Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM) Discussion Thread 2016-2017

[Dustbowl12]

Alright, thank you for your input. That is relieving to hear that we're getting a lot of good instruction on the imaging side of things... BUT It is a bit concerning for me b/c the anatomy lab is controversial and studies have shown that students that physically cut and dissect cadavers are more likely to retain the information... HOWEVER, I have not actually seen those studies I was just told that at my ATSU-KCOM interview. And it is a little worrisome about the students wanting to go into Sx... but then the sim lab is state of the art so you win some you lose some. I don't know if the 3rd yr elective in cadaver dissection is going to do us any good b/c we would have taken our boards by then so it's like what's the point. And for those in the military, etc., it would be hard to juggle that elective on top of everything. I know I'm off on a tangent, but this has been a legitimate concern of mine.

and I'm interested in hearing why the SX dept at BCOM is so good when it's brand new.

Citing studies you can't reference, great start.
Check my school or other DO schools and how many surgery residency projects they are involved in or if they have a department of surgery at all.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[aidnaltiam]

Citing studies you can't reference, great start.
Check my school or other DO schools and how many surgery residency projects they are involved in or if they have a department of surgery at all.

Hey now, no need for the attitude or getting defensive. I admitted that I hadn't seen those studies, just wanted to throw it out there for discussion.

 

[Grey Storm]

.

 

[aidnaltiam]

The bottom line is that I'm skeptical. It doesn't matter anyway I've already paid my deposit and am going to BCOM. And "can't" reference is the wrong term to use. "Haven't referenced (yet)" would have been better. I was just throwing it out there for discussion.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[SurgDoc95]

I get that current students are protective and want to defend their program. They're proud of it and that's great, but claiming that BCOM has a great surgery department or that by not having the dissection you're learning more efficiently is a stretch. I interviewed there and was accepted at BCOM this cycle and while it is a promising program it is still BRAND NEW regardless of how much promise it shows. Hopefully it will be the great school it has the potential to be, but skepticism at this point is valid!

 

[aidnaltiam]

^ THANK YOU!
Wow, I am getting way too invested in this forum . Calm down, aidnaltiam, it's just sdn. Lololol


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[SlugMD]

I get that current students are protective and want to defend their program. They're proud of it and that's great, but claiming that BCOM has a great surgery department or that by not having the dissection you're learning more efficiently is a stretch. I interviewed there and was accepted at BCOM this cycle and while it is a promising program it is still BRAND NEW regardless of how much promise it shows. Hopefully it will be the great school it has the potential to be, but skepticism at this point is valid!

Don't lump all BCOM students with dustbowl12 lol

Personally, all of the BCOM students I have met are realitic and not defensive. I am realistic about it as well. Most DO schools don't have a wide array of clinical departments. That is a challenge that DO students applying surgery must overcome through USMLE Step 1 and 2, great sub-I's, research, and LOR's from allopathic hospitals.

PS- Check out the PM I sent you

 

[Dustbowl12]

Don't lump all BCOM students with dustbowl12 lol

Personally, all of the BCOM students I have met are realitic and not defensive. I am realistic about it as well. Most DO schools don't have a wide array of clinical departments. That is a challenge that DO students applying surgery must overcome through USMLE Step 1 and 2, great sub-I's, research, and LOR's from allopathic hospitals.

PS- Check out the PM I sent you

I attend ATSU SOMA due to proximity, but wanted to go BCOM last year.

 

[aidnaltiam]

Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Grey Storm]

.

 

[itsadoctor]

I spoke with an admin and she said that more information about immunizations and the criminal background checks will be coming out in the next several weeks, probably in February. She also said that there is high turnover in housing around May, so that current listings are not representative of what will be the available market. Just FYI. I'm looking forward to working with you guys!

Do you know what they meant by more information? I thought that, for example, for the immunization form we just ask the physician to fill it out and send it in?

 

[kliavosh]

I have a question for the students who had interviews. What was your experience, faculty, staff? How was the interview day? thank you so much for your input.

 

[nerdfreak3429]

I have a question for the students who had interviews. What was your experience, faculty, staff? How was the interview day? thank you so much for your input.

The interview was very nice, first the Dean gives you an introduction about the school, New Mexico and the mission overall in a small conference room with about 15 other interviewees. Then some people went to interview and others on the campus tour. The interview was relaxed, the interviewers were very nice and I was able to have flowing conversation with them. The faculty are all very sweet and welcoming and they all seem very passionate about what they do. I think you will enjoy it, just go in confident

 

[henry ian]

I have a question for the students who had interviews. What was your experience, faculty, staff? How was the interview day? thank you so much for your input.

