PCOM Class of 2006!

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Dr JPH

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Hey fellow PCOM acceptancees!


If anyone is attending PCOM next year (like me!), please post here.

I would be very interested in speaking to you, and even getting together before school starts. I live in Philly now.

Congratulations on getting into PCOM!

~ Josh ~

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Congratulations! PCOM is the IVY of the osteopathic world, I've heard. I don't know why, but I thought you were already in school.
 
pags

Thank you. I am very excited.
 
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Hello to all PCOM 2006 matriculants...

I'll be starting next year. I live up near King of Prussia area. Although I am very excited about pursuing a career as a DO...a small part of me is still nervous...
will I always be less competative in finding a job over an MD..
will I be limited to where I could practice..

any reassuring thoughts?
 
I suggest that you read some books about the osteopathic profession to put yourself at ease: The D.O.'s by Gevitz AND Osteopathic Medicine: A Reformation in Progress. Also, you should try talking to some DO's about their career.
 
By the way, I will also be attending PCOM next year.
 
eh-

Living so close to Philadelphia, I am sure you are somewhat familiar with the medical centers in the area.

Check out some of their websites and look up the list of physicians on staff. I worked in the city as a Pharmacy Technician and I think a large percentage of the prescriptions were from D.O.'s. There are a great deal of them in the area.

I also know of several PCOM graduates who have gone on to become Emergency Department attendings at some major hospitals in the country, then department heads at these same hospitals.

There is still a decent percentage of the population that is raltively unaware of the existence, or scope of practice, of D.O.'s. The AOA is working to change that with educational programs and adverstising concepts. This, of course, will be an ongoing process.

There is also a percentage of the population who prefers the care of a D.O., either because of the usage of manipulation or because of the personal attitude and patient-focused approach. The Northeast is one area where the public is not as educated as in other portions of the country. The greater Philadelphia-New Jersey area isa bit of an exception.

In the more Western and Southern parts of the nation there seems to be more people asking "Are you an M.D. or are you a D.O.?", rather than "What's a D.O.?" These are the experiences of those I have talked to, anyway.

But I think the osteopathic profession is evolving. I, too, recommend reading those books listed above. I read the book by Gevitz and it puts an interesting spin on Osteopathic medicine while giving a complete history of the profession.

As the public becomes more aware of D.O.'s, their level of education, their similarities to the more common M.D.'s, and even their differences (which many argue are very little) I think that you will become more confident of your (soon to be) D.O. degree.

As one student once said at an AACOM conference "It doesn't really matter what letters are behind your name. The public is becomeing more aware of us every day. Being a D.O. is not a burden, it's a blessing."

I look forward to meeting you next year.

Josh
 
I've heard that in order to get into DO school, you need to get recomendations from DO. Is that true or is that a myth? I thought that practice was not done anymore. Well,I hope to attend any school....congrats to the peeps that got in. Well, hope to be in your shoes soon.
always,
 
Some DO schools require a letter from a DO and some do not.

Those school that do not require a letter "highly recommend" that you have a letter from a DO.

This task can be very easy or very difficult, depending on the area of the country you live in.
 
congrats!!!

When were ur application completed and ur interview with pcom? I have not hear from them since they sent me a notification of completeness in early November. Do any of u familiar with their admission system. any info will be appreciated.
Thanx
 
My application was complete sometime during October...probably late October.

My interview was on December 6th and my acceptance letter was dated December 10th.

Any questions about the interview, please feel free to ask.

Good luck to you!
 
Hey -
I am going to PCOM next fall and I live just north of NYC. My DO went to med school at NYCOM 15 years ago and he told me all of this professors went to PCOM. All I hear are fantastic things about PCOM. Congrats to all of you who got in and good choice to all that have accepted. Any of you who live in phili, I have a 75 pound dog coming with me. Are there are a lot of places to live that will accept him that are close to the school? Please let me know.
Lee
 
i have a quickie-- i finished my apps pretty fast and was interviewed/accepted at 5 DO schools by thanksgiving- yet i have heard nothing from PCOM. Do i chalk this up as a loss or do i stick to the application? I pulled my app from UHS and KCOM and turned down the rest & am wondering if i should let PCOM go? I am dissapointed that i havn't heard and am quickly losing interest in the school- but the kisser is that it is still a top choice! What to do, what to do??
 
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JP,
thanks for the info...well, i don't know any DO at this point...i used to know one....but, oh wells...they'll haave to accept the recommendation i got from an MD....JP ..thanks again for the reply.
;)
 
Hey fellow 2006 PCOMers! I'm new to the site, but thought I would say Hi to all my future classmates. I do have a question for any of you out there...How is PCOM's OMM? Past sites (2000) say it's pretty terrible. I was wondering if it has gotten any better in the past two years?
 
