LECOM - Bradenton Discussion thread 2007-2008

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You really should see somebody...:laugh:

Seriously though, I'm considering sending an application to Bradenton for this cycle. If things don't workout at TCOM this year, I will definitely make Bradenton one of my first choice schools for next year. At this point, I'm not even sure if it's too late to apply for this cycle.

The tuition and PBL still makes me nervous but any OOS school will be the same. Honestly, living in south FL for a few years sounds great.

Definitely go ahead and just throw in an app for this year if you have everything in order, the 2ndary isn't that bad. It's not too late. Geez, last year when I applied I got my app in literally just before they're deadline and was in the next to last interview group.
 
I think that's probably one of biggest questions that they'll get in the next couple years just being the new kid on the block. The good thing is that we're only 45 minutes or so outside of Tampa/St. Pete area where there are lots of large/busy hospitals...... Tampa General (Level1), St. Joseph's(Level2 and Peds), Bayfront/All Children's (Level2 and peds), Northside.

Hopefully one of the 2nd years can elaborate more on where the core rotations will be at as they're starting to prepare for that, but you'll be able to do your electives anywhere and as of right now I'm interested in EM and will probably try and do at least an elective at Tampa General since they have a relatively new EM program (allopathic). Suncoast and Northside hospitals both have some DO residencies, and even heard rumors of the local Manatee Memorial hospital down the street looking at starting some residencies in the next few years. I've talked with some of the admin/faculty and I know they're continuing to work on building the relationships with these area hospitals and it's only going to get better. And really, unless you're shooting for more academic positions, I'm looking forward to doing some of these rotations at some of the area's smaller non-academic/teaching hospitals where you may get some more one-on-one time with the attending and not wait in line behind several residents and interns.

Before I answer this, let me offer a big disclaimer: Since the school is still getting established, rotations are still somewhat in flux, so don't bank on the info I am sharing...

The list of core locations varies depending on which rotation you are talking about - for example, you will have more choices for Internal Med than Ob/Gyn. Some of the locations you mentioned above are included on our list of core locations - Northside, St. Pete General, Manatee, Bayfront. The catch is that each location has only a certain number of slots available, so who goes where is something you will probably be negotiating in your rotation group. There are also 8 full year slots - 4 at Suncoast in Largo and 4 at Florida East in Orlando, which were offered to students selected by lottery. Full year sites mean you will be there for all of 3rd year, which has some big positives, but also might limit your range of experiences a bit. There are also lots of options for rotating with preceptors in various hospital or outpatient situations.

As far as how "good" our rotations are, I think a lot depends on your definition of good. There seem to be two basic schools of thought on the subject - one is that rotating in small, non-teaching hospitals or with preceptors allows you to get a lot more experience since you aren't doing residents' scut. The other is that rotating in a teaching hospital offers an environment that is more tailored to teaching, and gives you exposure to potential residency opportunities. Maybe you've already read it, but some more opinions on the subject are offered here.
 
Hi all,

I am going to Bradenton for an interview next week. After the interview, usually how long do they take to offer an acceptance or rejection? I am very interested in this school. So, I am just curious.

Thanks!
 
When they interviewed me last week, they told me that the admissions committee would be meeting this upcoming tuesday to decide our fates. I think 1-2 weeks has been pretty standard from what I've seen on here.
 
they sent me a letter saying my app is on hold for review until december...what does this mean? waitlist?
 
My husband and I really really want interviews at LECOM-B. Here's to hoping!
 
i never interviewed.. i got an interview from Erie within a few days..which is why i was kind of surprised bradenton didn't offer me one ( i thought they had similar gpa/mcat stats they looked for )

i called admissions and they didnt really explain much, other than they wont review me until dec.

oh well, it's only a month away i suppose..:-/
 
Okay I called today and found out my app is about to be reviewed and news will probably go out Monday. Please send good vibes my way!! I would love an interview but anything but a rejection right now would do!!
 
Just curious as to how all were notified about their LECOM-Bradenton interviews....email? snail mail? did anybody get a phone call??
I sent my supplemental in last week and got a missed call from their admissions office last night saying to call them back as soon as possible?? I'm hoping this isn't a bad thing....
 
Just curious as to how all were notified about their LECOM-Bradenton interviews....email? snail mail? did anybody get a phone call??
I sent my supplemental in last week and got a missed call from their admissions office last night saying to call them back as soon as possible?? I'm hoping this isn't a bad thing....

Mine came as a phone call and a follow up email!
 
Good luck EEL!
 
They called me about my interview.

And I am on the alternate list, which sucks. Heather told me on the phone that I'd probably get in, but I'm not going to wait until January to make this decision if I don't have to. I'm certainly not going to miss any deadlines to wait for this. And with 3 more interviews coming up, I hope I'll at least get one.
 
