LECOM-Erie class of 2011!!

[bkpa2med]

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Members don't see this ad.

LECOM does have a SimMan. I believe you get to use them during first year I believe it's called CODA. I forgot exactly what they told me but I did see it. For the most part I think many schools have this.

 

[bkpa2med]

Nascar,
Read this. You'll find alot of your questions answered here.

http://www.lecom.edu/lecom/news/AssessmentCenter.asp

 

[pineapple]

What I meant by if you are forewarned you can forearmend is that you know by reading the previous posts you are going to have to be extra prepared, work harder than most students, have thick skin, and learn in an environment that is not conducive to learning. I am biased but I think PBL will prepare you the best for boards, especially if you are taking the USMLE (which everyone should!!).

Are the ISP students happy?

At my interview I went in totally uninterested in ISP and had it as my first choice (and I'm accepted to it) by the end because it sounded like everyone and their mother was trying to switch into it.

 

[trypto82]

LECOM does have a SimMan. I believe you get to use them during first year I believe it's called CODA. I forgot exactly what they told me but I did see it. For the most part I think many schools have this.

you get to use Sim-Man as a first year...you will get to take a femoral pulse, listen to heart valves, take a carotid pulse, and maybe some lungs sounds if you are really lucky. Unless they incorporate it more into your class, you will spend all of 5 minutes with it the whole year.

Right now they use it primarily for ACLS training and such for second years

 

[bustbones26]

Man, so many comments, where do I even begin here.

Look people, this is a school whose preclinical dean and head of anatomy is a bully type ***** that earned this graduate degree in anatomy after he failed out of medical school. What kind of school hires such a dip$&t? You know, there is one thing that I realize now that I never realized back then, he is just a pathetic little man who is a pervert by the way, and he can only wish to have what it is that you will all have someday, the chance to practice medicine.

The paranoia at this school is unreal. Newsflash, John and Silvia are human and it is impossible for them to be watching you around the clock.


Again, I reference the movie Europa Europa if you have ever seen it. In this movie, a jewish boy escapes Germany to Russia and ends up living in a Russian orphanage. One day in classes, a fellow classmate/orphan from Poland questions that communistic teachings that religion is opium for the masses. The schoolmaster forces this young polish boy to stand up in front of the class and declare, "God, bring us candies from the sky", and nothing happens and he is ridiculed by fellow orphans. The schoolmaster than ask all other orphans to speak out, "Stalin, bring us candies from the sky". Of course at this point, school officials are hiding in the ceiling and drop candies all over the floor from above. As candie is raining down on the floor, the schoolmaster looks up and replies, "Ah, communism is so beautiful"

At LECOM, Dr. John is Stalin, Dr. Silvia is the schoolmaster, and you are the russian orphans at their mercy.

 

[DragonWell]

Again, I reference the movie Europa Europa if you have ever seen it. In this movie, a jewish boy escapes Germany to Russia and ends up living in a Russian orphanage. One day in classes, a fellow classmate/orphan from Poland questions that communistic teachings that religion is opium for the masses. The schoolmaster forces this young polish boy to stand up in front of the class and declare, "God, bring us candies from the sky", and nothing happens and he is ridiculed by fellow orphans. The schoolmaster than ask all other orphans to speak out, "Stalin, bring us candies from the sky". Of course at this point, school officials are hiding in the ceiling and drop candies all over the floor from above. As candie is raining down on the floor, the schoolmaster looks up and replies, "Ah, communism is so beautiful"

At LECOM, Dr. John is Stalin, Dr. Silvia is the schoolmaster, and you are the russian orphans at their mercy.

To me, this analogy says a lot more about how you view the school than it does about the school itself.


BTW, isn't this thread supposed to be for people that are accepted and attending LECOM-Erie c/o 2011?

None of my business, really, but it seems unfortunate that those displeased with LECOM feel the need to use this thread to publicize their opinions to a captive audience. I am sure that anyone who has spent any time on SDN and even remotely considered attending LECOM has heard plenty of criticisms of the school, both valid and invalid. In fact, there are current threads open about LECOM in DO and pre-DO. Maybe that'd be a more appropriate place to post potentially inflammatory comments, and this thread should be used to let future LECOMers figure out the logistics of their new lives, and to celebrate the fact that they have achieved a great milestone - acceptance into med school.

Congratulations everybody! Good luck!

 

[MiesVanDerMom]

Thanks DragonWell! I couldn't agree more 👍

And considering how many innocent people the communists killed, I find that whole analogy pretty offensive. Grow up.

 

[bkpa2med]

Thanks DragonWell! I couldn't agree more 👍

And considering how many innocent people the communists killed, I find that whole analogy pretty offensive. Grow up.

Let the LECOM Class of '11 take control when we get there, and represent! What what lol

 

[bravotwozero]

Man, so many comments, where do I even begin here.

Look people, this is a school whose preclinical dean and head of anatomy is a bully type ***** that earned this graduate degree in anatomy after he failed out of medical school. What kind of school hires such a dip$&t? You know, there is one thing that I realize now that I never realized back then, he is just a pathetic little man who is a pervert by the way, and he can only wish to have what it is that you will all have someday, the chance to practice medicine.

