how do I chose my school?

[sctx]

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Hi. I'm new here.

I have been accepted to KCUMB and AZCOM, and I cannot figure out how to pick between them. I loved KCUMB, but I realize that the rotations 3rd and 4th year are suboptimal (there are a few good ones, but I am familiar with some of the hospitals, some are just NOT good). I was impressed by parts of AZCOM, but I have doubts about both schools. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to chose between two schools or input that may help (new info, etc).

Thanks so much.

I'll see at least a few of you in the fall...somewhere...

ScTx

 

[slim78]

Location:
Which will put you closer to family/friends. Or maybe you want to get away from family/friends.

That was a huge deciding factor for me. That and I HATE cold weather.

There are lots of other things to look at. Board pass rates, for example, are something to consider.

Also think about the huge class size increase for AZCOM this year.
http://www.midwestern.edu/250/
They are adding another 100 students to this class. I don't think it is a big problem but some do.

 

[EEL08]

Well if you choose AZCOM you'll get to hang out with me, my husband and slim. If you choose KCUMB you'll get to hang out with t-funk. It's a toss up really. 😉

 

[t-funk]

Well if you choose AZCOM you'll get to hang out with me, my husband and slim. If you choose KCUMB you'll get to hang out with t-funk. It's a toss up really. 😉

How lucky for you sctx. You have the two coolest schools of them all to pick from. 👍

 

[sctx]

I'm pretty psyched about them both, I'm just having a difficult time choosing between the two. KCUMB has things I like and things I don't like. So does AZCOM. They both have things that worry me:
1) AZCOM class size increase
2) KCUMB suboptimal rotations
3) KCUMB, from what I've read, micromanages it's students lives. I might chafe against that kind of intrusion.
4) Snow and ice in Kansas City. I'm from TX and now I live in SC, and I don't do cold weather well. For a better education, I could learn to deal, though. I own a lot of coats and sweaters (I'm not sure why, though).

I've made lists, I've tried just making a decision...nothing works. I'm so excited to have been accepted to any school...the fact that I like them both is icing on the cake. Now I have to make a decision, and I'm terrified I'll make the wrong one and regret it.

Thanks for the replies, though!😳

ScTx

 

[DrMattOglesby]

maybe you should make a poll on here?
like "which school would you matriculate in if got accepted to both?"
that way you can start to play with some actual numbers...
just a suggestion.
but for my own tastes, id take AZCOM in the blink of an eye.

 

[sctx]

maybe you should make a poll on here?
like "which school would you matriculate in if got accepted to both?"
that way you can start to play with some actual numbers...
just a suggestion.
but for my own tastes, id take AZCOM in the blink of an eye.

Excellent idea! Thanks. I'll do that.

ScTx

 

[t-funk]

2) KCUMB suboptimal rotations

I'm just curious as to what you've heard bc I haven't heard anything bad about KCUMB rotations. I've actually heard a lot of good things. Just wondering. Thanks.

 

[sctx]

Greetings!

I am taking a poll to see which school you would choose and why if you got into both KCUMB and AZCOM. Please include if you interviewed at these schools in your reply. I am asking this to get some feedback, and possibly see things from a new perspective. I am in this [awesome] position, and do not quite know what to do.

Thanks a million to all who reply!

ScTx

 

[DrMattOglesby]

no no no...i meant actually putting a real POLL on here!
cause what happens eventually is everyone starts replying and then a tangent in conversation veers it elsewhere.
when you post a thread, there is another box at the bottom of the page titled "additional options"
from this box, you can "create a poll"
and voila, you have tangible numbers at your disposal

 

[sctx]

Oh. Okay. Thanks. I think I'll do both, this way I also have a few whole responses...you know, before the tangent bunnies take hold.

ScTx

 

[sctx]

Okay. I think I got this right this time. ​

Which school would you chose if you got into both:
1) KCUMB ​

and ​

2) AZCOM? ​

Thanks to MrMattOglesby for helping me out with figuring out how to post this!​

ScTx​

 

[sctx]

I lived in ohio for a long time, and I am familiar with some of the hospitals that KCUMB uses for its rotations. Many of them are far from what would qualify as "good" hospitals. There ARE good hospitals in Ohio, but some of these just aren't it. I researched every hospital on the KCUMB list. Some are decent, some are just "okay" , and some are not. It is possilbe, however, that the individual departments where students are doing rotations ARE good, and the students are getting good education. It just makes me leery to see some of the names on the list.

