KCU vs DMU

[xnnsx1]

Seriously help. :/
Completely stuck on where to go...

DMU
Pro:
-Established
-Awesome first time pass rates
-Great board scores
-Great culture
-Supportive
-Cheap cost of living
-Gym

Con:
-Heard rotation sites aren't the best
-rural
-3 different deans in the past few years?
-Not as good board scores as KCU
-More OMM than KCU

KCU:
Pro:
-#1 in the nation for DO board scores
-heard rotation sites were better than DMU
-cheap cost of living
-More city like / things to do
-Curriculum of going over things twice
-Less OMM

Con:
-More gunnerish culture than DMU
-Heard area around there isn't safe
-Students seemed more stress/less happy than DMUs

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[Blanky]

Both schools are going to be equal with first time pass rates being like 99% or whatever
Both schools i believe have comlex averages over 600
Both schools i think have similar usmle, i think DMUs was like 232 avg?
DMU has been a systems second year and isdoing similar first year for next year.
So I would say that KCU and DMU have similar cirriculums.
Both schools have cheap COL.

The only differences I can really pro/ con is the area and the cultures/ cirriculum subjectiveness.
DMU is a friendly area while KCU is in the hood. This doesnt bother me being from Miami areaish.
KCU has optional attendance but I have seen many student complain about eing on campus constantly fr random required things. DMU seems to have only roughly three days a week required and for like 1-2 hours for labs etc.
KCU is openly higher stress culture and cirriculum while DMU is layed back.
I want to mention that DMU and KCU have similar scores and so what setsthem appartlargely is the subjective feel of theenvironment. Some people may perform better at KCU as they are higher stressed and that may push or drive you to perform. DMU is layed back which may allow you to slack. I am highly self motivated and would perform equal in either but prefer the low stress environment.

The 3/4 year rotations I am not knowledgeable enough to comment on.
DMU has a baddass gym compared to KCU.
KCU was larger and had a more prestigious or “Hogwarts” type feel.
DMU felt a little newerish

You cannot go wrong with either. And they are very similar and amazing schools. Most of these pros and cons are going to be subjective and feel like splitting hairs.

 

[DOhopeful58]

I’ll be going to DMU and turned down an interview at KCU but I have a good friend who goes to KCU and seems very happy there. From what I’ve gathered, they seem like similar schools and I feel like your decision should come down to location. They both have solid board scores, realistically your future score probably won’t change based on which one you choose. I like that DMU is the only med school in Des Moines so there isn’t competition for rotations at local hospitals (although not everyone can stay for rotations of course). I’ve also heard really great things about Des Moines as a city and I certainly wouldn’t consider it rural but that might be a matter of perspective If you like a bigger city, go with KCU. I don’t think there’s a bad decision here! They’re both very established well respected schools in the Midwest. Good luck!

 

[xnnsx1]

I’ll be going to DMU and turned down an interview at KCU but I have a good friend who goes to KCU and seems very happy there. From what I’ve gathered, they seem like similar schools and I feel like your decision should come down to location. They both have solid board scores, realistically your future score probably won’t change based on which one you choose. I like that DMU is the only med school in Des Moines so there isn’t competition for rotations at local hospitals (although not everyone can stay for rotations of course). I’ve also heard really great things about Des Moines as a city and I certainly wouldn’t consider it rural but that might be a matter of perspective If you like a bigger city, go with KCU. I don’t think there’s a bad decision here! They’re both very established well respected schools in the Midwest. Good luck!

Doesn't KCU have more hospitals to rotate at? Sdn says dmu rotations aren't the best.

 

[DOhopeful58]

Doesn't KCU have more hospitals to rotate at? Sdn says dmu rotations aren't the best.

Honestly no idea, you should probably disregard that part of my comment actually lol that was more of an assumption. I asked a current student on here about DMU rotations and they said they haven’t heard any complaints but idk. You can look up the specific rotation sites I think!

