kcom vs. msucom, major differences?

[lunachick]

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So I've been accepted to both schools and need to make a decision-- soon.

So far, I think they both have great reputations & great academics.
The major differences I see are:

MSUCOM anatomy class works with presections of the body, so you don't get the full med school experience.
KCOM prides itself on spending the most # of hours dissecting in the anatomy lab.

MSUCOM is located in a large suburban college town.
KCOM is located in small, rural town, in the middle of nowhere!

MSUCOM - I get to stay in Michigan for 4 years
KCOM - I spend 2 years in MO and will most likely spend 3rd & 4th year in another state for rotations.

Tuition will end up being the same for both schools if I get the $15k/year scholarship for non-residents for the first 2 years. 🙂

Recreationally, I'm still not sure. I will definitely need a place to go hiking, running & just spend time outdoors and am still not sure which location is the best fit for me... Does anyone know what there is to do in East Lansing, MI???

Any other major difference that I've left out? 😕
Please advise.

Thanks so much!

 

[Ypo.]

As you already mentioned, the "location, location, location" of the "rotation, rotation, rotations".

You will stay in-state for third and fourth year (at KCOM you will most likely not be in-state).


The best thing about MSUCOM is that it has the best affiliated residencies for osteopathic grads in the nation, both in terms of numbers, and quality. You can get into any specialty, and you won't need to take the USMLE, because there are plenty of osteopathic residencies that kick butt. Given the option between KCOM and MSUCOM (and I was given that option btw), I would not hesitate to choose MSU...even if you do end up spending more for your education as an out-of-stater-the opportunities and assuredness that you will get into a top-notch residency program are worth it. KCOM is not cheap, either.

That being said, go where you think you'll be happier. Because the education will be similar.

 

[deleted9493]

I love having prosected cadavers in lab. I did alot of cadaver dissection in undergrad and I really remember feeling that what I was gaining from the experience was not worth the amount of time that I was investing. I'm thankful that it is elective here at MSUCOM.

 

[Ratch]

lol, i love it when people say that prosected anatomy detracts from the med school experience. if they only knew...

 

[thesterlinggirl]

I love having prosected cadavers in lab. I did alot of cadaver dissection in undergrad and I really remember feeling that what I was gaining from the experience was not worth the amount of time that I was investing. I'm thankful that it is elective here at MSUCOM.

Like hudsontc said you can take a dissection class as an elective at MSUCOM, so that really shouldn't be a contributer to your decision. But, then again, I'm partial to MSUCOM since I have lived in Michigan my entire life.

 

[lunachick]

Thanks for all of your feedback!

What is there to do in East Lansing??? Any hiking or biking trails near by? When I visited for my interview, East Lansing seemed pretty flat. Are there any mountains or hills that I could climb? I'm spoiled b/c I live closeby to Mount Tamalpais and Muir Woods in the Bay Area. . . I will definitely need some sort of outdoor outlet while in med school.

Thanks! 🙂

 

[medic170]

Thanks for all of your feedback!

What is there to do in East Lansing??? Any hiking or biking trails near by? When I visited for my interview, East Lansing seemed pretty flat. Are there any mountains or hills that I could climb? I'm spoiled b/c I live closeby to Mount Tamalpais and Muir Woods in the Bay Area. . . I will definitely need some sort of outdoor outlet while in med school.

Thanks! 🙂

Almost anything you could possibly want to do can be found within an hour of MSU. The only thing not close by are mountains, but there are some up north within 4-5 hours.

East Lansing and Lansing really do have just about anything you can think of for recreation though. Lots of hiking and biking trails too.


BTW, I agree with everthing yposhelley said. MSUCOM cannot be beat for rotations and residency placement. I would not count on the scholarship though, there is always a chance you will not get it. You have to apply for it retro after MS-1 I think.

 

[raDiOnut]

lunachick,

I recently had the same decision to make: MSUCOM v. KCOM v. LECOM-Erie.

I thought about it for awhile, but MSUCOM came out on top for a couple reasons. The prossections really aren't a big deal as the others said, because you can do dissection electives.

The main difference between the schools was that I felt at home at MSU (as cheesy as that sounds!). It was the most personalized interview experience I'd had, my tour really showed me what student life was, and I even had a financial aid officer talk to me personally fo 1/2 hr.

location was a big factor. Kirksville was just a little too far away for me (11.5 hrs, with MSU only 1.5 from my home).

gl on the decision

raDiOnut

 

[OldManDave]

Thanks for all of your feedback!

What is there to do in East Lansing??? Any hiking or biking trails near by? When I visited for my interview, East Lansing seemed pretty flat. Are there any mountains or hills that I could climb? I'm spoiled b/c I live closeby to Mount Tamalpais and Muir Woods in the Bay Area. . . I will definitely need some sort of outdoor outlet while in med school.

Thanks! 🙂

There are no mountains in MI...very flat! I went to KCOM & did my 3rd & 4th years in Saginaw, MI. I would disagree with the others regarding the differences. In no way will I even hazard to discredit their claims of MSUCOM's excellence - no doubt, it is a strong school. But, MSU also has a split curriculum, just like KCOM, it's just that all of the their 3rd & 4th year rotation sites are w/i MI - required by the state since it is a state-funded school. No guarantees you will be able to stay in East Lansing.