PCOM's OMM is average. They do have very knowledgeable professors and clinicians but the course itself is still in need of some fine tuning. The labs have too many students, thus you can imagine how organized the sessions can be. Overall, the program has significantly improved to tailor the needs of the students. Don't be concerned, everyone learns the foundation of OMM, but its the responsibility of the individual if he/she wants to pursue OMM further. Hope this helps a little. Good luck to all the new PCOM students...you have just entered a fabulous school and an incredible and rewarding profession.
 
Shoedog

Thanks for the positive words for PCOM (overall).

I think that OMM, like anything else you learn in medical school, has a great deal to do with how much YOU put into it.

The professors can only show you the stuff, it is up to the student to learn it.

JPH
PCOM Class of 2006
 
hey fellow pcomer's!
have any of you guys started searching for apartments yet? do you know the price ranges by any chance? i'm worried that the prices will too expensive for the budget of the loans...

ana <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
 
JP,

Congrats once again and if you want help in OMM I'll be back in philly next year.

Your Big
 
Mbb and others,

I am a MSI at PCOM and think that my OMM education is great.

Yes, the labs are large, but there are plenty of faculty for the number of students (8:1, I think)

Also, the faculty is VERY receptive to our ideas on how to change the way the lab is taught. They also regularly ask what we need extra help with (for example - they are running an extra review session this week before we start practicals next week).

They are also very accomodating if you want to come shadow them (and learn) at their offices.

So, overall, in my opinion, I am getting a wonderful OMM education. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to post them and I will get to them as soon as I can.

Good luck and welcome to the PCOM family!

PhillyGirl
 
ana-

PCOM does list some apartments on their website: <a href="http://www.pcom.edu/asp/housing.asp" target="_blank">http://www.pcom.edu/asp/housing.asp</a>

I would also call Campus Apartments. They own a few buildings 10-20 minutes from PCOM.

ycs29-

Good to see you have some time to go online and post! Email me and give me an update about what's going on.


PhillyGirl-

Once again, thank you for your response to my questions and comments. This is one of the biggest reasons I wanted to go to PCOM:

Good luck and welcome to the PCOM family!

PhillyGirl
••

Every student I have met there has been great!


JPH
PCOM Class of 2006
 
:D Hey Class of 2006! Just saying hi to my future classmates. I'm quite excited to be going to PCOM in the fall. I had given up hearing from PCOM for awhile and even sent in my deposit to another school. But thankfully, I finally got my acceptance! So, to anyone still waiting, you might hear soon. Anyway, right now I am wondering what to do about housing. I have read previous posts, but still haven't figured out if most people live alone, or with a roomate. I have been searching online at the apartment buildings in Philly, and have concluded that most 1 bedroom apts are $500-$600, and 2 bedrooms are between $600-$800....so, hopefully, I will get a roomate to save money. Anyone have any idea when PCOM sends you housing information?
 
Hey! Unfortunately, I cannot say that I will be headed to PCOM next year (I finished my apps late and am waiting on an interview invite) but I have heard nothing but good things about PCOM, and I have friends from school (Pitt) heading out there in the fall. But my main question-- since I don't have time to read any good books about osteopathy, does anyone know of any good websites that I can browse just to brush up on the lingo I might need to know for my interviews?

Thanks! And Congrats!
 
Mylaina

This site is a great place to learn about osteopathic medicine. There is a whole section for osteopathic students.

You may also want to check out the American Osteopathic Association website: <a href="http://www.aoa-net.org" target="_blank">www.aoa-net.org</a>
 
Smokey --

PCOM puts the housing lists out later in the spring. They wait for students to list their places and since most people only give 60 days notice to landlords, no one really starts looking for a while. For instance, I need to move out on July 1, so I plan to start looking mid to late April.

Last year (before I moved to Philly) I looked really early b/c it was the only time I could come to Philly and I ended up paying A LOT more than my classmates. So, if you have the dough to spend, look now... If you want to save, wait.

Oh, and as for living alone or with roommates - it's totally up to you. I wanted to live alone my first year, but I can't afford it anymore. I know that some people in my class signed a 2BR lease themselves and then found a roommate within the class once we got started. So, all options are open...

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]

PhillyGirl
 
JPHazelton -- Yeah, I have been looking through this site (and not studying!) to find some stuff, although a lot of it I already knew. I guess I am just having a hard time thinking that my answer to "why osteopathic rather than allopathic" sounds intelligent. But thanks for the website, I will check it out!
 