The paranoia at this school is unreal. Newsflash, John and Silvia are human and it is impossible for them to be watching you around the clock.


Again, I reference the movie Europa Europa if you have ever seen it. In this movie, a jewish boy escapes Germany to Russia and ends up living in a Russian orphanage. One day in classes, a fellow classmate/orphan from Poland questions that communistic teachings that religion is opium for the masses. The schoolmaster forces this young polish boy to stand up in front of the class and declare, "God, bring us candies from the sky", and nothing happens and he is ridiculed by fellow orphans. The schoolmaster than ask all other orphans to speak out, "Stalin, bring us candies from the sky". Of course at this point, school officials are hiding in the ceiling and drop candies all over the floor from above. As candie is raining down on the floor, the schoolmaster looks up and replies, "Ah, communism is so beautiful"

At LECOM, Dr. John is Stalin, Dr. Silvia is the schoolmaster, and you are the russian orphans at their mercy.

You know, I take all the lecom bashing with a grain of salt (and I'm not even going to lecom), but I've got to admit, reading posts like this one makes for great entertainment

 

[bustbones26]

To me, this analogy says a lot more about how you view the school than it does about the school itself.


BTW, isn't this thread supposed to be for people that are accepted and attending LECOM-Erie c/o 2011?

None of my business, really, but it seems unfortunate that those displeased with LECOM feel the need to use this thread to publicize their opinions to a captive audience. I am sure that anyone who has spent any time on SDN and even remotely considered attending LECOM has heard plenty of criticisms of the school, both valid and invalid. In fact, there are current threads open about LECOM in DO and pre-DO. Maybe that'd be a more appropriate place to post potentially inflammatory comments, and this thread should be used to let future LECOMers figure out the logistics of their new lives, and to celebrate the fact that they have achieved a great milestone - acceptance into med school.

Congratulations everybody! Good luck!

The only reason I added few cents here was because this thread is infiltrated with people who are questioning their acceptance to LECOM, they specifically ask about the negative things they hear about, and some just want to know if they should go to another choice of school.

And you are correct, people should celebrate their acceptance into medical school, I say go for it. With all of the negative things you do hear about LECOM, don't let it get you down. In fact, I openly invite anybody posting on this board to PM as I can add a bit of insight on how to avoid some of the common mistakes made by LECOMers and I can certainly bust any myths that you have heard (or verify, one or the other).

To others, get over it, my comparison of the LECOM admin to communist was a joke in case you did not notice it. I am not saying that they are literally a communist or implying that they kill people. Get over it!

 

[NoNameLECOM]

I know a few of you don't want to hear bitching on the blog. I totally get that but I think you deserve to be warned about what is going on.

A year ago I absolutely loved LECOM, now I leave there every day regretting going there. LECOM has changed drastically and all future students deserve to know that. I can sum it up in one simple sentence: the administration does not, and never will, care about you. Now, there are plenty teachers and staff who will bend over backwards to help you and teach you. But the administration and the faculty members in charge of making the real decisions simply don't care.

For example, within the last month we have been told we can no longer look at our exams and thus can not challenge poorly written questions, questions written on material that was never taught, questions that even 75% of the class missed, etc. After a long battle and an email written by one student on behalf of our class we were finally given this response today: a time will be arranged for people to get together after the entire system/class has ended. You may be able to look at your exam or maybe you'll just be given a list of topics you missed. Will someone please explain to me how that will help me? If Dr. X writes a terrible question on a topic he never went over in class we will never be able to fight that question and thus lose points for something out of our control. And, better yet, if I continuously miss Dr. Y's questions I will have no idea that I need to focus more on his material because I won't know until AFTER the class is over.

This is just the tip of a really big iceberg. If you are already coming to LECOM, just be prepared to undergo a lot of bureacratic bull****. You will not get straight answers (for example, everytime we ask about Board scores from previous classes we get a different answer and some blatant lies) and you're concerns as a class will not be taken seriously.

 

[tranzformer]

Man screw LECOM. Good thing I didn't go to my interview. Would have been a waste of money. Similar opinions and comments have been repeated to me by a close friend that is currently at LECOM. I am happy that I stayed away from LECOM. Totally not worth it.

 

[trypto82]

Man screw LECOM. Good thing I didn't go to my interview. Would have been a waste of money. Similar opinions and comments have been repeated to me by a close friend that is currently at LECOM. I am happy that I stayed away from LECOM. Totally not worth it.

Wise choice! It is refreshing to hear that the message got through to at least one person. Will provide addresses soon for thank you cards, letters, and monetary donations from the lives/medical careers that we saved!

 

[bkpa2med]

Wise choice! It is refreshing to hear that the message got through to at least one person. Will provide addresses soon for thank you cards, letters, and monetary donations from the lives/medical careers that we saved!

 

[Hessian]

I'm an MSI here at LECOM and I've read all of these posts and I can't criticize the people who've made them, especially the 2nd years since I'm not in that position yet. All I can do is give my personal opinion. I'm one of those who was pretty much forced here because of lack of options and I have to say I'm actually pleasantly surprised. It seems I'm in the minority. Yeah there are the rules but I'm actually becoming a little appreciative of the dress code, without it I would definitely look homeless every day. But when I have to dress up I actually feel the part of a professional, it kind of does get you into the mindset and sets you up for better habits down the road.

