Pikeville College SOM- 2011-2012

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Good luck to all of those that interviewed yesterday or are interviewing today. I had a great time at KYCOM. Can't wait to hear back. :xf::)
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zuberi said:
Good luck to all of those that interviewed yesterday or are interviewing today. I had a great time at KYCOM. Can't wait to hear back. :xf::)
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Hey!! Which person were you, we might have met!! I had a great time as well, good luck on hearing back!
 
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Anybody know of a listing o the match residencies for this year's graduating class?
 
Bottoms23 said:
Yep, we were the last two left to interview lol. How long did you have to wait until you were called after I went back??
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Not too long, maybe 5 or 8 more minutes. Every minute felt like forever though! Your friend was there and we were chatting so that really helped. The interviewers told me they were sorry to make me wait and they didn't rush my interview which was nice. I thought it went well. Really enjoyed the room with the students and talking to all the other interviewees. Nice to have met you, maybe I'll see you again! Good luck to you too.
 
There have been some people in the FB group that have decided to go to other schools in the fall so hopefully that will open up some spots for some of you guys! Good luck!
 
Did anyone from the group the accepted on a waitlist for the class of 2016 hear back anything about joining the summer of 2012?
I was wondering if I need to start looking for housing even though am not sure when I will start school!
I interviewed on feb 17 2012 and got accepted for the class of 2017!
 
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Do they call you for interviews?? How long does it take after you're complete to hear back from them????
 
Bottoms23 said:
Hey, congrats! Did you receive a phone call!!?
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Lol I missed the call and called back. It was a really kind and traditional gesture. Definitely shows KYCOM's interest in its students. Have you heard anything?
 
doublefrick said:
Lol I missed the call and called back. It was a really kind and traditional gesture. Definitely shows KYCOM's interest in its students. Have you heard anything?
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And...duh, silly me... Thank you!!!! :)
 
Just got the call, accepted for class of 2017!! Interviewed 3/17
 
Bottoms23 said:
Congrats!! I can't believe they're getting back to us already! Did the Dean call you!???
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The Dean called me at around noon CA time so 3p KY time. I was surprised to see a call from KY and thought maybe it was my rental car company at first. LOL. I thought the Dean was going to be out of town. I was surprised and delighted. Best of luck to you if you're still waiting to hear back! :luck:
 
Can current students post pros and cons of attending KYCOM? I really like it here and want to make an informed decision...
 
Has anyone that was accepted from the March dates received their letter yet?
 
I was accepted for the Class of 2017, pending a seat this year. I will be withdrawing my acceptance soon and hope that will help one of you move up this year. FYI, I interviewed in February.
 
Go UK! Was in Lexington on the weekend I interviewed and Kentucky was playing their Round of 32 game that weekend. Since no local teams (CA) made it this far, I'm proud that two KY teams are in the Final Four! :D
 
zuberi said:
Go UK! Was in Lexington on the weekend I interviewed and Kentucky was playing their Round of 32 game that weekend. Since no local teams (CA) made it this far, I'm proud that two KY teams are in the Final Four! :D
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:thumbsup:
 
I will be applying to KYCOM as soon as the cycle opens this June. I am OOS with a 3.3 GPA and low 20s on the MCAT. I have tons of experience (shadowing, volunteering, community service, bench and clinical research). For those of you accepted, could you possibly shed some light into what you believe made you stand out on your application to KYCOM. I do wish to practice rural medicine, and understand that this is a point to make clear in my essay. However, any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Any others in a similar situation that have gained acceptance?

Thanks!
 
stones187 said:
I will be applying to KYCOM as soon as the cycle opens this June. I am OOS with a 3.3 GPA and low 20s on the MCAT. I have tons of experience (shadowing, volunteering, community service, bench and clinical research). For those of you accepted, could you possibly shed some light into what you believe made you stand out on your application to KYCOM. I do wish to practice rural medicine, and understand that this is a point to make clear in my essay. However, any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Any others in a similar situation that have gained acceptance?