 

[Stagg737]

Doesn't KCU have more hospitals to rotate at? Sdn says dmu rotations aren't the best.

KCU alum here. We rotated in 9 different states but I stayed in the KC area. Rotated at 11 different hospitals total (mix of academic and community, though more community) and several outpt offices. There were quite a few I did not rotate at in the KC area as well. I wanted to get as wide of a variety as possible. Some of the rotations were really strong (like better than most residencies strong) and a few were...lacking. Overall I was very happy with my clinical education and had no problems transitioning into residency. Seems like the curriculum has changed since I graduated, but most of the clinical sites seem to be the same.

I also don't think the area is as god awful as some people think it is, especially after the school bought and tore down the two really shady motels that used to be across the street. Definitely not the best area around campus, but security is fantastic and if you have any street smarts it's not an issue imo. I also can't speak to the current culture, but my class definitely was NOT gunnerish and I actually chose KCU because of the atmosphere and student body. Had interviewed at DMU in a previous cycle and in the end am glad I ended up at KCU. DMU is also a very solid school, but just wouldn't have been right for me.

 

[tsmleague]

KCU alum here. We rotated in 9 different states but I stayed in the KC area. Rotated at 11 different hospitals total (mix of academic and community, though more community) and several outpt offices. There were quite a few I did not rotate at in the KC area as well. I wanted to get as wide of a variety as possible. Some of the rotations were really strong (like better than most residencies strong) and a few were...lacking. Overall I was very happy with my clinical education and had no problems transitioning into residency. Seems like the curriculum has changed since I graduated, but most of the clinical sites seem to be the same.

I also don't think the area is as god awful as some people think it is, especially after the school bought and tore down the two really shady motels that used to be across the street. Definitely not the best area around campus, but security is fantastic and if you have any street smarts it's not an issue imo. I also can't speak to the current culture, but my class definitely was NOT gunnerish and I actually chose KCU because of the atmosphere and student body. Had interviewed at DMU in a previous cycle and in the end am glad I ended up at KCU. DMU is also a very solid school, but just wouldn't have been right for me.

Why wasn't it right for you?

 

[Stagg737]

Why wasn't it right for you?

I think I could have been happy there. But at the time they had a traditional curriculum and I preferred a systems based one. The school/facilities seemed really compact and it just seemed kind of small. The big thing for me was that during the lunch with med students the students seemed really unenthusiastic and I remember one basically saying if he had a choice he wouldn't have gone to med school at all. When I interviewed at KCU everyone was really positive and up-beat, completely different vibes.

Those interviews were 7 and 5 years ago respectively though, so things may very well have changed. It's also possible the students on that interview day just had a bad day or were outliers at DMU. Either way, I wouldn't let my personal experience on interview days factor into your decision at all.

 

[xnnsx1]

AHHHH I'm still stuck.

 

[DOgdad23]

AHHHH I'm still stuck.

So I ended up choosing KCU over DMU. I'd be more than happy to PM you why if you'd like me to. At the end of the day no one can make that decision besides you.

Here's something someone else taught me. Flip a coin and commit to that. Like this is ACTUALLY going to make your decision. Heads = DMU, tails = KCU. If it lands on one and you're disappointed (or excited), then there's your answer.

 

[xnnsx1]

So I ended up choosing KCU over DMU. I'd be more than happy to PM you why if you'd like me to. At the end of the day no one can make that decision besides you.

Here's something someone else taught me. Flip a coin and commit to that. Like this is ACTUALLY going to make your decision. Heads = DMU, tails = KCU. If it lands on one and you're disappointed (or excited), then there's your answer.

