TCOM

[Crusader]

Just a quick word about TCOM...

I was recently accepted to TCOM, my first choice after having been devastated by the MCAT. Last year I scored a 24 and so I took a Kaplan course to improve my score, and guess what... it didn't I got a 24 again. I was crushed! But TCOM to the rescue. I, against all odds got an interview, and with the help of my family DO (class of '85) got the call from Paula!!!!! Now I am anxious to hear who else was accepted and what your views on TCOM are compared to other Texas schools. I was also wondering if anyone else got in with a lower MCAT? I would also love to read of other "acceptance" stories. Here's to meeting fellow classmates... btw you can check out my homepage at http://members.home.net/samclark1/SAMNAMYLAND.htm feel free to email me too from my page. See you July 31st!!!!!!

Sam Clark
TCOM class 2004
yippee

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[hankhill]

If you don't mind posting, what is your GPA like?

 

[Crusader]

No, I don't mind. Obviously to get into med school with a 24 MCAT everything else needs to be pretty good. My GPA was a 3.8. I was fortunate to have an excellent bio teacher in high school who prepared me well for the rigors of college, although I did go to a small private university. If you would like to know any other specifics please do not hesitate to ask.

Sam
TCOM Class 2004

 

[DoctorK]

I received my call from TCOM in December, and TCOM was my first choice after I fell in love with the place last March. I shadowed a TCOM graduate and I shadowed a first-year student. My MCAT was okay, a 28Q (10V, 8P, 10B), and my GPA is now a 3.71. However, I went to Southwest Texas State University after high school and made a handful of poor grades and withdrew from several classes. I still graduated Cum Laude in 1992, but I was concerned that these blemishes would hurt me. My post-bacc work made up for that. I received interviews almost everywhere I applied and was also admitted to UTMB (Galveston). Email me if you want...see you in Fort Worth!

------------------
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dreams.

--Willy Wonka

 

[asta]

Just got into TUCOM myself! Anyone know when we get info on Financial Aid and housing?

Can't wait to see you guys there.

:^)!

 

[abc]

I have an interview with TCOM in the next two weeks. Maybe you guys could help me 'cause i'm having a second thought about going to their interview. First of all, I have already been accepted to several schools including umdnj-som, nycom and pcom. I would love to spend the next four years in the sunny west coast, but I heard that TCOM is a fairly new school. I heard that (and please correct me if I'm wrong) they haven't even had a graduating class yet. Their campus is still under construction. I believe they have lots of potential as a new school...but.. I don't know... how do you compare TCOM and say... NYCOM. Is it worth it for me to fly all the way there for the interview?

 

[DoctorK]

You must be thinking of TUCOM...not Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. If you do get an invite to TCOM (Texas), I would advise you to go. It's been around since 1970 and has a great reputation. Don't know much about TUCOM...

 

[Duo Degree]

doctorK is correct. TCOM has been around for quite a long time and is very well respected. our new president is also the former surgeon general of the US army so i expect more recognition. if you want to talk about numbers(which dont always tell the entire story), the TCOM student body profile performs better than most DO schools and many MD schools in terms of MCAT, GPA, and board pass rates. its not the west coast, but TX is nice too. the backside of the campus of TCOM faces downtown fort worth which is very pretty at night. by the way...make sure you know which school you are going to interview with...it might be embarassing otherwise.

 

[DO Boy]

TCOM averages:
27 MCAT, 3.6 GPA

See you on campus DoctorK, Duo, and Sam. Congratulations! We've got an incredible journey in front of us!

DO boy
TCOM 04

 

[Crusader]

ABC,

I have talked to many pre-meds in my journey which has ended up at TCOM. One of the resounding themes is that TCOM is one of the best kept secrets in the state of Texas. I say secret because we have 7 other med schools, all allopathic, and many students that have "seen the light" have chosen to come to TCOM over the MD schools. Now I don't know much about the other DO schools but TCOM is located in the cultural district of Ft Worth, which is very nice. In short come and see what TCOM has to offer you, if you decide to go somewhere else you won't have to think about the what ifs. Besides you probably won't see the beach much in California anyway

Sam Clark
TCOM Class 2004

 

[abc]

how embarassing!!! i goofed... TCOM ...TUCOM... sorry, my bad!

 

[DO Boy]

To be fair, the people at Tech did say that Tech is "the best kept secret in Texas" too.

It seems like more than one school is claiming this "honor"...

