BCOM vs GA-PCOM vs NYITCOM-AR

[mj1988]

Hi SDNers,

I have the great fortune of multiple acceptances from BCOM, GA-PCOM, and NYITCOM – AR plus a waitlist at NSUCOM. Which one would you choose and why?

I am having issue evaluating my acceptances but what I gave top priority to are 3rd/4th yr rotations, curriculum/board prep, cost (including financial aid/loans), location (proximity to home, ease of travel home and elsewhere, things to do in area both outdoors and social scene, availability of grocery stores, coffee, good diverse places to eat/food), and ability to specialize/match for residency. Any input on schools to help with my decision process is MUCH appreciated. Please leave profit status out of discussion.

Thanks!


As it stands – here are current thoughts:

BCOM

Pros:
· Felt pretty good while I was there and have talked to the folks on the fb page and they seem pretty awesome
· Setting up new clerkship rotations with plenty of time for auditions in 4th yr
· Curriculum is similar to rvucom’s and will cover each system twice with board prep built in and use of Kaplan and firecracker resources, flipped classroom and hybrid virtual and gross anatomy
· Costs - Mid-$40ks = 47k tuition with 63K COA; living expenses moderate – housing is about 1000/month for 2 bed/2 ba (lower if I didn’t have a pet to think about)
· Location – Las Cruces was beautiful but far from home since I’m from Memphis, TN; rather dog-friendly
· Push for both specialties and primary care and ability to rotate at hospitals with residency slots
· Other: requires research and requires both USMLE and COMLEX, access to NMSU research and facilities/resources; ability to do international rotations

Cons:
· New school/ unestablished – inaugural class (both pro and con)
· No current connections to opti but in process of building and creating those relationships
· Costs: Ineligible for fed loans and scholarships = private loans and scholarships only
· Location – distance from home is greatest and not the easiest accessible area by plane either (must fly to el paso) – keep in mind I have a 50lb fur baby dog to complicate things

GA-PCOM

Pros:
· Liked the faculty I interviewed with, definitely most relaxed interview for me and the student ambassador was awesome with questions and enthusiasm, student s seem happy
· Rotations changing to regional hubs as follows: Each student is now placed in regions; NE GA, Central GA, SE GA, which includes Jacksonville, SW GA, NW GA, and South Central GA. Additionally there are spots in Cahaba, AL., Atlantic City NJ, Scranton PA, and Johnstown, PA. This change has no effect on audition rotations during your 4th year. The changes are simply to improve the overall quality of rotations based on prior student feedback.
· Curriculum is an integrated traditional one with emphasis on omm and they are adding time in for studying and board prep
· Costs mid-$40ks = 46K tuition - 72K for preclinical and 80K for clinical ed yrs and eligible for fed loans and pcom scholarships; housing avg is 1200/month
· Location – suburban Atlanta and all that goes with it plus its about 7 hrs from home
· Push towards primary care and OMM but can specialize, PCOM name/reputation/ networking/opti
· Other: strength of PCOM reputation and opti, nice anatomy lab

Cons:

· Costs – seems like a higher COA
· Location – Atlanta traffic from the city sucks if doing rotations etc. or anything in the city
· Facilities were meh, competition for study space during exams, limited library area
· Not sure what the pcom name means for residency and rotations since this is GA and not Philly
· Not fond of traditional curriculum/ limited board prep
· Lack of research resources and push towards primary care

NYITCOM AR

Pros:
· Feel is hard to say since I did video conferencing but the faculty interviewers were nice
· Curriculum is systems based with ability to do 2 way video streaming
· Costs Mid-$50ks = 54k tuition – 73k COA +/- living expenses about 80k and eligible for fed loans and nyitcom scholarships
· Location – Jonesboro, AR is the closest to Memphis, TN at under 3 hrs drive and access to ASU facilities, resources, research
· Push for primary care in rural underserved AR but NYITCOM may provide some leeway for specializing
· Other: strength of NYITCOM reputation and opti, facilities will be renovated – so again not known but will have sim rooms

Cons:
· Inaugural class
· Creating rotation and GME slots – not much more known
· Location – its Jonesboro (take as pro or con)
· Costs – rather high to live and learn in AR at btwn 70-80K COA
· Not sure what NYITCOM name neams for residency and rotations since this is AR
· Competition for residency and rotations possible with opening of Fort Smith DO school next year? Uncertain
· Push for primary care

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Mavs88]

I'd pick PCOM-GA simply because it's been around as is associated with a top DO school. Don't underestimate all of the hiccups a new school has to overcome with curriculum and clinical ed. Seems like being close to ATL is also much better than the other two locations.

Also, NYIT-AR seems like the lesser option of the new school options since it literally just got off the ground running.

