Liberty University COM (LUCOM) Discussion Thread 2016-2017

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Anyone from the 9/22 interview group hear anything? You can PM if you prefer.
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I interviewed mid sep and emailed them to ask about their decision since I hadnt heard anything back. Then they notified me that I am waitlisted. Based on how one of the interviewers used half of my 30 min interview slot to talk about christianity and his beliefs, i cant say that I am surprised at all.
 
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I interviewed 9/30 and just got a call from the dean... of course my phone was on silent so I have to call back tomorrow haha.
 
woodca3 said:
I interviewed 9/30 and just got a call from the dean... of course my phone was on silent so I have to call back tomorrow haha.
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I gotta call from him today too. Accepted! Prepare for some good news!
 
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Foreveryours91 said:
I gotta call from him today too. Accepted! Prepare for some good news!
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I remembered him saying they didn't call to tell you that you were rejected but I won't get my hopes up until I hear it from him. I never know with my luck haha! Congrats to you!
 
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woodca3 said:
I remembered him saying they didn't call to tell you that you were rejected but I won't get my hopes up until I hear it from him. I never know with my luck haha! Congrats to you!
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Thank you!
 
Hello, I am going into an interview this next week. Does anyone have any advice on how I can prepare for this school's interview process? Thank you in advance!
 
So quick question how long does it take for the hard copy acceptance letter to arrive? Does an email version get sent too?
 
Just got a call today was well saying I was accepted!
 
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Foreveryours91 said:
So quick question how long does it take for the hard copy acceptance letter to arrive? Does an email version get sent too?
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Not sure how long it'll take the hard copy to arrive but I was told that they'll send an email tomorrow.
 
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Foreveryours91 said:
So quick question how long does it take for the hard copy acceptance letter to arrive? Does an email version get sent too?
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I was accepted via phone mid September and just recieved my the hard copy. All acceptance and deposit forms are through your LUCOM mail though

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I received an II last Friday. Planning to interview on October 31, anyone else interviewing then?
 
Interviewed 10/10, notified of acceptance 10/13. So so thankful. Completely blown away by the facilities and campus resources. Every faculty member I spoke to was handpicked from their leadership positions at other medical schools around the country. They were attracted to LUCOM because they could influence best teaching practices unhindered by the politics and traditions at well established COMs. The board scores for their first class were at the national average of 93% first time pass, which is impressive for preadjusted curriculum. Every student I spoke to acknowledged the difficulty of the curriculum while being genuinely happy about the resources given to them to ensure they felt supported and were able to succeed. So stoked to be a part of this school next year.
 
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B0rre1ia said:
Hello, I am going into an interview this next week. Does anyone have any advice on how I can prepare for this school's interview process? Thank you in advance!
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Don't be nervous (easier said than done) and be yourself. The adcom does their best to create a laid back environment free from stress, so expect to have a conversational interview. LEAVE EARLY for your interview. The road at the base of the mountain right before you drive up to the medical school gets blocked from construction (apparently all the time), so make sure you check it out the day before if you can and give yourself plenty of time for a reroute the morning of. Come prepared with all of your questions- know that the school has behavioral expectations for their students and make sure that is a good fit for your lifestyle and expectations too. Best of luck!!!
 
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I'm writing this post not to stir up arguments again, but as a polite note to future candidates. As some other people above have mentioned, I had a bad experience interviewing here. One of the interviewers focused 90% of the interview on religious topics. I had my interviewer swapped without any warning or explanation. And it was this substituted interviewer that talked about religion the whole time when he/she promised at the beginning of the interview to not mention it ?!?! Even if I agreed with the lifestyle, expectations, and my past volunteering experiences line up with the school's mission perfectly, I was still evaluated solely based on my religious belief.

I am sure that this experience is interviewer-specific. I am not going to judge the entire school based on an interviewer. Indeed I was very impressed with the facilities. The students and staff were very welcoming to me when I visited. However, this is not a school for everyone. Don't be sad if you are not accepted here, chances are you won't be happy going here anyway. I came to the school with a very open mind. I even defended the school in my PM to some other sdners prior to my visit. Regretfully one interviewer ruined the experience for me. I spent a lot of money and time travelling here. I wish the school would standardize the interviewing process to be fair to candidates who put in lots of efforts to come.

And by chance if you get one of those interviewers who judge you on your faith, it happens for a reason and you are meant to be somewhere else. Once again this is not me hardcore bashing LUCOM (I'm still bashing them to some extent right?). But I think pre-meds need to know the truth. At least one more interviewee in my group expressed similar concerns that day. If you have multiple IIs and are not especially interested in going to a religious school, schedule this interview way later. You'll be glad to save money and not interviewing at a school that potentially doesn't want you anyway.
 
