AZCOM, PCOM, Western, NYCOM q's

[neurotrancer]

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Hi all...I'm new to this forum.

I am planning on applying to AZCOM, PCOM, NYCOM, and Western this coming term and was wondering if anyone could enlighten me about a few general questions...

1) I'm planning on re-taking my MCAT and am looking at achieving a score in the low to mid 30's. I didn't get any allopathic admissions thus far (I was waitlisted at Temple, and EVMS, and have an interview coming up in Drexel where I'll probably be wait listed again, its so late in the admissions cycle). I truly, deeply regret not applying to osteopathic schools. I'm at a point now where I almost hope I don't get into any of these schools because I would likely choose osteopathic over allopathic when I re-apply for the most part. Do you think that the D.O. school to which I apply will end up looking at me as someone who is using them as a backup? Or will they realize I am genuinely interested in osteopathic medicine.

2.1) Can anyone tell me about the nature of 3rd/4th year rotations at these schools? I'm concerned about AZCOM's preceptor based rotations, but I hear you can do most of your 3/4th year rotations out of state. Is this true?

2.2) how about rotations at PCOM? I heard they are not so good because the students aren't able to rotate through major teaching hospitals? Do you think this is unfounded? I hear nothing but good things about PCOM and its in my state...

2.3) I heard that NYCOM rotations are supposed to be very good, but for obvious reasons I'm a little leary about committing to spending the next four years in NYC. Any input on the nature of rotations at this school?

2.4) my most important q about these rotations at all these schools - do they give exams at the end of each rotations block?

I think assessment is very important, as it keeps one on their toes and also the student is made aware of the extent of their knowledge.

3) Is it true that Western's 1st and 2nd year basic sciences aren't very good? I read on another thread that they are pretty brutal and use letter grades, fail students...

This is troubling because I really like the idea of going to that part of the country for medical school and I am under the impression that aside from not testing students during the 3rd/4th year rotations, the students get the chance to rotate through good hospitals.

4) Do any of these schools have special masters programs where you can take the 1st year medical school courses starting this August? I know AZCOM does, but how about any of the others?

5) What is a "traditional rotating internship"? I see this on the match result pages for some medical colleges, where people do these instead of say, Family practice, anesthesiology, etc. for their PGY-1.

6) I saw that in 2002, only 70% of osteopathic medical students matched for PGY-1 residencies. Has anyone else seen this statistic? That just can't be right! There's got to be some complication there...

http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/tables/table2_2002.pdf

Thanks a lot for your help and I look forward to hearing from you!

-Bevan

 

[nanato]

Believe it or not, 90% of students who enter DO schools got rejected from allopathic school and chose not to become an FMG.
The admission deans know it but look the other way.
The other 10% either have family members (father, mother, brothers uncles...) who are DO's and it's like a family thing. Very very few people just apply osteopathic for some reason whether they remember a family member being 'cured' when they were 5 years old and have this great perception. Rotations are what you make of them. every DO school has its problems.. but try to do your electives and large university based hospitals.

 

[bla_3x]

Believe it or not, 90% of students who enter DO schools got rejected from allopathic school and chose not to become an FMG.

Sadly, I think that nanato has a point here, but I really believe that this is more and more on the decline...slowly but surely.

I am proud to be one who had the luxury of choice between Allopathic and Osteopathic medicine during my application year, and I know that I am not alone this year.

I know med school is going to be VERY hard, both on my mind and my person. Thus, I want to go to a school that I think I will be the most suited to my personality, beliefs etc. It is very important that one goes into osteopathy for the right reasons. Why make medical school all the harder by resenting the institution you are at. I can?t imagine that those who go to D.O. programs just as a last ditch effort to be a doctor don?t have a little resentment, but you never know, they may grow to really love osteopathy!

I apologize Neuro, I got of track, what I really wanted to tell ya is that you just really need to convey to the adcoms that you have a vested interest in osteopathy. The adcoms know that you need to make your odds as high as possible, and that means applying to lots of schools, MD and DO. It really helps to have a good letter from a D.O./have some experience with osteopathy.
As far as your Q?s go, I have?nt started yet, so I am not much help there as far as info on AZCOM goes?.I know the people, professors I met, and the campus +area are just spectacular! I would say cruise the ?class of?? threads for the schools you are interested in, you can find some first hand info on the schools there. Best of luck, I hoe you find the answers you need!

 

[oceandocDO]

I'll give some of your Q's an A...

2.3) I heard that NYCOM rotations are supposed to be very good, but for obvious reasons I'm a little leary about committing to spending the next four years in NYC. Any input on the nature of rotations at this school?

NYCOM's rotations are definitely very respectable. There's about 35-40 hospitals you can choose from. All rotations are set up for you after you make your selections, so there's not much leg-work required on your part, not something every school offers. Of the ~40 hospitals, most are in the NY Metro Area. Main clinical campuses include St Barnabus (a Cornell affiliate) the North Shore Univ Hospital System (an NYU affiliate and #1 overall hospital system in the country according to the AARP last year), Nassau Univ Med Ctr (a Stonybrook affiliate), Maimonides Med Ctr (a Downstate affiliate), and LIJ (an Einstein affiliate). You can get a complete list if you call NYCOM. Pay no attention to their website. It sucks and is hopefully being redone. NYCOM requires exit exams which are written by the NBOME after all rotations. I think a handful of schools do this, not sure the exact numbers.

5) What is a "traditional rotating internship"? I see this on the match result pages for some medical colleges, where people do these instead of say, Family practice, anesthesiology, etc. for their PGY-1

The traditional rotating internship is actually modeled after the MD transitional/ internship year which MDs dropped quite awhile ago as medicine became more specialized and young doctors didnt seem to have the "time" for it anymore. Although the AOA has recently loosened restrictions on the requirements, the internship rotates you through major areas of medicine (IM, FP, Surgery, OB, etc) as a doctor. Hence, it's kinda of like being a medical student with responsibility. The AOA will count this year as your first year of residency for D.O. programs. You can apply to have your PGY-1 year count for the internship if you do an MD residency, but it's not certain. They're becoming more accepting of such requests though as they're looking to offer dual accredidation (AOA and ACGME) over the next few years for many programs. The internship is one of the main difference left between the 2 curricula, minus OMM, that goes to prove the holistic approach of D.O.s as "generalists first, specialists second". You cant practice in 5 states including PA, FL, WV, OK, and the 5th escapes me right now without the internship and you also cant be a director of medical education without the internship. Many MD residency programs will encourage you to complete the internship anyway. A pair of NYCOM grads on their way to Harvard for anesthesia are completing their internships in long island right now at harvard's request b/c harvard realizes the training opportunity that it provides and they needed a transitional year anyway.

hope this helps...