list of DO schools to apply and not apply to

[KG216]

Just trying to lighten the mood...

But on a serious note, I agree with a lot of what illegal and others posted to an extent. If you had listed some actual specifics as to what you were looking for (where you are from, where you'd prefer to live, if the cost is/not a huge factor for you, any specialties you may be interested in), it might have helped get some more constructive information from current students/incoming students.

Everyone has to have a baseline idea of the direction they're looking, ya know? IMO, just asking for a list to be made for you without any real direction probably prompted some people to think you were either a troll or just lazy. Plus, thats a lot of work for other people to be doing for you...but if you had said "I'd prefer to live in the south as I grew up there"...I'm sure you'd get a lot of feedback on LECOM/Nova...etc.

So how about some specific questions and maybe some of us can give you our insight or our rationale behind choosing our schools?

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[DocHomer]

View attachment 14489

Just trying to lighten the mood...

But on a serious note, I agree with a lot of what illegal and others posted to an extent. If you had listed some actual specifics as to what you were looking for (where you are from, where you'd prefer to live, if the cost is/not a huge factor for you, any specialties you may be interested in), it might have helped get some more constructive information from current students/incoming students.

Everyone has to have a baseline idea of the direction they're looking, ya know? IMO, just asking for a list to be made for you without any real direction probably prompted some people to think you were either a troll or just lazy. Plus, thats a lot of work for other people to be doing for you...but if you had said "I'd prefer to live in the south as I grew up there"...I'm sure you'd get a lot of feedback on LECOM/Nova...etc.

So how about some specific questions and maybe some of us can give you our insight or our rationale behind choosing our schools?

 

[Gabby]

Well, I don't know what you were going for because a. I know you didn't take me down a peg (I'm also betting Illegal feels the same way) b. you've changed nothing c. you didn't make a single good point and d. you're the one who now looks like the overreacting prick

Congrats - we're done here by the way.

What I was going for is quite simple -- I merely set out to call out those I believe were being pricks. And I did it. Unlike you apparently, I don't need accolades to be driven to do what's right.

 

[Gabby]

And Gabby, you're not the white knight you think you are, all you did is completely derail this thread further than it would have been had you not randomly stood up for dancingdoctor, good show!

Derail the thread from what? The bitchy comments posted by pre-meds who want to consider themselves Kings and Queens of SDN? Oooohh, God forbid.

I never said I was a white knight, but people who get off on intimidating newbies just because they dare to ask a question should be called out, IMO.

 

[Gabby]

View attachment 14489

Just trying to lighten the mood...

But on a serious note, I agree with a lot of what illegal and others posted to an extent. If you had listed some actual specifics as to what you were looking for (where you are from, where you'd prefer to live, if the cost is/not a huge factor for you, any specialties you may be interested in), it might have helped get some more constructive information from current students/incoming students.

Everyone has to have a baseline idea of the direction they're looking, ya know? IMO, just asking for a list to be made for you without any real direction probably prompted some people to think you were either a troll or just lazy. Plus, thats a lot of work for other people to be doing for you...but if you had said "I'd prefer to live in the south as I grew up there"...I'm sure you'd get a lot of feedback on LECOM/Nova...etc.

So how about some specific questions and maybe some of us can give you our insight or our rationale behind choosing our schools?

No offense, but that isn't exactly agreeing with Illegally Smooth. That's giving a courteous reply and guiding the OP on what to do. You need a lot more snark and a lot less information if you want to agree with IS.

 

[KG216]

No offense, but that isn't exactly agreeing with Illegally Smooth. That's giving a courteous reply and guiding the OP on what to do. You need a lot more snark and a lot less information if you want to agree with IS.

Noted, I will try harder next time

 

[gocatgo]

OP, is there a med school near your home? If so, maybe you can ask to speak to some current students (preferably 3rd/4th years) to get some feedback. They can give you the low-down on what their clinicals are like, quality of student life there, etc. Like others said, you can also look at Pro/Cons thread. I also utilized this to make my list of schools. Maybe it will help you as you make your list of schools.

Of course, you have to take everything with a grain of salt, maybe a salt shaker sometimes.But the above-mentioned actually helped me pare my list down to schools I would absolutely apply/not apply to based on my personal preferences (location, quality of 3rd/4th year clinicals, cost).

 

[illegallysmooth]

No offense, but that isn't exactly agreeing with Illegally Smooth. That's giving a courteous reply and guiding the OP on what to do. You need a lot more snark and a lot less information if you want to agree with IS.

