KCU Joplin vs Touro CA

[confusedsoul723]

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Context about me: South Asian girl who's lived in California whole life. I love California, but I am open-minded to being OOS. I'm from Norcal and Touro CA is super close to home.

Touro CA
Pros

• known area that's only an hour drive from home
• support system is in California
• true P/F preclinical years
• matches well in CA
• 100% match
• i think decent research opportunities (i also have ties to my previous research job in the bay)

Cons

• no opportunity to leave CA for rotations (ik this wouldn't be a con for many but for me i have always had an itch to live in another place for a bit)
• Vallejo isn't the greatest area
• Campus is not the best
• not as well respected as KCU

KCU Joplin

Pros

• well established and respected DO program
• match well in competitive speciality (don't know what specialty i want yet so this is important to me)
• good rotation sites
• smaller class could be more tight knit?
• Two hospitals closely affiliated with the school that ik also hold residency spots for students
• doesn't seem to push students into primary care as strongly and the emphasis on OMM is a bit less
• only in Joplin for 2 years and then out for rotations

Cons

• in Joplin (this is the biggest thing for me)
• board pass rates getting lower, but this is also true for Touro CA which i think is lower
• no support system around and no direct flights
• heard the curriculum is challenging, but i also see how this can be helpful
• food lol (i'm vegetarian which could be tough in the midwest)

 

[Basalganglia4life]

When it comes to DO schools I am not sure prestige matters all that much. What is the difference in cost? If you want to match in CA I would go to a school in CA

 

[confusedsoul723]

When it comes to DO schools I am not sure prestige matters all that much. What is the difference in cost? If you want to match in CA I would go to a school in CA

KCU is a little cheaper. Less about prestige and more about outcomes. I think KCU matches better in competitive specialties, but Touro CA matches better in California.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Stay close to home here. If you can't see yourself living in Joplin, it's not a deep debate.

Touro is part of the VSLO system. Who is telling you that you can't leave California for clerkships?
https://students-residents.aamc.org/visiting-student-learning-opportunities/visiting-student-learning-opportunities-vslo