DO Boy

 

[Crusader]

DO Boy,

I understand about Tech, but the point I was trying to make was that most everybody knows about the 7 MD schools in Texas if they have gone through the pre-stages of the applications process. What people do not know is the DO school in Texas which is quite good. Many students don't even apply to AACOMAS. I was not implying that TCOM was "the only best kept secret" but simply based on numbers of applicants TCOM gets compared to the MD schools, it is more of a secret than the others. Also the reply was in response to someone deciding whether or not to come down for an interview at TCOM, so I felt that the comment was to build up TCOM, not to compare it with others in Texas. At any rate I have heard good things from all schools I have visited. By the way how would you rank the 8 med schools in Texas?

Sam

[This message has been edited by Crusader (edited 03-03-2000).]

 

[DoctorK]

Did any of you guys know that TCOM is leaving AACOMAS for the entering year 2001 and will be part of the whole Texas System application service? It's true...there's an update about it on the application service website.

My personal rankings are based on what I'm looking for in a med school: friendly, not-too-competitive atmosphere, development of clinical skills, class size, etc. I'm less concerned about numbers.

1. TCOM

2. UTMB (I turned down UTMB to go to TCOM)
3. Tech
4. Houston
5. A & M
6. UTHSC-San Antonio
7. Baylor
8. Southwestern

Probably much different from most--most people I know who interviewed at Southwestern ranked it number 1! Anyone else?

------------------
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dreams.

--Willy Wonka

 

[drusso]

Got the URL for the application service?

 

[DoctorK]

Here's the url...let me know if this doesn't work for you. When you get there, look under the Special Announcements for EY2001. That's where the info about TCOM joining them will be.
http://dpweb1.dp.utexas.edu/mdac/homepage.htm

 

[Pepe]

Crusader,
One good thing about Texas, at least as far as I've seen is that all the schools are good. I interviewed at TCOM and was very impressed by everything about the school. In terms of ranking, mine is a little different than Dr. K's. I didn't interview at A&M, Baylor or Southwestern. But at the schools I interviewed with I would say:
1) UTHSCSA
2) Tech
2) TCOM
4) Houston
Tech was definitely a pleasent suprise and I would recommend to anybody to at least interview if you are given the chance. On a side note I think it is a great idea for TCOM to join the match because this will allow the school to see who really ranks them number one. Anyway congratulations to all of you that got into TCOM.

 

[reed99]

Originally posted by Crusader:
DO Boy,

To throw in my 2 cents, of the schools I have personally interviewed at I would rank them as: 1) TCOM
2) A&M
3) UTMB
4) UTHSCSA
5) Tech
6) Houston
I am going to be at TCOM so I am somewhat biased, but I was impressed with the staff, the buildings and labs, and the area generally is great! In addition, the osteopathic philosophy is a better fit for me.

 

[DOPhD student]

1) UT Southwestern
2) Baylor
3) Texas A & M
4) UT galveston
5) UT San Antonio
6) UNT
7) UT Houston
8) Texas Tech

[This message has been edited by DOPhD student (edited 03-03-2000).]

 

[DO Boy]

Well, damn...they always change the application process to make it easier for everyone who applies AFTER me, but I think that's great that TCOM joins up with the UT app process.

I'm about to go to TCOM one more time for another visit. I had to leave right away after my interview so I didn't get to see too much which is why I'm going again. More importantly, during the tour no one showed me the teaching hospital. Although TCOM for me was the NICEST, most pleasant interview experience out of the med schools i interviewed at, TCOM was the only one not to run me thru the hospital where we will be learning, following 'terns and residents.

Anyone know the main teaching hospital? Is it JPS? Do they receive a lot of patients? Do they have a wide spectrum of procedures that they do? What rotations will we be doing there in the main hospital? I don't think I even saw a clinic other than the gastroenterology clinic that I passed by on the way to the admissions office!

Anyone know some details about where we will be doing the majority of our inpatient/outpatient training and how extensive these facilities are?

Why wasn't I shown these things?!


DO Boy

p.s. That new Patient Care Center (which I was never shown) seemed kinda small for inpatient services...

