Touro COM - New York, Harlem (TouroCOM-NY, Harlem) Discussion Thread 2016-2017

[AlteredScale]

Space reserved for prompt.

Please PM the essay prompts when available and I will update this.

Good luck to everyone applying!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[bengalsfan0525]

Has anyone sent in an application to here yet? Just curious on turn around time for secondaries.

 

[Big&Juicy]

Secondaries come in very late. You will most likely get it in September. My recommendation is that you do not apply here or fill out the application. Save the $200 and use it elsewhere. This school focuses way too much on taking your money.

 

[hopefulERdoc251]

If you're curious regarding Big&Juicy's claim, take a look at this thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/panicking-school-forcing-me-to-defer-or-transfer.1207331/

 

[Big&Juicy]

Still haven't arrived at a solution, ERdoc

 

[NotYou20]

If you're curious regarding Big&Juicy's claim, take a look at this thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/panicking-school-forcing-me-to-defer-or-transfer.1207331/

Came here to link the same thing. Be careful guys, and only apply to schools you'd be comfortable going to. The school you go to is going to have a lot of control of your future for 4 years. And if you make a mistake you want people who will go to bat for you. I highly doubt Touro will do that.

There's an undergrad that's advising against this school as well. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...efer-or-transfer.1207331/page-4#post-17887655

 

[achitn]

.

 

[MADD!!!]

Wish I didn't even send my primary here...

 

[DOrocker0930]

What's wrong with this school? I am from CA. I applied to both California and NY Touro schools....what should i be worried about exactly....im getting nervous

 

[doczebra]

What's wrong with this school? I am from CA. I applied to both California and NY Touro schools....what should i be worried about exactly....im getting nervous

Both Touros take the highest mcat students but get blown out of the water by other DO schools on USMLE/COMLEX.

Or that most students do not want mandatory attendance until 3-5pm every day.

A typical day at TouroHarlem:
-8am-12pm: talk with your friends in clicker/lab about sports/music/movies/etc
-Lunch
-1-5pm: Surf facebook/reddit/etc 1pm-5pm in clickers again. Most are too tired to talk anymore
-5pm-Midnight: Go home and now at 5pm you start doing what other students at other schools started at 8am (cram lecture videos + take notes)

Other typical med schools:
-8am-12pm: optional lectures where you learn live or skip and watch recordings at home
-1-3 pm: lab
-3pm-6pm: study on your own for another 2-3 hours

While it's still early in the cycle, I urge you NY residents to take NYCOM much more seriously. If you're not from NY, look at PCOM, Nova, KCUMB, DMU, RVU, Rowan, and Marian.

 

[ParallelLines]

Both Touros take the highest mcat students but get blown out of the water by other DO schools on USMLE/COMLEX.

Or that most students do not want mandatory attendance until 3-5pm every day.

A typical day at TouroHarlem:
-8am-12pm: talk with your friends in clicker/lab about sports/music/movies/etc
-Lunch
-1-5pm: Surf facebook/reddit/etc 1pm-5pm in clickers again. Most are too tired to talk anymore
-5pm-Midnight: Go home and now at 5pm you start doing what other students at other schools started at 8am (cram lecture videos + take notes)

Other typical med schools:
-8am-12pm: optional lectures where you learn live or skip and watch recordings at home
-1-3 pm: lab
-3pm-6pm: study on your own for another 2-3 hours

While it's still early in the cycle, I urge you NY residents to take NYCOM much more seriously. If you're not from NY, look at PCOM, Nova, KCUMB, DMU, RVU, Rowan, and Marian.

What exactly are you doing from 8 - 5 PM aside from clickers?

 

[doczebra]

What exactly are you doing from 8 - 5 PM aside from clickers?

It's just clickers and labs. Actual learning occurs from the videos and notes once you get home.

 

[DoctressM]

Guys, how do you apply to Middletown? Are there separate apps for them? I only saw one on AMCAS

 

[ayanzbreeze]

im so disappointed. already paid for the primary application.

 

[Like]

im so disappointed. already paid for the primary application.

If you would have read the last few pages of that thread, you would have seen that the issues at the school were resolved. Still a top choice for me!

 

[himitsuda]

Guys, how do you apply to Middletown? Are there separate apps for them? I only saw one on AMCAS

You send the primary to TOURO NY and then when you receive the secondary you'll get the chance to choose between Harlem and Middletown.

