LECOM PBL Freetime

[lolomghelp]

Hello hello,
I am going to be attending LECOM in July 2020, and I was just wondering how much free-time one has? What did your schedule look like? How often did you get to see your family (assuming that they are approximately 4-5 hours away).
Thanks. 🙂

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[hallowmann]

Its not free time. You will be working. You'll be studying+classes just as much as any other med school curriculum. The difference is that you have control over when and where that time is spent.

The first 2-3 mos is the same, lots of classes, on campus 5 days a week, etc. After that PBL will be 3 days a week, and depending on the group, PBL sessions may end 1-2 wks before an exam. After that you are coming in 2-3 days of the week (usually spread out across the week) for other required courses, OPP, etc. It wouldn't be wise to leave town for a trip during that time, because its honestly the busiest studying time for everyone.

You're still going to have to be on-campus most days of the week, and you're not going to have all these extra long weekends or extended periods of time to drive home and visit family. I lived an hour away from my extended family, and made it out to visit them most weekends for a day, but I doubt I would have done that if that meant driving 8-10 hrs. It can be done, and honestly I did it during some rotations in 3rd year, but I wouldn't recommend it in 1st and 2nd year.

I really want to emphasize this: you shouldn't choose PBL because you think you'll have a ton of extra time to visit family. You won't. What you'll have is flexibility with your time, that's all.

 

[MusicDOc124]

July/Aug-Oct is 5 days/week on campus. Full on lectures with PBL-lite (1 day/week). This is the period where you're introduced to PBL, but knocking out some OMM, H+P, anatomy, embryology, and histology.

After that few month block, OMM will continue and PBL will turn into the regular thing at 3 days/week. The specific courses of anatomy, embryology, and histology will end, but they will still be incorporated into PBL.
---> your schedule at this point will be M/W/F PBL and occasionally other random stuff that needed to be fit in, and then T/Th OMM/H+P - each has lecture followed by lab, or sometimes lab followed by lecture. These take up about a half a day total, but also sometimes with other filler stuff.

Again, you will often be 5 days/week. As the year goes on, you will have additional courses to attend lecture in person, or watch online (I only recall one that was video PRE-recorded). Lectures are mandatory when they are happening, even though this is PBL.

 

[rg2o3]

Its not free time. You will be working. You'll be studying+classes just as much as any other med school curriculum. The difference is that you have control over when and where that time is spent.

The first 2-3 mos is the same, lots of classes, on campus 5 days a week, etc. After that PBL will be 3 days a week, and depending on the group, PBL sessions may end 1-2 wks before an exam. After that you are coming in 2-3 days of the week (usually spread out across the week) for other required courses, OPP, etc. It wouldn't be wise to leave town for a trip during that time, because its honestly the busiest studying time for everyone.

You're still going to have to be on-campus most days of the week, and you're not going to have all these extra long weekends or extended periods of time to drive home and visit family. I lived an hour away from my extended family, and made it out to visit them most weekends for a day, but I doubt I would have done that if that meant driving 8-10 hrs. It can be done, and honestly I did it during some rotations in 3rd year, but I wouldn't recommend it in 1st and 2nd year.

I really want to emphasize this: you shouldn't choose PBL because you think you'll have a ton of extra time to visit family. You won't. What you'll have is flexibility with your time, that's all.

I don't know. I envy PBL students. They have far more free time. They don't waste their entire day sitting in a classroom getting nothing done.

 

[hallowmann]

I don't know. I envy PBL students. They have far more free time. They don't waste their entire day sitting in a classroom getting nothing done.

It's still not free time. It's time allotted for studying. The exam can pull from anything in those 700-800 pages, and people are actually reading them 3+ times, taking notes from them, and studying the notes repeatedly.

Again, it may look like freetime because it's not structured, and that makes room for doing normal life stuff, which is nice and goes a long way in terms of feeling like a human, but if you're not studying almost as much, then chances of failing are quite high. Exams are high stakes, because there's basically 3 a semester that decide the vast majority of your pre-clinical grades. You're not going to suddenly have whole days to take off traveling to visit family. That's just not how it works.

 

[rg2o3]

It's still not free time. It's time allotted for studying. The exam can pull from anything in those 700-800 pages, and people are actually reading them 3+ times, taking notes from them, and studying the notes repeatedly.

Again, it may look like freetime because it's not structured, and that makes room for doing normal life stuff, which is nice and goes a long way in terms of feeling like a human, but if you're not studying almost as much, then chances of failing are quite high. Exams are high stakes, because there's basically 3 a semester that decide the vast majority of your pre-clinical grades. You're not going to suddenly have whole days to take off traveling to visit family. That's just not how it works.

That may be true. I’m not saying it’s a much easier or whatever. I see them studying just as much. J just also see them at the gym much more, out having fun much more etc. Especially way more than LDP. Who knows, maybe they’re just a smarter group and need to study less. Just merely my observation and what I’ve noticed by speaking with them.

Edit: I agree that OP will not have the time to make the trips he wishes. But if he wants to have a little more available time to workout or wants his semester in second year to end a few weeks earlier to study for boards, then choose PBL.

