Marian University (MU-COM) Discussion Thread 2013 - 2014

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I'll be withdrawing my acceptance - truly hope it goes to one of you!!! Best of luck friends!
 
Where ya going?

DMU - feel free to message me for my reasons, but it was hard letting go of Marian! As a techie geek, I was blown away at MUCOMs paperless approach and gorgeous new facilities; Indi is an amazing city and I could tell that the faculty/staff really care about seeing the students do well and actually enjoy their time in med school.

If you're going to interview, my biggest regret was going on a weekend. I wish that I had the chance to meet more M1s and get a feel for the student body! ( < haha, not an intentional OMM joke... but I feel it would be a sin to rephrase a great pun) But on a Saturday morning after a snowstorm, it seemed like most students were bunkering down at home 🙂
 
Volume 1 of the MU-COM DOCTOR Series is in the portal for admitted and deposited students. The DO Series is a follow-up to the popular Advantage Series. Topics in Volume 1 include the following items:
  • Year 2 Curriculum Information
  • Meet Brady Hansen, OMS1
  • Class of 2018 People Bingo
  • Conditions of Acceptance and Enrollment
  • Student Organization Roundup
  • Power of Doing
  • Making Miracles Gala
  • Inside OME
Volume 2 will be released next week with detailed information on the Accepted Student Open House.

Admissions
 
What is the school's policy on course failure (<70%)? Are students allowed remediation of the course (when? in the summer? start again with the next year's class? retake an exam?). How many courses/credits can students remediate? Is this a common occurrence? When I was at my interview current M1 students mentioned a few students failed anatomy. Does the school work hard to help students succeed and to keep students in the class, or do they seem fine with a certain amount of attrition? How many students have already left? What is the school's policy on COMLEX attempts?
 
What is the school's policy on course failure (<70%)? Are students allowed remediation of the course (when? in the summer? start again with the next year's class? retake an exam?). How many courses/credits can students remediate? Is this a common occurrence? When I was at my interview current M1 students mentioned a few students failed anatomy. Does the school work hard to help students succeed and to keep students in the class, or do they seem fine with a certain amount of attrition? How many students have already left? What is the school's policy on COMLEX attempts?

As mentioned previously in the thread, 70% is passing. Otherwise, students are required to remediate the exam or course. The type of remediation is determined by the course director. Our official enrollment numbers are reported once a year to AACOM; otherwise, enrollment status is confidential.

MU-COM
 
As mentioned previously in the thread, 70% is passing. Otherwise, students are required to remediate the exam or course. The type of remediation is determined by the course director. Our official enrollment numbers are reported once a year to AACOM; otherwise, enrollment status is confidential.

MU-COM

What policies were set forth by the course directors in each of the first year courses? What is the overall policy of the school for number of courses students can remediate and for the number of COMLEX attempts?
 
What policies were set forth by the course directors in each of the first year courses? What is the overall policy of the school for number of courses students can remediate and for the number of COMLEX attempts?

Each course's remediation policy is detailed in the course syllabus. At this time, we do not have a policy on the maximum number of retakes or COMLEX attempts. However, the Student Promotion and Academic Progress committee takes the student's entire record into account.

MU-COM
 
Each course's remediation policy is detailed in the course syllabus. At this time, we do not have a policy on the maximum number of retakes or COMLEX attempts. However, the Student Promotion and Academic Progress committee takes the student's entire record into account.

MU-COM
Thank you for the information!
Any chance current students could weigh in on the policies listed in these syllabi? And what you have noticed is the general policy/attitude/course of action for students who fail/need extra help/etc. (for whatever reason). I have noticed that some schools seem to have a pretty low tolerance while other schools are really more of the attitude that if you get in they believe in you and will help you through unless you choose to leave (this seems to be more of the policy for MD schools).
 
Thank you for the information!
Any chance current students could weigh in on the policies listed in these syllabi? And what you have noticed is the general policy/attitude/course of action for students who fail/need extra help/etc. (for whatever reason). I have noticed that some schools seem to have a pretty low tolerance while other schools are really more of the attitude that if you get in they believe in you and will help you through unless you choose to leave (this seems to be more of the policy for MD schools).