Yes please tell me why you chose one over the other

 

[ILoveJeremyGuthrie11]

I chose KCU (Joplin) over DMU. I know you wouldn't be attending the same KCU campus as me, but I feel like the overall talking points are relatively the same. I decided to go with KCU over DMU mainly because of how I felt after the interview day, but also due to a few other things. The students at KCU seemed so much more enthusiastic about being there. They made it an incredibly fun day, while the DMU students seemed so indifferent towards it. To me, it just seemed like they didn't care about being there. Maybe I just interviewed during a rough week for them? I don't know. Not trying to bash the DMU students because I am sure they are all happy to be there.

I also chose KCU over DMU because of the significantly fewer amount of hours spent on OMM. KCU does the minimum 200 hours of OMM, whereas DMU does something like 400-500 hours. OMM is neat, but I really don't want to spend that much time on it.

The 3/4 year rotation sites for the Joplin campus also sold me more on KCU than DMU. Having the opportunity to rotate in two major hospitals in the Joplin area that are almost entirely for Joplin students was very enticing to me. Also, Freeman has four residency programs in two specialties that I am interested in. DMU has ok rotation sites in my opinion. Some great spots in Des Moines, but there are few spots and you get placed in a lottery system for them. The other sites are pretty rural and spread out over Iowa. At the KCU KC campus, though, you will probably have to spend some time out of the KC area due to the other medical schools, so that might be kind of even between KCU and DMU.

Like others have said, the board score averages for both COMLEX and USMLE for both schools are pretty even. They both match students into fairly competitive residency programs and are well established. Those were just my main reasons for choosing KCU over DMU.

 

[Stagg737]

Another thing for clinical rotation years is that for DMU you're required to record every patient interaction you have and submit it to the school. Saw a fellow 4th year from DMU doing it while we were on our EM rotation together and legit blew my mind that they had to fill out paperwork (not a ton, but took a few minutes per patient) and submit it to the school. Nothing like that at KCU. I have to do it for certain rotations in my residency now, and while it's certainly not the end of the world, it is a moderate annoyance that I wish I didn't have to deal with (and glad I didn't in med school).

 

[PenandPaper99]

So I ended up choosing KCU over DMU. I'd be more than happy to PM you why if you'd like me to. At the end of the day no one can make that decision besides you.

Here's something someone else taught me. Flip a coin and commit to that. Like this is ACTUALLY going to make your decision. Heads = DMU, tails = KCU. If it lands on one and you're disappointed (or excited), then there's your answer.

Could you PM me why also? I'm also stuck on this decision

 

[Chibucks15]

I chose KCU (Joplin) over DMU. I know you wouldn't be attending the same KCU campus as me, but I feel like the overall talking points are relatively the same. I decided to go with KCU over DMU mainly because of how I felt after the interview day, but also due to a few other things. The students at KCU seemed so much more enthusiastic about being there. They made it an incredibly fun day, while the DMU students seemed so indifferent towards it. To me, it just seemed like they didn't care about being there. Maybe I just interviewed during a rough week for them? I don't know. Not trying to bash the DMU students because I am sure they are all happy to be there.

I also chose KCU over DMU because of the significantly fewer amount of hours spent on OMM. KCU does the minimum 200 hours of OMM, whereas DMU does something like 400-500 hours. OMM is neat, but I really don't want to spend that much time on it.

The 3/4 year rotation sites for the Joplin campus also sold me more on KCU than DMU. Having the opportunity to rotate in two major hospitals in the Joplin area that are almost entirely for Joplin students was very enticing to me. Also, Freeman has four residency programs in two specialties that I am interested in. DMU has ok rotation sites in my opinion. Some great spots in Des Moines, but there are few spots and you get placed in a lottery system for them. The other sites are pretty rural and spread out over Iowa. At the KCU KC campus, though, you will probably have to spend some time out of the KC area due to the other medical schools, so that might be kind of even between KCU and DMU.

Like others have said, the board score averages for both COMLEX and USMLE for both schools are pretty even. They both match students into fairly competitive residency programs and are well established. Those were just my main reasons for choosing KCU over DMU.