:) Thanks for the reply PhillyGirl! Since I am depending almost entirely on loans, I need to figure out something not too expensive. Would you say $500-$600 is too much for a single?
Thanks again!
 
Well Smokey,

I think $5-600 isn't too bad. I am paying a little more than that right now. I loved living alone my first year, and I too am living on loans, but I can't afford it anymore. See, I have classmates paying under $300/mo that live with roommates, so I am going to suck it up so that I don't have to take out any alternative loans again (hopefully).

It all just depends on what you want. I didn't want to deal with a new place, new school and new roommates -- too reminisent of my freshman year of undergrad and that was murder :)

Good luck with your hunt. Feel free to post more questions..

PhillyGirl
 
so phillygirl,
the loan budget the school gives you does not cover adequate rent or is it that you have high expenses somewhere else? i'm just trying to get an idea because i also want to live alone next year, but i only want to take out the 38000 from stafford, and not anything else.
ana :rolleyes:
 
hey boston...I mean phillygirl shouldn't you be studying micro???? I do have a roomate (2 in fact one is a law student) and I met him on SDN. We live 3 miles from school down city ave. It takes about 10 minutes in the morning to get to school and it's nice to get in your car and forget about things for a little bit. anyway, our house is only $1050 + utilities and it is pretty big. Also, we found this place in late july. So, it is possible to find housing both near and far you just have to be willing to look. Having a roomate is nice because you have someone to vent with.....since you are both going throught the same thing. Maybe I just got lucky.

michael
 
...yeah, but you gotta watch out...I also met my roommate on SDN and he turned out to be a total ass monkey :wink:

-d
PCOM Class of 2005

ps: just to clear things up...Mike (milunn) DID NOT 'get lucky' with me!!! (I'm not that type of guy)
 
David - you know that I don't study!!

and, obviously, there is something funky happening at your house :)

btw -any parties coming up??

Michelle :)
 
Ana --
you do the math. If you add up your rent, expenses, tuition, etc and subtract whatever money you already have or will be getting, you'll figure out what you need.

I did the math, and the 38.5 wasn't enough, so I took out more. The school allows you to take out something like $10k more than the 38.5 in educational loans. It up to you to decide how much of that you want. I don't have any other expenses (car, etc) - just tuition, books, rent, food, phone, fun. Oh, and some interest on undergrad loans (that I am choosing to keep paying).

So, it's your choice of what you want to take out... If you can live alone and budget to live on the $38.5k, please let me know how you did it :)

Michelle
 
Just to add to what all the current students are telling the next batch of 1st years (congrats to you all), it's very easy to find housing around school. I live with a friend from undergrad and it took us only one day to find a place that suits our needs, and this was in June. Also, we're only about 1/2 mile from school, so that's a plus. Rent's reasonable...$345/month/each + utilities, which aren't bad at all...~$50-$100 extra/month/each. There are much more expensive places to live though. You all just have to figure out what you want. And don't worry about money...you can pretty much get all you need. Hope this helps.

Scott

One more thing...watch out who you meet up with on SDN. I know milun and david511...they're both ass monkeys :wink:
 
Oh Scott -- you're an ass monkey, too, just admit it :) Shouldn't you (we all) be studying?

hugs - PhillyGirl (aka BostonGirl)

•••quote:•••Originally posted by slindsay198:

One more thing...watch out who you meet up with on SDN. I know milun and david511...they're both ass monkeys :wink: [/QB]••••
 
...and so the Class of 2006 thread is commandeered by the Class of 2005! Take that you wimps! (David511 throws highly infectious titers of Clostridium dificiles at all the newbie PCOMers)

and to all of my classmates: STOP BITING MY STYLES! ASS-MONKEY IS MY WORD!!!!

and to michelle: you only want us to have another party so you too can experience a drunken lunn schlong-parade

NOW GET BACK TO WORK! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />
 
Just a couple of questions...

I am looking at an apartment which is about 10 miles or so from PCOM...figure a 15 minute commute with no traffic. This shouldn't be a problem, right?

I'm not within walking distance, but there is plenty of parking at the school, yes?

Also...I do not currently own a car, so I will need a car by the time school begins.

What do people do? Do they get a car before they start school, or do most people live close enough to the school that they don't need a car?

So, I guess I am asking: how important is it to have a car your first year?
 
And how do people pay for a car?

From what I'm told, you can't pay for it with Stafford loans.
 
