Choosing the "right" DO school?

[drsmpc]

. deleted double post.

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[RurouniKarly]

I don't doubt they are spending a lot of money and that the goal is to keep it from failing. You were saying that DO schools located within large public universities are the best (I agree).

All I was saying is that you lumped BCOM into the mix with some of the osteopathic big boys implying it is because it is affiliated with NMSU (a state school). Based on the BCOM thread nobody can tell you the extent of what the "affiliation" actually entails. They don't even have a completed school so we aren't dealing with a single definite thing in regards to BCOM just a lot of "ifs" and "will be's." It sounds like BCOM students will have access to NMSU housing, dining and recreational facilities. That affiliation is not super beneficial and won't make BCOM a top tier DO like state schools. I was just saying not to jump to conclusions that the NMSU connection will push BCOM over the top until we see what that relationship actually involves.

I talked with the dean about the BCOM/NMSU relationship during my interview. In addition to the housing and recreational facilities, BCOM students will have access to the NMSU research park and have the option of working with NMSU staff and/or facilities for their mandatory research project. The dean also told me that in the future, when BCOM gets its full state accreditation, BCOM and NMSU plan to share academics. So BCOM students will be able to cross enroll in classes at NMSU and do a masters or other graduate program if they so wish, and NMSU will be able to expand their pre-health student base and offer classes to undergraduates that are taught by BCOM professors.

 

[DrPatriot]

I talked with the dean about the BCOM/NMSU relationship during my interview. In addition to the housing and recreational facilities, BCOM students will have access to the NMSU research park and have the option of working with NMSU staff and/or facilities for their mandatory research project. The dean also told me that in the future, when BCOM gets its full state accreditation, BCOM and NMSU plan to share academics. So BCOM students will be able to cross enroll in classes at NMSU and do a masters or other graduate program if they so wish, and NMSU will be able to expand their pre-health student base and offer classes to undergraduates that are taught by BCOM professors.

I was explaining that while this may all happen just as you predict BCOM right now is a huge gamble. It could have an extremely beneficial relationship with NMSU but that will take years to truly find out. I like to work with definitive things especially if I'm talking about $200-300k and my future career. I wouldn't trust every single thing a dean would say especially when he has no proof to back it up with. The only thing I have seen is NMSU has authorized BCOM to rent its facilities to students.

All I was saying is that you lumped BCOM into the mix with some of the osteopathic big boys implying it is because it is affiliated with NMSU (a state school). Based on the BCOM thread nobody can tell you the extent of what the "affiliation" actually entails. They don't even have a completed school so we aren't dealing with a single definite thing in regards to BCOM just a lot of "ifs" and "will be's."

 

[RurouniKarly]

I was explaining that while this may all happen just as you predict BCOM right now is a huge gamble. It could have an extremely beneficial relationship with NMSU but that will take years to truly find out. I like to work with definitive things especially if I'm talking about $200-300k and my future career. I wouldn't trust every single thing a dean would say especially when he has no proof to back it up with. The only thing I have seen is NMSU has authorized BCOM to rent its facilities to students.

Considering that virtually every new medical school in the last few decades has done fine, I don't think any medical school would qualify as a "huge" gamble. Slightly more risky? Sure. But acting like a new school would go around lying to people or has anything other than a minuscule chance of failing or producing grossly under prepared or under qualified students is just ridiculous.

 

[DrPatriot]

Considering that virtually every new medical school in the last few decades has done fine, I don't think any medical school would qualify as a "huge" gamble. Slightly more risky? Sure. But acting like a new school would go around lying to people or has anything other than a minuscule chance of failing or producing grossly under prepared or under qualified students is just ridiculous.

I never said it would fail I just questioned the strength of the affiliation with NMSU and how beneficial that will be for students. There has to be a reason it isn't called NMSU-COM or NMSU-BCOM. Hopefully all of those promises come true for you. It is just better to go to a school where when a Dean makes promises you can talk to many years of current and graduate students to make sure they aren't exaggerating or lying. It's the downfall of a new school.

I don't think just new schools lie to students. I just believe it is easier to deceive new students and tell them what they would like to hear when there is nobody who can dispute your claims because your school is brand new.

You can't call BCOM a top tier DO school at least until they graduate several classes and see what BCOM actually offers. Hopefully all of those promises come true. Unless you really match the mission of the school it is almost always better to go to the more established school.

 

[mathnerd88]

Considering that virtually every new medical school in the last few decades has done fine, I don't think any medical school would qualify as a "huge" gamble. Slightly more risky? Sure. But acting like a new school would go around lying to people or has anything other than a minuscule chance of failing or producing grossly under prepared or under qualified students is just ridiculous.

LECOM-B's first class had massive trouble, and did poorly on the boards compared to other schools.

