CCOM vs LECOM-B

[cabinbuilder]

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I don't go to either school...
So LECOM-B has pretty high board scores and pass rates... I have heard not so awesome things about CCOM... Like that they don't give a crap if you're sick, have a death in your family/friends, etc... I am not sure about LECOM's policies on that, but maybe check the student handbook... The other thing is that CCOM's curriculum is all your classes at one time, which from what I've heard is usually more stress and less success. This info is all anecdotal from people who go to CCOM... Either way, the tuition is way less at LECOM, but you have to set up your rotations yourself...

LECOM is extremely family friendly. Lots of people have kids, I went with 2 small kids. They understand that life happens they just expect you to be adult about things, don't make a habit of things, and take responsibility without being a whiner. We all have lives and **** happens. They get that.

 

[The_Sunny_Doc]

CUSOM is a very new school, with no great rep in an aspect.. from what I've heard anyway. There's no way I would rank LECOM-B under them. LECOM-B is consistently first/second in board scores. Lots for you to reconsider indeed. Perhaps I'll see you in class. 🙂

This is true. You made some good points. The rotations thing is big, though! I want my hand to be held for that, haha.

Anyways, I'll pm you after deciding. 😀

 

[dorothyntoto]

After some of the stuff I heard about the Midwestern's, I wouldn't attend either of them... Granted, it was from disgruntled students, but I think LECOM-B would probably be better for an environment, and Bradenton was awesome imho...

 

[Dancing_Queen]

After some of the stuff I heard about the Midwestern's, I wouldn't attend either of them... Granted, it was from disgruntled students, but I think LECOM-B would probably be better for an environment, and Bradenton was awesome imho...

What have you heard?? Of course I'll take it with a grain of salt considering its source but I am curious since I've only heard good things.

 

[DoctorSynthesis]

Just to clarify - LECOM-B and Seton Hill are PBL. LECOM-Erie has 3 pathways: LDP (lecture), PBL, and ISP (Independent study)

Yep I interviewed at Erie and think its a better option due to the choices. I liked the school but I still found that rotations aren't up to par since they are unwilling to pay hospitals (myb that's why tuition is cheap?) But also DSP is mandatory attendance and LDP seemed a bit weird to me IMO! Do you think my assessment was fair cabin builder or was I to harsh? I'm not even bashing LECOM for the dress code! In my opinion people who complain about that are babies.

I don't hate LECOM btw. I think you just really got to be a fit for it. Don't go for the cheap tuition. In my opinion go check it out. For me I realized I'm not a fit.

 

[cabinbuilder]

@DoctorSynthesis - not sure why the rotations at lecom are always being bashed. No school has perfect rotations and I personally liked the flexibility that lecom offered when I was there. Every month there are certain rotations that had to be filled by a lecom student so my rotation group got together and looked at which ones were required and we all split up the required rotations with those of us who didn't care either way. Then on the months were those of us were doing audition rotations we had the freedom to do that too. I did about half local/required rotations that really sucked (half because the attending was an ass, or I hated the rotation subject (OB) ) but I was just putting in my time, and then I did rotations in Alaska, Vegas, and New Mexico that I set up myself and had a great time. I was older so I wanted to be able to set up my own rotations, not be told where I had to go for all of them.

Regarding the attendance. I don't get this whole younger generation who studies on their own and are able to pass. I liked having attendance because it forced me to go and be captive for that block of time. I'm the type if I don't have a schedule then I just won't go. I looked at it like a job and knew I needed to be there. I had too much other stuff to do as a mom and wife that the rules worked for me.

And I think the whole not paying rotations is an osteopathic thing. My friend who is a DO at MSUCOM who used to work at LECOM tells me that the MD folks get a stipend every month for teaching students - the DO's don't. I think it more that the DO world expects doctors to having teaching as part of their training and the culture. So I'm pretty sure that LECOM is not the only school that does that.

 

[dorothyntoto]

One student said that she had pneumonia and was hospitalized and they gave her no time off to catch up... Another student said that their aunt/uncle? was dying of cancer, and again given no time off to go to see them or go to the funeral. They said having all the courses at one time sucks really bad. I can't remember the rest, I just know it didn't seem like a great life. I found it on an SDN FB group...

 

[user3]

After some of the stuff I heard about the Midwestern's, I wouldn't attend either of them...

Honestly, I've probably heard some variation of this statement about almost every DO school. Find me a DO school where you won't see some anonymous "Do not attend X school"/"X school is horrible" posts/threads.

 

[j4pac]

LECOM is extremely family friendly. Lots of people have kids, I went with 2 small kids. They understand that life happens they just expect you to be adult about things, don't make a habit of things, and take responsibility without being a whiner. We all have lives and **** happens. They get that.

To piggy back on Cabinbuilders post...

While my wife was in medical school she had a complicated pregnancy that required her to take time off from school. She read the study handbook and learned what would be required for her to take off time. She then emailed our clinical dean, Dr. Anthony Ferretti, a formal letter to explain her decision. Dr. Ferretti was incredibly understand and told her to take the time that she needed. As a student, Dr. Ferretti was always incredibly supportive to me as well. Many LECOM students don't like the clinical education department at LECOM-B...but it's often because the student doesn't want to show initiative and do their part.