100% laid back and very comfortable.

 

[Grey Storm]

.

 

[Grey Storm]

.

 

[theloop43]

I have my interview February 10. Will I basically be interviewing for a waitlist spot? Also, anyone whose interviewed there please PM me!

 

[Palmtreez]

I have my interview February 10. Will I basically be interviewing for a waitlist spot? Also, anyone whose interviewed there please PM me!

if you look at last years thread people who interview into march and April were accepted!

 

[TexasMedic15]

Arrive a couple days early and explore the town. Get to know people affiliated with the school. I brought in a copy of the local newspaper stuffed in my binder and had it turned to the page describing Mr. Burrell. Just visible enough so the interviewers could see it.

So casual lol.

 

[Palmtreez]

Quick question, If you interview on a Monday you will be hearing your decision on that Wednesday?

 

[Grey Storm]

.

 

[NRG87]

Declined my interview here. Good luck all of you!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[aidnaltiam]

I have a question for the students who had interviews. What was your experience, faculty, staff? How was the interview day? thank you so much for your input.

I think you'll really enjoy the interview day. Out of all my med school interviews BCOM's was definitely my favorite. The faculty was very warm and welcoming. When I walked through the front door I was greeted with a smile by both faculty and students. The dean gives us an introduction about the medical school, curriculum, aims of BCOM, and the huge health disparities of New Mexico. We all went on a golf cart tour of NMSU which was totally fun and a good activity for us to all relax before interviewing (although some interviewed before the tour). We also toured the Sim lab and had a little presentation on what it offers to the students. The interview itself was great. I interviewed with two PhDs. They asked me my study habits, why DO, and some cultural competency type questions. BCOM makes it really clear that you need to have interest in serving the border region of the United States. Questions came up about that as well. Overall I greatly enjoyed my interview day and had a good experience with the people involved.

 

[SlugMD]

I interviewed on a Monday and my group heard back Thursday morning. In general, they release their decisions Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

 

[kliavosh]

I think you'll really enjoy the interview day. Out of all my med school interviews BCOM's was definitely my favorite. The faculty was very warm and welcoming. When I walked through the front door I was greeted with a smile by both faculty and students. The dean gives us an introduction about the medical school, curriculum, aims of BCOM, and the huge health disparities of New Mexico. We all went on a golf cart tour of NMSU which was totally fun and a good activity for us to all relax before interviewing (although some interviewed before the tour). We also toured the Sim lab and had a little presentation on what it offers to the students. The interview itself was great. I interviewed with two PhDs. They asked me my study habits, why DO, and some cultural competency type questions. BCOM makes it really clear that you need to have interest in serving the border region of the United States. Questions came up about that as well. Overall I greatly enjoyed my interview day and had a good experience with the people involved.

Best of luck!

 

[JDtoMD16]

I applied to BCOM thinking they would have fed loans for fall 2017. If I have average to bad credit...is it even worth applying to BCOM? I also have no cosigner available either.

 

[FutureDO08]

I applied to BCOM thinking they would have fed loans for fall 2017. If I have average to bad credit...is it even worth applying to BCOM? I also have no cosigner available either.

You'd have about 6-7 months to pay off some debt. Pay the credit cards fast as they have the greatest immediate impact. work OT, get more cash, toss it at debt. If you are a homeowner, there's always selling your home to reduce overall debt and use equity to take out your revolving debt and boost your score. You can greatly boost your score in 2 months but it takes work

 

[Mike Mitchel]

Was informed from a friend that was just there for an interview that the class is full and the wait list is 120+. She was upset she wasted money going there for the interview. Looks like this school really isn't accepting anyone else now sadly.

 

[SurgDoc95]

Was informed from a friend that was just there for an interview that the class is full and the wait list is 120+. She was upset she wasted money going there for the interview. Looks like this school really isn't accepting anyone else now sadly.

If I remember correctly they went 200+ into the waitlist for last years class. Still sucks they didn't let her know ahead of time!

 

[Mike Mitchel]

If I remember correctly they went 200+ into the waitlist for last years class. Still sucks they didn't let her know ahead of time!

Yeah I wouldn't be happy about that either. I thought they only went through 70 last year but I'm not sure. Also I think so many people came off the list last year because it was its first year. But anyways, with all the ethical questions that med schools like to ask in interviews, I'd think that they would be ethical and let students know if the class is already full lol.

