Midwestern University Arizona (AZCOM) Discussion Thread 2012 - 2013

[DrWily]

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I've seen taxi's around with a sign that says something like $15 to/from the airport. Otherwise, I mentioned above about the Drury hotel as my pick.

 

[dr what]

I just received an email from AZCOM inviting me to complete a secondary application 😀. Good thing I already did it a month ago haha!

Haha I got that this morning as well...thought it was going to be a confirmation of my interview date but was sure surprised to be asked for another secondary

 

[dudeliness]

Booked my flight to AZCOM today. Does anyone have recommendations for hotels that are inexpensive, near the school, and have a shuttle service?

Also, how are you guys planning on getting to your hotel from the airport. The airport is almost 30 miles away from the school so that's a pricey cab ride. Are there shuttles? Are people renting cars?

I just rented a car since I'm >25. It was only about $40 or so to keep it overnight.

 

[dudeliness]

true that, but not sure where you are from, but phoenis is hot as in above 105 for like two months straight. they think its ok when it goes down to 90s

I'm from Michigan originally so I know what 80-90 degrees and 90%+ humidity is like. Not too bad if you have good a/c. Now I live in st George Utah, right by the Arizona border. It's also in the triple digits for two or three months, but you just hit the pool every day. In michigan I went camping in -40 weather once. You just stay inside if it's too cold just like you stay in if it's too hot. Some places like Florida or SoCal are pretty nice most of the year. Of course Florida gets more tropical storms and all. I haven't found heaven on earth yet, but then I've never been to Hawaii either so it could still be out there. Lol

 

[DrWily]

I'm from Michigan originally so I know what 80-90 degrees and 90%+ humidity is like. Not too bad if you have good a/c. Now I live in st George Utah, right by the Arizona border. It's also in the triple digits for two or three months, but you just hit the pool every day. In michigan I went camping in -40 weather once. You just stay inside if it's too cold just like you stay in if it's too hot. Some places like Florida or SoCal are pretty nice most of the year. Of course Florida gets more tropical storms and all. I haven't found heaven on earth yet, but then I've never been to Hawaii either so it could still be out there. Lol

Heaven on earth is definitely San Diego (in terms of weather).

 

[dudeliness]

Heaven on earth is definitely San Diego (in terms of weather).

Yes. I agree, but the key here is in terms of weather. IMO there are a lot of other reasons that make it less desirable, and, come to think of it, many of those would apply to Hawaii also. Sad face

 

[Guero]

I'm from Michigan originally so I know what 80-90 degrees and 90%+ humidity is like. Not too bad if you have good a/c. Now I live in st George Utah, right by the Arizona border. It's also in the triple digits for two or three months, but you just hit the pool every day. In michigan I went camping in -40 weather once. You just stay inside if it's too cold just like you stay in if it's too hot. Some places like Florida or SoCal are pretty nice most of the year. Of course Florida gets more tropical storms and all. I haven't found heaven on earth yet, but then I've never been to Hawaii either so it could still be out there. Lol

*drooling* I love St George. My wife and I have seriously been contemplating moving there to practice for a while.

 

[dudeliness]

*drooling* I love St George. My wife and I have seriously been contemplating moving there to practice for a while.

Don't even get me started on st George. I hated it when we first moved here, but now I love it. It's the only place my wife and I have agreed we could settle down. Small town feel, very light traffic etc, but all the amenities of a larger town, and Vegas is only 1.5 hrs away if you need a dose of serious big city. I love outdoors activities and there is no end to the variety of stuff to do here. My favorite? Canyoneering!
Plus, from what I understand, it's currently considered a medically under served community so there are loan forgiveness programs available. The only hospitals in town are intermountain healthcare, which is a pretty good company overall (I currently work for IHC), but there is a lot of bureaucracy to deal with, as with all hospitals I guess.

 

[abolt18]

Don't even get me started on st George. I hated it when we first moved here, but now I love it. It's the only place my wife and I have agreed we could settle down. Small town feel, very light traffic etc, but all the amenities of a larger town, and Vegas is only 1.5 hrs away if you need a dose of serious big city. I love outdoors activities and there is no end to the variety of stuff to do here. My favorite? Canyoneering!
Plus, from what I understand, it's currently considered a medically under served community so there are loan forgiveness programs available. The only hospitals in town are intermountain healthcare, which is a pretty good company overall (I currently work for IHC), but there is a lot of bureaucracy to deal with, as with all hospitals I guess.

