PCOM-Ga Discussion Thread 2010-2011

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ShyRem

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For discussion of the school noted above. This includes interview dates, questions, etc. Threads will be merged in here if they are created on their own.

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Does anyone know what their secondary app essays look like?
Not sure if they change it year to year, but my guess is it will be some general form of the following:

Why Osteopathic Medicine?
Why GA-PCOM?
What healthcare experiences have you had to support your choice (of becoming a physician)?
 
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Does anyone know what their secondary app essays look like?

Last year the secondary questions were:

1.) Please attach a brief statement indicating why you wish to become an osteopathic physician. Indicate specific reasons why you want to attend Georgia Campus – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

2.) What health care related experiences have you had?
 
Apply early. Do it now. Do not wait. Apply now and get your application complete as soon as possible.

Good luck!
 
Apply early. Do it now. Do not wait. Apply now and get your application complete as soon as possible.

Good luck!


hey, would you submit your aacomas asap too eventhough you haven't taken the mcat...im taking it in a few weeks...and didnt know if pcom-ga pre-screen or anything before they send secondaries
 
For this campus of PCOM, does admissions require a committee or dean's letter? If I am applying to both campus, will i be required to send it to both campuses? What are the other options available if a committee letter is unable to be obtained?

Also, those of you who already go here or know of the area in which this campus is located, what is it like? Small town, suburbs, etc?
 
dancingdoc hope I can answer a few of your questions:

a) "For your file to be considered complete, a letter of recommendation must be sent from the premedical committee or premedical advisor of the undergraduate college that granted your Bachelor's degree. If that is not possible, a letter from the Dean or your academic advisor of the same institution may substitute. Although not required, a letter of recommendation from an osteopathic physician is strongly encouraged." -- thats from the admissions website

b) You have to submit a separate application to each campus. They will send you a Georgia secondary and a Philly secondary.

c) I can't really comment much on the Suwanee area since I don't live down there yet.

Hope that helps.

Suwanee is not small town, its the suburbs of ATL. You still have ATL traffic to contend with depending on where you live. From what I have seen when visiting, interviewing and looking for a place to live recently it is nice and Im looking forward to moving there next month.
 
For this campus of PCOM, does admissions require a committee or dean's letter? If I am applying to both campus, will i be required to send it to both campuses? What are the other options available if a committee letter is unable to be obtained?

Also, those of you who already go here or know of the area in which this campus is located, what is it like? Small town, suburbs, etc?

It's a mixture between suburbs and small town atmosphere, but it really depends on where you are. As stated before, ATL traffic is there (and it can get pretty bad), so it's certainly not a "one stop light" kind of place. About 7 miles north from the campus is Georgia's largest mall (appropriately called Mall of Georgia), so there is definitely civilization around.

Good luck on your application! :luck:
 
Has anyone gotten a secondary yet from PCOM or PCOM - Georgia?
 
man I graduated from college in 2006. I never got a LOR from a committee or anything, if I go to them now, how would they even remember who I am or anything? Anyone else in my position at all? I have a bunch of LORs from professors at my graduate program Tulane SMP, why wont these count at all?

I was also a 2006 grad in the same situation. I would say your best bet is to get a hold of the academic advisers office for your major and explain the situation. I would imagine looking at transcripts and after a quick chat they can crank out a letter.
 
I was also a 2006 grad in the same situation. I would say your best bet is to get a hold of the academic advisers office for your major and explain the situation. I would imagine looking at transcripts and after a quick chat they can crank out a letter.

I was in the same situation as I finished undergad in 1982. I called Trena at PCOM GA and based upon her counsel obtained a general letter from the school. It has to come from the school that awarded your Bachelor degree. I took all my premed course post Bachelor and obtained professor letters of, shall I say, more recent vintage. It worked to me.
 
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I submitted my application to Ga-PCOM on 20th June and no email or any other communication from them.
did any one got any communication from them?
 
I submitted my application to Ga-PCOM on 20th June and no email or any other communication from them.
did any one got any communication from them?

Are you talking about the primary AACOMAS application or the secondary application from the school? The AACOMAS app takes about a month from the time you submit it until the schools receive it. If it's your secondary app, call Trena from GA-PCOM and see if they have received it. She's very helpful with students and will guide you along the process.
 
I submitted my application to Ga-PCOM on 20th June and no email or any other communication from them.
did any one got any communication from them?

my primary was released to them 6/6 and I have yet to hear from them.
 
I submitted my application to Ga-PCOM on 20th June and no email or any other communication from them.
did any one got any communication from them?

my primary was released to them 6/6 and I have yet to hear from them.

Contact Trena Gologan (pronounced Go-logan) at [email protected] or call her at 678-225-7536. She's the Admissions Coordinator at GA-PCOM and she will give you straight answers as to what's going on.
 
I submitted my application to Ga-PCOM on 20th June and no email or any other communication from them.
did any one got any communication from them?

Jess is correct. Trena is the guru of all things related to admission. She will help you.