Surely current students can offer details. Nonetheless, our advice is to master the course content and pass your exams--not dwell on the remediation process. Ask for help along the way, meet with a study group, develop techniques that work for you, etc. If admitted, we believe you can do the work. So should you.

MU-COM
 
Thank you for the information!
Any chance current students could weigh in on the policies listed in these syllabi? And what you have noticed is the general policy/attitude/course of action for students who fail/need extra help/etc. (for whatever reason). I have noticed that some schools seem to have a pretty low tolerance while other schools are really more of the attitude that if you get in they believe in you and will help you through unless you choose to leave (this seems to be more of the policy for MD schools).

These are great questions (and ones I had when considering which acceptance to take). Unfortunately the policies at MUCOM are extremely vague regarding remediation and repeating the year. Yes, there's the typical politically correct statement in the student handbook, but it lists no specifics. As with every medical school, students fail classes. I have been fortunate enough so far to pass everything (although we're in Neuro right now... so many of us are just hoping for the best! 😉 )... however, I have a few friends who have failed courses and even they don't know much about their remediation. All they've been told is that remediation will be an exam in the summer. There will be no additional course to take, just basically one big final in the summer covering the entire course. Also, if you fail a course you have to meet with the academic progress committee and state your case. If you fail anatomy, you have to retake it at another school in the summer (like IU) because of the cadaver portion-- MUCOM does not offer a cadaver lab in the summer. If you fail enough big courses, they may have you repeat the year (I know of at least 1 person in our class who failed our first two classes and is repeating the year). Honestly, most of us are in the dark regarding remediation and repeating the year. And the COMLEX hasn't been mentioned once this year, so I can't give you any input on that.
I can't tell you much about MUCOM's 'tolerance' of failing courses, since we're so early on in the school's history.

Surely current students can offer details. Nonetheless, our advice is to master the course content and pass your exams--not dwell on the remediation process. Ask for help along the way, meet with a study group, develop techniques that work for you, etc. If admitted, we believe you can do the work. So should you.

MU-COM

This is much easier said than done. Students fail exams all the time (just like at every medical school), we should all have information on the remediation process regardless of our standing in the class. Actually, it adds additional unwanted stress not knowing the details of remediation.
 
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These are great questions (and ones I had when considering which acceptance to take). Unfortunately the policies at MUCOM are extremely vague regarding remediation and repeating the year. Yes, there's the typical politically correct statement in the student handbook, but it lists no specifics. As with every medical school, students fail classes. I have been fortunate enough so far to pass everything (although we're in Neuro right now... so many of us are just hoping for the best! 😉 )... however, I have a few friends who have failed courses and even they don't know much about their remediation. All they've been told is that remediation will be an exam in the summer. There will be no additional course to take, just basically one big final in the summer covering the entire course. Also, if you fail a course you have to meet with the academic progress committee and state your case. If you fail anatomy, you have to retake it at another school in the summer (like IU) because of the cadaver portion-- MUCOM does not offer a cadaver lab in the summer. If you fail enough big courses, they may have you repeat the year (I know of at least 1 person in our class who failed our first two classes and is repeating the year). Honestly, most of us are in the dark regarding remediation and repeating the year. And the COMLEX hasn't been mentioned once this year, so I can't give you any input on that.
I can't tell you much about MUCOM's 'tolerance' of failing courses, since we're so early on in the school's history.

This is much easier said than done. Students fail exams all the time (just like at every medical school), we should all have information on the remediation process regardless of our standing in the class. Actually, it adds additional unwanted stress not knowing the details of remediation.

I can pretty much second this post. Although I haven't failed any classes (yet), I am terrified of the notion of having to "present my case" for being able to stay at the school--to a committee, for failing a single class. We have had courses since getting into the systems portion of the curriculum where the whole grade for the course was determined by one exam...if you failed that exam, then you failed the course. I agree that students should be fully aware of the entire remediation process from the get go. Failure happens in medical school. It just does. Especially in the beginning of MS-1 when you are learning and adjusting to the rigors of a medical curriculum. It is unlike anything else academically. Any physician will tell you this.

