Honest Input Needed

[ArsenalEPL4Life]

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I am having a tough time deciding what school to go to. I am in the process of making a table incorporating the pros and cons of each school, hopefully that can help me decide. Can people give me their views on each of these schools?

CCOM vs DMU-COM vs KCUMB

Which one should I choose and why?

 

[TeamZissou]

Perhaps if you had some specific questions I may be able to help answer them. However since that's not the case and I'm in the middle of finals I'm going to suggest you read the "Pros and cons of your DO school" thread. Congrats on multiple acceptances.

 

[ArsenalEPL4Life]

TeamZissou, what is your favorite thing about CCOM and what is the thing you dislike most about it? Did you get into any other medical schools? What made you choose CCOM over those?

 

[jason3278]

Those are all great schools. Just go to the cheapest school. If cost isn't an issue, use the "eenie, meenie, meinie, moe" method.

 

[djd2187]

I am somewhat in the same boat as you, I had to pick between NSUCOM and WVSOM. I am 99% sure that I am going to pick NSUCOM, the way that I narrowed it down was through

possible research opportunities
Rotations during third and fourth year
Overall happiness level of the current students
Any complaints on SDN (usually, if there is something wrong with the school, there is at least one post on SDN regarding it)
Cost: least important for me, because a different between 40,000 and 50,000 doesn't sound daunting.
Most importantly: Will I be happy there?
Also, I want to do oncology eventually (leaning towards it), so would I be able to land a decent residency after graduation to get the oncology fellowship.

I know that you are using three different schools that are not NSUCOM or WVSOM, but these points really helped me out.

 

[Tekar]

Money's the answer, what was the question again?

 

[TeamZissou]

TeamZissou, what is your favorite thing about CCOM and what is the thing you dislike most about it? Did you get into any other medical schools? What made you choose CCOM over those?

My favorite thing I've encountered thus far (about 1/3 of the way done with first year) is the Anatomy department. Our anatomy department here is absolutely amazing. They push you to limits you didn't think possible but they really help you by providing well written notes and having everything very organized and streamlined. All our professors are also present in the anatomy lab during dissection along with MS II's who act as TA's. So even though our lab may not be the most high tech out there the resources are in place to be one of the best. (Anatomy department also teach Histology and Neuro.)

The thing I like least about the school thus far is how the Biochem is structured. It is set up with some group based learning and simulated patients (actors). It basically has a PBL or CBI component which is nice in that it helps it relate to things clinically but I would like more focus on standard lecture learning. They just started this set up for the class of 2012 (one year before mine) so they are still refining it. So as you can see for some this may be a big plus but I personally don't like it as much as a regular traditional style.

I interviewed at a few other DO schools and also a couple MD schools. I chose CCOM over a few other schools based on the clinical education we receive here. Because the school is so old it is really well established and we have arguably the best rotations of any DO school in our 3rd and 4th years.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=8384589&postcount=20
And unlike some other DO schools we don't have to relocate at all for rotations if we don't want to. (Though most students will move into the city to be closer to hospitals and nightlife.) I also feel like having the reputation we do helps open up a lot of the residencies in Chicago that wouldn't be open to us otherwise. They are familiar with our students so I think that helps.

Now that I've listed all the pluses, I do have to say that I think you should go to the school that fits you best. All the opportunities a school provides mean squat if you are depressed or if you're lacking a support network to keep you going.

 

[ArsenalEPL4Life]

Are residency match lists really unimportant when deciding which school to select? I feel that they have to be somewhat of a decent indicator of how well the students perform, quality of the education they recieve, and how easily they can match into a residency of their choice. If I were to evaluate CCOM, DMU-COM, and KCUMB based off of match lists I would rank them KCUMB>DMU-COM>CCOM strictly on how many students matched into different and competitive residencies.

On the other hand, are rotation sites the most important. If so then I would have to say CCOM>KCUMB>DMU-COM.

Should tuition hold so much weight? Personally I am outraged that CCOM is so expensive. Tutition wise I would say the best deal is
DMU-COM>KCUMB>CCOM.

Finally, location and campus wise. I absolutely loved DMU-COM, I thought the campus and technology was the best. On the other hand, I am from the suburbs of Chicago and CCOM is close. KCUMB has a nice old fashioned campus as well. My campus rank is DMU-COM>CCOM=KCUMB.

I spoke with a friend who just graduated from CCOM and he told me to go to CCOM hands down because of the name. Any thoughts?

 

[beckhunter116]

Are residency match lists really unimportant when deciding which school to select?

I'm only a pre-med so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I have read a lot of threads on SDN and the majority say to disregard match lists. There is a lot that goes into the match process for example a list with a high # of IM residencies may be planning on a fellowship. Or that when you look at a list you never know if people got their first choice or their third.

I, personally, would probably look at the number of MD residencies v. DO residencies; however, this could be misleading b/c anyone who matches in the DO match is automatically dropped from the MD match.

Have you been able to talk to some of the students at each of the schools? Can you go and visit them again before the deposit is due? Good luck making a choice!

