PCOM (Philadelphia) Discussion Thread 2010-2011

[EssTwoThreeFour]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am currently a fourth year at PCOM.

I remember getting an invite for interview in Dec. Interviewing in FEB. and accepted a week after my interview. There are definately applicants still interviewing up to end of Feb.

But on behalf of PCOM to all those accepted/interviewing here --

WELCOME to the family! Don't embarrass us. 😀

best of luck.

 

[fiznat]

Interview invite for 2/24!! Pumped!!!! I was complete on 11/24.

 

[Lewist02]

3.8/31 OOS. Complete 10/04. Accepted or interviewed everywhere else. Still no word from PCOM. what's the deal?

I don't think anyone has figured out the method to their madness yet. Do you have any connection to the Philly area?

 

[DoctorJDO]

I don't think anyone has figured out the method to their madness yet. Do you have any connection to the Philly area?

No, I don't. I live in the northeast, though. not sure if that's any better than anywhere else

 

[Lewist02]

No, I don't. I live in the northeast, though. not sure if that's any better than anywhere else

Well the one thing I do know is that they really look for applicants that are from the area/have connections to the area, or are interested in practicing in the area. If you're really interested in P.C.O.M then maybe a letter of interest would help. Good luck with the rest of the season!

 

[pdiddy916]

can someone please send me the secondary for PCOM, both campuses? My emails got deleted and I've emailed the office a couple weeks back and still no response.

Either PM me and ill provide email or post link? thanks so much in advance.

 

[DocTraveler]

I am withdrawing my application from here.

Good luck to those remaining

 

[Gurki]

did anyone interview on 1/19? just curious cause that's when i interviewed there.

this waiting game is the worst, though. 😉

 

[TWillis]

Has anyone that has received an invite here been rejected?😕

 

[Entropic]

Well the one thing I do know is that they really look for applicants that are from the area/have connections to the area, or are interested in practicing in the area. If you're really interested in P.C.O.M then maybe a letter of interest would help. Good luck with the rest of the season!

Well shoot, I am from Maryland with no real connections to Philly. So I guess its no news til the end huh? 🙁 Does anyone know if PCOM-GA have the same kinda criteria but for Georgia residents?

 

[MNLax24]

Congrats!! I have an interview on the same date. Do you know if they are group or individual?

Congrats on getting an interview too. I'm hoping to get a quick response once we get through the interview process. I'm the first one of the day and the tour doesn't start until after 11am. Anyone have any advice on what to do while waiting for everyone else to finish? Is it appropriate to snoop around campus while waiting or are you supposed to sit their with hands folded?

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

you can pretty much do whatever you want after you interview. see a lecture, walk around outside i guess, or sit in the waiting room and help calm the nerves of your fellow interviewees.

 

[Gurki]

or sit in the waiting room and help calm the nerves of your fellow interviewees.

hehehe 😉 thanks!

 

[Lewist02]

Well shoot, I am from Maryland with no real connections to Philly. So I guess its no news til the end huh? 🙁 Does anyone know if PCOM-GA have the same kinda criteria but for Georgia residents?

It's not that no applicant gets an invite unless they have connections to the area, but that is something major that they seem to look for. Georgia takes over 50% from Georgia and the majority from the Southeast region. But Maryland is not far from Philly - I definitely wouldn't count yourself out.

If your really interested I would send a letter of interest.

 

[cuhubris]

It's not that no applicant gets an invite unless they have connections to the area, but that is something major that they seem to look for. Georgia takes over 50% from Georgia and the majority from the Southeast region. But Maryland is not far from Philly - I definitely wouldn't count yourself out.

Yeah, it's definitely not just people from PA. I'm from Rhode Island and have never been to school/worked in PA and don't have any family here either, and I got in.

Don't worry so much about the PA connection and good luck!!

 

[TallScrubs]

To all waiting to hear (especially those out of state), and this is just anecdotal, I feel PCOM concentrates more on who you are than where you're from. If you don't get an interview, all else (stats) being equal, don't assume it's because you are from Topeka but because they don't 'love' who you are based on your application.

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

hehehe 😉 thanks!

of course. we're in this together.

