NEW LECOM branch in Pennsylvania

[deleted92121]

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I currently live in Greensburg, Pa and work for a huge, private 911-affiliated EMS service that is based in Greensburg. In fact, my medical director will be on the adcom for LECOM. It would be an awesome place to study medicine due to the low-key atmosphere and nice folks. In fact, there is a huge new healthcare system known as Excela Health. I could see them opening an EM or FP residency in Westmoreland Regional Hospital in Greensburg.

If you have any questions on the area please msg me!

dxu

 

[spazzz]

I find it amusing that every time a new medical school opens up the applicants who have not yet been admitted are thrilled and current medical students and physicians are disappointed. One more demonstration that where you stand depends on where you sit!

People should bear in mind that we are facing a shortage of physicians in this country because of the aging of baby boomers and the fact that physicians don't want to work 3,500 hours per year anymore. See the front page article in yesterdays Wall Street Journal.


I see absolutely no reason why medical students should have to bear the costs of improving hospitals or subsidizing research. The benefits of research and improved hospitals reach everyone not just students. Students have been stuck with these costs only because med schools have had a monopoly. If LECOM can train physicians at $30,000 per year, that is just fine with me.

I did my undergrad on a campus of 38,000 students and my daughter goes to a college with 1,400 students. She is receiving an undergraduate education that is infinitely better than mine. The prejudice I see among some posters against small liberal arts colleges is just pure nonsense.

Physician shortage is mainly primary care, which I'm sure everyone is just itching to do considering the current state of healthcare and reimbursment. If you talk about physician shortages, take into account why ****ing PA trained physicians leave the state? Maybe PA should change their malpractice laws before training another 300 kids per year that will ultimately leave PA.

Is 9 medical schools in the state take the record?

 

[tlvuong4]

Physician shortage is mainly primary care, which I'm sure everyone is just itching to do considering the current state of healthcare and reimbursment. If you talk about physician shortages, take into account why ****ing PA trained physicians leave the state? Maybe PA should change their malpractice laws before training another 300 kids per year that will ultimately leave PA.

Is 9 medical schools in the state take the record?

I think Texas currently has 8 with one more coming up that should make it 9. Everything is bigger in Texas, so I don't know what excuse PA has for 9 medical schools.

 

[igcgnerd]

Also LECOM also has several affliated hospitals (one of them being a big level one trauma, http://www.conemaugh.org/template_article.aspx?menu_id=90&id=1612)within an hour of Seton Hill so logistically its a good position.

Is this one of the core rotation sites? It seems like an awesome place to rotate.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

Physician shortage is mainly primary care, which I'm sure everyone is just itching to do considering the current state of healthcare and reimbursment. If you talk about physician shortages, take into account why ****ing PA trained physicians leave the state? Maybe PA should change their malpractice laws before training another 300 kids per year that will ultimately leave PA.

Is 9 medical schools in the state take the record?

The physician shortage NOW is in primary care but in 10 years, without additional med school graduates, the shortage could be across the board.

I don't see why you are complaining about another medical school in Pennsylvania. The State of Pennsylvania is not funding this school and it IS likely that many of LECOM's graduates will leave the state regardless of the malpractice situation in Pennsylvania. I think that Pennsylvania could use the additional jobs that this med school will create. Don't you?

 

[spazzz]

The physician shortage NOW is in primary care but in 10 years, without additional med school graduates, the shortage could be across the board.

I don't see why you are complaining about another medical school in Pennsylvania. The State of Pennsylvania is not funding this school and it IS likely that many of LECOM's graduates will leave the state regardless of the malpractice situation in Pennsylvania. I think that Pennsylvania could use the additional jobs that this med school will create. Don't you?

Doesn't this go back to the residency issues? This comes back to this thread here which poses another take on the "we're in a doctor shortage" issue we're all trained to believe
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=473986

I'm pretty sure Pennsylvania can find better ways to create jobs without a system that pushes away current residents of the state. Ask PA why they train something like the 2nd highest number of physicians but only retain some ridiculous number like 8%. It's because of such crappy Malpractice laws.

It's like creating 1000 jobs to ultimately outsource 10,000. Maybe it's worth it for a short time economy boost....

 

[MaximusD]

The physician shortage NOW is in primary care but in 10 years, without additional med school graduates, the shortage could be across the board.

I don't see why you are complaining about another medical school in Pennsylvania. The State of Pennsylvania is not funding this school and it IS likely that many of LECOM's graduates will leave the state regardless of the malpractice situation in Pennsylvania. I think that Pennsylvania could use the additional jobs that this med school will create. Don't you?

