Midwestern vs. Eastern DO Schools

[jrbst4]

I'm currently trying to decide which of two schools to secure a seat at, at least temporarily. It's between DMU-COM and LECOM. I love Des Moines' program and facilities, but I fear that the 3rd and 4th year clinical rotations in Iowa and the midwest will be far inferior to clinical rotations available in Pennsylvania, at LECOM and PCOM. As much as I like Des Moines, I feel that I would be short-changing myself in regards to exposure and clinical experience for reasons of applying to residencies upon graduation.

Pennsylvania is rich with quality hospital systems and advanced healthcare. I would feel more comfortable, I think, being in Pennsylvania, where clinical rotations are easily accessible in all specialy areas.

Is anyone else considering this issue? Does anyone have any input on the matter?

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[Delo_Ohm]

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[jrbst4]

Midwestern as in geographical location...not Midwestern University. Midwestern vs. Eastern schools...

 

[jrbst4]

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Midwestern as in geographical location...not Midwestern University. Midwestern vs. Eastern schools...

 

[Delo_Ohm]

Midwestern as in geographical location...not Midwestern University. Midwestern vs. Eastern schools...

Sorry - I misread, tried to edit, and is as such now. Good luck deciding.

(I am a little sad to not attend DMU, I thought it was a great place)

 

[Bacchus]

You're making a great decision if you go to any three of those schools. I looked at LECOM's matchlist for this past year and was thoroughly impressed. I've gathered from SDN that DMU is a superb school. I had an interview invite, however cancelled it due to getting into PCOM. PCOM has great sites and opportunities, but LECOM is definitely making a name for itself. Overall, you'd get a great education from any of those schools. However, I'd say if $ is a huge issue go LECOM, its dirt cheap. If not, join me in the fall at PCOM.

 

[iowafarmstud]

I'm currently trying to decide which of two schools to secure a seat at, at least temporarily. It's between DMU-COM and LECOM. I love Des Moines' program and facilities, but I fear that the 3rd and 4th year clinical rotations in Iowa and the midwest will be far inferior to clinical rotations available in Pennsylvania, at LECOM and PCOM. As much as I like Des Moines, I feel that I would be short-changing myself in regards to exposure and clinical experience for reasons of applying to residencies upon graduation.

Pennsylvania is rich with quality hospital systems and advanced healthcare. I would feel more comfortable, I think, being in Pennsylvania, where clinical rotations are easily accessible in all specialy areas.

Is anyone else considering this issue? Does anyone have any input on the matter?

Hey there! I am attending DMU, and just thought I would share a little information: 3rd year, only ~50% of the class stays in Iowa, the rest of the class is predominately in Ohio and Michigan at hospitals that have many residencies affiliated with them. 4th year is actually a positive of DMU, in my mind, and a reason why I chose there. DMU lets you choose WHERE and WHAT rotation you do aside from 8 weeks of Family Medicine/International Medicine. That means your entire 4th year can be set up ANYWHERE across the United States. This is especially important for doing "audition" rotations when applying for residency. You are allowed to do up to 3 months in any area your 4th year. So, if you want Ortho for example, you could set up 3 consecutive months, like July, Aug, Sept. at 3 different hospitals (Lets say you choose to go "back east" and do a rotation in Philadelphia, do another in New York and a third at any other place). This allows you a lot of face time, which has been debated if it helps that much or not. However, I think a strong rotation and doing some impressing can go a long ways to get you in the minds of the PD's of any given residency.
I also was accepted at LECOM, but their rotations are a little more "set" in regards to 4th year, as you have more months of required selectives (meaning choosing a rotation within given group--such as primary care or ER).
Anyway, good luck deciding! I hope you come to DMU...the reputation plus the freedom sold it to me. Hope this helps!!

 

[jrbst4]

I suppose that my concern is whether or not students at osteopathic schools in the midwest, due to the rural nature of the area, have the same exposure as students in Eastern cities do to specialty medicines and clinical rotations. I was advised by one osteopathic physician that LECOM or PCOM would be a better choice than Des Moines, for residency interviewers know more that students from these two schools have had better experience and exposure prior to residency. This is becoming very difficult to weigh out.

 

[Bacchus]

Re: Electives...

PCOM has the most around.

 

[MossPoh]

You won't have a problem at DMU. The clinical rotations are fine. They aren't missing any particular specialities and even if they didn't have a pediatric neurosurgeon or whatever obscure speciality you can think of, your focus shouldn't be on that anyway. Your focus should be on the general stuff. You will get to see unique stuff at all of the locations. DMU won't close ANY doors for you. A lot of LECOM's rotations are in Ohio and Western PA. It is not like those are diverse hotspots either. You aren't going to run out of patients to see or specialities to do wherever you go. 3rd year is too busy with learning the basics. 4th year is busy with fulfilling basic requirements and audition rotations. No program expects you to have crazy amounts of subspeciality exposure. You have to learn to crawl before you walk. Medical education is an incremental process. The midwest is just abound with opportunities to learn as anywhere else. There are many fine instutions in the midwest that don't seem to have an issue. University of Chicago, IU, Michigan, MSU, Mayo, CCOM, DMU, etc...they all churn out fantastic physicians in every speciality imaginable.