AZCOM vs KCUMB

[ArsenalEPL4Life]

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As of now I have been accepted to AZCOM and KCUMB. Just wondering which one I should choose. Can people that go to these schools give me the pros and cons of their respective institutions?

I like KCUMB because it has an established and prestigous program. It also has nice facilities (not great) with the new simulation dummies, a great match list for 2009, I heard great things about the genesis curriculum, and I like that it is located near an urban area.

I like AZCOM because the wheather is great in Arizona, the buildings are all new, and I have a friend that goes to school there already.

Honestly, in my personal opinion KCUMB>>>AZCOM, the only con I can think of for KCUMB is some of the buildings have an interior that is on the older end. I am like 85% in favor of KCUMB over AZCOM, but just want to know what others opinions are. Thank you!

 

[PunkmedGirl]

As of now I have been accepted to AZCOM and KCUMB. Just wondering which one I should choose. Can people that go to these schools give me the pros and cons of their respective institutions?

I like KCUMB because it has an established and prestigous program. It also has nice facilities (not great) with the new simulation dummies, a great match list for 2009, I heard great things about the genesis curriculum, and I like that it is located near an urban area.

I like AZCOM because the wheather is great in Arizona, the buildings are all new, and I have a friend that goes to school there already.

Honestly, in my personal opinion KCUMB>>>AZCOM, the only con I can think of for KCUMB is some of the buildings have an interior that is on the older end. I am like 85% in favor of KCUMB over AZCOM, but just want to know what others opinions are. Thank you!

Have you checked out the pros and cons thread in the Osteo forum? Also, do a search and you will find a couple threads on KCUMB vs other DO schools (not sure about AZCOM).

 

[kopitar]

Do you want to live in heat or chill, small homely town or large city, school with new facilities or a historic campus. I may be in the same boat but am leaning KCOM.

 

[spicedmanna]

The most important aspect of your fours years is probably going to be your clinical rotations. If I were you, that would be at the top of my list of things to investigate between the two schools.

 

[SolanoDoc]

KCOM is not KCUMB, one is Kirksville and the other is Kansas City. KCUMB is a lot more established than AZCOM, its one of the oldest medical schools in the country, its match rate is pretty impressive. Of course Kansas City and Arizona are very different environments.

 

[Grey Wind]

The most important aspect of your fours years is probably going to be your clinical rotations. If I were you, that would be at the top of my list of things to investigate between the two schools.

what year are you at kcumb? what is your take on their clinical rotations? i am also trying to choose between schools (these 2 among them).

 

[fitzs86]

I have the same decision, plus LECOM's low tuition to decide between, but I like KCUMB's reputation, although I heard they almost went bankrupt from a fellow interviewee at my interview. But Idk how true that is... just something I heard. The weather doesn't compare to AZ and I liked how AZCOM was more modern and had a nice basketball gym (that's important to me). I'm leaning slightly on KC because it seems more walkable with the city right there, but I heard people are recommended to bring a car. Can anyone fill me in on how rotation are at each school?

 

[ArsenalEPL4Life]

Now I have to decide between CCOM, KCUMB, or AZCOM. I think its safe to say that I will narrow it down to CCOM vs KCUMB. Any suggestions?

 

[DRMRL]

Go KCUMB

 

[spicedmanna]

what year are you at kcumb? what is your take on their clinical rotations? i am also trying to choose between schools (these 2 among them).

I'm a third-year medical student.

I'm not sure how to answer your question. I'd say that rotations are highly variable at KCUMB because there are many possible core sites and not all of them are equal in their quality. If you are lucky and you end up going to a great core site for your third year, then, perhaps things may made easier in terms of learning what you need to learn and passing and doing well on Step 2, etc. However, if you end up in a poor rotation site, then you can still do well, but it may be more difficult because you are going to have to work harder to get what you need.

You have limited choice over your core rotation site. It is a lottery-based system. You pick your top choices, based on word of mouth, your own investigation, and where you'd like to be in terms of location, and then all of that gets fed into a computer and you end up with where you end up, for better or worse. A lot of it depends on demand for certain popular core sites and how wisely you play the lottery game. KCUMB's core sites tend to be concentrated around the Midwest and central, for the most part.

I think some of the things you may want to look for in a core site are:

1) Good didactics (if they aren't a teaching-based facility, I think it will be much harder to know what you are supposed to be learning)
2) Good patient census and number of beds; variable patient population (you may not learn as much if there aren't enough patients, or they don't have a variety of conditions)
3) Staff, including interns, residents, and attendings, that are willing and eager to teach (speaks for itself; you want a team that is interested in your learning, not just scutting around or doing their work for them)
4) Will let you, as a student, get hands on and to do so a lot (if you are just shadowing, you won't learn as much)
5) Has a lot of GME programs (you want to be in a hospital that has programs and faculty)
6) Has a team approach to patient care, i.e., ward teams consisting of all levels, so that you get exposed to what it is like to be a part of the team.
7) Has most, if not all of the core rotations on site (so you won't be moving around like crazy every month.)

I'm sure there are other things, but these are what immediately come to mind.

 

[Runner69]

not sure if this thread is deceased, but...what did all you guys decide on?
I was set and all ready to go with AZCOM since october, until KCUMB bumped me off the waitlist just last week to tell me NOW i'm accepted. Its a good thing i know, but now i can't decide whether its worth going against the AZ housing i've found and more so the general emotional investment i have already placed with AZCOM. should i jump ship for KC?