At my interview (@DrPatriot was there,) they admitted there was a problem and tried to fix it in the coming years, which led it to have one of the highest average board scores for Step 1. However, looking more closely at the numbers, I see that LECOM does worse on their Step 2 and 3 exams, which means their rotations don't prepare them well enough clinically but the school does well pre-clinically.

Every school will try to make theirs sound great. BCOM students are not going to fail, but there will be some annoyances and inconveniences that may not be present elsewhere (no federal loans, etc.) The curriculum has been untested at BCOM. Most students are not going to gamble $200-300k on an untested curriculum and potential for more hiccups compared to other schools. I'm even hesitant to go to CUSOM because of this. In every new school or when introducing a new curriculum, the curriculum gets changed the most the first couple of years until they get it right. Nobody wants this to happen, but unfortunately it's just the reality of the situation.

 

[DrPatriot]

LECOM-B's first class had massive trouble, and did poorly on the boards compared to other schools.

At my interview (@DrPatriot was there,) they admitted there was a problem and tried to fix it in the coming years, which led it to have one of the highest average board scores for Step 1. However, looking more closely at the numbers, I see that LECOM does worse on their Step 2 and 3 exams, which means their rotations don't prepare them well enough clinically but the school does well pre-clinically.

Every school will try to make theirs sound great. BCOM students are not going to fail, but there will be some annoyances and inconveniences that may not be present elsewhere (no federal loans, etc.) The curriculum has been untested at BCOM. Most students are not going to gamble $200-300k on an untested curriculum and potential for more hiccups compared to other schools. I'm even hesitant to go to CUSOM because of this. In every new school or when introducing a new curriculum, the curriculum gets changed the most the first couple of years until they get it right. Nobody wants this to happen, but unfortunately it's just the reality of the situation.

Sounds like your heading to CCOM here soon lol

 

[DrPatriot]

LECOM-B's first class had massive trouble, and did poorly on the boards compared to other schools.

At my interview (@DrPatriot was there,) they admitted there was a problem and tried to fix it in the coming years, which led it to have one of the highest average board scores for Step 1. However, looking more closely at the numbers, I see that LECOM does worse on their Step 2 and 3 exams, which means their rotations don't prepare them well enough clinically but the school does well pre-clinically.

Every school will try to make theirs sound great. BCOM students are not going to fail, but there will be some annoyances and inconveniences that may not be present elsewhere (no federal loans, etc.) The curriculum has been untested at BCOM. Most students are not going to gamble $200-300k on an untested curriculum and potential for more hiccups compared to other schools. I'm even hesitant to go to CUSOM because of this. In every new school or when introducing a new curriculum, the curriculum gets changed the most the first couple of years until they get it right. Nobody wants this to happen, but unfortunately it's just the reality of the situation.

Also +1

 

[mathnerd88]

Sounds like your heading to CCOM here soon lol

I want to go to CCOM, but I'm going to wait until I hear from RowanSOM and hopefully, an II from PCOM. That tuition from CCOM is making me hesitate.

What's funny is that in our LECOM-B interview, the presenter kind of brushed over the Step 2 and 3 scores, and heavily emphasized Step 1 because that's where they shine. I'm certain that this happens at every school, where they highlight all the pros but brush over the cons.

 

[Seth Joo]

What would you consider very well for the USMLE? The averages from what I remember were around 223 or so, which is kind of low tbh.

Its a large class so there is a range of scores on the USMLE examination, I know people who got over 240, the class average was around what you mention but keep in mind that we have around 250 students which makes us one of the biggest DO schools, we doubled our class size about 5 years ago. I did way better than that, the score that really matters is your own.

Our pass rate is one of the best.

My advice is to get First Aid and a COMLEX review book as well as Savarese, and review that during your first year, I also recommend taking a review course during your summer break, it does not have to take up your entire summer vacation, but it will help you create an organized study plan for the boards.

If you go to AZCOM, you get a long 3 month summer break between year one and two, so a four week review course for Comlex 1 is only going to take away part of your summer, the rest you can use for your own personal time.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Its a large class so there is a range of scores on the USMLE examination, I know people who got over 240, the class average was around what you mention but keep in mind that we have around 250 students which makes us one of the biggest DO schools, we doubled our class size about 5 years ago. I did way better than that, the score that really matters is your own.

Our pass rate is one of the best.

My advice is to get First Aid and a COMLEX review book as well as Savarese, and review that during your first year, I also recommend taking a review course during your summer break, it does not have to take up your entire summer vacation, but it will help you create an organized study plan for the boards.

If you go to AZCOM, you get a long 3 month summer break between year one and two, so a four week review course for Comlex 1 is only going to take away part of your summer, the rest you can use for your own personal time.

WTF, 3 months off between year 1 & 2? Holy ****. I only get a single month. Uughh!

