Does VCOM-VA have a good reputation compared to WVSOM?

[Med1992]

Posting for a friend who currently goes to WVSOM and is considering transferring due to family reasons to VCOM to be with their family in Blacksburg.

According to them, the cons of VCOM-VA are that they require attendance and a dress code. But on the flip side, there is a rumor going around from current students at WVSOM that because of low board scores, they want to institute a mandatory attendance policy there as well. Not sure if that will go through, but it's being considered.

But are both schools pretty equivalent or is one known for being a bit better than the other?

And also, can anyone give any more information about transferring in general? Should this person wait for OMS-1 to finish before applying to transfer or should they stick it out till OMS-2 is complete and then begin third year at VCOM (if they decide to do this).

Thanks in advance!

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[Rekt]

Posting for a friend who currently goes to WVSOM and is considering transferring due to family reasons to VCOM to be with their family in Blacksburg.

According to them, the cons of VCOM-VA are that they require attendance and a dress code. But on the flip side, there is a rumor going around from current students at WVSOM that because of low board scores, they want to institute a mandatory attendance policy there as well. Not sure if that will go through, but it's being considered.

But are both schools pretty equivalent or is one known for being a bit better than the other?

And also, can anyone give any more information about transferring in general? Should this person wait for OMS-1 to finish before applying to transfer or should they stick it out till OMS-2 is complete and then begin third year at VCOM (if they decide to do this).

Thanks in advance!

They're pretty much on the same level.

Transferring is incredibly difficult. You can't just transfer willy-nilly. Almost all transfers I've ever heard of only occur after second year is completed, usually after COMLEX has been passed as well. Transferring between didactic years is largely not possible due to differences in curriculum.

 

[Cuongoff]

I was accepted to both school and chose VCOM-VA. The mandatory attendance sucks but it's not the end of the world. A lot of people just throw headphones on and use it as study time. Some (ie me) reddit. And dress code also sucks but you build a wardrobe for clinicals. Idk about WVSOM but VCOM's had some good matches into derm, ortho, ophtho,

Forgot to mention- Blacksburg is a nice city to live in too. With VA tech there, downtown is fun.

 

[Med1992]

I was accepted to both school and chose VCOM-VA. The mandatory attendance sucks but it's not the end of the world. A lot of people just throw headphones on and use it as study time. Some (ie me) reddit. And dress code also sucks but you build a wardrobe for clinicals. Idk about WVSOM but VCOM's had some good matches into derm, ortho, ophtho,

Forgot to mention- Blacksburg is a nice city to live in too. With VA tech there, downtown is fun.

Yeah this friend used to live in Blacksburg and absolutely loves it. Wherever WVSOM is sucks, so Blacksburg is definitely the big draw. That being said, I guess I'll tell him to contact the admissions office and see how they feel about transferring after first year. The poster above said it's "better" to transfer after boards, which would make sense.

Question though - in VCOM, where do you all do your third and fourth year rotations? Do you stay in Blacksburg at all after pre clinical years?

 

[DO2015CA]

Yeah this friend used to live in Blacksburg and absolutely loves it. Wherever WVSOM is sucks, so Blacksburg is definitely the big draw. That being said, I guess I'll tell him to contact the admissions office and see how they feel about transferring after first year. The poster above said it's "better" to transfer after boards, which would make sense.

Question though - in VCOM, where do you all do your third and fourth year rotations? Do you stay in Blacksburg at all after pre clinical years?

If he’s moving because WVSOM city sucks and is using being close to family as an excuse he won’t get it. His family has to be going through a hardship that requires him to be close

 

[4thtimeretaker]

I was accepted to both school and chose VCOM-VA. The mandatory attendance sucks but it's not the end of the world. A lot of people just throw headphones on and use it as study time. Some (ie me) reddit. And dress code also sucks but you build a wardrobe for clinicals. Idk about WVSOM but VCOM's had some good matches into derm, ortho, ophtho,

Forgot to mention- Blacksburg is a nice city to live in too. With VA tech there, downtown is fun.

Would love if you could do a write up on the things you enjoyed about things you didn't, how clinical rotations are assigned, how well they prepared you for boards, etc. This is a school I'm strongly considering about attending so would love your insight. Thanks!

 

[Cuongoff]

Would love if you could do a write up on the things you enjoyed about VCOM-VA and things you didn't, how clinical rotations are assigned, how well they prepared you for boards, etc. This is a school I'm strongly considering about attending so would love your insight. Thanks!

I mean, I didn't leave VCOM with the best memories lol. The administration there can be a handful and they throw "professionalism" around like it's candy. But that happens at most schools. Setting up audition rotations and aways you're on your own. The rotation sites are literally everywhere and it's hard sometimes to get a good site and you might end up hours and hours away from where you want to be. You have to apply for a site and list your top few and reasonings for choosing that site. People have actually gotten engaged etc just to get a site together. Boards is fine. They had someone come in for dedicated board study. The block schedule is nice bc you get a week between each block to sort of reset. We didn't really get a summer break. The lectures suck. Focus on UFAP.

 

[DPTinthemaking15]

I mean, I didn't leave VCOM with the best memories lol. The administration there can be a handful and they throw "professionalism" around like it's candy. But that happens at most schools. Setting up audition rotations and aways you're on your own. The rotation sites are literally everywhere and it's hard sometimes to get a good site and you might end up hours and hours away from where you want to be. You have to apply for a site and list your top few and reasonings for choosing that site. People have actually gotten engaged etc just to get a site together. Boards is fine. They had someone come in for dedicated board study. The block schedule is nice bc you get a week between each block to sort of reset. We didn't really get a summer break. The lectures suck. Focus on UFAP.

I’m attending VCOM-Auburn. Do you mind answer a question via PM? I can ask it on this thread, but I don’t want to hijack it from the OP.

 

[Cuongoff]

I’m attending VCOM-Auburn. Do you mind answer a question via PM? I can ask it on this thread, but I don’t want to hijack it from the OP.

Doesn't matter. I don't remember much about med school though lol