DO schools ranking

[Postictal Raiden]

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Since there's no "formal" ranking of osteopathic schools, can you guys provide me with a list based on the general consensus. From religiously reading this forum during the past four years, I have learned that schools such as DMU, CCOM, Kcumb, PCOM, and UMDNJ are considered "top-tier" schools, while WVSOM, RVU, and Pikesville are examples of the "low-tier" ones.

However, which school is considered THE best, the second best...etc?

 

[Bojack Horseman]

Tcom is good

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Dude you've been here long enough to know that generally there is no ranking system. It really breaks up into three categories: Established schools ( The old 5) + Public schools, Schools that opened up in the 70s to 90s, and then the newer schools which generally are considered chopped liver due to plethora of problems.

But generally the top and mid tier are almost indistinguishable, however the lower tier is the one that generally can be contrasted with both the most.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Dude you've been here long enough to know that generally there is no ranking system. It really breaks up into three categories: Established schools ( The old 5) + Public schools, Schools that opened up in the 70s to 90s, and then the newer schools which generally are considered chopped liver due to plethora of problems.

But generally the top and mid tier are almost indistinguishable, however the lower tier is the one that generally can be contrasted with both the most.

I know this could be very subjective, but if you were to single out the best and the worst schools, what would they be?

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Basically you are about correct. There are about 8 schools that rotate within the top 5 depending on who you talk to, but those 8-10 are virtually unanimous throughout the board. Then there are another 5 that are, "go there if accepted nowhere else." Everything that isn't on one of these two lists are middle tier and all about equal.

 

[dntke1518]

Exactly... Age of the school and match lists are usually a good indicator of the "top 5"

 

[Soccer171983]

Msucom, oucom, tcom, umdnj, LECOM

 

[DrMaximus]

I'm honestly curious where people think DCOM fits into all of this now. I mean I know it's still new and such, so I didn't know what the public conception of the school was.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I'm honestly curious where people think DCOM fits into all of this now. I mean I know it's still new and such, so I didn't know what the public conception of the school was.

Midranked in my book, I've heard nothing but good reviews, sure their match list was not incredibly great, but I think it is a good environment.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

I think the newness of it keeps it out of the top, but the quality everyone seems to be spouting keeps it out of the bottom.

To clarify better, I hear nothing but good things, but the lower scores for accepted students aren't the "among the top."

 

[necronomicon]

Msucom, oucom, tcom, umdnj, LECOM

I can tell you right now that a list that doesn't include PCOM is most certainly incomplete. I also would not put LECOM or OUCOM on the list.

For the hell of it, I would say (in order) MSU, PCOM, ATSU/CCOM, UMDNJ/TCOM

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Oucom's rapid expansion is making it a powerhouse in the DO work. It has funding that many other DO schools cannot begin to challenge. It's OPTI insures its students a safety in the situation that something happens on the ACGME side.

 

[bz1024]

Midranked in my book, I've heard nothing but good reviews, sure their match list was not incredibly great, but I think it is a good environment.

taken directly from DCOM website regarding their matching stats this year.

".......This continues a trend begun with the LMU-DCOM inaugural class. Three-fourths of the members of the LMU-DCOM Class of 2011 entered a primary care residency following their graduation. Primary care fields include family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN and emergency medicine. The members of the Class of 2012 will be in 130 different residency programs in 27 states."

".......LMU-DCOM had the fourth highest match rate within this year’s osteopathic match, behind Michigan State University, Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine and Pacific Northwest University College of Osteopathic Medicine. This follows a similar trend to 2011, when LMU-DCOM had the second highest osteopathic match rate in the country."

 

[donkeykong1]

I can tell you right now that a list that doesn't include PCOM is most certainly incomplete. I also would not put LECOM or OUCOM on the list.

For the hell of it, I would say (in order) MSU, PCOM, ATSU/CCOM, UMDNJ/TCOM

you are certainly misinformed. The resident had it right in the first place.

 

[dbizzy]

Nobody outside the pre-osteopathic medicine world is going to care about any informal rankings of schools.

With that said, why do I see lecom on some peoples' lists?

 

[avabio]

So how would you rank the original 5: ATSU-KCOM, CCOM, DMU, KCUMB, PCOM?

 

[donkeykong1]

so how would you rank the original 5: Atsu-kcom, ccom, dmu, kcumb, pcom?

pcom, ccom, kcom, dmu, kcumb

 

[donkeykong1]

Nobody outside the pre-osteopathic medicine world is going to care about any informal rankings of schools.

With that said, why do I see lecom on some peoples' lists?

lecom has a humongous network of post-grad opportunities across 3 schools. if you're set on doing an AOA residency, there's a decent chance that you'll match into one that's under the LECOM umbrella. Although its pretty well known that the lecom agenda often makes omsI-IV a pain.

 

[bsa]

LECOM is a great school especially since it's only $30k(?). You're not going to get better value than that outside of TCOM.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

taken directly from DCOM website regarding their matching stats this year.