Regarding the claim that being in MI places MSU grads at an advantage for securing top DO residencies is going a bit too far...bordering on fudging. Over half of KCOM's students (at least when I was there) did their rotations in MI and many, if not most of them, stayed in MI for their internship/residency. So, I beg to differ on the MSU - MI connection advantage.

On the flip side, since you are not hindered from top DO programs, do bear in mind that KCOM having remote campuses in several locations (MI, MO, FL, OH, NJ, AZ, CO & UT) conveys a networking advantage to you. You will be able to explore locales outside of MI. All of our teaching affiliates are MD/DO mixed venues. That is advantageous for those who choose to do non-AOA residencies.

Finally, northeast MO has a good bit of outdoor activities. There is an awesome lake & state park just north of town where many folks go to boat, camp, run & bike -myself, I loved to study there too. They have an annual Tri-Athelon too. The terrain around K'ville is rolling plains/farmland - very peaceful & great for distance bike riding.

There are 4 distinct seasons & each of them is gorgeous. Summer & spring are totally awesome! Warm enough to swim, but not so hot as to be miserable. Winter can get damned cold & they only get around 2ft of snow/year.

So, location location location is correct - just don't count out KCOM.

Oh, and they have broken ground on the new Info-Tech Center at KCOM. I hope to make it for the grand opening.

 

[medic170]

There are no mountains in MI...very flat! .

I have lived in MI for 28 years and I can assure you, YES there are mountains, eber heard of the PORCUPINE MOUNTAINS STATE PARK? There are many ski resorts up north, mostly in the UP, so before you try to spout off something as a fact, research it first. Why would you say something that is not true about MI anyway? Do you have a grudge against the Great Lakes State?

http://www.porcupinemountains.com/

http://www.ring.com/travel/parks.htm

 

[OldManDave]

I have lived in MI for 28 years and I can assure you, YES there are mountains, eber heard of the PORCUPINE MOUNTAINS STATE PARK? There are many ski resorts up north, mostly in the UP, so before you try to spout off something as a fact, research it first. Why would you say something that is not true about MI anyway? Do you have a grudge against the Great Lakes State?

http://www.porcupinemountains.com/

http://www.ring.com/travel/parks.htm

Sorry - but in my brief tenure, I saw no mountains in MI...maybe some in the UP, but having only visited the eastern portions of the UP, it was even flatter than flat. Oh...we did have "Apple Mountain Resort & Ski" there in Saginaw. But, after a bit of research...was rather odd for a "mountain" to jut up in the vastly flat landscape of the eastLP...I discovered it was a man-made mountain. They actually "made" it by piling up crushed car bodies from junkyards, compacting it with dirt, sodding it for stability and then crafting a downhill run on it. Innovative, yes; good utilization of cast-off materials, yes; mountain - NO...but the restaurant was superb!

No, I cannot claim to have seen all of MI...but I did do quite a bit of driving around the LP: all across the bottom, extensively up & down the east coast of the LP & up in the Tawas/Alpena region & further up to MacKinaw & the Soiux - there was nary so much as a rolling hill.

No malice intended, but I can only call'em like I see'em & it was largely flat with the occasional rolling hills. Now, does that make MI bad? Oh hell no. Matter of fact, I really liked the Tawas/Alpena & the UP. As a hunter & a fisherman, would be an excellent place to live...except for the TB in the white tail population...

So, I would counter you with a caution to not take someone's personal description of an area as a personal slight to MI-ness. No one was attacking you or your state, I was merely passing along my as objective as was possible observations of the place.

For those reading this exchange, most Michiganders are not so defensive......they're actually quite a nice lot of people even if the sun refuses to shine during fall & winter (on the eastern LP).

😱

 

[medic170]

So, I would counter you with a caution to not take someone's personal description of an area as a personal slight to MI-ness. No one was attacking you or your state, I was merely passing along my as objective as was possible observations of the place:

No, No Dave. I was being a bit sarcastic. I was not upset at all, I just wanted to correct your false statement about MI. You see, you said "there are no mountains in MI", not that you did not see any in your travels here. Those are 2 different statements. That's all. There are Mountains here, so it is wrong to tell people that there are not rather than just saying you did not see any.

 

[OldManDave]

No, No Dave. I was being a bit sarcastic. I was not upset at all, I just wanted to correct your false statement about MI. You see, you said "there are no mountains in MI", not that you did not see any in your travels here. Those are 2 different statements. That's all. There are Mountains here, so it is wrong to tell people that there are not rather than just saying you did not see any.

Then I owe you a public apology for reacting assertively. My apologies. Just goes to show the dangers of loosing the subtlties of communication in a text-only format. But I still did not see any damned mountains... 😀

 

[medic170]

Then I owe you a public apology for reacting assertively. My apologies. Just goes to show the dangers of loosing the subtlties of communication in a text-only format. But I still did not see any damned mountains... 😀

No need for apologies. That is so tru about text communication, or maybe I am just too cocky sometimes 😀