PNWU vs. TouroCOM Montana vs. Western MS-DO

[premed-dodo]

I got into PNWU, Touro College Montana, waiting on Western MS-DO program (conditional linkage) but I want to get ahead with my planning. I do have a strong focus toward learning medicine for the underserved community. I'm not entirely sure what field I want to go into, but from my past experiences, I'm interested in both internal medicine and general surgery (lol).

PNWU
Pros

• Beautiful facilities and location; established program; student-run clinic in underserved area
• P/F curriculum
• Love the colder weather and have close friends in Seattle and Vancouver (long drive still, but I live in CA where we drive everywhere)
• I snowboard
• Strong match list
• Amazing premium wineries (lol)

Cons

• Research is almost non-existent - you do have to be extremely self-sufficient to pursue research

TouroCOM Montana
Pros

• Montana has many severely medically underserved communities - would love to help build and strengthen the medical community in Montana (just clarifying, underserved = bad, but helping improve = good)
• Touro University system - strong name in DO world and know I will get a solid medical education
• McLaughlin Institute is 15 minute walk away - a research institute so it is easy to get involved with research

Cons

• New school; I'll be the 2nd class to matriculate if I get it - so will go through all new school issues like uncertainty, lack of established student programs (but I'm also excited at the prospect of being a pioneer and positively impacting the school as well)
• No match list yet because it is a new school

WesternU COM MS-DO conditional linkage
Pros

• In CA, where most of my friends and family live
• Can commute from home; I'm 30 minutes away
• Extremely supportive faculty
• High match list in CA residencies - which is where I want to end up in the far future

Cons

• Conditional linkage; I'm confident that I can make the GPA cut-off, but it is an additional year of intensive studying - it is NOT easy according to many students - I'm thinking about the mental health costs
• You have to submit an AACOMAS application and interview during the 1 year MS - 100% of the students who get above the GPA cut-off get in, but again... the mental health costs
• 1 year of MS + 4 years of DO = 5 year MS-DO program vs. a 4 year DO - I'm ready to move onto medical school; already did a graduate (MS) program
• Additional year of tuition costs as well

Summary: Mainly struggling with cons: PNWU research, TouroCOM Montana new school, WesternU MS-DO the 1 year MS intensive.

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[darkeon]

PNWU all the way. you're in med school. don't do the MS and always go to the more established school. finding a lab to take in free labor for a summer isn't hard. easy choice in my mind

 

[premed-dodo]

PNWU all the way. you're in med school. don't do the MS and always go to the more established school. finding a lab to take in free labor for a summer isn't hard. easy choice in my mind

Thank you for the answer! Would you go with PNWU even if the weaker established program is part of the Touro system?

 

[darkeon]

Thank you for the answer! Would you go with PNWU even if the weaker established program is part of the Touro system?

Totally, some of the bigger name DO brands are opening up more campuses, but it doesn't mean they will get the same perks that going to their main school does, if anything you'll have just the same obstacles as any new school, especially of that of a DO school

 

[premed-dodo]

Totally, some of the bigger name DO brands are opening up more campuses, but it doesn't mean they will get the same perks that going to their main school does, if anything you'll have just the same obstacles as any new school, especially of that of a DO school

True. Thank you for the insight!

 

[m1redsox]

PNWU, no question!

No need to waste a year or attend a brand new school.