Lot of bureaucracy with all HMO's! I have to say my wife and I have planned for several years that as soon as I'm done with residency, we'll be heading to St George to spend the rest of our lives! Got Zions NP an hour away. All the hiking, climbing, canyoneering, outdoorsy stuff I can get my hands on! (have you done Pine Creek Canyon? Definitely my favorite canyoneering adventure ever!) In my opinion, it's the best place on earth. I went to school in Cedar City for a year and I was in St George almost every single weekend staying at my granparents house just because it's that great.

 

[angldrps]

first school to sent me a complete email. 🙂

 

[dudeliness]

Lot of bureaucracy with all HMO's! I have to say my wife and I have planned for several years that as soon as I'm done with residency, we'll be heading to St George to spend the rest of our lives! Got Zions NP an hour away. All the hiking, climbing, canyoneering, outdoorsy stuff I can get my hands on! (have you done Pine Creek Canyon? Definitely my favorite canyoneering adventure ever!) In my opinion, it's the best place on earth. I went to school in Cedar City for a year and I was in St George almost every single weekend staying at my granparents house just because it's that great.

Ha ha! Pine creek was my first slot canyon and have since done keyhole, neon, blue john, and others. Zion is an amazing park, and snow canyon just outside of st George is also pretty awesome.
Anyway, we'll probably return to st George too someday. Maybe we'll see you here

 

[nmakhija]

So I have heard of a case of someone I know who went to AZCOM for her first two years and once she started rotations switched to CCOM. I was wondering if they make this easily possible at Midwestern University or if she was a special case and it probably wouldn't be an option for me.
Since I am from the midwest I would love the opportunity to live in a warm place like Arizona for two years then have the option to head back to Chicago for rotations if possible.

 

[randomusername]

So I have heard of a case of someone I know who went to AZCOM for her first two years and once she started rotations switched to CCOM. I was wondering if they make this easily possible at Midwestern University or if she was a special case and it probably wouldn't be an option for me.
Since I am from the midwest I would love the opportunity to live in a warm place like Arizona for two years then have the option to head back to Chicago for rotations if possible.

AZCOM now has Chicago rotations...
I'm pretty sure if this happened before the introduction of Chicago rotations, it would've been handled as any other transfer between schools in which schools A and B both consent because you're in good standing with A, B has a spot, and there's usually some compelling reason for why you need a transfer.

 

[MusicJunkie]

Finally complete at AZCOM. yessss! 😀

 

[dudeliness]

AZCOM now has Chicago rotations...
I'm pretty sure if this happened before the introduction of Chicago rotations, it would've been handled as any other transfer between schools in which schools A and B both consent because you're in good standing with A, B has a spot, and there's usually some compelling reason for why you need a transfer.

So does AZCOM have pretty good rotations then? I noticed someone in an earlier post was worried about rotations drying up in the near future with other schools moving in.

 

[randomusername]

So does AZCOM have pretty good rotations then? I noticed someone in an earlier post was worried about rotations drying up in the near future with other schools moving in.

The concern there is ward-based stuff, which is the minority of AZCOM's available rotations but is also that which is coveted most by students.

 

[MADNEMO]

Got a letter saying my application has been placed on hold. :-(

 

[Napoletana1007]

Are u waiting for an mcat or anything?

 

[MADNEMO]

No my app is complete. It means that I have been passed for an interview but they did not reject me yet.

 

[Napoletana1007]

I wonder if CCOM sends out similar notifications. Well good luck to you! It's still super early. Plus if I'm not mistaken, you have a DCOM interview to look forward to 🙂

 

[Whiteshoes]

Got a letter saying my application has been placed on hold. :-(

if you don't mind me asking, what were you're stats?

 

[Flushot]

AZCOM now has Chicago rotations...
I'm pretty sure if this happened before the introduction of Chicago rotations, it would've been handled as any other transfer between schools in which schools A and B both consent because you're in good standing with A, B has a spot, and there's usually some compelling reason for why you need a transfer.