Hey-- just curious, but after how long that you sent in your secondary did you get the interview invite? And about what time of the process was it? Through many problems I had with this application, I think it just got there, so I was wondering how long I should wait (and if I have any shot at an interview this late in the game!)

Thanks,
Mylaina
 
ten mile commute in 15 minutes? to PCOM? you're dreaming, Josh. my nice little 3 minute commute takes 15 mintues during rush hours am and pm (city line is a POS in terms of traffic).

regarding a car, its probably not a requirement, however just about everyone has one. parking is no problem, however they charge $300/yr to park in the structure or $100/yr to park in the monument lot. i'm not sure how you can get the $$ together for one, although if you take out the max loans (stafford+alternative) and live cheaply you'd probably have enough $$ left over each month to support a car payment. whereas this is officially against the rules, there's not much chance of them finding out where the $$ is going.
 
I can never show my face at school or on this site ever again....thanks guys!!!
 
mikey-baby, don't be like that! s'all good in the w-philly-hood!

-d
 
and Mikey, did you think that we didn't all already know???

hugs --
michelle

•••quote:•••Originally posted by David511:
•mikey-baby, don't be like that! s'all good in the w-philly-hood!

-d•••••
 
David

OK. Maybe 15 minutes is pushing it, but I can make it to PCOM from my front door now in easily under 25 minutes. That is, of course, early in the morning or later at night.

Lancaster and Belmont can be packed certain times of the day, but if I have 8am classes I would be driving about the same time as I did when I went for my interview. That was only a 15-20 minute ride.

Which way do you drive?

Anyway, I will have a car next year. Living for me will be fairly cheap. About $550 a month in rent and utilities, food and gas.

I think that $100 a year parking permit sounds right up my alley.

I've basically planned all this out and I really don't see any need to move closer to campus. I will be living in an apartment with two grad students who will respect my scheduling needs.

One more question (I know, I say that every time)...do most people stay in the same area when they get to 3rd and 4th years?

How do they find housing when they move away for rotations? Does the school help secure housing? Do many people try to stay close to avoid this hassle?

Thanks

JPH
 
JP-

Housing is provided on away rotations in 99% of the cases. Toward the end of your 2nd year, you will be provided with a list of all core rotation sites and whether or not they are designated home/away. As a rule, anything east of and including Harrisburg is considered a home rotation so no housing is provided. Also, NJ and Delaware are considered home rotations in almost every case. For electives, you are on your own as far as housing goes.
 
Thanks for everyone's replies on housing. My wife and I are planning on driving up to Philadelphia in April to check the area out. For all you current PCOM students out there, can spouses use the athletic center (gym/aerobics) for free with my student ID card, or do they have to pay a fee?
 
Spouses have to pay a fee to use the facility. Only students get free use.
 
These questions were asked privately by another prospective class of 2006-er...thought it'd be a good idea to post my responses, they're pretty good questions.

-d
_______________________________

Why did YOU choose PCOM over any other schools you may have interviewed at?
I was accepted at PCOM, NYCOM, UNECOM, CCOM, AZCOM, TUCOM, NUSCOM, and UCONN (MD). I chose PCOM because it seemed to be the most 'well-rounded' school. The students I talked to were happy, the education seemed first-rate, the facilities were new (and they had a really cool gym), and the school was well-established (102 yrs old) with great clinical affiliations. No other school could offer all of this.

What's a typical day like for an MS-I? (ie, how many hours spent in class per week?)
We're on a quarter system, so things change every 3 months. First quarter was intense yet fun...anatomy kicks ass and it gives you a daily opportunity to get to know your classmates (and your cadaver)...besides that you take Cell and Tissue I, Histology, OPP, and PCS (Primary Care Skills). These are relatively minor classes compared to Anatomy. Expect to spend around 6 hours a day in class or in lab. You study alot, but it's cool stuff. Quarter two is a bitch. I'm just finishing that up right now, the main class is Cell and Tissue II. Talk about intense, you are responsibe for around 1200 pages of material every month. It's like studying for finals for 3 months straight (no rest for the wicked). Argh. It's split into 3 units...the first two pretty much suck, its all molecular bio and immunochemistry. Not much medicine there, tho this last unit we're doing a lot more 'bugs and drugs' which is really cool. Don't expect much of a life during 2nd quarter, you're at school on average of 7 hours a day. Plus you still have OPP and PCS.
Quarter 3 is an enigma to me right now...they haven't told us what's on the agenda...I hear we start our systems-based studies and that its not as hard as Q1/Q2...more time for drinking!