I honestly have a hard time believing the rotation sites for a branch campus are that far and beyond better than DMU...theres 3 hospitals in the DSM area and even the 'rural' sites are mostly within 50 miles of school from what I can tell. Also the only other medical school in the state is 2 hours away at university of Iowa so there isn't a lot of spot competition. There are also several residency programs in the city, a couple IM, general surgery, psych, family med, and a couple more I believe. Idk you probably did interview on a bad week because I had the exact opposite feeling between the two in terms of students wanting to be there because of how much more intense the KCU curriculum is overall. Like your anatomy and pathology sound like nightmares

Basically OP, it comes down to what you feel. And in the grand scheme of things, it really won't matter all that much. This site is majority KCU so you're gonna hear more about it than other schools so take that into consideration

@Stagg737 that is weird...they've told us nothing about that so maybe that was site specific in the agreement with DMU? I hadn't heard about having to do that from anyone else either. Or else maybe that was an outdated policy because we have had a dean change. But hey ya learn something new every day haha not looking forward to it if we do have to do it.

 

[Chibucks15]

and whoever talked about rotation sites...the vast majority of all schools, espeically the established ones, do just fine in rotations. Take the 'advice' on here with about 3 pounds of salt because most of the time people come on here to vent, especially about rotations. I've heard good and bad things about rotations from established DOs as well as MDs so unless you're at a brand new place you'll do just fine

 

[ILoveJeremyGuthrie11]

I honestly have a hard time believing the rotation sites for a branch campus are that far and beyond better than DMU...theres 3 hospitals in the DSM area and even the 'rural' sites are mostly within 50 miles of school from what I can tell. Also the only other medical school in the state is 2 hours away at university of Iowa so there isn't a lot of spot competition. There are also several residency programs in the city, a couple IM, general surgery, psych, family med, and a couple more I believe. Idk you probably did interview on a bad week because I had the exact opposite feeling between the two in terms of students wanting to be there because of how much more intense the KCU curriculum is overall. Like your anatomy and pathology sound like nightmares

Basically OP, it comes down to what you feel. And in the grand scheme of things, it really won't matter all that much. This site is majority KCU so you're gonna hear more about it than other schools so take that into consideration

@Stagg737 that is weird...they've told us nothing about that so maybe that was site specific in the agreement with DMU? I hadn't heard about having to do that from anyone else either. Or else maybe that was an outdated policy because we have had a dean change. But hey ya learn something new every day haha not looking forward to it if we do have to do it.

I wasn't trying to make it sound like the rotation sites at KCU-Joplin were far and away better than DMU. I apologize if it came across that way. They are just a lot better to me personally. I would like to stay in the Joplin area for my 3/4 year rotations as much as possible and KCU-Joplin provides me with that, while DMU didn't come across that way. On my interview day they made it seem like getting a rotation spot in Des Moines would be difficult and entirely up to a random process with that lottery. I have no doubt that the rotation sites at DMU are good. I just know the hospital systems in Joplin because I have been there many times and I know they are pretty good hospitals. I have even had KCU-KC students tell me that the Joplin rotation sites are better than theirs, so I am going a lot off that.

I think I probably did interview during a bad week for DMU. They just seemed so unenthusiastic, though. The KCU students seemed like they genuinely loved their school, while the DMU students seemed like they were just kind of passively going through it. I am not at all trying to talk poorly about the students at DMU - I am sure they all love their school just as much as the KCU students.

I completely agree that it won't really matter in the end. They are basically equivalent schools, it just depends on where OP wants to live between KC and Des Moines.

