Burrell (BCOM-NM) vs ICOM

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I have been accepted into both programs, and am still waiting to hear back from several others (RVU-M, PNWU, and got waitlisted for LECOM-Bradenton). I appreciate any insight, especially am encouraging any current students, 3 and 4th years, to please pop in with any advice, concerns, and other words of advice you have for me!

Burrell
Pros
  • Pass/Fail
  • Somewhat local rotation sites
  • Has been pulled off the heightened monitoring watch
  • Decent board scores and match rates

Cons
  • Rumors of dropping students with poor board scores
  • Rumors of having high attrition rates
  • Lectures are half/half with NM and FL instructors
  • Considered to be poor in research


Idaho/ICOM
Pros
  • Lower tuition
  • Nicer area IMO
  • Good board scores and 100% match rate for the past 2 years
  • Supposed 2/3 of students stay in Idaho, Treasure Valley, for clinical sites
    • supposedly, they place you in a 'satellite spot' so you don't move around, you go to rotations within the region you're in

Cons
  • Graded, though I'm told this doesn't matter
  • Widespread rotation sites that are broken up between at least 5 different states; unsure if they are true about keeping you in 1 place
  • Unsure about research opportunities here
  • Different climate than what I am used to

Summary: I am fortunate to have been accepted to both schools. I currently live in CA and am happy to go either. I am not used to living in a place where it gets cold and snows, so Idaho would be a big change for me. However, both schools have their advantages, and while I am trying to wait for more possible waitlist movements and acceptances, I want to get this up here now.

Thank you all for any input!
 
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I have been accepted into both programs, and am still waiting to hear back from several others (RVU-M, PNWU, and got waitlisted for LECOM-Bradenton). I appreciate any insight, especially am encouraging any current students, 3 and 4th years, to please pop in with any advice, concerns, and other words of advice you have for me!

Burrell
Pros
  • Pass/Fail
  • Somewhat local rotation sites
  • Has been pulled off the heightened monitoring watch
  • Decent board scores and match rates

Cons
  • Rumors of dropping students with poor board scores
  • Rumors of having high attrition rates
  • Lectures are half/half with NM and FL instructors
  • Considered to be poor in research


Idaho/ICOM
Pros
  • Lower tuition
  • Nicer area IMO
  • Good board scores and 100% match rate for the past 2 years
  • Supposed 2/3 of students stay in Idaho, Treasure Valley, for clinical sites
    • supposedly, they place you in a 'satellite spot' so you don't move around, you go to rotations within the region you're in

Cons
  • Graded, though I'm told this doesn't matter
  • Widespread rotation sites that are broken up between at least 5 different states; unsure if they are true about keeping you in 1 place
  • Unsure about research opportunities here
  • Different climate than what I am used to

Summary: I am fortunate to have been accepted to both schools. I currently live in CA and am happy to go either. I am not used to living in a place where it gets cold and snows, so Idaho would be a big change for me. However, both schools have their advantages, and while I am trying to wait for more possible waitlist movements and acceptances, I want to get this up here now.

Thank you all for any input!
hey what did you decide? I have been waitlisted at 5 schools, got into 1...