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Just received a call from Western with an offer of a seat....i have until the end of the day to accept.
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Western....easily...
Western Pomona is older, has a stronger network and ties, more respect and prestige in california and especially in southern california. Their rotation sites are in southern california and staying local will allow you more opportunities to create connections with local directors, physicians, hospitals. A lot of life, including medicine, is who you know.
Also I know Western has graduated some of the top ortho and heart surgeons in the country.
If the end goal and desire is to be in SoCal for residency, you put yourself in the best position to do so by attending Western
Thanks for your feedback.
Can anyone speak to what the curriculum is actually like at Western. Touro seems to have very supportive faculty...whereas Western seems to get a worse rap here.
I've also read a lot of work/learning is done in small groups at Western...not sure how this would work for me.
Is either school significantly better when it comes to boards?
I would make this choice purely on location but hopefully @AlbinoHawk DO could help you out since he is a western student. I recall him saying western is a bit omm intense in the past but he likes western overall
Thanks for your feedback.
Can anyone speak to what the curriculum is actually like at Western. Touro seems to have very supportive faculty...whereas Western seems to get a worse rap here.
I've also read a lot of work/learning is done in small groups at Western...not sure how this would work for me.
Is either school significantly better when it comes to boards?
I can't speak for how Touro teaches and how they prepare students for boards. I can only say that I believe the curriculum at WesternU is not good for the boards (e.g. 40% of neuroscience block is not boards relevant at all) and is over saturated with garbage like small group, IPE, extra OMM and other things. As for small group, the only worry you should have is in the time wasted. We still have "large group" which is what we get tested on. If it were me, I'd pick Touro to avoid all that. Clinical curriculum you'll need to talk to someone else. I've heard bad things about Touro clinicals, but it's not like WesternU has much good stuff to offer either.I would make this choice purely on location but hopefully @AlbinoHawk DO could help you out since he is a western student. I recall him saying western is a bit omm intense in the past but he likes western overall
I have zero experience with Tuoro, but just today worked a shift with a doc who graduated from Western. He felt the faculty were not very good, and didn't particularly enjoy the experience. However, he now has a job with a very well respected EM physicians group, so it obviously worked out for him! Good luck with your decision!Thanks for your feedback.
Can anyone speak to what the curriculum is actually like at Western. Touro seems to have very supportive faculty...whereas Western seems to get a worse rap here.
I've also read a lot of work/learning is done in small groups at Western...not sure how this would work for me.
Is either school significantly better when it comes to boards?
dang, i'd rather make less money and have a good time in school learningWestern probably has the better reputation. But from what I've been told, actually getting through the four years will make you hate the school. People have told me they don't really pay attention to their students and they're really understaffed (especially in the rotations department). But the graduates are very successful and well-respected even in the MD community. Small sample size, but my PCP says the DOs he knows from Western are the richest doctors he knows, all making more than $1mill. Western also doesn't do too well in board testing (210-220 USMLE step 1 average), because apparently their curriculum doesn't help too much with board testing. Not sure how Touro does.
I would look for a different field if that were the casedang, i'd rather make less money and have a good time in school learning
is that naive of me to say?
So yanks, what did you decide?
Ended up going with Touro. I really liked the vibe there on interview day, and the faculty did seem more supportive as compared to Western. I have family and friends in the Bay Area (although same can be said for San Diego), which also helped sway my decision. My ultimate goal is to get back to southern california, and Touro offers core rotation sites in/around LA, which should be attainable.
As far as Western docs making more money...I'm guessing the small sample size is a result of this. The idea that grads from Western are paid more seems off to me, but hey what do I know?
Western probably has the better reputation. But from what I've been told, actually getting through the four years will make you hate the school. People have told me they don't really pay attention to their students and they're really understaffed (especially in the rotations department). But the graduates are very successful and well-respected even in the MD community. Small sample size, but my PCP says the DOs he knows from Western are the richest doctors he knows, all making more than $1mill. Western also doesn't do too well in board testing (210-220 USMLE step 1 average), because apparently their curriculum doesn't help too much with board testing. Not sure how Touro does.
I want to believe... badly. It would be the only upside to this torture.Western probably has the better reputation. But from what I've been told, actually getting through the four years will make you hate the school. People have told me they don't really pay attention to their students and they're really understaffed (especially in the rotations department). But the graduates are very successful and well-respected even in the MD community. Small sample size, but my PCP says the DOs he knows from Western are the richest doctors he knows, all making more than $1mill. Western also doesn't do too well in board testing (210-220 USMLE step 1 average), because apparently their curriculum doesn't help too much with board testing. Not sure how Touro does.
I want to believe... badly. It would be the only upside to this torture.
Don't mess up this for me with reality.I find that number hard to believe, even Harvard and Yale MDs at Mass General do not make that kind of money.
Don't mess up this for me with reality.
On a side note, I think the majority of Harvard/Yale MDs are more academic than business oriented.
It's uniform, but networking can pay off if you want to go into big pharma.Does medicine really work that way? With law I know where you went males a huge difference in salary....but with medicine I thought salaries were more uniform regardless of school...
my PCP said the MD's from harvard/yale never attained the proper business skills to make money in that range. which makes sense i supposeI find that number hard to believe, even Harvard and Yale MDs at Mass General do not make that kind of money.