 

[Stagg737]

I honestly have a hard time believing the rotation sites for a branch campus are that far and beyond better than DMU...theres 3 hospitals in the DSM area and even the 'rural' sites are mostly within 50 miles of school from what I can tell. Also the only other medical school in the state is 2 hours away at university of Iowa so there isn't a lot of spot competition. There are also several residency programs in the city, a couple IM, general surgery, psych, family med, and a couple more I believe. Idk you probably did interview on a bad week because I had the exact opposite feeling between the two in terms of students wanting to be there because of how much more intense the KCU curriculum is overall. Like your anatomy and pathology sound like nightmares

Basically OP, it comes down to what you feel. And in the grand scheme of things, it really won't matter all that much. This site is majority KCU so you're gonna hear more about it than other schools so take that into consideration

@Stagg737 that is weird...they've told us nothing about that so maybe that was site specific in the agreement with DMU? I hadn't heard about having to do that from anyone else either. Or else maybe that was an outdated policy because we have had a dean change. But hey ya learn something new every day haha not looking forward to it if we do have to do it.

I meant the DMU student had to record all of their patients and submit it to the school, I did not have to do this.

There's a lot of KCU experience here, would be good for OP to hear from some people from DMU. @Roxas , @touchpause13 , have any input/know anyone else who could share their opinions and experiences at DMU?

 

[Chibucks15]

I meant the DMU student had to record all of their patients and submit it to the school, I did not have to do this.

There's a lot of KCU experience here, would be good for OP to hear from some people from DMU. @Roxas , @touchpause13 , have any input/know anyone else who could share their opinions and experiences at DMU?

Yeah that's what I thought you meant. Idk I couldn't think of a logical reason for it haha I'm a second year there

 

[tsmleague]

Yeah that's what I thought you meant. Idk I couldn't think of a logical reason for it haha I'm a second year there

Does DMU really do 400-500 hours of OMM?

 

[Chibucks15]

Does DMU really do 400-500 hours of OMM?

idk what that number comes from. We do 1 50 min lecture a week along with 1 1.5 hour lab. Sometimes theres more than one but usually its just that. It really isnt bad at all...

 

[CJhooper123]

I chose KCU (Joplin) over DMU. I know you wouldn't be attending the same KCU campus as me, but I feel like the overall talking points are relatively the same. I decided to go with KCU over DMU mainly because of how I felt after the interview day, but also due to a few other things. The students at KCU seemed so much more enthusiastic about being there. They made it an incredibly fun day, while the DMU students seemed so indifferent towards it. To me, it just seemed like they didn't care about being there. Maybe I just interviewed during a rough week for them? I don't know. Not trying to bash the DMU students because I am sure they are all happy to be there.

I also chose KCU over DMU because of the significantly fewer amount of hours spent on OMM. KCU does the minimum 200 hours of OMM, whereas DMU does something like 400-500 hours. OMM is neat, but I really don't want to spend that much time on it.

The 3/4 year rotation sites for the Joplin campus also sold me more on KCU than DMU. Having the opportunity to rotate in two major hospitals in the Joplin area that are almost entirely for Joplin students was very enticing to me. Also, Freeman has four residency programs in two specialties that I am interested in. DMU has ok rotation sites in my opinion. Some great spots in Des Moines, but there are few spots and you get placed in a lottery system for them. The other sites are pretty rural and spread out over Iowa. At the KCU KC campus, though, you will probably have to spend some time out of the KC area due to the other medical schools, so that might be kind of even between KCU and DMU.

Like others have said, the board score averages for both COMLEX and USMLE for both schools are pretty even. They both match students into fairly competitive residency programs and are well established. Those were just my main reasons for choosing KCU over DMU.

Just wanted to clarify. Do you have knowledge of which of the KCU-sponsored residencies will be surviving the merger? I was under the assumption that the ENT and maybe a few others were going for ACGME accreditation? I could be wrong... but I think there are a couple of programs that aren't continuing.

 

[DOCzilla15]

Kcu removed dedicated study periods for CO 2021 all of May is now scheduled out for clinical skills class with mandatory attendance. That would be a deal breaker for me if I were applying rn

 

[tsmleague]

Kcu removed dedicated study periods for CO 2021 all of May is now scheduled out for clinical skills class with mandatory attendance. That would be a deal breaker for me if I were applying rn

Wait they told us we get like 6 weeks dedicated when I interviewed a month ago

Whattttt

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

As of this very second we (c/o 2021) have June 1 - July 19 of pure dedicated with no school interference.

