School Selection Final Day Help

[joeception]

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I just want to make sure I am not shooting myself in the foot and could use some advice as deposits for schools are all for the most part due tomorrow. My ultimate goal is to be a practicing physician in CA but not in the big areas such as southern CA or the bay area but I would like to practice in the Central Valley. I currently hold acceptance with AZCOM, DMU, and Western - Pomona and will hear back in a few days from KCU and Touro-CA. I currently paid the deposit for DMU as it seems as the school that would support me most as a student and I plan on taking a dual degree route. How much of a disadvantage would I be putting myself at for residency spots in CA by choosing to go to school out of state? And could this partly be fixed by choosing to do audition rotations in CA?

I could use some last minute advice as it is tough to know what is the most important things when making the final selection for a school.

 

[ZatAnteater]

Lots to take into consideration like specialty, your board scores, etc. Audition rotations might help, but they don't help nearly as much as people think they do. You've got lots of people auditioning and thinking they can "outperform" other applicants.

If it's central CA, I doubt you'd have that much of a problem matching there, especially since you're a state resident. But I think your best bet would be to go to Western Pomona. It's a California school that people are somewhat familiar with and you can build connections with alumni and physicians who are practicing in California, so it'd definitely be easier to match than if you went to DMU. California is a hot spot. If you look at most residency programs there (depending on specialty), the residents have usually gone to a California school or were residents of the state beforehand.

 

[Osminog]

If you look at most residency programs there (depending on specialty), the residents have usually gone to a California school or were residents of the state beforehand.

OP is a California resident.

OP, choose whichever school you want. You'll probably be able to match in CA.

 

[joeception]

Lots to take into consideration like specialty, your board scores, etc. Audition rotations might help, but they don't help nearly as much as people think they do. You've got lots of people auditioning and thinking they can "outperform" other applicants.

If it's central CA, I doubt you'd have that much of a problem matching there, especially since you're a state resident. But I think your best bet would be to go to Western Pomona. It's a California school that people are somewhat familiar with and you can build connections with alumni and physicians who are practicing in California, so it'd definitely be easier to match than if you went to DMU. California is a hot spot. If you look at most residency programs there (depending on specialty), the residents have usually gone to a California school or were residents of the state beforehand.

Thank you for the response, I am incredibly conflicted. Looking at where graduating classes match is consisted with what you are saying as well with California schools matching to California residency spots. One of my biggest conflicts is that I felt a much better fit at DMU then at western with both the program and the surrounding area. I have a lot to consider for sure.

 

[joeception]

OP is a California resident.

OP, choose whichever school you want. You'll probably be able to match in CA.

That would be fantastic, the cycle isn't completely over and I could potentially score a really late interview for a UC but I think the out of state DO schools I have interviewed for have just more to offer.

 

[Osminog]

Thank you for the response, I am incredibly conflicted. Looking at where graduating classes match is consisted with what you are saying as well with California schools matching to California residency spots. One of my biggest conflicts is that I felt a much better fit at DMU then at western with both the program and the surrounding area. I have a lot to consider for sure.

Keep in mind that geographic distribution of residency matches largely reflects self-selection. In other words, it may very well be the case that a majority of students at DMU didn't want to end up in California, not that California residency programs didn't want DMU grads.

Also, keep in mind that most DMU students aren't CA residents like you, so you have an edge over them when it comes to applying to CA programs.

I vote DMU.

 

[joeception]

Keep in mind that geographic distribution of residency matches largely reflects self-selection. In other words, it may very well be the case that a majority of students at DMU didn't want to end up in California, not that California residency programs didn't want DMU grads.

Also, keep in mind that most DMU students aren't CA residents like you, so you have an edge over them when it comes to applying to CA programs.

I vote DMU.

That is what I was considering as well. The fact that many of the students are from the Midwest so probably would like to stay there. Thank you for your response, as the deadline got closer I just was less sure of the decision I wanted to make.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

I would have to disagree with the others here. Based on my observations most CA programs are familiar with Western, Touro-CA/NV, AT Still and AZCOM. These students are "trusted" more since the programs have a general idea of the quality of rotations and the graduates coming from these institutions. While true that DMU is a good school, its representation here is poor and could make an MD-trained PD (most) second guess the quality of the applicant. Unfortunately osteopathic schools suffer from very poor clinical training overall, which directly translates into the possibility of matching.