Incorrect. All medical institutions receive state and federal funding.. just not to the extent that state schools do. Check your facts.

If I end up getting a deferral for my residency from the AF, I would like to know that I can stay in the state of PA without too much difficulty. While this will not effect me, people in a similar situation a few years from now will find themselves in a bind. There is no excuse for 9 medical schools in one state. It's simply ridiculous and irresponsible.

Oh and I too went to a large institution (PSU) with over 44k other students and I'd put my education up against anyone's from any school anywhere. Our pre-med curriculum was hard... well not compared to med school but no undergrad curriculum is.

 

[scpod]

Is this one of the core rotation sites? It seems like an awesome place to rotate.

Yes, it is. I'm ging there to do an elective in Emergency Medicine in a few months. It's one of the "mandatory" sites where Lecom agrees to fill so many slots per rotation.

The LECOM/Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hosp - Emergency Medicine Residency is there. It's one that I'm really interested in. They also have a Family practice residency there. they have ACGME residencies in Surgery, IM and Path, too, I believe.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

Incorrect. All medical institutions receive state and federal funding.. just not to the extent that state schools do. Check your facts.

If I end up getting a deferral for my residency from the AF, I would like to know that I can stay in the state of PA without too much difficulty. While this will not effect me, people in a similar situation a few years from now will find themselves in a bind. There is no excuse for 9 medical schools in one state. It's simply ridiculous and irresponsible.

Oh and I too went to a large institution (PSU) with over 44k other students and I'd put my education up against anyone's from any school anywhere. Our pre-med curriculum was hard... well not compared to med school but no undergrad curriculum is.

First of all the institution is private. LECOM might get a trifling sum from the State of Pennsylvania but the tuition differential between instate and out of state students indicates that state taxpayer support is peanuts.

At least now you are being honest about your motives. You want to maintain an artificial shortage of physicians in Pennsylvania. It's really too bad you don't like competition. Your post reads like those of the allopathic trolls who don't want to compete with DO's.

 

[nlax30]

I'm not sure what I exactly think of the this expansion.... but I do think they bigger problem is residency training limitations. 9 schools in PA will be a lot, will residency programs expand to accommodate??

And the physician shortage most certainly doesn't only apply to primary care. May not be an extreme current shortage across the board..... but just look at some of the more rural areas that have trouble finding surgeons to cover local hospitals and emergency cases.

Was happy to see that AOA's focus next year will be on graduate medical education.

 

[scpod]

....LECOM might get a trifling sum from the State of Pennsylvania but the tuition differential between instate and out of state students indicates that state taxpayer support is peanuts....

The number saw was something like 1.5 million to offer lower tuition to in-state students. Bradenton got $1,515,349 in 2007. By comparison, the FL legislature gave FSU's med school various awards of over 100 million.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

The number saw was something like 1.5 million to offer lower tuition to in-state students. Bradenton got $1,515,349 in 2007. By comparison, the FL legislature gave FSU's med school various awards of over 100 million.

In 2006 the population of Pennsylvania was 12,440,621. If LECOM received state funding of $1,500,000 in 2006 then every man woman and child had to pony up 12 cents to support LECOM. I think its time for NPR to do a 10 part series on the strain this is putting on Pennsylvania taxpayers.

 

[scpod]

....If LECOM received state funding of $1,500,000 in 2006 then every man woman and child had to pony up 12 cents to support LECOM....

Yeah, but if only half of those are taxpayers then they would each have to give about a quarter.

 

[Jamers]

How extremely irresponsible of LECOM. Let's burden the Pennsylvania GME system even more...👎

There's a new MD school going in in Scranton, too.

I don't see why PA needs 9 medical schools.

The real question should be why does Scranton "The Electric City" need a medical school?

 

[Dr VonNostrand]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08121/877783-100.stm
(Pittsburgh Newspaper)

Western Pennsylvania may be getting a school of osteopathic medicine.

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine received preliminary approval to add a branch at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, said Seton Hill spokeswoman Molly Robb Shimko.

Lake Erie also has a campus in Bradenton, Fla. If the Seton Hill branch campus comes to fruition, it would be the first osteopathic medicine school in Western Pennsylvania.

Robert Morris University had planned to open an osteopathic medicine school this fall, going as far as appointing a dean and five other staff members. In January 2007, the school canceled those plans, saying that the projected costs had doubled in 17 months.

