Med School Choice Question

[deleted600623]

Hi all,

I am currently an Idaho resident in my gap year gearing up for the 2018-2019 application cycle. As most of you know, ICOM is gunning to have its first class in August 2018. It's also located in the region of the state where I want to end up practicing as a physician when I get done with residency (more on the outskirts of Boise in the rural towns as FM or IM). Without making this a WAMC thread, my current stats are cGPA 3.73, sGPA (AACOM) 3.60 & 3.45 (AAMC). I plan to take the MCAT Jan 20th, 2018 and my current practice scores are between 502-506 right now. I have lots of shadowing (100+ hours, clinical experience (1500+ and counting), some volunteer experience, and some research with minor publication. Given that my MCAT score is around average (508-510), would it be wise to go ahead and try to get into ICOM for the fall, knowing that I would have a good shot as an Idaho resident? Or do I wait a whole additional year to see if I get into WWAMI? I guess another question is, am I putting myself at a disadvantage down the road (residency wise) by just going to ICOM instead of seeing if I can get into WWAMI? Part of me wants to jump the gun and get started on my path to becoming a physician by going to ICOM because I've been working towards this for 5+ years now but I don't want to handcuff myself down the road for residency purposes.

Sorry for the long post and thanks for all the help!

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[Goro]

Without an MCAT score, this conversation is not worth having.
Come back with an MCAT score, and then we can advise.

 

[deleted600623]

I had a feeling that would be the answer. Will do @Goro

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I would never go to a brand new school, especially one with such poor clinical affiliations.

 

[deleted600623]

What is the drawback from going to a brand new school? Poor board prep?

 

[deleted600623]

I would never go to a brand new school, especially one with such poor clinical affiliations.

According to this article, "ICOM plans to allocate 5 million for residency programs in the first 10 years and has agreements with 22 healthcare organizations for ICOM students to start rotations in 2020." I assume they will release this information once they are fully accredited.

Idaho osteopathic medical school gets pre-accreditation

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

According to this article, "ICOM plans to allocate 5 million for residency programs in the first 10 years and has agreements with 22 healthcare organizations for ICOM students to start rotations in 2020." I assume they will release this information once they are fully accredited.

Idaho osteopathic medical school gets pre-accreditation

Having "plans" for residencies is not the same has having residencies, and until they release info detailing their rotations at large hospitals with GME then I will remain extremely skeptical of ICOM. Don't drink the Kool-aid

 

[Goro]

What is the drawback from going to a brand new school? Poor board prep?

1) Takes time for Faculty to get and deliver a curriculum in an efficient way
2) Graduates are an unknown to PDs
3) Board scores and first time pass rates will be lower
4) Weaker student body means higher attrition rates
5) Clinical education is a black box

 

[de Ribas]

1) Takes time for Faculty to get and deliver a curriculum in an efficient way
2) Graduates are an unknown to PDs
3) Board scores and first time pass rates will be lower
4) Weaker student body means higher attrition rates
5) Clinical education is a black box

so, if new schools can't provide Federal Aid, do students take out personal loans?

what if for some reasons, new schools can't get accreditation or something else happens with a new school, do all students just lose money?

 

[SLU Student]

so, if new schools can't provide Federal Aid, do students take out personal loans?

what if for some reasons, new schools can't get accreditation or something else happens with a new school, do all students just lose money?

1. Yes. You would have to take out a private loan. Not all new schools require private loans, though. For-profit schools cannot apply for federal loans until their 3rd year. Non-for-profits can apply as soon as they receive provisional accreditation. It depends on the school.

2. This has never happened before, I believe. I think if they lose accreditation, they must still graduate all the students currently enrolled in the school or enroll them somewhere else. They just can't accept new students.

 

[Goro]

2. This has never happened before, I believe. I think if they lose accreditation, they must still graduate all the students currently enrolled in the school or enroll them somewhere else. They just can't accept new students.

I was told by a former Dean that if a school goes belly up (and losing or not getting full accreditation would qualify for that) students would be enrolled among all the other COMs. I don't know what LCME mandates, but I vaguely remember the wise @gyngyn mentioning something about how the SJB students were not given as wide a latitude to save thier careers.