What's a typical day like for an MS-II?
From what I hear, its just a continuation of the systems-based coursework. More pathology, more drugs, more work. The MS2s I know aren't having that bad of a time, there's a lot of work but also plenty of time to play. Q3 sucks because you have to study for classes AND for your boards.

What do you like most about PCOM?
Lots. The people are probably my favorite part...I've met some really incredible people here, not the usual gunner-type personalities, more of the type that love to learn and want to become great doctors, yet have a ****load of fun while doing it. Again, the phrase 'well-rounded' comes to mind. Besides that, the facilities are superb (a great learning environment), the education, while demanding, is well-designed, and the school is very well-established.

What do you like least about PCOM?
Two things. First, its in Philly. While there are some really cool areas of Philly, overall its a pretty poor city. There are some really shady areas, some within 5 minutes of the school. There's not much danger of crime on campus, but it's disturbing to me that there are people living in 3rd world conditions (really bad ghettos) so close. Disturbing from a sociological standpoint...there's a lot of wealth around here too...the dichotomy between the rich and dirt-poor is upsetting.
Second bothersome element is the dynamicism of the PCOM curriculum. They're always changing things around here, and while that's a good thing for the mostpart (they're always making it more integrated and more challenging), it also means that sometimes things get f-ed up because its the first time they've tried it. For example, for the last unit of C&TII they decided to give us some more in-depth lectures regarding the body's response to Cancer...for half of these lectures would be on cancer treatment (to be taught by an oncologist), the other half pathology (taught by a pathologist). However, because of the oncologist's schedule we ended up having the treatment lectures before we had the path lectures...which means we learned how to treat cancers we had not yet learned about. Sort of confusing. Also, because the courses we are being taught are different from those taught last year, there aren't back-tests and other study aids available to us. It just makes things more difficult=more work for us. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it is aggravating when you talk to kids in other schools and they just took an exam that was 90% old-test questions. On the bright side, we'll probably do a lot better on the boards.

Does the large class size bother you...do you feel like you're missing out on things you would have had in a smaller class setting?
I'm used to learning in a large lecture hall (my undergrad bio classes were 450+) so that doesn't bother me at all. Plus, they split us up regularly for small-group learning (~20 students) and for labs the class is split in quarters (so there's a reasonalbe student:teacher ratio. I've gotten to know all of the professors/docs already (and they know my name) so I don't feel that I'm being ignored. Otherwise, I look at it this way: you have ~250 people to hang out with/get to know. Plus you'll graduate with ~250 colleagues(sp?), which is a big plus (medicine is all about who you know.)

What about class dynamics? (do classmates help each other out or is it "each his/her own"?
We have some gunners in our class, but for the most part we're a pretty social group...I've never had a problem getting a study group together.

Do you happen to know the pass rate on the COMPLEX I and II?
It's 'COMLEX' btw...you'll get to know it pretty well. PCOM's pass rate is high, around 92% if I'm not mistaken. Plus, a lot of us take the USMLE for the allopathic match.

Also, do you happen to know how past classes have fared w/ residency matching?
Because PCOM is so well-established, the school offers a ton of residency positions. Hence, the match rate is a good one, and PCOM has a ton of affiliations with both DO/MD hospitals across the country.

Does the class collectively do stuff (ie go out after finals, or organize "something" together)?
We have social chairs who organize events. We always drink after tests, and some of us go out very regularly (2-3x/week). If you like to be social, you won't have a problem finding people willing to go out with you. In fact, I think its absolutely necessary so that you keep you sanity (all work and no play makes Dave a dull boy).

How often do you have exams? Do they usually fall on a particular day of the week?
Figure on a test every month at the least. Most of them are on Tuesdays, with Monday given off as a prep-day. OPP practicals are every quarter, in the afternoons.

Are you, thus far, satisfied w/ your education at PCOM?? Do you feel like you're getting your money's worth?
PCOM is challenging. They do their best to turn us into the best doctors we can be. The curriculum is integrated and so there are lots of opportunities to apply the knowledge you get in a clinical setting. I'm happy here, and I have no regrets about choosing PCOM. Whereas I wish the tuition was less, its worth it.

If YOU could change one thing about PCOM, what would it be and why?
If the profs/docs would spend a little more time getting together and working out any bugs in the curriculum, it would make things a little more easy on us students. Don't get me wrong, I think they've worked incredibly hard to put together a first-class course schedule...there are just a few bugs that need to be worked out. At least for the class of 2005...you guys may have it easier.

Hope this helps. Let me know if I've been unclear at all (I didn't have a chance to proof this, sorry for any spelling errors :) )
 
David

Awesome post.

Thanks for digging that up!

JPH
 
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