 

[Kr#36]

PBL or no PBL doesnt really matter. Going to a school with mandatory lectures in 2020 is insane though. We dont have a PBL curriculum but all of our lectures are recorded so I can watch them at 2x speed anytime I want without ever leaving my house.

As for OP, honestly your focus should be on doing well in your courses. Taking trips is secondary.

 

[hallowmann]

That may be true. I’m not saying it’s a much easier or whatever. I see them studying just as much. J just also see them at the gym much more, out having fun much more etc. Especially way more than LDP. Who knows, maybe they’re just a smarter group and need to study less. Just merely my observation and what I’ve noticed by speaking with them.

Edit: I agree that OP will not have the time to make the trips he wishes. But if he wants to have a little more available time to workout or wants his semester in second year to end a few weeks earlier to study for boards, then choose PBL.

I think it honestly depends, some people I knew in LDP spent about the same amount of time studying as I did in PBL, but they matched very competitively so they probably had a leg up regardless.

In LDP you are in lecture all day and then study to review it. In PBL that time is maybe a bit better managed, because everyone is able to cater to their learning style. Like to take a break every 50 min, you could do that. Like to study straight from 6 AM to noon, you can do that. Eat when you want, grocery shop when you want, exercise when you want, etc., you can do that. Its not limited to only the hrs before and after class, so I think that in and of itself helps to study more efficiently, but its not like you'll have all this free time you don't know what to do with. That time is called studying time, which you may sacrifice for something else.

You're also probably less burnt out by the process (although it really didn't feel that way in the weeks leading up to exams), which is why I actually really liked PBL. It still sucks, just like all med school, but you still feel like a human most of the time.

 

[rg2o3]

I think it honestly depends, some people I knew in LDP spent about the same amount of time studying as I did in PBL, but they matched very competitively so they probably had a leg up regardless.

In LDP you are in lecture all day and then study to review it. In PBL that time is maybe a bit better managed, because everyone is able to cater to their learning style. Like to take a break every 50 min, you could do that. Like to study straight from 6 AM to noon, you can do that. Eat when you want, grocery shop when you want, exercise when you want, etc., you can do that. Its not limited to only the hrs before and after class, so I think that in and of itself helps to study more efficiently, but its not like you'll have all this free time you don't know what to do with. That time is called studying time, which you may sacrifice for something else.

You're also probably less burnt out by the process (although it really didn't feel that way in the weeks leading up to exams), which is why I actually really liked PBL. It still sucks, just like all med school, but you still feel like a human most of the time.

I agree. I think it comes down to being able to allocate your time more effectively in PBL. I'm also just probably terribly jaded at this point. haha.

 

[Oligodinero]

The thing with PBL is, you really have no idea what questions they'll pull form your selected readings. I'll watch pathoma and sketchy then do USMLE Rx questions to get an idea of what kind of things they're looking for, but there's ALWAYS a few damn questions that nobody gets because nobody sees them coming.
In a way, I'm kind of jealous of LDP because at least you have the material handed to you and if you're paying attention, you might hear the professor emphasizing what they think are the most salient points.
But overall, I'm glad I picked PBL because I'd get pressure ulcers from sitting in lecture hall all day long.

 

[lolomghelp]

Thank you all for the details!! One more question, what if you don't understand a topic in the reading? What do you do then? Since you are doing most of the reading at home and stuff.

 

[rg2o3]

Thank you all for the details!! One more question, what if you don't understand a topic in the reading? What do you do then? Since you are doing most of the reading at home and stuff.

If I don't understand something, I generally will just look it up in resources such as pathoma, B&B, FA etc. However, most topics are pretty straight forward imo. The first 2 years were just an immense amount of memorization.

 

[Feelgood MD]

I have to agree with hallow above about PBL being more about time flexibility as opposed to free time. There is a learning curve, but after the 1st semester you get the hang of it (at least I did). Its cool to go to conferences and talk to other OMS1s who haven't touched any pathology. The "breadth first depth second" method of getting the information in can feel daunting, but helps to show just how much we are expected to learn over these first 2 years. Also, I would say that with more flexibility comes more review, which is always a good thing.

edit: Spelling

 

[Oligodinero]

Thank you all for the details!! One more question, what if you don't understand a topic in the reading? What do you do then? Since you are doing most of the reading at home and stuff.

So regular faculty is supposed to be available to meet with if you've read about.....say Ig class switching, for example....and you're still having problems understanding it. ...in that case you'd ask for an appointment to see one of the micro/immuno professors. I haven't had to utilize them because there are so many other resources (in addition to professor Google) to find answers to my questions. Honestly, B&B, USMLE Rx, Pathoma, and Sketchy will help you understand anything not clear in the readings you do in Robbins Path, Cecil's, Pharm, etc books.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

I would not thrive in PBL. I am a visual and auditory learner. I'm way to anal retentive to have such flexibility on what I'm going to study. My wife would thrive in any curriculum as she can absorb material and an amazing rate. Regardless of the type of curriculum, there is not a lot of free time. Most free time is right after a big exam or on breaks. Med students should plan on only 1 hr a day for exercise. No more 3 hr lifts at the gym. Some students will have more free time, but they are the elite students like my wife who went to class to socialize and still graduated in the top 10%. Forget about them, they are getting an A anyway. Run your own race and put in the time YOU need to.