Transferring schools is usually a massive bureaucratic mess and requires concrete justification. Considering AZCOM has had Chicago rotations for some time now, this should be an issue, as random said.

The concern there is ward-based stuff, which is the minority of AZCOM's available rotations but is also that which is coveted most by students.

I wouldn't say coveted by most students but rather, I'd say students want more to rotate in an area of their interest and in a location of their interest. Ward is something people seem to play up in 2nd year but it can vary greatly.

I did enjoy my ward rotations but there are times when being on the treatment team as the lowest on the totem pole, you'll be relegated to scut duty or even pseudo-social worker / case manager status. It is important to be in a situation to present patients and be pimped under a high pressure situation (i.e., in front of everyone) so that may be the greatest benefit, but again, it's all about what and where.

Ward based IM, for example, is all that is required and can be done in Cottonwood to UMC/UofA in Tucson. You better believe they aren't even close to the same, so just getting a 'ward' based rotation isn't really good enough.

Ward based may also limit what you can do and see. The freedom to roam around and get all the procedures and duck out to see other cases at a whim can be possible at rural rotations. So, yeah, rural rotations can work too.

Do your homework and you can make 3rd year great without randomly filling it up with ward based rotations.

 

[DrWily]

Noob question: what is being "pimped?" I understand it generally, but rather in a medical environment?

Is it like they call you out on something and you end up being made a fool and the resident/attending are like, yea back in your place med student?

 

[randomusername]

Noob question: what is being "pimped?" I understand it generally, but rather in a medical environment?

Is it like they call you out on something and you end up being made a fool and the resident/attending are like, yea back in your place med student?

Yes and no. Sometimes that's the motivation, sometimes it isn't.

 

[MADNEMO]

if you don't mind me asking, what were you're stats?

cGPA 3.25 sGPA 3.2 MCAT 26. Staked ECs with published clinical research, ER scribe and president of Pre-SOMA. Not great numbers but I have seen people get into to medical school with lower.

 

[DrWily]

Real talk for my MS2+ bros up in here:

1st EmBRO test on Monday. Not that bad, decently hard, or make me second guess my choice to attend medical school?

 

[randomusername]

Real talk for my MS2+ bros up in here:

1st EmBRO test on Monday. Not that bad, decently hard, or make me second guess my choice to attend medical school?

It really shouldn't be that bad. Embryo is like reading a story- you just have to put all of the events in chronological order and that's all there really is to it.

 

[Whiteshoes]

cGPA 3.25 sGPA 3.2 MCAT 26. Staked ECs with published clinical research, ER scribe and president of Pre-SOMA. Not great numbers but I have seen people get into to medical school with lower.

geez so much emphasis on one number can really take away from such a great application. but yeah i hear around the forums that AZCOM only accepts mcat scores above 27. I also have 26 also.

 

[DrMeows]

geez so much emphasis on one number can really take away from such a great application. but yeah i hear around the forums that AZCOM only accepts mcat scores above 27. I also have 26 also.

I have no idea how this keeps getting repeated lol. This is a lie. With an average of a 28 MCAT that can't be possible. Plus, my friend got in with a 26. Boom. Rumor broken. Don't lose hope! 👍

 

[Ost3oclast]

I have no idea how this keeps getting repeated lol. This is a lie. With an average of a 28 MCAT that can't be possible. Plus, my friend got in with a 26. Boom. Rumor broken. Don't lose hope! 👍

I think its just because none of us with a 26 or below have been invited yet. Which makes sense seeing as schools will always want to interview the top dogs first (probably not a 26 mcat). I guess somebody last year emailed admissions and thats how this whole "under 27" thing got started. Just lookin through this thread should prove that nobody below a 27 has gotten an interview.....YET. Doesnt mean it wont happen though!

 

[DrMeows]

I think its just because none of us with a 26 or below have been invited yet. Which makes sense seeing as schools will always want to interview the top dogs first (probably not a 26 mcat). I guess somebody last year emailed admissions and thats how this whole "under 27" thing got started. Just lookin through this thread should prove that nobody below a 27 has gotten an interview.....YET. Doesnt mean it wont happen though!

Exactly. I'm sure as time goes on there will be plenty 🙂

 

[heybigA]

I got the same hold for interview letter. Kind of bummed it wasn't an interview invite but it did say that it was a "positive " thing so idk...

