Accepted!
Is there a pro and con list anywhere for LECOM Brandenton? If not does anyone have any input?
Alot of us have talked at length about our experiences here in this thread and the previous incarnations of it from past years...I also think there's a review in the "pros and cons of your school thread somewhere"
Here's some very quick bullet points, IMO:
Pros:
1. PBL: little time spent at school in lecture. Lots of time reading. This means I can work around my own (and my family's) schedule.
2. Location: best ever. Impossible to beat, unless you love big cities. To me, SW Florida is about as close to heaven as you can get. Also, I think there is something (very minor) to be said for having consistent weather. You don't have to worry about your studies being disrupted for ANY reason. Hurricanes are even rare around these parts, although we get some near misses and serious storms from time to time...
3. Track Record: Last few years running, our board scores have been stellar. And the match lists, FWIW.
4. OMM: I get the feeling sometimes that OMM is kinda "deified" at some DO schools. I don't KNOW this, but it's just the impression I get hanging around SDN...Anyways, here...it's not really. It's taught well...very practically, "another tool in your toolbox" is a favorite saying of our professor, and is exactly how I look at it.
Cons:
1. PBL: I know, it's a Pro, and a big one. Be sure it's for you. Be sure you have the discipline to study for long hours on end on your own. Some people learn better in lecture...although, if you're one of them, there are plenty of electronic resources (Kaplan lectures, etc) to help you out.
2. Rotations: My limited experience so far has been fine, but occasionally people have trouble getting the spot they want. I think this is more due to being inflexible than anything. I wanted to stay close to Bradenton/Sarasota to be near my family and had no issues, really. Also, (and this is a general DO issue) DO rotations tend to be at smaller community hospitals. The advantage is that it's more "real world" and you're 1-on-1 with the attending. No residents, etc to get in your way. Disadvantage is lack of formal teaching (again, more work on your own) and possibly less pathology, although this is very debatable.
3. Lectures: We don't have many. Clinical Exam and OMM on Tuesday. You'll come to loathe these. I think most of us picked PBL because we hate lecture, and as time goes on, it just gets more any more annoying. The lecturers are fine, it's just that you want to get on with your reading...OMM lectures could be better, IMO, but he's a nice guy, and his tests are good, and his practical teaching is very good, so it works out ok.
4. Location: Some people hate it here. I think they're all on some serious crack. They think there's not enough to do. Mostly these seem to be people who think that NYC is the greatest place ever. I love NYC, but I wouldn't want to live there. We DO have bars, restaurants, movie theaters (that serve alcohol!), the best beaches in the world, close proximity to Tampa and Disney World, tons of sporting events, little-to-no traffic, little-to-no crime, great schools...The weather is what it is. Contrary to popular belief, we do get all 4 season. Winter is VERY mild (lows were in the upper 20's a couple weeks ago) and VERY short (1-2 weeks). Most of "winter" here (say, Nov-March) is lows of 50's, highs in the low 70's and NO humidity. Gorgeous. "Summer" starts in mid-late April-ish and runs through October. So be prepared to be warm. Fortunately, our beaches rock. Also, we get a great gulf breeze, which helps alleviate some of the heat. Again, I LOVE the weather here, and can't say enough great things about it. Some people don't, hence the inclusion on both lists...