 

[Gurki]

i know it's been less than a week but man waiting sucks!

 

[cuhubris]

i know it's been less than a week but man waiting sucks!

Heh, did you come watch a class? If so, I probably saw you come through.

Good luck!

 

[Robert De Niro]

Does anyone know how much longer they will be sending interview invites?

 

[Sinfest]

Does anyone know how much longer they will be sending interview invites?

I was told by the admissions office that interviews will conclude in April. Not really sure when the last invite is sent out.

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

ya'll done made my heart skip a beat! haha i saw a new post in here and i thought meant someone got a decision in the mail today. carry on.

 

[Sinfest]

ya'll done made my heart skip a beat! haha i saw a new post in here and i thought meant someone got a decision in the mail today. carry on.

I wish

 

[cgk]

Looking at the Website for PCOM admissions requirements, I noticed that they require 1 English composition course and 1 English Literature course. How strictly is that enforced? I have only taken 2 English Comp courses and have not taken any Literature courses. Has anyone been accepted with PCOM "bending the rules" regarding the Literature requirement? All responses very much appreciated, as this information is crucial for me to know in deciding if I should proceed with my application to the school. Thanks!

 

[Gurki]

ya'll done made my heart skip a beat! haha i saw a new post in here and i thought meant someone got a decision in the mail today. carry on.

join the club, my friend. been checking the mail like a maniac. 🙄

 

[TWillis]

Hello All,
Anyone who has been the interview process, could you please comment on the format of the interview. How many people are on the panel? How many people interview on a given day? How long should I expect to interview for if I get an interview and what is the focus of their questions? Any insight would be awesome.

 

[Lewist02]

Hello All,
Anyone who has been the interview process, could you please comment on the format of the interview. How many people are on the panel? How many people interview on a given day? How long should I expect to interview for if I get an interview and what is the focus of their questions? Any insight would be awesome.

The format is pretty informal. You sit at a table with either Marsha or Deb (both from Admissions), and then usually 1 or 2 professors from the school, and occasionally a student. I had Marsha and two professors, some people only have one professor, some people have a total of 4. It varies day to day depending on who is available. How many people interview on a given day also varies. There were 8 in my group, i've seen 5 all the way through 10 this year though. Interview time varies.....i'd say 20-45 minutes. Mine was 45. There were some people who were finished in 20. Questions are usually more personal and not directed towards your secondary. You will get "Why PCOM/DO" They might pick an interesting fact or weak point from your application to talk about with you. They look over your application before the interview so they are not looking for you to regurgitate your resume. They asked me what I do for fun, what I did with my year off, where I see myself in 10 years, what areas of medicine i'm interested in. You can easily direct the conversation where you want it to go. I would try looking at the interview section of this forum for additional questions.

 

[TallScrubs]

The format is pretty informal. You sit at a table with either Marsha or Deb (both from Admissions), and then usually 1 or 2 professors from the school, and occasionally a student. I had Marsha and two professors, some people only have one professor, some people have a total of 4. It varies day to day depending on who is available. How many people interview on a given day also varies. There were 8 in my group, i've seen 5 all the way through 10 this year though. Interview time varies.....i'd say 20-45 minutes. Mine was 45. There were some people who were finished in 20. Questions are usually more personal and not directed towards your secondary. You will get "Why PCOM/DO" They might pick an interesting fact or weak point from your application to talk about with you. They look over your application before the interview so they are not looking for you to regurgitate your resume. They asked me what I do for fun, what I did with my year off, where I see myself in 10 years, what areas of medicine i'm interested in. You can easily direct the conversation where you want it to go. I would try looking at the interview section of this forum for additional questions.

I second all of this. My interview was 45 minutes long, others were 20--don't fret at either extreme, it has nothing to do with how you did (in most cases). Interview was very relaxed. I had Deborah and a professor. There were 10 other people at my interview.

 

[ND10]

I agree as well.

35 minutes, Deb and 1 professor, 5 interviewees.

They're nice so nothing to worry about. Good luck!

 

[penndoc]

Mine was 20 minutes. I had Deborah and a current student. There were 10 interviewees.