I suspect that if a provisionally accredited COM were denied full accreditation, then they'd e given a very short probation period to get thier act together one more time, or else face the knife.

 

[deleted600623]

So if a new school is your only acceptance, do you take it and hope for the best or do you deny it and hope to get in somewhere else the next cycle ?

 

[SLU Student]

So if a new school is your only acceptance, do you take it and hope for the best or do you deny it and hope to get in somewhere else the next cycle ?

Take it.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

For-profit schools cannot apply for federal loans until their 3rd year. Non-for-profits can apply as soon as they receive provisional accreditation. It depends on the school.

Neither of these are correct. The federal loan issue does not have anything to do with the profit status of the institution

So if a new school is your only acceptance, do you take it and hope for the best or do you deny it and hope to get in somewhere else the next cycle ?

I would never apply to one in the first place.

 

[de Ribas]

Take it.

and take out private loans. which is not so cool

 

[TheWolfOfMainStreet]

Ah, but how new is too new? What is the standard?

 

[de Ribas]

Ah, but how new is too new? What is the standard?

probably until first graduated class

 

[TheWolfOfMainStreet]

probably until first graduated class

So basically just Burrell, ARCOM, UIW, and maybe Liberty (given their first class graduates next summer i think)?

 

[SLU Student]

Neither of these are correct. The federal loan issue does not have anything to do with the profit status of the institution

This is what I was told at two different interview dates by the financial office of each respective school. The for-profit school, specifically BCOM, mentioned that their profit status prevents them from applying for federal loans for their students until their 3rd year. The other non-for-profit school, ARCOM to be specific, already has federal loans available for their students because of their non-for-profit status. Unless I've been told straight lies, I would think this is true coming straight from their financial aid representative. I also did some digging about this on SDN, and I believe this holds true. Please let me know what sources tell you otherwise.

 

[bears1992]

This is what I was told at two different interview dates by the financial office of each respective school. The for-profit school, specifically BCOM, mentioned that their profit status prevents them from applying for federal loans for their students until their 3rd year. The other non-for-profit school, ARCOM to be specific, already has federal loans available for their students because of their non-for-profit status. Unless I've been told straight lies, I would think this is true coming straight from their financial aid representative. I also did some digging about this on SDN, and I believe this holds true. Please let me know what sources tell you otherwise.

I think you are correct. ARCOM just started their first class and they said they had federal loans available to us at my interview.

 

[GTP]

hey OP. Did idacom mention what they require as far as course prerequisites ? I don't see it anywhere on the website. Also I know the school is new but what are the odds it will suck? The other new schools seem to be doing okay so far

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Please let me know what sources tell you otherwise.

Other financial representatives. One of us has been told lies then, as I was told ARCOM got loans not because of the non-prof status but because they had state support and affiliations or something like that. I've been told that most new schools do not have access to federal student loans unless they have a parent organization that has access, it also has something to do with Title IX.

 

[de Ribas]

Other financial representatives. One of us has been told lies then, as I was told ARCOM got loans not because of the non-prof status but because they had state support and affiliations or something like that. I've been told that most new schools do not have access to federal student loans unless they have a parent organization that has access, it also has something to do with Title IX.

Does anyone know of ICOM has affiliations?

 

[deleted600623]

Does anyone know of ICOM has affiliations?

Affiliated with ISU.

 

[deleted600623]

hey OP. Did idacom mention what they require as far as course prerequisites ? I don't see it anywhere on the website. Also I know the school is new but what are the odds it will suck? The other new schools seem to be doing okay so far

They can’t release any information until they receive official accreditation. The only thing that I’ve seen from new schools is Low first board scores.

 

[GTP]

They can’t release any information until they receive official accreditation. The only thing that I’ve seen from new schools is Low first board scores.

I say this because I went to a newish med school. When everyone was partying I did my thing and scored 3.9 gpa and 240s 260s on usmle and 700-800 on both comlex. I'm stalking this forum for my significant other who is hoping to apply there. Based on my experience when I was a med student, I think self motivation trumps these things. I also had sub par clinical rotations but still managed to answer most pimp questions on my away rotations based on my own clinical knowledge and reading. Any word on when they might be able to start recruitment ? Won't they be at a disadvantage since a lot of people are already holding acceptances?