Thanks!
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I was an identical applicant to you. Great ECs and LORs, a 3.4 cGPA and a 21 MCAT. I'm OOS (Ohio) and want to do rural. I had one interview (LMU) and was waitlisted. Take it from me, you need to retake your MCAT and really try and get above a 24. No matter how good your ECs may be, schools want to see a good MCAT because they typically are a good predictor of board scores. I'm not saying you won't get in, but you are definitely making hard for yourself.
 
DJack said:
I was an identical applicant to you. Great ECs and LORs, a 3.4 cGPA and a 21 MCAT. I'm OOS (Ohio) and want to do rural. I had one interview (LMU) and was waitlisted. Take it from me, you need to retake your MCAT and really try and get above a 24. No matter how good your ECs may be, schools want to see a good MCAT because they typically are a good predictor of board scores. I'm not saying you won't get in, but you are definitely making hard for yourself.
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Agreed with DJack. I got an MCAT in the low range and was asked about it during my interview. I did explain my improvement and defend my score. I am now admitted for 2017 graduation.

Do work, son! And good luck :)
 
NJMedStudent83 said:
Thanks so much for this info, although I'm not gonna be able to sleep tonight given this anticipation. Do you have any idea as to how many more acceptances they will offer?
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What Facebook page are you referring to? I am trying to look for a Class of 2016 page to start meeting my classmates for this fall!
 
I'm more concerned with the rate of people passing step 1 boards on first try as most schools publish this fact on the website but there's a lot of rumors on SDN and I don't know what to believe.

and the KYCOM vs WVSOM thread may answer your question..
 
FuturePharm21 said:
I'm more concerned with the rate of people passing step 1 boards on first try as most schools publish this fact on the website but there's a lot of rumors on SDN and I don't know what to believe.

and the KYCOM vs WVSOM thread may answer your question..
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Yup not sure what to think anymore. Sick feeling in my stomach
 
tenndoc said:
Yup not sure what to think anymore. Sick feeling in my stomach
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I'm currently a second year at KYCOM and am very pleased with my education thus far. Please message me with questions about our institution, my education and/or my outlook on the future of KYCOM with regards to the new building.

Medical school is what you make of it.
 
EMTK,

Can you help to clear up some of the rumors about this school?

1. Many people fail the boards and the school has a very low passing rate on comlex/high attrition rate? Did many of your classmates fail out within first 2 years?

2. The rotation sites are horrible with small rural clinics?
 
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To those of you who have already been accepted, congratulations! Make the best of your time off before classes begin, and come ready to work in August.

I'm a current first year student, and I thought I would try my best to shed a little light on the rumors about KYCOM floating around on SDN:

1.) I don't know what percentage of KYCOM pass Comlex Step I on their first attempt. I do know that the basic science faculty I have been exposed to thus far are top-notch, and I would put my basic science education against any other first year medical student in the country. Medical school is absolutely what you make of it, and if you put in the time and effort you can have whatever level of success you want. The great thing about KYCOM is that the school provides us students with every resource we need to be successful (i.e. technology, new textbooks, multi-million dollar clinical skills training facilities, board review courses, etc.). I'm a very independent learner, so this fits my educational style perfectly.

2.) Yes, some of KYCOM's rotation sites are in rural areas. Pikeville is a rural area. Many of KYCOM's students are from rural, underserved areas and will be practicing in these rural, underserved areas. The reason KYCOM was founded was to provide a means to produce primary care physicians for the people of rural Appalachia and the surrounding areas. If you want to be the world's leading pioneer in pediatric astrophysical neuropsychological dermatology research, KYCOM probably isn't the best place for you to reach that goal. However, if you want to learn how to manage patient care, integrate modern science into everyday practice, and serve on the front lines of medicine in our nation's communities, then I think you will be very satisfied with KYCOM's clinical curriculum.