OH MY GOD, GIVE IT UP. My response wasn't even that snarky. I said "seriously, do the work yourself....everyone has different opinions of bad location/good location." You like to call out people who get snippy, I like to call out people being demented. GIVE IT A REST. IT'S THE INTERNET. Isn't there a tree that needs hugging?

EDIT: Better yet, here's another noob that could use your services- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=715341

 

[drctother]

haha omg its a complete war zone on here

 

[ElliottB]

Here is a good start to the list..

West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. Great school, check out their website. www.wvsom.edu

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Derail the thread from what? The bitchy comments posted by pre-meds who want to consider themselves Kings and Queens of SDN? Oooohh, God forbid.

I never said I was a white knight, but people who get off on intimidating newbies just because they dare to ask a question should be called out, IMO.

The problem is the question asked disregarded sticky posts put there for just this reason.

It is a ridiculously open ended question the OP asked and without actual specifics it is hard to guide someone.

If they don't have a single clue what he/she is looking for how are a bunch of people in cyberspace?

 

[gatewasani]

Derail the thread from what? The bitchy comments posted by pre-meds who want to consider themselves Kings and Queens of SDN? Oooohh, God forbid.

I never said I was a white knight, but people who get off on intimidating newbies just because they dare to ask a question should be called out, IMO.

you said it...I hate posting on here because, I very rarely get a helpful answer to my question. I always get these lunatics who spend every waking moment on SDN and get mad if they've seen a question before.

I actually try not to vist this site for that reason and because of all the painfully paranoid people who are convinced that you can only get in to medical school with 8 publications, a 4.0 and a 42 on the MCAT.

sorry, but for all the good on this site, there is also a lot of bad that scares the hell out of me.

 

[csmittyB]

OP, start here http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=sir_college and then download the pdf here:
http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Pages/default.aspx

Start researching.

 

[HealingDoc]

Easy way to do your own research- call the clinical education department of the schools you are interested in and ask lots of questions. You can get a great education at any one of these schools, but the rotation experience is really what sets you up for residency. Doing your own searching is probably wiser than reading opinions on here (that can be colored by emotions shaped by motives).

 

[premed1231]

Here is a good start to the list..

West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. Great school, check out their website. www.wvsom.edu

I agree!! I got 7 interviews and this school impressed me the most. Everything was amazing and brand new and everyone was so nice. It's not very popular because it's in the middle of nowhere but housing is cheap!

LMU-DCOM was also nice but they are new so they're not accredited yet (I'm sure they will get it though).

In terms of location I would pick NSU for the weather!

 

[christina30]

jeezy chreezy.

gabby, if this is your idea of bitchy, how are you going to survive a residency? Ha.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I have spent many hours searching information on here and school websites but it is just so much information to take in that sometimes it is easier to just ask the question and for those willing to respond to do so. Many of you make us "newbies" afraid to ask a question...kind of sad really. We all in the end want the same thing...to become doctors and I would much rather have a doctor that is compassionate with their answers. Not trying to offend anyone but this is such a great tool for pre-meds, why knock someone's question...that person may be your boss someday..who knows. It is hard to look through just one extremely long thread to look for those few pieces of info. b/c many folks get off on a tangent from the original comment or question that just wastes everyone's time (just like we are doing) and certainly discourages me from trying to follow a long thread. I am interested in the OP's original question and again a flame war erupted where none was needed. Be kind!

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

I have spent many hours searching information on here and school websites but it is just so much information to take in that sometimes it is easier to just ask the question and for those willing to respond to do so. Many of you make us "newbies" afraid to ask a question...kind of sad really. We all in the end want the same thing...to become doctors and I would much rather have a doctor that is compassionate with their answers. Not trying to offend anyone but this is such a great tool for pre-meds, why knock someone's question...that person may be your boss someday..who knows. It is hard to look through just one extremely long thread to look for those few pieces of info. b/c many folks get off on a tangent from the original comment or question that just wastes everyone's time (just like we are doing) and certainly discourages me from trying to follow a long thread. I am interested in the OP's original question and again a flame war erupted where none was needed. Be kind!

Point is, there are too many factors to take into consideration. All you're going to do is get a thread full of people, each saying a different school and the thread will have turned into a useless piece of junk, with no real info, similar to this thread.

