- Joined
- Aug 22, 2008
- Messages
- 250
- Reaction score
- 0
Hey now, don't forget about me!!! I was just as heartbroken as you two. I second the prayer line... or perhaps we can arrange for a coup, and overthrow the adcoms?? Just a suggestion.
LECOM - Bradenton Discussion thread 2008-2009
- Thread starter mshheaddoc
- Start date
Hey now, don't forget about me!!! I was just as heartbroken as you two. I second the prayer line... or perhaps we can arrange for a coup, and overthrow the adcoms?? Just a suggestion.
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2007
- Messages
- 120
- Reaction score
- 1
Just declined my seat... hopefully one of you will take my spot! Good luck to those still waiting
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2008
- Messages
- 250
- Reaction score
- 0
Thanks a lot!! Unfortunately, alternate list files aren't reviewed again until January, so we will have to be very patient. Thanks for letting LECOM-B know asap, though! That helps a lot.
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2007
- Messages
- 829
- Reaction score
- 1
Funny. I declined my NSUCOM seat for LECOM-B about a year ago. It's a nice school with a lot to offer its students. Good luck next year!
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2007
- Messages
- 120
- Reaction score
- 1
I definitely agree that LECOM-B was a great school!!... I just didn't think PBL was for me after sitting in on the session. But I am really glad I went and checked it out
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2007
- Messages
- 829
- Reaction score
- 1
For absolutely sure. It's definitely a completely different learning style than most people have ever experienced. It requires a mixture of independent and group learning that I don't know if I've quite figured out yet. It is something people should expose themselves to so that they can make the most sound decision.
I'm really glad that you have made the best choice for you!
Now it's time to party and drink (at least as long as you're not in med school... well, you can do it in medical school, but it's usually laden with lame jokes about goofy anatomy.. I'm done parenthetically documenting stuff..)...Back to studying! I have tons and tons to read by tomorrow. YIKES!
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 1
Do you have the link to that forum (secondary essay forum). I'm a newbie, and so I don't know how to search for threads 😕
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2008
- Messages
- 99
- Reaction score
- 0
Wow alot happened since i was last on here. BCL dont worry i wont ask what happened bc for the first time i took the time to look through the pages i missed🙂🙂🙂
Just wondering anyone from chicago got applying or got accept for class of 2013?
good luck everyone
Just wondering anyone from chicago got applying or got accept for class of 2013?
good luck everyone
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2007
- Messages
- 13
- Reaction score
- 0
I turned in my supplementary a long while ago for LECOM B and Erie. Got an interview for Erie and I was put on a "re-review at end of Nov" hold before given an interivew at Brandenton. I just checked on the candidate portal and now I can't check the status at either school and it's the same as before I submitted a secondary. Anyone else having this issue? Maybe if I turn in another secondary I'll have twice the chance of getting an interview... Heh.
- Joined
- May 15, 2008
- Messages
- 66
- Reaction score
- 0
If you find a post from Chocolate Bear, you will see a list of great links with his signature.
Here is a link for all the secondary DO essays.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=7121833&postcount=528
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 1
Hi,
I have not applied to LECOM-B yet. I did apply to and get an interview from NSUCOM. My husband is bugging me to apply to Bradenton too. Since my NSUCOM interview is next week, I am thinking about at least going and taking a look at the LECOM too.
For those of you that decided to attend LECOM, what were your reasons for not picking NSU?
Thanks!
I have not applied to LECOM-B yet. I did apply to and get an interview from NSUCOM. My husband is bugging me to apply to Bradenton too. Since my NSUCOM interview is next week, I am thinking about at least going and taking a look at the LECOM too.
For those of you that decided to attend LECOM, what were your reasons for not picking NSU?
Thanks!
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2007
- Messages
- 829
- Reaction score
- 1
Good question. I was accepted to both LECOM-B and to NSUCOM, and I had their interviews one day apart, so I had a good comparison in my head at the time.