 

[drsmpc]

If you go to AZCOM, you get a long 3 month summer break between year one and two, so a four week review course for Comlex 1 is only going to take away part of your summer, the rest you can use for your own personal time.

3 month summer sounds amazing! What kinds of activities do people use that kind of time for? Also, isn't taking a comlex course a whole year prior to the exam going to be a waste?

Every school will try to make theirs sound great. BCOM students are not going to fail, but there will be some annoyances and inconveniences that may not be present elsewhere (no federal loans, etc.) The curriculum has been untested at BCOM. Most students are not going to gamble $200-300k on an untested curriculum and potential for more hiccups compared to other schools. I'm even hesitant to go to CUSOM because of this. In every new school or when introducing a new curriculum, the curriculum gets changed the most the first couple of years until they get it right. Nobody wants this to happen, but unfortunately it's just the reality of the situation.

During my interview at KCU, my interviewer actually started praising the people behind BCOM. "They know what they're doing. They're very experienced people. Its going to be a great school." - almost exactly what was said. ALSO, I talked to local physicians in Las Cruces during my stay for the interview, and they were all super excited about having a med school come over. The fact that there is tremendous community support is really true.

I think the word "gamble" is a little rough. It implies students may lose the money. That is not the case, most of the students will graduate and become physicians. The struggles they may face with the curriculum are real at at established schools too. SO many students complain about poorly written exams, last minute changes to plans, poor rotation sites, etc. I had students complain about this at my LMU-DCOM interview, and you can read about some of these issues in the KCU class-threads. KCU had a change in curriculum and there were mishaps there. The ambassadors mentioned this to me during my interview there. On the whole, the students at BCOM will be happy about attending the school, and will be fine physicians. Definitely not a gamble. Just a slightly rougher first two years.

 

[mathnerd88]

3 month summer sounds amazing! What kinds of activities do people use that kind of time for? Also, isn't taking a comlex course a whole year prior to the exam going to be a waste?



During my interview at KCU, my interviewer actually started praising the people behind BCOM. "They know what they're doing. They're very experienced people. Its going to be a great school." - almost exactly what was said. ALSO, I talked to local physicians in Las Cruces during my stay for the interview, and they were all super excited about having a med school come over. The fact that there is tremendous community support is really true.

I think the word "gamble" is a little rough. It implies students may lose the money. That is not the case, most of the students will graduate and become physicians. The struggles they may face with the curriculum are real at at established schools too. SO many students complain about poorly written exams, last minute changes to plans, poor rotation sites, etc. I had students complain about this at my LMU-DCOM interview, and you can read about some of these issues in the KCU class-threads. KCU had a change in curriculum and there were mishaps there. The ambassadors mentioned this to me during my interview there. On the whole, the students at BCOM will be happy about attending the school, and will be fine physicians. Definitely not a gamble. Just a slightly rougher first two years.

True, but medical school tuition for that school is similar to that of more established schools. For me, I'm gambling the same amount of money towards a new school vs. established one.

 

[Giovanotto]

True, but medical school tuition for that school is similar to that of more established schools. For me, I'm gambling the same amount of money towards a new school vs. established one.

This is really what it boils down to. I know medicine doesn't do this, but new law schools, for example, give a ton of scholarships and reduced tuition to their first few cohorts. I like how BCOM is less than average in terms of price, but maybe it could of been even cheaper?

 

[drsmpc]

I can agree tuition could be lower. But I can also appreciate that the school is spending that money on trying to build excellent facilities and clinical partnerships.

 

[Seth Joo]

3 month summer sounds amazing! What kinds of activities do people use that kind of time for? Also, isn't taking a comlex course a whole year prior to the exam going to be a waste?



During my interview at KCU, my interviewer actually started praising the people behind BCOM. "They know what they're doing. They're very experienced people. Its going to be a great school." - almost exactly what was said. ALSO, I talked to local physicians in Las Cruces during my stay for the interview, and they were all super excited about having a med school come over. The fact that there is tremendous community support is really true.

I think the word "gamble" is a little rough. It implies students may lose the money. That is not the case, most of the students will graduate and become physicians. The struggles they may face with the curriculum are real at at established schools too. SO many students complain about poorly written exams, last minute changes to plans, poor rotation sites, etc. I had students complain about this at my LMU-DCOM interview, and you can read about some of these issues in the KCU class-threads. KCU had a change in curriculum and there were mishaps there. The ambassadors mentioned this to me during my interview there. On the whole, the students at BCOM will be happy about attending the school, and will be fine physicians. Definitely not a gamble. Just a slightly rougher first two years.

Assuming you did not fail any classes, you can do whatever you want with that time, some people study for boards, some do research and some visit family, or go on a vacation. Of course those who fail classes wind up taking whatever remedial coursework during that time, but its only small percent of the class that winds up doing that.