honest opinion about COMP

[beachbum]

i would like an honest opinion from everybody (them that got interviews, acceptances, denials, currrently attending COMP even anybody who heard rumors and them that graduated from COMP)how is COMP rated among the different D.O. schools? what is the quality of their training to their future physicians? i have a to decide between a few schools and i would like to be informed as much as possible about the schools am considering. but for the moment i just would like to find out about the pros and cons of western COMP. i am not mentioning the others schools i have been accepted, because i dont want comparisons between schools. my intention is not to bash on western COMP, i just to be better informed so i can make better decision. thank you for you help.


beachbum

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[docmartin]

This is what I think. COMP like many other schools, DO or MD, has problems. I am not going to go into detail, you can check out previous threads re: the matter. You have to keep that in mind when choosing a school, no school out there is w/o unhappy students. Having said that, med school, as I have learned, is teaching yourself...Adult Learning. Honestly, COMP wasn't my first choice, but it was more of a location thing for me. Others would probably say the same. All in all, it's turned out to be ok. I do well at school, I don't rely on the school/teachers to teach me, I teach myself the SALIENT points.

You will see/get people that hate the school w/ a passion, people that tolerate the school (like myself) and people that love the school. Why do people love COMP? You'll have to ask them. I get what I can get from the school, it's a business, I am buying a service. I don't expect anything spoon fed to me. And so I think because of my attitude (a little harsh but realistic), I do fine in my classes.

As far as rotations go, I'll be finding out soon. But, based on things people post, again it's a matter of your initiative, your independence, and what you want to get out of it. No rotation is perfect, we all have to pay our dues like others before us.

I don't really know how COMP rates compared to other schools, but I look around my class, and I have no doubt, that we will a turn out some good doctors. And, some of the clinicians who are alumni from the school, come back to teach us, and they are probably my favorite instructors.

So good luck in your choice. Don't forget to weigh out all your options.

 

[jhug]

in a similar light to docmartin i will say it is a business. You are a liability to comp and they have a duty to provide you what you need to succeed as a doctor. My bro was in the PA program when i applied and to be honest, i didn't consider comp an option....until i interviewed! The interview for me was a HUGE experience. Comp will teach you well, train you well, and prepare you well for your future as a physician. There will always be malignant students. STAY AWAY FROM THEM! For some reason, comp has had an unusual amount of malignants on this site. I wouldn't say that is reflective of the school as a whole. I have friends in the 2006 and 2007 classes that are very happy with what comp has provided them. That's another thing, like docmartin said, med school is what YOU put into it. I assume you interviewed there, reflect back on that and ask yourself how you felt and what your impressions were. That will serve you for much more than what many may say on this site. I interviewed/accepted but will attend azcom this year, mostly because of how i felt there BUT comp could have been just as perfect a fit. Good luck!!

 

[Vince]

darnit....I had a good post typed up...and when i hit reply, SDN LOST IT...the darn "website not responding thing"

.....If i get a chance to type it up again I will......

I just posted a reply to someone else's post and it's regarding location....which i think is important in choosing a school....I'll add other stuff about COMP that you might want to know later, but for now....you can visit the other post if you want to know what things there are to do around here...

http://www.studentdoctor.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=63424

I hope the link works

 

[melancholy]

In order to not sound too biased because I do attend COMP, I wanted to mention a few points to consider:

- All schools have their pros and cons. Going to a national convention in the past few weeks and chatting with professors and students from all the other osteopathic medical schools, the folks at my school who attended preceived this general image that other schools had their faults just as we have ours. (You can read this as everyone has their complaints no matter what school they go to although it will vary from student to student. This leads into the second point.)

- Personally, in the end it will all come down to how good of a match you are with the school you decide to attend in the future. Even though it isn't much exposure time, I ask to look at how you felt on interview day at the schools you visited in terms of all the students/professors/admin you talked to and how things went in general. Granted your interview day could have a big slant one way or another, it still is something big to take into consideration. This sort of leads into the next point.

- I agree with Vince.... location does make a difference. Since you will most likely be spending two years in addition to possibly another year of rotations in the general area, pick a place you'll be satisfied with. For some, proximity to friends/family is a priority... others don't mind a small-town atmosphere as opposed to being near a larger city. Weather can also be a factor. Granted, you could go to a school with a better reputation but be in a miserable location for a few years... will you be willing to do that? In the long run, will it make that much of a difference?

- As far as rotations go, I have to go along with Docmartin in saying that I will have to wait and see how my rotations are in a few months. I've heard all sorts of good and bad things about various sites, but I believe my plan to 1) get the best rotations I could for myself (that I thought I would benefit from) and 2) have a good attitude going into the rotations will work in my favor in the end. Of course, with all this planning, things could still go wrong, but at least I'll have given it my best shot. I think things will work out in the end though.

I hope I haven't been too indirect in answering your questions. I just wanted to list some things that might help you formulate ideas that will help out you in your decision.

 

[Popoy]

Can someone share what's going on with a possible merge with Chapman's??? This merely a heresay and I would like to hear from the students what's going on....

Thanx


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