Please help me decide - UNECOM vs. Western COMP

Started by karbala72
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karbala72

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So I know there's been similar threads, and I think I've read them all, studied the match lists, etc. and everything else I can get my hands on.

I have acceptances at Western and UNECOM, and am agonizing over the decision. I really liked both schools, for different reasons. I wish I could say I had a "gut" feeling about which one was better for me, but I see strong pros and cons at each school. This is especially true since I have a wife (school teacher) and five year old daughter who will be starting in elementary school, so I feel like the pressure is really on.

Apart from geography, which I know is a huge factor both for life in school and residency options, I was wondering if anyone can comment on the differences between the clinical 3rd and 4th years at each school.

More specifically, is it fair to say that I'll get more exposure at Western because of the large urban setting than in Maine? Additionally, while I initially was thinking I was interested in family practice, now that everything is opening up before me, I don't know what my career plans are. Does going to Western leave me more options at all as far as exposure to various specialties and diverse patient populations?

Finally, if anyone could comment on the way the clerkships work at both schools from the point of experience that would be awesome. I know the main idea from interview day, but it would be cool to hear from anyone that's actually been there.

Thanks so much for the help, and any other advice you might offer. 🙂
 
I think your wife and kid will be less bored if you went to COMP. I think you'll get more exposure in clinicals at COMP, especially since there are other med schools in the immediate area and you can rotate with some of their students. Also I think they admit the higher quality DO students. The campus is a dump though.

I don't know anything about UNECOM, except that students can buy lobster for $2/pound at the docks, which is the only reason I applied there.
 
karbala72 said:
So I know there's been similar threads, and I think I've read them all, studied the match lists, etc. and everything else I can get my hands on.
Click to expand...

It's pretty apparent that you haven't, or else this thread wouldn't exist.
 
Flip Flops vs. Snow Boots 😀

I can't emphasize how important being close to family has been for me. I highly recommend you stay close to loved ones so you can run home and get that refreshment when things get tough (and unfortunately, they do get tough once in a while)
 
JenHeart said:
Flip Flops vs. Snow Boots 😀

I can't emphasize how important being close to family has been for me. I highly recommend you stay close to loved ones so you can run home and get that refreshment when things get tough (and unfortunately, they do get tough once in a while)
Click to expand...


Thanks JenHeart. Are you at one of these schools? I'm in Northern CA, as is all my family, so location is definitely a factor. On the other hand, there's something very appealing about going somewhere as idyllic as Maine after having lived in the california urban malaise my whole life. I feel like it might be better for my daughter to not have to go through what I did growing up in San Francisco.

But anyway, any other thoughts on 3rd and 4th year clinical differences?
 
karbala72 said:
So I know there's been similar threads, and I think I've read them all, studied the match lists, etc. and everything else I can get my hands on.

I have acceptances at Western and UNECOM, and am agonizing over the decision. I really liked both schools, for different reasons. I wish I could say I had a "gut" feeling about which one was better for me, but I see strong pros and cons at each school. This is especially true since I have a wife (school teacher) and five year old daughter who will be starting in elementary school, so I feel like the pressure is really on.

Apart from geography, which I know is a huge factor both for life in school and residency options, I was wondering if anyone can comment on the differences between the clinical 3rd and 4th years at each school.

More specifically, is it fair to say that I'll get more exposure at Western because of the large urban setting than in Maine? Additionally, while I initially was thinking I was interested in family practice, now that everything is opening up before me, I don't know what my career plans are. Does going to Western leave me more options at all as far as exposure to various specialties and diverse patient populations?

Finally, if anyone could comment on the way the clerkships work at both schools from the point of experience that would be awesome. I know the main idea from interview day, but it would be cool to hear from anyone that's actually been there.

Thanks so much for the help, and any other advice you might offer. 🙂
Click to expand...

Let me begin by saying congratulations on your acceptances to both schools.

I’m currently a first year student at UNECOM and I can give you some general insight about the school, however, not so much about specifics of the third & fourth years.

