TOURO VS LECOM!!!

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Heavy J

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Hello all,

I was recently accepted to both programs. I need help deciding which school. I'm from the Chicago suburbs, and I would love the weather in Southern Florida, but I know that there are more important things to consider. I would want to go to the school with the better clinical experience, better curriculum. I feel like I might do better with traditional lectures. LECOM is 6-7k cheaper per year as far as fixed payments go. The room and board are similar prices. They are both new schools so this is hard. Touro is slightly newer.

LECOM= pbl, pass fail curriculum
TOURO= traditional

What would you guys do?
 
Heavy J said:
Hello all,

I was recently accepted to both programs. I need help deciding which school. I'm from the Chicago suburbs, and I would love the weather in Southern Florida, but I know that there are more important things to consider. I would want to go to the school with the better clinical experience, better curriculum. I feel like I might do better with traditional lectures. LECOM is 6-7k cheaper per year as far as fixed payments go. The room and board are similar prices. They are both new schools so this is hard. Touro is slightly newer.

LECOM= pbl, pass fail curriculum
TOURO= traditional

What would you guys do?
Click to expand...

go w touro
 
Lecom - cheaper, more established and way better weather - f*ck the snow


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Last edited:
I would also choose LECOM because they already have facilities and a proven curriculum, whereas Touro does not.

There's no honor in being a trailblazer as a student at a new dental school, unfortunately. It's worth pointing out that the "Touro College and University System," despite buying out a somewhat prestigious medical school, is otherwise a financially sketchy institution that operates like a for-profit institution. They prowled SDN and offered candidates for their first dental class large scholarships to entice them to turn down other schools. I think you are getting cheated if Touro expects you to pay full price as a member of the class of 2021. I would only go to Touro if it were my only option. It may turn out to be a great school, but I wouldn't choose to be a guinea pig when it comes to my dental education.
 
Being gone to both, I would say don't go to Touro specially NY one. Idk how things have changed but back then they didn't have good rotation sites, admin sucks so bad, very run down and overall pretty ghetto school


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Pisiform said:
Being gone to both, I would say don't go to Touro specially NY one. Idk how things have changed but back then they didn't have good rotation sites, admin sucks so bad, very run down and overall pretty ghetto school


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Click to expand...
wrong forum fam, ty tho
 
Thanks everyone, it is a tough decision. For those of you who said touro, any reasons y?
 
Pisiform said:
Being gone to both, I would say don't go to Touro specially NY one. Idk how things have changed but back then they didn't have good rotation sites, admin sucks so bad, very run down and overall pretty ghetto school


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Click to expand...
Are you referring to the med school part at NYMC? since the dental school is completely new. From these two options I would go to Touro (I got accepted and about to make my final decision within the next week or so to open a seat for another person who would love getting it) over LECOM. If memory serves I think LECOM had a bad reputation with the boards.
I agree Touro might have more kinks now as a new school but I know they brought excellent faculty, going to be a great school, hopefully sooner than later and from the people I've seen who got accepted they are setting the bar high both academically and personality qualities... I didn't interview at LECOM, so can't give any information from first hand...
 
Your comfort in school is pretty important. I think the clinical experience will be fulfilling wherever you go. I think it comes down to your learning style for this one: PBL or traditional?
 
DMDDDSHopeful said:
No one is mentioning that NY requires a mandatory one year residency?
Click to expand...
LECOM's 4th year is also spent in DeFuniak or Erie. Good parts of the curriculum to be pointing out ! If you can't pack up and move to a very rural area for a year to serve the underserved, LECOM is not for you. If Touro's residency sounds worse, you know where to go.

I can't speak on Touro. I enjoyed my visit to LECOM and think you would be a strong general dentist coming out, and it would give you perspective on how low-income areas could be helped. I don't mind PBL myself, but most people hate it. In general, LECOM is improving yearly because they've had a graduating class now and are taking input. Current students say that they are in between deans now and it isn't great, but it should be resolved soon, I imagine.
 
TLV-TUS said:
If memory serves I think LECOM had a bad reputation with the boards...
Click to expand...