First of all, I fell in love with Problem-Based Learning. I found that the students were much more knowledgeable than those I met briefly at NSUCOM and seemed much more in tune with their books and reading materials. When I sat in on an actual second-year PBL session, they were not only quotting chapters from memory, but everything down to the line on the page where they highlighted the material.
Next, the area (although for some stupid reason everyone thinks it's rural) was very suburban with a lot going on just a few miles down the street. Conversely, I did not feel that kind of warmth in location that I did while in Bradenton.
There are a lot more reasons, but I'm sure that other people will articulate them better later (even me, too). I'm just really tired and want to head to bed.
Good luck.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2007
- Messages
- 3,205
- Reaction score
- 256
I applied to NOVA and got an interview offer there. I eventually declined it for a number of reasons:
1. PBL (at least, the way it is done at LECOM-B) is amazing. This has been discussed ad nauseum, but basically, you learn a crapload, retain it better, and have more fun doing it. Oh, and you're rarely required to be at school so you have more freedom.
2. NOVA is the polar opposite of LECOM-B. You are required to be at school for lectures all day every day. You buzz in and out of the lecture hall so they can check attendance. Everyone goes to class, but they just sit in the back, ignore the lecturer and study. Lame.
3. Rotations. I've heard from many students that NOVA gives you very little freedom on rotations. LECOM-B gives you nearly complete autonomy. NOVA decrees mostly where you go. If you don't like it, too bad.
4. Location. I have a wife and a 7 yo daughter. Lakewood Ranch is MUCH MUCH MUCH more family friendly than Ft. Lauderdale. We have ice cream socials, movies on the lawn, farmers markets, amazing family-friendly beaches, great schools, etc.
Also, I'm not that big a fan of the big city. Sure there's "more" to do, but we're <1hr from Tampa if I really want "big city" stuff. I just don't feel the tradeoff if traffic and danger is worth the perks.
5. Weather. I know this is kinda stupid, but it's beautiful here. Low humidity, nice gulf breeze. 78 degrees pretty much year round (except for the brief cold snap we're in now). I went to Ft. Lauderdale the other day and it was humid as hell and gross. Also they get WAYYYY more hurricanes than we do.
I'm sure there's more, but that's a start. I cancelled my NOVA interview after being accepted at LECOM-B.
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2008
- Messages
- 431
- Reaction score
- 8
I'm interviewing on Monday. Anyone else on this forum going to be there? And thanks to BCLumas and digitlnoize... We'll see what my impression of the place is once I'm there, but from what you guys have been saying on this forum (and the PBL vs systems based learning thread in the med student forums), LECOM-B has moved up a few steps in my informal rankings.
One question, though, from the interview feedback I've read. Are we expected to contribute to the PBL session, or just try to soak it all in? I can't imagine I'd be much help in the learning process, unless you need me to start an IV or something. (I'm a paramedic.)
One question, though, from the interview feedback I've read. Are we expected to contribute to the PBL session, or just try to soak it all in? I can't imagine I'd be much help in the learning process, unless you need me to start an IV or something. (I'm a paramedic.)
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2007
- Messages
- 120
- Reaction score
- 1
When I interviewed I just sat there soaking it in for 2 hours... they did make jokes and talk to me, but not about the content of the case. They just want you to feel at ease and get a sense of PBL
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2007
- Messages
- 3,205
- Reaction score
- 256
I didn't contribute very much when I sat in. You're invited to, but don't feel like you have to. It will depend on your background and what case you see. I worked as a scribe in an ER, but the case I saw was the end of a cancer case, so I didn't have much input, and it was all WAY over my head...
Don't feel like the PBL session is part of the "interview". I mean...ALWAYS give your best impression 100% when you're on campus at an interview. Never turn yourself "off"...but, that being said, the PBL session is for YOU to get information about LECOM, not the other way around.
I don't get the feeling that how you act in the PBL session is relayed back to the adcom in any way whatsoever...but, I could be wrong...it certainly didn't hurt me. I just sat there and took it all in.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2007
- Messages
- 3,205
- Reaction score
- 256
Not a ton of jobs around here...that's certainly true. Sarasota probably has something. If not, the commute to St. Pete is not bad at all. If that doesn't work, the next step is Clearwater, followed by Tampa.
