CCOM vs. OSU

[PianoRock11]

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Hey, I think I have a pretty unique predicament. I'm from Chicago, and I've been accepted into CCOM and OSU.

CCOM is an established school, great reputation, and has arguably the best clinical rotations in the country. The problem is the first 2 years at CCOM are extremely rough compared to other DO schools. The anatomy lab is painstaking. There are 7:30 AM exams every (yes, really, EVERY) Monday and Friday followed by 8 hours of class. I don't have a problem with med school being difficult, I just think I can learn equally well taking my tests at 2 pm during class time and having a more relaxed anatomy lab environment. I also have a serious girlfriend in school in Chicago.

OSU is pretty much the opposite, aside from being known as one of the top DO schools. The first 2 years are excellent - they are completely student centered. The lectures are all filmed and put online. The professors are nationally famous. It's like a family there. But the clinical years put me in rural Oklahoma, where I have no interest in living/practicing, and 10 months of the rotations are electives. Granted, I can come back to Chicago to do the electives, which is where I'll eventually want to do residency, but isn't that kind of a pain to do?

For what it's worth, I'd like to do either Internal Medicine, or a subspecialty within Internal, such as Oncology.

I hate to do this, but... what should I do? Stay in Chicago and "endure" 2 years of a really tough classroom schedule and life, or go to OSU and "endure" a couple years of not-ideal rotation sites coupled with lots of traveling back and forth from Chicago? Put another way - should I stay in Chicago and have fantastic, easily accessible rotations, or go to OSU and have fantastic M1/M2 years? Any input would really be appreciated.

 

[Beau Geste]

Aside from the exams and lab time from what I gather attendance is not mandatory at CCOM. Seriously, though, if you can't drag yourself out of bed for a 7:30am exam twice a week, then 3rd and 4th years are going to suck in a bad way for you.

 

[smcin001]

Hey, I think I have a pretty unique predicament. I'm from Chicago, and I've been accepted into CCOM and OSU.

CCOM is an established school, great reputation, and has arguably the best clinical rotations in the country. The problem is the first 2 years at CCOM are extremely rough compared to other DO schools. The anatomy lab is painstaking. There are 7:30 AM exams every (yes, really, EVERY) Monday and Friday followed by 8 hours of class. I don't have a problem with med school being difficult, I just think I can learn equally well taking my tests at 2 pm during class time and having a more relaxed anatomy lab environment. I also have a serious girlfriend in school in Chicago.

OSU is pretty much the opposite, aside from being known as one of the top DO schools. The first 2 years are excellent - they are completely student centered. The lectures are all filmed and put online. The professors are nationally famous. It's like a family there. But the clinical years put me in rural Oklahoma, where I have no interest in living/practicing, and 10 months of the rotations are electives. Granted, I can come back to Chicago to do the electives, which is where I'll eventually want to do residency, but isn't that kind of a pain to do?

For what it's worth, I'd like to do either Internal Medicine, or a subspecialty within Internal, such as Oncology.

I hate to do this, but... what should I do? Stay in Chicago and "endure" 2 years of a really tough classroom schedule and life, or go to OSU and "endure" a couple years of not-ideal rotation sites coupled with lots of traveling back and forth from Chicago? Put another way - should I stay in Chicago and have fantastic, easily accessible rotations, or go to OSU and have fantastic M1/M2 years? Any input would really be appreciated.

If she were that serious of a girlfriend then you wouldn't have to ask. If you want an easy way out of the relationship go for OSU.

 

[FrickenhugeMD]

you are going to have a hard enough time finding time for your girlfriend if you are in the same city while in med school, more or less from several states away. Coming from someone who is likely going to have to make a decision with the GF in mind, I have to say buck it up and stay in Chicago (if you really care about the time you will get to spend together).

Just think of the rough hours as a baptism into the hours 3rd and 4th years pull😉

 

[PianoRock11]

Aside from the exams and lab time from what I gather attendance is not mandatory at CCOM. Seriously, though, if you can't drag yourself out of bed for a 7:30am exam twice a week, then 3rd and 4th years are going to suck in a bad way for you.

If she were that serious of a girlfriend then you wouldn't have to ask. If you want an easy way out of the relationship go for OSU.

