I have a few questions for current NSUCOM students.
1) I have heard that during the third year students are required to do a three month rural rotation that interferes with audition rotations for residencies. Do you all feel like it really does adversely affect your chances of landing a competitive residencies (I would like to do a specialty)?
It's during 4th year, and I don't know, it's something I have to work with.
2) Are NSUCOM's board scores only average compared to schools like Western, AZCOM, DMU, and PCOM?
No idea what the average is. I can tell you that in my class the highest COMLEX score was 774/800 by a top student and the lowest score was a fail by a student in the middle of the class. I'm in the lower tier as far as class rank and I passed it (low 400's). The USMLE scores that I've heard from people in the middle of the class are in the 220s and the the COMLEX scores from the same crowd are in the mid-500's to mid-600s. The highest USMLE score I've heard was a 250+ from someone near the top in class ranking (not the same person as the 774). That's off the top of my head.
Averages are useful to a point. For example if everyone's barely passing then perhaps there's a problem with the curriculum. If everyone's hovering around average then there's no point in comparing it with another school that's a few points above or below it.
3) Is it better to go to a school like NSU that has a lot of rotation sites and hospitals associated with it, or a school like AZCOM that has less rotation sites but better board scores to get the best residencies?
You are thinking in extremes. Can you handle AZCOM's 16 month curriculum? How will that affect your learning and thus your board scores? Sidenote, if AZCOM allows a crazy amount of time to prepare for boards (vs NSU's 8 weeks) then that's something to consider. You're correct in that boards scores are everything for residencies, but you have to ask yourself if the cost of some clinical skills would be worth it.
What about their preceptor based rotations? How will the skills you gain from preceptor rotations affect your performance in a hospital internship?
Your questions sound a bit biased to be honest. If someone matches to a Harvard residency from AZCOM, does that mean you should go to AZCOM because you might get a Harvard residency too? You'd be going based on the assumption that you'd be the #1 student in the class. Don't ever assume that.
4) Are the rotations at NSU preceptor rotations (one on one with physicians) or do students from NSUCOM often work with residents?
I think Memorial is the only one without residents. Preceptor rotations are usually outpatient. I'm in the hospital 9 months and I work with residents and attendings during that time. The 3 months office-based rotations are preceptor rotations.
I'm trying to choose between NSUCOM and some other schools I may be accepted in (like AZCOM) which only give me two weeks to decide after an acceptance.
THANKS!!!
Two weeks is more than enough time.