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solagratia said:
Interviewed 10/10, notified of acceptance 10/13. So so thankful. Completely blown away by the facilities and campus resources. Every faculty member I spoke to was handpicked from their leadership positions at other medical schools around the country. They were attracted to LUCOM because they could influence best teaching practices unhindered by the politics and traditions at well established COMs. The board scores for their first class were at the national average of 93% first time pass, which is impressive for preadjusted curriculum. Every student I spoke to acknowledged the difficulty of the curriculum while being genuinely happy about the resources given to them to ensure they felt supported and were able to succeed. So stoked to be a part of this school next year.
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Congrats on getting accepted! Where did you find the board exam scores?
 
PDX4709 said:
Congrats on getting accepted! Where did you find the board exam scores?
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I asked a few current students and they all said 93%. They said LUCOM hadn't published it yet because there were a few outlier students who had to take it later due to personal reasons.
 
bobaphilic said:
I'm writing this post not to stir up arguments again, but as a polite note to future candidates. As some other people above have mentioned, I had a bad experience interviewing here. One of the interviewers focused 90% of the interview on religious topics. I had my interviewer swapped without any warning or explanation. And it was this substituted interviewer that talked about religion the whole time when he/she promised at the beginning of the interview to not mention it ?!?! Even if I agreed with the lifestyle, expectations, and my past volunteering experiences line up with the school's mission perfectly, I was still evaluated solely based on my religious belief.

I am sure that this experience is interviewer-specific. I am not going to judge the entire school based on an interviewer. Indeed I was very impressed with the facilities. The students and staff were very welcoming to me when I visited. However, this is not a school for everyone. Don't be sad if you are not accepted here, chances are you won't be happy going here anyway. I came to the school with a very open mind. I even defended the school in my PM to some other sdners prior to my visit. Regretfully one interviewer ruined the experience for me. I spent a lot of money and time travelling here. I wish the school would standardize the interviewing process to be fair to candidates who put in lots of efforts to come.

And by chance if you get one of those interviewers who judge you on your faith, it happens for a reason and you are meant to be somewhere else. Once again this is not me hardcore bashing LUCOM (I'm still bashing them to some extent right?). But I think pre-meds need to know the truth. At least one more interviewee in my group expressed similar concerns that day. If you have multiple IIs and are not especially interested in going to a religious school, schedule this interview way later. You'll be glad to save money and not interviewing at a school that potentially doesn't want you anyway.
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I'm so sorry you had a poor experience. I think the faculty volunteer their time to interview, so maybe there are interviewers who aren't experienced yet or who focus on their own priorities?
Religiously speaking, there is a student-led "chapel" you can attend one hour per week if you need a break and so choose, otherwise the library is open and you can use the time to study. There is a behavioral agreement you sign that prohibits alcohol, sex outside of marriage, and illicit drug use during your time at LUCOM. I have heard from Lake Erie students that the president of LECOM can read their emails and they are not allowed to drink at bars in Lake Erie, so stringent behavioral expectations is not something unique to LUCOM. In the end, I totally agree with you- don't spend the money and time to use this II if you know it doesn't fit as well with your lifestyle and expectations.
 
solagratia said:
I'm so sorry you had a poor experience. I think the faculty volunteer their time to interview, so maybe there are interviewers who aren't experienced yet or who focus on their own priorities?
Religiously speaking, there is a student-led "chapel" you can attend one hour per week if you need a break and so choose, otherwise the library is open and you can use the time to study. There is a behavioral agreement you sign that prohibits alcohol, sex outside of marriage, and illicit drug use during your time at LUCOM. I have heard from Lake Erie students that the president of LECOM can read their emails and they are not allowed to drink at bars in Lake Erie, so stringent behavioral expectations is not something unique to LUCOM. In the end, I totally agree with you- don't spend the money and time to use this II if you know it doesn't fit as well with your lifestyle and expectations.
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I am married and am a non-drinker. I don't do drugs either so none of their guidelines actually bother me. What bothered me was the poor presentation of the school by some interviewers. As a potential candidate who spent lots of time and money to go to their interview, I am disappointed that the time spent during the interview was to talk about almost exclusively religious topics instead of my motivation and dedication to patient care.

Perhaps LUCOM should try to agree on the interview standards across the board and reconsider the image they want to portray to the medical community. They got a bad enough rap here on sdn, it seems like they don't really care or want to change the reputation at all. It's up to the school's leadership to gear LUCOM into a certain direction. If that direction is to champion religious causes more than medical education, I have nothing else to say. This is the last time I'll be talking about this issue. Not enough people speak up probably due to fear of repercussions. I just thought I would because I believe future candidates have the right to know what they're getting into. Before I got on the plane to LUCOM, I thought to myself it can't be that bad, it's the 21st century! Boy I was wrong. Alright no more talking about LUCOM for me. Good luck to all LUCOM applicants!
 
