New Medical School

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CarrieBad

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Has anyone heard of the new med school? It's starting in 2009, and they will start accepting applicants sometime in October. It's in Scranton, PA (Dunder Mifflin, here we come!) Has anyone else heard about it? Anyone planning on applying?

www.thecommonwealthmedical.com
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If I had any other options, I would be scared to be firstgen there
 
It is not up on AMCAS as of this morning. It will be. Why must you equate a British-comedy rip-off with the poor state that has been know for its belligerent football fans before that show. There are better things in Scranton like mills and Lithuanians and beautiful scenery. Penna can't catch a break from any of you people.

But anyway, yes, it will appear on AMCAS I presume soon. They seem to want to focus on rural medicine (Scranton is in the Poconos), but I'm not sure.
 
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I too am concerned about the lack of a .edu

And let's face it, not much going on in Scranton, but supposedly they are offering half scholarships to every member of the first class. That's pretty rad.
 
LCME? Half tuition? Sign me up.
 
B/c Penna is a commonwealth, which only two other states can say. I mean, should they be called the Greasy Neal Center for Medical Education and Antiquated Toss-Trap Offensive Running Schemes

saqrfaraj said:
I can't help but wonder why they chose such a ridiculously generic name.
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rx515 said:
www.thecommonwealthmedical.com Why no .edu?
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"To obtain an Internet name in the .edu domain, your institution must be a postsecondary institution that is institutionally accredited by an agency on the U.S. Department of Education's list of Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies (see recognized accrediting bodies)."

so apparently they simply haven't been granted the domain yet. but the school's a bit more legit than, say, stewart university.
 
GATORochoCINCO said:
B/c Penna is a commonwealth, which only two other states can say. I mean, should they be called the Greasy Neal Center for Medical Education and Antiquated Toss-Trap Offensive Running Schemes
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There are actually four commonwealths in the US (Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia), but that's not the point. It's kind of like those shirts that just say "College" on them or the occasional pennants that Homer Simpson holds up that say things like "TV Sports." The shirts and pennants are funny because they're generic. The same is true of this new med school.

It's just the name that I find funny, though. The school looks very promising.
 
Ha! I thought there were only three. The only other one I knew before this was Kentuck, funny boot-leggin' types. I still respectfully disagree. A generic name would be "Medical College" or "Lobotomies and Ice Cream" or "If Bill Cowert can have the best team in the NFL for a dozen years and only win one superbowl then how can I be charged with malpractice?"

Again, seriously, thank you for the commonwealth thing. Now I can sound like less of an idiot.



saqrfaraj said:
There are actually four commonwealths in the US (Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia), but that's not the point. It's kind of like those shirts that just say "College" on them or the occasional pennants that Homer Simpson holds up that say things like "TV Sports." The shirts and pennants are funny because they're generic. The same is true of this new med school.

It's just the name that I find funny, though. The school looks very promising.
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The school is about 45 minutes from my house. Scranton isn't defunct as people make it sound. That said, despite the tuition break and the good chance I'd get in being from the area, I won't be applying. Also, their website has a TON of information that wasn't present before the conditional accredidation. Check it out. The domain is a .com because they won't be fully accredited until the first class graduates.
 
Scranton doesn't sound too great from how the SNL joe biden described it.
 
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I thought the school was a fake since it wasn't a .edu, isn't on AMCAS and it isn't in this year's MSAR. But alas I was wrong:

http://www.lcme.org/newschoolprocess.htm

Seems sort of late in the game to not be on AMCAS yet and to be accepting a class for 2009 entry. But hey if it pops up on there I will apply. I have an entrepreneurial streak.
 
The Scranton/Wilkesbarre area isn't too bad of place to live if you are OK not living in a big city.

In one of the President's interviews with a local TV station he said that they are planning on taking ~80% instate students, with preference to NEPA.
 
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lol @ SNL Joe Biden. "Scranton is a hell-hole. Nobody makes it out of there... except Joe Biden :D"

Also, the guy who named the city didn't know how to spell "scantron"
 
The cost of living is relatively cheap in Scranton, and if you are *really* pining for something more metropolitan, both Philadelphia and New York are within striking distance of NE Pennsylvania.
 