As far as the administration, I typically don't mind them, I just do my own thing. I'm doing well and in my opinion, if you study hard you'll make the grades. And then you leave in two years and you become a doctor someday. As long as I get a solid preparation from LECOM to become a good physician that's really all I care about and it seems that most people who come out of LECOM do great. There doesn't seem to be a large amount of concern coming from the OUTSIDE of LECOM about the school, just those from the inside of the school. I think I can handle that since I'm going to be here a short amount of time. Then again, like I said I can only speak for myself. I am definitely not going to say "don't come here, go somewhere else if you can," there's no way I could break it down that simply. I just want to say if you have no other option, there's no reason to sweat it, you'll get a good education and you'll have the opportunity to do whatever you want in the field of medicine, just make the most out of it and do your best!

 

[Donvb]

I know a few of you don't want to hear bitching on the blog. I totally get that but I think you deserve to be warned about what is going on.

A year ago I absolutely loved LECOM, now I leave there every day regretting going there. LECOM has changed drastically and all future students deserve to know that. I can sum it up in one simple sentence: the administration does not, and never will, care about you. Now, there are plenty teachers and staff who will bend over backwards to help you and teach you. But the administration and the faculty members in charge of making the real decisions simply don't care.

For example, within the last month we have been told we can no longer look at our exams and thus can not challenge poorly written questions, questions written on material that was never taught, questions that even 75% of the class missed, etc. After a long battle and an email written by one student on behalf of our class we were finally given this response today: a time will be arranged for people to get together after the entire system/class has ended. You may be able to look at your exam or maybe you'll just be given a list of topics you missed. Will someone please explain to me how that will help me? If Dr. X writes a terrible question on a topic he never went over in class we will never be able to fight that question and thus lose points for something out of our control. And, better yet, if I continuously miss Dr. Y's questions I will have no idea that I need to focus more on his material because I won't know until AFTER the class is over.

This is just the tip of a really big iceberg. If you are already coming to LECOM, just be prepared to undergo a lot of bureacratic bull****. You will not get straight answers (for example, everytime we ask about Board scores from previous classes we get a different answer and some blatant lies) and you're concerns as a class will not be taken seriously.

This is all false.

We will be allowed to check our exams with our advisor. Also, we will be able to place our concerns about exam questions immediately after taking the exam if we feel there was a problem. Just wanted to inform everyone of what the real rules are, whether or not they suck, that is your opinion

 

[Dorkus Maximus]

I know a few of you don't want to hear bitching on the blog. I totally get that but I think you deserve to be warned about what is going on.

A year ago I absolutely loved LECOM, now I leave there every day regretting going there. LECOM has changed drastically and all future students deserve to know that. I can sum it up in one simple sentence: the administration does not, and never will, care about you. Now, there are plenty teachers and staff who will bend over backwards to help you and teach you. But the administration and the faculty members in charge of making the real decisions simply don't care.

For example, within the last month we have been told we can no longer look at our exams and thus can not challenge poorly written questions, questions written on material that was never taught, questions that even 75% of the class missed, etc. After a long battle and an email written by one student on behalf of our class we were finally given this response today: a time will be arranged for people to get together after the entire system/class has ended. You may be able to look at your exam or maybe you'll just be given a list of topics you missed. Will someone please explain to me how that will help me? If Dr. X writes a terrible question on a topic he never went over in class we will never be able to fight that question and thus lose points for something out of our control. And, better yet, if I continuously miss Dr. Y's questions I will have no idea that I need to focus more on his material because I won't know until AFTER the class is over.

This is just the tip of a really big iceberg. If you are already coming to LECOM, just be prepared to undergo a lot of bureacratic bull****. You will not get straight answers (for example, everytime we ask about Board scores from previous classes we get a different answer and some blatant lies) and you're concerns as a class will not be taken seriously.

Another nay-sayer with one whopping post that just joined? Is anybody else sensing a trend here? 😴

Maybe I'll go sign up under a few different aliases and reiterate all the positive things I've said before!!!

Every school has its pros and cons. Focus on the good things, laugh at the bad, and you'll be fine. I like it here, hopefully you will too class of 2011!!!

 

[bkpa2med]

I totally agree with you. All these one posters are d-bags pardon my french.

 

[iwillbesoon]

My mom is always telling me that if the reputation of LECOM goes down that it’ll affect me, and I’m forever telling her that a) it’s not the education that we’re all bashing and b) would she want me coming here again knowing how much I hate the place? Basically, if the reputation of LECOM does suffer, it won’t be because of the education. Everyone will know your education was fine, but they’ll also know that you spent four years being unhappy at your school.

This was a point that I and a handful of others tried to drive home at our lunch with John Ferretti, the president of our school. There were SO many things wrong with the lunch that I can’t even decide where to start. They invite a range of about 30 to 40 students each week to eat lunch with the president. You have to RSVP to let them know if you’re coming. They know in advance how many people are going to show up…..and they still couldn’t get the right number of chairs at the table. A bunch of people sat along the wall, eating lunch out of their laps.