I like these answers because they pretty much put me in my place.

you are going to have a hard enough time finding time for your girlfriend if you are in the same city while in med school, more or less from several states away. Coming from someone who is likely going to have to make a decision with the GF in mind, I have to say buck it up and stay in Chicago (if you really care about the time you will get to spend together).

Just think of the rough hours as a baptism into the hours 3rd and 4th years pull😉

And this answer is good because it's probably most similar to the thoughts that I'm actually thinking. OSU would be fantastic - and it's extremely difficult to pass up such a great environment, especially with me being out of state and their low OOS acceptance rates. I really felt "at home" at the school, but after all, being AT the medical school is really only *half* of med school. The other half is at clerkship sites.

 

[Ligament]

Hey, I think I have a pretty unique predicament. I'm from Chicago, and I've been accepted into CCOM and OSU.

CCOM is an established school, great reputation, and has arguably the best clinical rotations in the country. The problem is the first 2 years at CCOM are extremely rough compared to other DO schools. The anatomy lab is painstaking. There are 7:30 AM exams every (yes, really, EVERY) Monday and Friday followed by 8 hours of class. I don't have a problem with med school being difficult, I just think I can learn equally well taking my tests at 2 pm during class time and having a more relaxed anatomy lab environment. I also have a serious girlfriend in school in Chicago.

OSU is pretty much the opposite, aside from being known as one of the top DO schools. The first 2 years are excellent - they are completely student centered. The lectures are all filmed and put online. The professors are nationally famous. It's like a family there. But the clinical years put me in rural Oklahoma, where I have no interest in living/practicing, and 10 months of the rotations are electives. Granted, I can come back to Chicago to do the electives, which is where I'll eventually want to do residency, but isn't that kind of a pain to do?

For what it's worth, I'd like to do either Internal Medicine, or a subspecialty within Internal, such as Oncology.

I hate to do this, but... what should I do? Stay in Chicago and "endure" 2 years of a really tough classroom schedule and life, or go to OSU and "endure" a couple years of not-ideal rotation sites coupled with lots of traveling back and forth from Chicago? Put another way - should I stay in Chicago and have fantastic, easily accessible rotations, or go to OSU and have fantastic M1/M2 years? Any input would really be appreciated.

The first two years at CCOM do indeed, SUCK. Very hard work. But the rotations are great.

 

[saylorsdad]

If you intend practicing medicine in the state ccom is in why not stay there and make some great contacts and friendships while in your first two years. The hours may suck but I think all schools suck for the first two years. Not so sure that school x and school y are going to be that different.

 

[mdille2]

We do NOT have exams twice a week every week. Exams are set up for 7:30 am on some Mondays and Fridays. The block schedule is misleading that way. If anyone is interested I can send an exam schedule that shows exact dates for exams.

 

[JaggerPlate]

If she were that serious of a girlfriend then you wouldn't have to ask. If you want an easy way out of the relationship go for OSU.

HAHAHAHAH ... I seriously think this gem was overlooked thus far in the thread.

 

[PatriotsForever]

Personally I would go to OSU over CCOM anyday of the week... so if you basing your decision solely on the school OSU would have to be the one. Don't base your med school decision on some girl you'll probably break up with next week anyway. The only reason to stay in Chicago would be to stay close to family which would have to be weighed against the merits of each school.

 

[EEL08]

Personally I would go to OSU over CCOM anyday of the week... so if you basing your decision solely on the school OSU would have to be the one. Don't base your med school decision on some girl you'll probably break up with next week anyway. The only reason to stay in Chicago would be to stay close to family which would have to be weighed against the merits of each school.

I'm the opposite of Patriots. I would choose CCOM over OSU any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Of course there are a lot of different reasons for that. Maybe I'll go into it later but right now I should be preparing for my presentation that's in 2 hours. 😱

 

[PatriotsForever]

I'm the opposite of Patriots. I would choose CCOM over OSU any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Of course there are a lot of different reasons for that. Maybe I'll go into it later but right now I should be preparing for my presentation that's in 2 hours. 😱

As you can see only the OP can answer this question. Deciding on a medical school is a personal, soul searching experience . What is right for one may not be right for the next!