3.) Match lists are exactly what they are - nothing more and nothing less. A match list is a snapshot of a particular class' interests and goals. A "good" match doesn't necessitate a hypercompetitive specialty at a world-renowned academic institution. Myself and many of my classmates chose KYCOM because of it's reputation for producing primary care physicians who practice in rural Appalachia. Many of us will seek "uncompetitive" specialties such as family medicine, pediatrics, and OB-GYN in order to fill the need for primary care docs in our local communities. Some of us, however, will seek (and match into) more competitive specialties such as radiology, orthopedic surgery, and urology (see the previously linked match list from the 2009-2011 classes). To judge the quality of an institution solely based on a match list is short-sighted, to say the least. Ultimately, the quality of an institution is found in its ability to facilitate the growth and development of its students into professionals.

Here's the bottom line: medical education is absolutely what you make of it. There's no way around the hard work necessary to be a good physician. If you are willing to study your butt off and put in the necessary time and energy, you will be able to reach your goals no matter what institution you attend. If any of you have any questions about anything, please feel free to PM me. I would love to discuss KYCOM, medical school, or whatever else is on your mind.
 
Just got several emails telling me what I was missing from my file. Funny thing is that this will be the sixth time that I have faxed those things to pikeville...
 
I got those emails as well, but I haven't sent anything in except for my scrubs and lab coat size...I'm scheduled to get the physical and TB skin test next week so I figure i'll send it all in at once.

As far as my comments about the match list, I completely agree with some of the others, that medical school success will be based on how much I put into it. I'm not worried about the match list, I was just curious how many people pursue other residency programs. I am VERY excited about starting in the fall!

Charlie Hustle, since you're about to finish your first year, knowing what you know now, what would you do differently before you began your first year?
 
Drvolfan said:
Charlie Hustle, since you're about to finish your first year, knowing what you know now, what would you do differently before you began your first year?
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If I could do it all over again, I would definitely spend more quality time with my family and friends before classes started. Don't get me wrong, I got plenty of R & R the summer before M1. But I guess looking back on it, I would appreciate that time with my loved ones a lot more.

Another big thing you want to be aware of is getting all of your proverbial ducks in a row before classes start. Get everything moved into your apartment as soon as possible. Set up your cable and Internet, and learn your way around town. Figure out as much of the "non-school" stuff you can before the first day of class because you don't want to be stressed out about any of that stuff once your courses begin. The last thing you want is to be stuck waiting on the cable guy to show up or driving around trying to remember how to get to the dry cleaners when you should be studying.

Keep the questions coming!
 
What has been your toughest classes so far?

How many hours do you study a day?

Are there any research opportunities?
 
FuturePharm21 said:
What has been your toughest classes so far?

How many hours do you study a day?

Are there any research opportunities?
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Toughest classes (for me) were immunology, neuroscience, and CBDM (cell biology and developmental microanatomy). Immuno requires a LOT of reading outside of the class lecture notes and is often a lot of rote memorization (i.e. cell surface markers, etc.). Neuro is a lot like anatomy in that you must be able to discern exactly where a particular tract is located with respect to another, where the tract decussates, and the clinical relevance of a lesion at any location along the tract (among other things, of course). CBDM is essentially an amalgamation of histology, embryology, and molecular biology. Affectionately known as "cell", this was most of my classmates' most challenging course of the first four blocks. Lots of reading, identifying histo slides, and watching as the same embryo changes names about 600 times before it's born. ;)

Study time will vary from person to person, so don't freak out if you hear some guy in your class tell you that he studied for 15 hours straight the previous day (FYI not the best idea). On a typical weekday, I get home from class around 4 o'clock. My routine from there goes something like this: change clothes, work out, shower, eat dinner with my wife, study until I'm no longer productive, sleep. I don't have a set number of hours that I make myself study each night. I go until I'm not accomplishing anything, then I sleep. Block week is a little different, but it includes the same basic schedule. Just find what works for you and stick to it. If you're having trouble, KYCOM usually holds a study skills seminar at some point during the first few blocks for those who want it.

