you have to remember that the school is trying to create physicians who will ulitmately go into primary care and work in CHC's. For this reason, it's logical that some CHC's will have a greater emphasis on a certain demographic. I have read a forum somewhere, where one of the poster's intends to do psychiatry. If I can find the post, I'll add it here. I think there are quite a few people who will specialize. At first I thought that's the route I wanted, but I've just been really impressed by the Primary care doctors I have met.

Let me modify that statement for you. The school is trying to create physicians in areas of great need. Now one of those areas is definitely in primary care (especially at underserved areas).

However, getting into a desired specialty all depends on your boards (which from the selected data of class 2011, it's looking not too shabby). Sure, the educational system will really help you in a primary care field with its clinical presentation model, CHCs, and all, but that is in addition to an already solid educational foundation which will prepare you for basically whatever you go into.

 

[chocolaterie]

Whether or not a student chooses a primary care field is of course up to him/her. My statement is based on speaking to adcoms and reading other threads about soma and primary care.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=7075396&postcount=48

 

[danimjo]

Anyone receive an interview invite yet? It seems like so many DO schools have been handing out invites for a few weeks now.... Where are you SOMA?

 

[chocolaterie]

Anyone receive an interview invite yet? It seems like so many DO schools have been handing out invites for a few weeks now.... Where are you SOMA?

I know the feeling. The last time I spoke with one of the admission's reps, they told me they will start looking at apps this week... eep.

And interview invites will be later this month. Maybe some of the students who interviewed here last year will be able to chime in.

 

[droogdoc]

I just got an interview invite via email for SOMA. When you follow the link to check for availabel interview dates it says "none currently available". They probably havent updated the system yet.

I am probably not going to interview here though. ATSU is a great institution but the curriculm and structure of SOMA, with the moving to differen CHCs doesnt seem to be my thing. Not sure yet though....

 

[nmbutah]

I just got an interview invite via email for SOMA. When you follow the link to check for availabel interview dates it says "none currently available". They probably havent updated the system yet.

I am probably not going to interview here though. ATSU is a great institution but the curriculm and structure of SOMA, with the moving to differen CHCs doesnt seem to be my thing. Not sure yet though....

I just got an interview invite here too! my first one! I'm way excited. I had the same deal with scheduling dates...hopefully it'll get fixed. I also question the whole moving curriculum thing, but we shall see.

 

[123165]

Got an invite! Very excite!

Dates not fixed

 

[danimjo]

As usual, I'm wondering for all of you with interview invites when were you complete?

 

[nmbutah]

my secondary was received as complete August 4

 

[danimjo]

my secondary was received as complete August 4

Really? Uh-Oh I'm getting worried that I haven't heard anything, my secondary was complete before then. Should I call, or will that make me seem entitled?

 

[chocolaterie]

wow, congrats everyone!

I haven't heard anything either🙁.

 

[danimjo]

Phew... I feel like I need to get more organized in this process, I was so organized filling out the applications, but I need to do better following up. I just realized that I submitted my secondary on July 1st, my letters were in before the end of July, and I took my mcat years ago, yet I logged in to their status check site and no dates appear next to my letters or my MCAT. The confirmation email said that when they received the documents dates would appear and if there were no dates then they didn't have the documents yet. I called and left a voicemail... but has anyone else had this problem?

 

[brucecanbeatyou]

Hey all - class of 2013 here - I talked to the admissions office and they said that the links for setting up the interviews should be working now, so go set it up!

If you haven't heard anything yet, be patient - the admissions office also said that since the applications have to go through Kirksville, they take longer to get here to SOMA, so there are still plenty of applications that are complete that the office just hasn't gotten to yet.

SOMA's admissions office did a great job of choosing the members of the Class of 2013; everyone really does get along with everyone really well (ask the bartenders that served us during orientation week in Flagstaff, haha). And let's be honest, people, that's why we love this school. It's different. Each application is read, and carefully considered as long as it's above the GPA cutoff (2.75, I think), and that takes time. The waiting is rough, I feel for ya'll, but good things come to those that wait 🙂.

Let me know if you have any other questions, I'm actually going to try to be on SDN a little more, at least once a week. (I've been a little busy these last few weeks - we're at the end of our third week already and have had a midterm even! - living the dream)

 

[danimjo]

I called today to verify that my application was complete, I said I was calling b/c another school had trouble matching my LORS to my secondary and primary apps (which is true although it was a school using TMDSAS not AACOMAS), anyway long story short, my app is complete, and I will be getting the interview invite email! Woot, Woot!

She said they should be sending out the next batch of invites in the next week or so. The person I spoke to (didn't catch her name due to my phone breaking up), said that they haven't sent them out yet b/c they're waiting to see how many people change their interview date from the first batch of invites.... Woot, Woot! I am so excited....

 

[ODorDO]

Hi all, I have a question about the "Evaluation" section. On the upper right corner theres a icon leads you to the "printable evaluation forms" and I wonder if we are REQUIRED to fill it out. My LOR writers had already sent letters to my letter service office at my undergrad institution, so I wonder if I have to do the forms now...

 

[danimjo]

Got the official interview invite tonight! woot woot! Interview scheduled for 9-21

 

[labgirl]

Allegiant Air is having a sale on flights to Phoenix-Mesa for $59 each way, from select cities.
http://www.allegiantair.com/aaLanding20090809IWAsale.php

 

[BassCaster]

Anyone staying at the local Motel 6? $30/Night. I'm sold lol!