My feeling is that given the size of the metro area (Tampa to Sarasota) you should be able to find something with a commute <1hr.
Also, don't forget that cost of living is way cheap here. My 3 person family has been mostly living off our loans while we wait for my wife to get her dental hygiene license...and we're renting a 4 BR house...it's been tight, but you can live pretty cheaply here.
Rent, water, gas, food are all seem pretty cheap to me. Electricity is pretty expensive, but not enough to make up for the other stuff.
To anyone coming down: BCL and I are still willing to sit down with anyone who wants to chat about the school and what not, if anyone wants to hit up a bar or something and ask us questions feel free to PM us.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2006
- Messages
- 7,984
- Reaction score
- 50
Bradenton honestly doesn't feel like a small town in the normal sense. It is probably because I live in North Florida with some REAL small towns, but there is a sizeable amount of stuff and nice places there. It feels more like the locale that people commute to Clearwater, Sarasota, St. Pete or Tampa from than anything else. It isn't a middle of nowhere situation where you have to drive 30 minutes to get to the grocery store/walmart like where my parents live.
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2006
- Messages
- 4,106
- Reaction score
- 850
Yea, there isn't like a report or something that we turn in to judge how you did in the session or anything. Like what was said above, it's really just to give you a chance to see some of the mechanics of PBL. So just sit back and soak it in. It will also depend on who the facilitator is, I guess some may ask for your input for certain things. At the end of the session we always do some sort of little wrap up of how we thought the day went and my current facilitator makes it a point to ask the interviewee what they thought, but other than that just observe. But no, no one reports to the admin....unless you do something like try to dominate the group or something, but that's common sense.
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2008
- Messages
- 280
- Reaction score
- 0
hey, i just interviewed at LECOM-B and wanted to give you guys some inside info they told us.
-you do not need to participate in the PBL session during the inteview day. they told us that we were there to observe it only and to see if we like that learning style. i sat in on a 2nd year group and they were all very friendly and spoke with me before and after the session though.
-for those of you worried about the "waiting list" they said that last year they put on 95 people on the list and ended up offering 65 of them a spot. so i think thats good news and good odds
-they said they will give 650-700 interviews for 162 spots this year
-the one piece of bad news they gave was that they have received a lot more applications a lot EARLIER than ever before.
so some good news and some bad...hope this helps some of you!
-you do not need to participate in the PBL session during the inteview day. they told us that we were there to observe it only and to see if we like that learning style. i sat in on a 2nd year group and they were all very friendly and spoke with me before and after the session though.
-for those of you worried about the "waiting list" they said that last year they put on 95 people on the list and ended up offering 65 of them a spot. so i think thats good news and good odds
-they said they will give 650-700 interviews for 162 spots this year
-the one piece of bad news they gave was that they have received a lot more applications a lot EARLIER than ever before.
so some good news and some bad...hope this helps some of you!
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2007
- Messages
- 829
- Reaction score
- 1
I don't have time to address this fully, but the Sarasota/Bradenton area is anything but small town. WVSOM is a small town. Sarasota/Bradenton is just smaller than a metropolitan area like Tampa. In fact, St. Petersburg is only a 30 minute drive from school. If you lived a 15 minute drive north (I live 15 minutes south of school and have never had any problems), now your husband only has a 15 minute drive himself.
In short: come down here, drive around and view ALL OVER. This place is anything but small town.
Sorry for the frustration, but that stuff gets me riled. 😍 Love you guys, still, though.
Off to PBL!
Good luck! 😀
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2006
- Messages
- 871
- Reaction score
- 2
This is a valid concern. My husband works in St.Pete's which is actually a 45 - 60 min commute in the morning with traffic, and we live just north of school. Jobs out here are scarce, but the economy is bad so jobs are going to be hard to come by anywhere.
What we did.... I got my acceptance in Feb and my husband started his job search out here in March. He found contract work that started in May, and he has been looking for a regular full time position ever since (he has continued contracting though). He moved out here before me so I could try to sell the house and get packed, etc.