Research is typically done during the summer between M1 and M2. Several faculty members do research in various areas (microbiology, genetics, biochemistry, etc.), so if that is something you're interested in just approach the faculty directly and ask them about it. Having said that, I'm of the opinion that you shouldn't do research in something just to put another piece of flair on your CV. If you're truly interested in something and you're passionate about the research being done, then by all means go for it. If you're just doing it to be able to say "Look! I did research!" then there are better ways to spend your time.

This is fun! Keep 'em coming!
 
You said that you eat dinner with your wife. What is it like to be a married medical student? What does your wife do? Do you feel like you are able to spend an adequate amount of time with your wife? I'm really worried that I'm going to move my wife away from her family and friend, and right now she doesn't even have a job, and then be so busy that I won't be around to spend time with her.

Any advice?
 
Drvolfan said:
You said that you eat dinner with your wife. What is it like to be a married medical student? What does your wife do? Do you feel like you are able to spend an adequate amount of time with your wife? I'm really worried that I'm going to move my wife away from her family and friend, and right now she doesn't even have a job, and then be so busy that I won't be around to spend time with her.

Any advice?
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It can be very challenging. The thing I always try to remember is that, at the end of the day, I'm a husband first and a medical student second. If you commit to making time for each other, things will work out just fine. Like I said before, we eat dinner together every night, so this gives us a chance to talk about what's going on in each other's lives, put everything else aside, and just focus on each other for a bit. Block week is tough, but we usually plan a small road trip after every block exam. It's a nice way to celebrate completing another block and give my wife the undivided attention she deserves for being married to a medical student (I'd give her a gold medal if I could...she deserves it). I guess my main point is this: there is much more to life than medical school. If you keep in mind the things that are most important in life and commit yourself to those things above everything else, you will be a successful husband and student.

One thing that has really helped out my wife is becoming involved in KYCOM's Student Advocates Association. SAA is an organization made up of spouses and significant others (mostly girls) who get together several times a month to support both the medical students and each other. The morning of every block exam, SAA provides a free breakfast for every student, which is fantastic because cooking a hot meal for yourself will be the last thing on your mind the morning of block exams. SAA also sponsors activites each month for its members such as Zumba, recipe club, play dates for the kids, and several others that are slipping my mind right now. It really is a great organization because it gives our spouses/significant others people to talk to who are going through the same experiences they are (i.e. moving away from home, not knowing anyone, job hunting, feeling lonely, etc.). I would definitely recommend this to your wife.
 
Charlie Hustle:

First of all, thank you for shedding some light onto KYCOM. There is a lot of negative reviews flying around SDN and it is quite nice to see a real review from an actual student.

I am a junior applying this summer to KYCOM, UK, and Louisville mainly. My questions are as follows:

1) Do you feel isolated socially with such a small class size at KYCOM?
2) If one is not "sure" they are going to specialize in primary care is it best to not apply? (I have no idea what I want to do honestly; I could see myself primary care however)
3) Are the students working together or is it a competitive environment? What is the overall "feel" of class rankings, etc?
4) Is there a sweet gym at KYCOM? I lift 4x a week at Murray State U (KY) and this is actually a serious consideration.
5) Do you feel the pressure at KYCOM is less or about equal to other schools (allopathic or osteo)?

Thanks
 
chicago5950 said:
Charlie Hustle:

First of all, thank you for shedding some light onto KYCOM. There is a lot of negative reviews flying around SDN and it is quite nice to see a real review from an actual student.

I am a junior applying this summer to KYCOM, UK, and Louisville mainly. My questions are as follows:

1) Do you feel isolated socially with such a small class size at KYCOM?
2) If one is not "sure" they are going to specialize in primary care is it best to not apply? (I have no idea what I want to do honestly; I could see myself primary care however)
3) Are the students working together or is it a competitive environment? What is the overall "feel" of class rankings, etc?
4) Is there a sweet gym at KYCOM? I lift 4x a week at Murray State U (KY) and this is actually a serious consideration.
5) Do you feel the pressure at KYCOM is less or about equal to other schools (allopathic or osteo)?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Hey, no problem. Just trying to help out.