As far as exposure is concerned, you have to remember that we are Maine’s ONLY medical school (no MD school as you know) and in my opinion we have better access to resources (e.g. clinicians/hospitals) and also if you are interested you could go to an urban area for your third year rotations (e.g. Newark/Providence). The fourth is scheduled by you anywhere in the country which also gives you more opportunities to rotate at your desired hospitals/sites which can help you get accepted into your desired residency program. On the flip side, you have to schedule them so it requires a bit more work on your part.
Also, you do not have to live in Biddeford if you don’t like small towns and you could choose to live in Portland which is a lot bigger than Biddeford (nothing compared to California though).

Also, if you choose to apply to allopathic residency, east coast is much more DO-friendly than California, simply because there are more DOs on this side of the country and East Coast Residency Directors have had a lot more exposure to UNECOM students than Western.

Having said all of that, go where you feel you are most comfortable spending at least the next two years of your life. UNECOM/Maine was a great fit for me but that might not be the case for you.
If you have any specific question regarding the first two years, let me know…


ILikeFood said:
I think your wife and kid will be less bored if you went to COMP. I think you'll get more exposure in clinicals at COMP, especially since there are other med schools in the immediate area and you can rotate with some of their students. Also I think they admit the higher quality DO students. The campus is a dump though.

I don't know anything about UNECOM, except that students can buy lobster for $2/pound at the docks, which is the only reason I applied there.
Click to expand...

I’m glad that you mentioned that you don’t know anything about UNECOM after you decided to comment about the quality of its students!!!! Although from the comment it was apparent that you don’t know anything about UNECOM and emphasizing that was a bit redundant…

By the way Lobster depending on the season is $7-$12/lb….
 
Another factor to take into consideration is where you will rotating. Since you have a child and a wife, you more than likely will want to rotate around your "homestead." See if both schools will require you to travel during years 3 and 4. Your wife and daughter are more than likely going to keep you sane during that time.

Also, don't underestimate the concept of family. Like you, I was accepted to completely different schools (PCOM vs VCOM) but loved both. Blacksburg, VA is not Philadelphia, PA. They are very different. However, my parents and family live about 1.5 hours from PCOM and 7.5 hours from VCOM. That was one of the deciding factors for me, even though I saw myself at both schools.
 
Thanks a lot for the input Bala565! I'm actually starting to lean more toward UNE at this point, but I think mostly for subjective reasons and out of concern for quality of life for my family. As Bacchus points out, being far from home will almost certainly be a big challenge, but I'm thinking at the moment that small town life may be a better fit for us than the greater L.A. area (I was born in LA, so no disrespect SoCal folks!).

I'm still having a tough time, however, assessing any significant and substantive educational or clinical differences between the two schools. I suppose the good part is that I haven't heard anyone from either school raise any major "red flag" issues that would be a deal breaker; everyone seems pretty positive about their respective schools, which I feel speaks well of both the institutions and the state of osteopathic education more broadly.

I didn't realize that the East Coast was more DO friendly for residency, but what you say does seem to make sense.

Is it your overall impression (or does anyone else know) if UNECOM graduates seem pretty satisfied on the whole (albeit exhausted, of course) with how their clinical years turn out? I read an extensive thread regarding Western about this, but I haven't been able to track down updated info on this on SDN for UNECOM. Of course it will depend on the site. How about Southern Maine, for example?

My apologies if I haven't mastered my google-fu and am being repetitive.
 
If you go into the osteopathic forum, located below this one on the main page, there is a thread called "Pros and cons of your DO school." Good read and it gives multiple opinions and also shows how the schools have changed.
 
Yes, I was reading that and there was a lot of good info in there until it degenerated into some kind of worthless MD vs DO debate. Maybe I should go back and see if it's been resuscitated yet. 🙂
 
Ya it was pretty sad that happened. I wish the mods would just delete that worthless garble from what is otherwise a FANTASTIC thread.

Or even better, people could just use some self control and avoid engaging spammers....👍
 
lobster was $2/lb a couple months ago when it was $4/lb at Walmart. It's a little more expensive now - $6/lb at the grocery store. About $5/lb at the docks.
 
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