Really this applies to any move, have your husband start his job search asap. The market is terrible, but as long as he is willing to drive either to Tampa/St. Petes area or Sarasota he should be able to find something.
I have to add, there are not alot of corporate jobs in Bradenton. We have looked and talked to many recruiters, but 45 - 60 min north and you're good.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2008
- Messages
- 134
- Reaction score
- 0
What are the rotation sites for LECOM-B?
Do they require a dress code like LECOM-E?
Do they require a dress code like LECOM-E?
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2007
- Messages
- 829
- Reaction score
- 1
Rotation sites are pretty much where you set them up. We just had a hospital day a couple of weeks ago with hospitals from across the east coast. There are a lot of rotation sites in Pennsylvania and Florida, obviously, but they can be found elsewhere. Also, from what I understand, if you can get a hospital to agree to let you rotate at their institution, you can probably get it approved by the administration here.
As for dress code, yes there is one. Although, I hope that this does not deter you from applying/interviewing. If you think about it, once you start your third year rotations you will be required to be in some form of dress code anyways. You might as well start building up a closet full of clothes that you like and spreading out the cost over a few years rather than all at once before you start your rotations. Also, the dress code gives the school a feeling of professionalism. During class hours (6AM to 5PM) you are required to be in business attire (shirt, tie, slacks for men; women have it pretty easy and can get away with almost anything, including tennis shoes sometimes). It's not uncomfortable or awkward, especially because the faculty are required to follow code as well. After 5PM, and all day on the weekends, you are allowed to be dressed "down," including T-shirts and sandals. On OMM lab days (Thursday's now, unless it changes), you have a "uniform" which consists of a LECOM-embroidered T-shirt, shorts, and (optionally) sweat pants. You can wear tennis shoes on that day as well as some kind of sweater since it's cold (I wear a hoodie).
Overall, the dress code is not a problem and I've heard maybe one person complain about it out of the 200+ people that I've met.
Good luck.
As for dress code, yes there is one. Although, I hope that this does not deter you from applying/interviewing. If you think about it, once you start your third year rotations you will be required to be in some form of dress code anyways. You might as well start building up a closet full of clothes that you like and spreading out the cost over a few years rather than all at once before you start your rotations. Also, the dress code gives the school a feeling of professionalism. During class hours (6AM to 5PM) you are required to be in business attire (shirt, tie, slacks for men; women have it pretty easy and can get away with almost anything, including tennis shoes sometimes). It's not uncomfortable or awkward, especially because the faculty are required to follow code as well. After 5PM, and all day on the weekends, you are allowed to be dressed "down," including T-shirts and sandals. On OMM lab days (Thursday's now, unless it changes), you have a "uniform" which consists of a LECOM-embroidered T-shirt, shorts, and (optionally) sweat pants. You can wear tennis shoes on that day as well as some kind of sweater since it's cold (I wear a hoodie).
Overall, the dress code is not a problem and I've heard maybe one person complain about it out of the 200+ people that I've met.
Good luck.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2007
- Messages
- 3,205
- Reaction score
- 256
Rotations are all over the place. Here's a short list: Bradenton, Sarasota, St. Pete, Tampa, Orlando, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New York, Ohio, Indiana, the list goes on and on...
Yes, there is a dress code. There will be one on rotations, and at work as a doctor too...get used to it.
Luckily, it's not a big deal. We're only at school for about 2 hours a day now...I can wear a tie for 2 hours...
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2007
- Messages
- 94
- Reaction score
- 0
BCL and Digit pretty much said it all but I'll add my 2 cents if you need any more opinions on the matter. The school will strictly enforce the dress code for at least the first month or so but as long as everyone follows the simple rules they get a lot more lenient as you get accustomed to their expectations. Girls can almost get away with anything and guys don't have many options past a tie and standard dress shoes. Even that rule can be bent a little as I know some people (or really one person?) who hates wearing ties and he often sports a bolo tie which is basically a piece of cord with a metal clasp. The professional attire is not anything to deter you from applying to LECOM. It will be expected of you after your first 2 years and is a good idea to exude a sense of professionalism sooner than later. I think it promotes a subconscious sense of respect for you and your peers and even motivates you to work harder. It's really only 6-5 4 days a week. There is a "dress down dress code" on Thursdays but I've worn random sweatpants and long sleeve shirts on those days and never got in any trouble for it. They will expect you to be clean-shaven and groomed as well but even that tapers off a bit after the first month.