I thought the point of the lunch was to tell the president what you think of LECOM and medical school in general. I was under the impression that he would maybe care what you were saying. I was so wrong. I can’t believe how rude he was. Besides that, I didn’t hear him accept responsibility for any of the problems that we brought up. I wasn’t looking for personal responsibility, but a concession that maybe the administration handles some things in a less that perfect way would have been nice.

One girl in my class brought up SDN and the reviews LECOM has been getting. He waved his hand dismissively and said “I don’t even own a computer. I write everything by hand. You can even ask my secretary.” YOU DON’T OWN A COMPUTER? Is this the same school that made me buy a laptop that they said I would need, a laptop which has traveled into the school maybe six times? Steph proceeded to explain that LECOM has a lot of bad press on SDN. It went something like this: (I love Steph)
Steph: …and in the 2010 thread there hasn’t been anything positive about LECOM in a long time.
JF: Well, you could write something positive, like about how the president of the school had lunch with you. How many schools does that happen in? Why don’t you write something positive?
Steph: Frankly, I have nothing positive to say.

He responded to a suggestion that the administration take a survey to gauge student satisfaction by telling us that WE should be setting up this survey and that we could do it through our SGA. Yeah, well, that’s not quite the same. The admin should be concerned with how they are doing enough to issue a survey on their own instead of waiting for the students to be so mad that they do it. His response? “We do give two surveys, one when you enter the school and one when you exit.” Hmmm….what about the FOUR YEARS in between? And what exactly does an entrance survey tell you? No one knows enough about the school to answer anything accurately then.

When asked why we don’t get a spring break of any kind, he answered that it was eliminated in order to give us more days off at Easter. Um, really? Because the last time I checked, WE DON’T GET AN EASTER BREAK. In fact, for the LDP kids, there is a test the day after Easter, thereby effectively preventing you from going home for Easter. We actually get TWO days off this semester. Not even two days in a row. How is it that the president of the school doesn’t even know when school is in session?

Also a hot topic of discussion was that email that I posted a few weeks ago, the one about new rules and hoops to jump through. He claims that those rules were never voiced by the administration. Yeah, I guess the SGA just made them up then, huh? And since they were never officially approved by the administration, I guess they should stop enforcing them. Exactly how is it that new rules that don’t come from the administration start being enforced by the teachers and staff? I smell a rat somewhere. I was also amused that he admonished us for believing the email. Gosh, yes, it’s totally unreasonable for me to believe an email sent out by the Student Government listing new rules, rules which are being enforced in the school.

Near the end of the lunch, a few people brought up some positive things about LECOM. This is what we came up with:
1. They plow the parking lot really good.
2. The security at the school kicks ass. Not so much the cameras – they suck. But the security officers are awesome.
3. One kid decided to tell JF that he liked the dress code…something about how getting up and getting dressed each day “makes him feel one day closer to his goal”. Okay, well, it makes me uncomfortable all day and I’m pretty sure the majority of the class would disagree with that kid. Buy hey, the dress code I can handle.

I personally think we should add that the PBL director is amazing, but since there were like, two PBL kids and the LDP kids don’t know him, it didn’t come up.

There were SO many more issues brought up – things like improving communication between the admin and us; issues with a rude and unprofessional professor; establishing a grievance process that goes straight to the admin, not through ten layers of “student reps; advisors that are supposed to meet with you monthly that you’ve met once since the beginning of school, etc. None of the issues had any decent response by JF except for the meeting with advisors thing. He says he’ll change that. Wow, one whole item he plans on taking action on.


On another note, if you are coming here (maybe because you already paid the deposit and don’t have enough money for another one? Or you don’t have any other options? Because otherwise WHY?) and you have any questions about where to live, apartments that take pets, bad parts of town, how far away from the school something is, how much the electric and gas and internet bills run, etc., just ask. Actually, PM it, because I really suck at checking back at what people post after me.

 

[MiesVanDerMom]

i wish we could just shut this thread down. it really wasn't meant to be a big list of every reason LECOM sucks. it was supposed to be for those of us going there next year to meet, discuss finding apartments, etc. etc. Instead all we get is this crap. And tacking "email me" at the end of a post doesn't make you less of an a-hole in my opinion. I'm not coming back here anymore. All these warnings aren't doing jack for me. I guess I'll just meet all my fellow classmates this summer. Adios till then everyone.

All you complainers say the admin doesn't listen, so there's no solution to these problems. Well, whining on SDN doesn't solve anything either. LECOM will keep filling its class even if you manage to scare away a few SDNers. Big gold star for you all.

 

[DontDoIt]

Excellent post iwillbesoon, I'm sorry you're only a first year and actually have one more year here. for all you out there who look and say i only have 1 post, that's b/c i actually am paranoid enough at using my old sdn screenname b/c it has some identifying info in the signature (LECOM does make you paranoid). I'm a second year and can agree with 95% of the negative things that have been said about LECOM (dresscode shouldn't be an issue, we knew about it coming in). Things like problems with administration, etc. are all true. I went to a "Lunch with the President" last year with John Ferretti, and he basically dismissed every complaint students had, so what's the point of talking to the guy. So this year, I didn't even bother going. But I'm not surprised at Johnny F., this is the guy who asked me if anatomy was over in February of my first year (anatomy ended in October) so he obviously has no idea what's going on at the school, though I have heard he's a nice guy and is good to do IM rotations with.