 

[FutureDO132169]

Secondary finally submitted today!! let the waiting begin

 

[MADNEMO]

I got the same hold for interview letter. Kind of bummed it wasn't an interview invite but it did say that it was a "positive " thing so idk...

Its a positive in that your not rejected. There is a chance that at some point they will not have enough interviews and go to the hold list and invite people from it. But im not sure if midwestern rejects at all or just puts everybody on hold that they dont invite.

 

[Machine33]

I think its just because none of us with a 26 or below have been invited yet. Which makes sense seeing as schools will always want to interview the top dogs first (probably not a 26 mcat). I guess somebody last year emailed admissions and thats how this whole "under 27" thing got started. Just lookin through this thread should prove that nobody below a 27 has gotten an interview.....YET. Doesnt mean it wont happen though!

I think I started this lol I called admissions when I got my MCAT score back (June of this year) and that is exactly what they told me. I was like isn't your average score a 28? and she was like yes but a majority of our students had 30's. I didn't think it made much sense either but the more time I spend on here the more people I see with higher mcat and lower gpas getting interviews while us high gpa low-med mcat get "deferred".

 

[NekoBeats]

Got an interview invite on Tuesday! Hope to see some of you guys there on the 13th!

 

[Whiteshoes]

I got the same hold for interview letter. Kind of bummed it wasn't an interview invite but it did say that it was a "positive " thing so idk...

btw, is the "hold" letter coming in the mail or was it an email? i've been complete for a while but i recently got a secondary email from them.

 

[dododr]

Got an interview invite on Tuesday! Hope to see some of you guys there on the 13th!

Do you mean 9/13, I've been signed up for the 19th for a week but have been checking the scheduler frequently to get that 13th date to coincide with my Atsu soma interview. Guess I need to check more often!

 

[heybigA]

btw, is the "hold" letter coming in the mail or was it an email? i've been complete for a while but i recently got a secondary email from them.

The hold letter was a physical letter by mail. I have been complete for a while (aka mid july) and I just got the letter this week.

 

[NekoBeats]

Do you mean 9/13, I've been signed up for the 19th for a week but have been checking the scheduler frequently to get that 13th date to coincide with my Atsu soma interview. Guess I need to check more often!

Yeah, I meant 9/13, sorry I probably should have clarified that. I think I pretty much logged into the portal right after someone switched their seat for the 13, so it was available when I signed up. It was either the 13th, 19th, or 20th left, with the 17th already filled.

 

[Flushot]

Noob question: what is being "pimped?" I understand it generally, but rather in a medical environment?

Is it like they call you out on something and you end up being made a fool and the resident/attending are like, yea back in your place med student?

Getting pimped is essentially getting asked a question. Some say it is only in front of the team, some day it is when you off guard, some say it is usually medically related but I find it can be anything.

You can usually prepare with the Recall books or reading reviews that previous students post, but it can be frustrating as you find yourself studying more for the random questions than the shelf to get a good evaluation. You need to balance it for sure, and just know it's all part of the game.

Real talk for my MS2+ bros up in here:

1st EmBRO test on Monday. Not that bad, decently hard, or make me second guess my choice to attend medical school?

Embryo? Meh, just a vicious subject but nothing to be too fearful about. The recommended book is actually good but don't blow 70+ dollars on it. The coloring study sections she hosts are pretty good too, but I can't tell you much about how it'll turn out.

It was so long ago that I can't tell you much about it but just really focus on her outlines. She's doesn't deviant much outside of that.

 

[senlar]

Embryo? Meh, just a vicious subject but nothing to be too fearful about. The recommended book is actually good but don't blow 70+ dollars on it. The coloring study sections she hosts are pretty good too, but I can't tell you much about how it'll turn out.

It was so long ago that I can't tell you much about it but just really focus on her outlines. She's doesn't deviant much outside of that.

This is good to know. 👍

And for all of you spreading rumors about needing a 28+ MCAT to get accepted, just know that that is absolutely NOT true. Some classmates and I were comparing scores yesterday just for fun, and we had about half a dozen 26s all sitting on the same row in Embryo class. Granted, we also had quite a few 35s in the mix, but that's beside the point. You CAN get in with a score below 28!

