New Colorado school has a website

[gasapple]

This achievement is akin to winning the free small fries in McDonald's Monopoly.

I think that comment is in poor taste. No need rob someone of their sense of accomplishment by being so abrasive - especially when it comes to a "new SDN user".

Although we have other interviews, there are a number of us here (TexasTriathlete, JaggerPlate, ShyRem to name a few) who are curious and would like those who have interviewed and are familiar with planned RVU arrangements to post here. Well, this isn't exactly the right thread but you get my drift...

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[hermit]

I think that comment is in poor taste. No need rob someone of their sense of accomplishment by being so abrasive - especially when it comes to a "new SDN user".

I'm pretty sure that said "someone" knew which way the wind was blowing after reading 90+ posts railing on RVU.

 

[CatsandCradles]

This achievement is akin to winning the free small fries in McDonald's Monopoly.

Well, I do not agree with RVUCOM, but I think a comment such comments are sort of poor form.

 

[dan1]

I agree.... Hermit that was a tasteful shot at another individual and an all too classic example of why I don't visit the boards much. There was really no need for that... Have some dignity.

 

[dan1]

heh course I misspell when I try to reprimand someone... *Distasteful!^

 

[JaggerPlate]

I agree ... there is never any reason to take a personal shot at someone for attending a particular school. I admit that I made some snap judgements about RVU, and even acted very childish about the issue. However, I have said it many times on the board, and stick by the idea that we need to put all of this aside because people are obviously applying to, and being accepted by RVU. I think we have all come to the point where we know the issues with the school ... and instead of constantly bringing them up, we need to just give RVU the benefit of the doubt, and see what happens. So far their application process seems completely legit, and people who are interviewing couldn't be happier. To the student who was accepted, congratulations!! This is a great accomplishment, and please do NOT let anyone make you think differently. I would still love to get a better idea of the stats/ecs of those who are interviewing, and from now on I honestly ask everyone to just be civil about the issue

(for whatever my opinion is worth ...)

 

[Gene Genie]

I'm sorry Hermit, I must have neglected to include my acceptances to Midwestern (CCOM), PCOM, TOURO NY and TOURO CA - so far. My bad. If you like, I'd be happy to discuss my other accomplishments, too, but I'm not here to get into a battle of wits with an unarmed man.

I just wanted to provide a different perspective to readers (for people who supposedly want actual information about RVUCOM and not fodder for irrational thought?)

I'm guessing that few have actually spoken to D.O.'s in Colorado?? I could be wrong - but all of the D.O.'s to whom I've discussed RVUCOM (which is quite a few, including a board member of the Colorado Osteopathic Society) are extremely supportive of the new school.

Thank you for the attempt at derrogatory humor, but .

 

[DrMidlife]

Colorado is the only med school serving like 6 or 7 states...

Wow, interesting count. There are only 5 states without a med school (AK, DE, ID, MT, WY) and UWash serves 4 of those. I think you're thinking about the WICHE program, and there are more than a dozen schools pitching in, not just Colorado. www.wiche.edu.

 

[hermit]

I'm sorry Hermit, I must have neglected to include my acceptances to Midwestern (CCOM), PCOM, TOURO NY and TOURO CA - so far.

My statement stands. The [monopoly] rules don't prevent you from collecting other prizes just because you won one dinky one.

 

[dan1]

Hmmmm.... go back to your cave then...

 

[Gene Genie]

As does mine.

And, I don't eat at McDonalds - You know... preventative health care (see D.O. philosophy)

 

[ShyRem]

hermit, be nice.

 

[plauto]

Hello to all!

I'm new to the Network, but I thought everyone should know...

I interviewed at Rocky Vista and was accepted. The faculty are ALL professors from other D.O. schools, as is the Dean. Very, very nice people!

The "for-profit" thing is interesting, although I don't know too many schools (private or public) who are in the "business" of education to not make any money. The mission of the school is upheld by an independent Board of Directors, and the expected profit return for the school is not projected to occur until 20 years from now. Furthermore, the application requirements rival any other D.O. school in the country as far as stringency goes, and I know several people who applied and weren't invited to submit a secondary application.