As for the rotation sites, if you do some searching on the forums here you will see a lot of inconsistencies in exactly how it is handled. My recommendation is to come up with specific questions or concerns you may have and bring it up at your interview or even drop an e-mail to the admissions office or clinical department, they can be very helpful. With the schools continued success on the COMLEX and excellent performance during years 3 and 4 rotation options will only get better. Keep in mind that although the PBL program and faculty are very well developed and experienced the Bradenton campus is still relatively new. That said, they are very open to rotation sites basically anywhere you chose. As long as you establish contacts and facilitate communication between the hospital and the school LECOM will usually approve anything you come up with on your own.
It's unfortunate we don't have a straight forward answer about rotation sites because it seems to change from year to year that there really isn't a reliable answer right now. That's all part of a new school in a new state and is to be expected. What I think is important for new applicants to consider is the incredible preparation the PBL curriculum offers for the clinical years. I have heard countless assessments of how much the school gives you an edge, at least in the beginning, when it comes time to see real patients. Trust in the curriculum, trust rotation sites will improve dramatically with each coming year, and realize that if you are ambitious enough to set your own rotations up you will be ahead of the curve and find yourself in an area you want to be in after you've "mastered the basic sciences".
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2006
- Messages
- 4,106
- Reaction score
- 850
The above posters pretty much said what needs to be said regarding rotation stuff. Especially for applicants now, the exact sites and how many spots are available at each change to some degree from year to year so an exact list of what hospitals are currently "affiliated" with won't be helpful for you now.
That said, you will probably want to willing to be a little flexible when it comes to rotations. I happen to want to stay in the St. Pete/Tampa area and so far I've gotten all my 3rd year spots in this area. I'll probably move to St. Pete and at that point the furthest I would probably travel is the ~1hr back down to Bradenton/Sarasota area where I have 1 or 2 rotations.
We have a handful of full year spots, a few at a hospital in St Pete/Largo area and the other in Orlando..... so if you just have to be at the same place all year then those are options.
For the most part I think people are going where they want to go. Those who wanted to go back up north, for the most part, have been able to work that out.... either through places we already have a relationship with or through physicians they contacted on their own.
That said, you will probably want to willing to be a little flexible when it comes to rotations. I happen to want to stay in the St. Pete/Tampa area and so far I've gotten all my 3rd year spots in this area. I'll probably move to St. Pete and at that point the furthest I would probably travel is the ~1hr back down to Bradenton/Sarasota area where I have 1 or 2 rotations.
We have a handful of full year spots, a few at a hospital in St Pete/Largo area and the other in Orlando..... so if you just have to be at the same place all year then those are options.
For the most part I think people are going where they want to go. Those who wanted to go back up north, for the most part, have been able to work that out.... either through places we already have a relationship with or through physicians they contacted on their own.
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2006
- Messages
- 4,106
- Reaction score
- 850
....and just another little treat to tempt those that are possibly interested coming down to Florida.
A group of us continued something we did last year by having a little potluck Thanksgiving dinner at the beach this weekend before everyone heads home for the break.
End of November playing football barefoot on the beach = priceless
A group of us continued something we did last year by having a little potluck Thanksgiving dinner at the beach this weekend before everyone heads home for the break.
End of November playing football barefoot on the beach = priceless
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2008
- Messages
- 26
- Reaction score
- 0
Interviewed on 11/12 & got my letter in the mail this past Friday... haven't decided on where I'm goin' yet though...
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 1
Hi, can you tell me what questions they asked you on the interview? I am really interested in going to lecom bradenton, and would appreciate any help and/or tips!!!!🙂
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2008
- Messages
- 26
- Reaction score
- 0
Id be glad to help you... let me just see if i can remember... it feels like i just blacked out & woke up after the interview was over
First advice is go over the Q's others have put up in the interview feedback. This is what I did & 50% of the questions I got asked were on that list.