I also know folks who have failed courses and they don't really know the details of what happens next. All they know is that they had to present their situation for remaining at the school to an academic progression committee and they are taking another exam in the summer at some point. In the beginning of the first semester, students who were below the passing threshold while the courses were still in session received automated letters from the dean criticizing their ambition and threatening dismissal from the program...these came out days before a final exam that was nearly 50% of the course grade. It raised a bit of an uproar, so not sure if they are still doing this...regardless, it was bad form.

I concur that we haven't been told much about boards/prep/etc and as @BuddyTheElf mentioned, I do not have any experience with the "tolerance" of failure at MU-COM...just what I've heard from others. Although this last MU-COM reply about just "mastering material and passing your exams" doesn't make it seem like it's going to be very high. If only it were that easy!

On that note, the school is new and obviously there will be regulations and guidelines that will be developed as the school establishes itself. As a current student, I can only hope that these are shaped with the student's best interests in mind. Remediation policies, however, should be something that students have explicit knowledge of from the start.
 
Has there been a lot of students struggling/failing courses, especially in the systems part? Does it seem like students are struggling more than they should within the curriculum or is it too hard to gauge that at this point in time?
 
Has there been a lot of students struggling/failing courses, especially in the systems part? Does it seem like students are struggling more than they should within the curriculum or is it too hard to gauge that at this point in time?

Doesn't seem like a ton, but failing does happen. They usually don't report to us how many people fail each course - anatomy was the only one that told us (3/161 people failed). I think our scientific foundations course at the beginning of the year was 7 or 8. Other than that, I'm not sure. Like Kenobi said we've had courses where 1 exam was the class grade, and some people I know failed that. The positive about MUCOM is that tests have a curve component added to them (not a distribution curve, but a grade enhancement) and most tests end up having an average around the low 80s. So for the most part as long as you tend to hover around the average scores on exams you should be ok. Personally I think more people than necessary are struggling with our neuro system, but with it being a universally difficult course I'm not sure if that's a MUCOM thing or a med school thing. It's really hard to gauge how people are doing at this point honestly, since you only know who does poorly based on who you talk to. I thank god at this point I have passed everything, but for the sake of people who have failed courses and those who will, I hope they have a more clear and descriptive remediation process coming. I also hope they plan on setting up an academic help center too for those that are struggling. I'm sure we got the short end of the stick with no upperclassmen, but that's a resource that really needs to get started next year with tutors for students that need help!
 
Has there been a lot of students struggling/failing courses, especially in the systems part? Does it seem like students are struggling more than they should within the curriculum or is it too hard to gauge that at this point in time?

Ya, I'd agree with Meows and say that for the most part, students are doing ok...up until about 1/3 of the way into this neuroscience block we are currently in. Of course that doesn't mean that people haven't failed tests or even classes. This happens at all medical schools though. People are definitely working hard to do well here, as it should be...but there are certainly scheduling issues with different courses that will need to be ironed out for future classes. For example, they threw in a whole extra systems course at the end of our first semester apparently at the last minute of their planning. This made the schedule almost unmanageable for many students. Like I said; first class, new school. These issues will be worked out with time.

The neuro block that we are presently taking is being taught through collaboration with the IU School of Medicine faculty. According to the head neuroanatomy professor from IU who is co-chair of the course, we are getting the same curriculum/material that the IU SoM gets, but it is being taught to us in 6 weeks where the IU students get an extra 2 weeks for the same content (8 weeks). This makes an already difficult subject much more rigorous and I'd go as far as saying that it doesn't provide adequate time to absorb the material if you are hearing it for the first time. This was very evident by the scores from the last exam. Friends I have spoken with from other schools could not believe that we are getting our neuro in only 6 weeks topped off with a cumulative final. From speaking to this professor, it sounded like the schedule for this class will likely change in the future.
 