 

[Shammyguy3]

As of this very second we (c/o 2021) have June 1 - July 19 of pure dedicated with no school interference.

Would it be feasible to take both USMLE and COMLEX during this timeframe though?

 

[DOCzilla15]

As of this very second we (c/o 2021) have June 1 - July 19 of pure dedicated with no school interference.

That’s great if you get a testing date then
What about those people in the military tract or mba program who have to take the boards by June 9th is 6 DAYS enough time?

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

That’s great if you get a testing date then
What about those people in the military tract or mba program who have to take the boards by June 9th is 6 DAYS enough time?

I can't speak for military track; if that is the case, that is extremely unfortunate. I sincerely hope it is not; their schedule is already hectic enough as it is.

But I can speak for the MBA program. We originally had to take COMLEX & USMLE before July 1st. After we spoke with the head of the program, we were able to make July 1 - July 8 completely online so that if students feel they want that extra week to study, they can take it.

I'm not saying that I like that we've lost some dedicated - it sucks. I'm just saying that we still have a pretty average amount of time.

 

[DOCzilla15]

I can't speak for military track; if that it the case, that is extremely unfortunate. I sincerely hope it is not, and I highly doubt it is the case since their schedule is already so hectic as it is.

But I can speak for the MBA program. We originally had to take COMLEX & USMLE before July 1st. But, after our group spoke with the head of the MBA program, we were able to make July 1 - July 8 completely online so that if students feel they want that extra week to study, they can take it.

I'm not saying I like the idea, I'm just saying it's not all doom & gloom, and if you schedule your studies appropriately you will have plenty of time.

I would say it’s not all doom and gloom but being realistic, this is the first Merged match. we have to do even better on boards as DO students to begin with. I don’t fully understand the added disadvantage of the clerkship transition class especially when it’s well understood we now have to perform even better than before. It’s something that if I were applying I would want to know about and it would greatly impact my decision.

 

[ILoveJeremyGuthrie11]

Just wanted to clarify. Do you have knowledge of which of the KCU-sponsored residencies will be surviving the merger? I was under the assumption that the ENT and maybe a few others were going for ACGME accreditation? I could be wrong... but I think there are a couple of programs that aren't continuing.

According to the ERAS website, the Internal Medicine, Psych, and ENT residencies are ACGME accredited. The emergency med residency is not ACGME accredited yet for some reason I do not know of. It is still listed under the AOA section on ERAS.

Edit: These are the Joplin, MO residencies.

 

[ILoveJeremyGuthrie11]

Does DMU really do 400-500 hours of OMM?

Those are the numbers they told us at my interview day. The OMM fellows said the medical students do about 400 hours or so of OMM. I do not know if that is an exact number, just what I was told by a couple students there. That does not mean that DMU is bad. I just don't want to focus as much on OMM in medical school. KCU said they do the minimum amount of OMM and that appealed to me.

Disclaimer: DMU is a great school. I am in no way trying to say that KCU is better than DMU in any way. All I am saying is that KCU fit my idea of what I wanted out of medical school more. It was a tough decision for me to choose KCU over DMU.

 

[Chibucks15]

Those are the numbers they told us at my interview day. The OMM fellows said the medical students do about 400 hours or so of OMM. I do not know if that is an exact number, just what I was told by a couple students there. That does not mean that DMU is bad. I just don't want to focus as much on OMM in medical school. KCU said they do the minimum amount of OMM and that appealed to me.

Disclaimer: DMU is a great school. I am in no way trying to say that KCU is better than DMU in any way. All I am saying is that KCU fit my idea of what I wanted out of medical school more. It was a tough decision for me to choose KCU over DMU.