 

[christina30]

Point is, there are too many factors to take into consideration. All you're going to do is get a thread full of people, each saying a different school and the thread will have turned into a useless piece of junk, with no real info, similar to this thread.

it's not just that - you want us to rate them by best location, etcetc. How are we supposed to know what preferences you have towards location, rotations, and other factors? One persons top 5 or 10 list is vastly different from another person's, because really, there is no official DO school ranking, and schools are only going to be "good" or "bad" based on your own personal opinion and likes/dislikes.

 

[Cale]

I would say that the OP's original question could have been worded a little better. I also have to agree with Gabby. I just can't be mean to people, let alone when I know little to nothing about them. If I think to myself, "this might hurt the OP's feeling," then I won't write it.

Not sure why I'm replying to this thread. I should be studying for the MCAT (May 1st).

-Cale

 

[JaggerPlate]

I would much rather have a doctor that is compassionate with their answers.

I'd rather have one that was a smart, resourceful, busy, dick and a damn good doctor, than someone who would hold my hand as they killed me with incompetence.

This whole discussion is pointless ... read the FAQ where it says 'search here before posting' and use the search engine. It streamlines the whole thing.

 

[christina30]

We all in the end want the same thing...to become doctors and I would much rather have a doctor that is compassionate with their answers

This point is totally irrelevant. How we respond to a pointless/unanswerable question on an internet forum has nothing to do how we might treat patients in real-life situations.

Plus, Jagger, I've met some arrogant/dickhead doctors who also happen to be among the most incompetent I've met - a very dangerous combo! Haha

 

[JaggerPlate]

This point is totally irrelevant. How we respond to a pointless/unanswerable question on an internet forum has nothing to do how we might treat patients in real-life situations.

Plus, Jagger, I've met some arrogant/dickhead doctors who also happen to be among the most incompetent I've met - a very dangerous combo! Haha

Yup ... arrogance and skill doesn't have to come hand in hand. However, I've meet some SUPER good docs who are very, very odd people, and come off weird. I've personally heard complaints about an ER attending I worked with, who was a straight up wonderkin and a really, really good doc, but he was a DICK. Needless to say, if I ever ended up in that ER ... I'd take his BS all day if he was the one overseeing my treatment.

 

[christina30]

Yup ... arrogance and skill doesn't have to come hand in hand. However, I've meet some SUPER good docs who are very, very odd people, and come off weird. I've personally heard complaints about an ER attending I worked with, who was a straight up wonderkin and a really, really good doc, but he was a DICK. Needless to say, if I ever ended up in that ER ... I'd take his BS all day if he was the one overseeing my treatment.

A lot of the doctors I'd trtust my life with in the ER, well, theyre portrayed by certain staff members are being *******s, because, well, they don't tolerate stupidity. Hahahaha. But they're generally very nice to their patients, co-workers are another story.

 

[HimeMomo]

If I saw the question and was the first person to reply to this post I would have said the following:

In terms of location, if you have a favorite state or country for your medical school education, you should let us know so we can help you further. If you are open to anywhere, then we can scratch out the location.

If you have financial strains that will impede you from getting good loans, you should let us know. The cheapest school of all is LECOM and you work your way up through the PDF file they have on AACOMAS that shows you all the school's pricing.

If you have a certain goal you would like to meet, like serving the underserved or working mainly in community centers, then by far I think TouroCOM NY and ATSU-SOMA are two new schools easier to get into that both interviewed me and told me about their goals. It is on the websites, as you noted earlier, that usually describes how great their own school is. Besides looking at the awards and recognitions they receive, look at their MISSION and GOALS section.

If you want to study abroad, volunteer in Peru, or do research, not all DO schools have that. It's also on the PDF file that AACOMAS have showing whether international rotations are available. It's on the website too. Off the top of my head, PCOM, LECOM-ERIE, TOURO NY, UMDNJ-SOM has research.

EDIT: I forgot to add: One of the most important factors that I cared about when I was school searching was location, programs available, research and where the rotation sites were. I chose PCOM because it fulfills all my needs in terms of what I was looking for. Plus, it's right up the block from where I live, and I shadowed a physician who is a Professor/Chair there.

(How did I know all this? I didn't do a search function, I just googled everything. Plus spent hours reading what everyone else said. And asked tons of stupid questions. I think I was reprimanded too awhile back I forgot for what I asked though... either way I have the info I want.)

 

[CopToEM]

This thread went to hell fast! Hahaha.