".......This continues a trend begun with the LMU-DCOM inaugural class. Three-fourths of the members of the LMU-DCOM Class of 2011 entered a primary care residency following their graduation. Primary care fields include family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN and emergency medicine. The members of the Class of 2012 will be in 130 different residency programs in 27 states."

".......LMU-DCOM had the fourth highest match rate within this year’s osteopathic match, behind Michigan State University, Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine and Pacific Northwest University College of Osteopathic Medicine. This follows a similar trend to 2011, when LMU-DCOM had the second highest osteopathic match rate in the country."

Not to say that isn't great, but it is by no means as impressive as many of the other DO schools that match the majority of their class to academic and well known ACGME spots.

 

[surfactant]

LECOM is a great school especially since it's only $30k(?). You're not going to get better value than that outside of TCOM.

These are rankings not which one is the best money value.

So how would you rank the original 5: ATSU-KCOM, CCOM, DMU, KCUMB, PCOM?

1. PCOM
2. ATSU
3. DMU and CCOM
5. KCUMB (the bottom half of their classes are no good)

MSU could be the best DO school overall.

 

[Ochemlover45]

LECOM is a great school especially since it's only $30k(?). You're not going to get better value than that outside of TCOM.

OUCOM instate.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmN9jQwtwHg[/YOUTUBE]

 

[DrMaximus]

Not to say that isn't great, but it is by no means as impressive as many of the other DO schools that match the majority of their class to academic and well known ACGME spots.

This is very true. I'm hoping for better as the school grows.

 

[cliquesh]

This is very true. I'm hoping for better as the school grows.

DO students, for whatever reason, seem to rank programs they rotate at during their 3rd year highly. So just because you see a lot of aoa matches, it isn't a bad thing necessarily. I know most of my friends' top choices are part of our school's opti.

 

[WDeagle]

These are rankings not which one is the best money value.



1. PCOM
2. ATSU
3. DMU and CCOM
5. KCUMB (the bottom half of their classes are no good)

MSU could be the best DO school overall.

Oh really? How did you make this up?

By the way I did my rotations at a hospital that is shared by KCUMB, MSU, and DMU. The Director of Medical Education insists that the KCUMB students are the best overall.

I would say they are all about the same having rotated with plenty of students from all of these schools. Maybe PCOM is a step-above the rest. PCOM gets to rotate at some pretty awesome places for third year. KCUMB, PCOM, CCOM have the benefit of being in large cities with pretty big MD hospitals that take a lot of DO's for residencies. MSU-COM matches well because they have a billion residencies. They have more DO Ortho, Rads, Optho, urology, etc spots than everybody else combined.

Don't forget about TCOM, UMDNJ, and OU. The difference between students from the better schools and the other schools is noticeable on rotations.

 

[surfactant]

Oh really? How did you make this up? .

This is just what I heard from multiple people.

 

[dmplz707]

No love for WesternU/COMP!?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

No love for WesternU/COMP!?

Upper Mid tier.

 

[SLC]

While we're at it, does someone who cares want to list and rank the lower tier schools? Could be interesting.

 

[WDeagle]

This is just what I heard from multiple people.

I disagree but you could say that about any med school. I mean there is typically a reason why people are at the bottom of the class.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

While we're at it, does someone who cares want to list and rank the lower tier schools? Could be interesting.

Best of the Low tier
1) VCOM- VA
2) PCOM-GA
3) PNW-COMP
3) VCOM-SC
>>>
8) WCUCOM
>
10) LECOM Senton Hill - Has more problems than imaginable
11) KYCOM
12) RVUCOM
Worst of the Low tier

 

[SLC]

VCOM - VA, VCOM-SC, WCU, RVU, KYCOM, PCOM-GA, LECOM- Senton Hill, Pacific North West

1) RVU
2) VCOM- VA
3) PCOM-GA
4) PNW-COMP
5) VCOM-SC
------------------------------- ( The Lowest tier)-----------
10) LECOM Senton Hill
11) KYCOM

Your 6-9?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Your 6-9?

There aren't any, I spaced out the the first 5 from the last two because Seton Hill and KYCOM are probably the lowest of the low ranked.

 

[WDeagle]

1. Im pretty sure there was a thread like this a few months ago where myself and other residents/upper level students posted some lists

2. DO ranking lists are really really really really stupid

3. A DO ranking list made by a pre-med are even more stupid than number #2.

 

[SLC]

There aren't any, I spaced out the the first 5 from the last two because Seton Hill and KYCOM are probably the lowest of the low ranked.

I see.

There are a few schools not yet accounted for. Western-OR, ATSU-AZ, LECOM-B, UNECOM, AZCOM (Am I forgetting any others?) where do you think they fall. We're dangerously close to having a full ranking (not that it matters, or is official, but interesting nonetheless).