 

[joeception]

I would have to disagree with the others here. Based on my observations most CA programs are familiar with Western, Touro-CA/NV, AT Still and AZCOM. These students are "trusted" more since the programs have a general idea of the quality of rotations and the graduates coming from these institutions. While true that DMU is a good school, its representation here is poor and could make an MD-trained PD (most) second guess the quality of the applicant. Unfortunately osteopathic schools suffer from very poor clinical training overall, which directly translates into the possibility of matching.

Darn, out of curiosity why does DMU have a poor representation? It seems to be a really great program and is one of the older DO programs. I have today to make my final decision and it truly is difficult.

 

[Chibucks15]

Darn, out of curiosity why does DMU have a poor representation? It seems to be a really great program and is one of the older DO programs. I have today to make my final decision and it truly is difficult.

It just has poor representation in CA. I'm an M1 here and in the Midwest DMU is pretty well known. The kinds of students DMU seems to get are more likely to stay in Iowa/the midwest. So lack of name recognition is the main culprit since there aren't as many grads that want to head out to Cali

 

[Chibucks15]

Also OP PM me if you have any direct questions

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Darn, out of curiosity why does DMU have a poor representation? It seems to be a really great program and is one of the older DO programs. I have today to make my final decision and it truly is difficult.

It'll be well known in the midwest, but it is virtually unknown in the west coast.

People are not wrong in saying there is some degree of self-selection because of where most students are from, but they are wrong in pretending it can't have a negative impact if you are one of those wanting to go to the west coast.

 

[Osminog]

It'll be well known in the midwest, but it is virtually unknown in the west coast.

People are not wrong in saying there is some degree of self-selection because of where most students are from, but they are wrong in pretending it can't have a negative impact if you are one of those wanting to go to the west coast.

AlbinoHawk, when someone posed a similar question to OP's in 2014 (in that case, Western vs. KCUMB with a desire to do CA residency), this is how you replied to someone (Ibn Alnafis MD) who was recommending Western:

Disagree. I wouldn't pick [Western] if I had other places to go now that I know it.

What has caused the change of heart?

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Thank you for the response, I am incredibly conflicted. Looking at where graduating classes match is consisted with what you are saying as well with California schools matching to California residency spots. One of my biggest conflicts is that I felt a much better fit at DMU then at western with both the program and the surrounding area. I have a lot to consider for sure.

IMO the bolded in your statement is most important.

If you aren't happy as a student, you won't perform as well, which in the end can ultimately decrease your chances of matching to a specific region of the country if it is a more desired area (I'm generalizing CA as a whole as "more desired" here; irrespective of southern vs. central.)

 

[Chibucks15]

It'll be well known in the midwest, but it is virtually unknown in the west coast.

People are not wrong in saying there is some degree of self-selection because of where most students are from, but they are wrong in pretending it can't have a negative impact if you are one of those wanting to go to the west coast.

I wasn't saying it was well known out there? I'm from the midwest, go to school in the midwest, and am going to practice in the midwest. So believe it or not I was giving my opinion on the midwest. Also, not everyone wants to go back to Cali. School choice always affects your chances regionally unless you're from Harvard or something

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

AlbinoHawk, when someone posed a similar question to OP's in 2014 (in that case, Western vs. KCUMB with a desire to do CA residency), this is how you replied to someone (Ibn Alnafis MD) who was recommending Western:



What has caused the change of heart?

Western does suck, but the reality is that I didn't know much about residency match as I do now. I believed the general consensus that it didn't matter where you go, and the truth is it doesn't for MD students for the most part, but in the DO world one faces real discrimination and any bit of leverage must be pulled.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

I wasn't saying it was well known out there? I'm from the midwest, go to school in the midwest, and am going to practice in the midwest. So believe it or not I was giving my opinion on the midwest. Also, not everyone wants to go back to Cali. School choice always affects your chances regionally unless you're from Harvard or something

I actually hadn't seen your reply when I wrote mine, so please dismiss any coincidence.