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Volume 2 of the MU-COM DOCTOR Series is in the portal for admitted and deposited students. The DO Series is a follow-up to the popular Advantage Series.
  • The topic of Volume 2 is the Accepted Student Open House on March 78, 2014.
  • Volume 3 will be released at the end of February.
Admissions
 
I concur that we haven't been told much about boards/prep/etc and as @BuddyTheElf mentioned, I do not have any experience with the "tolerance" of failure at MU-COM...just what I've heard from others. Although this last MU-COM reply about just "mastering material and passing your exams" doesn't make it seem like it's going to be very high. If only it were that easy!

We haven't heard anything final about the exact company we are going to be used, but we do know about the schedule. We have an entire course at the end of second year, leading up to boards, that will basically be board prep. This time will an integrated professional board prep course (like like Kaplan or Doctors in Training, etc, we are still deciding). There will be time set aside for study, which is great as well. Then, we'll have about a month off to take the exams we want, when we want. Pretty good deal if you ask me!


Any chance current students could weigh in on the policies listed in these syllabi? And what you have noticed is the general policy/attitude/course of action for students who fail/need extra help/etc. (for whatever reason). I have noticed that some schools seem to have a pretty low tolerance while other schools are really more of the attitude that if you get in they believe in you and will help you through unless you choose to leave (this seems to be more of the policy for MD schools).


Im not sure how to answer how MU-COM "tolerates" failing a class...maybe if anyone still has a question they can ask again in a different way? (not that its a bad question, just am not sure exactly what it means).

I don't know of any med school that allows you to fail a class and just move on. MU-COM is not exception here...if you fail a course, you have to remediate it somehow. Some courses require you to pass each test, while others just require an overall passing grade. We are also currently working on a tutoring system that would be available to the student body. The next class will have it even easier since you'll have us to help you along.

Biggest thing is try not to get too behind, meet with a group regularly (doesn't have to be daily, but enough to know you aren't behind), and if you feel like you are struggling...Tell someone! Teachers are great here and help anyone out who asks. I know a guy who failed the first test we had...but then spoke to professors and has done very well since then. Everyone struggles at some point.
 
DMU - feel free to message me for my reasons, but it was hard letting go of Marian! As a techie geek, I was blown away at MUCOMs paperless approach and gorgeous new facilities; Indi is an amazing city and I could tell that the faculty/staff really care about seeing the students do well and actually enjoy their time in med school.

If you're going to interview, my biggest regret was going on a weekend. I wish that I had the chance to meet more M1s and get a feel for the student body! ( < haha, not an intentional OMM joke... but I feel it would be a sin to rephrase a great pun) But on a Saturday morning after a snowstorm, it seemed like most students were bunkering down at home 🙂


?? But we got all their good teachers here now!! 😉

haha, enjoyed the pun btw...and its too bad you weren't able to come hang out with us a bit.

As a general statement, if anyone wants to stick around after their interview and meet a few MS1's, feel free. We're usually there just studying anyway and are more than happy to answer any questions. You can always PM me here as well if you'd like as well...I haven't been on SDN as much as in the past, but I'm trying to check in every once in a while now
 
We haven't heard anything final about the exact company we are going to be used, but we do know about the schedule. We have an entire course at the end of second year, leading up to boards, that will basically be board prep. This time will an integrated professional board prep course (like like Kaplan or Doctors in Training, etc, we are still deciding). There will be time set aside for study, which is great as well. Then, we'll have about a month off to take the exams we want, when we want. Pretty good deal if you ask me!
Hey, that's great to hear. Buuut I don't feel like the whole student body is aware of any of this really. I sure wasn't. Even what you just described comes off as pretty vague. Not sure why you quoted my post...I was just agreeing that I didn't know much about boards. Still don't. And when you say "we are still deciding", do you mean MU-COM, or are you involved in this decision somehow?
 
Hey, that's great to hear. Buuut I don't feel like the whole student body is aware of any of this really. I sure wasn't. Even what you just described comes off as pretty vague. Not sure why you quoted my post...I was just agreeing that I didn't know much about boards. Still don't. And when you say "we are still deciding", do you mean MU-COM, or are you involved in this decision somehow?