 

[learner01]

Yeah I wouldn't be happy about that either. I thought they only went through 70 last year but I'm not sure. Also I think so many people came off the list last year because it was its first year. But anyways, with all the ethical questions that med schools like to ask in interviews, I'd think that they would be ethical and let students know if the class is already full lol.

How many did they take of the waiting list last year?

 

[nerdfreak3429]

Their class was full like the 1st week of January :/


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[learner01]

Their class was full like the 1st week of January :/


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

So, should't they stop II?

 

[SurgDoc95]

How many did they take of the waiting list last year?

They told us 200 at my interview.

 

[Palmtreez]

Was informed from a friend that was just there for an interview that the class is full and the wait list is 120+. She was upset she wasted money going there for the interview. Looks like this school really isn't accepting anyone else now sadly.

Wow that sucks! I have an interview but if you look at the thread from last year they continued to straight out accept people all the way into April

 

[nerdfreak3429]

At my interview, we were told that out of the 162 people in their current class, 109 people got in off the waitlist. But that was the first year so things are a bit different now. I'm assuming they are only giving out waitlist spots and deferred acceptances at this point. They said a deferred acceptance is good because it gives you a guaranteed spot for the 2018 class and it also puts you in the top of the waitlist for the current cycle. I think that out of the 109 kids who got off the waitlist, many of them were probably on the deferred list.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[nerdfreak3429]

Wow that sucks! I have an interview in Feb. but if you look at the thread from last year they continued to straight out accept people all the way into April

You should still go in with confidence because people withdraw thru out the cycle so they might have spot available, I just think this cycle is very different for BCOM because that was their first year.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[henry ian]

They told us 200 at my interview.

Just to clarify everything posted, correct me if im wrong:

~109 students in this last year's class are students that were initially waitlisted but ~200 students were actually offered a spot at one point from the waitlist

right? because that was my impression as well

 

[SurgDoc95]

Wow that sucks! I have an interview in Feb. but if you look at the thread from last year they continued to straight out accept people all the way into April

I would go in and just kill your interview. Yeah waitlist sucks but the deferred acceptance thing is a bonus!

 

[SurgDoc95]

Just to clarify everything posted, correct me if im wrong:

~109 students in this last year's class are students that were initially waitlisted but ~200 students were actually offered a spot at one point from the waitlist

right? because that was my impression as well

See I was under the impression it was 200 into the waitlist?

Edit: you're right I misread what you said!

 

[nerdfreak3429]

Just to clarify everything posted, correct me if im wrong:

~109 students in this last year's class are students that were initially waitlisted but ~200 students were actually offered a spot at one point from the waitlist

right? because that was my impression as well

Yeah I think 200 people were given acceptance offers from waitlist/deferral list and then 109 accepted the offer.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[henry ian]

Ok good. Thought i was going crazy. Still think the # of people getting off of the wait list is going to be decently high. I talked to Alba and he said he expects close to the same this year. It's hard to believe and i'm sure it wont be as many as last year, but accepted students are still going to be deterred since its a new school. There were a lot of people in my interview group who flat out said they wouldn't go if they got in anywhere else

 

[SurgDoc95]

Ok good. Thought i was going crazy. Still think the # of people getting off of the wait list is going to be decently high. I talked to Alba and he said he expects close to the same this year. It's hard to believe and i'm sure it wont be as many as last year, but accepted students are still going to be deterred since its a new school. There were a lot of people in my interview group who flat out said they wouldn't go if they got in anywhere else

It's hard to fault those who hold that opinion (as I did). I fully expect BCOM to be a good school, but with the merger coming up going to a new school is too risky when you have more established options!

 

[learner01]

They told us 200 at my interview.

Actually, I meant how many did they accept of the waiting list?

 

[learner01]

It's hard to fault those who hold that opinion (as I did). I fully expect BCOM to be a good school, but with the merger coming up going to a new school is too risky when you have more established options!

Can you elaborate more on the merger issue please?

 

[henry ian]

Can you elaborate more on the merger issue please?

I second this. Btw I'm a fellow Rams fan!

 

[Palmtreez]

Anyone hear back from their interviews this week?

 

[jdautofill]

Anyone hear back from their interviews this week?

I was putted on the deferred acceptance list. Interviewed 1/23

 

[Palmtreez]

I was putted on the deferred acceptance list. Interviewed 1/23

Awesome!! Super exciting! Congrats

 

[learner01]

I was putted on the deferred acceptance list. Interviewed 1/23

You mean waiting list?