Midwestern CCOM vs TouroCOM Harlem

[unnamedlobster12]

Which would you pick based on the following priorities:
- be competitive to match into an academic residency program (targeting cities like NYC, Philly, DC, Chicago)
- supportive environment

(yes, I know being competitive for residency is very much based on individual experience but thinking more of like which school might open doors or not close doors)

Both schools are graded, similarly expensive, and I don't have a support system/family in either location

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[pigsinacloth]

I go to CCOM so I can answer whatever questions you have about them. I don't know anything about touro com harlem.

If you want to do an academic residency, the things that should matter to you are getting good rotations at sites with residency programs in your 3rd year, having research, and giving you time to study for boards. Nothing else matters. It's also important that you be realistic with what you mean by academic residency program. For FM or Peds, easy. For gen surg, hard. IM is in the middle.

No one can help you if you don't give us more information and a little background information about you.

 

[unnamedlobster12]

I go to CCOM so I can answer whatever questions you have about them. I don't know anything about touro com harlem.

If you want to do an academic residency, the things that should matter to you are getting good rotations at sites with residency programs in your 3rd year, having research, and giving you time to study for boards. Nothing else matters. It's also important that you be realistic with what you mean by academic residency program. For FM or Peds, easy. For gen surg, hard. IM is in the middle.

No one can help you if you don't give us more information and a little background information about you.

Thanks, I'd appreciate that!
Some more info about me:
- Accepted at CCOM
- Strong research background in neuro/PM&R related fields, not much on pubs side but experience + posters + national conference (figure this could help with getting research opportunities in med school)
- Idk if this tells you much beyond getting in but MCAT is 509 and 3.9x GPA
- Solid background in volunteering, leadership
- Open to specialties - I have an interest in neuro and PM&R (which I think fall in the middle for competition level?) but want to explore new ones and keep all options open (I fear I might like surgery). My mindset is I am going to do everything I can to be as competitive as possible while staying realistic and adjusting to reality as needed

Questions about CCOM:
Do you feel that CCOM prepares you well in terms of the factors you mentioned (rotation sites, research, etc)?
Do you think having a graded system is beneficial to standing out in residency applications? Or does it add unnecessary pressure compared to a P/F school?
What is the mentorship like at CCOM? Did you feel supported in the transition to med school and also to build a competitive residency application? Are there peer or faculty mentorship programs?
Lastly, do you find it to be a close and/or supportive student environment? I'm nervous about moving to the Midwest where I don't know anyone so want to get a sense for how welcoming it is/ if it is easy to build social circles with fellow students

 

[pigsinacloth]

Do you feel that CCOM prepares you well in terms of the factors you mentioned (rotation sites, research, etc) - Rotations are good if you're willing to do work. Many of my classmates tried to do the easiest rotations possible and thus did not get good clinical experience and their match results reflect that as I am sure they did not have the strongest of letters. Research at CCOM is basically all basic science. You can find some clinical research, but it's difficult. You're better off just trying to get research at other institutions. CCOM does not give you a ton of time for boards prep, but classes are not mandatory for the most part. They post all the lectures online so just do the reading you have to do and watch the lectures later in the day/at night/next day, whatever works for you on 2x speed. The extra time you save should be spent doing research.

Do you think having a graded system is beneficial to standing out in residency applications? Or does it add unnecessary pressure compared to a P/F school? - Nope dose not matter. As long as you're not getting consistent Cs, no one cares what your grades are, unless maybe you want ENT or optho or something ultra competitive. Do your best and learn the material since it will be on boards, but if you get a 90 vs a 93 no one cares.

What is the mentorship like at CCOM? Did you feel supported in the transition to med school and also to build a competitive residency application? Are there peer or faculty mentorship programs? - Non existent. There is no mentoring here. They try to do a big and little program, but honestly it depends on if the second year wants to help you. I found it to be a waste of time since they don't actually know anything either.

Lastly, do you find it to be a close and/or supportive student environment? I'm nervous about moving to the Midwest where I don't know anyone so want to get a sense for how welcoming it is/ if it is easy to build social circles with fellow students - yeah people are fine. It's med school. some people will be really nice, some will be not nice, some are fake, etc. It's a class of 200+, you will find friends and people you like. I am not from the Midwest and I am staying in Chicago for residency and that was my choice. I don't want to stay long term for fellowship, but it will be fine for a few more years.

The research background helps since it will help you get on research projects not at CCOM from cold emailing. GPA and MCAT are fine. I am not trying to discredit your hard work, but med school is a different beast. Like yes previous success generally predicts future success, but med school catches people by surprise sometimes. You need to make sure you stay up to date on lectures and do a little bit of your research projects every day. Do one or two leadership/volunteer things that you actually enjoy and show commitment rather than just having a list of small things. Residency applications can be super competitive and as a DO you're going to be fighting an uphill battle so you want to make sure you do things well so you can truly shine.

CCOM does do well in PMR since there are 4 decent programs in the Chicago area, but I think our overall PMR match rate this year was somewhere around 66% with the other 33% getting their backup specialty or soaping into FM.

 

[unnamedlobster12]

Thanks a lot for all the info - definitely helpful to hear the honest insight. Glad the grades aren't that bad and surprised by the lack of mentorship. Loaded question but in hindsight are you happy w your experience/decision to go to CCOM or would you have gone somewhere else?

 

[pigsinacloth]

I don't regret going to CCOM. I think that it can provide you great training if you're willing to do the work. If you want to just skate by then it is also able to accommodate that as well. My only real gripe with it is the cost and the fact that there is no mentorship. Like they technically "try" to do it by sending out a list every year of recent grads listing where they matched and their contact info, but that is literally it.

I will say I probably have a more realist view than many of my classmates. People will say that the results justify the means if they matched where they wanted and if they did not match where they wanted they will ridicule the school. At the end of the day it's a DO school. You're going to have to put in the work to make your app look good and while DOs in general are getting more recognition in certain fields and breaking some barriers (IM, peds, gen surg), There are other specialties that are getting more competitive due to MD students realizing that they are good work life balance as well as from the increase in the number of DO students around the country (Anesthesia, PMR). My only other thing regarding PMR because I know a decent number of the people that went into the field from my school. You might have a hard time matching in a major city that is not chicago unless it's a low ranked program. I only say that because you listed NYC, Philly, and DC as places you would consider. So add a boston or an LA on to that as well.