 

[F#&$#^&&@theMCAT]

Well first off congrats!!! Great position to be in. For me I'd choose PCOM 100% but if u get into nsu id go there!

 

[mj1988]

i definitely feel like pcom ga is the best choice but only with a slight edge over bcom...however, i felt more at home when i visited bcom than i did pcom ga...as for nyitcom ar its the closest to home

@Mavs88 haha. not sure im a fan of atlanta but maybe its bc both coming in and leaving i hit atlanta traffic

 

[mj1988]

but if u get into nsu id go there!

well nsu does have rather a lot going for it what with the teaching hospital and research...and don't forget the dolphins - only school i know of offering research with dolphin assisted therapy in medicine..that's like insane (i say that bc i wanted to do marine mammal veterinary medicine as a kid before i decided otherwise)...now if i do end up getting in off the wiatlist and can only look past the sticker price of tuition and cost of living in ft. laueerdale/miami dade area

 

[mj1988]

Can anyone provide more specific pros/cons for NYIT-Arkansas or on NYIT clinical rotations? Any actual benefit to being connected to NYITCOM?

I really prefer bcom's curriculum and resources for board prep but not loving the private loans - how well does pcom ga prepare one for boards? for someone who say went to RVU and had to deal with private loans would you do that again based on curriculum and rotations

 

[Teioh]

Hi SDNers,

I have the great fortune of multiple acceptances from BCOM, GA-PCOM, and NYITCOM – AR plus a waitlist at NSUCOM. Which one would you choose and why?

I am having issue evaluating my acceptances but what I gave top priority to are 3rd/4th yr rotations, curriculum/board prep, cost (including financial aid/loans), location (proximity to home, ease of travel home and elsewhere, things to do in area both outdoors and social scene, availability of grocery stores, coffee, good diverse places to eat/food), and ability to specialize/match for residency. Any input on schools to help with my decision process is MUCH appreciated. Please leave profit status out of discussion.

Thanks!


As it stands – here are current thoughts:

BCOM

Pros:
· Felt pretty good while I was there and have talked to the folks on the fb page and they seem pretty awesome
· Setting up new clerkship rotations with plenty of time for auditions in 4th yr
· Curriculum is similar to rvucom’s and will cover each system twice with board prep built in and use of Kaplan and firecracker resources, flipped classroom and hybrid virtual and gross anatomy
· Costs - Mid-$40ks = 47k tuition with 63K COA; living expenses moderate – housing is about 1000/month for 2 bed/2 ba (lower if I didn’t have a pet to think about)
· Location – Las Cruces was beautiful but far from home since I’m from Memphis, TN; rather dog-friendly
· Push for both specialties and primary care and ability to rotate at hospitals with residency slots
· Other: requires research and requires both USMLE and COMLEX, access to NMSU research and facilities/resources; ability to do international rotations

Cons:
· New school/ unestablished – inaugural class (both pro and con)
· No current connections to opti but in process of building and creating those relationships
· Costs: Ineligible for fed loans and scholarships = private loans and scholarships only
· Location – distance from home is greatest and not the easiest accessible area by plane either (must fly to el paso) – keep in mind I have a 50lb fur baby dog to complicate things

GA-PCOM

Pros:
· Liked the faculty I interviewed with, definitely most relaxed interview for me and the student ambassador was awesome with questions and enthusiasm, student s seem happy
· Rotations changing to regional hubs as follows: Each student is now placed in regions; NE GA, Central GA, SE GA, which includes Jacksonville, SW GA, NW GA, and South Central GA. Additionally there are spots in Cahaba, AL., Atlantic City NJ, Scranton PA, and Johnstown, PA. This change has no effect on audition rotations during your 4th year. The changes are simply to improve the overall quality of rotations based on prior student feedback.
· Curriculum is an integrated traditional one with emphasis on omm and they are adding time in for studying and board prep
· Costs mid-$40ks = 46K tuition - 72K for preclinical and 80K for clinical ed yrs and eligible for fed loans and pcom scholarships; housing avg is 1200/month
· Location – suburban Atlanta and all that goes with it plus its about 7 hrs from home
· Push towards primary care and OMM but can specialize, PCOM name/reputation/ networking/opti
· Other: strength of PCOM reputation and opti, nice anatomy lab

Cons:

· Costs – seems like a higher COA
· Location – Atlanta traffic from the city sucks if doing rotations etc. or anything in the city
· Facilities were meh, competition for study space during exams, limited library area
· Not sure what the pcom name means for residency and rotations since this is GA and not Philly
· Not fond of traditional curriculum/ limited board prep
· Lack of research resources and push towards primary care