Last week, however, Robert Morris announced it had signed a contract with Lake Erie to allow up to 10 RMU grads a year to go to the college of osteopathic medicine. They must meet grade standards and score well on medical school admissions exams.

 

[JonnyG]

PA really does not need a new medical school or two. The schools would be better put in areas that are showing population growth. Also erie is able to charge less because of the other programs the school has that earn it money too. It may be a medical school but they have many additional programs that use the same faculty facilities etc that help keep the cost down.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

Why does it matter that the school will be in Pennsylvania? People will come from other states to attend the school and then they will go to other states for residencies and jobs and Pennsylvania won't see them again except for class reunions or when the alums get an overwhelming urge to see a Pirates game. (We all know how well the Pirates draw in spite of that great ball park!)

People who aren't from Pennsylvania aren't going to stay for the cheese steak sandwiches or even those great PA diners when they can make more moola somewhere else. Do all of the Wharton grads stay in Philly? Did Gene Kelly stay in Pittsburgh? Did Stan Musial stay in Donora?

People with no ties to the area will move for money. It is simple economics.

 

[Mozart45]

Why does it matter whether or not this school is in pa or not? Regardless of whether or not the graduates stay in pa the fact of the matter remains that there will be/is a shortage of doctors across the country. Also, I don't know which hospitals the students will do rotations at but between UPMC, Mercy, AGH, and West Penn along with other facilities in the greater Pittsburgh area there are a lot of great opportunities for students here.

 

[thierryhenry]

Are they accepting applications for the 2009 cycle (as in class of 2013?)

anyone know? Thanks

 

[hattpiche]

does anyone know if this branch of LECOM is going to be on AACOMAS? If not how can we apply ? someone said earlier that the school will be opening for Fall 09 admission. im going to be starting apps for fall 09 admission and might consider applying there if i can.

 

[mshheaddoc]

does anyone know if this branch of LECOM is going to be on AACOMAS? If not how can we apply ? someone said earlier that the school will be opening for Fall 09 admission. im going to be starting apps for fall 09 admission and might consider applying there if i can.

The new schools usually aren't in AACOMAS when first opens up but once LECOM has it listed on their website I'm sure they will list when you can apply there. This year I believe one school opened up in August and the other Sept/Oct I believe but I can't remember off the top of my head. Anyone remember with LMU? Since its a branch school I'm imagining it would be easier to get it added to AACOMAS since the other two had to wait for prelim accreditation.

 

[Coastie]

Ugh. Another DO branch school? Guys, this isn't good for Osteopathic Medicine, and it's not good for Medicine in general.

The AOA better turn around fast or else there are gonna be big consequences. What happens when Allopathic GME fills up from the new MD schools and expansion from existing ones, and for the first time MD-grads can't find a residency due to numbers. Does anyone think that DO's going to solely AOAGME is out of the question? We're fast becoming like law schools, and a tier system is developing. We have to shutdown this proliferation of "strip mall medical schools", to quote Macgyver in another thread.

 

[Frank l]

Ugh. Another DO branch school? Guys, this isn't good for Osteopathic Medicine, and it's not good for Medicine in general.

The AOA better turn around fast or else there are gonna be big consequences. What happens when Allopathic GME fills up from the new MD schools and expansion from existing ones, and for the first time MD-grads can't find a residency due to numbers. Does anyone think that DO's going to solely AOAGME is out of the question? We're fast becoming like law schools, and a tier system is developing. We have to shutdown this proliferation of "strip mall medical schools", to quote Macgyver in another thread.

I think they know exactly what they are doing. We need more primary care physicians, so both the AOA and the AMA are increasing the number of medical students without increasing the number of residency slots. This will create a bottleneck and force people into slots that go unfilled, which usually are primary care. There are a LOT of osteopathic slots that are empty every year, and I am sure the AOA would rather see DO grads going to DO residencies. What better way to make that happen than increase class size without increasing the number of residencies?

 

[digitlnoize]

Ugh. Another DO branch school? Guys, this isn't good for Osteopathic Medicine, and it's not good for Medicine in general.

The AOA better turn around fast or else there are gonna be big consequences. What happens when Allopathic GME fills up from the new MD schools and expansion from existing ones, and for the first time MD-grads can't find a residency due to numbers. Does anyone think that DO's going to solely AOAGME is out of the question? We're fast becoming like law schools, and a tier system is developing. We have to shutdown this proliferation of "strip mall medical schools", to quote Macgyver in another thread.