 

[crazyboi1993]

Not gonna lie, I loved PBL! I had a lot of free time, I am a very independent learner, and despise lecture. I absorb material quickly on my own. I went out pretty much every weekend (except weekends before exam), took multiple domestic and international trips, went to the gym everyday, and still managed to be in top 25% in my class. Granted, there were students who were studying 24/7, but that's not me. I did it at my own pace, and found a great balance. If you are the type of person who needs to be SPOON FED stuff, and need more discipline and are DEPENDENT, PBL will prove to be rough, because you are learning on your own. I used boards and beyonds, pathommaa, sketchy, and U world, and read (skimmed/fast reading) my chapters. PBL exams were fair.

 

[Epilepsy365]

Not gonna lie, I loved PBL! I had a lot of free time, I am a very independent learner, and despise lecture. I absorb material quickly on my own. I went out pretty much every weekend (except weekends before exam), took multiple domestic and international trips, went to the gym everyday, and still managed to be in top 25% in my class. Granted, there were students who were studying 24/7, but that's not me. I did it at my own pace, and found a great balance. If you are the type of person who needs to be SPOON FED stuff, and need more discipline and are DEPENDENT, PBL will prove to be rough, because you are learning on your own. I used boards and beyonds, pathommaa, sketchy, and U world, and read (skimmed/fast reading) my chapters. PBL exams were fair.

Aka you just board prep from day 1 and throw the assigned readings to the trash. LOL

 

[crazyboi1993]

Aka you just board prep from day 1 and throw the assigned readings to the trash. LOL

I did read the assigned readings, some of them I did skim, like pathology since Pathoma was a great supplement. I started reading first aid since day 1, and I recommend everyone do it too.

 

[lolomghelp]

Hey guys, I really appreciate the amount of help you gave in this thread.
I do have another question in terms of LOANS. Could any of you describe the process? I did my FAFSA and everything, and the financial aid office told me I won't hear back until the month before classes.

I'm new to all this, and I am not sure what exactly happens afterwards. Would like someone to just tell me so I know.

 

[lolomghelp]

Not gonna lie, I loved PBL! I had a lot of free time, I am a very independent learner, and despise lecture. I absorb material quickly on my own. I went out pretty much every weekend (except weekends before exam), took multiple domestic and international trips, went to the gym everyday, and still managed to be in top 25% in my class. Granted, there were students who were studying 24/7, but that's not me. I did it at my own pace, and found a great balance. If you are the type of person who needs to be SPOON FED stuff, and need more discipline and are DEPENDENT, PBL will prove to be rough, because you are learning on your own. I used boards and beyonds, pathommaa, sketchy, and U world, and read (skimmed/fast reading) my chapters. PBL exams were fair.

I actually never went to lectures during college. I am someone who either gets distracted during lectures, the pace may be too slow/too fast, and/or I am too exhausted to even pay attention. I personally have always been someone that reads the textbook, ALWAYS. I actually enjoy reading textbooks, and then I supplemented it afterwards with slides. This is the main reason why I did not chose lecture-based pathway, since I know I would probably not pay attention 🙁. I am actually one of those who does study ALOT, and I tend to read stuff several times before understanding it. (Sort of how people use flashcards)

 

[ortnakas]

will agree with those who said it’s not free time as much as it is flexibility.

Aka you just board prep from day 1 and throw the assigned readings to the trash. LOL

This is a common misconception, I think. Like @hallowmann said, you’re tested on the details of about 800 pages, 3 times per semester. That’s more detail than UFAPS. Pathoma helped a ton with understanding Robbins, but trusting it as a substitute would burn you.

Edited for typo

 

[Oligodinero]

will agree with those who said it’s not free time as much as it is flexibility.



This is a common misconception, I think. Like @hallowmann said, you’re tested on the details of about 800 pages, 3 times per semester. That’s more detail than UFAPS. Pathoma helped a ton with understanding Robbins, but trusting it as a substitute would burn

Yup....you can get by with watching Pathoma, Sketchy, then doing USMLE Rx...and if you're bright you'll get a solid B. But the Erie PBL director likes to pull questions from illustrations, tables, and photomicrographs for his exams too....because he knows there's always a sizable portion of students who do nothing but study Sketchy and LOLNOTACOP's decks and are good at word association.

 

[aprilmayjunejuly]

Hey guys, I really appreciate the amount of help you gave in this thread.
I do have another question in terms of LOANS. Could any of you describe the process? I did my FAFSA and everything, and the financial aid office told me I won't hear back until the month before classes.

I'm new to all this, and I am not sure what exactly happens afterwards. Would like someone to just tell me so I know.

You will be able to see your financial award letter on the portal. The school will take out the tuition costs out of your loans automatically. If you need living costs covered as well, make sure to take out PLUS loans. I think it’s like 10 days after the semester starts, the school will have a paper check ready on campus for you to pick up that has whatever money left over after they’ve deducted tuition costs. Yea LECOM is old school like that. Can’t do direct deposit like all the other schools.


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