Comparing the different pod schools

[AttackNME]

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Is Barry the most prestigious of the pod schools?

 

[PodunkUDPM]

Is Barry the most prestigious of the pod schools?

No.

 

[AttackNME]

Is there a general consensus of one pod school that is?

 

[DaveApple]

There's positives and negatives to every school. Some receive a little more negativity on this forum than others. I wouldn't let that determine your opinion of what's best for you though.

 

[215512]

i agree, people on here badmouth left and right...just amke sure you are getting the facts when asking about things like first time board pass rates and class size and all that....just don't get shafted by a school that only wants you for your money-you know who you are

 

[runner0382]

Traditionally, the "trinity" consisted of Temple, CCPM (now Samuel Merritt), and Scholl.

I interviewed everywhere but Barry and Ohio since after reading and researching, I realized that I wasn't interested in attending those types of institutions.

Every school will prepare you for a career as a DPM. Pick the one that's right for you. For example, while I received serious scholarship money even at CSPM, Scholl and other schools, I chose to attend Western. Over four years, the high cost of living in the Bay area pretty much cancelled out the difference b/t it and other schools once the scholarships were factored in.

Grad school in medicine generally means big debt. If you are able to minimize cost by receiving scholarship money or living at home close to a school, it is yet another important factor to take into consideration. 20 years into your career, it probably doesn't matter what school you attended, but your debt level is certainly controllable.

 

[AttackNME]

Good points runner. Could you explain what you mean by "trinity"? I've done some research on these schools but I'd like to get an opinion from other perspectives.

 

[PodunkUDPM]

Good points runner. Could you explain what you mean by "trinity"? I've done some research on these schools but I'd like to get an opinion from other perspectives.

The best advice is to visit as many of the schools as you can (there are only 9) and develop your own opinion of the places.

 

[Darklord]

I thought the schools affiliated with DO schools were the best: DMU, Western, and AZPOD.

If I go to pod school it will be: Barry, Western, or AZPOD because of the weather! 😀

 

[cool_vkb]

Traditionally, the "trinity" consisted of Temple, CCPM (now Samuel Merritt), and Scholl.

.

You are kidding right.

its scholl, Azpod and DMU.

 

[box29]

I thought the schools affiliated with DO schools were the best: DMU, Western, and AZPOD.

Don't forget that Scholl is associated with the Chicago Medical School/Rosalind Franklin Univ.

 

[JEWmongous]

You are kidding right.

its scholl, Azpod and DMU.

CCPM and Temple were huge names in podiatric medicine back in the day twinky. You may consider scholl, azpod, and dmu to be the best, but its all relative. One example, I interviewed at azpod and expected awesome-ness from SDN but left on my Jetblue flight very disappointed. Def not what I expected. Board scores are important but a motivated/strong student can do well anywhere.

 

[GymMan]

Its like everyone says for yrs, ANY school if YOU APPLY yourself will get you were ya wanna go. Pick the ONE you can make it at best.

 

[templepodnc]

I wouldn't put so much thought on board scores. It is important that a school does well but don't be fooled. Some schools will not allow you to take the boards at the first scheduled time if they don't think you are up to par b/c they don't want to hurt their board pass rate. Also, if a school is accepting 100 kids but half flunk out and they only have 50 take the boards I wouldn't be too impressed because they have such a high attrition rate.

One should pick the school that works for them and will make them happy. People thrive in different environments and have different tastes.

 

[244869]

I thought the schools affiliated with DO schools were the best: DMU, Western, and AZPOD.

Seems like the consensus is that pod schools affiliated with med schools are better...

So DMU, Western, AZPOD are with DO. While Scholl and Temple are with MD. Are any of the others affiliated with med schools?

 

[Darklord]

Good thread, it's definitely furthering my understanding about pod schools.

I had a hunch that scholl and temple were associated with medical school, but students from those schools aren't really active on SDN (except cool vkb 🙂) I guess I tend to ignore them.

Yeah some DO schools have crappy campuses (Western and perhaps AZPOD according to Jewmogus).

Can anyone speak for DMU?

I don't know, I guess we should tour the campuses and see which pod schools we can see ourselves going to. Barry and Temple have undergrad campuses, so they should be nicer. Do any other schools?

 

[templepodnc]

Temple has old facilities sadly. They are quite outdated.

DMU has a beautiful campus. Its only a few years old (around 5-6 I think) so it's very nice and very new. In my opinion they have the nicest facilities of the schools I interviewed at. (DMU, Scholl, Temple)

Also, Temple is associated with a major university, we do not take any classes with ANY other health profession. The dental and med students are all on separate campuses.

 

[air bud]

i really don't want to get into bashing any of the schools. but...don't put Western in with the othern schools. It is the first year and lots of kinks surely will need to be worked out. I would be cautious spending a few hundred thousand on tuition/living at a school with no track record. Get beyond the socal location and think big picture/long term.

 

[PodunkUDPM]

Also, Temple is associated with a major university, we do not take any classes with ANY other health profession. The dental and med students are all on separate campuses.

