Concerns with AZCOM

[AZCat]

Hey Everybody!
I'm currently a grad student at Midwestern University-Arizona and have been accepted at AZCOM for next year. I have been taking D.O. classes and have gotten to know a lot of the faculty and students here this year and they are the most wonderful people you could ever know. However, I am concerned about AZCOM as an institution. A lot of doctors in the area that I have talked to that practice in the Phoenix area have really dissed this school (both M.D.'s AND D.O's). They say that it's clinically based rotations during the 3rd and 4th years do not really compare to other schools with hospital based rotations. ALSO, AZCOM is still a young school that has not been established very well in the Phoenix area. Allopathic med students from the University of Arizona in Tucson get first dibs on rotations and residencies at the biggest and best hospitals in the state (Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph's Hospital, etc). This makes me a little concerned about going to AZCOM next year. Those of you who are familiar with this school, what do you think????

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[drusso]

Look at their match list and talk to fourth year students who have interviewed for residencies. Ask them what kind of response they got at different residency interviews. I've always gotten the impression that AZCOM was a well-run institution. Don't AZCOM students rotate at the county hospital?

 

[kowboy]

I totally understand where you're coming from. Before my interview, I had some of the same concerns. Maybe I'm not the best source of information about the subject, but I guess I can give my two cents. I'll be going to AZCOM in the fall. During my interview, I talked with a 4th year student about the clinicals, and I shared some of my concerns. He told me that he really liked the ambulatory-based clinicals at AZCOM, contrary to what others may say. He said he was exposed to a lot more things and was able to stand in a lot more operations, etc. that most med students don't see and do until residency. Instead of shadowing a physician who is also being shadowed by a resident, an intern, and another med student, at AZCOM you work directly with another physician. You aren't 4 people down the line, and you aren't peering over 5 people to see what the doctor is doing in a procedure.

I think the school is still fairly young, but each year it's gaining more and more clinical affiliations in the surrounding area and the nation. I don't think it's perfect, but it's making progress. When I went to my interview, they said they have over 800 sites in the area and abroad. Not bad for starting in 1996. I think with time, it will be even more established and recognized by other med schools in the area and other professionals. I think it's on the right track, and I'm confident my clinical years will be well spent. Hope this helps!