Some different ones were: if you could cure any type of cancer, which would it be and why? What do you think of chelation therapy? Is there anything that would make you really mad?
But really look at the list & you'll be fine. I was told I had the toughest interviewers and it wasn't even that bad.
Oh & does anyone know which states LECOM-B is referring to when they say they have "rotations in 10 states"? I'm from FL, so I'd like to experience something new in my 3rd & 4th years.
Hello everyone, with all the talk and concern over the dress code I am wondering whether anyone has looked into the tax ramifications of the school having a mandatory dress code. Has anyone explored the possibility of there being a tax write off on the expense of acquiring a wardrobe to satisfy the school dress code? I am interviewing for LECOM Bradenton on Dec. 10 and am hoping to be a fellow PBLer before too long.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2006
- Messages
- 7,984
- Reaction score
- 50
Work Clothes and Uniforms
You can deduct the cost and upkeep of work clothes if the following two requirements are met.
You must wear them as a condition of your employment.
The clothes are not suitable for everyday wear.
It is not enough that you wear distinctive clothing. The clothing must be specifically required by your employer. Nor is it enough that you do not, in fact, wear your work clothes away from work. The clothing must not be suitable for taking the place of your regular clothing.
Examples of workers who may be able to deduct the cost and upkeep of work clothes are: delivery workers, firefighters, health care workers, law enforcement officers, letter carriers, professional athletes, and transportation workers (air, rail, bus, etc.).
Musicians and entertainers can deduct the cost of theatrical clothing and accessories that are not suitable for everyday wear.
However, work clothing consisting of white cap, white shirt or white jacket, white bib overalls, and standard work shoes, which a painter is required by his union to wear on the job, is not distinctive in character or in the nature of a uniform. Similarly, the costs of buying and maintaining blue work clothes worn by a welder at the request of a foreman are not deductible.
Source: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p529/ar02.html#d0e1288
Note frome me: If they required you to wear scrubs and only scrubs then maybe you could squeeze your way but that'd be a lot of scrubs. Most places don't make you pay for your own scrubs in a hospital setting...they are just considered hospital property.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2007
- Messages
- 3,205
- Reaction score
- 256
Keep in mind that you don't really need that many outfits either. I have a couple pairs of pants and a few shirts and ties that I mix and match...It's not like med school is a fashion competition...I see a LOT of my classmates in the same 4 outfits...no one cares...we're not stuck up or anything...😎
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 1
Id be glad to help you... let me just see if i can remember... it feels like i just blacked out & woke up after the interview was over
First advice is go over the Q's others have put up in the interview feedback. This is what I did & 50% of the questions I got asked were on that list.
Some different ones were: if you could cure any type of cancer, which would it be and why? What do you think of chelation therapy? Is there anything that would make you really mad?
But really look at the list & you'll be fine. I was told I had the toughest interviewers and it wasn't even that bad.
Oh & does anyone know which states LECOM-B is referring to when they say they have "rotations in 10 states"? I'm from FL, so I'd like to experience something new in my 3rd & 4th years.
Thanks a lot Monkey33304!!! I know that there is a thread for interview, but i do not know how to get there, can you tell me the name of the thread or the link?? is just that i am new to the "forum world"!!😳
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 1
Never mind... i found it!!!
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2008
- Messages
- 26
- Reaction score
- 0
Great! Good luck. That thread will really help you a lot! Just be sure to let them know that you can handle PBL if this is the school you want to go to! 😀
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2008
- Messages
- 54
- Reaction score
- 0
Ahhhh, I only have a few weeks until my deposit is due and I'm still torn between LECOM-B and CCOM. I'm leaning towards LECOM-B, but now I'm beginning to question if PBL is for me. Any advice to legitamately know its for me? In college, I always spaced out in lecture and alot of the time didn't go. I was able to read on my own and teach my self everything. However, the things that I did teach myself were always assigned and I just read independently. I guess I'm just freaking out about the whole non-structure part of PBL. I know I can read on my own, but I'm worried about being able to figure out what to read. Also, as this is medical school, the material is going to be ALOT more challenging and I'm worried about not being able to teach myself topics so complicated. There is a good chance I may be freaking out for no reason, but I just want to know that I will be able to do well in the PBL atmosphere. When I saw it during the interview, I fell in love with it. However, during the interview, you don't see the behind the scenes hard work of PBL... What to do, What to do....
