Looking for Input -- PCOM or VCOM

[Bacchus]

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I read the previous threads on this and feel that atleast 2 classes have matriculated at both institutions. My problem is I could see myself attending either school. I am impressed by VCOM's up and coming--its holding its own and has a matchlist from last year that is impressive. This isn't the VCOM of 2 or even 3 years ago. They have grown and have developed several residencies with more in the workings. PCOM has an amazing reputation and great connections throughout the city and Northeast. Others in this position what are your major points you are comparing? Location is not a factor for me. I have spent the last 3 and a half years in West Philly so living on City Ave or nearby is a reprieve from what I have dealt with. VCOM is more like my hometown feel. The only real difference as of now for me is cost. However, I think I am able to overlook PCOM's higher cost due to all its plusses.

Edit: At present time I don't have a specialty preference at all. Also, I do have a big interest in OMM and it has influenced my decision to apply to DO schools and possibly even withdraw from the MD schools I applied to.

Thoughts?

 

[SupraDOc]

Personally I would go to PCOM due to it's rotation sites/affiliations/reputation. I wasn't to excited about the hospitals that VCOM rotates at as they're more on the rural/small side 150-200 bed size (yes their mission is rural med and if that's what you want then it's a great opportunity). I too had to choose between VCOM and Touro-NV but ended up choosing Touro due to the hospitals they get to rotate at.

 

[CrewBHB]

I would look more than just at hospital rotating sites. While VCOM rotates at some smaller hospitals, they still produce a good matchlist, which makes me think the quality of their rotations are good. Also, I have heard from some medical students that it does NOT matter where you rotate, but rather that you get good marks while you rotate.

Also, although I feel it has been overly stated by ADCOMS in general, medical students do say they get to do more at smaller sites. Plus, if you think about it, you might get to know the attendings better at the smaller sites, and they might remember you better, which could help when applying to residencies. I think that would be better than being just a face in the crowd. Also, I do believe VCOM has a few larger sites.

In the end, if you think they are both good schools, I would go with where you feel you were more comfortable at. I personally was impressed by VCOM, and liked their block schedule.

However, I am a pre-med, so take what I say with a grain of salt, as I have not experienced it myself yet.

 

[simpleman]

I read the previous threads on this and feel that atleast 2 classes have matriculated at both institutions. My problem is I could see myself attending either school. I am impressed by VCOM's up and coming--its holding its own and has a matchlist from last year that is impressive. This isn't the VCOM of 2 or even 3 years ago. They have grown and have developed several residencies with more in the workings. PCOM has an amazing reputation and great connections throughout the city and Northeast. Others in this position what are your major points you are comparing? Location is not a factor for me. I have spent the last 3 and a half years in West Philly so living on City Ave or nearby is a reprieve from what I have dealt with. VCOM is more like my hometown feel. The only real difference as of now for me is cost. However, I think I am able to overlook PCOM's higher cost due to all its plusses.

Edit: At present time I don't have a specialty preference at all. Also, I do have a big interest in OMM and it has influenced my decision to apply to DO schools and possibly even withdraw from the MD schools I applied to.

Thoughts?

hi, i am 2nd yr VCOM student and I was accepted at several schools before I made my decision to join VCOM. PCOM was one of them...the only reason i didnt join PCOM was due to its location....i am not a city boy...i simply cant live in big cities! Also, on my interview morning, I witnessed a robbery happening on my way there....just my luck...otherwise, i would have gone to pcom...its just me...so since location for you doesnt matter, it all depends on your choice...PCOM or VCOM--> both will lead you to wherever u wanna go! if you want more OMM, VCOM provides that especially with all the sports med doctors here due to the VT athletes...our OMM faculty are truly amazing!!! they know their stuff!!

as for the other post, we only have three-four small sites and the rest are large hospitals! and believe me, these small sites, people fight over it!!! b/c its u and the physician who are on call and thats it!! everybody in that community hospital depend on you and the doctor!! apparently, the students who got prominent residency positions are the ones who did the rural rotations b/c they showed off their skills during 4th yr rotations (during match time) so dont let that detract you away from VCOM....

good luck with your decision and either way you will be happy with your choice!

 

[tideleonheart]

Yeah as you know, simpleman and I both really like being at VCOM. As far as the city goes... I absolutely love Blacksburg. It's really fun to get into the VT hokie spirit (or just observe and laugh). The people here are totally awesome, it's very active (everyone's always running/biking), we can take part in all of VT's intramural sports, downtown is cool. It's not a big town, but it has anything you'd want. It is really the perfect town to be in for my personality.

Also, one of the reasons I decided on VCOM is because I knew my wife would be way happier here than anywhere else I got accepted. There's a ton of technology-related job opportunities here PLUS schooling opportunities. I don't know if that applies to you or not, but it is something to think about. I can't speak for PCOM's location, but just letting you know that I love it here. Best of luck on your decision!

OH yeah, and also like simpleman said, the VT Sports Med opportunities are great if you are interested in OMM. The sports med club is one of the more active clubs in the school. They have the opportunities to be side-by-side with the doctors at the VT football games. Quite a few of our OMM teachers are into the VT athletics, so there are a ton of great resources.