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LA1004 said:
No problem. I would advise you, however, to not be shy asking questions. Questions are good and we welcome it. It shows you did your homework and are trying to engage with the subject.

I am pretty sure some professors believe God created the Earth, others believe in evolution, and others believe God is responsible for evolution. I base this on conversations I have with professors out of class (such as class parties, barbaques, etc). Some professors express awe at some amazing body mechanism in religious terms (like an OMM doctor joking that God made the ASIS and the PSIS with DO's in mind because it is a great landmark to place your thumb and evaluate pelvic mechanics), but that is pretty much all the "religion" we are ever "taught" in courses. This is a medical school, not a religion school.

At LUCOM we get an extra hour to study on Wednesdays from 10 to 11, or we are welcome to attend their devotional at that time. These devotionals usually begin and end in prayer, there is a musical number performed by a LUCOM band (all class of 2019 and 2020 students) and a message from a speaker. The library is kept open so students who prefer to study can do so, but if you are looking for a break you can take advantage of these devotionals and unwind for a bit.

Sex before marriage, LGBT issues, abortion is all addressed on our medical ethics course. Things discussed include "how should a pregnant adolescent be cared for? Is she under her parents insurance? If so, you must know that the parents will find out you did a pregnancy test/abortion when they get the bill. So what are your choices? One, you could foot the bill yourself; two, the patient can pay out of pocket; three, you can give the young adult the chance to tell the parents with you by their side and work out a plan of care that envolves the patient's family as well." Things like that. The school emphasizes patient autonomy, explains that if a physician objects to a procedure such as abortion or is unable to perform a procedure due to being beyond their scope of practice the physician is still obligated to provide care until appropriate care can be transferred to another doctor who can provide the care needed, etc.

That is pretty much it. I'm loving second year so far, it is much better than year one. I hope it continues getting better as the years go by.
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I understand that lucom does not provide dorms or meal plans. Is it difficult to find suitable housing with wifi? And do you have any suggestions on how future students should go about housing? Its going to be my first time living out of state.
 
While I was impressed with the facilities and a lot of aspects of the school, I just don't think I'd "fit in" here. If we are choosing to go to a different school, do we tell the school we aren't attending, or they just get the memo when we don't pay the deposit? Lol
 
Foreveryours91 said:
I understand that lucom does not provide dorms or meal plans. Is it difficult to find suitable housing with wifi? And do you have any suggestions on how future students should go about housing? Its going to be my first time living out of state.
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Hi Foreveryours91,

I am probably not the most qualified person to answer that question, because I am married with kids so what I looked for in terms of apartments and internet was based on the unique needs of a large family, but I will tell you what I know. Housing in Lynchburg is, in general, easy to find and affordable. I have classmates that live 5 minutes from LUCOM whereas others live 30 minutes away (or further). Some live alone and others rent together in a 3 bedroom apartment. Your best bet would be to connect with other students of your class on the LUCOM facebook page and see if anyone wants to live together, then work from there. I would use Apartment Guide as a start to get an idea of costs and location. I really doubt you will not find something affordable that you like within a 15 minute radius from the school.

As for internet, I had to get it separately from the complex. I don't know if other complexes have internet already set up when you rent through them, so your best bet is to contact their office and ask them directly.

Hopefully that helps!
 
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I was in the 10/14 interview group and I got an acceptance phone call on Monday. They did say that it could take 4-5 weeks for an acceptance though. :thinking:
 
Just received an II! Scheduled for 11/10. Are any students available that I could stay with? Please pm me!

And if anyone would like to pm me with general interview advice that would be much appreciated as well :) thank you!!
 
Interviewed 9/22, Waitlisted this week. If its been close to a month and you haven't heard, I would email admissions, apparently they are having some type of glitch in the system. Good luck everyone.
 
I interviewed on 10/24 and received an acceptance call this past Thursday. Really astonished by the quick turnaround, but absolutely thrilled at the chance to study medicine at LUCOM! The best interview advice I have is to actively listen, ask questions, and be genuine. I didn't have any overly difficult ethical questions, or questions about healthcare policy. I simply gave the most candid answers that I could to the fundamental questions, and I rolled with a few of the more abstract ones. Stay current on some issues in healthcare and find ways to integrate your core values and strengths into the conversation. I connected with both interviewers on one issue or another which made the interviews conversational and, it seems, impactful. Loved the faculty, school, facilities, and location. Best wishes to everyone still interviewing/waiting, hope to see you next fall!
 
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I just interviewed 10/27 and this campus was beautiful. I was leaving Virginia with a longing to go back honestly. Really hoping I get accepted here!
 
