BUCOM vs LECOM vs LMU-DCOM

[CBass2288]

I will preface this by saying my deposit is paid at BUCOM, and I am waiting on my decision from the other 2. I would love an opinion regardless even though there is a possibility of this being pointless. I would like to know going forward if the others are worth waiting late into the cycle for.

BUCOM:

Pros:

• Clinical rotation sites are all local, 22 hospitals to rotate at, affiliated with the school
• Nice areas to live outside of Memphis
• Brand new facilities
• Tuition is reasonable, below average for medical schools
• Already has federal loans even though not fully-accredited

Cons:

• New school, I will be 2nd class. No board or match data.
• Memphis isn't my favorite place ever, but I do love Tennessee
• Graded, partially mandatory attendance

LECOM:

Pros:

• Cheapest tuition (by about 15k per year)
• Board pass rate almost always above national average
• Residency matches are impressive, always >99%, however very few in the area I want to be in (West Coast)

Cons:

• Treatment of students / rules (from what I've heard)
• Mandatory attendance / strict dress code
• Rotations sites are in multiple states, would really love to not move in year 3/4
• Will only attend if I get LDP, not interested in other pathways unless someone can change my mind
• I'm also basing this list on the Erie campus alone, since that's the only one with LDP

LMU-DCOM:

Pros:

• Residency matches are impressive, always >99%, however very few in the area I want to be in (West Coast), but many more in mid-south which is better for me
• Historically has a decent reputation
• Being in TN is better than PA for me

Cons:

• Board pass rates have not been great recently
• Most expensive (by about 7k per year)
• Rotation sites are all over the place, would really love to not move in year 3/4
• Primary care focused, would love to match into a specialty or a competitive IM fellowship
• Lots of negative opinions recently, opening a 3rd campus already, weird ambiguous mandatory attendance policy with no research for those struggling

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[Hollow Knight]

LMU does not have a good reputation, it has a terrible reputation. Don’t go there.

I try not to be mean but it’s just not a great med school

 

[CBass2288]

LMU does not have a good reputation, it has a terrible reputation. Don’t go there.

I try not to be mean but it’s just not a great med school

im asking for advice for a reason, i dont think you're being mean. i want honesty.

can you expand on your comment? is this a recent issue or has it always been an issue? what makes the reputation terrible?

 

[Hollow Knight]

im asking for advice for a reason, i dont think you're being mean. i want honesty.

can you expand on your comment? is this a recent issue or has it always been an issue? what makes the reputation terrible?

I have friends who have attended who had a miserable experience and told me to attend other places. For their anatomy lab, they don't have enough bodies to go around. They don't actually see and present patients on their internal medicine rotation, they just shadow like premed students.

As far as training goes, it's about equivalent to a Caribbean med school. Now, people who aren't from the SE will just see you as another generic DO student, so as long as you do OK on your boards you will match, but A) you won't be ready for intern year and B) your med school experience will be MISERABLE.

I'm not familiar with the other places, but I highly doubt they are worse than LMU. It's a scam of an institution.