Sounds almost like OCPM and Case Western...🙄

 

[cool_vkb]

CCPM and Temple were huge names in podiatric medicine back in the day

You said it! Past is past. Look at the future. Future is in Medical school integrated Pod schools.

 

[cool_vkb]

i really don't want to get into bashing any of the schools. but...don't put Western in with the othern schools. It is the first year and lots of kinks surely will need to be worked out. I would be cautious spending a few hundred thousand on tuition/living at a school with no track record. Get beyond the socal location and think big picture/long term.

👍 I agree with you. the school hasnt even started yet and people are already singing praises.

After Indiana Jones new movie i dont trust anything till i actually see it in real 😀. who knows all this hype and publicity is just on paper and actual school will be different?

 

[dpmgrad]

Temple has old facilities sadly. They are quite outdated.

DMU has a beautiful campus. Its only a few years old (around 5-6 I think) so it's very nice and very new. In my opinion they have the nicest facilities of the schools I interviewed at. (DMU, Scholl, Temple)

Also, Temple is associated with a major university, we do not take any classes with ANY other health profession. The dental and med students are all on separate campuses.

Even though, the Temple MD and Temple Dental programs are on the same health science campus, the Temple MD and Temple Dental students do not sit in the same class either. In fact, the arrangements that the Temple Dental students have for basic sciences is very similar to the set up at TUSPM. You have professors from Temple MD basic science departments rotating through Temple MD, Temple Dental, and TUSPM for lectures. It is the way that Temple sets up things.

 

[dpmgrad]

...

 

[hyperpodia]

Is there a general consensus of one pod school that is?

I wish there was some type of Pod school rankings, that uses real data
so when a student receives a huge scholarship from one school, and not the other they can decide where to go.

As far as I am concerned, my school is better than yours

 

[runner0382]

i really don't want to get into bashing any of the schools. but...don't put Western in with the othern schools. It is the first year and lots of kinks surely will need to be worked out. I would be cautious spending a few hundred thousand on tuition/living at a school with no track record. Get beyond the socal location and think big picture/long term.

I would. No, they haven't started yet but Western is one of the best D.O. schools in the country. Their residency match is extremely strong year after year, they have great clinicals and strong affiliations with some of Los Angeles' best hospitals for clinical training, and their board schools are through the roof (#1 in the nation last year).

This DOES have bearing on their DPM school, which, while albeit new, will offer the same basic science curriculum side by side with DO students there. They have 3 years to set up clinicals, and their on-campus clinic will have been in operation for about a year by then (We will all take a long time with each patient since we don't know anything, anyways. The comments lobbed at smaller schools' clinics, I think, are mostly irrelevant). They have already forged great relationships for DPM clinicals (UCLA Olive-View, Long Beach Memorial, Arrowhead Regional (huge teaching institution) and Pomona Valley, among others) and I personally know many strong and well-established area-DPMs who have been contacted to serve as clinical faculty. They're excited to be a part of the school and some will be traveling rather long distances just to help out one day a week.

Western is far from a sure bet, and there is an inherent risk in choosing to attend a "first year" school, but Western's DPM program is not "brand new" in the normal sense of the words.

Will there be growing pains? Absolutely. But their didactic education will be phenomenal, just as it is for their D.O. students. When Western's D.O. students round with Keck, UCLA, UCI, and Loma Linda medical students and more than hold their own, that tells one something. Lastly, Western's recent first year classes have had access to a purportedly very student-friendly administration who seeks feedback constantly. Western, while understanding the issues that first-year (and any new-ish) classes will face, will do as much as possible to address any issues as they come up.

Will Western be perfect? No. Will it quickly have the ability to compete with established pod schools in regards to didactic education, clinical rotation diversity, strong board scores, and strong residency match? Probably. I think people will be pleasantly surprised.

(It's also nice that their lectures are recorded and streamed on the internet directly afterwards. Plenty of D.O. students live far away and only come in for labs and required courses)

 

[Darklord]

I was just going to post a Western Pwns thread (somebody said something about Case Western, but this is Western University of the Health Sciences in Pomona, CA), but Runner beat me to it.

Basically, in case you don't know, Western is one of the best DO schools in the country. We get to take classes with these DO students, so HA! 🙂

My parents live 15 minutes from Western, and most of my distant cousins-family friends are going there: for pharmacy, DO, dentistry, whatever. It is HIGHLY respected on the West Coast. You guys should check out their curriculum or we should post it here. It is awesome.

Although, there campus is pathetic.

Western will be accredited by the time I start, if I decide to go to, pod school.

 

[Paulywog]

This post has come up in the past. It comes down to this...don't believe all of the bias on this website. I almost passed on an interview at the school I ended up attending. Look at the schools websites and curriculum and visit them yourselves to find the best match for you. Just because a school has high pass rates or low rates doesnt mean you will automatically follow suit. You put in the effort and YOU get out what YOU put in. Look at the clinical aspects of the school. Are there multiple locations and oppurtunities for diverse cases? and so on... Find a place where you can perform well. Many factors go into that decision. Good Luck.