 

[DannMann99]

I read the previous threads on this and feel that atleast 2 classes have matriculated at both institutions. My problem is I could see myself attending either school. I am impressed by VCOM's up and coming--its holding its own and has a matchlist from last year that is impressive. This isn't the VCOM of 2 or even 3 years ago. They have grown and have developed several residencies with more in the workings. PCOM has an amazing reputation and great connections throughout the city and Northeast. Others in this position what are your major points you are comparing? Location is not a factor for me. I have spent the last 3 and a half years in West Philly so living on City Ave or nearby is a reprieve from what I have dealt with. VCOM is more like my hometown feel. The only real difference as of now for me is cost. However, I think I am able to overlook PCOM's higher cost due to all its plusses.

Edit: At present time I don't have a specialty preference at all. Also, I do have a big interest in OMM and it has influenced my decision to apply to DO schools and possibly even withdraw from the MD schools I applied to.

Thoughts?

Well i read 1/2 of your post and if you are sincerely that interested in OMM, I can't speak for VCOM, but I do know PCOM is pretty serious about it too. I feel like OMM is a class where its what you make of it... in the respect that you can not learn it and probably pass by the class or you can devote some time to it and get really good... At PCOM it seems like most of the students to some degree are interested in it, there are those who could care less as i am sure are present at other institutions.

I again can't speak for VCOM but PCOM OMM dept. is run by a guy who wrote a text on the subject, and has been here for an ungodly amount of time, his brother is also a practicing omm physician who comes in to lecture every now and again, and the other professor does active research in OMM and writes question for the comlex

 

[Bacchus]

Well i read 1/2 of your post and if you are sincerely that interested in OMM, I can't speak for VCOM, but I do know PCOM is pretty serious about it too. I feel like OMM is a class where its what you make of it... in the respect that you can not learn it and probably pass by the class or you can devote some time to it and get really good... At PCOM it seems like most of the students to some degree are interested in it, there are those who could care less as i am sure are present at other institutions.

I again can't speak for VCOM but PCOM OMM dept. is run by a guy who wrote a text on the subject, and has been here for an ungodly amount of time, his brother is also a practicing omm physician who comes in to lecture every now and again, and the other professor does active research in OMM and writes question for the comlex

Dr. Nicholas! Met Evan at my interview, he was our breakfast host.

 

[Bacchus]

Thanks everyone.

 

[Cp22kjer]

Thanks everyone.

Congrads on your decision 🙂

Now you can exhale. If I'm lucky enough I'll have a similar situation soon enough.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

So is that your final decision even with the LECOM acceptance?? Or did you have to go back to the drawing board to decide between those two??

 

[Bacchus]

I decided on the way home from LECOM I didn't want to go there. It was gut feeling. Loved the people I met and loved Erie. Something just didn't feel right.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

I decided on the way home from LECOM I didn't want to go there. It was gut feeling. Loved the people I met and loved Erie. Something just didn't feel right.

Well then I guess an CONGRATS is an order. At least now you have the rest of the year to relax. Good luck😀😀😀

 

[jmebb12]

First, if your interest is in OMM, then VCOM is cutting their curriculum, which puts it now at approximately 1/3 the amount of time that other schools get in their cirrculum. Secondly, while the admissions people are great and easy to work with the rest of the administration is a completely different story-and those are the people that you have to deal with on a daily bases when you get to school. I would 100% choose PCOM.

 

[andexterouss]

Go where it's cheaper(VCOM) and then spend your 4th rotating in the region where you want to practice or do your residency. Both schools are competent enough to give you an equal chance to succeed.

 

[Lolo1982]

I thought you already decided this...is VCOM a lot cheaper?

When I was at PCOM I talked to them a lot about OMM because, I feel like if I'm going to learn it, I want to REALLY learn it, so that I'd be confident using it in practice. PCOM has a one year OMM fellowship (I believe you do it after 2nd year) that sounded like a great opportunity. I also talked to our tour guide a bit about the OMM instruction, and she said she liked it, she felt they had great instructors who were always available, and that it was time well spent. She was pretty psyched on it and had already gotten an OMM table for her apartment, so maybe not everyone is that enthusiastic.

I'm also waiting on some MD state apps...I won't withdraw because tuition is so much less at these schools, but I'm pretty much relaxing now because I'd be totally happy going to PCOM.

 

[Bacchus]

Old threads don't die. I decided on PCOM a while ago.

 

[udsoccer7]

Bacchus-
If you are interested in OMM, then you could not have made a better decision. Between the Nicholas brothers and Dr. Kuchera, you won't find better instruction in OMM. Dr. Kuchera is one of the most admirable physicians I have ever met. He is well recognized in the OMM community, not only nationally, but internationally. He is constantly overseas working in Europe helping to develop their osteopathic schools and giving lectures at conferences. He is extremely well respected in the research community and has a wealth of published research. He has also written numerous books on OMM. Also, he is probably the nicest man I have ever met. I think you'll really appreciate your decision to attend PCOM.