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2008
- Messages
- 102
- Reaction score
- 1
anyone know anything about how long it takes for the admissions site to show that you have letters? My committee letter was sent through virtualeval before i got my secondary because my school sent it out at the same time as they sent all the letters to the MD schools i'm applying to which was over a month ago. I've sent in my secondary now but i was just wondering if I should call them and be like "do you have my letters?" cause i dont want to bug them too much.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2007
- Messages
- 3,205
- Reaction score
- 256
Figuring out what to read really isn't that big of a problem. The biggest problem is that there is too much to read...lol. Let me explain:
Let's say you get a case, and upon physical exam you find out that it's a newborn with a heart defect. So, at this point it's obvious that you have to read:
1. Heart embryo
2. Heart physiology (3 chapters!)
3. Heart anatomy
4. Heart path
At least. And you only have 2 days to do it. Now, that's only 1 thing you learned about your patient that day. Maybe they're not oxygenating well due to the heart defect. Do you also read about the lungs? Probably not, because you won't have time.
Sounds like you're a good fit for PBL to me. The cases guide you directly toward what to read. We have 20 some groups and >90% correlation on the topics we read...and that's getting better as we get more skilled at picking relevant topics...
Hope that helps!
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2008
- Messages
- 431
- Reaction score
- 8
Call them. They're very nice, and they are happy to help applicants however they can. You have a legitimate question that they will be able to answer pretty easily. They're usually pretty quick about updating your status... you should be able to login to the secondary app website and see it.
And don't get in the mindset that you "don't want to bug them too much." While I don't think LECOM-B does this, I have heard of medical schools keeping track of how much applicants contact the school to gauge whether the student is truly interested in the school. They won't black-ball you for calling the office too many times. Good luck.
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2007
- Messages
- 94
- Reaction score
- 0
👍 I agree. Another significant challenge that is part of any medical school curriculum, and perhaps to a larger extent for us because we chose what to learn without a syllabus, is changing how you study. It is extremely difficult and often discouraged to highlight readings and take good notes on everything you study, there just isn't any time. The issue is never what should I read but rather how do I appropriately digest the material I do read and how do I keep up with it all while learning what is important.
The school does a good job of easing you into PBL during your LDP approach to anatomy at the beginning of your first year. For the first 12 weeks PBL is conducted at a VERY slow pace with the goal being to develop people skills and learn how to progress through a case by picking relevant basic science concepts. After anatomy however it is significantly upregulated and you are expected to read and re-read more chapters in 1 week than you may have been used to for an entire test block in undergrad. The great thing about LECOM-B is that the entire school is PBL and everyone else is doing the same thing as you. The entire faculty is there to make sure you are preforming at a level you need to be and are always there to help. Don't worry about having to teach yourself difficult concepts you are introduced to in medical school. As long as you have read the material and discussed it with fellow clasemates, if you still don't understand something there is at least a couple of faculty members who specialize in whatever your reading and are willing to help explain it during an office hour.
I've said this before and I'll say it again: Being bored during lecture and doing better by reading the syllabus and teaching yourself in the library is a good start, but you need more than that to be successful at PBL. You have to be very ambitious and force yourself to read as much as you can about a topic. Do not read so much that you glaze over the material, you need to try and master what you read, but you really have to push yourself to do more. It's nice to have the extra personal time to learn the material your own way instead of wasting it in a lecture hall, but you have to learn how to use your books and discover with your group what is to be learned. No one is telling you specifically what to study besides yourself and your fellow students. That said the school's expectations are communicated well at the interview and they do a great job of training you to work with the cirriculum in the beginning. Keep in mind no matter how much you do there is always someone doing a little more. The focus is no longer on exam performance, it's about learning. Learning anything you want to learn. You will hear that over and over again if you decide to come here.