I think the rep is a little unfair and undeserved. So from my understanding (per student @amalgam2020), there was a missed portion on the mannequin for the AMEX the first year, which was resolved, and the board pass is 97%+. Just passing along info from a current student; I don't have multiple sources. 🙂

That being said, the interviewers were very private and wouldn't even release a ballpark estimate about the pass rate (we didn't need a solid stat, just an estimate), but they wouldn't crack. They just said it was, "Very high."

Moral of the story, is either school will set you up to be a solid dentist. Go where you felt most comfortable and the rest will fall in place as long as you work hard. If you want to do a post-grad, Touro *may* be a better bet, since LECOM emphasizes general dentistry.
 
Meeza said:
That being said, the interviewers were very private and wouldn't even release a ballpark estimate about the pass rate (we didn't need a solid stat, just an estimate), but they wouldn't crack. They just said it was, "Very high."
Click to expand...

It's a school in the United States and if you are accepted to only LECOM, you're going to go. Everyone knows that.

What bothers me is they do not disclose their pass rate, but claim it's REALLY HIGH! That's unfair for applicants because then I feel applicants should tell LECOM "Hey my DAT is VERY HIGH and so is my GPA, but I won't disclose it."
 
Heavy J said:
Is that 1 year residency required to practice in NY, or is it something that all students go through?
Click to expand...

I believe it is required for any student dentists being educated in NY or Delaware.

IMG_7690.jpg
 
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DMDDDSHopeful said:
I believe it is required for any student dentists being educated in NY or Delaware.

View attachment 214244
Click to expand...
Wow I thought it was only if your wanted to practice in NY. I'm glad I turned down the offer I had in NY. I'd hate not being able to return home for another year after graduating.

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If that's the case then i'm forrsure going to choose LECOM. I'd also hate waiting another year to return home
 
Can anyone also confirm this? I appreciate your guy's input!
 
Heavy J said:
Can anyone also confirm this? I appreciate your guy's input!
Click to expand...
That's not true at all. Residency happens after you pass the boards (NERB in this case) and receive your DDS/DMD. (Delaware doesn't even have a dental school, btw.)

You apply for a license in the state in which you wish to practice, not the state in which you go to school. New York and Delaware happen to be unique in that they require you complete a residency for licensure.
 
DMDDDSHopeful said:
I believe it is required for any student dentists being educated in NY or Delaware.

View attachment 214244
Click to expand...

Absolutely not true, you misread it. If you graduated from UCLA and wanted to pratice in NY you will need to do a residency.
NY grads applying to another state do NOT need to do a residency. The residency requirement is not school specific, it is state specific.
 
The Flossopher said:
That's not true at all. Residency happens after you pass the boards (NERB in this case) and receive your DDS/DMD. (Delaware doesn't even have a dental school, btw.)

You apply for a license in the state in which you wish to practice, not the state in which you go to school. New York and Delaware happen to be unique in that they require you complete a residency for licensure.
Click to expand...

Likkriue said:
Absolutely not true, you misread it. If you graduated from UCLA and wanted to pratice in NY you will need to do a residency.
NY grads applying to another state do NOT need to do a residency. The residency requirement is not school specific, it is state specific.
Click to expand...

So when does initial licensure occur? When you pick a state or immediately after graduation from the state you're in? Someone I know went OOS because they told me they didn't want to do a year extra in New York. I assumed picking a school in NY meant that. I could be wrong and that person as well.
 
DMDDDSHopeful said:
So when does initial licensure occur? When you pick a state or immediately after graduation from the state you're in? Someone I know went OOS because they told me they didn't want to do a year extra in New York. I assumed picking a school in NY meant that. I could be wrong and that person as well.
Click to expand...
I'm just saying what I hear from multiple dentists who practice in New York. You have to pursue a GPR or AEGD residency program for at least one year to obtain your license for NY state. Picking the New York dental school doesn't mean you have to do the residency requirement, but it would impact your match results for a residency program.
 