Think about it this way - Rocky Vista is a new school, so they want their COMLEX numbers and residency match rates to be the best they can be in order to make them a desirable choice for future D.O. applicants. They will surely be extremely selective for at least the first four years. After that, they will want to maintain their statistics, and will continue to be selective in order to do so.

Honestly, does anybody have a solid, substantiated reason that a "for profit" tax status is so terrible?

Anyway, it is in a beautiful location - not to mention resident tuition breaks!

10% is not a good tuition break, you'd still be paying $34,200 a year, plus many fees ( malpractice fee?!?!? ,
"Additional program fees may apply and may be announced by the administration at any time." ) that would push the tutition well into the upper 30s.
considering that you cannot get federal loans it would actually be a financial nightmare to go there without a very generous scholarship.

 

[bioteach]

I talked to several DOs in Colorado and they have all heard of the new school. They had all heard the gossip about it...Carribean connections, for-profit status, etc. None that I talked to were supportive of the school at all.

 

[Gene Genie]

As far as tuition - base tuition for residents would be $34,200. Fees are $250 lab fees and $750 for student services fees. This would only be $35,200 for tuition and fees with additional costs for books and student health insurance. I'm not exactly sure about the malpractice (which we ALL have to pay regardless of the school), but its in the Student Handbook on the website if you're interested. Federal loan programs will kick in after year 2, when the University builds the School of Nursing. Until then, there are private lenders, scholarship, and repayment programs that will fund the cost of education. Some of those scholarships even come from the Colorado D.O. Society!

I'm not really sure who you've talked to, but all the D.O.'s that I have spoken with about the school are very supportive, as is the Colorado D.O. Society. They had several options when considering how to fund the new school, and selected the current strategy.

For-profit is an interesting term. It's just a matter of tax status. It doesn't mean that the money pulled in as revenue is pocketed by the owner. It just means that if the school is ever sold, the owner will benefit in the sale. The money from tuition and fees goes directly to the school. The quality of education at RVUCOM will rival any D.O. school in the country. The professors are D.O.'s from other D.O. schools that have transferred (like from Nova), so the education will be identical to that of its non-profit sister schools.

Gossip is just gossip... facts are facts.

 

[plauto]

As far as tuition - base tuition for residents would be $34,200. Fees are $250 lab fees and $750 for student services fees. This would only be $35,200 for tuition and fees with additional costs for books and student health insurance. I'm not exactly sure about the malpractice (which we ALL have to pay regardless of the school), but its in the Student Handbook on the website if you're interested. Federal loan programs will kick in after year 2, when the University builds the School of Nursing. Until then, there are private lenders, scholarship, and repayment programs that will fund the cost of education. Some of those scholarships even come from the Colorado D.O. Society!

I'm not really sure who you've talked to, but all the D.O.'s that I have spoken with about the school are very supportive, as is the Colorado D.O. Society. They had several options when considering how to fund the new school, and selected the current strategy.

For-profit is an interesting term. It's just a matter of tax status. It doesn't mean that the money pulled in as revenue is pocketed by the owner. It just means that if the school is ever sold, the owner will benefit in the sale. The money from tuition and fees goes directly to the school. The quality of education at RVUCOM will rival any D.O. school in the country. The professors are D.O.'s from other D.O. schools that have transferred (like from Nova), so the education will be identical to that of its non-profit sister schools.

Gossip is just gossip... facts are facts.

No, actually it's the first time I see malpractice insurance charged to students, which is pretty weird in my opinion as during 1st and 2nd year all you touch is cadavers and in 3rd and 4th year the residents and attendings are responsible, not the students.
I guess $200*150(class size)= $30,000 a year extra for them. That's a start.
There is why the place is FOR PROFIT. Look, if that's where you want to go it's fine, but trying to say that for profit does not mean they are there to make a profit does not make any sense. You have many acceptances and are obviously smart. All people are trying to tell you is to choose wisely where you are going to go.