The feelings about the school among students, especially MSII's, are very, very negative. No one is happy about the school and there is no pride whatsoever about LECOM. However, on the plus side, most of the students and professors are great. And, the education seems fine, too. Their board pass rate last year was like 87%, right around average, not great but not terrible. Though, I must add, the average score on the boards for LECOM was lower than the national average. I'm not saying don't go to LECOM no matter what, but I am saying be prepared to put up with a lot of BS. Who knows, maybe things will get better.........just don't count on it.

 

[DontDoIt]

Oh and for the previous poster, we're just warning you guys, that's all. I got the same warnings from previous students when I was about to come here. IN fact, I was talking to an MSII when I was applying here, and he didn't know I was planning on Med school, and I asked him how he liked the school.....his eyes went wide and he was like "I hate that place," then when I told em I was planning on applying, he said some nice things about the school. I still came, I'm getting through it, and I'm almost done with pre-clinical years. However, I was happy I got the warnings that I did, because it made me more prepared for what to expect, that's all. My advice: keep your head down, dont make a lot of noise, dont draw attention to yourself, and work hard, pass all your classes so you dont have to spend any more time here than you already will.....

 

[poormansDO]

in spite of all this negativity of LECOM. i just received an interview invite for March 5th and I am super happy. its pretty quick concerning they just received my DO letter last thursday. i guess having a DO letter from a LECOM-Erie alum really helped, hopefully i'll join you guys next year.

 

[justpeachy]

To be honest, all of this negative talk about Erie is really starting to get to me. I think that all of the people who are bashing LECOM, especially those who are going to be alumni of the school should consider the impact they are having. You may in fact scare away some potentially great classmates. Don't you care about the future of LECOM? You should want it to be a top school that attracts the best students and that is not going to happen as long as you continue to scare people away. You are the ones who will have the diploma on your wall, most of us still have a choice. You are ruining the reputation of the school, so that one day your professional peers will think you and your education a joke. I know all students at ALL schools get annoyed with their profs, admin, dean, etc. It is not going to be roses throughout all 4 years, but usually that is something students at that particular school bitch about amongst each other. But to go onto a public forum and advertise to other students how horrible of a school LECOM is is problematic. You are making the school a joke. That's noble of you to want to "spare" potential classmates but why dont you think about yourselves and the impact bashing YOUR school will have on YOUR future.

 

[justpeachy]

By the way, does anyone know when orientation starts?

 

[smgilles]

To be honest, all of this negative talk about Erie is really starting to get to me. I think that all of the people who are bashing LECOM, especially those who are going to be alumni of the school should consider the impact they are having. You may in fact scare away some potentially great classmates. Don't you care about the future of LECOM? You should want it to be a top school that attracts the best students and that is not going to happen as long as you continue to scare people away. You are the ones who will have the diploma on your wall, most of us still have a choice. You are ruining the reputation of the school, so that one day your professional peers will think you and your education a joke. I know all students at ALL schools get annoyed with their profs, admin, dean, etc. It is not going to be roses throughout all 4 years, but usually that is something students at that particular school bitch about amongst each other. But to go onto a public forum and advertise to other students how horrible of a school LECOM is is problematic. You are making the school a joke. That's noble of you to want to "spare" potential classmates but why dont you think about yourselves and the impact bashing YOUR school will have on YOUR future.

1. I don't give 2 ****s about LECOM, because they don't give 2 ****s about
me, or you for that matter....you are $$$
2. How can you ruin a reputation that doesn't exist
3. You do have a choice...use it wisely
4. I will never display my diploma or anything else that says LECOM on it
5. I have succeeded despite LECOM's best efforts
6. Orientation usually starts last week of July

 

[Donvb]

1. I don't give 2 ****s about LECOM, because they don't give 2 ****s about
me, or you for that matter....you are $$$
2. How can you ruin a reputation that doesn't exist
3. You do have a choice...use it wisely
4. I will never display my diploma or anything else that says LECOM on it
5. I have succeeded despite LECOM's best efforts
6. Orientation usually starts last week of July

LOL you are a very angry person, lighten up! Take a deep breathe for four seconds.... hold it for seven seconds... And release your breathe for eight seconds... Now imagine your foot in your eyelid, now your other foot... Now... Walk outside, lay in the snow, flap your arms and legs... Then stand up, look at the snow angel you just produced, go inside, and get your damn dress clothes ready for tomorrow!!

 

[cabinbuilder]

I think it's very sad that small minded folks who have nothing better to do are trying to kill the dream for do many others. LECOM is a great school and the professors and admin bend over backwards to make your experience a good one. Sure there is bureaucracy, but that is life. Just wait until you get out into the real world folks and have to work a real job. They make it hard for those who are so nitpicky about every verb tense of every question of every test. Get a life people. Every year there are that small minority of gunners and nit pickers who make lives hell for themselves and the rest. LECOM gives people a chance to become a doctor when no one else even breathes in their direction. Sure the "upper management" is a little odd but so is the rest of the world. Embrace this opportunity to get education, become a doctor. I found in my class (2006) you had the same group of people who were immature, never worked a job, picked apart every exam, killed themselves over that A, never slept, and had mental breakdowns every week. Those people seemed to always have problems with the material, with the staff, with the dress code, with the rotations office, with the registrar's office, with securtiy, etc, etc, etc.

