TOUROCOM - New York Discussion thread 2008-2009

[Ranger9879]

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Just got the acceptance email from Obed this afternoon! Very excited to be a part of the class of 2013!!!! good luck to all those still waiting and congrats to those accepted as well!

 

[jburwell]

does anybody know what kind of MCAT score you need to get a secondary application? i got an email from obed today saying my mcat scores are too low 🙁

 

[abcdzain]

i believe its a 24 or above depending on gpa. so it prolly ranges but w atleast a 24 and 3.0 u shud get a secondary

 

[jburwell]

i believe its a 24 or above depending on gpa. so it prolly ranges but w atleast a 24 and 3.0 u shud get a secondary

guess thats why i didnt get one. im 2 points shy..🙁 but my gpa is 3.4.

 

[High Rolla]

Just got an email confirmation from Obed for Jan. 13 interview/.

 

[HALIVE]

Just got an email confirmation from Obed for Jan. 13 interview/.

Congratulations! they finally looked past your canadian status...LOL. I might interview on that day as well.

 

[High Rolla]

thats great. ill see u there Halive.

 

[Semicolon]

Is anybody here interviewing on December 17th?

 

[waitwhat]

I got that e-mail from Issa on 11/21 saying that I will be invited for an interview soon.....I'm getting a little nervous, should I shoot her an e-mail for a status update?

 

[Semicolon]

I got that e-mail from Issa on 11/21 saying that I will be invited for an interview soon.....I'm getting a little nervous, should I shoot her an e-mail for a status update?

Definitely. The only reason I got an invite, it seems, was because I first emailed Obed, who then told me to call Issa to see if I was complete. Turns out they never even checked before I called, so Issa confirmed that I was complete and that I would get notice of an interview (like you did).

I waited for a while and realized I never got anything. I emailed Issa about the invite and immediately got one, lol. Looks like you have to be proactive with them. 😀

Oh, and Issa's a guy. I made the same mistake, honestly. Good luck!

 

[waitwhat]

Definitely. The only reason I got an invite, it seems, was because I first emailed Obed, who then told me to call Issa to see if I was complete. Turns out they never even checked before I called, so Issa confirmed that I was complete and that I would get notice of an interview (like you did).

I waited for a while and realized I never got anything. I emailed Issa about the invite and immediately got one, lol. Looks like you have to be proactive with them. 😀

Oh, and Issa's a guy. I made the same mistake, honestly. Good luck!

Oh man....yeah, I've been waiting around for this thing for a while. I was wondering what was going on. I'll send an e-mail out tonight. Thanks for the info. I'd like get one before the end of the year.

Thanks for the info and the heads up on Issa. That would of been horrible if I had started the e-mail out...."Mrs. Sow."

Thanks again.

 

[m015094]

Just got an email confirmation from Obed for Jan. 13 interview/.

So...

Any SDNers interviewing at Touro-NY on the 13th or 14th of January and want to switch spots with me on the 21st? (the earlier dates are "booked" according to Issa) I only ask because I start classes on the 20th.

Anyway, if you're interested, PM me and we can give Issa a call.

 

[Semicolon]

Hey guys.

I just withdrew from Touro. I had an interview on December 17th, so if anyone wants that spot, you're welcome to have it. 🙂

Good luck!

 

[waitwhat]

Finally got my interview date, Jan 21st. It's a bit late though. I'd like to move it up, do we just call an ask?

 

[Semicolon]

Finally got my interview date, Jan 21st. It's a bit late though. I'd like to move it up, do we just call an ask?

So I'm guessing that just calling them did the trick and got you the interview? 😀

Yeah, you just call them and ask if there are any earlier dates available.

 

[m015094]

Finally got my interview date, Jan 21st. It's a bit late though. I'd like to move it up, do we just call an ask?

I was in the same boat - my January 21st interview date was on my second day of class. I called Issa Sow the other day after I saw the post from Semicolon (thanks!) about his withdrawal. I grabbed his Dec 17th spot next week.

Other than that Issa said they are booked and that's the reason for the late January dates. But, it never hurts to ask. He can only say "no."

 

[Semicolon]

I was in the same boat - my January 21st interview date was on my second day of class. I called Issa Sow the other day after I saw the post from Semicolon (thanks!) about his withdrawal. I grabbed his Dec 17th spot next week.

Other than that Issa said they are booked and that's the reason for the late January dates. But, it never hurts to ask. He can only say "no."

You're welcome. Glad I made a difference.

Good luck!

 

[jxr902]

I interviewed on wed the 10th... given touros history with responding; do you think I will hear before the holiday?

 

[viciouz]

Anyone interviewing there this upcoming Tuesday? The forecast says rainy...