More DO's needing to go the AOA route would likely force the AOA to expand the number of AOA residencies...This, in turn, would force them to drop the stupid rule saying that their PD's have to be DO's.

MD residencies have DO PD's...why not the other way around?

Besides, currently, many GME spots go unfilled every year...We DO need more medical schools, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of qualified applicants who don't get in each year. These rejects often reapply and usually are tenacious enough to get accepted the next year, or the year after that. More med schools means that these people will get accepted faster, and be docs faster.

The problem is that not everyone can do Allo Derm. Someone needs to step in and make Primary Care a desirable field again or there is going to be a major problem on our hands.

 

[jp104]

I think they know exactly what they are doing. We need more primary care physicians, so both the AOA and the AMA are increasing the number of medical students without increasing the number of residency slots. This will create a bottleneck and force people into slots that go unfilled, which usually are primary care. There are a LOT of osteopathic slots that are empty every year, and I am sure the AOA would rather see DO grads going to DO residencies. What better way to make that happen than increase class size without increasing the number of residencies?

That's assbackwards thinking. First, a school can't force you to go into primary care. Second, if primary care is facing a shortage, fix primary care don't create more schools in the hope that a percentage of their students go into those specialties. Shotgun approaches to problems rarely work, both in the actual practice of medicine and (in this case) filling a shortage.

 

[digitlnoize]

That's assbackwards thinking. First, a school can't force you to go into primary care. Second, if primary care is facing a shortage, fix primary care don't create more schools in the hope that a percentage of their students go into those specialties. Shotgun approaches to problems rarely work, both in the actual practice of medicine and (in this case) filling a shortage.

Edit: I suck.

 

[nlax30]

digitlnoize: I believe he was actually responding to Frank l's comments, not yours.

 

[digitlnoize]

digitlnoize: I believe he was actually responding to Frank l's comments, not yours.

Opps. My bad.

I didn't even see that post...must have been written while I was writing mine...

 

[Frank l]

That's assbackwards thinking. First, a school can't force you to go into primary care. Second, if primary care is facing a shortage, fix primary care don't create more schools in the hope that a percentage of their students go into those specialties. Shotgun approaches to problems rarely work, both in the actual practice of medicine and (in this case) filling a shortage.

Are you saying my thinking is assbackwards or that the school's is?
I'm not really supporting taking more students without making more residency slots, I'm just saying that the reason I think they are doing it is to push people toward unfilled primary care slots.

The goal should be to make primary care attractive to students, but how do you do that? It is a lot easier to just increase the number of students and thus increase the percentage of people who will end up in primary care.

Again, I'm not saying I agree with it, I just think that is what is happening. I've seen a lot of posts with people thinking the AOA is being blind by allowing new schools to open without increasing GME slots, but I think they are well aware of what they are doing. They aren't going to increase slots while 40% or so of osteopathic slots go unfilled.

 

[confused_amused]

I currently live in Greensburg, Pa and work for a huge, private 911-affiliated EMS service that is based in Greensburg. In fact, my medical director will be on the adcom for LECOM. It would be an awesome place to study medicine due to the low-key atmosphere and nice folks. In fact, there is a huge new healthcare system known as Excela Health. I could see them opening an EM or FP residency in Westmoreland Regional Hospital in Greensburg.

If you have any questions on the area please msg me!

dxu

Excela Health already has an unopposed Family Medicine program that is based out of Latrobe hospital (12 minutes from Greensburg) and spends part of their time at Westmoreland Hospital (in Greensburg). They take 6 residents per year and has been in existance since the 1970s.

http://www.excelahealth.org/redesign/residency/index.htm

 

[JonnyG]

This topic is so pointless to be discussed in a forum of pre-DOs who don't understand the complexity of the issue and are more concerned with getting into a school then on the quality of their education. The AOA doesn't even license the new schools and cannot control their openings only COCA can. The AOA can advise COCA but it cannot stop them from doing what they want. There have been many articles in the DO magazine fromt he people in the AOA against the rash opening of new schools.


Besides while there maybe a shortage of physicians there is not a shortage of the non-physician primary care staff who are just as capable of taking care of people for the majority of primary care rules. You don't need a doc for a cold. A doc should be for things the require complex thinking and more and more of that is getting placed in the specialties. This shortage of physicians line is BS because the role is being filled by others.

 

[jp104]

Are you saying my thinking is assbackwards or that the school's is?
I'm not really supporting taking more students without making more residency slots, I'm just saying that the reason I think they are doing it is to push people toward unfilled primary care slots.

