TOURO-NY or KCOM?

[hcomet]

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Okay, I know that I posted a similar thread when deciding between KCOM and LECOM, but i would value everyones opinions on this as well.

I have made an (incomplete) pro/con list again...

KCOM:
pros:
-reputation. Oldest DO school in the country, people know what KCOM is, might help when applying to residencies, etc. Large plus.
-atmosphere. students and teachers and administrators are VERY supportive and friendly
cons:
-location: middle. of. nowhere. might be good, no distractions, but literally, this is my biggest gripe. (family/friends all live on the east coast).

TOURO-NY:
pros:
-LOCATION. nyc baby. close to home. close to friends. lots of medicine related opportunities in the city and surrounding areas.
cons:
-potentially location. in nyc you are competing with a bazillion other medical student in many other schools (MD schools) located in the city...this might make getting residencies/specific rotations around the city more difficult
-reputation. newer school, perhaps not as well known when applying to residencies, etc

other things to consider:
rotation sites: i THINK both are on a lotto system. kcom rotations are more spread out, while TOURONY rotations are all on the east coast...if anyone has more info on rotations at either school, let me know!
residency match: i am pretty sure im not interested in primary care, so if anyone has any ideas about which school has better specialty match rates/which one may have a slightly lesser emphasis on primary care id love to hear it ( i know ALL DO schools emphasize PC, but you know what i mean...)

...i think what it boils down to is this: i would LOVE to go to school in harlem/closer to home, but i dont know if it is worht it if KCOM is THAT much of a better school and can get me more opportunities in my future as a DO.

Thanks for your help!

 

[timthetool]

If reputation is important, then obviously KCOM. they have a traditional curriculum which works.

If location is important to you, at all, then KCOM is NOT your school. Kirksville is in the middle of nowhere. You can't deny this and if you think your education will be effected by it, then seriously take this into consideration.

Touro is a new school, so it doesn't really have much of a reputation, although it's first match list is quite impressive. Tuoro doesn't rotate through the big Manhattan hospitals, but electives there should be easy to secure. The same can be said about KCOM though with electives.


So it comes down to Reputation versus Location, which is more important to you?

 

[hcomet]

I really dont know!

I want to do what is best for my career.

Location is nice, but if KCOM is going to set me up better to become a more successful doctor, then im willing to sacrifice location (its only 2 years...)

but if going to KCOM isnt going to significantly help me by having a better reputation, etc. then id rather be in new york city.

decisions decisions!!!

 

[timthetool]

I really dont know!

I want to do what is best for my career.

Location is nice, but if KCOM is going to set me up better to become a more successful doctor, then im willing to sacrifice location (its only 2 years...)

but if going to KCOM isnt going to significantly help me by having a better reputation, etc. then id rather be in new york city.

decisions decisions!!!

Both will prepare you to become a solid doctor, as evidenced by the school's match list's. If you have a geographic preference for residency, say you want to stay in NYC, the Touro might set you up better for that. But, having said that, if you want to do residency in NYC, KCOM will get you there too...but there will just be a little more traveling involved with electives and such.

Theoretically, KCOM will set you up better just because of it's reputation, but realistically, both will enable you to do whatever you want to do. Med School is more about personal motivation than what school you attend...so to put it simply, where could you see yourself? Where will you be happier?

 

[LesBois88]

We've had no issues with "not being known" at TouroCOM as far as I know. Perhaps it is because the Touro name has been in existence for quite some time, just not at this location.

Our students have no problems getting electives, and our 3rd year schedule is advantageous in that it allows us to get an early start in an elective of our choice.

I honestly believe you can get what you want from either school. Just keep cost in mind- if KCOM's total cost of attendance is much lower, that should make a difference, although I don't know what it is.

Also, our facilities are all pretty new.

Anyhow, good luck with your decision! I think you'll be fine either way.

 

[DwightSchruteDO]

Unless you want to go to school in NY...go to KCOM. They have their act together, more stable and established. Touro still has things to work out.

As far as electives in your third year go...they are are great to have except a lot of hospitals in the area don't take 3rd year students (who are not in their affiliated schools) for electives or don't take DOs. Having an elective in the beginning of 3rd year (not by choice) is hard because you don't have any required cores done and so you are forced to apply to electives like radiology (while helpful, things you don't have an interest in).

Going to school in NY is great and the location of a school should play a big role in choosing your school. But if you don't mind the KCOM area for 3 years (I personally would mind - hence why I don't go to school there) choose KCOM.

 

[DocEspana]

Unless you want to go to school in NY...go to KCOM. They have their act together, more stable and established. Touro still has things to work out.

As far as electives in your third year go...they are are great to have except a lot of hospitals in the area don't take 3rd year students (who are not in their affiliated schools) for electives or don't take DOs. Having an elective in the beginning of 3rd year (not by choice) is hard because you don't have any required cores done and so you are forced to apply to electives like radiology (while helpful, things you don't have an interest in).

Going to school in NY is great and the location of a school should play a big role in choosing your school. But if you don't mind the KCOM area for 3 years (I personally would mind - hence why I don't go to school there) choose KCOM.

All good info. Just want to add that NYU is very DO friendly (for rotations at least) and does allow 3rd year electives to us. Since there are no other medical schools in NYC that have 3rd year elective time but TouroCOM, there is less local competition for those NYU spots (now, obviously, NYC is a nationally desired spot, so no local competition doesn't mean no competition). Just expanding slightly on the thought posed above. Both schools will give you a plenty fine education, but the locations are totally different. location vs longer history. It's your call, no real bad decisions can be made there.

 

[ejay1518]

For NYU certain departments are DO friendly (PMnR for one) while others are not (radiology for one). The departments that are not DO friendly don't allow DO students to rotate there.

 

[hcomet]

Does anyone have the most current match lists for KCOM and TOURO NY?

 

[SmokD]

There's no official list for Tourocom, but theres a discussion on it on the Osteopathic forums

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=826924

 

[Taty]

For NYU certain departments are DO friendly (PMnR for one) while others are not (radiology for one). The departments that are not DO friendly don't allow DO students to rotate there.

Speaking from my own experience...You can rotate in DO unfriendly department...its just means u have to put up with "ohh u are a DO and rotate here? how come?"-attitude almost every day. DO unfriendly department will not rank u for residency...they can write u a good letter though if u impress them good enough.

 

[FuturePharm21]

I would select KCOM just because of the reputation and I have heard mixed reviews about Touro NYC