Don't panic yet. Eighty D.O. students (Jess and I included) start August 11th along with 75 pharmacy students plus a host of Master level students. Right now, the school is very quiet as classes have ended and the Class of 2010 has graduated. A large number of the faculty and staff take a well-deserved vacation during July.

I submit that it is likely that no secondary applications have gone out yet. I'm betting you get one by the end of the month.

Your goal needs to have your appliocation complete before the end of August. Good luck.
 
Jess is correct. Trena is the guru of all things related to admission. She will help you.

Don't panic yet. Eighty D.O. students (Jess and I included) start August 11th along with 75 pharmacy students plus a host of Master level students. Right now, the school is very quiet as classes have ended and the Class of 2010 has graduated. A large number of the faculty and staff take a well-deserved vacation during July.

I submit that it is likely that no secondary applications have gone out yet. I'm betting you get one by the end of the month.

Your goal needs to have your appliocation complete before the end of August. Good luck.
Haven't seen you posting much around here- figured it was time to wish you good luck in school! I'm sure you are just as excited as I am to get started after all that work last year during the application cycle! :)
 
Jess is correct. Trena is the guru of all things related to admission. She will help you.

Don't panic yet. Eighty D.O. students (Jess and I included) start August 11th along with 75 pharmacy students plus a host of Master level students. Right now, the school is very quiet as classes have ended and the Class of 2010 has graduated. A large number of the faculty and staff take a well-deserved vacation during July.

I submit that it is likely that no secondary applications have gone out yet. I'm betting you get one by the end of the month.

Your goal needs to have your appliocation complete before the end of August. Good luck.

Thanks lawyerdoc2b

I willw ait for 2 weeks before I call them for the secondary. August is far away and I will complete before that.
 
Hey to the current students and students-to-be out there,

Thanks for your advice so far!

Do you all have any idea how PCOM-Ga feels about students that aren't from the region? All of the literature they put out seems that they particularly want people from "Georgia and the surrounding states," but does this mean they aren't interested in students from other areas?

I really am interested in this school (esp. b/c my boyfriend is likely getting a job in Atlanta next year) and want to practice primary care, underserved medicine in the south. I lived in rural Virginia for 5 years, but I now live in Pennsylvania. Will my PA residency hurt my chances?

Thanks!! :)
 
You definitely have a great GPA and MCAT. In their secondary, if I were you, I'd definitely hit this question hard (if it's the same as last year):

1.) Please attach a brief statement indicating why you wish to become an osteopathic physician. Indicate specific reasons why you want to attend Georgia Campus – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

As far as out of state, I know they try to stay in the area, but I bet if you're compelling enough with your essay/reasons, you'll have a better shot
 
You definitely have a great GPA and MCAT. In their secondary, if I were you, I'd definitely hit this question hard (if it's the same as last year):

1.) Please attach a brief statement indicating why you wish to become an osteopathic physician. Indicate specific reasons why you want to attend Georgia Campus – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

As far as out of state, I know they try to stay in the area, but I bet if you're compelling enough with your essay/reasons, you'll have a better shot

Thanks! I'll definitely try to do that.
 
Trena posted this morning on her facebook page that she is preparing the supplemental applications and will be sent out "soon". Here is her complete quote...
"Supplemental apps will be sent via email very soon...REQUIRED LOR's are 1 of 3...Undergraduate Advisor, Undergraduate Committee OR Dean's letter...without one of these your file will NOT become complete! "

She does have a professional facebook page that she posts on regularly. You can find it by searching "Trena Gologan" or try following this link.... Trena's Facebook. However, I would recommend your facebook page be "clean" before requesting her as a friend. Thought some of ya'll would like to know. :)
 
Got the secondary via email early this morning. Thanks for the info Av8tor!
 
I got a secondary from PCOM, is this the same application for both locations because it does not specify PCOM Philly or PCOM Georgia...
 
I got a secondary from PCOM, is this the same application for both locations because it does not specify PCOM Philly or PCOM Georgia...

The applications are the same for both. If it only says PCOM, then it's referring to the Philadelphia campus. The application only distinguishes the Georgia campus (it will say it at the top of the application)
 
so we send the GA app to philly too?
 
Can someone post the mailing address to the Georgia campus? I need to send my Dean's letter there and want to get it processing (takes 5 days) before I get the secondary.
 
Can someone post the mailing address to the Georgia campus? I need to send my Dean's letter there and want to get it processing (takes 5 days) before I get the secondary.

I just checked my Ga secondary and it say "mail to the Office of Admissions, 4170 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131."

So I guess the Georgia app actually goes to Philly as well...
 
Can someone post the mailing address to the Georgia campus? I need to send my Dean's letter there and want to get it processing (takes 5 days) before I get the secondary.

Georgia Campus
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Office of Admissions
625 Old Peachtree Road NW
Suwanee, GA 30024
Phone: 1-866-282-4544
Local: 678-225-7500
 
i called PCOM and asked about where to send letters, they said no matter which campus to send them to PA, and on the app it says send the GA app to PA. EVERYTHING GOES TO PA.
 
i called PCOM and asked about where to send letters, they said no matter which campus to send them to PA, and on the app it says send the GA app to PA. EVERYTHING GOES TO PA.