The key at LECOM-Bradenton is doing things the RIGHT WAY. They treat you like professionals and adults...and quite honestly...not everyone acts like professional and adults when they go to medical school. Many still want faculty to hold their hands every step of the way. That is not the way that it works in the real world, and it's not the way that it works at LECOM-Bradenton. I can guarantee you that if you walk into Dr. Ferretti's office asking for help without reading the student handbook, he is going to embarrass you. But if you do your part...he and the rest of the LECOM-B staff will be very supportive. All they ask is that you behave like a professional.

 

[dorothyntoto]

Honestly, I've probably heard some variation of this statement about almost every DO school. Find me a DO school where you won't see some anonymous "Do not attend X school"/"X school is horrible" posts/threads.

I know at other schools you can take incompletes or find other ways to get through difficulties that arise. Not giving people time off for illness and family losses seem like a school that would be a last resort to me... just my opinion... FWIW, they didn't say people shouldn't attend the school, they just commented on their difficulties. It is my opinion that if you anticipate having life happen during medical school I would attend a school that is more flexible instead of less flexible.

 

[cabinbuilder]

One student said that she had pneumonia and was hospitalized and they gave her no time off to catch up... Another student said that their aunt/uncle? was dying of cancer, and again given no time off to go to see them or go to the funeral. They said having all the courses at one time sucks really bad. I can't remember the rest, I just know it didn't seem like a great life. I found it on an SDN FB group...

To comment on the aunt/uncle dying - that really isn't considered immediate family like mom/dad. The schools have to draw a line somewhere. There is ALWAYS going to be some tragedy in life and if they let a student out for every little thing there wouldn't be a school to run. Residency is WORSE - my grandmother died while I was in residency - I missed the funeral by 3 days. There was no way around it as I was chief resident an only had the weekend off. Life happens, need to be able to deal with the good and the bad. You can't close your office on every little whim either. Not to be cold but it's the nature of the profession. I was in the hospital too during medical school for a week, and home for a week. My study group brought me the material and reviewed everything with me and I only went to school to take the exam - no extensions, etc. I work urgent care - I cannot call in sick, there is no replacement for me. I have worked through abd pain, kidney stones, migraine, sinus, etc. It's the life we choose.

 

[Bea5T]

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To piggy back on Cabinbuilders post...

While my wife was in medical school she had a complicated pregnancy that required her to take time off from school. She read the study handbook and learned what would be required for her to take off time. She then emailed our clinical dean, Dr. Anthony Ferretti, a formal letter to explain her decision. Dr. Ferretti was incredibly understand and told her to take the time that she needed. As a student, Dr. Ferretti was always incredibly supportive to me as well. Many LECOM students don't like the clinical education department at LECOM-B...but it's often because the student doesn't want to show initiative and do their part.

The key at LECOM-Bradenton is doing things the RIGHT WAY. They treat you like professionals and adults...and quite honestly...not everyone acts like professional and adults when they go to medical school. Many still want faculty to hold their hands every step of the way. That is not the way that it works in the real world, and it's not the way that it works at LECOM-Bradenton. I can guarantee you that if you walk into Dr. Ferretti's office asking for help without reading the student handbook, he is going to embarrass you. But if you do your part...he and the rest of the LECOM-B staff will be very supportive. All they ask is that you behave like a professional.

Saying LECOM does things the "right way" insinuates virtually every other medical school is deficient. Answer me this, if the tuition was upped by 20k, do you think people would still "put up" with all this? The tuition is the reason they can institute these rules and not develop a legitimate clinical education department. The students will come as long as it's cheap.

 

[j4pac]

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Saying LECOM does things the "right way" insinuates virtually every other medical school is deficient. Answer me this, if the tuition was upped by 20k, do you think people would still "put up" with all this?

What are you talking about? I wasn't insinuating anything. You need remove the stick from your butt.

The price of admission is only one of the factors that get people to go to LECOM-B. I was military so it was a complete non-factor. about 10% of my class was HPSP. Most go because of PBL, location, and ridiculous board scores/match rate.

There are entitled children who enter LECOM-B, just like any school...and they grow up quickly.

 

[dorothyntoto]

To comment on the aunt/uncle dying - that really isn't considered immediate family like mom/dad. The schools have to draw a line somewhere. There is ALWAYS going to be some tragedy in life and if they let a student out for every little thing there wouldn't be a school to run. Residency is WORSE - my grandmother died while I was in residency - I missed the funeral by 3 days. There was no way around it as I was chief resident an only had the weekend off. Life happens, need to be able to deal with the good and the bad. You can't close your office on every little whim either. Not to be cold but it's the nature of the profession. I was in the hospital too during medical school for a week, and home for a week. My study group brought me the material and reviewed everything with me and I only went to school to take the exam - no extensions, etc. I work urgent care - I cannot call in sick, there is no replacement for me. I have worked through abd pain, kidney stones, migraine, sinus, etc. It's the life we choose.