 

[Semicolon]

I interviewed on wed the 10th... given touros history with responding; do you think I will hear before the holiday?

I thought that they give you the decision two weeks after the interview?

Or so I've heard.

It might be better to call them right before the holiday break comes around to ask about your status.

 

[rightfooted]

Did anyone have to make a decision between these two schools and if so what were your pros and cons?

 

[Semicolon]

Did anyone have to make a decision between these two schools and if so what were your pros and cons?

I did sort of make a decision. As in I cancelled my interview at Touro as soon as I got my acceptance from NYCOM.

I was just too unsure of Touro. They're a very new school that has a lot of kinks to work out (read the interview feedback for a better idea of what I'm talking about) and they're simply not established. NYCOM, on the other hand, has been around for quite a while and is known for having impressive rotations (through NYCOMEC), affiliations, and matchlists.

In terms of price, they're both similar. I believe Touro is $32k and NYCOM is $37k for tuition. But then you have to figure in housing, and it may be easier to find housing around Touro than NYCOM, which has a very expensive area around it (not that Manhattan isn't expensive either). Some may prefer to live in the city rather than in long island, although it's still quite possible to live in the city and go to NYCOM (which is what I'm doing).

Either way, Touro is a promising school and I am sure that the situation will improve over time. I would tell you to look at the "pros and cons of your school" thread in the DO student forum, but I don't think anyone did Touro-NY yet.

No matter what you pick, good luck!

Oh, and do keep in mind that I am not in any way saying that Touro is a bad school. I cancelled my interview, so I never got a chance to see the school firsthand.

 

[rightfooted]

TouroNY-Com is about $33,000 for tuition and fees while NYCOM-
For the class of 2012, this is the four year tuition projection WITHOUT living expenses/board (does include health insurance):

Yr one: $48,183
Yr two: $50,457
Yr three: $53,584
Yr four: $57,813

I did sort of make a decision. As in I cancelled my interview at Touro as soon as I got my acceptance from NYCOM.

I was just too unsure of Touro. They're a very new school that has a lot of kinks to work out (read the interview feedback for a better idea of what I'm talking about) and they're simply not established. NYCOM, on the other hand, has been around for quite a while and is known for having impressive rotations (through NYCOMEC), affiliations, and matchlists.

In terms of price, they're both similar. I believe Touro is $32k and NYCOM is $37k for tuition. But then you have to figure in housing, and it may be easier to find housing around Touro than NYCOM, which has a very expensive area around it (not that Manhattan isn't expensive either). Some may prefer to live in the city rather than in long island, although it's still quite possible to live in the city and go to NYCOM (which is what I'm doing).

Either way, Touro is a promising school and I am sure that the situation will improve over time. I would tell you to look at the "pros and cons of your school" thread in the DO student forum, but I don't think anyone did Touro-NY yet.

No matter what you pick, good luck!

Oh, and do keep in mind that I am not in any way saying that Touro is a bad school. I cancelled my interview, so I never got a chance to see the school firsthand.

 

[Semicolon]

TouroNY-Com is about $33,000 for tuition and fees while NYCOM-
For the class of 2012, this is the four year tuition projection WITHOUT living expenses/board (does include health insurance):

Yr one: $48,183
Yr two: $50,457
Yr three: $53,584
Yr four: $57,813

I think you're mistaken (or there's a misunderstanding somewhere). If you look at the 2009 College Information Book, you'll see that NYCOM's tuition is $37k and Touro's is $32k, as I stated previously. You're getting your information from NYCOM's financial aid handout, and I am not exactly sure why they state that the tuition is so high there (they might be counting other costs/fees that they just didn't clarify). If you looked at Touro's "projections" you might see similar numbers as well.

 

[ashkosh]

I hope this isn't a repeat post (so sorry if it is -- i searched prior to this posting though) but does anyone know previous match results for TOUROCOM- NY ? If you know the link to the post or can upload the pdfs it would be extremely helpful!!

 

[Semicolon]

There are no match results for Touro-NY as they have not had the chance to graduate anyone yet. 😀

 

[viciouz]

I am canceling my interivew with touro on tuesday, so if anyone wants my spot... feel free to call early morning for it.

 

[235750]

I think you're mistaken (or there's a misunderstanding somewhere). If you look at the 2009 College Information Book, you'll see that NYCOM's tuition is $37k and Touro's is $32k, as I stated previously. You're getting your information from NYCOM's financial aid handout, and I am not exactly sure why they state that the tuition is so high there (they might be counting other costs/fees that they just didn't clarify). If you looked at Touro's "projections" you might see similar numbers as well.

I thought I'd chime in because I had researched this after interviewing at NYCOM.