 

[Beau Geste]

We do NOT have exams twice a week every week. Exams are set up for 7:30 am on some Mondays and Fridays. The block schedule is misleading that way. If anyone is interested I can send an exam schedule that shows exact dates for exams.

THANK YOU! for clarifying this. The schedule is very misleading - I saw it through my interact now access and the dates are there but I didn't put it together until now.

Thanks again.

 

[PianoRock11]

I'm the opposite of Patriots. I would choose CCOM over OSU any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Of course there are a lot of different reasons for that. Maybe I'll go into it later but right now I should be preparing for my presentation that's in 2 hours. 😱

I'd actually be interested in hearing the reasons if you get a chance. The reasons I have so far are:

-Better clinical rotation sites for what my interests are (urban vs. rural OK)
-In the city in which I ultimately want to live, so I can establish connections
-Established, respected, and recognized

Everything else, from what I know, is either a wash or advantage-OSU. So if you have a few things that I might be missing, I'd love to hear them.

I know choosing a medical school is a personal decision, but third-party opinions can help open somebody's eyes to an important point he/she may have overlooked. 🙂

p.s. I'm not "basing" which med school I pick on a girl I'm "going to break up with in a week." She's a factor in my decision, like many other things.

 

[saylorsdad]

what about the place you will live in while in med school?

I know that if you don't live a little distance from osu the area around the school isn't the best. The student ambassador that gave me the tour this summer told me the immediate vicinity wasn't great. He did live in the appartment complex right next door, and said he spent little time there due to studying so it didn't bother him. As for me I have a family so I wouldn't live there, would live a little distance from school in better area.

don't know about chicago.

 

[Beau Geste]

what about the place you will live in while in med school?

I know that if you don't live a little distance from osu the area around the school isn't the best. The student ambassador that gave me the tour this summer told me the immediate vicinity wasn't great. He did live in the appartment complex right next door, and said he spent little time there due to studying so it didn't bother him. As for me I have a family so I wouldn't live there, would live a little distance from school in better area.

don't know about chicago.

Well, Downer's Grove is about as soccer-mom suburb as you can get in the Chicagoland area. The neighborhood that CCOM is in is super-nice, and the surrounding suburbs are also super-nice (influential). You can take the train into Chicago - takes about 20 minutes but there are plenty of stores, malls, and miscellany shopping within 10 miles of DG. There's even a new HUGE outlet mall west on I-88 in Aurora. Downtown Downer's is quaint with little boutiques, coffee shops, and cafes, and this continues into Lisle/Naperville (west). North you have Lombard, Glen Ellyn, and Wheaton, all very nice. South is Westmont, Woodridge, and Darien - a little bit older but still nice. Crime rates are minimal. East is Oak Brook/Western Springs - again influential areas.

So as far as location, CCOM is pretty nice. Rents are a little high because of that, but at least you have peace of mind.

 

[MaximusD]

Well, Downer's Grove is about as soccer-mom suburb as you can get in the Chicagoland area. The neighborhood that CCOM is in is super-nice, and the surrounding suburbs are also super-nice (influential). You can take the train into Chicago - takes about 20 minutes but there are plenty of stores, malls, and miscellany shopping within 10 miles of DG. There's even a new HUGE outlet mall west on I-88 in Aurora. Downtown Downer's is quaint with little boutiques, coffee shops, and cafes, and this continues into Lisle/Naperville (west). North you have Lombard, Glen Ellyn, and Wheaton, all very nice. South is Westmont, Woodridge, and Darien - a little bit older but still nice. Crime rates are minimal. East is Oak Brook/Western Springs - again influential areas.

So as far as location, CCOM is pretty nice. Rents are a little high because of that, but at least you have peace of mind.

Let's see.. Oklahoma or Chicago? I don't think that there is a choice, I'm sorry. Maybe that's because I like culture 😀 : ducks:

IMHO, there are 3 major medical powerhouse cities in the US. Philadelphia, New York City, and Chicago.

I interviewed at CCOM last year and LOVED IT. Thank god PCOM was cheaper and was near home, otherwise I would have had a really hard decision if I had to compare apples to apples...

 

[saylorsdad]

I would like to point out that I'm not talking bad about OSU I have applied to that school, and would go there without second thought. The area across the river is pretty nice in Tulsa, however the rent's pretty steep.