to Future COMPers

[mig2k]

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This message is for all you peeps out there that are deciding between COMP vs other schools.

A little about myself. I'm currently finishing up my 4th year (thank god) at COMP, did mediocre on boards, and gunning for a tough residency.

Having done rotations all over CA and MI and having met many many students (DO and MD) from many different schools, I can safely say, COMP is not that bad. Its not great, but its not bad. If you are deciding between COMP vs another DO school, COMP does pretty damn well holding its own. You must all realize that ALL schools (DO and MD) have problems. ALL schools. I have not met ONE student that is completely satisfied with their school. People will always bitch about _something_(I know I do 🙄 ). You guys would be amazed how bitter some of the other students from the other DO schools are.

The most important good (as I see it):
1. Its in CA
2. Strong rotation hospitals/sites <- IMPORTANT
3. Lots and lots of elective rotations (6 total! some schools have only 2)

The bad:
1. Mediocre boards
2. Corrupt school (haven't talk to one student yet whose school isn't corrupt, so this point is moot)
3. Mediocre faculty/didactics

So would I choose COMP again? If you asked me this question during my first two years, I would say 'no'. But having 'wizened' up after 4 years, I would definitely choose COMP again. If you are gunning for a tough residency, 6 elective rotations is monumental to your success.

Good luck everyone.

Miglo
WesternU MSIV, DO2004

 

[Adapt]

Tight. Miglo, thank you very much for that post.

You won't believe how many students from COMP just complained about the school particularly, xxyy. I think he/she is your classmate. Anyways, thank you for the post as COMP is on the top of my list for now.😀

 

[Pooh Chong]

I was just accepted into the CNT (COMP Northwest Track) and wondering if you much information about it? I've heard people say they "heard" good things about it...but if any COMP students want to comment! If WesternU is exceptional due to the rotations...then would doing rotations in the northwest rather than CA take away from one of the main reasons why to attend WesternU?

 

[DoHzA]

What are the "tough residencies" you are referring to?

cuz now you got me thinkin
so i want to weigh my options here

 

[scubadiva]

Thanks!

I think the difference between COMP and the other schools is that COMP had their dirty laundry aired out in the open while all of the other schools still has their lirty laundry in a closed hamper.

Although I know for a fact that COMP really beats their students the first two years, but the reward comes later in the form of pretty good opportunities for rotations.

 

[fishy]

From a 1st year COMP'er

It is about time somebody posted a Positive Post on COMP! Sick of hearing people moan about it! Have the distinct impression that the people posting are the bottom feeders that have nothing better to do but complain. FACT: COMP has a crappy location, VERY hard 1st two years, and ?laundry? that stinks to high heaven! FICTION: COMP sucks and you are doomed to be a bottom feeder for the rest of your life if you attend COMP!

Med School is what you make of it! You can go to Harvard, and come out an idiot of a physician, OR you could attend *cough* COMP and look like a genius! It is up to you, your attitude, and your personal motivation.

Work hard!

 

[mig2k]

Dohza: Anything outside of FP, IM, Peds is tough. Check the residency forums. I'm applying for rads and the competition is simply insane right now.

As for the poor board scores. WesternU is not great, but its not too terrible. For me, my boards are pretty mediocre (than again, I suck at taking standardize tests). We have both people that fail and people that scored 95%+ on USMLE and COMLEX. The didactics won't help you as much. You will do well if you study ON YOUR OWN (like most school). If you are looking to be spoon-fed, you're not going to find it at Western.

Medschool is a means to an end. As soon as you realize this, the sooner you will be happy. ;D

Pooh Chong: The good thing about westernU rotations is that they have a lot of ties to many hospitals/rotation sites. If you plan to do residency in the northwest/practice in the northwest/etc. then why not go to the school in the northwest?

This message goes out to the person that said Western is too getto. They obviously haven't seen a lot of medical schools. 😉

Miglo

 

[Pooh Chong]

miglo -

You pointed out a good thing, why not go to school in the northwest. There is no osteopathic school in the northwest and this is why COMP has made such a program available. If I could be @ OHSU or U of W then I would take it, but OHSU is extremely difficult for out-of-staters & and U of W is difficult enough for in-state applicants....I do not have my hopes up too much.

 

[svalenzuela02p]

Hey I am not trying to bag on western It is just hard to adjust to such a different environment after going to a school that has a huge campus, teaching facilities/hospital and a multimillion dollar building for the med students.

 

[kpax18]

we had a guest lecturer the other day (a prestigious ped geneticist) bringing patients to her lecture for clinical case study. she mentioned that she would not even consider bringing them to other nearby med schools and instead wouldnt think twice of presenting them at our lecture. food for thought 😉

 

[DoHzA]

so what's the deal???
is it better to take biochem and anatomy at a community college in the spring or wait for that 4 week course in the summer offered by western.

reason i ask is because supposedly that 4 week class is broken up into 3 weeks of anatomy and then 1 week of biochem and pharmacology...how could u learn anything in that 1 week?

lemme know
por favor