LECOM-B vs. UNECOM vs. RVU-COM

[snl1001]

Hello! I have recently been accepted to UNECOM, LECOM-Bradenton and Rocky Vista. I am very conflicted so here are the pros and cons (I'm sure I missed some but here's what just came to mind):

UNE: (more personal)
Pro's:
-very close to home (1.5hrs)
-would allow me to stay in New England and build connections since I want to eventually return here and odds of getting into one of the New England MD school's is low but fingers crossed
-love the faculty and staff that I have met and have heard good things from current students
-Campus is moving to Portland from Biddeford and med school recently got a significant grant, more $$$ for the program
-Could live at home for my entire 3rd year of clinical rotations since an affiliated rotation site is 15 min from my house
Cons:
-EXPENSIVE
-As all DO schools, the majority of students go into primary care which isn't exactly what I want (but unsure)
-its f****** cold and gloomy up here and I kind of want to see another part of the US

RVU: (most appealing change in scenery)
Pro's:
-great test scores/pass rates/residency match
-I have a friend there now that loves it and feels that RVU is really preparing her to be a tremendous physician
-global medicine and rural medicine tracks are super cool avenues and I would be super interested in going down one of those routes given that RVU has the tracks/resources set up for it
-location is sweet. I love to ski, and do all outdoorsy things
Cons:
-EXPENSIVE also
-no family out west at all so I would literally be ALONE
-I hate flying, so traveling for holidays would suck
-housing is more expensive than my other locations
-not as much name recognition as UNE (in the northeast at least) or as LECOM


LECOM-B: (cheapest/close-ish to a support system)
Pro's:
-warm, near both sets of grandparents and could possibly live with them to save $$
-CHEAP
-warm af
-also decent pass rates, residency match
-LECOM is one of the most well known DO schools, even though this is the bradenton campus my friends in the medicine world say that the LECOM alumni they have worked with have been super bright, very prepared and well rounded.
Con's:
-Florida is a crazy place (lived there for 8 years)
-Away from my immediate family
-PBL(torn, think I'd do well but ehhh), dress code, no eating in class is kind of a bummer


Still waiting on post-Interview responses from ICOM, PNWU, and Campbell. Withdrew from WVSOM and Touro-Harlem. Waiting on 10 MD schools and 5 more DO schools as well for II!

Thanks!

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[never-too-late]

I don't know about your other schools, but I'm at UNE, so let me just clarify a couple of your Pros/cons:
1) if you were starting next year you probably wouldn't spend much time on the Portland campus. I don't know what the exact time frame is but we were told it was a few years off, I interpreted that as at least 3. Both campuses are beautiful though.
2) Some of the faculty and students seem really great, but due to Covid-19 protocols we don't really know each other outside of very small groups. I honestly know less than 20 classmates...at all. And who knows when that is going to change! Maybe 5 faculty can actually match my face to my name. We are mostly asynchronous online at this time, except for anatomy and clinical skills.
3) you could possibly rotate near your home, but there's no guarantee. You could end up in Pittsfield Mass, or somewhere in NJ. People with children are supposedly given priority, but even they are told not to count on getting their top choice placement if it's a really popular site.
4) you mention dress code as a con on one of yours. We have a dress code for sure: scrubs on campus and professional dress when required, like for our Friday afternoon classes.

I chose between 2 expensive north east schools, and there's a lot to be said for cheap and warm (as my driveway is currently a sheet of ice)! I chose UNE for a lot of the reasons you list as pros. I don't regret my choice, but reality is very different than I imagined.

 

[snl1001]

Thank you so much for replying. All feedback is helpful for me going forward. can i PM you more specific questions?

 

[never-too-late]

Thank you so much for replying. All feedback is helpful for me going forward. can i PM you more specific questions?

Sure