 

[lapicsp1]

Mine was 20 minutes. I had Deborah and a current student. There were 10 interviewees.

Mine was 20 and I had Mr. Cox and one professor. There were 15 people in my group.

 

[Althavian]

Had my interview today! I interviewed with Dr. Carol Fox and Dr Cosgrove. I went ok...I guess. It wasn't horrible. I couldn't really read them because they were very serious the whole time. They asked me the usual: Why PCOM? Why DO? They sent a lot of time on my undergraduate grades and MCAT scores (which weren't the best) However, I did great in my postbach program at PCOM. I wish they focused more on my extracurricular activities and my graduate grades. I could have been worse though. Now I just have to wait until February 15th for the decision. I hate waiting!

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

Had my interview today! I interviewed with Dr. Carol Fox and Dr Cosgrove. I went ok...I guess. It wasn't horrible. I couldn't really read them because they were very serious the whole time. They asked me the usual: Why PCOM? Why DO? They sent a lot of time on my undergraduate grades and MCAT scores (which weren't the best) However, I did great in my postbach program at PCOM. I wish they focused more on my extracurricular activities and my graduate grades. I could have been worse though. Now I just have to wait until February 15th for the decision. I hate waiting!

that sounds a lot like how my interview went.

 

[Gurki]

. Now I just have to wait until February 15th for the decision. I hate waiting!

i guess that means the committee didn't meet yet... boo. more waiting for me.

good luck to you!

 

[lapicsp1]

i guess that means the committee didn't meet yet... boo. more waiting for me.

good luck to you!

I thought the committee met every other wednesday so we would hear back...friday?

 

[Lewist02]

I thought the committee met every other wednesday so we would hear back...friday?

Oh - maybe thats's changed from last year. When I interviewed they were only meeting one Wednesday a month. Either way they usually turn around letters faster than they say anyway! GL!

 

[Westonski]

Does anyone know if the adcom met this week?

 

[pittfan15]

I tried searching for my answer but I'm still new to SDN so sorry if this question has been answered. But I was wondering if PCOM notifies acceptances by letter or email?

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

letter, unfortunately.

 

[Lewist02]

letter, unfortunately.

But it's an awesome letter!

 

[ND10]

But it's an awesome letter!

It's definitely an awesome letter....


Dear Mr. / Mrs. _____,

YES!

 

[11scrubs11]

anybody interview 1/13 and hear back yet??

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

anybody interview 1/13 and hear back yet??

1/19 here, still no word.

 

[BOOYA18]

1/19 here as well, nada.

 

[Gurki]

1/19 here as well, nada.

hey it's a 1/19 party 😛

 

[FutureDOfromPSU]

hey it's a 1/19 party 😛

When you interviewed on 1/19, did they tell you when you should expect a response? I interviewed on 1/31... I was kind of banking on a reply today even though they told us 2/15 haha. No such luck!

 

[TallScrubs]

For those accepted...I got my binder today.

 

[sv2351]

Hi all, I was wondering about the necessity of a car in Philly (and if it becomes required during rotations in the later years). Can you get around without one? How the is public transport system? If you bring a car, what is parking like? How do kids feel about carpooling? Any insight or comments on needing a car would be awesome! Thanks in advance 🙂

(I'm a little nervous about driving in a city, since I went to school in New York city and haven't driven in some time.)

 

[DrLeon]

For those accepted...I got my binder today.

awwww, I didn't get mine 🙁
What's in it? gold?

 

[Rollo]

Hi all, I was wondering about the necessity of a car in Philly (and if it becomes required during rotations in the later years). Can you get around without one? How the is public transport system? If you bring a car, what is parking like? How do kids feel about carpooling? Any insight or comments on needing a car would be awesome! Thanks in advance 🙂

(I'm a little nervous about driving in a city, since I went to school in New York city and haven't driven in some time.)

You might be able to get away without having a car for the first 2 years if you choose to live within walking distance of campus.

However, you won't be able to get away without a car during clinical rotations since rotations are spread out throughout Philadelphia, NJ, DE regions.

For parking, just park at Target shopping center for free and walk to school rather than pay the school for parking. It will save you some money, not to mention get you some good walking exercise.