They called me about my interview.

And I am on the alternate list, which sucks. Heather told me on the phone that I'd probably get in, but I'm not going to wait until January to make this decision if I don't have to. I'm certainly not going to miss any deadlines to wait for this. And with 3 more interviews coming up, I hope I'll at least get one.

Sorry Texas. 🙁 Did they say when they start taking people off the alternate list?
 
This may end up being a blessing in disguise, depending on when admissions committees meet to decide on me. I've got 3 more interviews in the next five weeks, so maybe I won't be held to the december deadline that most schools have.

But there is no way I'll pass on KCOM or PCOM-GA just to see what happens. KCOM is the big name, and PCOM-GA may be headed in that direction. I really don't know much about Erie, but I'm anxious to find out. Also, I have a lot of friends and family in both the south and northeast.
 
I'm really surprized and sorry to hear that Tex. 🙁
 
They called me about my interview.

And I am on the alternate list, which sucks. Heather told me on the phone that I'd probably get in, but I'm not going to wait until January to make this decision if I don't have to. I'm certainly not going to miss any deadlines to wait for this. And with 3 more interviews coming up, I hope I'll at least get one.

Hang in there bro.
 
They called me about my interview.

And I am on the alternate list, which sucks.

I am also really surprised. If only they could hear you on this board.

At this point, I am 99% sure that I am taking my spot, but if something changes and I don't, I will recommend it go to you. I'm sure you will get in to Bradenton eventually...and definitely somewhere.

Good luck.
 
I still stand by my assertion that PBL is the best thing ever, and I also like the idea of a prosection lab. But I also stand by my statement that I am smart enough and driven enough to take care of business at any school in the country. I like what KCOM and PCOM-GA (my next two interviews) have to offer, and I've got another shot at PBL at LECOM-Erie too. And I still might get in to Bradenton. We'll see how it all shakes out.
 
I'm also sorry to hear that, Texas, but I'm also sure you'll succeed, you're a great candidate. I have no idea why they would do that and it scares me since I have my first-ever interview at Bradenton on Nov. 12th and I know that I'm really bad at interviews.

I really need help, like since its closed file and they ask stuff like the "tell us about yourself" what kind of things did you guys talk about?

Also, I've been hearing stuff about dressing right and dress codes with Bradenton, so I was wondering what should a guy wear to the interview--a suit or something or just like a shirt and tie.
 
Also, I've been hearing stuff about dressing right and dress codes with Bradenton, so I was wondering what should a guy wear to the interview--a suit or something or just like a shirt and tie.

Definitely wear a suit for your interview. Shirt and tie is what is required for their every day dress code for students. How did they notify you about your interview? I know other people received phone calls. I'm just overanalyzing because Heather said my app was going to be reviewed and decisions/updates or something would be sent out on Monday so of course I'm thinking that's a bad sign.
 
...so I was wondering what should a guy wear to the interview--a suit or something or just like a shirt and tie.

I wore a shirt and tie and that's all. At first, I thought they would hold it against me since I decided not to wear pants or underwear but it seemed to be ok....wait...ok....I'm lying....I really did wear pants. I would recommend that everyone wear pants. However, you need to dress professionally. 99% of students wear a black suit. I didn't. I wore nice slacks, a nice shirt, a really expensive tie and a jacket that I could barely afford. It worked. However, I really think that it was ME that got the spot rather than my wardrobe. Really....just look nice. That's all that matters.
 
I know other people received phone calls. I'm just overanalyzing because Heather said my app was going to be reviewed and decisions/updates or something would be sent out on Monday so of course I'm thinking that's a bad sign.

I got a call back this morning and was selected for interview on Nov. 19th...I just sent my secondary literally 5 days before being called for an interview so I'm thinking really positively...*crossing fingers*
 
I got a call back this morning and was selected for interview on Nov. 19th...I just sent my secondary literally 5 days before being called for an interview so I'm thinking really positively...*crossing fingers*

Congrats! How exciting! I have to admit I'm kind of jealous. My husband submitted his secondary in early September and I submitted late September but neither of us was complete until October. We're still waiting. If something will be sent to me on Monday I'm thinking it might be a hold/rejection. I really really hope I'm overanalyzing though. Does anyone know if the reject pre-interview often?
 
I wore a shirt and tie and that's all. At first, I thought they would hold it against me since I decided not to wear pants or underwear but it seemed to be ok....wait...ok....I'm lying....I really did wear pants. I would recommend that everyone wear pants. However, you need to dress professionally. 99% of students wear a black suit. I didn't. I wore nice slacks, a nice shirt, a really expensive tie and a jacket that I could barely afford. It worked. However, I really think that it was ME that got the spot rather than my wardrobe. Really....just look nice. That's all that matters.