 

[ArsenalEPL4Life]

Can anyone from DMU-COM and KCUMB please tell me more about their rotations. I know it is a lottery system like CCOM, but what hospitals are the rotations at? I am assuming KCUMB has some good surgical rotations as they have quite a few students entering surgery each year. As of now I am leaning toward General Surgery, but I am not 100% sure.

For KCUMB, what is the 4th year like, is it all up to you to choose what rotations you want, is that why so many of their students land competitive residencies?

Same for DMU-COM, can someone comment on the 3rd and 4th year as well, like elective wise and all?

What the heck, can someone from CCOM do the same...comment on the 3rd and 4th year rotations on how many you get to choose as electives and how many are mandatory?

 

[PunkmedGirl]

Can anyone from DMU-COM and KCUMB please tell me more about their rotations. I know it is a lottery system like CCOM, but what hospitals are the rotations at? I am assuming KCUMB has some good surgical rotations as they have quite a few students entering surgery each year. As of now I am leaning toward General Surgery, but I am not 100% sure.

For KCUMB, what is the 4th year like, is it all up to you to choose what rotations you want, is that why so many of their students land competitive residencies?

Same for DMU-COM, can someone comment on the 3rd and 4th year as well, like elective wise and all?

What the heck, can someone from CCOM do the same...comment on the 3rd and 4th year rotations on how many you get to choose as electives and how many are mandatory?

Hey Arsenal, you might get a better response if this post was in the Osteo forum. I remember seeing a DMU student commenting about rotations in the DMU thread if you haven't seen that yet (post # 445). I would try PMing a students from all three schools who have graduate recently or are currently on rotations ( DMU-Boner; KCUMB-spicemanned?: or CCOM-Buckeye(OH)) comes to mind for current or recent grads.

Good Luck.

 

[SolanoDoc]

I am having a tough time deciding what school to go to. I am in the process of making a table incorporating the pros and cons of each school, hopefully that can help me decide. Can people give me their views on each of these schools?

CCOM vs DMU-COM vs KCUMB

Which one should I choose and why?

Well you got a pretty good set of choices there. Why not decide where you will be happiest? If you like Chicago, go to CCOM, if you like KC or Iowa maybe go to those schools. It will be up to you once you are in to do the hard work.

 

[ArsenalEPL4Life]

I am just afraid of making the wrong desicion. To be honest, I felt the best vibe when I was at DMU-COM. Something about that school was wonderful. The facilities were amazing, students were all happy, and the Dean really made me feel accepted there. At CCOM everyone was also nice, except for one of the people that interviewed me, she was so rude to me. I thought I definently tanked that interview. And KCUMB, I can not stop paying attention to there residency match lists.....they have so many students placing into surgical and subsurgical programs. I am really interested in surgery, and am leaning toward General Surgery, so seeing that many of their students placing in that field really influences me to go there.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

I am just afraid of making the wrong desicion. To be honest, I felt the best vibe when I was at DMU-COM. Something about that school was wonderful. The facilities were amazing, students were all happy, and the Dean really made me feel accepted there. At CCOM everyone was also nice, except for one of the people that interviewed me, she was so rude to me. I thought I definently tanked that interview. And KCUMB, I can not stop paying attention to there residency match lists.....they have so many students placing into surgical and subsurgical programs. I am really interested in surgery, and am leaning toward General Surgery, so seeing that many of their students placing in that field really influences me to go there.

I thought DMU had a lot students that went into GS and Ortho?

 

[beckhunter116]

I have attached a pdf file (hope it works, never attached a file on SDN before) of some of CCOM rotation sites. I don't know when it was released or how accurate it is. I'm sure I got it off of here so in case you hadn't found this.

I think if you got a specific vibe at a school then you should really listen to that. If you are happy somewhere you are much more likely to succeed than just going to a school b/c a good number of people matched into something you are interested in. And your interest could very well change!

When you make a decision let us know and good luck next year as an MS1!

 

[TeamZissou]

That list is the exact one that I had in my link. It was a list I was given in my interview packet when I interviewed last year.

 

[TeamZissou]

What the heck, can someone from CCOM do the same...comment on the 3rd and 4th year rotations on how many you get to choose as electives and how many are mandatory?

Spend some time here.

http://mwunet.midwestern.edu/academic/CCOMClinEd/studentArea.htm

Note you can do 8 weeks in the same specialty but that is separate from any required rotations in that specialty. (ie You can end up doing 12 weeks of EM since you do a required EM rotation 4th year.)

 

[ArsenalEPL4Life]

TeamZissou, so how do the rotations work. I understand it is a lottery system. However, is it a lottery system for each block (for example, 6 weeks of Obgyn at st.alexius medical center, 6 weeks of Peds at holy cross hospital, and then 4 weeks at illinois masonic medical center)? Or do you do each year (MS3/MS4) at two seperate hospitals? Also, for the 20 weeks of electives, how many of them can you do in the same field. For example, I am interested in General Surgery, and I know you have to do 4 weeks required in MS3. Then for the elective during MS3 can I do General Surgery as well?Then during MS4, out of those 20 weeks of electives how many could I devote to General Surgery?

For anyone medical student/resident, is spending as much time rotating in the field you are intersted in the way to land that field as your residency? I am still confused on how this whole process works.