I have been given time off for aunts/uncles. CB, you have chosen to work the jobs you take as locums work, because you like that work and the money it brings in. Working through a cold is one thing, working through a kidney stone could be another. I know people who have passed out cold from kidney stones, that isn't very helpful at a clinic. I agree a line should be drawn, but physicians frequently take the stance of putting everything in front of their own health, to their own detriment. It is seen in many statistics. Physicians delay their own care routinely. I'm part of a presentation on it in May...

 

[cabinbuilder]

I have been given time off for aunts/uncles. CB, you have chosen to work the jobs you take as locums work, because you like that work and the money it brings in. Working through a cold is one thing, working through a kidney stone could be another. I know people who have passed out cold from kidney stones, that isn't very helpful at a clinic. I agree a line should be drawn, but physicians frequently take the stance of putting everything in front of their own health, to their own detriment. It is seen in many statistics. Physicians delay their own care routinely. I'm part of a presentation on it in May...

For the record, I have not delayed my own care and am very well versed in what I can personally stand. I would never jeopardize my own health for the job. You seem to be missing my point that you can't just up an leave clinic for every little life stressor/death/tragedy, etc. I'm glad you have been given time off for secondary family members but in the working world that would not be the norm. Yes, I have chosen the locums life, but with that comes the knowledge that I do not have a replacement most of the time if I get sick or injured so I try to prevent personal breakdown accordingly.

 

[dorothyntoto]

For the record, I have not delayed my own care and am very well versed in what I can personally stand. I would never jeopardize my own health for the job. You seem to be missing my point that you can't just up an leave clinic for every little life stressor/death/tragedy, etc. I'm glad you have been given time off for secondary family members but in the working world that would not be the norm. Yes, I have chosen the locums life, but with that comes the knowledge that I do not have a replacement most of the time if I get sick or injured so I try to prevent personal breakdown accordingly.

The clinics and hospitals I have rotated in have shown me something different. You may feel that no one can ever take time off unless you're hospitalized or an immediate family member has passed, but that is not what I have witnessed. I have witnessed staff calling patients and finding out if their appointment can be rescheduled, and I have seen the appointments that are urgent being taken by other providers. I have witnessed docs being called in to cover for providers who had some thing happen and couldn't come in. Life happens, and you can't always prevent it.

 

[cabinbuilder]

The clinics and hospitals I have rotated in have shown me something different. You may feel that no one can ever take time off unless you're hospitalized or an immediate family member has passed, but that is not what I have witnessed. I have witnessed staff calling patients and finding out if their appointment can be rescheduled, and I have seen the appointments that are urgent being taken by other providers. I have witnessed docs being called in to cover for providers who had some thing happen and couldn't come in. Life happens, and you can't always prevent it.

This is true in a bigger place, but I work where there is nobody else, and I am there because they can't get a permanent provider so if I call in sick then the clinic closes. The job I am doing now (in Wyoming), the clinic was closed for the month of January because there was no provider to see patients. It re-opened when I got there.

When I was in Southeast Alaska I was THE ONLY DOCTOR on the island for 30 days. I covered the ER, the clinic and the hospital. The nearest doc to me was 6 hours by boat, 1 hr by plane. Can't call in sick.

Same in central Nevada. I was there by myself. Nearest doctor was 4 hours in either direction. If I called in sick the ER/hospital/and clinic closed and the patients would have to drive 4 hours to get help. Can't call in sick.

The job I'm on right now they flew me from Wyoming to Texas for 2 weeks of coverage since there aren't enough doctors then I go back to Wyoming.

Of course, this is the life I chose. I understand the responsibility and stay healthy.

 

[songl4a]

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[cabinbuilder]

How did you get into this career and how is the compensation/lifestyle?

I got into locums because I found myself in some very nasty permanent jobs with administration being nothing more than dictators. I have had 5 permanent jobs in 5 years. The longest lasted 3 months, the shortest 1 week. I make my own schedule. Work when I want, am off when I want. If the job is not what was expected or how it was presented or I get ANY hassles I can walk out and I have done that once.

I get paid anywhere from $80-110/hr. All my travel, rental car, and housing are paid for - get to accrue the airline miles, hotel points and car rental points. My malpractice is covered. I have my own 401K and health insurance. My goal last year was to hit 300K, I made 280K and took 8 weeks off. But when I work I request a minimum of a 50 hr week guarantee because I want to maximize my time. I am currently on my "debt free in 3 yrs plan", I just started year 2.

I have 5 active licenses and I choose to be away from home. There are enough jobs in my home state that I could be closer but then I wouldn't make as much money as I do when I go to places that have no doctors. The more remote, the more hours, and the higher the pay.

 

[songl4a]

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[cabinbuilder]

So are you a PCP? Internal med?
And what about the billing, do they take care of all of that?

I am family practice who can do FP clinic, hospitalist, ER, and urgent care. I do mostly urgent care anymore. Billing is not my problem. I just code the visits.