1.) The size of my class has worked out great for me, and I've definitely never felt isolated. I went to high school in a small town like Pikeville, so I'm used to being in a small class. You will be really surprised at how close you get to some of your classmates; medical school has a way of bringing like-minded people together to support one another. And honestly, you'll spend so much time around your classmates (lectures, labs, club meetings, community service projects, going out after block exams, etc.) you might wish you could isolate yourself from them sometimes :laugh:.

2.) Absolutely not. First of all, nobody is "sure" of what they want to do coming into medical school, and anyone who says they are is full of it. It takes more than shadowing a few docs and reading SDN to be able to make that type of decision. Second, even if you think you'd like to specialize in something other than primary care, you can still succeed at KYCOM. Although KYCOM was ranked 2nd among medical schools producing primary care residents by US News & World Report, you can see from the match list posted a few posts back that if you have interests outside of primary care, you can still match into the specialty of your choice at KYCOM. Definitely don't let that keep you from applying.

3.) It's a mixed bag, really. You have some students who definitely fit the "gunner" stereotype, but the vast majority are pretty laid back (in my class, at least). It's not uncommon at all for somebody to send out a mass email to the whole class with a study guide, helpful mnemonic, useful link to a journal article, etc. Honestly, I'm doing as well as I am in my classes right now because of collaborating and working together with my group of study partners. So, I guess the answer to your question is that some people care a lot about class rankings and some don't, but everyone seems to work together regardless.

4.) The gym that most students use is the Pikeville YMCA. It's pretty much your standard gym: weight room (several benches, squat racks, leg presses, pulley machines, dumbells galore, lots of machines) plus it has a walking/jogging track, several cardio rooms, basketball courts, raquetball courts, and a tennis court. If you're into powerlifting, it isn't the best gym in the world but if you're doing a standard bodybuilding regimen, it will get the job done. It gets pretty crowded during the evenings, so most of the students who go to lift there will go in the mornings before classes or during their lunch break. There's also Mayfield's Boxing Gym if you're into that. I know the university is in the process of building a brand new $1 million athletic facility on campus, but I don't know any details about the specifics of the facility. I'll PM you if I find out anything.

5.) Not really sure what you mean by pressure. There's definitely pressure to do well, but you will find that at any graduate or professional school. If you could maybe clarify what you mean, I will probably be able to give you a better answer.

If you can think of any more questions, ask away. Good luck with the application process! It can be grueling and a bit stressful if you let it, but at the end of the day you just have to decide where you feel the most comfortable and select the school that will best facilitate your development into a physician. You'll only get out of medical school what you put in.
 
Charlie,

Thanks for the info. I have a question about living arrangements. Firstly, I am married with a 3 year old daughter. When we chose our house to rent, we wanted to get a good neighborhood and especially a yard. Because rentals in Pikeville are hard to find, we settled on a house about 15-20 minutes from the campus. Its about 15 minutes to exit 23 and another couple to get to the parking garage.

My question is --- how often are you on campus outside of normal Monday-Friday hours? Do you have to frequently make trips in the evenings/nights/weekends to campus? I am fine with the commute if its mainly Monday-Friday or even a weekend day as well. Im just afraid there may be times when I need to go on campus at night or on the weekends for short trips to study, lab, etc. Trips for all day or something wouldnt be bad but are there times when you go to campus several times a day for short amount of times?

If you had a 15-20 minute commute, how would this have affected things for you? I just want to make sure before I get in the thick of things that we didnt mess up by choosing a place a little further away from campus. But, we also really wanted a decent yard for our daughter because she loves it outside and we are happy where we are renting now.
 
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