 

[meghalo05]

What is their average MCAT score? If their cut off for GPA is 2.75 is it safe to say that their cut off for MCAT's is low 20's? Makes me wonder why many DO schools have low gpa cut off's but still fairly competitive mcat cut offs. You guys know what their average MCAT score is? thanks

 

[chocolaterie]

What is their average MCAT score? If their cut off for GPA is 2.75 is it safe to say that their cut off for MCAT's is low 20's? Makes me wonder why many DO schools have low gpa cut off's but still fairly competitive mcat cut offs. You guys know what their average MCAT score is? thanks

They do not screen for mcat scores for the secondary. Anyone with a 2.75 gpa and higher will receive one. However, if you have a low mcat score, you might be placed on hold. I was🙁 but that doesn't mean I'll give up.

A lot of DO schools have either the high mcat/low gpa or low mcat / high gpa combination. I know of three students who were accepted to VCOM and LMU with a 20 but had really high gpa's.

 

[brucecanbeatyou]

What is their average MCAT score? If their cut off for GPA is 2.75 is it safe to say that their cut off for MCAT's is low 20's? Makes me wonder why many DO schools have low gpa cut off's but still fairly competitive mcat cut offs. You guys know what their average MCAT score is? thanks

http://www.atsu.edu/soma/prospective_students/academic_fastfacts.htm

Here are the averages from the past few years.

 

[danimjo]

http://www.atsu.edu/soma/prospective_students/academic_fastfacts.htm

Here are the averages from the past few years.

Thanks for posting this!

 

[Johnson48]

I am going to try and answer the questions I see as I remember them.

I submitted my AACOMAS in August, secondary in September, interviewed December or January, accepted January.

Everything goes to the Kirskville campus as has been previously mentioned. The interview committees are completely separate and confined to each school. I interviewed at both campuses prior to deciding to go to SOMA and while some things were similar, there were definite differences.

Your third year you may have a chance to do two rotations outside of your CHC that you set up with the consent of your CHC. Each CHC must approve their students to do this. Some are stricter than others. For instance, from what is being said, New York is harder to rotate outside of the city but Ohio is happy to work with you on it and students already have things setup to do so. Fourth year, there should be more opportunities to rotate in a place near your ideal location, again with CHC approval.
There are many students considering specialties and they are not discouraged from doing so. If the current system stays in place you will have time after you start school to hear about each CHC, consider pros and cons, and interview for a place in that location. Before coming for school, look at the locations and see if you would at least want to live in those locations.

Sorry this is so long...

For prior medical work, I also worked in a hospital oversees and had many small items that I could not longer recall names or people had moved, on my app I put what I could remember and as I am currently in school, it obviously was accepted. That being said, put your strongest to medium activities unless you need to fill the space.

This one is mostly directed at any current students or anyone really familiar with the CHCs. Ok - here are some of my questions/concerns...(sorry for the long read)...

Can someone provide me with a little more insight into whether there are electives available either through the CHCs or in general? For example - let's say that I want to do a residency in FL or have family in FL that I would like to be by, and as of yet there are no CHC rotations in FL, is there a way to do some rotations there in preparation for residencies, etc?

How well are the different CHCs preparing you to see "all types of patients?" For example, I would assume that the Phx CHCs are seeing lots of diabetes considering that Pima Indians have the highest rate of DM, but do you feel like you get a good well-rounded education, or is it more specialized/tailored to the population that you are working with? If it is more of the latter - how much does that play into "matching" with the CHC that you want to participate in? In other words - if I planned on working on the east coast - does it make sense to work at a CHC in Phx or Hawaii when I probably won't be seeing a whole lot of Pacific Islanders or Native Americans? Then what if I don't chosen for the CHC that I prefer? Is my experience going to be lessened/diminished at all based on the different pt populatin that I will be seeing? Does that make sense? I know that people are people, but I would hate to spend 3 years at a Native American-based CHC when I would have very few Native Americans where I eventually plan to work. Medicine is medicine, but I am wondering if any students have had the same thoughts/concerns as I do? Or I'm I looking at this all wrong?

Also - is anyone specializing? I know that SOMA is FP oriented, but was just curious if there is anyone out there planning on specializing. If so - how has the experience at the CHCs been working for you?

 

[BadgerChick]

Hi all, I have a question about the "Evaluation" section. On the upper right corner theres a icon leads you to the "printable evaluation forms" and I wonder if we are REQUIRED to fill it out. My LOR writers had already sent letters to my letter service office at my undergrad institution, so I wonder if I have to do the forms now...

I called and asked about this and the admissions office told me that since my letters are on Interfolio those forms don't need to be filled out.

 

[droogdoc]

I called and asked about this and the admissions office told me that since my letters are on Interfolio those forms don't need to be filled out.

I think the forms or just letters are OK, as my evaluators only submitted letters and I got an invite from SOMA

 

[DarthBroosevelt]

Hey everyone, just finished up my secondary and sent it in. I see on the application status that the "Date of Most Recent MCAT Taken" is still pending. Wasn't this sent through with the primary application? Do I need to contact admissions and speak to them directly?

Thanks everyone!

Edit: Nvm, everything got cleared up!

 

[EckXXX]

what was the group activity last year? An ethical discussion?

 

[brucecanbeatyou]

what was the group activity last year? An ethical discussion?

It was more like a project, at least for my group - we had to decide on the four most important things we would address if making a new health care system. It was chill. There were ethical questions, but that was in the one-on-one interviews.

 

[premed541]

Hey! I think AT Still Arizona is great, but my only concern is that its not accredited yet. What does everyone think about it not being accredited and going there?