Touro Nevada Vs AZCOM

[YammyYum]

Hi! Could someone please give me some insights into Touro Nevada vs AZCOM, please? I've been thinking for more than a week, but I still can't make a decision due to conflicting information I have read. Here are my pros and cons list for these schools:

TOURO NEVADA
Pros

• close to home (~3.5 - 4 hours driving)
• close to vegas, food, lots of places and amenities that i can find myself enjoying while destressing
• COA is ~94k
• weather is probably a little bit milder than in Glendale, AZ (?)
• feel like I would fit in with the students better (VIRTUAL interview)
• smaller class size (180 versus 250 at AZCOM)
• system-based curriculum
• rotation sites seem to be slightly less spread out

Cons

• newer school/less established
• in Vegas - My boyfriend is going to move with me. He is a web developer, but Vegas doesn't have as many jobs for him compared to Glendale/Phoenix. He'll look for a work-from-home job, but there's no guarantee he would find one
• clinical rotation during 3rd year: from what I understand, students are assigned to rotate with preceptors (private physicians) and they follow the preceptor to whichever hospitals the preceptor goes to. I was told by one person that most of the time you're able to rotate in a hospital if you want to, but another person told me that you can end up rotating at private offices for 50% of the time. I just have never heard of this "type" of rotation before, so I don't know if it would be worse/better/essentially the same with the regular rotation. Does anyone know if rotating at a hospital versus rotating with a preceptor would make any difference at all?

AZCOM
Pros

• More students end up specializing (?)
• Seems to be more established. Found different departments (OB/GYN, IM, surgery, anesthesia, patho, physio, etc) on AZCOM website with electives that sound very appealing to me (Vascular Surg, Transplant Surg, Ped Gastroenterology, Pediatric Card, etc.). I just couldn't find any equivalent information on Touro Nevada, so I don't know what to make of Touro in regards to this. With that said, AZCOM doesn't have a residency program, so I don't think that having these academic departments would make a big difference in term of residency application. Does anyone have any insights on this?

Cons

• farther from home (~5.5 to 6 hours driving)
• 1-2 tests per week at 7AM or 8AM
• subject-based curriculum
• higher COA (~108k)
• some bad reputation posted on Reddit recently about how the school made 4th-year student volunteer at the hospital or something like that during COVID
• one month of rural rotation, which isn't what I want to do
• has rotation sites close to home (in CA), but I heard AZ rotations are more superior, so most likely I'll have to live in AZ for 4 years
• I also had a good impression but I don't feel like AZCOM is as supportive and close-knit as Touro Nevada. I don't feel like I would fit in here as well as Touro Nevada either (in-person interview)

Overall, I can see myself living in Nevada much much more than in Arizona, but AZCOM seems like it would give me a better education/more opportunities (based on my own research). With that said, I have never found a match list from AZCOM. Although I have different specialties in mind (EM, IM, and derm - RIP), I'm leaning more toward EM/IM, but my prime priority is to have as many doors open for me as possible. My second priority is to match back to CA. However, I have also heard a lot (mostly from SDN and Reddit) that where you end up in residency depends almost completely on you and not the school, for DO schools at least. In regards to research, I've talked to students from both schools, and they all said that research is easy to find (although honestly, it's all relative, so I really have no idea how to compare them in terms of research).

With regards to tuition, some people suggest to go with the cheaper school and also just in case I fail med school (hopefully that's not gonna be the case lol), but some also say that the difference is going to be a drop in the bucket. Overall, I've received very conflicting information when it comes to choosing DO schools. Which school do you think would be better for me?

Thank you for reading!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DoctorBambi]

Following thread for a friend who is also deciding between these two schools. Granted, he’s from Cali but also leaning more towards TUNCOM for similar reasons to you. He was able to attend the interview in person and felt that it was a good fit. On the flip side we attended MWU master’s program together so there’s some level of familiarity with AZCOM curriculum and testing schedule. Idk if that’s a pro/con for him, just that he knows more of what to expect. @Goro do you have any advice or insight on these two schools?

 

[Goro]

Well, both are in the middle of deserts, so your friend will have to deal with 120 degree summers.

I think AZCOM has significantly more tuition, so I'd go with TUNCOM.

 

[DoctorBambi]

Well, both are in the middle of deserts, so your friend will have to deal with 120 degree summers.

I think AZCOM has significantly more tuition, so I'd go with TUNCOM.

Thanks for the quick response! Does that mean that on all other levels apart from tuition, the two schools are fairly equal?

 

[Goro]

Thanks for the quick response! Does that mean that on all other levels apart from tuition, the two schools are fairly equal?

In my book, yeah. But in Vegas, at least you get the casino buffets. Although the mayor IS a sociopath.