The student body has not been aware of any of this. I only knew we had a system for board prep because I randomly talked to the course director in passing. I wish they kept us in the loop on it! Or maybe asked general opinions of what students would find most beneficial (if they don't already plan on doing that....). And yeah are here students involved in the planning? Because of they were I wasn't aware of it either. A student group to help in the planning might not be a bad idea.
 
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Hey, that's great to hear. Buuut I don't feel like the whole student body is aware of any of this really. I sure wasn't. Even what you just described comes off as pretty vague. Not sure why you quoted my post...I was just agreeing that I didn't know much about boards. Still don't. And when you say "we are still deciding", do you mean MU-COM, or are you involved in this decision somehow?

Just responding friend, giving my 2 cents on what we know about board prep

The student body has not been aware of any of this. I only knew we had a system for board prep because I randomly talked to the course director in passing. I wish they kept us in the loop on it! Or maybe asked general opinions of what students would find most beneficial (if they don't already plan on doing that....). And yeah are here students involved in the planning? Because of they were I wasn't aware of it either lol

Haha...well, there are about a million things going on so I can't blame anyone for not knowing everything thats going on at any given time at MU-COM!

But yeah, do you guys remember hearing about our integrations course? It was presented in Orientation (and at the accepted students weekend). Thats our board prep course. I think its listed on the extended schedules we got way back when, but I rarely look at those anymore!

And you guys might not remember, but a while back there were some emails about the student committee that is helping choose the board prep company that we'll be using, along with a curriculum sub committee? We've had several companies come give presentations on their board prep and have given our feedback, so thats where the rest of the info came.
 
Just responding friend, giving my 2 cents on what we know about board prep
Oh ok. So we don't know that much. haha. Thats all I was agreeing with when buddy said that the first time.😉 To be honest, I did have a conversation about it with the faculty member who is supposedly running that integrations course...and walked away not really know much then. I got the old, "trust me I got your back" reply.
 
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Just responding friend, giving my 2 cents on what we know about board prep



Haha...well, there are about a million things going on so I can't blame anyone for not knowing everything thats going on at any given time at MU-COM!

But yeah, do you guys remember hearing about our integrations course? It was presented in Orientation (and at the accepted students weekend). Thats our board prep course. I think its listed on the extended schedules we got way back when, but I rarely look at those anymore!

And you guys might not remember, but a while back there were some emails about the student committee that is helping choose the board prep company that we'll be using, along with a curriculum sub committee? We've had several companies come give presentations on their board prep and have given our feedback, so thats where the rest of the info came.

I knew there was a system for board prep but that was about it. I'm pretty positive there wasn't any presentation about it a year ago at the accepted students weekend, but I may have forgotten something being said during orientation. Oh well, just wish I knew more about it, that's all. I'm sure by the time the second class comes in all the info will be available. The joys of being in the first class! 🙂
 
I knew there was a system for board prep but that was about it. I'm pretty positive there wasn't any presentation about it a year ago at the accepted students weekend, but I may have forgotten something being said during orientation. Oh well, just wish I knew more about it, that's all. I'm sure by the time the second class comes in all the info will be available. The joys of being in the first class! 🙂

Well, I could be going crazy and remembering that accepted students weekend wrong 😉

But yeah, I know the next class will know a ton more that we did going along! But, with board prep, I feel like the only thing we don't know is the company that we're going with, right?

I don't mean to be contentious on this--I only ask because I don't want perspective students to think there isn't something in place. From my perspective, we have a pretty nice deal for board review! I don't know of too many schools that have both free study time as well as a professional system, on top of an integration course that is basically board review and clinical prep all in one.
 
I don't mean to be contentious on this--I only ask because I don't want perspective students to think there isn't something in place. From my perspective, we have a pretty nice deal for board review! I don't know of too many schools that have both free study time as well as a professional system, on top of an integration course that is basically board review and clinical prep all in one.

