for CSPM students, need advice

[PatchAdamsFan]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I received an interview invite from CSPM today. I'm from the bay area, so the proximity to CSPM is very appealing, yet the city, Oakland, is not appealing... I was wondering how current students fare with the location, as well as their housing situation (prices?). I wanted to get some information before I go! Also, is the president's scholarship renewable every year (it is a considerable sum)?

 

[akalvarez18]

I received an interview invite from CSPM today. I'm from the bay area, so the proximity to CSPM is very appealing, yet the city, Oakland, is not appealing... I was wondering how current students fare with the location, as well as their housing situation (prices?). I wanted to get some information before I go! Also, is the president's scholarship renewable every year (it is a considerable sum)?

I'm a current CSPM student and like you, I'm from the Bay Area.
All though I understand why Oakland gets such a bad rap, I think it gets the short end of the stick.
I really like going to school in Oakland, and the area around the campus is relatively safe.
Now, if you want to go walking alone by yourself down Broadway at 11:30 at night, that might be a different story. But that is common sense and should apply to any big city, whether it be Oakland, NY, Chicago, etc.
The majority of students in my class do not live in Oakland. Most people live in Berkeley, Emeryville, or Alameda. All three are nice.
Being from the bay area, you should know that cost of living and rent here are high no matter where you go, but you can find decent prices in all three cities I mentioned.
It helps if you live with a roommate or even 2 to cut down on the rent costs.
It also depends on what amenities you want. Do you want to live by yourself in a gated community with a garage, in unit washer and dryer, in a nice part of Emeryville? Then yeah, you'll pay $2100 a month. But I know people who live in Emeryville with other roommates, less amenities, and in a good area for around $800 a month. You can find cheaper too, depending on what you're willing to put up with.
So it's all up to you and what you want to do.

Hope this helped.

 

[PatchAdamsFan]

Wanted to bump this instead of starting another CSPM thread:

I am very worried about the board pass rates for this school. Last year, the first time pass rate for step I was 67%, and the second time around was in the 90's (confirmed by the dean during interview), and that comes at a cost of 2 months prep. This is far below the average for first time rates from what I heard in other interviews. Is the education rigorous enough at this school? The dean did say that they were intensifying up the program a bit. Can any students chime in on this? I recently got an acceptance to this school with a huge scholarship (much more than Temple's revered 11k one), so it is very tempting.

 

[cspmstudent]

Wanted to bump this instead of starting another CSPM thread:

I am very worried about the board pass rates for this school. Last year, the first time pass rate for step I was 67%, and the second time around was in the 90's (confirmed by the dean during interview), and that comes at a cost of 2 months prep. This is far below the average for first time rates from what I heard in other interviews. Is the education rigorous enough at this school? The dean did say that they were intensifying up the program a bit. Can any students chime in on this? I recently got an acceptance to this school with a huge scholarship (much more than Temple's revered 11k one), so it is very tempting.

The classes who took the Monday weekly exams all did poorly on boards part 1.

The weekly exams have recently been scrapped. C/O 2015 will be first class not to have weekly exams.

Weekly exams were 8-10 mini exams every monday - cumulative of 2 weeks material.

Students never got the big picture as everything was in small pieces. Terrible idea. How can renal physiology be split up onto multiple exams? It should be 1 exam.

Students are on the traditional schedule now that most schools follow.

Part 1 first time pass rate was very low this year, and low the last couple as well. I do not know if your 67% is accurate or not but I do know this year it was bad. After 2nd attempt only 1 person failed. The administration is ashamed about this years board pass rates. Lots of meetings/talks going on in that little oval room. Some teaching changes have already been made.

Education is rigorous although there are a couple weak courses. Clinical exposure is VERY strong. Clinics do not help with part 1 though.

CSPM does not give you time to study for boards. You start 3rd year clinics right away. If you get a hard clinical rotation first (lottery system) there is no time to review. Some schools give you time. Others do not. CSPM is one that does not.

Work hard the first 2 years and you will be fine. Be thankful the monday weekly exams are gone. Terrible idea.

Oakland rocks.

 

[PatchAdamsFan]

I was aware that the weekly tests were terminated as a result of the pass rates, the percentages came from the dean. I was worried about the clinical and pre-clinical balance at this school as well. As you stated, the clinics start very early (and are top-notch from my brief exposure), but it doesn't let students study for step I, and I'm wondering if that is why the rate is so low? From my understanding, this school has the earliest clinic exposure, which corresponds to virtually no time for study

And yes Oakland rocks, I'm from the bay area.

 

[cspmstudent]

I was aware that the weekly tests were terminated as a result of the pass rates, the percentages came from the dean. I was worried about the clinical and pre-clinical balance at this school as well. As you stated, the clinics start very early (and are top-notch from my brief exposure), but it doesn't let students study for step I, and I'm wondering if that is why the rate is so low? From my understanding, this school has the earliest clinic exposure, which corresponds to virtually no time for study

And yes Oakland rocks, I'm from the bay area.

Part 1 sucked. But in the end the school has a 90 some overall pass rate every year. 1 out of 43(ish) students did not pass the boards. The first time pass rates have been atrocious the last 3 years though.

Second year is difficult, but by the time 3rd and 4th year comes along you are very competent in clinic.

How it works is as a 2nd year you work with a 3rd year. The 3rd year is supposed to make you do everything, they are just there for moral support/guidance.

How many schools have second years managing gunshot wounds to the foot? Compound ankle fractures? Charcot? Nail avulsions/matricectomies? Diabetic foot care? etc, etc. CSPM does. You will be very well trained clinically by the time core rotations/externships come around.

There are a couple clinics where you do nothing but trim nails/callous as a second year. As well as an ethics rotation (which is a giant waste of time).

3rd year podiatric surgery rotation is lacking a bit. The guys are dinosaurs and dont do much surgery anymore.

3rd year general surgery is very strong. Lots of cases to go around. You can scrub as many as you want to scrub.

Biomechanics rotation is very strong. CSPM is one of the best biomechanics schools. Side note they are getting a new gait lab (split with the physical therapy department) which is coming within the next year. Supposed to be the best gait lab in the country - or so they say.

3rd year diabetic, highland, internal medicine rotations are all very strong.

I did my 4th year at a core outside of CSPM. Very strong core. Lots of surgical cases. Lots of diabetic wound care.

Again, Oakland rocks.

 

[air bud]

DMU essentially has weekly monday exams, seems to be working for them.....

 

[PatchAdamsFan]

I'm not speaking from experience, but I believe that CSPM is the ONLY school to offer cumulative exams covering everything 2 weeks prior to the exam. From my DMU interview, this is not the case, and not a great comparison. I honestly think that not giving students time to study for the boards is a mistake in itself, and while the weekly tests should have been amended, it is not the main issue.

 

[cspmstudent]

The whole point about the weekly exams being terrible is that subjects were broken up.

My example was renal physiology being over several exams. never a big picture. As patch said it was cumulative for 2 weeks material. It sounds good in theory but did not pan out.

CSPM now has 1-3 regular exams per week.