Oh you make me laugh. :laugh:
 
I wore my suit. It looks nice, but I got it at Penney's. It was still like $200 bucks though, all combined. Maybe 300 if you include my dress shoes and tie.

Definitely dress up. It got me in...
 
Thanks for the advice guys--I ran out and got a suit today from the first place that someone recommended (Men's Warehouse). It was like 250 (for the coat and pants, and I'll be providing my own shirt, tie, socks, and shoes). Geez, everything is really adding up!


Originally Posted by EEL08
How did they notify you about your interview?
I also got notified via a phone call, and really hope you get good news soon too!
 
Thanks for the advice guys--I ran out and got a suit today from the first place that someone recommended (Men's Warehouse). It was like 250 (for the coat and pants, and I'll be providing my own shirt, tie, socks, and shoes). Geez, everything is really adding up!


I also got notified via a phone call, and really hope you get good news soon too!

Thanks! I'm trying to think positively. You're right about the costs. It's hard and painful to imagine how much money I will have shelled out by the end of this process.
 
I interviewed recently at LECOM Bradenton. I was hoping a current student could field this question for me. Since there are no powerpoint lectures or a syllabus with all the information one needs to know for an exam, how do you know exactly what to study. I know you choose learning objectives, such as read Ch. 44 of book X based on what you realize you need to know during the PBL session. But does it end up that there are dozens of chapters and hundreds of densely detailed textbook pages to memorize for every test? How does the student know what to memorize vs. what is less important for the exam? I really like the idea of PBL with its emphasis on self-study as opposed to lecture and putting the basic science into a clinical context, but I could see it being frustrating having little direction of what to know besides book chapters...
 
I interviewed recently at LECOM Bradenton. I was hoping a current student could field this question for me. Since there are no powerpoint lectures or a syllabus with all the information one needs to know for an exam, how do you know exactly what to study. I know you choose learning objectives, such as read Ch. 44 of book X based on what you realize you need to know during the PBL session. But does it end up that there are dozens of chapters and hundreds of densely detailed textbook pages to memorize for every test? How does the student know what to memorize vs. what is less important for the exam? I really like the idea of PBL with its emphasis on self-study as opposed to lecture and putting the basic science into a clinical context, but I could see it being frustrating having little direction of what to know besides book chapters...

In some ways, it is true that you never know exactly what to study. Rather than being a shortcoming of PBL, I think this is actually a very good thing, since it forces you to have a broader understanding of topics. If you spend some time in the Step I forum, one theme which comes up again and again is that to really excel on the boards, you must understand the material as well as memorize it. Reading textbooks, digesting the info and then synthesizing it into your own "syllabus" can be a very effective way to gain a more critical understanding of the basic sciences.

That said, medical curriculums are extremely standardized. Therefore, the same information which a professor might have emphasized through a lecture usually ends up being emphasized in our PBL cases. So, by going through the cases and maybe adding some board review or high yield materials, by the time the test rolls around, you will have a pretty good idea of what you need to know. A few questions on each test come from left field, but usually the statistical analysis of the test will identify them and they will get thrown out.
I have no worries that I am learning what I need to to pass and hopefully do very well on Step I - the class of 09's board scores were pretty compelling evidence that PBL can work very well.

However, in order for this to work for you, you have to be comfortable with your learning goals being much more open ended than a lecture based program. You don't get that nice linear progression from the beginning of the textbook to the end - you will jump around, but by the end of the two years, you will have pretty much hit everything at least once, and many things twice or more.
 
I still stand by my assertion that PBL is the best thing ever, and I also like the idea of a prosection lab. But I also stand by my statement that I am smart enough and driven enough to take care of business at any school in the country. I like what KCOM and PCOM-GA (my next two interviews) have to offer, and I've got another shot at PBL at LECOM-Erie too. And I still might get in to Bradenton. We'll see how it all shakes out.

when i was at bradenton, my tour guide had 2.7 gpa and he applied in march last year, he was waitlisted and then he was accepted 4 days before orientation. I wouldnt worry about being put on an alternate list texas.
 
I understand that you may not always know what to study, but my question concerns this: I believe they told us their was something like 3 exams per semester? How do you current lecom-b students enjoy this? It seems like that would be a ton of material to know for a test. But, I'm hoping that since pbl focuses on all subject matters at one time, it better prepares you for such a large test since you are constantly reviewing said material. If someone could comment on this, I'd really appriciate it.

(Also, when I interviewed at lecom-e, they said their pbl groups had quizzes after every session on questions the students would pick out? Lecom-b didnt mention this...do you guys do that as well?)

Thanks!
 
I understand that you may not always know what to study, but my question concerns this: I believe they told us their was something like 3 exams per semester? How do you current lecom-b students enjoy this? ...

