I agree. Hands down VCOM has the better anatomy lab. I interviewed at both DMU and VCOM. I was waitlisted at DMU and accepted at VCOM. I have two close friends that are first years at DMU. I have heard the good, bad and ugly from them. I desperately wanted to go to DMU as my family is > 4 hours away (versus right now 16 hours and will be 18 hours from VCOM). After attending other interviews (LMU, PNWU, VCOM) I realized DMU is not all it is cracked up to be.
It is a GREAT school, do not get me wrong, but you have to go where you "feel" like you will do the best. I thank my lucky stars I was waitlisted at DMU, because I feel like I wanted to go there for the wrong reasons. Trust me VCOM = DMU. I don't care how "old", "established" or "respected" DMU is. That doesn't mean CRAP!!! It is all on YOU....your grades, your board scores, etc. VCOM does have some slight benefits over DMU (at least in my opinion)...such as the affiliation with VT, strong mission med commitment (great opportunities), anatomy lab, location (love the mountains), rural med options, community support, etc. DMU's benefits are their sim lab (it is AMAZING!), fitness center and well-known reputation. The only downside to VCOM I thinks needs improvement is the internal disputes it has (with curriculum changes and what not), I also wish the Dean had taken some time to sit down and speak to us interviewees. All the other schools I interviewed at included time with the dean except for VCOM.
As far as the VCOM anatomy lab being better than DMUs....it is hugely better. My interview group was walking down the hallway when DMUs anat lab was going on (we were not allowed in while the bodies were out) and the smell was OVERWHELMING (from a floor below we could even smell it, it was terrible). My friends have been told me how horrible the lab is also....each of them counted down the days until is was over. As for VCOM we toured about 10 min before an anat exam was about to happen. The prof was so welcoming he let us come in and tour the lab (all bodies were out and set up for the exam) and he took the time to talk to us for 10-15 min about the lab. He was so proud of how great it was. There was virtually NO SMELL. We couldn't smell anything at all....it was AMAZING!!
To sum this up it is like I said it comes down to where you feel the most at "home". You WILL get a feeling of which school feels the best to you. I honestly believe my indifference came across in my DMU interview and it was the reason I was waitlisted. There are other reasons I am PISSED at that school (I feel like my time was greatly wasted), but it hasn't clouded my judgement of it. It is really a great school, actually both schools are. I just feel like VCOM is a better fit for me....something during my interview day just felt "right" and that was missing at DMU. It may be different for you when you visit DMU. You will know right away! 🙂 Med school is ridiculously hard, when it comes down to it they all teach the same thing, so you have to look at what "other" things you want in a school and whichever one you feel most comfortable at.
