KYCOM vs. LECOM-B

[Zinc14]

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[Doctor_Strange]

Lecom. Better in almost every metric. However fit is important. Don't go somewhere where you truly feel uncomfortable or cannot vibe with. I would say if lecom has figured out their rotation quandary then go for lecom. Even lecom b has a solid reputation albeit their hiccup with their rotations recently but I was told they are cleaning up their act. Tldr: doesn't matter go where you go, just do well

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

The only reasons I would say KYCOM are either:
1.) You love rural family medicine
2.) You are worried about being successful in the PBL curriculum... you have to be very self-motivated.

Otherwise, IMO, LECOM is clearly the better option for the reasons you listed.

I will say, however, when I visited these schools I got the exact same vibe as you did with regards to the students at both schools. That being said, you are only meeting a handful of students on your interview dates, so who knows.

Also... do you really want to live in Pikeville? 😕 The nearest Starbucks is like an hour away! 😱

Disclaimer: I may be male, but my spirit animal is a basic white girl.

 

[FCMike11]

Hi everyone!

I was fortunately accepted to KYCOM and LECOM Bradenton. Now I am trying to decide between the two schools ASAP since the KYCOM deposit is due 12/14 (and LECOM B deposit is due 1/9). Any help will be super appreciated!
FYI: I'm a PA resident and would highly prefer to return to PA during rotations and ultimately practice in suburban or urban PA. I am also pretty sure I want to specialize and not pursue a primary care career (although I realize that both schools are primary care focused). I am still waiting to hear back from UNECOM and have a few more interviews coming up in January/February (including PCOM--my top choice, but I might cancel some of the others).

KYCOM (KY):
Pros: Kycom advantage (free books, equipment, laptop, etc); option of driving (10 hrs) or flying (although nearest airport is 2 hrs away from kycom); students and faculty seemed genuinely caring and supportive; traditional lecture based style
Cons: rural/in the mountains; driving there is difficult; not much to do in the area; only 0-1 rotation sites in PA each year; rural medicine focus; low board scores (but they have been increasing in recent years); mandatory 8 hr lecture days

LECOM-Bradenton (FL):
Pros: super low tuition; awesome board scores; numerous rotation sites in PA; more residency matches into specialties; less of a primary care focus than that at kycom
Cons: flying is the only way to get there (aka more expensive travel); students and faculty were nice but I got more of a "stressed out" feel there from the students; uncertainty of PBL


Overall, I feel like LECOM has more advantages than KYCOM. The tuition cost at LECOM is $32K and cost at KYCOM is $41K. After doing some calculations considering KYCOM advantage, LECOM's lower tuition, travel costs, and high possibility of coming back for rotations in PA, it seems like LECOM would be cheaper by around $15K over the total four years.

However, it definitely seemed like LECOM's student body was more competitive/"cut-throat" than the student body at KYCOM. At KYCOM, all the students just seemed so supportive and happy. Of course, I only got a tiny glimpse at both schools during my interview days, so this could be a totally false impression. One thing that threw me off when I was at LECOM was what a current student at LECOM told me... basically, she told me when I was in the restroom that she did not like it at LECOM... PBL was very difficult and she and many other students were struggling. Again, I know this was only one student's opinion but it did kind of stick with me...

Additionally, I am still a little uncertain about the PBL curriculum. I do think I will like it and do well in it because I learn best when I study independently. I've always disliked attending lectures and never felt like I learned much from them.. I've always felt like I was frantically scribbling notes without actually digesting the material. I really like the team-based aspect of PBL and the exposure to real life patient cases to work through. However, PBL is still a new concept to me and I won't really know if I will do well in it until I try... So it's basically the uncertainty of this learning style that is confusing me right now the most.

Please let me know if you guys have any suggestions regarding which school to choose and why. I would also appreciate any advice regarding how to determine if PBL would be a good fit for me. Lastly, does anyone know whether you can practice at any hospital in the country during LECOM's 4th year rotations (I know you can do this at KYCOM)?

Thanks so much--I truly appreciate the help!!!

I really didnt like LECOM-B because the rotations were so up in the air-ish. Definitely moving and likely multiple times. Only thing it has on KCOM is tuition and location (PBL if you like it - I do). It really depends on if you can handle KCOMs rural location, but that's where I would go.

