AZCOM vs ATSU SOMA

[mdew87]

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which of these DO schools in arizona is better.

 

[SunDevilDoc]

which of these DO schools in arizona is better.

Haha^^

If you read other threads about school comparisons, no one is gonna give you much help unless you ask about specifics, like match lists, location, rotations, etc...

I like the deliberate approach to it though.

 

[rkaz]

I am not sure what you mean by 'better'. The schools have a different focus. AZCOM is a more established DO school with a traditional curriculum and a good amount of research opportunities. SOMA is a newer school, with an innovative curriculum (more similar to problem-based learning) that strongly emphasizes primary care and community medicine. Although this is a total generalization, I'd say that AZCOM students may be more likely to be unsure of which specialty they want to go into, while SOMA students are more likely to be passionate about underserved communities. I interviewed and was accepted to both schools, so at least this is my take on it. While my view thus may be somewhat more informed than those yet to apply, current students would still be the best resource.

After my SOMA acceptance, I emailed one of the assistant deans asking if I would have opportunities to rotate in teaching hospitals in my clinical years - and the assistant dean told me that it would be mostly community hospitals, but that if I really wanted to rotate through teaching hospitals, then SOMA probably wasn't the best fit for me. Although my first reaction was 'Ouch', I realized that he was correct. Although most likely I'd like to work in underserved communities someday, I decided that I was still too unsure what I wanted to do... so I thought AZCOM would give me more room to explore what I wanted. Although the dean at SOMA says that you don't have to be in primary care (as I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that he happens to be a nephrologist), there is a lack of consistency in opinion. As the assistant dean was clearly all about students applying who fit the primary care focus of the school.

Even though I most likely will go into primary care, I felt safer being at AZCOM, so that if I choose to specialize into something more lucrative, people don't have to be hostile to me about it or view me as a traitor to the mission of the school. I also talked with a current student at SOMA about things, and he also reiterated that SOMA is a wonderful place for those interested in primary care - but for those uncertain like himself, he would have chosen a different school if he had to do it over.

So neither school is better. It is just dependent on what you want to do. For someone committed to community medicine, I would imagine that SOMA would be a fabulous school to be at. The people there are really nice and laidback as well. I got very positive vibes from the place. Also, if you prefer a more problem-based curriculum rather than traditional lecture, then SOMA might be a better option. SOMA also has students working at community health centers all through the United States from their 2nd year onwards, while AZCOM requires most students to spend their 2nd and 3rd year in Arizona (although AZCOM recently opened the option for students to rotate through osteopathic Ohio Core rotations sites for 3rd year).

Not to be snippy, but I agree with Sundevildoc. If you really want assistance here, come back with specific questions. Just asking which is 'better' is relatively meaningless of a question and tends to turn people off - who otherwise might be willing to help. None of us knows exactly what it is that you are looking for us to address.

 

[supergumbo]

I am not sure what you mean by 'better'. The schools have a different focus. AZCOM is a more established DO school with a traditional curriculum and a good amount of research opportunities. SOMA is a newer school, with an innovative curriculum (more similar to problem-based learning) that strongly emphasizes primary care and community medicine. Although this is a total generalization, I'd say that AZCOM students may be more likely to be unsure of which specialty they want to go into, while SOMA students are more likely to be passionate about underserved communities. I interviewed and was accepted to both schools, so at least this is my take on it. While my view thus may be somewhat more informed than those yet to apply, current students would still be the best resource.

After my SOMA acceptance, I emailed one of the assistant deans asking if I would have opportunities to rotate in teaching hospitals in my clinical years - and the assistant dean told me that it would be mostly community hospitals, but that if I really wanted to rotate through teaching hospitals, then SOMA probably wasn't the best fit for me. Although my first reaction was 'Ouch', I realized that he was correct. Although most likely I'd like to work in underserved communities someday, I decided that I was still too unsure what I wanted to do... so I thought AZCOM would give me more room to explore what I wanted. Although the dean at SOMA says that you don't have to be in primary care (as I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that he happens to be a nephrologist), there is a lack of consistency in opinion. As the assistant dean was clearly all about students applying who fit the primary care focus of the school.

Even though I most likely will go into primary care, I felt safer being at AZCOM, so that if I choose to specialize into something more lucrative, people don't have to be hostile to me about it or view me as a traitor to the mission of the school. I also talked with a current student at SOMA about things, and he also reiterated that SOMA is a wonderful place for those interested in primary care - but for those uncertain like himself, he would have chosen a different school if he had to do it over.

So neither school is better. It is just dependent on what you want to do. For someone committed to community medicine, I would imagine that SOMA would be a fabulous school to be at. The people there are really nice and laidback as well. I got very positive vibes from the place. Also, if you prefer a more problem-based curriculum rather than traditional lecture, then SOMA might be a better option. SOMA also has students working at community health centers all through the United States from their 2nd year onwards, while AZCOM requires most students to spend their 2nd and 3rd year in Arizona (although AZCOM recently opened the option for students to rotate through osteopathic Ohio Core rotations sites for 3rd year).

Not to be snippy, but I agree with Sundevildoc. If you really want assistance here, come back with specific questions. Just asking which is 'better' is relatively meaningless of a question and tends to turn people off - who otherwise might be willing to help. None of us knows exactly what it is that you are looking for us to address.

Yeah, I'm going to ATSU-SOMA and am a bit uncertain of what I really want to do. I probably should have went to LECOM-Erie from that standpoint, but I got such a good vibe from SOMA and was sold on their mission and teaching methods, I decided to bite the bullet and go there. I think it's more of what you make out of med school in where you end up for residency and beyond. I'd recommend applying to both schools, and if interviewed, use that opportunity to get a better feel for them. Hope that helps. 🙂

 

[GreenShirt]

OP it really depends on what you're looking for. ATSU-SOMA does officially promote Community Based Primary Care, although many DO schools do as well and it will be another 2 years before the first set of Match results come out of SOMA...so it's hard to say whether SOMA's match lists will be different from other DO schools. I think one of the concrete differences is geography. At AZCOM you will live in AZ for all 4 years of your education. At SOMA you will spend one year in AZ and then 3 years somewhere else, which you won't know until you attend. How flexible are you in terms of location?

(Just to correct one of the above posters: SOMA has a primarily lecture-based curriculum with some case work included).

 

[ChuckSlayer]

Azcom is a good program or so I hear from a lot of people.

 

[MossPoh]

Something didn't sit right with me when at AZCOM. I didn't hate it. In fact, I liked the area a lot. I just found it weird how all I heard was about board scores and nothing else. It was also real expensive. I have no idea how much SOMA is. I know most people don't mind, but I really didn't dig the massive class or the fact that I may have to move across the country for rotations.

 

[brucecanbeatyou]

Something didn't sit right with me when at AZCOM. I didn't hate it. In fact, I liked the area a lot. I just found it weird how all I heard was about board scores and nothing else. It was also real expensive. I have no idea how much SOMA is. I know most people don't mind, but I really didn't dig the massive class or the fact that I may have to move across the country for rotations.

I actually got the same feeling at AZCOM - that's actually kind of weird that you had the same one, because mine really wasn't based on anything really either, besides how much they talked about board scores, and I came to the same conclusions as you. I like the above poster's advice - apply to both, hopefully you'll get an interview at both, and you'll be able to use your interview to research more.

I got the exact opposite feeling at SOMA - the faculty at both the Mesa campus and at the Brooklyn Community Health Center, (which coincidently is part of a teaching hospital), were SO enthusiastic about the program and how they could be helpful. I really was blown away.

All this talk about feelings because the hard facts are yout there, they're pretty different schools. Good luck.