 

[SkiBum8]

I just got an e-mail from TOURO saying they would begin reviewing my primary application on August 31st. They mention in their e-mail that if I meet the minimum GPA and MCAT requirements, they will send me a secondary. However, on their website, I can't for the life of me find what those numbers actually are....

Does anyone know the minimum MCAT and GPA requirements for their DO program to be eligible for a secondary?

 

[MADD!!!]

I just got an e-mail from TOURO saying they would begin reviewing my primary application on August 31st. They mention in their e-mail that if I meet the minimum GPA and MCAT requirements, they will send me a secondary. However, on their website, I can't for the life of me find what those numbers actually are....

Does anyone know the minimum MCAT and GPA requirements for their DO program to be eligible for a secondary?

I can't either, but it's something close to the TUNCOM and Touro-CA ones. Probably a 500-502 MCAT min. and 3.0 or 3.2 gpa??

 

[Peach Newport]

Both Touros take the highest mcat students but get blown out of the water by other DO schools on USMLE/COMLEX.

Or that most students do not want mandatory attendance until 3-5pm every day.

A typical day at TouroHarlem:
-8am-12pm: talk with your friends in clicker/lab about sports/music/movies/etc
-Lunch
-1-5pm: Surf facebook/reddit/etc 1pm-5pm in clickers again. Most are too tired to talk anymore
-5pm-Midnight: Go home and now at 5pm you start doing what other students at other schools started at 8am (cram lecture videos + take notes)

Other typical med schools:
-8am-12pm: optional lectures where you learn live or skip and watch recordings at home
-1-3 pm: lab
-3pm-6pm: study on your own for another 2-3 hours

While it's still early in the cycle, I urge you NY residents to take NYCOM much more seriously. If you're not from NY, look at PCOM, Nova, KCUMB, DMU, RVU, Rowan, and Marian.

On COMLEX Touro does great on step 1 but seems to fall well short of the national average on step 2 and 3. Where are you getting USMLE scores? I have never seen a DO school post USMLE scores.

 

[Atpxn]

Hey guys, current OMS-I at Touro Harlem. I just want to say that the issue regarding transfers and deferrals could have been handled a lot better sooner, but I believe Touro did the best it could and managed to find a decent solution. As for the USMLE and STEP stats, they'll give you presentations on those during orientation. The schedule is more like you're either in a morning block or afternoon block. Classes consist of clickers and 10% of your grade comes from that so it's not exactly mandatory but highly recommended (great way to test your knowledge and brush up on things you may have missed during self study). Also, I understand everyone has different study styles. Idk much about the CA and NV campuses but the Middletown and Harlem campuses definitely emphasize self study and like I mentioned, classes are really just clickers and explanations of the answers. However, there's a wealth of resources available for incoming first years; it's more a matter of how motivated you are at learning the material by yourself and knowing which resources to use. If anybody has questions, feel free to PM or post and I'll answer to best of my ability. Good luck to all of you.

 

[doczebra]

First things first, dont take advice from someone 3 weeks into school who hasnt even written their first test. Everyone loves Touro the first 2 months.

1) Without the 10% clicker marks, you will absolutely fail PD, OMM, and Path. One fail=remediation. Two fails = committee meets to decide to remediate you or kick you out. Three fails=automatic expulsion.

2) Touro isn't a self learning environment. Touro has more class hours than most other schools. We were at school until 3-4-5pm.

3) Touro has had the lowest comlex 2 score IN THE NATION ten years running. We're still at a fail rate of 20%.

4) There's a 10% chance that you will not graduate from Touro. Six fourth year students were blocked from graduation this summer and tried to sue the school. That was just the fourth years kicked out. In my class, we've already had four students disappear. Do you want a ten percent chance of 300k debt and no degree?

5) Touro for, the first time beaten the national average on comlex1 by 0.06 standard deviations. Now if you want a decent specialty, you should aim for +1.0 Standard deviation on comlex1 & 2.

The step 1 score is terrible considering:
a) More than 50% of the class had done an SMP at Touro or elsewhere
b) Touro's average mcat being 4 points higher than overall DO average
c) The average first two years at Touro being insanely harder than other MD and DO schools. That comes down to the over-testing, huge volume of minutiae, and time wasting in class

 

[Peach Newport]

First things first, dont take advice from someone 3 weeks into school who hasnt even written their first test. Everyone loves Touro the first 2 months.