 

[HW]

About clinical training at TCOM:
1. Most required core rotations are at Osteopathic Medical Center of Texas which is across the street from the medical school. most students do their medicine and surgery rotations there. Its ~300 bed private hospital.
2. There are some core rotations set up at John Peter Smith, like medicine, psychiatry.
3. The new outpatient pavillion only houses family practice and pediatrics right now, the top two floors are yet to be finished.
4. There are lots of other opportunities that are set up through TCOM -- most students go to UT Health Center in Tyler for pulmonary medicine
5. Lots of people go to Driscoll Children's hospital in Corpus Christi for pediatrics
6. The 3 month family practice rotation is done at one of the school's many clinics in the city, including the one on the main campus
7. I haven't listed all the options
So there are plenty of choices, our school's institution aka "the O" has good rotations, but others may be better elsewhere. Hopefully with the new integrated curriculum you guys will get to know the clinical faculty earlier and it will add to your clinical training years.
Haley Wagner
TCOM class 2000

 

[drusso]

Just as Haley said, core rotations are done at either OMCT (aka "The O"), JPS, DFW in Grand Prarie, and probably by the time you're ready to begin, Plaza Medical Center. Other rotations, such as pulmonary medicine, are available out at Tyler. Peds is done at the Children's Hospital at Driscoll. Electives can be done at JPS or just about anywhere else you want. (I know someone who set up Heme/Onc at Parkland in Dallas.)

 

[Duo Degree]

Yes..i heard that plaza medical recently joined. what led to that change? why do some of the rotations take you so far away? (ie corpus and tyler) how long are you away for and where do you live? is it possible arrange rotations so that they are all here in the metroplex?

 

[drusso]

It simply has to do with where our school has fostered training agreements. It is possible to do all your rotations in the metroplex, but it is also nice to get away from time to time, experience rural medicine, or do "audition" electives at programs you're interested in for residency.

Plaza joined the North Texas Medical Education Consortium because 1) The osteopathic profession is trying to increase the number of residency programs available for DO's---we're bleeding out about 2/3 of our graduates to MD programs principally for two reasons a) geographic contraints, b) lack of tertiary care-based training programs; and 2) the hospital decided it wanted to pick-up some of medicare GME $$ (about $100,000/resident) plus medical student training stipends (considerably less).

 

[lucky7377]

hello

i interviewed at TCOM on feb 4th. haven't heard from them. its been over a month. i am afraid to call them. should i give them more time?

Mike. ([email protected])

 

[Crusader]

Mike,

I have heard through the grapevine that TCOM has already reached their quota of automatic acceptances, and they are now wait listing everybody. That is not to say you may not get in but interviewing so late has made it where even if you are an "acceptable" candidate you will be waitlisted and ranked. As others decline TCOM acceptances those wait-listed will be admitted in the order they are ranked. To your question of is a month too long, remeber they said give it at least six weeks. If you have any other questions let me know.

Sam

 

[apollosrt]

Call them! They said that 6 weeks is the longest it should take to hear about an interview... if you haven't heard from them, call!

 

[Selinaam]

I am currently interested in applying to TCOM. Does anyone know the median age range of students and if there are a mix of ages? I am interested in talking with students (perspective DO or MD) that are considered nontraditional in terms of age. Is there anyone out there who decided a little later to pursue a medical education?

 

[DO Boy]

If I remember correctly, the people at the interview said the average age was 26 (or was it 25?), 3.6 GPA, and 27 MCAT.

But it seems to me that 26 yrs old was kind of young for the student body that I saw on campus. I don't know, maybe everybody that I saw looked older for their age.

Damn, am I excited to go to this excellent DO skool!

DO Boy,
TCOM 04

 

[lucky7377]

Thanks Crusader and Apollo for your suggestions and comments. They put me on a wait list. Do you know anyone who has been accepted that might be withdrawing or deferring? Also how come they dont give out your rank. hope to see you out there.

 

[Crusader]

Lucky,
Don't know of anyone deferring personally, but you can imagine there will be a few at least. If you know Lisa Maldanado really well she might give you a clue as to how close you might be to getting in. If not... I wouldn't push it. Last year people got in the day after orientation

.

Crusader

 

[apollosrt]

With all of the other great medical schools in Texas, it is likely that as people get accepted elsewhere they may choose to attend a school other than TCOM. While you want to stay positive and keep some hope, you may want to start planning on what you will do if you don't get accepted (if you haven't been accepted elsewhere). Although no med school will tell you this, I have heard that re-applicants have a much better chance of getting in their second time around (as long as they show a continued interest in medicine and do something in the meantime to prove it!)

 

[josara]

I interviewed at TCOM 2-29, and received a waitlist letter 4-1. On 4-4, I got a phone call from TCOM offering me an acceptance. YEAH!! I am on three other waitlists, and it is such a relief to finally make plans. I am 28, my gpa is 3.18, mcat 31. I am so scared and excited at the same time.

 

[DoctorK]

josara,

You're from San Antonio? I'm from SA and so's a friend of mine who's going to TCOM. E-mail me if you want to discuss...

Kristi

------------------
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dreams.

--Willy Wonka