ICOM vs ATSU-SOMA

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DoneDone3451

Full Member
5+ Year Member
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I’m from midwest originally, I’ve highlighted some pros and cons of each school that I have found by talking to various people but I am open to more insight or help. I am interested in Internal Medicine and would like todo a fellowship.

ICOM ($435,000 COA for 4 years):
Pros:
  • Boise seems like a great area and I could see myself living here and would consider practicing in the area
  • The campus was very nice
  • Interactions with staff have been very positive and mostly positive things form current and former students. They were so nice to me at all events I had gone to including an admitted students event, they really have gone above and beyond compared to what some of my friends who attend MD schools have had.
  • Boise is easier to get around compared to Phoenix Metro
  • Only has a DO program as sole focus
  • ICOM helps students with 4th year rotation placement
  • Seemed like less OMM than SOMA
  • rotations are promised to remain in 1 area for the year so students don't have to move around
Cons:
  • No affiliated residency programs + in a state with not many residency programs throughout the state
  • Newer school though they just graduated their second class with pretty good stats overall.
  • Rotations are pretty far away and haven’t heard of a lot of people being happy with the raffle system. Only 30% of students can stay in the Boise area.
  • No research
  • Graded
ATSU-SOMA: ($436,000 COA for 4 years)
Pros
:
- P/F curriculum
- More established
- in a city close to Phoenix
- loved my interview and the people were amazing, students seemed really happy
- good board scores and match lists seems pretty even split between Primary care and other specialities
- didn’t hear of any noticeable attrition rate
- Better matchlist
- More research than ICOM and other schools in the area to work with

Cons:
- PBL curriculum (am usually a lecture person so this makes me a little nervous)
- exam every 5 weeks? This seemed stressful
- no sim lab, but holo lens lab was cool
- HUGE focus on OMM
- HOT AF in Arizona

I appreciate any insight on either school.