I loved going to LECOM. You have a lot of opportunity not seen at bigger schools. Everyone knows your name, it's family. The rotations are many and there are choices not afforded at other schools. If anyone has any questions about the school feel free to PM me.

Cabinbuilder DO, LECOM 2006

 

[bustbones26]

It looks like this has turned into a thread of "bash LECOM" verus those who defend it. If I may, allow me to just summarize that people are trying to say without really basing the school.

The morale at LECOM is low. No, its not a bad school. No, at heart the ferrettis aren't bad people! The truth is, most profs, (minus a few of course) are really liked at this school, but keep in mind that students are not the only ones who suffer, the faculty does too. Many great profs I had were driven away from LECOM for that reason.

So LECOM produces an adequate product, but the student morale is very low and nobody who has the power to change this cares and I think that is all that the "bashers" are trying to say. All you future people can ask, "why not support your alma mater?". But I ask, isn't the school concerned that their alumni don't support them? Who will this school turn to when the monetary gifts from the Erie community are tapped out? With their alumni donate money?

The "lunch with the president" that somebody brought up earlier, I just can't help myself do here goes------

There once was this movie called Enemy at the Gates featuring Vassili, a Russian sniper who was in a game with a german sniper. Anyways, at the very beggining of the movie they show Vassili as a Russian soldier thrown into battle against the Germans with other young russian boys who are all ordered to charge with minimal weapons. Later in the movie, there is a line of Russian officials lined up outside the office of Stalin all being balked at by their superior about how they are getting their asses kicked by the Germans. They balk back, "But the germans have more firepower" "But the Germans have planes and machines" "But the Germans have a well trained organized Army" etc. etc. So this big official says to one of the critics as he point to the door of Stalin's office, "Do you want to go in there and tell him that" Then he hands him a gun and says "Of maybe you just want to take care of this yourself" We then see this guy disappear and hear a gun shot (impying that he shot himself as opposed to facing his Stalin leader and explaining legitimate russian army problems).

So I've made two comparison between LECOM and communist Russia Forgive me.

But lets get one thing straight, just because the student morale is low, this does not mean that it has to affect you. The biggest mistake any of you future LECOMers could make it letting this affect you, there are ways around it, and there are ways to survive. And if you do, you will be back here cracking LECOM jokes probably more than I do.

 

[poormansDO]

anybody know the # of OOS students interviewed/accepted?

 

[seinordiggler]

There once was this movie called Enemy at the Gates featuring Vassili, a Russian sniper who was in a game with a german sniper. Anyways, at the very beggining of the movie they show Vassili as a Russian soldier thrown into battle against the Germans with other young russian boys who are all ordered to charge with minimal weapons. Later in the movie, there is a line of Russian officials lined up outside the office of Stalin all being balked at by their superior about how they are getting their asses kicked by the Germans. They balk back, "But the germans have more firepower" "But the Germans have planes and machines" "But the Germans have a well trained organized Army" etc. etc. So this big official says to one of the critics as he point to the door of Stalin's office, "Do you want to go in there and tell him that" Then he hands him a gun and says "Of maybe you just want to take care of this yourself" We then see this guy disappear and hear a gun shot (impying that he shot himself as opposed to facing his Stalin leader and explaining legitimate russian army problems).

So I've made two comparison between LECOM and communist Russia Forgive me.

Ha Ha...bustbones, it really feels like we're in a Siberian "gulag" with all the snow this week! I look foreword to a nice "May Day" parade this year!!!

Seriously, the irony of these posts is amazing! I understand the enthusiasm that these "pre-meds" feel and I can relate to them being upset when we tell them how bad the administration treats the students. However, it is that very attitude that allows the administration to treat us this way. They know exactly how long the line for our spots is and that they can fill them, no matter how much they "****" on their current students! I think these incoming students should know how upset we are with the school, especially in light of the fact that we have already spent $100,000 here. I think my tuition entitles me to admonish future students because my $$ doesn't buy me any say "on campus"!!!

I definitely think the administrators read Orwell's novels (and took notes)! Well, "better dead than red!"

 

[mrsalpacino]

By the way, does anyone know when orientation starts?

Orientation starts July 28th! 😀 I just got the info packet the other day- Will you be joining us? 🙂

 

[mrsalpacino]

anybody know the # of OOS students interviewed/accepted?

Hey check out this website...
http://www.medschoolready.com/app/schooldetails.asp?ID=181&DH=25

In case the link doesn't work its listed as 2076 applying out of state, with 7.9% accepted. It then goes on to say the chances of acceptance are 1 in 12.7, hope this helps!🙂

 

[Mrs MacDreamy]

Ha Ha...bustbones, it really feels like we're in a Siberian "gulag" with all the snow this week! I look foreword to a nice "May Day" parade this year!!!