1) Without the 10% clicker marks, you will absolutely fail PD, OMM, and Path. One fail=remediation. Two fails = committee meets to decide to remediate you or kick you out. Three fails=automatic expulsion.

2) Touro isn't a self learning environment. Touro has more class hours than most other schools. We were at school until 3-4-5pm.

3) Touro has had the lowest comlex 2 score IN THE NATION ten years running. We're still at a fail rate of 20%.

4) There's a 10% chance that you will not graduate from Touro. Six fourth year students were blocked from graduation this summer and tried to sue the school. That was just the fourth years kicked out. In my class, we've already had four students disappear. Do you want a ten percent chance of 300k debt and no degree?

5) Touro for, the first time beaten the national average on comlex1 by 0.06 standard deviations. Now if you want a decent specialty, you should aim for +1.0 Standard deviation on comlex1 & 2.

The step 1 score is terrible considering:
a) More than 50% of the class had done an SMP at Touro or elsewhere
b) Touro's average mcat being 4 points higher than overall DO average
c) The average first two years at Touro being insanely harder than other MD and DO schools. That comes down to the over-testing, huge volume of minutiae, and time wasting in class

a few questions

1) why does Touro do the flipped classroom with clickers, etc? They already have profs come in and run the clicker session, why not just do a normal lecture with optional attendance?
2) do you think the flipped classroom is the reason behind the poor performance on COMLEX 2? If not, why do you think the performance is so bad?
3) if 4 or 6 people didn't graduate out of a class of more than 135, why do you say it's a 10% chance of not graduating? Isn't that more of a 3-5%?
4) how will us OMS1s survive?

 

[sdhere1234]

Reading so many negative things about the Coastal Touros.

Wonder if I'm even going to fill out this secondary

 

[Phoodie]

Got the secondary about a half hour ago!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[doczebra]

a few questions

1) why does Touro do the flipped classroom with clickers, etc? They already have profs come in and run the clicker session, why not just do a normal lecture with optional attendance?
2) do you think the flipped classroom is the reason behind the poor performance on COMLEX 2? If not, why do you think the performance is so bad?
3) if 4 or 6 people didn't graduate out of a class of more than 135, why do you say it's a 10% chance of not graduating? Isn't that more of a 3-5%?
4) how will us OMS1s survive?

I posted the 4 and 6 for different situations. I was trying to convey that 4 students are lost after step 1, and another 6 students are lost after step 2.

 

[Peach Newport]

I posted the 4 and 6 for different situations. I was trying to convey that 4 students are lost after step 1, and another 6 students are lost after step 2.

Can you elaborate on that? Why would students leave after failing the boards the first time? They get kicked out after failing the boards for the first time? When I spoke to a faculty member they said that Touro technically has a limit to how many times you can fail the boards (3 times I think) but it's not enforced and a few students took them more times.

 

[born2run]

Got the secondary about a half hour ago!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

+1


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Just received a secondary.

 

[parttimebookworm]

I can't seem to find the personal statement tab on the secondary. Anyone else find it?

 

[Phoodie]

I can't seem to find the personal statement tab on the secondary. Anyone else find it?

It's on the left side.

 

[Phoodie]

Side note, this is one EXPENSIVE secondary

 

[sdhere1234]

Applied to 3 Touros and had to fill in this **** all 3 times. so ****ing stupid.

 

[gigi24]

Side note, this is one EXPENSIVE secondary

How much..

 

[Phoodie]

How much..

Two Ben Franks


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[sdhere1234]

Also they have an upload feature but they want us to print it out, scan it, then email it back?

For 200 bucks they should at least make things a little easier...

 

[gigi24]

Two Ben Franks


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Wow.....

 

[Makethatcargowooot]

--

 

[sdhere1234]

Only saw this because a friend told me but, I'm a current 3rd year TouroCOM-NY student. I thought I would put my own stats (the only ones I can actually report).

My stats:

MCAT (took once): 31
GPA: 3.5
USMLE step 1: 230
COMLEX 1: 606

Your personal success is all about self discipline and study, so I don't really think it mattered exactly about hours spent in school vs away. People just learn as much as they are willing to learn. I want to do Internal Medicine, and so far I'm exactly where I need to be to do that. Touro has been a great school and I'm proud to be a student here.