Applied as well! Did you get the secondary back yet?
 
same, no secondary yet here. Do you think they will have a pretty low number of applicants? I would never of heard of it if it wasn't for SDN, they were added to AMCAS very late, they aren't in the MSAR, AND they are a new school.
 
Well they will probably receive an application from every neurotic premed on SDN now...lol
 
an email will probably be sent out to everyone who applied through amcas this year... so i'm sure they will get quite a bit of applicants.
 
I've always thought PA has a lot of med schools in comparison to its population, lol. With this new one, it brings the number up to 7 (Upenn, Pitt, Penn State, Drexel, Jefferson, Temple, Scranton).
 
Textuality said:
I've always thought PA has a lot of med schools in comparison to its population, lol. With this new one, it brings the number up to 7 (Upenn, Pitt, Penn State, Drexel, Jefferson, Temple, Scranton).
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i know we have atleast 6...if you combine PA and OH schools, they make up more than 10% of the medical schools in the country...
 
Scranton is 45 minutes from me. I am not applying. The thought of a new school just isn't working for me. I also know that although adequate medical education will be granted, the 3 locations for 3rd and 4th year are a bit rural. I want a mixture... Yes I know you can go other places, but just my opinion.

However, the Scranton area is a very, very cheap place to live compared to other places in PA.
 
...
 
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CarrieBad said:
I too am concerned about the lack of a .edu

And let's face it, not much going on in Scranton, but supposedly they are offering half scholarships to every member of the first class. That's pretty rad.
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Show me where it says anything about half scholarships!!
 
It sound interesting. Lucky for me, I won't be applying to medical school for another 3 years or so, so by that point we'll know more about how good the school actually is. If it has a good reputation for a new school, I might apply there.
 
anon y mous said:
Show me where it says anything about half scholarships!!
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I remember seeing it on their website but can't find it. However, take note, since the school won't be accredited until the first class graduates, you will NOT QUALIFY for Stafford or other federal loans.

TCMC students will be eligible to participate in Federal Title IV Loan Programs when the College obtains full accreditation. The process for newly established medical schools to obtain full accreditation and to obtain eligibility to participate in U.S. Department of Education Federal Loan Programs cannot be fulfilled for the initial incoming classes in 2009 or 2010. Therefore, students entering TCMC in the academic years beginning in 2009 and 2010 (and possibly later) will not be eligible for Federal Stafford Loans or Federal Graduate Plus Loans. Also, students will not be eligible for a student deferment of prior undergraduate or graduate federal student loans, although students may be eligible for a forbearance option depending on their individual situation. The College has arranged for private educational loan opportunities for its students with multiple lenders at competitive rates and conditions. Refer to the loans link for more information.
 
Bacchus said:
I remember seeing it on their website but can't find it. However, take note, since the school won't be accredited until the first class graduates, you will NOT QUALIFY for Stafford or other federal loans.
TCMC students will be eligible to participate in Federal Title IV Loan Programs when the College obtains full accreditation. The process for newly established medical schools to obtain full accreditation and to obtain eligibility to participate in U.S. Department of Education Federal Loan Programs cannot be fulfilled for the initial incoming classes in 2009 or 2010. Therefore, students entering TCMC in the academic years beginning in 2009 and 2010 (and possibly later) will not be eligible for Federal Stafford Loans or Federal Graduate Plus Loans. Also, students will not be eligible for a student deferment of prior undergraduate or graduate federal student loans, although students may be eligible for a forbearance option depending on their individual situation. The College has arranged for private educational loan opportunities for its students with multiple lenders at competitive rates and conditions. Refer to the loans link for more information.
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Dang, there's a buzz kill. I too have an entrepreneurial streak, but with 15K in student loans, not having student deferment is like :eek:
 
Bacchus said:
I remember seeing it on their website but can't find it. However, take note, since the school won't be accredited until the first class graduates, you will NOT QUALIFY for Stafford or other federal loans.

