NYCOM the hardest DO school?

[MsDO15]

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Is it true that NYCOM is the hardest of all the DO schools? I hear that the curriculum is more intense than the others.

 

[oceandocDO]

This is totally impossible to determine. Being a second year NYCOM student, I wouldnt say it's easy, but it's not easy anywhere. There's no way to tell if I get put through more than a PCOM, Nova, etc student. At the end of the day, we all learn from the same books and pass the same boards, so go to the school where you will be the happiest, for a happy medical student is a better learner, more productive, and will someday be a better doctor because of it.

 

[group_theory]

The hardest medical school (MDs and DOs) should be Duke.

They compress the first two years of basic science into one.
They start their clinical year rotation in their second year.
They are require to do research for one year.

That, and the competitiveness of Duke med students, will make it very stressful.

 

[MsDO15]

Well...the reason I was under that impression is that a friend of mine who is attending NYCOM and applying out due to a personal situation (having nothing to do with the school itself), has gone on interviews at Stony Brook, NYU med, Columbia, Syracuse and SUNY Albany...he got the same reaction from all of them when he showed them his "schedule" of courses he was taking and when...they said it was impossible that he had that schedule, that it was too much and there was no way any student could handle that...these schools were in disbelief over NYCOM's curriculum...and from what I understand...these schools are considered pretty top notch! 😉

 

[oceandocDO]

Well, I really dont understand that reaction. NYCOM doesnt have extra courses. We all learn anatomy, pathology, pharmacology, etc in 4 years. NYCOM does have a more rigorous second year, for most of the core medicine courses are taught then, but it's not overwhelming. Some schools, DO and MD, have more lectures in 3rd and 4th year, whereas NYCOM is 95% patient and clinically-oriented in those years. In my opinion, the heavy duty dose of textbook medicine in 2nd year is really an asset. It sucks while you're going through it, but you're able to shine on Step I and 3rd year clerkships as a result. I've witnessed, for example, Stonybrook students simulataneously taking the lecture and clerkship component of a specialty, hence you have to learn both at the same time. NYCOM's didactic portions are mostly completed by the end of the second year, thus, IMO, you're much more versed in medicine on clerkships than 3rd years from other schools because you've already had it in it's entirity. Someone else is trying to simulataneously learn from the lecture, the book, and the patient, whereas I've already read the book a few times and passed some tests on the subject. Hence, maybe second year may be harder than average, but clerkships are probably a bit easier. It all evens out more or less. It's just a little bit of a different philosophy, not necessarily harder overall, but better from my point of view....

hope this helps.

 

[Dr JPH]

I didn't see anything that special about NYCOMs schedule.

Looks a lot like other schools.

They do make some good doctors, though.

PCOM does too. 😀

Oh boy...it's late.

 

[DrQuinn]

From your description, NYCOM's curriculum seems to mirror the vast majority of MD/DO program's curriculum. Granted you will hear PBL this and PBL that... but most schools follow the systems approach of 2nd year... and the traditional 3rd year core rotatiosn and 4th year electives...

 

[MsDO15]

Thanks for all of your responses...I've been getting a lot of mixed feedback on this subject.
My friend at UNECOM is taking much fewer courses at a time than the students at NYCOM...I guess we need to factor in that they go to school most of the year whereas NYCOM students have 3 months off...nonetheless I guess the best philosophy to have is that it's going to be hard work no matter where you are and that eventually everyone will basically learn the same thing...it's just a matter of how much material you have at one time that is different...that places NYCOM with a harder curriculum the first 2 years b/c as you all have mentioned...they do the majority of textbook coursework then as compared to other schools who space it out...Sounds like that's a better approach and the hard work is worth it!
Thanks again all!

 

[melancholy]

What kind of school hours do you folks at NYCOM have? The first semester (first year) at WUHS/COMP is pretty rough as it is pretty much all your basic sciences (you start systems-based learning in the spring semester).. a lot of 8 or 9am days straight through 5pm, then possibly a review session for another hour or two and then studying the rest of the night.

In the end, I have to agree with whoever said that we pretty much all cover the same material, take the same boards, etc... so go wherever you will enjoy and make the most of your med school experience because it only comes once!

 

[Mohel]

AZCOM's Training some of the toughest and the best in the country hands down...
and best weather too

 

[DrQuinn]

Mohel-
as much as I love to hear your statements abotu AZCOM's training being one of the "toughest and best in the nation," it would be nice if you could atleast give some objective (or atleast MORE objective) reasons as to why.

That's just like me saying JPHazelton is the best and coolest medical student ever. No really. Seriously.

(well, WHY is he the best and coolest?)
(its because he's on SDN more than I am) <- more objective answer

 

[melancholy]

Arizona does have nice weather most of the time (and has some great golf courses). Unfortunately, you can't surf and ski/snowboard in the same day if you wanted to like Cali.. heh heh.