The goal should be to make primary care attractive to students, but how do you do that? It is a lot easier to just increase the number of students and thus increase the percentage of people who will end up in primary care.

Again, I'm not saying I agree with it, I just think that is what is happening. I've seen a lot of posts with people thinking the AOA is being blind by allowing new schools to open without increasing GME slots, but I think they are well aware of what they are doing. They aren't going to increase slots while 40% or so of osteopathic slots go unfilled.

I didn't mean to point you out specifically. I just meant that the general idea of "OMG PCP shortage! Lets open more schools!" is flawed because generally speaking, out of 100 students only half or less will enter primary care. So it may solve the shortage problem in the short term, but in the long term you now have a glut of physicians relative to available residency positions. It probably won't be a huge problem in the next few years, but what happens once the class of 2015 or 16 or 17 start entering the match?

 

[deleted92121]

Excela Health already has an unopposed Family Medicine program that is based out of Latrobe hospital (12 minutes from Greensburg) and spends part of their time at Westmoreland Hospital (in Greensburg). They take 6 residents per year and has been in existance since the 1970s.

http://www.excelahealth.org/redesign/residency/index.htm

Something I already am very familiar with. I make it to each Excela hospital more than once in almost every shift I work. You occasionally see the residents but very rarely. I am expecting Excela to expand FP and hopefully add an EM, IM, and PEDS residency in the future. The health system is full of DOs.

dxu

 

[confused_amused]

Something I already am very familiar with. I make it to each Excela hospital more than once in almost every shift I work. You occasionally see the residents but very rarely. I am expecting Excela to expand FP and hopefully add an EM, IM, and PEDS residency in the future. The health system is full of DOs.

dxu

3 more DO's, all LECOM grads, joining the residency program next year.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

Ugh. Another DO branch school? Guys, this isn't good for Osteopathic Medicine, and it's not good for Medicine in general.

The AOA better turn around fast or else there are gonna be big consequences. What happens when Allopathic GME fills up from the new MD schools and expansion from existing ones, and for the first time MD-grads can't find a residency due to numbers. Does anyone think that DO's going to solely AOAGME is out of the question? We're fast becoming like law schools, and a tier system is developing. We have to shutdown this proliferation of "strip mall medical schools", to quote Macgyver in another thread.

Between 1980 and the year 2000 the population of the US grew by 55,000,000 but the annual number of people graduating from allopathic schools increased by ZERO. The baby boom docs are gonna start retiring and many of the newest graduates of medical schools don't want to work 80 hours a week. Very few docs want to live in the boondocks to take care of people in rural areas. Furthermore the number of elderly people in this country is growing by leaps and bounds and these people will have a growing need to have complicated illnesses diagnosed by physicians.

How many times does this have to be repeated?

I will admit that I would be scared if I were about to take on the considerable debt that many of you will in the near future but the undercurrent of fear on these boards is irrational given the obvious need for more physicians in the next decade.

 

[singinfifi]

It would be an awesome place to study medicine due to the low-key atmosphere and nice folks.

dxu

Ya know it's fuhny you should say that. when I interviewed at LECOM-Bradenton, they kept telling us how laid back and nice they were...I've never been around a more uptight group of people in my life!

 

[scpod]

Ya know it's fuhny you should say that. when I interviewed at LECOM-Bradenton, they kept telling us how laid back and nice they were...I've never been around a more uptight group of people in my life!

You know, it's funny how people have such different perceptions of the same place. I picked Bradenton over NSUCOM because I thought they were uptight .

 

[singinfifi]

You know, it's funny how people have such different perceptions of the same place. I picked Bradenton over NSUCOM because I thought they were uptight .

Yeah, different strokes for different folks I guess!

 

[Dreammona]

Geez, I'm tired of complaining babies. That's why physicians get bad reps because you guys are doing it already and not even doctors yet - complaining and not doing a thing about it! If you care so deeply about PA and having a high number of med schools, if you deeply care about the US healthcare system, get a MBA, get into politics, join grassroots organizations, make connections and run for an office! Please, don't just argue back and forth on SDN and rolls over your bed and sleep right through it!

Do something in real life!👍

 

[BCLumas]

You know, it's funny how people have such different perceptions of the same place. I picked Bradenton over NSUCOM because I thought they were uptight .

Quoted for truth. I am thankful that I was able to decline my NSUCOM acceptance for LECOM-B.