CUSOM vs. NSU-KPCOM

[sealullaby]

Hi guys,

First, thank you for taking the time to read this mess. I'm in a bit of a bind because I just learned that I was accepted into NSU, so now I have to make a decision between one of these two schools. I was hoping to get some advice since NSU's deposit is due in 2 weeks. I'd really appreciate it!

CUSOM (tuition+fees= $50,000)
Pros:

• Great board scores for USMLE!
• Very friendly faculty and staff and smaller class size
• Facilities are brand new
• Already paid deposit

Cons:

• Very far drive from family (and I hate driving)
• Very rural area
• Never been to North Carolina and I don't like snow?
• Mandatory attendance for all classes (but the students have said that the faculty doesn't care if you pay attention in the class, so a lot of students use that time to study)

NSU (Tuition+Fees= $53,000)
Pros:

• Close to home (I'm a Florida resident and I want to practice in Florida in the future)
• Well-established program
• Residencies are great
• Only some classes are mandatory
• International rotations in India, which I'm personally interested in

Cons:

• Class size is significantly larger, and all the health science programs essentially share one building
• A little more expensive, and I'm going to assume there's a higher COL in Fort Lauderdale
• Match list last year was... not entirely sure what the reason for that is, but I heard it had something to do with poor board scores. The dean told us that students are required to pass the COMSAE before taking their exams now so...

It's been a while since my Campbell interview, and I haven't heard much about NSU's program other than that whole thing with their match rate last year. Honestly, the schools and their programs seem verrrry similar to me, which is probably why I'm having a hard time making a decision. I would really appreciate input, especially from students enrolled in the schools!

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[TurtleyReady4Med]

I actually made this exact decision last year before getting into an MD. Personally, Nova’s board scores dropping over the last 5 years were super scary for me. 100% take this into consideration because there is no practicing medicine if you don’t match. CUSOM’s tech was also better. (+almost no snow for that confusion).

 

[PapaGuava]

I'd vote for CUSOM on this one. Especially with the difficulties NSU has had recently, but if you would like to be closer to family and not have mandatory attendance, that could potentially be a bigger factor for you.

 

[sealullaby]

Thanks for the insight! It's just a bummer that NSU's had such a good reputation while I was growing up here. If only I could see into the future and figure out what their 2019 comlex results are lol

 

[PapaGuava]

Thanks for the insight! It's just a bummer that NSU's had such a good reputation while I was growing up here. If only I could see into the future and figure out what their 2019 comlex results are lol

Hey i mean at the end of the day it’s what you make of it, but in this case I feel CUSOM has a slight edge. However, it is all about where you think you would be most successful as a student in the end.

 

[MsDoctorO]

I’m in this same position now in 2020, these are my only two acceptances thus far. What are everyone’s thoughts?

 

[grandepike]

I’m in this same position now in 2020, these are my only two acceptances thus far. What are everyone’s thoughts?

These my only two A’s as well, I’ll run through my thought process since I’m decided on Campbell. After my Nova interview I thought it was gonna be hard to pass up. I’m from a beach town and spend a lot of time at the ocean, so that was a draw, and the students were all super chill, but after my interview at CUSOM I just felt like I vibed better with the school overall. Plus, comparing board scores and match lists just put them over the top.

 

[MsDoctorO]

I chose Campbell as well! I also live about 3.5 hr from Campbell (in Asheville) and was going for Nova for the climate and beaches. That may have been my favorite interview day, and the vibe of the students and administration felt great. Ultimately it really came down to the board scores/ match lists and the fact that Campbell has a dermatology residency and dermatology club, since that’s a major interest of mine. Looking forward to meeting you next fall! Thanks for your input on my post!

 

[grandepike]

For sure! Yeah it was hard going off of interviews for me too, Nova did a really great job. I honestly don’t think we could wrong with either one, Campbell just got the edge.

 

[bookofanswers]

Currently pondering this dilemma in 2021 with a few weeks until second seat deposits. Most threads give CUSOM the overall edge on the basis of recent board scores and residency match data. However, I am interested in surgical residencies and the difference in match data in surgical specialties seems relatively negligible between the two. The cost difference is also negligible (assuming no scholarship) but that leads me to location and quality of student life, both of which are huge factors for me. I am not a rural person and most of my family friends and relatives are from south FL, and I would like to ultimately practice medicine in Florida. Additionally, I have lived in suburban NC for my entire life and would like a change of scenery. NSU has a well-established program but I've had a chance to tour both schools and CUSOM clearly wins on the facilities front. The final factor I am considering is the fact that I already have a strong connection with an adjunct faculty surgeon at CUSOM who I have been doing clinical research with for the past year. At the end of the day I realize that residency match is the most important factor for me to consider in order to make the best long-term career choice. Does anyone have any input that could aid me in this decision?