LECOM-E (LDP) vs. PCOM

[hopefulDO2020]

Hi everyone, I have the awesome decision to make of which medical school I want to attend in the fall. I've looked back at past SDN threads, but I am wondering if anyone has anymore recent advice. Both are relatively close, and I am unsure of what I want to practice, so I want to keep all my options open. I was wondering if you had any advice/feedback!


LECOM-E (LDP)

Pros

• Cheap, tuition is around 35k a year
• Formal faculty advisor (do people utilize this program?)
• Cost of living
• Strong match placements
• Strong pass rates (the lowest they have listed is 94.8% for COMLEX 1, although I think you have to pass their internal exam first?)

Cons

• No eating or drinking anywhere on campus outside of the cafeteria
• Prosected bodies (although this might not be a complete negative as I've heard the summer program is nice?)
• No contracted clinical sites & lottery system has me worried (does everyone really get one of their top 3 placements?)
• Mandatory dress code (I’ve had experience with this in the past, and I think it wouldn’t be the worst after an adjustment period)
• People seemed really sad when I went there? Is that the pulse of the campus?

PCOM-PA

Pros

• Strong match rates
• No mandatory attendance in lectures
• Dissection with cadavers
• Contracted clinical sites
• People seemed happy to be there
• Stronger reputation? I don’t want to base my decision on this but everyone I know is familiar with PCOM

Cons

• More expensive tuition at 53k a year
• Much more expensive tuition
• Slightly lower COMLEX pass rates (the highest they have is 95 for the past few years)

Summary: I’m really torn and could use some help because I think that they both offer extremely different experiences! Any advice/feedback you have would be much appreciated!

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[DrStephenStrange]

I would spend the extra buck and go to PCOM if it's the PA campus.

 

[TheDataKing]

Agree. I’d go with PCOM if it’s the philly location

 

[hopefulDO2020]

Agree. I’d go with PCOM if it’s the philly location

Is there any particular reason why?

 

[TheDataKing]

Is there any particular reason why?

PCOM has associated hospitals (you're not left on your own to find and hope the hospitals work out for you like at LECOM) and students aren't miserable. I have friends that go there now that are all really happy while the same can't be said about anyone I know who went to LECOM. PCOM/DMU/ATSU-KCOM are the original 3 DO schools and they have more name recognition. They were founded almost a century before LECOM. Philly has a lot more going on than Erie - the weather is better, there is more to do, you're not in a desolate cold area. That's just my $0.02

 

[hopefulDO2020]

Thank you for the feedback @TheDataKing