KCUMB or TUNCOM? Decision by tomorrow night :(

[ChubbyPanda]

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Hello everyone! I am very fortunate to have gained acceptances to two schools, KCUMB and TUNCOM. I am waiting to hear back from my home state school (first choice since my family is there) but if I am denied admission, I will have to choose between these two. There are pros and cons to each school and I am hoping you guys can help me out 🙂

With KCUMB, I fell in love with the campus and the genesis curriculum (makes sense to study everything by systems). I feel it suits my learning style more. However, location is the negative factor here...far from family and SO. I also do not want to do my clerkships in MO (would rather do it in Michigan or Colorado), which means I will have to move after two years.

With TUNCOM, the huge plus is the location. A few of their students matched in my home state last year. I get to live in the same state for 4 years and since were the only school in Vegas, the rotations are great. The major con is the curriculum and the campus (warehouse feel) though I understand that I'm only going to be on campus for 2 years. Compared to KCUMB, I am not a huge fan of TUNCOM's curriculum...mostly because it reminds me of undergrad where you take a bunch of classes that arent related. However, I think the admissions representative said that the professors try to collaborate and go through the same body systems so the materials overlap each other.

Basically, my main problem is location (+1 TUNCOM) and curriculum (+1 KCUMB). I have to make a decision asap since the second deposit is due on Friday for KCUMB. Any advice would be greatly appreciated 🙂

 

[FakeEmpire]

The way I look at this dilemma is I am going to medical school to learn and do well. A bad location is not permanent and I can deal with it, however a bad curriculum will make the whole reason I am there that much harder. I would choose curriculum over location any day, but keep in mind you don’t know for sure the genesis curriculum will be that much better.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Agree with the above. In addition, KCUMB is definitely in the list of the top most respected and established DO schools. I don't know anything about TUNCOM except that their secondary was more than i wanted to spend, and that I have a friend there. That's all.

I don't know your situation, but how serious is the boyfriend and how much time does being closer save? i couldn't do med school without my wife so if it is that important stay close. However if it is semi serious, understand that I have been in school 8 months and have seen MANY long distance relationships end, 99% of which all said that they were going to be different. If you guys end up not making it, are you going to regret not going to KCUMB?

Personally, I would go to KCUMB, but i have never been to TUNCOM's campus.

 

[GUH]

I ended up declining my KCUMB ii and deciding to go to TUNCOM largely because of location and the fact that, as you said, there aren't any other medical schools in the (fairly well-populated) area. KCUMB looks like they have a good thing going on but for me Nevada > Kansas City.

That being said, don't let your SO's location be the deciding factor. Also, there's no guarantee about the quality of rotations at TUNCOM, since they're not set in stone from what I've gathered, although it does seem likely that you will be able to stay in the Vegas area. I don't know what the clinical education is like at KCUMB.

Best of luck in your decision!

 

[Wozo30]

I am a 4th year at KCUMB so can answer some questions that you have. I'm from the KC area so only looked at KCUMB so I cannot speak for other schools. I know that we have a good name and routinely have pretty match stats for our graduating classes. As far as the genesis curriculum goes, it is very intuitive and I feel that it keeps your interests. By breaking it into systems you get good with bad, meaning I loved anatomy but hated physiology so you get equal parts (depending on the section.) So you arent wanting to dive on a knife from 6 weeks straight of phys and pharm. There's also free tutoring for OMM, path, and anatomy that probably 1/2-2/3 of students take advantage. The campus is very nice and most professors are very approachable and eager to help. The 3rd and 4th year rotations can be difficult to assess. I stayed in KC so mine have varied in quality, which I think is kind of the norm unless your clinicals are associated with a teaching hospital (there are KU, Research, Truman, Children's Mercy and St. Luke's hospital that have residency programs in KC.) Also remember htat your fourth year 4-5 months will be spent doing audition rotations for residency so you'll be all over the place as well. About half of the students stay in KC (its a lottery so some of those that want to stay dont get to, but no preference is given to those that own a house or have children...but prob 95-100% work out depending on the interest in KC).

As far as staying for family, friends, and BF that would be your decision. Med school will put a strain on all of your relationships. Friends and family will forgive you not being there all the time, too tired to talk, or cant come home certain weekends because you have a test. BF arent so forgiving. If its a serious relationship that is close to being engaged then consider it a factor, otherwise I wouldnt. I have seen many relationships including marriages fail in med school and others strengthen. I married my wife during my third year. So it can and does work out, but if you break up and would have rather went to KCUMB you will hold it against that person, fair or not.

PM if you have any other questions.

 

[ChubbyPanda]

Thank you for the advice everyone 🙂 got some thinking to do tonight

FakeEmpire - you make a good point. I actually heard a lot about the genesis curriculum from the med students but maybe I should talk to the TUNCOM students and see what they think is the pros and cons of their curriculum.

FrkyBgStok and GUH - my bf and I have done long distance during undergrad. its just the thought of doing long distance again that sucks but like FakeEmpire said, curriculum is important too.

 

[gmcguitar4]

like FakeEmpire said, curriculum is important too.

I feel like curriculum is not that important in the grand scheme of things. Every school has it's ups and downs when you look at the resources available and how the classes are taught. The rotation sites available, amount of time in certain rotations( for example, pcom leaves room for a lot of electives), and location are pretty darn important. I don't mean closeness to family and the climate, I mean the types of hospitals that are around the connections the school has with them. Like NYC or other major cities will have way more opportunities for students..also you have a better opportunity to establish connections at those hospitals for residencies as opposed to traveling all over the country because your school is in the middle of nowhere. I just think the way the school is the first 2 shouldn't be as big of a selling point as it is. Schools mostly try to sell students by emphasizing those years during the interview and leave out a TON in regards to the 2nd half of school...there may be reasons why they do that, no?

