multiple acceptances-high class problems

[Coca Cola]

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I have been accepted to AZCOM and NSUCOM. I am waiting to hear from CCOM, DMU, and TCOM post interview. I am having difficulty deciding which school to attend. I enjoyed my stay in each city and I was impressed by each institution. I would appreciate any experience anyone has with deciding which school to attend. I will probably seek a competitive residency and I would like to attend a university that has solid clinical exposure during the 3rd and 4th years.

Thanks in advance

 

[Dr JPH]

NSUCOM is an awesome school. This is coming from a PCOM student.

I went with PCOM because I was familiar with Philadelphia and I had a feeling about the school that I didnt get at my other interview. Nor did I get the same feeling about the schools I turned down interview invites.

Taking into consideration your future, the record of the school, and how the current students like it is all very important,

But when it comes down to it...go with your gut.

 

[Coca Cola]

Thanks JPHazelton,
I appreciate your input.

 

[LukeWhite]

Cola,

I'm currently at AZCOM, and lived a few miles away from NSUCOM for some time.

As far as the general area is concerned, I love Phoenix and have no love lost for Davie/Fort Lauderdale. Everything here is cleaner, prettier, and more interesting. Some people do gravitate towards the beach scene, so as far as location goes that's probably a major factor.

AZCOM has excellent clinical years, with a preceptor program that gets you early and unopposed clinical experience. I chose AZCOM over the other schools I applied to principally because of this. I haven't investigated NSU's clinicals, though the area in general has more than its share of hospitals. I think people in Boca Raton have more doctor's visits per capita per year than any other city in the nation.

AZCOM may be a bit more laid back than NSU. NSU has that whole dress code affair, which some are able to tolerate and some aren't. After living through Florida weather, I know that I'd not enjoy wearing a shirt and tie to class in the 80% humidity.

All in all, I love AZCOM, so if you have any school-specific questions, feel free to PM me.

 

[Elysium]

As a fellow Texan, I would say wait for the match. I know it's tough to hold out that long, but I think the smartest thing would be to put a deposit at either Nova or AZCOM (both schools seem to be really well regarded) and then wait for Feb 1st to roll around before you decide for sure. TCOM is an excellent school (it's actually "ranked" higher than UTMB or UTSA) with a national reputation in both the DO and MD worlds. Plus, you'll be saving a BUNDLE, which is really something to think about. So, keep your back up plan, but don't count out TCOM all together.

 

[Coca Cola]

Your input has been important to me. Thank you for your help and if anyone else has any more input on AZCOM, NSUCOM, DMU, TCOM, and CCOM keep it coming.

Thanks

 

[sophiejane]

Wait for the match.

I know that the money you borrow to go to school doesn't seem real right now (unless you don't have to take out loans)...but it will seem extremely real in a few years. TCOM offers a very competitive education for about 1/3 to 1/4 of what you will pay at another school. Plus Ft. Worth is a great city.

An IM attending physician at a reputable teaching hospital in Texas told me that "TCOM students are better than UTMB students." To me, that says even more than the USNews ranking of TCOM as#20 in primary care.

 

[luckystar]

Originally posted by Coca Cola
Your input has been important to me. Thank you for your help and if anyone else has any more input on AZCOM, NSUCOM, DMU, TCOM, and CCOM keep it coming.

Thanks

I'm a first year at DMU. I really like it here; the school, city, and students are truly awesome. Here's my shameless plug:

The tuition is very reasonable, $26K, including a laptop and pocket PC, both wireless-ready for your surfing needs 😉 Cost-of-living is great, compared to what I'm used to. The faculty is super-responsive to the needs of students. For example, they increased the hours that students can use the anatomy labs and study areas. They are planning on offering a biochemistry refresher/intro course in the summer, so that the regular class can focus more on the clinical side of things (this will depend on the results of the student survey that we completed at the end of the course). This year, we have extra OMM lectures that are basically Applied Anatomy classes, which is something that the second years suggested last year. Those are very helpful, and I'm glad that they made that change.

One of the things that may put prospective students off about the campus is the huge reconstruction project in the middle of campus. If you got the chance to go around Des Moines, you'll notice that the entire city is pretty much going through a remodeling process. It really doesn't affect me, as I have plenty to do other than worry about the dirt that's being moved. The present facilities are fine, and for all of you who thought that the 1st year lecture hall (MEC) was big and flat, it's not a problem. Trust me 🙂

Also, the problems that DMU had in the past with their clinical years have been taken care of. We now have a dedicated Clinical Affairs office that organizes everything, and sets up your rotations. You can also set up your own, if you have a special preference. For example, I talked to a DMU grad who is now in an orthopedic surgery residency, and he did his ortho rotation with the physicians for the Utah Jazz. I thought that was pretty darn cool 😛

If you're interested in research, there are opportunities here. You can choose to do research in the basic sciences on campus, and I know there are oncology studies going on as well. I'm more interested in clinical research, so I'm doing a project with an orthopedic surgeon now.

The list of schools you have to choose from is solid. All of them will offer you the chance to get a great education. If you have other questions about DMU, post it or PM me. Good luck!