Tuition for every year at NYCOM is $39,895. You can find that fee on their website (scroll all the way to the bottom). The fees, which vary from year to year, include a graduation fee, a special fee for labs, a fee for standarized patients etc. Like any other school in the country, these fees will differ from year to year. So, I would trust NYCOM's own financial aid handouts that they give out at interviews, not the ACCOMAS guide that you used.

But, I think the most helpful way of determining/comparing the cost of different medical schools is the Cost Of Attendance (COA). This is the number that schools give to the federal government that sumamrizes the tutition, fees, books, and estimated living expenses for the area combined. I deleted the email that I had, but as I recall the COA for NYCOM was over $50,000 per year, which is about what I expect to pay at PCOM. You can use this nifty worksheet to compare different schools if you can't find the COA from their financial aid department.

Anyway NYCOM is a great school and I hope this information is useful.

 

[BirenJ]

AACOMS Verified - 9/26
Secondary Received - 10/6
Secondary Complete - 11/4
Interview Invite - 11/6
Interview - 12/3
Accepted - 12/15

😀

Good luck to everyone else!

 

[Nanon]

Interviewed Dec. 2...

ACCEPTED Dec. 15!

WOOT!!!!

 

[stanner]

Hey Guys I am cancelling my interview on wednesday dec 17th. If anyone wants that spot you can go ahead and grab it.

 

[drechie]

what is the general consensus that TOURO NY caters to the private schoolers rather than public undergraduates?

 

[andexterouss]

what is the general consensus that TOURO NY caters to the private schoolers rather than public undergraduates?

Not sure about that info since I went to a public school and I got accepted.

 

[jxr902]

yah, ive never seen that. but what do i know?

 

[harmony0390]

Hey guys I have an interview on January 7th....does anyone have any advice for interview day? Thanks a lot!

 

[dannyboy1]

Hey guys I have an interview on January 7th....does anyone have any advice for interview day? Thanks a lot!

I called obed to find out why I was waitlisted. (i have a 3.9/34 btw) He told me that I scored low in interest in osteopathic medicine specifically ( not medicine per se, just osteopathic) Also he said I scored low in communicating my experiences to the interviewers. so be warned, TOURO seems to take the interview very very seriously (probably more then they should, i really think that at touro everyone is equal once they make the interview). make sure you are drinking the osteopathic kool-aid at the interview. Good luck.

 

[harmony0390]

I called obed to find out why I was waitlisted. (i have a 3.9/34 btw) He told me that I scored low in interest in osteopathic medicine specifically ( not medicine per se, just osteopathic) Also he said I scored low in communicating my experiences to the interviewers. so be warned, TOURO seems to take the interview very very seriously (probably more then they should, i really think that at touro everyone is equal once they make the interview). make sure you are drinking the osteopathic kool-aid at the interview. Good luck.

Thank you dannyboy1, I really appreciate the advice! I am really worried that my nerves are going to get the best of me and ruin my chances. I don't want my nervousness to be misinterpreted, but I guess I have some time to pull it together.

 

[Nanon]

what is the general consensus that TOURO NY caters to the private schoolers rather than public undergraduates?

Also went to a public school (and community college!) and got accepted...

 

[Nanon]

Thank you dannyboy1, I really appreciate the advice! I am really worried that my nerves are going to get the best of me and ruin my chances. I don't want my nervousness to be misinterpreted, but I guess I have some time to pull it together.

Pretty much the only serious questions I was asked were, "Why medicine, and why osteopathy." I think I got the soft-ball interviewers, though, because other interviewees came out looking like this: 😱 I think they fielded some pretty difficult questions about healthcare administration and policy. I also suggest you bone up on healthcare issues specific to Harlem and the underserved. And then stop worrying, because freaking out will not help your cause! 😀 Good Luck!!!

 

[harmony0390]

Pretty much the only serious questions I was asked were, "Why medicine, and why osteopathy." I think I got the soft-ball interviewers, though, because other interviewees came out looking like this: 😱 I think they fielded some pretty difficult questions about healthcare administration and policy. I also suggest you bone up on healthcare issues specific to Harlem and the underserved. And then stop worrying, because freaking out will not help your cause! 😀 Good Luck!!!

lol..thank you nanon for your suggestions!! I am definitely going to look into that and I really appreciate your help 🙂

 

[time2go]

im sure this may have been asked a million times but how did you guys fill out all the info needed in those little boxes provided on the secondary??? They do not give you enough room

 

[harmony0390]

im sure this may have been asked a million times but how did you guys fill out all the info needed in those little boxes provided on the secondary??? They do not give you enough room

I just printed as small as possible, but made sure it was legible.

 

[Semicolon]

I don't understand why Touro gives difficult interviews when their tours and hospitality are apparently very lacking (from the interview feedback).

Maybe it's just because they're new yorkers.

