COMP - NW vs. BCOM (ACOM)

[medschoolplease123]

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Hi everyone,

I wanted to get your opinions on COMP - NW vs BCOM. I created a list of pros vs. cons for each so please let me know what your thoughts are? Assuming you were accepted to both... which would you choose is basically my question.

COMP - NW
pros:
-in a quiet isolated area, away from distractions
-good research opportunities
-already established school
-good residency programs/placements
-great board scores
-cost of living+tuition would be 80K (and that's over compensating)

cons:
-in a quiet isolated area, for those off weekend (the few we might have) not much to do
-not a big fan of the whole live stream lectures
-still making changes to the school, i.e. physical therapy part of the school if I remember correctly
-far from home (IL resident)

BCOM/ACOM
pros:
-school seems to be doing a good job in establishing itself
-rural healthcare, I like that
-similar cost of living+tuition would be 80K (and that's over compensating)

cons:
-have yet to graduate a class/no match records
- would like a residency in something a bit more competitive than IM/FM
-I believe they are not accredited yet (could be mistaken)
-risky in attending a new school vs an established school

So basically BCOM and ACOM are similar in that they are not yet established/accredited and that would it be worth the risk in attending those new schools without knowing the... average board scores for a couple years, residency placements, and the overall establishment of a new school. Thoughts? thanks!!!

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

I would say ACOM >>> BCOM.

After that, based strictly on your list (I don't know much about Comp) I would definitely say Comp.

Also: all three school are in the middle of nowhere. So that con on the Comp list about having nothing to do on off days applies to all 3 schools. I will say though that ACOM is within driving distance to Panama City, FL and Atlanta, GA.


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[mfrey28]

Lebanon, OR is about an hour and half from downtown PDX. Portland isn't huge but there is plenty to do

 

[medschoolplease123]

I would say ACOM >>> BCOM.

After that, based strictly on your list (I don't know much about Comp) I would definitely say Comp.

Also: all three school are in the middle of nowhere. So that con on the Comp list about having nothing to do on off days applies to all 3 schools. I will say though that ACOM is within driving distance to Panama City, FL and Atlanta, GA.


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Why would you say acom > bcom? I've heard the opposite - well everyonr has personal preferences but I'm curious

 

[SlugMD]

I would say ACOM >>> BCOM.

After that, based strictly on your list (I don't know much about Comp) I would definitely say Comp.

Also: all three school are in the middle of nowhere. So that con on the Comp list about having nothing to do on off days applies to all 3 schools. I will say though that ACOM is within driving distance to Panama City, FL and Atlanta, GA.


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Some misconceptions:

1. BCOM is not in the middle of nowhere like ACOM and COMP-NW. Las Cruces is a college town that has a population of 100k and El Paso is nearby with a population over 600k. El Paso has a a lot of medical research going on so if you want to do research, there's a great chance to do basic science on campus at NMSU or clinical research in El Paso.

2. They don't push rural healthcare either. The Dean is openly fine with students specializing.

 

[SurgDoc95]

I definitely would agree ACOM>BCOM as of this point in time. Established rotations that have been in use since the early 2000s, an academic division of a hospital, and they are about to graduate there first class.

 

[ritts]

I personally liked ACOM >>> BCOM. They didn't really push primary care either

BCOM is newer but certainly has the edge for research

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Eh I didn't attend my BCOM interview but the ACOM interview day felt very fake to me. It felt like they were trying super hard to sell me something. Mandatory lectures would be a pain. They are probably pretty equal honestly. In this instance OP I would choose COMP-NW. It's established and rural Oregon beats NM and rural Alabama.

At the end of the day it probably just comes down to what you want OP, the pros and cons of each will mostly just be opinions.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Why would you say acom > bcom? I've heard the opposite - well everyonr has personal preferences but I'm curious

Mostly personal opinion; a little biased. I can't tell you one bad thing about ACOM (other than being new.. kinks in the curriculum are possible with any new school), and they highly impressed me on my interview. I would have been content there.

@AnatomyGrey12 makes a good point though. The newer schools are probably trying a little harder to impress/sell you on their school.. so that might have something to do with my impression of ACOM too.

I think in the end, I like to advocate going to the school you think you will thrive best as a student.. having family (a support group) near can help with this. But looking strictly at academics (for lack of a better way of putting it), I would attend COMP,-NW for sure.