NYITCOM AR

Pros:
· Feel is hard to say since I did video conferencing but the faculty interviewers were nice
· Curriculum is systems based with ability to do 2 way video streaming
· Costs Mid-$50ks = 54k tuition – 73k COA +/- living expenses about 80k and eligible for fed loans and nyitcom scholarships
· Location – Jonesboro, AR is the closest to Memphis, TN at under 3 hrs drive and access to ASU facilities, resources, research
· Push for primary care in rural underserved AR but NYITCOM may provide some leeway for specializing
· Other: strength of NYITCOM reputation and opti, facilities will be renovated – so again not known but will have sim rooms

Cons:
· Inaugural class
· Creating rotation and GME slots – not much more known
· Location – its Jonesboro (take as pro or con)
· Costs – rather high to live and learn in AR at btwn 70-80K COA
· Not sure what NYITCOM name neams for residency and rotations since this is AR
· Competition for residency and rotations possible with opening of Fort Smith DO school next year? Uncertain
· Push for primary care

Is it true that BCOM is requiring its students to take the USMLE as you've stated? Is this in the student handbook? I interviewed and heard the Dean mention that he's in favor of his students taking it, but don't recall anything about a solid requirement like the way RVU does it.

 

[mj1988]

Is it true that BCOM is requiring its students to take the USMLE as you've stated? Is this in the student handbook? I interviewed and heard the Dean mention that he's in favor of his students taking it, but don't recall anything about a solid requirement like the way RVU does it.

i rechecked the student handbook and it requires comlex to graduate but a search of the bcom specific thread says its strongly encouraged to take the usmle so I think its not written hard fast rule like RVUCOM but they will want students to take it and they did talk about this on interview day especially in regards to competitiveness for acgme merger

 

[DOdecision]

can anyone else shed some light on why pcom ga or why bcom? particularly the curriculum, rotations, and ability to do competitive residencies/opti. also how important is board prep integration in the curriculum and "teaching for the boards" if you are someone who struggled with mcat testing @Goro

 

[Goro]

The Ops +'s and -'s list is a very good assessment. This is a hard choice, and my 2 cents is to lean to PCOM-GA >> BCOM >NYIT-AR. New schools require students who are good self-learners and go-getters as it takes time for a new Faculty to figure out what they're doing.

I have no problem with teaching to the Board myself. That's the whole reason for the first two years.

This doesn't mean that medicals is like the mCAT. What it means is that if you pick up any decent board review book, you should be able to handle the questions in there, and consequently do well on Boards. My schools has a decent number of people who actually write for COMLEX, and even help edit questions for NBOME. So, we know what COMLEX is like. And if you can handle COMLEX, you can handle USMLE.

Your trouble with MCAT is a different issue. Med school is two years of high stakes/career deciding exams.

can anyone else shed some light on why pcom ga or why bcom? particularly the curriculum, rotations, and ability to do competitive residencies/opti. also how important is board prep integration in the curriculum and "teaching for the boards" if you are someone who struggled with mcat testing @Goro

 

[F#&$#^&&@theMCAT]

PCOM for sure OP come on

 

[DOdecision]

The Ops +'s and -'s list is a very good assessment. This is a hard choice, and my 2 cents is to lean to PCOM-GA >> BCOM >NYIT-AR. New schools require students who are good self-learners and go-getters as it takes time for a new Faculty to figure out what they're doing.

I have no problem with teaching to the Board myself. That's the whole reason for the first two years.

This doesn't mean that medicals is like the mCAT. What it means is that if you pick up any decent board review book, you should be able to handle the questions in there, and consequently do well on Boards. My schools has a decent number of people who actually write for COMLEX, and even help edit questions for NBOME. So, we know what COMLEX is like. And if you can handle COMLEX, you can handle USMLE.

Your trouble with MCAT is a different issue. Med school is two years of high stakes/career deciding exams.

thanks for the quick response. long time lurker and appreciate all that you do for us here @Goro . I will keep all that in mind. Any thoughts on the rotations being newly set up by bcom vs the existing ones at pcom ga and take on getting residencies in the NE or West coast

 

[Goro]

Not familiar with other school's rotation sites, other than my own and MUCOM's. Getting a residency is on you.

Always best to inquire in the school-specific forums (which again is one of the risks of going to a new school...you don't know what their OMSIII/IV years are like, because no one has set foot in them yet). But if they all preceptor based and you merely shadow, run like the plague from them. You need to be doing things at that point, not merely watching.

thanks for the quick response. long time lurker and appreciate all that you do for us here @Goro . I will keep all that in mind. Any thoughts on the rotations being newly set up by bcom vs the existing ones at pcom ga and take on getting residencies in the NE or West coast

 

[Dustbowl12]

BCOM- Mostly Ward based rotations, a research institute that has already been launched with a research requirement, 100+ residency spots already created (are/will be ACGME), new facilities, large state university affiliation, well established and experienced faculty