DMDDDSHopeful said:
So when does initial licensure occur? When you pick a state or immediately after graduation from the state you're in? Someone I know went OOS because they told me they didn't want to do a year extra in New York. I assumed picking a school in NY meant that. I could be wrong and that person as well.
Click to expand...
They are wrong. Anyone can go to a NY school, graduate, and go practice in any state besides NY and DE as long as they passed the appropriate boards.

What's the LECOM dress code? I have heard it's super strict, plus no food or drinks allowed in class. These are rumors so u like may be wrong.
I also wouldn't like PBL.
 
schmoob said:
They are wrong. Anyone can go to a NY school, graduate, and go practice in any state besides NY and DE as long as they passed the appropriate boards.

What's the LECOM dress code? I have heard it's super strict, plus no food or drinks allowed in class. These are rumors so u like may be wrong.
I also wouldn't like PBL.
Click to expand...

You wear scrubs most the time so no dress code unless maybe it's an event. I've heard that other programs they require formal attire everyday 8-5pm.
 
DMDDDSHopeful said:
So when does initial licensure occur? When you pick a state or immediately after graduation from the state you're in? Someone I know went OOS because they told me they didn't want to do a year extra in New York. I assumed picking a school in NY meant that. I could be wrong and that person as well.
Click to expand...
To get a license in any state, you need to pass the written NBDE I & II exams, complete the appropriate clinical board exam, and graduate from an ADA-accredited dental school.

Different states require different clinical exams for licensure depending on the region. A dental school will generally offer one regional exam to its D4 students. For example, New York schools will offer the CDCA (formerly the NERB) to their students because it is accepted by most state licensing boards in the northeast. Thus, students at Columbia (where passing the CDCA is a graduation requirement) could apply for a Connecticut license immediately after graduation, even though they wouldn't qualify for a NY license until they complete a residency.

However, if you want to practice in a different part of the country from where you went to dental school, you may have to make your own arrangements to take a different clinical exam after you graduate. For example, the Louisiana dental licensing board does not accept CDCA results, so graduates of northeast schools who wish to practice in Louisiana would have to take the SRTA licensing exam. It's a bit of an extra headache, but it's not a big deal.

So, to answer your question about when the initial licensure occurs: it depends on both (1) the exam your school offers and whether it is required for graduation and (2) where you would like to start practicing . You may be able to apply for a state license immediately upon graduating, you might have to take an additional exam after you graduate, or (in the case of NY and DE) you may have to complete a residency.

On a related note, there is a proposed bill being discussed by the NY legislature regarding the licensure of dental residents in programs lasting longer than one year. Right now, it is illegal for OMFS residents (e.g.) to moonlight as general dentists in NY because a dental license requires the completion of a residency, even if it is six years long. The bill would allow dental residents to apply for a NY dental license after only one year of residency in any specialty. An OMFS resident I know here at Columbia currently has to commute to Connecticut on weekends to make extra income as a GP to throw at his pre-doc loans.
 
The Flossopher said:
To get a license in any state, you need to pass the written NBDE I & II exams, complete the appropriate clinical board exam, and graduate from an ADA-accredited dental school.

Different states require different clinical exams for licensure depending on the region. A dental school will generally offer one regional exam to its D4 students. For example, New York schools will offer the CDCA (formerly the NERB) to their students because it is accepted by most state licensing boards in the northeast. Thus, students at Columbia (where passing the CDCA is a graduation requirement) could apply for a Connecticut license immediately after graduation, even though they wouldn't qualify for a NY license until they complete a residency.

However, if you want to practice in a different part of the country from where you went to dental school, you may have to make your own arrangements to take a different clinical exam after you graduate. For example, the Louisiana dental licensing board does not accept CDCA results, so graduates of northeast schools who wish to practice in Louisiana would have to take the SRTA licensing exam. It's a bit of an extra headache, but it's not a big deal.

So, to answer your question about when the initial licensure occurs: it depends on both (1) the exam your school offers and whether it is required for graduation and (2) where you would like to start practicing . You may be able to apply for a state license immediately upon graduating, you might have to take an additional exam after you graduate, or (in the case of NY and DE) you may have to complete a residency.