Oh interesting...didn't know there was a number. However, it really doesn't feel like a bunch of time (for other people that are still up in the air...seems like you've decided. Good luck!)

 

[ILoveJeremyGuthrie11]

Oh interesting...didn't know there was a number. However, it really doesn't feel like a bunch of time (for other people that are still up in the air...seems like you've decided. Good luck!)

I guess there is haha. Basically, DMU emphasizes OMM a lot more than KCU and that kind of pushed me more towards KCU. There were a lot of other factors much more important to me than the amount of OMM, but that was one thing that played a minor role in my decision.

Either way, DMU produces kick ass students that will be just as competent as any other medical student in the country, in my opinion. It was truthfully really difficult for me to choose KCU over DMU.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I think I probably did interview during a bad week for DMU. They just seemed so unenthusiastic, though. The KCU students seemed like they genuinely loved their school, while the DMU students seemed like they were just kind of passively going through it.

Just want to point out for future applicants that I wouldn’t ever use how the ambassadors at the school interview day acted as something to sway me either way. This goes for any school, not just the ones in this thread.

Just wanted to clarify. Do you have knowledge of which of the KCU-sponsored residencies will be surviving the merger? I was under the assumption that the ENT and maybe a few others were going for ACGME accreditation? I could be wrong... but I think there are a couple of programs that aren't continuing.

ENT already has it for the Joplin programs, as for the other programs with KCU in general I believe GS, Ortho, derm, a number of FM, IM, all have it already.

Would it be feasible to take both USMLE and COMLEX during this timeframe though?

6 weeks dedicated is plenty. You don’t want to space out your tests. I’m taking mine on a Monday and then a Friday.

 

[RNthenDoc]

If you’re looking at something competitive, I would attend KCU. The metro is larger, there are more opportunities to network, and their grads have solid reputations. I happen to have one of their alumni teaching at my allopathic school far, far away from KC!

I was torn between the two of them also, but I believe I ultimately would have gone with KCU in the end. I even sent an email asking about if they could offer scholarships to pull me one way or another. DMU seemed like a much more chill atmosphere, but KCU felt (subjectively) more plugged in.

Either school is a top choice DO, though, so it’s a good spot to be in!

 

[Blanky]

KCU offered me a $5,000 scholarship for M1 only.... maybe if it was for all four years.

 

[Roxas]

I meant the DMU student had to record all of their patients and submit it to the school, I did not have to do this.

There's a lot of KCU experience here, would be good for OP to hear from some people from DMU. @Roxas , @touchpause13 , have any input/know anyone else who could share their opinions and experiences at DMU?

Re: patient logs. Yeah it's annoying, but it rarely takes me more than a few minutes per day or 10 minutes if I put them off til the end of the week.

As for OMM, I really hadn't thought of DMU as an OMM heavy school. 1 hr of lecture + 1.5 hrs of lab per week. The more important factor imo is that both the written and practical exams are pretty freaking easy compared to everything else, and rarely required more than a day or 2 of prep before the exam as an afterthought to other classes. This has not been what I've heard from many other schools, where OMM can even be a hurdle to students making it through preclinical and having ridiculously difficult exams. None of that at DMU.

Overall I'd say my experience at DMU has been a positive one and the entirety of my gripes are things that are likely common to all DO schools. I had also been accepted to KCU and in retrospect am glad I went where I did because I probably would have been weeded out of KCU. Many times it felt like faculty and especially admin were making things more difficult on students than they needed to be just for their sadistic amusement, and I oftentimes feel like DMU students have great success in spite of the school and not because of it. However now that I'm nearing the end of the road I can look back and realize that there are many faculty at the school that are amazing. The facilities, the students, and Des Moines itself have been everything that I had hoped for, so I'd probably make the same decision. I even had really good clinical rotations sites, although I lucked out and had an above-average experience compared to many of my classmates.