 

[SLC]

1. Im pretty sure there was a thread like this a few months ago where myself and other residents/upper level students posted some lists

2. DO ranking lists are really really really really stupid

3. A DO ranking list made by a pre-med are even more stupid than number #2.

Agreed on all accounts, but it's still fun to talk about and speculate so what's the harm?

 

[donkeykong1]

Best of the Low tier
1) RVUCOM - While it is For-profit it has some strong attributes in my opinion.
2) VCOM- VA
3) PCOM-GA
4) PNW-COMP
5) VCOM-SC
>>>
9) WCUCOM
10) LECOM Senton Hill - Has more problems than imaginable
11) KYCOM
Worst of the Low tier

put vcom-va as number 1 and rvu at 11 together with kycom

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I see.

There are a few schools not yet accounted for. PNWU-OR, ATSU-AZ, LECOM-B, UNECOM, AZCOM (Am I forgetting any others?) where do you think they fall. We're dangerously close to having a full ranking (not that it matters, or is official, but interesting nonetheless).

PNWU is on the list, the rest I consider mid tier

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

put vcom-va as number 1 and rvu at 11 together with kycom

Sigh RVU is a controversy, if it were non-profit it would be in the number one. But since it is a for profit it should go low, but meh it's a hard decision really. Admittedly I think RVU is in an actually decent area though and it has relatively high entrance stats.

Meh... feel free to make modifications to my list.

 

[TallScrubs]

I've said this in many threads like this: Gold jacket, green jacket, who gives a s***?

Rankings are for people who are insecure and want to justify where they go as being great. Go wherever you get in. If multiple places, go wherever you like.

 

[Zoopeda]

COMP-NW doesn't even have a library, or enough rotation spaces for their students. Low tier in any book...

 

[donkeykong1]

Sigh RVU is a controversy, if it were non-profit it would be in the number one. But since it is a for profit it should go low, but meh it's a hard decision really. Admittedly I think RVU is in an actually decent area though...

Meh... feel free to make modifications to my list.

why?

numerous amounts of students have transferred out of the school, do you know what the first time comlex pass rates were? match-list composed entirely of AOA programs? extremely shady sites for rotation...for-profit stigma...the list goes on

bottom line Mr/Ms. OP you started the same exact thread 2 years back. why did u start one again?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=604429&highlight=rankings

simply apply, visit/interview if ur lucky, and then make a decision, there's really no need for third party rankings whether its MD or DO.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

why?

numerous amounts of students have transferred out of the school, do you know what the first time comlex pass rates were? match-list composed entirely of AOA programs? extremely shady sites for rotation...for-profit stigma...the list goes on

bottom line Mr/Ms. OP you started the same exact thread 2 years back. why did u start one again?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=604429&highlight=rankings

simply apply, visit/interview if ur lucky, and then make a decision, there's really no need for third party rankings whether its MD or DO.

Hmm... maybe I've been a bit misinformed about RVU. You're correct...

 

[sylvanthus]

PNWU is on the list, the rest I consider mid tier

Aaannd it should be at the bottom of the list unless you like having nurses as your preceptors.

 

[COMedic2Doc]

Hmm... maybe I've been a bit misinformed about RVU. You're correct...

Ok my fellow pre-meds. RVU has a 98% pass rate on COMLEX I, their match list was actually really decent for a first match (decent amount of programs and distribution). I realize the for-profit status is still something that people are upset about, but in some ways so far they have shown very positive management of finances. I shared the list with a Western grad and he was honestly really impressed, so perhaps it is the unnecessary bias that is voicing here. Had RVU not matched well, not been fully accredited (pending only their graduating class next month with ZERO deficiencies from the inspection teams which is unheard of) then we'd have something to bias against the program. Just my .02.

 

[doublefrick]

I've said this in many threads like this: Gold jacket, green jacket, who gives a s***?

Rankings are for people who are insecure and want to justify where they go as being great. Go wherever you get in. If multiple places, go wherever you like.

:thumbsup:

I also love that you quoted "Happy Gilmore." Rock on

 

[SLC]

PNWU is on the list, the rest I consider mid tier

Yeah that was a typo, meant to put Western-OR

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Aaannd it should be at the bottom of the list unless you like having nurses as your preceptors.

That school shouldn't be accredited then....

 

[CODrummer]

Best of the Low tier
1) VCOM- VA
2) PCOM-GA
3) PNW-COMP
3) VCOM-SC
>>>
8) WCUCOM
>
10) LECOM Senton Hill - Has more problems than imaginable
11) KYCOM
12) RVUCOM
Worst of the Low tier

Why did you put RVUCOM at the bottom, considering the board pass rates and the percentage that matched for their first year? Is it just because of the for-profit status? If so that seems pretty petty, especially considering the mud you were throwing at KYCOM in a different thread...

 

[CODrummer]

Hmm... maybe I've been a bit misinformed about RVU. You're correct...

where did you find the information to change your mind and move it from first to last?