Congrats on your acceptances btw!

 

[medschoolplease123]

Eh I didn't attend my BCOM interview but the ACOM interview day felt very fake to me. It felt like they were trying super hard to sell me something. Mandatory lectures would be a pain. They are probably pretty equal honestly. In this instance OP I would choose COMP-NW. It's established and rural Oregon beats NM and rural Alabama.

At the end of the day it probably just comes down to what you want OP, the pros and cons of each will mostly just be opinions.

Where have you been bro. I was hoping for your input i felt the same way with acom

 

[medschoolplease123]

Mostly personal opinion; a little biased. I can't tell you one bad thing about ACOM (other than being new.. kinks in the curriculum are possible with any new school), and they highly impressed me on my interview. I would have been content there.

@AnatomyGrey12 makes a good point though. The newer schools are probably trying a little harder to impress/sell you on their school.. so that might have something to do with my impression of ACOM too.

I think in the end, I like to advocate going to the school you think you will thrive best as a student.. having family (a support group) near can help with this. But looking strictly at academics (for lack of a better way of putting it), I would attend COMP,-NW for sure.

Congrats on your acceptances btw!

Much appreciated with the advice! Everything is telling me comp nw because of the establishment and the interviewers were amazing and friendly. At acom i didnt feel that way...

 

[deleted610572]

I would pick comp-nw but that's just because I am from NorCal. I currently go to Acom and I would highly recommend it. My only complaint is the mandatory attendance, but the attendance policy is more lax than other places. It says 80% of all lectures for the block but that includes all of the "do it yourself" lectures so the actual attendance is ~60%.

If you feel the fake-ness I can understand that because I originally thought the same thing but they really do have a lot of things to offer. I know they sound like they're selling something, but honestly how else are you going to get strong applicants to come to southern Alabama unless you showboat what you can do for them.

Lastly, idk what kind of cities you guys are from but ACOM is in a town of 60k people. That's hardly rural. It's also a shopping hub for a 100 mile radius so there are a more options for eating and shopping than a town of 60k suggests. Ya they're mostly chain restaurants but they're familiar names.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

If you feel the fake-ness I can understand that because I originally thought the same thing but they really do have a lot of things to offer. I know they sound like they're selling something, but honestly how else are you going to get strong applicants to come to southern Alabama unless you showboat what you can do for them.

Yeah I totally get why they do it. For me it actually had more to do with the student ambassadors and admin then the ones who actually did my interview. My ACOM interview itself was one of my most enjoyable.

Lastly, idk what kind of cities you guys are from but ACOM is in a town of 60k people. That's hardly rural. It's also a shopping hub for a 100 mile radius so there are a more options for eating and shopping than a town of 60k suggests. Ya they're mostly chain restaurants but they're familiar names.

Yeah this has always struck me as kind of funny, anyone who thinks Dothan is "really rural" has clearly never been in a town with more cows than people. The area around it though is pretty rural, very pretty.

 

[SurgDoc95]

Yeah I totally get why they do it. For me it actually had more to do with the student ambassadors and admin then the ones who actually did my interview. My ACOM interview itself was one of my most enjoyable.



Yeah this has always struck me as kind of funny, anyone who thinks Dothan is "really rural" has clearly never been in a town with more cows than people. The area around it though is pretty rural, very pretty.

My undergrad is 10,000 people with the closest big city 65 minutes away so I get what you mean.

 

[medschoolplease123]

Idk i felt like the comp interview was sooo much better than the acom one. Everyone says acom was so relaxed but inwas grilled...

 

[medschoolplease123]

Maybe just my interviewer (at least one of them).

 

[deleted610572]

Idk i felt like the comp interview was sooo much better than the acom one. Everyone says acom was so relaxed but inwas grilled...

I thought for sure I wasn't getting in because I could not read one interviewer at all. Thought for sure he hated me and I was getting rejected. Turns out he is every students favorite professor

 

[medschoolplease123]

I thought for sure I wasn't getting in because I could not read one interviewer at all. Thought for sure he hated me and I was getting rejected. Turns out he is every students favorite professor

Remember the name?

 

[deleted610572]

of course. he's my favorite professor lol