It can be tough. My test on Friday was on 45 chapters of material, plus they added 25 questions on anatomy, histology and embryo of the thorax as a review. In your first year, yo don't usually have as many topics because they are new to you. But, a lot of this stuff we've already covered so instead of trying to memorize new material all the time you are really putting things together in your second year. Things like Pharm, though, are just brute memorization and the 12 pharm chapters I had were kind of brutal.

As for that quiz thing, we don't do it whatever it is.
 
Just got a letter from LECOM. It looks like a great school - damn those marketers. I need to make a decision soon on whether or not to apply for this cycle.

I'll learn a lot about my fate in Texas by the end of the week and hope to make a level-headed decision after that.
 
Go for it. I really enjoyed my interview, and lecom-b itself, highly.
 
I have been given acceptance letters from NSUCOM, TUCOM-NV, and LECOM-Bradenton.. the others are far inferior to Bradenton. I will be sending my $1500 check as soon as I get home next week.

Thank God. I love that school!
 
I have been given acceptance letters from NSUCOM, TUCOM-NV, and LECOM-Bradenton.. the others are far inferior to Bradenton. I will be sending my $1500 check as soon as I get home next week.

Thank God. I love that school!


how is bradenton better than NSU? first of all their both in florida(which is a plus) but NSU is right next to fort lauderdale which would be a real cool place to do rotations. Lecom Bradenton is in.... ummmmm......Bradenton, and most of thier rotations require min 20 minutes of driving. Have fun with geriatrics at bradenton. NSU is so much betta.
 
NSU has a very strict attendance policy, and Fort Lauderdale is nowhere near as nice of an area in which to live as Bradenton/Sarasota. Fort Laurderdale has much higher crime rate and a much greater chance of being hit by a hurricane. But, these things may be more important to me...I have a family to think of. My daughter could walk to school in Bradenton...No way in hell she could do that in Ft. Lauderdale...

To me, it is the PBL that sets LECOM-B apart, and makes it better than everyone...but that's just my opinion.
 
NSU has a very strict attendance policy, and Fort Lauderdale is nowhere near as nice of an area in which to live as Bradenton/Sarasota. Fort Laurderdale has much higher crime rate and a much greater chance of being hit by a hurricane. But, these things may be more important to me...I have a family to think of. My daughter could walk to school in Bradenton...No way in hell she could do that in Ft. Lauderdale...

To me, it is the PBL that sets LECOM-B apart, and makes it better than everyone...but that's just my opinion.

I just think NSU has more to offer the student rather than bradenton. I recall at my interview at bradenton that attendace is also mandatory. (especially for PBL) As for PBL, obviously students can do that on thier own in groups (at any med school) since the "facilitators" are worthless. As for "walking to school" who does that anymore? in junior high i took the bus, in HS i drove. I would never walk to school in that florida heat. Good luck with that.
 
PBL is two hours, 3 days a week. You try meeting in small groups on top of 8-5 classes...that would suck.

I was using the "walking to school" as an example of how safe the area is compared to Fort Lauderdale...not that she would do that every day. Although there are walking paths throughout the neighborhood that the kids use to walk to school...

Believe it or not, there are still good places to live in this world...
 
PBL is two hours, 3 days a week. You try meeting in small groups on top of 8-5 classes...that would suck.

I was using the "walking to school" as an example of how safe the area is compared to Fort Lauderdale...not that she would do that every day. Although there are walking paths throughout the neighborhood that the kids use to walk to school...

Believe it or not, there are still good places to live in this world...

i would read this thread if i were u. Bradenton isnt exactly pleasantville.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/florida/52018-bradenton-crime-i-looked-up.html


p.s. have fun walking to school in 98 degree weather 🙂
 
I just think NSU has more to offer the student rather than bradenton. I recall at my interview at bradenton that attendace is also mandatory. (especially for PBL) As for PBL, obviously students can do that on thier own in groups (at any med school) since the "facilitators" are worthless. As for "walking to school" who does that anymore? in junior high i took the bus, in HS i drove. I would never walk to school in that florida heat. Good luck with that.

Different strokes for different folks. LECOM-Bradenton is not the best choice for all, or even most students, but for those students who thrive in PBL, it is a great place to be.

There are a couple inaccuracies in your statement. I don't think you understand PBL, at least the way it's done here. Facilitators are key to the process, and it's not something you can just do on your own. It's a guided process of critical thinking through selected cases which are carefully chosen to highlight certain basic science concepts. It is not in any way a group study session.

As far as your comments on Bradenton, while the school's mailing address is technically "Bradenton", in everything but name, the school is actually in the town of Lakewood Ranch, which is very upscale and extremely safe.

I commute from Bradenton proper and, like any working-class town, there are some neighborhoods that are very safe, and some that are less so. The neighborhood I live in is totally safe, and I have no qualms at all about walking anywhere, day or night.
 
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