- Joined
- May 7, 2008
- Messages
- 8,192
- Reaction score
- 11
I know this info was linked to, previously, but I wanted to post the partial match list PDF for reference. 🙂
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2007
- Messages
- 1,256
- Reaction score
- 5
I finally heard back from LECOM-B (my fault, took me long enough to get my LORs in) and I'm very excited to go down for an interview and see PBL in action! Yay! Visiting FL during the dead of winter ain't bad, either.
Does anybody happen to know what days of the week they interview? With finals coming up I have no idea when I'm going to be able to schedule this.
Also, Q for current students: I see a few of you posting about the readings that you do outside of class, but I'm confused about specifically what subject material you cover year 1 vs. year 2. I'm very used to the idea of biochem/phys/neuro/etc first year, with path/pharm/microbio the second year. Do you cover all of that during both years? Because that feels overwhelming to try to learn path while going over glycolysis and cardiovascular phys (or whatever other combo).
Happy turkey day!
Does anybody happen to know what days of the week they interview? With finals coming up I have no idea when I'm going to be able to schedule this.
Also, Q for current students: I see a few of you posting about the readings that you do outside of class, but I'm confused about specifically what subject material you cover year 1 vs. year 2. I'm very used to the idea of biochem/phys/neuro/etc first year, with path/pharm/microbio the second year. Do you cover all of that during both years? Because that feels overwhelming to try to learn path while going over glycolysis and cardiovascular phys (or whatever other combo).
Happy turkey day!
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2007
- Messages
- 3,205
- Reaction score
- 256
Congrats! Don't know for sure about days of the week. You'll have to ask...
We cover all of the subjects during both years. We tend to shy away from Path, Pharm, and Micro for now though, because it is a bit over our heads.
For example, my group has read one chapter of micro (did not pick for test), two chapters of pharm (picked 1 for test), and scattered pages of path (picked about 15 pages for test).
We are picking mostly Phys and biochem at this point, although the path book has been helpful for more "case related" information.
Here's how our tests work...we're tested on:
1. Basic Science Chapters. We pick these as related to our case. As I explained above, most groups wind up picking the same chapters because the case usually makes it obvious where you should go. Some groups do pick more or less than others, which could mean you're picking more esoteric topics, but it all works out in the end...
2. Assigned Readings The bane of my existence. For example, I'm reading 4 Introductor Path chapters for this test...it sucks, but it's helping with some basics.
3. Case Related Questions These are questions related to the case itself, outside of the basic sciences. If you know your basic sciences well, you'll do fine on these questions...
Most groups have been averaging 4-5 topics per case at this point, although I expect that number will rise as we get more adept at the process. We're encouraged to pick 1 anatomy topic (anatomy, embryo, or histo) per case as well...that doesn't always happen though...
So, what has been happening is that we'll pick 2 phys, 1 biochem, 1 anatomy, and maybe a few pages of path to be tested on. My group has picked Ch. 1 and 2 of Immunology too, just for kicks...it sort of related to the case...we haven't really touched neuro.
It is a bit overwhelming, but if you choose your topics wisely, you'll wind up reading the exact same thing 4-5 times. We had a case that was a great example of this.
We're not supposed to talk about case details, but the circumstances of the case pointed us to blood clotting. So we read:
1. Blood Clotting Phys
2. Blood Clotting Biochem
3. Blood Clotting Drugs in Pharm
4. Blood Clotting Path
These 4 readings overlap almost 100%. Even the Path, at least in this instance, covers mostly the same stuff as the other books. If you're smart about what you pick, it's not as overwhelming.
My group was not very smart for our first two tests, and wound up picking stuff from all over the board. Now that we're better at the process, and more familiar with our books, it's getting easier to find related information and focus on that.
Is this making sense? I know it seems "different" to learn about everything all at once, but it all fits together, so it works out...