Seriously, the irony of these posts is amazing! I understand the enthusiasm that these "pre-meds" feel and I can relate to them being upset when we tell them how bad the administration treats the students. However, it is that very attitude that allows the administration to treat us this way. They know exactly how long the line for our spots is and that they can fill them, no matter how much they "****" on their current students! I think these incoming students should know how upset we are with the school, especially in light of the fact that we have already spent $100,000 here. I think my tuition entitles me to admonish future students because my $$ doesn't buy me any say "on campus"!!!

I definitely think the administrators read Orwell's novels (and took notes)! Well, "better dead than red!"

I totally agree with this post. Last year I was one of those starry-eyed just accepted people who got on just another "bashing LECOM" thread and defended LECOM till last breath, and people who are now mad at us for saying the truth will do exactly the same next year. I am not writing this to bash LECOM, I actually like it here and doing pretty well. But I just want to tell you - MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. Im not even talking about dress code or attendance or some other retentive rules this school has. I am talking about problems with education that you should be concerned with. Like for example the fact that we only have 2 (two) pharmacology profs and when one of them had a family emergency and couldnt teach for a week and the other refused to teach since he didnt think he could tell us anything new about the topic, LECOM couldnt find anyone else to teach it! Now think about it, LECOM has a pharmacy school and a medical school - and they couldnt find anyone else so we had to do it on our own. But then one day before the exam when proffessor did came back, he was not even allowed to hold a review session with us! To me this is a legitimate concern, which I wish I knew a year ago. There is also a big issue now with administration not letting us review our exams but they promised to work on it so we'll just have to wait and see.
Anyways, Im not saying LECOM sucks, dont go to LECOM, if you decided thats where you want to go Im sure you have a good reason for it, just as all of us did, but be aware of certain things that they dont tell you during interview or on website and make a smart choice, thats it !

 

[sunset22]

I am about 90% sure I will be going to LECOM this July. Accepted to the PBL program. I was going back and forth between PBL and LDP. I hope I made the right choice. I haven't heard any complaints from PBL students though. Seems as if those people are happy. Most people say that it just depends on your learning style, but honestly, I haven't been exposed to a learning style beyond simple lecture. Is it true PBL students only take two tests a semester versus a test every week or so as in LDP? How does this factor into class rankings, etc? I would think everyone would have to be compared on a level playing field.

 

[FutureSoxDoc]

For the last poster...

You are esentially in 3 different medical schools for class ranks. There is LDP (which ends up being around 150), PBL (around 40) and ISP (around 30). You are ranked according to Pathway. I was LDP and found the test every Monday very exhausting.

 

[doctorE2010]

All the PBL students I know are very happy--I would definitely stick with PBL. PBL takes usually 3 tests a semester, along with various other tests such as OPP, and some shorter lecture classes PBL students have to attend, such as spirituality and ethics, and health care management. LDP students have tests weekly---uuuuugghhhh! PBL is not so much about learning style, it's about self motivation. If you're the kind of person who is likely to fall behind and procrastinate (each test is 2 months of material and about 700-800 pages of reading) then you might want to reconsider PBL. If you're self motivated and can keep on task (for the most part) then PBL will work out fine.

 

[NoNameLECOM]

I can't believe how many people are mad at people like me for posting "bashing" LECOM. Listen, I only did that to WARN you. If someone would have been kind enough to do that for me, I would not be in this position. I have so much love and pride for my high school and my undergraduate college. I wish I was at a med school I felt that way about - and you should too!

Plain and simple - will you get a good education? Yes. Will you spend two years disappointed? Yes. So, weigh your options. Check out the other posts for other medical schools. If they like they're school more than we like ours - then go to that school! If they hate it more than we do - come to LECOM! Plain and simple.

God forbid someone tries to give you all advice. Someone who is already in medical school. Someone who knows more than you about it. Someone who cares enough to warn you. Silly me for thinking you might find it as useful as I would have!

 

[jerry75]

So check it out... This is my 6th post! Almost as many as the last 5 LECOM bashers combined! Good job, guys! 👎

So whoever it is signing up under all the different aliases and trying to scare us away, please stop. We're excited to be coming to LECOM next year and your lame excuses for being mad at the school, at life, or at Erie in general won't change our minds. We know - there are some people that like the school and some that don't. The same is true for any school. We don't need, or want for that matter, to listen to your repeated "warnings" about LECOM. We know, you hate it there. Boo-hoo, go cry on someone else's shoulder.

I have a great idea. If you want to add something constructive to the "CLASS OF 2011" forum, feel free to post. But if you're just going to bitch and moan about how pathetic you think the school or administration is, please start your own thread elsewhere - you can even give it the title "I'm at LECOM and I hate it" and invite all your little pissed off friends (or at least all the aliases you signed up with) and have a pity party together there. Hell, maybe you can all go get some pints of ice cream and boxes of Kleenex, wrap up together in your pajamas and fleece blankets and cry to your hearts content. That would be much better than listening to you drone on and on and on about how crappy it supposedly is at LECOM.

Here's one last idea, which in my opinion, would solve everybody's problems. QUIT! That way, you'd be happy because you wouldn't be oppressed, treated like a child, or have to deal with the, god-forbid, administration. And we wouldn't have to read all your mindless drivel. Thank you.

And last, but certainly not least, WELCOME CLASS OF 2011! We're gonna rock that place - much like Zach Morris rocked Bayside. 😉 Right, Donald?

