Pikeville

[Thalamus]

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Anyone know anything about Pikeville? I see they have provisional accreditation...as do a couple of the others. Has anyone interviewed there or know any students? The curriculum looks great.

 

[Yosh]

I have spoken to them..but am awaiting an interview...hopefully

They are VERY nice.....

 

[PCSOM2002]

I am currently a 2nd year at Pikeville. The school has provisional accred. which means that once they graduate their first class(May 2001) they will be fully accred. The school is nice. The students and faculty are very friendly. I got accepted to 3 other osteopathic schools but chose Pikeville based upon the atmosphere here. It is probably the most student friendly school in the country. Most of the kinks of a new school have been worked out thanks to my class and the one before me so do not worry too much about that aspect.

 

[Thalamus]

Thanks 2002! I am excited to hear from them. I see the male/female ratio is 71/29...is that a misprint? ( I am female)
Also, I see ther are apt. on campus. Do most students live there, and what are they like?
What is the community like? Opportunity for community service?

Yosh---best wishes to you! I see your name alot on this site. How is your process going? Interviews, offers, impressions?

Looking forward to talking to you soon!

 

[PCSOM2002]

Thalamus, I don't know what the literature said about housing, but the only housing on campus is in the dorms. About 5 med students live there. The rest of the dorm is filled with undergrads. The rest of the students live in off campus housing. Rent is very affordable, however you must actively seek housing as this is a small town, but housing is available. Ask student affairs for a list of housing opportunities if you get accepted. The male female ratio sounds about right. In my class there are 21 females in a class of 65, and the numbers are similar for the freshman class. The community of Pikeville is great. The people are nice and are very excited to have a med school in town. Community activities abound, and as more students come into town the opportunities get even more numerous. As I mentioned before, Pikeville is small, pop. ~7,000, so if you are from a metropolitan area it will take a little adjusting, but we have fun (when we have time). In case you didn't know, all of your books are provided to you, you are given a laptop computer (yours to keep), stethoscope, ophthalmoscope, and ototscope are also provided. A lab coat is presented to you at the white coat ceremony at the beginning of school. There is no note taking service. Profs. give you their notes, and the school pays for your membership to SOMA (Student Osteopathic Medical Assoc.), KMA (Kentucky Medical Assoc), and the KOMA (Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Assoc.) They will also pay your fee for step 1 and 2 of the boards. All of this is included in your tuition. A great deal. Like I said before, a very student friendly school. Best of Luck! I'll check back.

 

[RollTide]

Do you know if the standards for admissions are higher for applicants outside of Kentucky? I live in Alabama and understand that Pikeville prefers Kentucky residents but was wondering if the out of state students in your class had a tougher road to admission if you have any idea. I find Pikeville to be very appealing but am somewhat discouraged by the low number of matriculates from out of state. Your insight is greatly appreciated.

 

[DocGibby]

Rolltide,

Pikeville's primary mission is to recruit applicants from the underserved Appalacia Region, in hopes that once they graduate they will return to serve there. You'll probably need top numbers to get in. Or hail from a very underserved region, yourself.

------------------
DocGibby
MSUCOM class of 2004

[This message has been edited by DocGibby (edited 11-10-1999).]

 

[PCSOM2002]

Roll Tide, I can speak about your question very intelligently because I am from outside of KY. I am from Mississippi and graduated from the UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA--ROLL TIDE!!!!!!. Pikeville looks very favorably upon students from the South especially TN, MS, and AL. Portions of these states are in the Appalachian area and fit very well into Pikeville's mission. Your grades, test scores, etc. do not to be any higher than a KY residents. The key is to have your application materials in early. If you are willing to practice primary care in a rural or underserved area within Appalachia or the southern states you will get consideration.

 

[RollTide]

When looking through the Pikeville catalog I noticed a couple of students from the University of Alabama....Its good to hear from someone who was sucessful at gaining admission. Would you mind commenting on the structure of interviews at Pikeville? Thanks again for giving those of us inerested in Pikeville some insight.

 

[Kate]

How tough are they on Texas residents? Pikeville sounds like a great place to live while getting a medical education.

 

[PCSOM2002]

Roll Tide, the interviews at Pikeville are very laid back. The interview will last about 30 minutes. The panel consists of usually 1-2 basic science faculty and 1-2 clinical faculty. The questions for the most part are general. Be prepared to speak affectionately about rural underserved areas and primary care. This school is VERY big, this cannot be overemphasized enough, on primary care in Appalachia and other underserved areas. They seek those people who will fall into this category, and will reject quality applicants, i.e. gpa >3.7 and MCAT >27 if they are not willing to do primary care. This comes straight from the dean's mouth. Overall, almost everybody says that their interview was very good.