 

[Gene Genie]

"There is why the place is FOR PROFIT... trying to say that for profit does not mean they are there to make a profit does not make any sense."

Are you really naive enough to believe that non-profit schools aren't in it for some kind of return? I can tell you that the reported revenue of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (The other medical school in Colorado) was over $1,860,000,000 in 2006. Sounds like they're making some kind of money.

I am just a little disappointed that a small subset of people who are supposed to be intellegent would rely on gossip, untruths, and outright lies regarding the induction of a new institution into the osteopathic medical education community.

I personally feel that this behavior does more to destroy the reputation of osteopathic medicine as credible than does a for-profit school.

But... that's just my opinion (and you know what they say about opinions!)

 

[clc8503]

So is the school only taking people from Colorado and surrounding areas? The home page said:

"The College of Osteopathic Medicine faculty and staff are dedicated to excellence in education, research, scholarly activity, service and medical care as well providing expanded educational opportunities for all of the residents of the state of Colorado and the Mountain West Region."

Also, apparently it is the first Osteopathic Medical School to offer it's D.O. students Optometry degrees (O.D.) instead, lol.

See article below:

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/health_care/article/0,2808,DRMN_25396_5439218,00.html

 

[Gene Genie]

No, the school is accepting applicants from all over the nation - emphasis is being placed on Colorado residents and residents of surrounding underserved states (Wyoming, etc.) but I interviewed with five other out-of-state applicants, and some of those were accepted also.

Yeah, I saw that article, too. See everyone... this is how rumors get started!

Plauto, first and second year students DO get patient contact at Rocky Vista due to preceptorships and mentors in the Denver community that you are aligned with. You actually are in a Doctor's office and interacting with patients. I don't think this falls under the malpractice of the physician, so student malpractice may be necessary. Even some Nursing students carry malpractice insurance. Research.

 

[plauto]

No, the school is accepting applicants from all over the nation - emphasis is being placed on Colorado residents and residents of surrounding underserved states (Wyoming, etc.) but I interviewed with five other out-of-state applicants, and some of those were accepted also.

Yeah, I saw that article, too. See everyone... this is how rumors get started!

Plauto, first and second year students DO get patient contact at Rocky Vista due to preceptorships and mentors in the Denver community that you are aligned with. You actually are in a Doctor's office and interacting with patients. I don't think this falls under the malpractice of the physician, so student malpractice may be necessary. Even some Nursing students carry malpractice insurance. Research.

Well, I never said you would not have patient contact. However, you would not be doing anything to that patient except taking history and other very minor procedures (if any) under the direct supervision of the resident/attending. So again, why malpractice insurance? I am not trying to be stupid here, if anybody knows of schools charging students for malpractice please come out.

 

[Gene Genie]

Plauto, nobody thinks you're being stupid. I can appreciate your concern as to why malpractice is charged to students at RVUCOM. However, it is not such an exclusive charge:

"Students are covered by malpractice insurance while enrolled as a student performing duties on a core rotation or approved elective either at Baylor or elsewhere." (Baylor College of Medicine)

"The purpose of The University of Texas System Professional Medical Liability Plan (“Plan”) is to provide certain health care providers and students of The University of Texas System (“System”) with professional liability indemnity from and against medical and dental liability claims pursuant to the authority granted to the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System by Texas Education Code Section 59.01 et seq." (TMDSAS Schools)

"Idaho State University has mandatory professional liability (malpractice insurance) coverage for students. The carrier for the policy is the Chicago Insurance Company. The policy provides $1,000,000 per claim and $3,000,000 in the aggregate. Students registered for field instruction are required to purchase this coverage for the entire period they are in the field. Students should verify that they have been billed for this coverage; the billing should happen automatically whenever a student is registered for the field instruction. The coverage is restricted to school-related, for-credit activities involving field instruction." (Idaho State)

If you are still somewhat concerned, I would suggest you contact the school and ask questions to them. They are extremely nice and helpful, and I'm sure they would be happy to answer any questions you have.