 

[YammyYum]

Well, both are in the middle of deserts, so your friend will have to deal with 120 degree summers.

I think AZCOM has significantly more tuition, so I'd go with TUNCOM.

Thank you so much for your response, Goro!

Could I ask you for your opinions on Touro’s clinical rotations? Does it make any different that students are assigned with preceptors then go to the hospitals with them (rather than being assigned to the hospitals themselves)?

Also, what do you think about Touro Nevada not having the academic departments mentioned on their website? AZCOM has them and that makes me feel like I would have more opportunities to explore different subspecialties, but Idk if that makes any difference since AZCOM doesn’t have their own residencies anyway.

Thanks in advance for your time and response

 

[YammyYum]

Following thread for a friend who is also deciding between these two schools. Granted, he’s from Cali but also leaning more towards TUNCOM for similar reasons to you. He was able to attend the interview in person and felt that it was a good fit. On the flip side we attended MWU master’s program together so there’s some level of familiarity with AZCOM curriculum and testing schedule. Idk if that’s a pro/con for him, just that he knows more of what to expect. @Goro do you have any advice or insight on these two schools?

Wow! so glad to heard there’s someone else on the same boat! I’m honestly very conflicted. When does he have to make a decision do you know? And is it okay if you let me know later what he ends up choosing?

Also, what do you guys think about AZCOM’s crazy testing schedule? Do you happen to know what’s the time commitment for OMM during 3rd and 4th years?

Thank you

 

[Goro]

Thank you so much for your response, Goro!

Could I ask you for your opinions on Touro’s clinical rotations? Does it make any different that students are assigned with preceptors then go to the hospitals with them (rather than being assigned to the hospitals themselves)?

Also, what do you think about Touro Nevada not having the academic departments mentioned on their website? AZCOM has them and that makes me feel like I would have more opportunities to explore different subspecialties, but Idk if that makes any difference since AZCOM doesn’t have their own residencies anyway.

Thanks in advance for your time and response

Best to ask in the school specific forums.

 

[DoctorBambi]

Wow! so glad to heard there’s someone else on the same boat! I’m honestly very conflicted. When does he have to make a decision do you know? And is it okay if you let me know later what he ends up choosing?

Also, what do you guys think about AZCOM’s crazy testing schedule? Do you happen to know what’s the time commitment for OMM during 3rd and 4th years?

Thank you

I’m not sure when his deadlines to make a decision are but yeah I’ll ask about it and also update you on what he decides. I know traffic day for DO schools was yesterday so I’m assuming you guys have to make a decision fairly soon?

As far as being in the master’s program, the testing schedule was exhausting but the good thing is that it forces you to stay on top of the material. I can see how it will be something new for some people to adjust to, it certainly was for me. One of the students that I spoke to from the student panel on interview day had also done the masters program. He said that 1st year, the schedules are similar in testing frequency but 2nd year is more intense so I’m a bit nervous about that.

To be honest, I don’t know about the 3rd/4th year time commitment to OMM because I didn’t really have much contact with them. I can ask around and try to find out though!

Congrats on your A’s and good luck with your decision!

 

[YammyYum]

I’m not sure when his deadlines to make a decision are but yeah I’ll ask about it and also update you on what he decides. I know traffic day for DO schools was yesterday so I’m assuming you guys have to make a decision fairly soon?

As far as being in the master’s program, the testing schedule was exhausting but the good thing is that it forces you to stay on top of the material. I can see how it will be something new for some people to adjust to, it certainly was for me. One of the students that I spoke to from the student panel on interview day had also done the masters program. He said that 1st year, the schedules are similar in testing frequency but 2nd year is more intense so I’m a bit nervous about that.

To be honest, I don’t know about the 3rd/4th year time commitment to OMM because I didn’t really have much contact with them. I can ask around and try to find out though!

Congrats on your A’s and good luck with your decision!

For me, I have to make a decision by the 25th (2 weeks from my acceptance letter).

And you so much for all of the info. I wish you the best as well!

 

[readmypostsMD]

In my book, yeah. But in Vegas, at least you get the casino buffets. Although the mayor IS a sociopath.

loved that interview with Anderson Cooper. “I rode the subways in nyc!! I know how this virus stuff works!!”

 

[DoctorBambi]

Hey @YammyYum! Just wanted to wish you the best at TUNCOM! I haven’t talked to my friend in a couple of days but I can still update you later on if you’d like.

 

[YammyYum]

Hey @YammyYum! Just wanted to wish you the best at TUNCOM! I haven’t talked to my friend in a couple of days but I can still update you later on if you’d like.

awwws thank you so so much for your wish! I also hope you the best at whichever medical school that you will end up at! You will so great!
Yes, that would be great. I’m still very interested in knowing which one he ends up choosing! It took me almost entirely 2 weeks going back and forth