Thanks for the input. Are you in Harlem or Middletown?

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

So do they literally want my personal statement? Or are we supposed to type a separate essay?

And...I'm sorry... $200?

EDIT: I think I'm out guys... Best of luck to you all!

 

[Nickerbocker]

Applied to 3 Touros and had to fill in this **** all 3 times. so ****ing stupid.

Nicely put

 

[Nickerbocker]

Looks like this is essay prompt--
On a separate word document, please discuss how your background, experience or academic program has prepared you for meeting Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Mission, Goals, or Objectives. Consider addressing a few areas: Why Osteopathic Medicine: Have you been exposed to a diverse environment? How did you contribute? How have your academic background and personal experiences prepared you for medical school? How were you influenced by a shadowing Experience?

 

[gigi24]

So do we have to upload and send it separately by email? Or just email?

 

[Peach Newport]

It's better to think of the Secondary fee as paying $100 twice, because you're applying to 2 campuses. That's why it's $200. Two campuses, two chances to get an II. It's still expensive, but not exploitive. Everyone I know who applied to Touro Harlem/Middletown with an MCAT above 30 got an interview.

On a side note, Touro may take high MCAT students, but it feels like they compromise on GPA more than other DO schools. Most DO schools I know will not take a student with a 3.0/33+, but Touro just might. I know quite a few people at Touro who fit this description.

I applied last year with a 3.12/ 34 MCAT, interviewed at Touro and was waitlisted. One year later I had a 4.0 in a Master's and got 6 interviews... Only got into Touro though.

 

[Ioannes Paulus]

Hey guys, current OMS-I at Touro Harlem. I just want to say that the issue regarding transfers and deferrals could have been handled a lot better sooner, but I believe Touro did the best it could and managed to find a decent solution. As for the USMLE and STEP stats, they'll give you presentations on those during orientation. The schedule is more like you're either in a morning block or afternoon block. Classes consist of clickers and 10% of your grade comes from that so it's not exactly mandatory but highly recommended (great way to test your knowledge and brush up on things you may have missed during self study). Also, I understand everyone has different study styles. Idk much about the CA and NV campuses but the Middletown and Harlem campuses definitely emphasize self study and like I mentioned, classes are really just clickers and explanations of the answers. However, there's a wealth of resources available for incoming first years; it's more a matter of how motivated you are at learning the material by yourself and knowing which resources to use. If anybody has questions, feel free to PM or post and I'll answer to best of my ability. Good luck to all of you.

How many students are in your class and how is the school dealing with the increased class size?

 

[Peach Newport]

How many students are in your class and how is the school dealing with the increased class size?

On day 1, we were at 156, but I think once orientation passed we came down to 153 or so. I'm pretty unclear as to how they're dealing with it, and no one I talk to seems to know. However, It doesn't really feel like we're "overcrowded." The lecture halls are crowded but there are enough seats for everyone if you're not picky about who you sit next to (keep in mind it's not just the 153 DOs, but also some 60 (???) or so master's students, so the lecture hall has at least 200 people. We're 7-8 students to a cadaver in anatomy, which doesn't feel too ridiculous. If anyone else from Touro knows, please post.

 

[hodge14]

If I'm at around 3.55 (with a Master's degree and publications), 29 mcat, will that give me a fighting chance? I didn't realize they put so much emphasis on the MCAT


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Peach Newport]

If I'm at around 3.55 (with a Master's degree and publications), 29 mcat, will that give me a fighting chance? I didn't realize they put so much emphasis on the MCAT


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

My gut tells me 50/50 chance at II, with a better chance if you have qualities that fit with their mission.

 

[hodge14]

My gut tells me 50/50 chance at II, with a better chance if you have qualities that fit with their mission.

Thanks for the honest and quick response! Here's hoping. All the best, everyone!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[MADD!!!]

If I'm at around 3.55 (with a Master's degree and publications), 29 mcat, will that give me a fighting chance? I didn't realize they put so much emphasis on the MCAT


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

You have a very good chance. Not sure what you're scared about.

 

[hodge14]

You have a very good chance. Not sure what you're scared about.

Sorry, international student (Canada) - so, I assume I need higher stats haha


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile