DO School Choices

[jmiinch]

So I have been doing research on certain school requirements, distance from my home, cost, etc. I have come up with a list of schools that I am still considering and wanted to see if I could get any feedback on which ones to definitely apply to and which ones I definitely shouldn't apply to. I am wanting to apply to KCUMB (where my brother is at) if I can get Biochem taken. Here's my list in no particular order:

CCOM
LECOM
LMU-DCOM
OSUCOM
PCOM
PCSOM
UNTHSC/TCOM
WCU-COM
GA-PACOM
OU-COM

Currently I have a cGPA=3.23 and sGPA= 3.00 and am waiting on two more science grades from this semester and have 14 more science classes left to take on top of 3 more electives. Planning on applying June 2012 and taking MCAT June 2012. I am going to begin volunteering at a hospital and am going to try to shadow a DO from KCUMB and a DO from PCOM. Research is hard to get at my school and there's no Pre-Medical club so I am going to join a sorority to get involved in school. Let me know if there's anything else I should be doing

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[Tekar]

Here's my list in no particular order:

PCSOM
RVUCOM
UNTHSC/TCOM

Do yourself a favor and edit out the RVUCOM unless you want to this thread to turn into another hypocritical why "For Profit" medical schools are bad argument. Yes folks, all of the medical schools you want to attend are set up to make money...

Good list, though. Consider looking for a job in a hospital as a unit/ward clerk. Great place to see the process and it'll be invaluable in your future.

 

[jmiinch]

Thank you for that advice I don't want to cause arguments. I just really don't know what else to look at in a school to make my list anymore specific. Is it unreasonable to apply to 10 schools? As of right now my top two choices is PCOM and CCOM. CCOM is closest to my hometown but I can imagine it is pretty tough to get into.

 

[Kevin Baker]

I'm not sure on your financial situation, or ECs or projected MCAT, but in my opinion, you may want to add a lot more schools, and really, apply to any and every school you could see yourself attending. Spending a few hours and a few hundred extra now might be well worth it if the risk for a second application year is diminished. I'd specifically recommend looking into the Touros specifically as it seems to me that they weight MCAT heavily and GPA less so, and that seems to be your weak point.

As for your list, some schools are very regional, and had I known at the beginning of the cycle what I know now, I would not have applied to PCSOM. Same goes for OUCOM, not because it is so regional based, but because of the contract you need to sign. I'd also temper expectations for the PCOMs, and WCU-COM. They're great schools and all but also have a large preference for students from their own region. TCOM requires you to fill out another application thingy as Texas doesn't go by AACOMAS or AMCAS, and while thats a pain, I sorta wish I had filled it out as the Texas schools are great schools and are relatively cheap.

Also, it's not unreasonable to apply to a lot of schools. I've heard of people on this board applying to 50+ and I think 15 or so is the average number.

tldr: I'd apply everywhere you can see yourself going, and not apply to PCSOM unless you are from the region.

 

[Tekar]

Also, I wouldn't dismiss RVUCOM. I wanted to go there. It has its issues just as any other school does, and much of their leadership comes from TCOM the other response was discussing. That aside

I personally can't understand how people apply to all 30 schools. There are more than a few who did. I guess is comes down to the level of desperation. If your application is weak academically or you're a tool for an interview, then you should apply as wide as possible.

That has problems. First, are you really willing to travel to so many destinations for interviews financially. If you are genuinely willing to move anywhere in the country, then you are by far and away better off going to the school and looking at the location as well. Location will matter.

I personally applied to 5, withdrew my applications from 2, interviewed at 3 and was accepted to all 3. I don't have stellar stats by any stretch. There are people in our class who got off the waitlist a week before class started. In that thinking, the more waitlists you have, the more likely you are to find your way to one. All three schools I interviewed at had near 75% acceptances knowing of the massive domino affect that is medical school.

I think looking back, some questions I would want answered would be how is anatomy structured? Am I going to be spending hours digging through fat hoping I'm not cutting something important or is the anatomy lab guided. Is it prosected? Looking back, the course anatomy is fantastic. Dissecting cadavuers through endless layers of fat is not. It's a waste of time. Id rather they have less lab personnel and pay the instructors to do dissections proper that really allow the students to explore the bodies, not butcher them.

I'd also like to know the learning and curriculum structure. Is there a mandatory attendance policy and how is the course material conveyed to the students. I'm glad as hell we don't have an attendance policy because there are plenty of times where you'll get so little from a lecturer that it becomes a waste of time. If you like to record lectures, there are schools that completely forbid that. Our lectures are all recorded and available, but you must have an active connection to the website. IT helps a great deal to be able to go back. Some schools don't tape a damn thing.

There are more, but I'll stop now.

 

[Longshanks]

Don't support RVUCOM by providing them with a supplemental application fee.

 

[jmiinch]

Tekar so are you at TOURO-NV? I looked at that school but it is 23 hours away and I just have a hard time leaving my mom since my dad passed away. By the time I get into medical school (hopefully) my brother will be doing residency who knows where and I'd like to be somewhat close to her. I am applying to all the schools that are within 15 hours of my home. I know that may sound dumb to some people but family is extremely important to me and I am not scared to admit that to an admissions board.

Don't worry Longshanks RVUCOM is out of the running like I said in my earliest post I don't know exactly what to "look" for in a school and all i have researched thus far is tuition, location, some curriculum, and some of what I have heard from other people on here. I dont want this thread to turn into an argument I just want some insight on how to go about choosing a school.

I feel with having a sGPA right now of 3.00 and having 14 science classes left spread over five semesters (which comes out to being an average 3 a semester sometimes 2) I can bring up that sGPA and be competitive. The only thing I will lack before I apply is research and leadership ability in college. My university doesn't have many clubs and organizations, but I was heavily involved in high school and had leadership roles there dont know if that counts for anything.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

I'm going to say you are probably a reach for an OOS (unless you smoke the MCAT) for both TCOM and OSUCOM. Not trying to disuade you to apply to them,if you really want to go to these schools then go for it. If you are applying to them just to make it to your 10 schools I would probably suggest a couple others that interest you.

 

[jmiinch]

I don't have to apply to 10 schools I actually think 10 is a little too much. But like I said I have no clue and why I need advice. I'll probably apply to OSU-COM if its the same price to apply to 8 schools as it is to apply to 7 schools on the AACOMAS cause I know TCOM uses a different application system. And if I have the extra money at the time I will apply to TCOM. Thanks for your advice!

 

[koan]

If you're not applying until summer 2012, and still have to complete the bulk of your science coursework and take the MCAT, I'd say it's a bit premature to be refining a list of schools. Focus on those 14 science classes and try to get a 3.5+ for all of them... that would benefit you much more than pursuing research IMO. It will also help you rock the MCAT if you have a good conceptual understanding of physics / chemistry / biology. Also, I would start sooner than later finding a local DO to shadow and eventually get a recommendation from. See http://www.aacom.org/InfoFor/applicants/becoming/Pages/ShadowaDO.aspx