TCMC students will be eligible to participate in Federal Title IV Loan Programs when the College obtains full accreditation. The process for newly established medical schools to obtain full accreditation and to obtain eligibility to participate in U.S. Department of Education Federal Loan Programs cannot be fulfilled for the initial incoming classes in 2009 or 2010. Therefore, students entering TCMC in the academic years beginning in 2009 and 2010 (and possibly later) will not be eligible for Federal Stafford Loans or Federal Graduate Plus Loans. Also, students will not be eligible for a student deferment of prior undergraduate or graduate federal student loans, although students may be eligible for a forbearance option depending on their individual situation. The College has arranged for private educational loan opportunities for its students with multiple lenders at competitive rates and conditions. Refer to the loans link for more information.
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Weird, FIU is a new school and they have federal stafford and grad plus loans available for their students...

Oh maybe because they have an ugrad and other programs which are already accredited, hrmm.
 
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I wonder what it would be like to be a first gen there.

It makes me excited for the Oakland University (In Rochester, MI) medical school opening in '10. Hopefully I'll apply there.
 
redrumi said:
Weird, FIU is a new school and they have federal stafford and grad plus loans available for their students...
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FIU is already accredited since the university itself is not new. It comes down to a matter of technicalities. Any institution must be accredited by its regional accrediting board (e.g. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) and, additionally, any med school must be accredited by the LCME. I'm assuming the former is what qualifies its students to borrow from federal lending programs.
 
Bacchus said:
I hope those of you saying, "What the hell" either are PA residents or have strong ties to NEPA or have experienced small town life.
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Why, you do not think they will be OOS friendly? (NY res.)
 
Not being able to qualify for federal student loans or even put your previous loans into in-school deferment is a huge blow to this school. What are they going to do...recruit a class full of rich kids with no previous loans?
 
Cujo said:
Not being able to qualify for federal student loans or even put your previous loans into in-school deferment is a huge blow to this school. What are they going to do...recruit a class full of rich kids with no previous loans?
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I'm sure they can find 100 or so of them. I know people who spend tens of thousands of dollars making sure their kids get to "save the world" by traveling to Indonesia, Africa, etc in order to built up an impressive application so that they may one day make mommy and daddy proud and become a physician. I have no doubt there are 100 desperate kids with rich parents in the country who would love to fill those spots.
 
I am sure that they will help everyone find funding. They will focus on community medicine, so to think that they would expect people to get there own loans is a little out landish.

Also, it says on their website that they will provide $20,000 a year for each of the four years for the first class. The cost of tuition is $35,000.
 
CarrieBad said:
I am sure that they will help everyone find funding. They will focus on community medicine, so to think that they would expect people to get there own loans is a little out landish.

Also, it says on their website that they will provide $20,000 a year for each of the four years for the first class. The cost of tuition is $35,000.
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Nobody implied that the school "would expect people to get there own loans." You are required, however, to use purely private loans since students won't qualify for federal loans. Also since students won't qualify for "in-school deferment" status on their undergrad loans, unless you work out some kind of 4-year forbearance (is that even possible?) you'll have to make loan payments while still in school. Not cool. Though, the $20,000/year is nice, but I haven't been able to find that on their website.
 
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CarrieBad said:
I am sure that they will help everyone find funding. They will focus on community medicine, so to think that they would expect people to get there own loans is a little out landish.

Also, it says on their website that they will provide $20,000 a year for each of the four years for the first class. The cost of tuition is $35,000.
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Could you post exaxctly where you found this. I've searched the website and can't find it. Thanks in advance.
 
I saw it on their website (which isn't super user friendly and now I can't find the page) and it was also in the Pittsburgh newspaper last week.
 
How long is it taking for everyone to receive the secondary?
 
CarrieBad said:
Well I found one thing! This isn't as clear is it is elsewhere on the website, but it will do...

http://www.thecommonwealthmedical.com/oth/Page.asp?PageID=OTH000018
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"Why: To increase the number of physicians in Northeastern Pennsylvania. During the next 20 years, the new medical school is expected to add 425 qualified diverse practicing physicians to this part of the state."

Thats only a little over 20 people a year? How many are they expecting to have iin each class?
 
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