Kate, we currently do not have a student from Texas, but we have a few students from the more western states. One form Idaho, Utah, Illinois, Missouri. You might have a little bit more difficulty in getting accepted, but remember they are not going to rule you out just because of your location. We even have a guy in our class form New York City. Once again, the key is to get your materials in early. Pikeville does not start interviews until the middle of this month, but the class usually fills quickly. The last interview is usaully in March or April and only a handful of slots will be left, if any. If you are sincere in becoming a primary care physician and to serve in an underserved area, then you have a shot. Just make sure they know that early (personal statement). Pikeville is a nice place to attend medical school, there are not alot of distractions.

 

[Kate]

Thanks for the info. I did stress the desire to be a rural, primary care physician in my secondary. Maybe I'll get a chance.

 

[jbong]

Kate,
I have to agree with PCSOM 2002,I am from Chicago, and I went to UofI Champaign for undergrad. I was just notified about an interview on 12/18 at the school. SO hang in there! You got a chance!
Good Luck

BTW, Does anyone know the best way to fly into/near Pikeville?

Bong

[This message has been edited by jbong (edited 11-15-1999).]

 

[PCSOM2002]

jbong, the closest airport to Pikeville is Huntington, WV. From there it is about an hour and a half down US 23 (4 lane beautiful drive). The second closest is Charleston, WV. It is about 2 hours (4 lane except for a small strech of about 10 total miles. From Lexington, KY it is about a 2 and a half hour drive. From Louisville, KY it is about 3 and a half hours. You might also look into Johnson City, TN. It is about an hour and a half drive up US 23 (4 lane). Hope this info helps.

 

[jbong]

Thanks man!

 

[Froggit]

I know two people from the first class at Pikeville (2001) and feel the need to mention a few things I've heard (at length) from them...

First, not everyone at Pikeville feels that the school is that 'student friendly.' My friends there report what amounts to a poor environment towards women (one described a high feeling of "good 'ol boy syndrome") and that the administration hasn't done much to effect change. And for those who don't play along with the status quo, your voice is not heard very much.

Second, the quality of the faculty, while very strong in OMT, varies wildly in other departments and the turnover has been very high for their class.

Lastly, the town is tiny and *remote* (2 hours from anything along windy mountain roads) and predominately impoverished (with a few exceptions--there are some wealthy people in the town but a minority) and that people aren't all that trusting of outsiders. I've had a couple of long phone calls with my friends there about this topic and I don't know if most people from outside the area feel very comfortable there. So visit and view the school with care in that respect if you're not from a rural southern state.

Finally, the clincal situation for my friends is not working out too well either this year--there is little hospital experience and the rotations have an abnormally large proportion of clinic and office time. Rhe quality of the docs out in these remote rotation locations seems to vary quite a bit (i.e. sometimes quite poor). And apparently you only get a couple of electives and they're forced on you by month, which means you won't have much chance to seek internship/resid11ency oppy's. outside KY or in more populated areas. Look very closely at Pikeville's clinical years before you enroll.

Take or leave these comments, but understand that there is another side of the story. Investigate well and draw your own conclusions--maybe the school would work well for your needs despite what I've heard.

F.

 

[PCSOM2002]

Frog, you are giving an impression of a school and area you have never been a part of. Your friend may be holding a grudge for some reason and therefore providing a totally negative attitude in regards to everything associated with the school. Pikeville is a new school and yes is not perfect, but nothing is going to be perfect regardless of where you attend medical school. I have heard some of the same complaints that you mentioned about Pikeville told by students at UHS in Kansas City, but I am not in Kansas City and therefore will not speak negatively about it. Allow me to address a few of your friends "complaints." (1) The faculty has had some turn over, but they have been replaced and let me tell you the new profs are great. Professors leave school every year at every medical school. No difference here in Pikeville. (2) The number of clinical sites have increased and even more are on the way. You are assigned to a physicain for a rotation. You have hospital work during these rotations. Sure you are not at Johns Hopkins for every rotation, but most of the physicians are great clinicians and you as a student are given much more personal training than if you were #4 down the list at a major medical center. (3) Some classes are great some are lacking, but I have had that at every school I have ever been affiliated with in the past, and I believe everybody else has also. (4) The school is very open to females. I believe you would find it difficult to locate a single female student in the 2002 class that feels they are treated unfairly. I believe the problem was with a certain few 2001 class members and not the school. PCSOM is a good school and is only getting better with time.

 

[Froggit]

Clinical training not like "John's Hopkins?" Let's be realistic here--the clinical training isn't even on par with the "University of Kentucky" (where I was an undergrad). Overstating the difference won't improve it. And I know what the clinicals are like because I've discussed them at length with both friends. And they report a lot of disappointment from many students. And they're not the complaining type generally.

On many of your other points, I can only concede that I'm not a student there--that's true. But Pikeville is an unusual school in its location and mission, and people should expect an experience consistent with these and it should fit their career interests. For example, don't go to Pikeville stating that you want to be a remote clinician when you actually intend to practice in Pittsburgh. Because you'll have one heck of a time getting a job with that clinical background.