 

[Developmental B]

I have an interview here on 9/21. Has anyone interviewed yet that can tell us how it went?

From AZCOM's website: "Team members question applicants about their academic, personal, and prior health care experiences that may prepare them for medical school."

How are others preparing for their interview?

 

[chiddler]

I have an interview here on 9/21. Has anyone interviewed yet that can tell us how it went?

From AZCOM's website: "Team members question applicants about their academic, personal, and prior health care experiences that may prepare them for medical school."

How are others preparing for their interview?

I think the first interview is in september (13th?) so nobody will have interviewed thus far. Therefore, you ought to look at last year's thread instead.

 

[DrMeows]

I have an interview here on 9/21. Has anyone interviewed yet that can tell us how it went?

From AZCOM's website: "Team members question applicants about their academic, personal, and prior health care experiences that may prepare them for medical school."

How are others preparing for their interview?

Interview last year went fairly smooth (but then again I was waitlisted and never pulled off it so who knows lol). I had a 3 person panel - thy switched off giving questions (for me 2 profs - 1 being an md - and someone from admissions). It was a mixture of questions about me and ethical and hypothetical questions. However, I was NEVER asked why AZCOM or why DO (which was super strange - but I know other people had those questions). Look at the interview thread for AZCOM - I prepared with that and had a lot of repeat questions. Hope that helps! 👍

 

[Flushot]

I have an interview here on 9/21. Has anyone interviewed yet that can tell us how it went?

From AZCOM's website: "Team members question applicants about their academic, personal, and prior health care experiences that may prepare them for medical school."

How are others preparing for their interview?

From what I can remember about my interview, it was fairly conversational with a few required questions awkwardly thrown in, including but not limited to, why medicine, why DO, why AZCOM. It may just start out that way right off the bat because it felt like the 3 interviewers just wanted to chat more than anything so I wouldn't sweat it.

However, if you have research, be prepared to go into detail regarding it as usually you will have a basic sciences faculty on the panel. Other than that, don't worry about it that much.

Interview last year went fairly smooth (but then again I was waitlisted and never pulled off it so who knows lol). I had a 3 person panel - thy switched off giving questions (for me 2 profs - 1 being an md - and someone from admissions). It was a mixture of questions about me and ethical and hypothetical questions. However, I was NEVER asked why AZCOM or why DO (which was super strange - but I know other people had those questions). Look at the interview thread for AZCOM - I prepared with that and had a lot of repeat questions. Hope that helps! 👍

Just read this and decided to add to this: my panel was a DO, PhD and a 4th year. They asked all of the "required" questions for me, albeit awkwardly because it was coming near the end and they hadn't asked them yet. I did not get a single ethical or hypothetical question. Most of my interview discussed my research which was somewhat extensive and a digression to EMR, which I forget how we managed to get off to that tangent.

So I guess it is much more random than I thought. I've heard classmates getting weird and pointless questions like "if you could be a kitchen appliance, what you be" but it's really all about how you carry yourself. Prepare by having responses to those required 3, lots to talk about in your resume and having questions for them. That's how it would be for any school, really.

 

[Developmental B]

Cool, thanks for the advice. This is my top choice of schools so I hope it all goes well.

 

[DrWily]

I had an admissions person, a PhD professor, and a D.O.

Started right off the bat with the BIG THREE (if you don't know what the big three is, you are dead in the water), but they kept it light and fun. 20 min flew by and they stopped asking questions at 20 min on the dot. They asked me questions you can find on the interview questions on this website and threw some more into the mix. Nothing too crazy; just be ready to think and express your opinion, and defend that opinion. There are no wrong answers, only what you think/feel and how strongly you can defend your position. You might have an answer that the interviewers don't agree with and that is fine as long as you can argue for your point. Don't change your mind only to appease them.

 

[sarielle]

Hey everyone! Interviewing on the 19th here. I was wondering if any of you with invites have received emails with more interview day info? I haven't heard from them since they invited me, so was wondering. Thanks!

 

[NekoBeats]

Hey everyone! Interviewing on the 19th here. I was wondering if any of you with invites have received emails with more interview day info? I haven't heard from them since they invited me, so was wondering. Thanks!

The only other thing I received from them after the interview email is another email sending me the secondary. But I'm assuming that was just an odd glitch