On a related note, there is a proposed bill being discussed by the NY legislature regarding the licensure of dental residents in programs lasting longer than one year. Right now, it is illegal for OMFS residents (e.g.) to moonlight as general dentists in NY because a dental license requires the completion of a residency, even if it is six years long. The bill would allow dental residents to apply for a NY dental license after only one year of residency in any specialty. An OMFS resident I know here at Columbia currently has to commute to Connecticut on weekends to make extra income as a GP to throw at his pre-doc loans.
Click to expand...
Good info here.
But does your buddy know that Jersey is something like only 3 miles away? Or is there another requirement to practice there?
 
The Flossopher said:
To get a license in any state, you need to pass the written NBDE I & II exams, complete the appropriate clinical board exam, and graduate from an ADA-accredited dental school.

Different states require different clinical exams for licensure depending on the region. A dental school will generally offer one regional exam to its D4 students. For example, New York schools will offer the CDCA (formerly the NERB) to their students because it is accepted by most state licensing boards in the northeast. Thus, students at Columbia (where passing the CDCA is a graduation requirement) could apply for a Connecticut license immediately after graduation, even though they wouldn't qualify for a NY license until they complete a residency.

However, if you want to practice in a different part of the country from where you went to dental school, you may have to make your own arrangements to take a different clinical exam after you graduate. For example, the Louisiana dental licensing board does not accept CDCA results, so graduates of northeast schools who wish to practice in Louisiana would have to take the SRTA licensing exam. It's a bit of an extra headache, but it's not a big deal.

So, to answer your question about when the initial licensure occurs: it depends on both (1) the exam your school offers and whether it is required for graduation and (2) where you would like to start practicing . You may be able to apply for a state license immediately upon graduating, you might have to take an additional exam after you graduate, or (in the case of NY and DE) you may have to complete a residency.

On a related note, there is a proposed bill being discussed by the NY legislature regarding the licensure of dental residents in programs lasting longer than one year. Right now, it is illegal for OMFS residents (e.g.) to moonlight as general dentists in NY because a dental license requires the completion of a residency, even if it is six years long. The bill would allow dental residents to apply for a NY dental license after only one year of residency in any specialty. An OMFS resident I know here at Columbia currently has to commute to Connecticut on weekends to make extra income as a GP to throw at his pre-doc loans.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this info. If I want to practice in a state that doesn't accept the CDCA/NERB, it isn't a deal breaker to attend the non-compatible school if I need to take a second licensure exam after I graduate?
 
Alpha Centauri said:
Thanks for this info. If I want to practice in a state that doesn't accept the CDCA/NERB, it isn't a deal breaker to attend the non-compatible school if I need to take a second licensure exam after I graduate?
Click to expand...
You can take them all. School does not matter, as long as it's accredited.
 
Alpha Centauri said:
Obviously if I am competent enough to pass the one sponsored by my school I can pass them all correct?
Click to expand...
I heard ftom a dentist that some examiners are more strict with OOS. Unofficially, of course
 
Alpha Centauri said:
Thanks for this info. If I want to practice in a state that doesn't accept the CDCA/NERB, it isn't a deal breaker to attend the non-compatible school if I need to take a second licensure exam after I graduate?
Click to expand...
Exactly.
Alpha Centauri said:
Obviously if I am competent enough to pass the one sponsored by my school I can pass them all correct?
Click to expand...
Probably. However, I would assume that there are some differences between the exams; otherwise there would be a nationally accepted one. (I don't know the details because I'm only a D1, as you know.)
 
Heavy J said:
Hello all,

I was recently accepted to both programs. I need help deciding which school. I'm from the Chicago suburbs, and I would love the weather in Southern Florida, but I know that there are more important things to consider. I would want to go to the school with the better clinical experience, better curriculum. I feel like I might do better with traditional lectures. LECOM is 6-7k cheaper per year as far as fixed payments go. The room and board are similar prices. They are both new schools so this is hard. Touro is slightly newer.

LECOM= pbl, pass fail curriculum
TOURO= traditional

What would you guys do?
Click to expand...

Since you are a bulls fan, you should probably go to touro so you can see your boy drose. mvps always stays with the same team and gets max contracts.
 
How can I find out which states take the NERB, I could not find anything online
 
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