That was not my intention at all. I know MUCOM has that planning under control, since all of us know that boards are the most important thing! My point is that the majority of students as a general population haven't been informed about how it will work other than it will be it's own block before board exam time.

I also agree that having the board review system will be pretty cool, especially knowing that many other schools I interviewed at last year didn't offer the same courtesy (it was more of a study on top of your classes type deal). I think it will be beneficial for sure and was one of the things that drew me to MUCOM.
 
I don't mean to be contentious on this--I only ask because I don't want perspective students to think there isn't something in place. From my perspective, we have a pretty nice deal for board review! I don't know of too many schools that have both free study time as well as a professional system, on top of an integration course that is basically board review and clinical prep all in one.

Ya man, I don't think anyone is trying to argue. That's nice that you have a good idea of what is going on with board prep. It sounds like you got yourself in the committee that is in charge of looking into options for different prep companies? So maybe that is why you seem/are more informed that the rest of us. Either way, it's pretty obvious that there were three other students on here saying they do not feel like they really have a grasp of what is going down for board prep... Not that it is necessarily a bad thing...I don't think anyone really said it was bad, just that they didn't really know about it. Thanks for the info tho. I think the original question was focused more on the ins and outs of our remediation policy anyhow.
 
Ya man, I don't think anyone is trying to argue. That's nice that you have a good idea of what is going on with board prep. It sounds like you got yourself in the committee that is in charge of looking into options for different prep companies? So maybe that is why you seem/are more informed that the rest of us. Either way, it's pretty obvious that there were three other students on here saying they do not feel like they really have a grasp of what is going down for board prep... Not that it is necessarily a bad thing...I don't think anyone really said it was bad, just that they didn't really know about it. Thanks for the info tho. I think the original question was focused more on the ins and outs of our remediation policy anyhow.

That was not my intention at all. I know MUCOM has that planning under control, since all of us know that boards are the most important thing! My point is that the majority of students as a general population haven't been informed about how it will work other than it will be it's own block before board exam time.

I also agree that having the board review system will be pretty cool, especially knowing that many other schools I interviewed at last year didn't offer the same courtesy (it was more of a study on top of your classes type deal). I think it will be beneficial for sure and was one of the things that drew me to MUCOM.


Fo shizzle 🙂
 
Another thursday! If today is a day the board meets, may the calls be ever in your favor! (And mine too)
 
Hey everyone, I have a question regarding those of us on the alternate list for this year. If we update our AACOMAS application, does the admissions committee automatically have access to our new information, or should we email admissions to inform them that our application has changed?
Thanks.
 
Hey everyone, I have a question regarding those of us on the alternate list for this year. If we update our AACOMAS application, does the admissions committee automatically have access to our new information, or should we email admissions to inform them that our application has changed?
Thanks.

Yes, they will have access to it when they review the alternate list. I asked bryan moody about this as well. Good luck!
 
I got onto the alternate list. 1st quartile. Email this AM. Kind of sad. Desperately wanted that acceptance but I guess there is still a chance!
 
Primary received- 11/14/13
Supplemental received- 11/18/13
Application complete- 11/23/13
Interview invite- 12/11/14
Interview- 2/08/14
Alternate List 1st quartile- 2/13/14

Stats:
Science GPA- 3.92
Non-science GPA- 3.97
cGPA- 3.95
MCAT- 24(8,8,8)
Tons of ECs/ volunteering/ shadowing/ research(publications too)

Jesus, with those GPA's you got to get your MCAT higher. Take the time, pull a 30, go to MD school.
 
Hey everyone, I have a question regarding those of us on the alternate list for this year. If we update our AACOMAS application, does the admissions committee automatically have access to our new information, or should we email admissions to inform them that our application has changed?
Thanks.

Once the update is verified by AACOMAS, MU-COM will receive a revised application.

Admissions
 
I got onto the alternate list. 1st quartile. Email this AM. Kind of sad. Desperately wanted that acceptance but I guess there is still a chance!

Don't give up! I was first quartile once upon a time too 🙂 make sure to show marian how interested you are!
 
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