Thanks
 
and you need 2 copies of your letters if you applied to both campuses.
 
and you need 2 copies of your letters if you applied to both campuses.

Got that part. Its just for the dean's letter. I originally was having them sent to Georgia and PA, called and had it fixed. LORs are being sent via interfolio so before I send Georgia's I'm gonna call them because right now interfolio is showing a Georgia electronic address that they are being sent to.
 
sent my primary to PCOM-GA on 6/28/10. No secondary invite yet.
I sent the primary to PCOM-PA on the same day and i got one from there.

Any one else who did not yet get the secondary from PCOM-GA?
 
sent my primary to PCOM-GA on 6/28/10. No secondary invite yet.
I sent the primary to PCOM-PA on the same day and i got one from there.

Any one else who did not yet get the secondary from PCOM-GA?

I sent mine on 7/1 and just got my secondary today. I'm from Alabama, so southeastern which they claim to prefer. Where are you from? Maybe they are distributing apps regionally.
 
I sent mine on 7/1 and just got my secondary today. I'm from Alabama, so southeastern which they claim to prefer. Where are you from? Maybe they are distributing apps regionally.

I also got it just now.
I am applying to both GA/PA campus.
I have two questions:

1. Can I send both the applications in one mailing?
2. "Why do youw ant to attaned ?" - The reasons to join PA/GA campus will have to be same or different?

Thanks
 
^ Two number 2 there,

If your reasons deal with the school's prestige or curriculum, then yes, they will be the same for both campuses and you can literally use the exact same essay (and I just called them about this).

If you have other reasons though...then you wouldn't be able to use the exact same essay. For example, one of the main reasons I want to go to the Philly campus is its location. You obviously wouldn't want that in your Georgia essay.
 
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^ Two number 2 there,

If your reasons deal with the school's prestige or curriculum, then yes, they will be the same for both campuses and you can literally use the exact same essay (and I just called them about this).

If you have other reasons though...then you wouldn't be able to use the exact same essay. For example, one of the main reasons I want to go to the Philly campus is its location. You obviously wouldn't want that in your Georgia essay.

Thanks. Can I send both the applications in the same envelope?
 
No. Send separately. Its only like $1.05 to send a large envelope.

less then that if you send them trifolded in an envelope. I was out of large envelopes. :(
 
less then that if you send them trifolded in an envelope. I was out of large envelopes. :(

I like my large envelopes :) I've got like 2 dozen of them lol
 
No. Send separately. Its only like $1.05 to send a large envelope.

the address for GA/PA secondaries is same. So what can be trouble sendinf in 1 emvelope. to send in a big envelope I have to go to post office to make sure the proper stamps. I do not want to wait till saturday to send my applications. I plan to send by fedex ground. and was thinking to put both the applications in same envelope.

thanks
 
the address for GA/PA secondaries is same. So what can be trouble sendinf in 1 emvelope. to send in a big envelope I have to go to post office to make sure the proper stamps. I do not want to wait till saturday to send my applications. I plan to send by fedex ground. and was thinking to put both the applications in same envelope.

thanks

Do what you'd like, I sent them separately but I got them on two different days. Why you would have to wait until Saturday to send them USPS is beyond me. They are open monday - friday too you know :laugh:
 
Thanks. Can I send both the applications in the same envelope?

I cannot comment at all on the actual school experience yet... however, I can comment on the application process. This is how I handled everything.

1. Every Single Document that I had to send by snail mail got photocopied and put into a folder. When I mailed it, I got a tracking number and put that into the folder. That way, when your document is not noted as being on file, you can reference the shipped and delivered date for them. I sent all items separately with individual tracking #s. I also printed any emails and put them into the same folder.

2. Any document that didn't show up in the system after 1 month, I sent an email requesting confirmation of receipt. I included my full name and AACOMAS ID in the heading/subject line of all of my letters. After I was given an ID number, I included that information as well.

3. USE Interfolio for everything. You get dates received, processed and transmitted/mailed. I waited until ALL of my letters were in (D.O., personal and school advisory board), and sent them all at once. Two weeks after they were marked as received, I asked for confirmation via email. For PCOM-GA, something, I don't remember what, was lost, and I called the school, then Interfolio. Interfolio sent a copy electronically that day and then marked as received the next day because they were looking for it.

Since I applied to 6 schools and wanted to use different LORs and secondary essays and whatnot, I made a folder for each school and marked the original date sent for each document to each school on the inside of the folder, so if anything didn't show up, I could follow up on it. After a school rejected me, I took pleasure in shredding the contents of the folder. After I got accepted, I shredded the one I withdrew from, because I like shredding things...
 
Does anyone know the word/character limit on the secondary essays for PCOM?
 
Does anyone know the word/character limit for the essays on the PCOM Secondary application?
 
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