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[Rekt]

Your real decision is between mandatory 8 hour lecture and PBL which are completely different curriculum. I don't 100% know how PBL works, but you need to be an even stronger self-learner than a regular curriculum.

If you don't mind the PBL aspect, then I'd chose Lecom-B, although it wouldn't be in my top picks, but if that's all you got I feel it's the better choice.

 

[Ho0v-man]

I'd go lecom-b since you want to go to PA after 2nd year unless you really think you can't handle pbl. Why wouldn't you go to one of the PA lecoms?

I really didnt like LECOM-B because the rotations were so up in the air-ish. Definitely moving and likely multiple times. Only thing it has on KCOM is tuition and location (PBL if you like it - I do). It really depends on if you can handle KCOMs rural location, but that's where I would go.

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Not KCOM, kYcom.


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[FCMike11]

I'd go lecom-b since you want to go to PA after 2nd year unless you really think you can't handle pbl. Why wouldn't you go to one of the PA lecoms?



Not KCOM, kYcom.


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Oh. Was thinking we were talking about Kirksville. My mistake. A lot still applies.


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[Zinc14]

Even lecom b has a solid reputation albeit their hiccup with their rotations recently but I was told they are cleaning up their act.

Yeah.. I heard they lost some rotation sites and took on larger classes without adding more rotation spots. Does anyone know whether they have resolved this issue now? LECOM B and LECOM E share all the same rotations from what I understand, but I've also heard that Erie gets to pick first (esp for PA spots) and LECOM B students get the leftovers. Does anyone know if this is true? I basically just want some assurance that I will still have a good chance of coming back North for rotations haha.

If you don't mind the PBL aspect, then I'd chose Lecom-B, although it wouldn't be in my top picks, but if that's all you got I feel it's the better choice.

I think I can deal with PBL. I agree that LECOM B wasn't really in my top picks either, but it and KYCOM are all I've got right now. Definitely want to go to the place between the two that will give me the best education and chance of success, and if that means PBL, I guess I'll go for it.

Why wouldn't you go to one of the PA lecoms?

Because neither LECOM Erie or Seton Hill have invited me for interviews!! I submitted my secondaries to them in September and have even called them to check if they have everything. Apparently I've been under review for the last four months... of course I'd rather go to a PA LECOM and I recently wrote them a letter of interest. so strange I got into LECOM B but LECOM E doesn't even give me a passing glance despite being from PA 🙁

Also... do you really want to live in Pikeville? 😕 The nearest Starbucks is like an hour away! 😱

hahaha completely agree!

 

[Doctor_Strange]

The only reasons I would say KYCOM are either:
1.) You love rural family medicine
2.) You are worried about being successful in the PBL curriculum... you have to be very self-motivated.

Otherwise, IMO, LECOM is clearly the better option for the reasons you listed.

I will say, however, when I visited these schools I got the exact same vibe as you did with regards to the students at both schools. That being said, you are only meeting a handful of students on your interview dates, so who knows.

Also... do you really want to live in Pikeville? 😕 The nearest Starbucks is like an hour away! 😱

Disclaimer: I may be male, but my spirit animal is a basic white girl.

Holy **** about starbucks. that is too rural for me and i went to a rural college for 4 yrs

 

[Doctor_Strange]

Yeah.. I heard they lost some rotation sites and took on larger classes without adding more rotation spots. Does anyone know whether they have resolved this issue now? LECOM B and LECOM E share all the same rotations from what I understand, but I've also heard that Erie gets to pick first (esp for PA spots) and LECOM B students get the leftovers. Does anyone know if this is true? I basically just want some assurance that I will still have a good chance of coming back North for rotations haha.



I think I can deal with PBL. I agree that LECOM B wasn't really in my top picks either, but it and KYCOM are all I've got right now. Definitely want to go to the place between the two that will give me the best education and chance of success, and if that means PBL, I guess I'll go for it.



Because neither LECOM Erie or Seton Hill have invited me for interviews!! I submitted my secondaries to them in September and have even called them to check if they have everything. Apparently I've been under review for the last four months... of course I'd rather go to a PA LECOM and I recently wrote them a letter of interest. so strange I got into LECOM B but LECOM E doesn't even give me a passing glance despite being from PA 🙁



hahaha completely agree!

I'll be attending LECOM-SH next year--a branch campus of Erie. As far as I know, these rotations are wholly separate. LECOM-B has their own setup, but I think they screwed up so bad that yes some came up North for rotations.