I, however, and happy to hear that you have not heard bad things about their rotations. Maybe I don't need to be as concerned about that as I thought.

ScTx

 

[MossPoh]

How does one objectively measure how strong a hospital is? Obviously with the upper echelons there are exceptions, but things such as mortality rates don't really work because it could simply be a doc at one hospital taking the risky cases and the other not. I'm not being sarcastic here. I am legitimately interested how you weighed these hospitals.

 

[aaw2107]

I've been accepted by both of these schools. I fell in love with KCOM but think I would die in Kirksville. Would it be dumb to choose TOUROCOM because it's in NYC? I currently live in Manhattan and love the city. But KCOM was amazing! Arghhhhhhh
Opinions?

 

[Willh]

I voted for UNECOM.

 

[EEL08]

It's 50/50 now! I guess we feel torn just like you do. 😉

 

[spicedmanna]

I'm just curious as to what you've heard bc I haven't heard anything bad about KCUMB rotations. I've actually heard a lot of good things. Just wondering. Thanks.

I'm curious as well. Now, I know that some of the rotation sites (hospitals) are pretty small and a few others, not so hot, but there definitely seem to be decent rotations sites on the list as far as I can see, and so far nobody I know has complained about the non-local rotation sites. Our match list is pretty good and we have a very high first-choice match rate (90+ %), so the rotation sites as a whole must be decent. We definitely have a strong reputation, at least locally, of producing very excellent and hard-working physicians.

 

[sctx]

I apologize for pissing you all off. I imagine there are hospitals in your hometowns that you realize just aren't as good as others. I was in no way implying that KCUMB does not turn out hard-working doctors. I know that it is a good school, which is why the decision is so difficult for me. Forget I asked.

 

[t-funk]

I apologize for pissing you all off. I imagine there are hospitals in your hometowns that you realize just aren't as good as others. I was in no way implying that KCUMB does not turn out hard-working doctors. I know that it is a good school, which is why the decision is so difficult for me. Forget I asked.

You didn't piss anyone off. For me, it was really hard to understand intent over these forums for a long time. The girl I stayed with at KCUMB actually was trying to get a core rotation for her 3rd yr in Ohio bc she was saying that it had a really strong Peds residency. That was her first choice and she was really excited about it. I want to be in a rural location eventually so I guess being in a super cool hospital isn't as important to me but I have heard very good things about the roations at KCUMB.

 

[sctx]

I never meant to insinuate that ALL the rotations in Ohio were less than fantastic. I am well aware that at least one of the hospitals (the name escapes me at the moment) is affiliated with Cleveland Clinic - arguably one of the top hospitals in the country. I was just concerned about the ones that are not on par with CC or even hospitals that are not as renown. I was unclear. My concern was more "how do I get a good hospital" than "why are the rotations bad." If I thought KCUMB was a bad school then the decision would be much easier. I imagine, though, that every school has some rotations that are better than others. (can anyone validate this thought for me?)

 

[spicedmanna]

I never meant to insinuate that ALL the rotations in Ohio were less than fantastic. I am well aware that at least one of the hospitals (the name escapes me at the moment) is affiliated with Cleveland Clinic - arguably one of the top hospitals in the country. I was just concerned about the ones that are not on par with CC or even hospitals that are not as renown. I was unclear. My concern was more "how do I get a good hospital" than "why are the rotations bad." If I thought KCUMB was a bad school then the decision would be much easier. I imagine, though, that every school has some rotations that are better than others. (can anyone validate this thought for me?)

The rotation sites have worked for the students at KCUMB; the results show it. You are going to have to define what is a "good" hospital, since this could vary individually, based on individual criteria. That is, some people actually prefer smaller hospitals because they allow greater opportunity to get hands-on, etc., while others prefer the structured didactics and diverse patient population of larger, teaching hospitals. Either way, if you are proactive, you'll get what you need in abundance.

As far as I've been able to gather, electives, sub-internships, and audition rotations, in addition to boards, LORs, 3/4th year grades, etc., are going to do much for you in terms of getting residencies; these, however, are more dependent on you than the school in which you attend.

 

[sctx]

Cool. Thanks for the insight.