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Interviewed on 10/20 and got an acceptance exactly a week later on 10/27! From the moment that I stepped into the medical school, I could immediately envision myself fitting in here. The interview was really low-stress and the faculty/staff were really welcoming. Overall, I had a great experience and am excited to join the 2017 class.
 
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Hi all! Just received an II this weekend, and scheduled for 11/10. For those that have interviewed or current students, do you know when they would post the detailed itinerary of interview day for you on the interview scheduling page? It says it will be posted about 2 weeks prior to interview, and now it's 9 days away, and it still hasn't been posted for me. I called the admissions this morning and left a message. If anyone can let me know that'd be great! :) Also, if anyone who interviewed or current students can pm me any interview advice, that'd be very helpful too. :) From what I read on this cycle's thread, the interviews will be traditional and no MMI right? Thank you!
 
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aspiringdoc2016 said:
Hi all! Just received an II this weekend, and scheduled for 11/10. For those that have interviewed or current students, do you know when they would post the detailed itinerary of interview day for you on the interview scheduling page? It says it will be posted about 2 weeks prior to interview, and now it's 9 days away, and it still hasn't been posted for me. I called the admissions this morning and left a message. If anyone can let me know that'd be great! :) Also, if anyone who interviewed or current students can pm me any interview advice, that'd be very helpful too. :) From what I read on this cycle's thread, the interviews will be traditional and no MMI right? Thank you!
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So they sent me my itinerary actually by email, more of about a week before the actual interview. So you should be getting yours soon actually, no worries, keep an eye on your Liberty email and your normal email.

As for interview advice, believe me when I say that these interviews are actually really low-key. So when they mention that, they're telling the truth. RRLD2908 actually put this the best, we had about the same experience. I got asked some key interview questions, so know your typical why DO, why medicine, and things like that, and open file so remember any key facts about yourself, but otherwise relax, breathe, and be prepared to have a conversation about yourself. The interviews are traditional, 30 minutes with 2 faculty members. You may not believe how fast those 30 minutes go when you're in there, and that's definitely a good sign.

Also appreciate the view from that school when you're there. That mountain is gorgeous <3
 
phoenixsflame said:
So they sent me my itinerary actually by email, more of about a week before the actual interview. So you should be getting yours soon actually, no worries, keep an eye on your Liberty email and your normal email.

As for interview advice, believe me when I say that these interviews are actually really low-key. So when they mention that, they're telling the truth. RRLD2908 actually put this the best, we had about the same experience. I got asked some key interview questions, so know your typical why DO, why medicine, and things like that, and open file so remember any key facts about yourself, but otherwise relax, breathe, and be prepared to have a conversation about yourself. The interviews are traditional, 30 minutes with 2 faculty members. You may not believe how fast those 30 minutes go when you're in there, and that's definitely a good sign.

Also appreciate the view from that school when you're there. That mountain is gorgeous <3
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Thank you so much!! Your advice is very helpful and comforting. Yes, I actually just received the itinerary email. I hope you get some good news very soon! :)
 
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Just got my II this morning at 3am.

Update - going the 28th
 
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Why hasn't Liberty sent me a freaking secondary? I don't get them. Maybe my stats were too low. I'm not really stressing it because I just got accepted to VCOM and I'm very happy with that but I don't really get why I didn't hear from them. It makes me not want to do their secondary.


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Doctor_anonymous said:
I saw you got accepted elsewhere. Congrats. Where have you been accepted so far and also, were you an RN for real? How long?


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Hey, not accepted yet, unless you know something I don't. :D

Yes, I am an RN. Going on 6 years now. Worked in everything from small critical access hospitals in Montana to the trauma bays and ICUs of big level 1 centers like Wake Forest Baptist, Duke, and CHI Omaha. I think it's what has helped me, my stats are lackluster, but I have ample amounts of clinical time and rural healthcare experience!
 
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NickMT-RN said:
Hey, not accepted yet, unless you know something I don't. :D

Yes, I am an RN. Going on 6 years now. Worked in everything from small critical access hospitals in Montana to the trauma bays and ICUs of big level 1 centers like Wake Forest Baptist, Duke, and CHI Omaha. I think it's what has helped me, my stats are lackluster, but I have ample amounts of clinical time and rural healthcare experience!
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That's awesome! Good luck with this cycle!
 
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Anyone from 10/7 interview group hear back? I'm starting to think it's a silent rejection haha...
 
FedForPres said:
Anyone from 10/7 interview group hear back? I'm starting to think it's a silent rejection haha...
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I think people have been getting their results anywhere between 2-6 weeks? I think anyway. I was a later interview than you.
 
Any interview tips?

I'm interviewing with Dr.Bo Liu and a TBD 2nt person.
 
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