 

[backsideattack1]

I feel like curriculum is not that important in the grand scheme of things. Every school has it's ups and downs when you look at the resources available and how the classes are taught. The rotation sites available, amount of time in certain rotations( for example, pcom leaves room for a lot of electives), and location are pretty darn important. I don't mean closeness to family and the climate, I mean the types of hospitals that are around the connections the school has with them. Like NYC or other major cities will have way more opportunities for students..also you have a better opportunity to establish connections at those hospitals for residencies as opposed to traveling all over the country because your school is in the middle of nowhere. I just think the way the school is the first 2 shouldn't be as big of a selling point as it is. Schools mostly try to sell students by emphasizing those years during the interview and leave out a TON in regards to the 2nd half of school...there may be reasons why they do that, no?

When other medical schools are attempting to change their curriculum to mirror the KCUMB curriculum, I think that means a lot. Obviously, it depends on the person to do well, but if you have a well-structured curriculum that even makes it easier to learn, then that will help in the long run, and by long run, I mean understanding all concepts to do well on those boards. KCUMB has a larger alumni so you will likely find KCUMB grads around the country.

 

[KGflyboy]

You moved to be with him for your masters, so it's his turn to move to be with you... That is if you all see yourselves getting married. If not, than it seems pointless to consider his location in the first place. If you were married or had kids, I could understand the dilemma.... But letting a boyfriend affect your med school decision seems odd. I am not judging(I don't know the full background here). But based on the info you provided... you sound as though you are basing a decision about the rest of your life on a relationship still under "temp" status.

 

[Wozo30]

I feel like curriculum is not that important in the grand scheme of things. Every school has it's ups and downs when you look at the resources available and how the classes are taught. The rotation sites available, amount of time in certain rotations( for example, pcom leaves room for a lot of electives), and location are pretty darn important. I don't mean closeness to family and the climate, I mean the types of hospitals that are around the connections the school has with them. Like NYC or other major cities will have way more opportunities for students..also you have a better opportunity to establish connections at those hospitals for residencies as opposed to traveling all over the country because your school is in the middle of nowhere. I just think the way the school is the first 2 shouldn't be as big of a selling point as it is. Schools mostly try to sell students by emphasizing those years during the interview and leave out a TON in regards to the 2nd half of school...there may be reasons why they do that, no?

I couldn't disagree more. While there may be some students that can autodidact and do not need the structure of class, for others it is a necessity. Besides you have a lot of latitude when it comes to your clinicals, especially during your 4th year. Making connections is great, but its not guaranteed. What is incredibly important is your board scores, perhaps not as much for all DO residencies but high scores makes your life easier. And starting in 2015 the accredidation of residencies will be a joint effort between the ACGME and AOA, therefore distinctions will not be made between allopath and osteopath applicants. How do you compare them?? Board scores, of course this is done today but you will have MD applicants to compete against as well. How do you perform well on boards?? It starts with the fundamental base of your first two years. KCUMB consistently scores above the national average on both the USMLE and COMLEX. Step II is important as well but not near as much as Step I. And besides, those residencies you are looking to get into will come into play during your auditions and not your core rotations of which most you do during your 3rd year. I think I have some street cred having been through the process and recently matching into a competitive specialty and not a pre-med.

 

[ladybug1552]

Hello everyone! I am very fortunate to have gained acceptances to two schools, KCUMB and TUNCOM. I am waiting to hear back from my home state school (first choice since my family is there) but if I am denied admission, I will have to choose between these two. There are pros and cons to each school and I am hoping you guys can help me out 🙂

With KCUMB, I fell in love with the campus and the genesis curriculum (makes sense to study everything by systems). I feel it suits my learning style more. However, location is the negative factor here as my boyfriend is in California (costly for flights) and my family is located in the west coast. I also do not want to do my clerkships in MO (would rather do it in Michigan or Colorado), which means I will have to move after two years.

With TUNCOM, the huge plus is the location...closer to bf and family. It'll be easier with the whole long distance and its not as costly. A few of their students matched in my home state last year. I get to live in the same state for 4 years and since were the only school in Vegas, the rotations are great. The major con is the curriculum and the campus (warehouse feel) though I understand that I'm only going to be on campus for 2 years. Compared to KCUMB, I am not a huge fan of TUNCOM's curriculum...mostly because it reminds me of undergrad where you take a bunch of classes that arent related. However, I think the admissions representative said that the professors try to collaborate and go through the same body systems so the materials overlap each other.

Basically, my main problem is location (+1 TUNCOM) and curriculum (+1 KCUMB). I have to make a decision asap since the second deposit is due on Friday for KCUMB. Any advice would be greatly appreciated 🙂

Can you drive between TUNCOM and your bf/family? If not, then you have to take a flight regardless of whether you're at TUNCOM or KCUMB. That doesn't make TUNCOM's location that big of plus over KCUMB's curriculum.

I may be biased towards KCUMB though. I'll be matriculating there this August and I'm from the west coast, btw. I wasn't super keen on moving to the midwest at first but the school/program/reputation won me over and it quickly became my first choice. If things are meant to be with the bf you'll find a way to make things work no matter where you go. You definitely won't be the only one doing the distance thing with a SO.

 

[ChubbyPanda]

Thank you for your input and insight everyone. The major issue isnt so much the bf (he supports wherever I choose to go) but the curriculum vs location (and clerkship site). I'll take in everyone's advice and do some major thinking tonight 🙂