 

[jjsmalls]

All the PBL students I know are very happy--I would definitely stick with PBL. PBL takes usually 3 tests a semester, along with various other tests such as OPP, and some shorter lecture classes PBL students have to attend, such as spirituality and ethics, and health care management. LDP students have tests weekly---uuuuugghhhh! PBL is not so much about learning style, it's about self motivation. If you're the kind of person who is likely to fall behind and procrastinate (each test is 2 months of material and about 700-800 pages of reading) then you might want to reconsider PBL. If you're self motivated and can keep on task (for the most part) then PBL will work out fine.

I am a second-year PBL student, and I couldn't do it any other way. I love it, and you will too. Don't be afraid to try it because you are "used to lecture based education and dont want to change anything now." You will keep up with your work, you will learn the material and do fine, and YOU WILL BE HAPPY! Most (if not all) of the complaints about LECOM come from LDP students, simply because they are on campus and in the spotlight 8 or 9 hours per day, five days a week. As a PBL student, we dont suffer nearly as much because we just aren't on campus as much.

If you have the chance to do PBL, do it. You wont regret it.

PM me if you have any particular questions.

 

[poormansDO]

is it true the LECOM-Erie entering class will be raised to 250 this year? i saw on their website that they will interview in march and april, before i believe they only interviewed until march, and anybody think having a late february/early march interview is for a wait-list position?

 

[Frank l]

i got accepted at LECOM, pbl pathway. pretty sure that's where i will go. anybody else in pbl?
anybody know when housing info gets sent out?

 

[Buckeye4life]

Is there anyone else who was accepted ISP? For current students, how has your experience with ISP been? Thanks.

 

[BigBoy]

ISP is not as great as was advertised.

We were given a handbook at the beginning of the year detailing how ISP would work. We were told that, excepting the anatomy months, we would be on campus for 1-2 days a week. Another ISPer calculated the stat that we've been on campus for 4.2, essentially 5, days a week.

We were also told we'd have flexibility in exam scheduling. That right has, of course, been revoked.

For some professors, it seems like ISP is just an afterthought. They just recycle old LDP test q's, with no regard for our separate learning objectives.

On the plus side, you do get to skip out on about half of the lectures, which gives you time for more productive activities like watching daytime soaps, making peanut butter sculptures or whatever you like to do, because these are invariably the afternoon classes that you go home for.

Also the ISP administration--namely Marty--is spectacular. She is one of the few admin's I've found who really cares about the students.

Although aspects of it fall far short of the promises, ISP does allow you to avoid some of the omnipresent insanity at LECOM. If you do have to come to Erie, you can at least take solace in the fact that you're ISP, though you should've probably tried for PBL.

 

[SportyChick]

I've been accepted into LDP. I'm still debating if I want to do the med school thing. My options are open for Ph.D. programs, but everyone's telling me to go to med school instead. I guess what's really making me hesitant about med school is that I'd like to have somewhat of a social life. I understand that it will be a lot of hard work, but I really don't want to become a hermit and study all day/night. 🙁 Any words of advice? What's med school life really like?

 

[trypto82]

I've been accepted into LDP. I'm still debating if I want to do the med school thing. My options are open for Ph.D. programs, but everyone's telling me to go to med school instead. I guess what's really making me hesitant about med school is that I'd like to have somewhat of a social life. I understand that it will be a lot of hard work, but I really don't want to become a hermit and study all day/night. 🙁 Any words of advice? What's med school life really like?

It is possible to still have a social life in med school...the secret is knowing how to use your time effectively. You get a day or two to relax post-exams (which you can use to study if you want, but I wouldn't recommend especially your first year). The couple of days before an exam you will become a hermit!

The time when your social life will becomes significantly downsized is in your second year. You still have classes going on and the free time you have becomes your study time for boards.

If it is the weekends in particular you are referring too, then med school may not be the way to go (especially LDP at LECOM...because as soon as systems roll around you will have an exam every Monday or Tuesday). But it is definitely possible, and highly recommended to have a social life despite what you may be told by peers/profs. If you don't maintain a healthy social life, you will end up hating life, that's a garuntee!

 

[amindwalker]

I got accepted to the ISP last Monday. Thanks for the input.

 

[SportyChick]

Thanks for the info. I'll most likely go to LECOM. Guess I better start recruiting friends!

 

[BigBoy]

if you're at all hesitant about going to medical school DON'T DO IT. honestly, you have to really want to do this because it is all you will be for the rest of your life. you will not lead a normal family or social life by any means. the financial reward just isn't there anymore--not unless you are a specialist. and, to get one of these positions, you basically have to be about it from day one. ask your local family doc how much time he spends at his job. and this is after "paying your dues" with med school, internship and residency.
i'm doing it because i know there's nothing else for me. but, if you are uncertain, don't take my word for it; just talk to a local doc or two (not your derm or ophtho guy--he's living a dream) and think about whether or not you're willing to walk in those shoes.
this wasn't meant to scare you. and, if it does then you know you're staring down the wrong path.

 

[DocJuice]

hi everyone, quick question about Lecom LDP pathway. Attendance is required...so if someone doesnt attend, do they lose points? grade gets lower? what exactly are the consequences. just wondering. Thanks.😕