 

[Sparda29]

I don't understand why Touro gives difficult interviews when their tours and hospitality are apparently very lacking (from the interview feedback).

Maybe it's just because they're new yorkers.

Well, what kind of tour are you expecting? Did anybody really think they were gonna get on a bus and go around Harlem? Professional Schools aren't Professional Sports Franchises and they are not going to wine and dine you like you're A-Rod or K-Rod.

 

[Semicolon]

Well, what kind of tour are you expecting? Did anybody really think they were gonna get on a bus and go around Harlem? Professional Schools aren't Professional Sports Franchises and they are not going to wine and dine you like you're A-Rod or K-Rod.

Obviously not.

I am talking about their tour/interview day in comparison with other schools. I have read a few times in the interview feedback that the tour guides would act unprofessional, make vulgar expressions, and would even go so far as to say that the OMM room is a "good place to sleep". I haven't seen that said about any other school and I doubt these people are lying about their experiences. Also apparently the food they gave was cheap and disappointing. Keep in mind you pay $200 for this interview (that's a hell of a lot, btw); you WOULD expect better. There were other complaints, but they weren't as prominent.

Nevertheless, granted...I cancelled my interview and so I never saw this for myself. However, I do not feel in any way that it is a "bad" school or that it is lacking in medical education. I just feel it has some kinks it definitely needs to work out. My apologies if I offended you.

And who the hell wants to go on a bus tour through one of the worst neighborhoods in the country? Jesus.

 

[andexterouss]

Obviously not.

I am talking about their tour/interview day in comparison with other schools. I have read a few times in the interview feedback that the tour guides would act unprofessional, make vulgar expressions, and would even go so far as to say that the OMM room is a "good place to sleep". I haven't seen that said about any other school and I doubt these people are lying about their experiences. Also apparently the food they gave was cheap and disappointing. Keep in mind you pay $200 for this interview (that's a hell of a lot, btw); you WOULD expect better. There were other complaints, but they weren't as prominent.

Nevertheless, granted...I cancelled my interview and so I never saw this for myself. However, I do not feel in any way that it is a "bad" school or that it is lacking in medical education. I just feel it has some kinks it definitely needs to work out. My apologies if I offended you.

And who the hell wants to go on a bus tour through one of the worst neighborhoods in the country? Jesus.

Hmmh, I'm gonna beg to differ in this one. My interview at Touro was very professional. May be I interviewed on a good day but I thought the interview couldn't have gone any smoothly. In fact, from all my interviews, they were the only school that served you light breakfast before the interview and tour. I got up early that morning without breakfast to go for the interview and I was pleased that we were treated to some coffee, tea, orange juice and bagels while we waited for the tour and interview to commence. My tour guide was a 1st year student who was a pleasant host and answered my questions aptly.

In regards to the interview, I think the questions were fair and warranted. One should be able to answer why they're interested in osteopathy and you MUST show you understand the needs/issues of urban/underserved communities ( which is the mission of the school). My interview at NYCOM was literally 5 minutes: " what made you interested in NYCOM? I see you have a 28 on your MCAT? Anymore questions you want to ask us? No? Ok bye." I felt neither my thought process or knowledge was at all analyzed. In fact, all of us that interviewed that day were very surprised by the speed of the interview. The rest of the tour was nice though.

Oh, by the way,Columbia is also located in "one of the worst neighborhoods". I think we should leave location out of it.

 

[235750]

Obviously not.

I am talking about their tour/interview day in comparison with other schools. I have read a few times in the interview feedback that the tour guides would act unprofessional, make vulgar expressions, and would even go so far as to say that the OMM room is a "good place to sleep". I haven't seen that said about any other school and I doubt these people are lying about their experiences.

Nevertheless, granted...I cancelled my interview and so I never saw this for myself.. I just feel it has some kinks it definitely needs to work out. My apologies if I offended you.

My interviews at PCOM/CCOM made the same joke about the OMM rooms. A lot of people do. Here's what that means: (1) getting OMT treatment is comfortable, and (2) the neat hyrdrolic seats they have are incredible. Don't read too much into that lame joke. It is not a criticism of OMM. I'm not sure why that rumor of a Tourocom student saying that is a big deal to you. At CCOM the tour guide said that he slept in the library from time to time, and again I don't think his message was to disparage reading or studying.

Also, you admit that you have never been to Touro-NY and cancelled your interview. So, I'm not sure what you're doing by posting...except for summarizing previous SDN comments. Thanks, but when it comes to rating the overall impression of interviews or tours, I think the opinions of people who where there are more helpful, and we can all read. Also, have you lived in what you called "one of the worst neighborhoods in the country"? Harlem is one of the most underserved areas in the US, it is very poor, and it needs (and this country needs) more schools like Touro to commit to public service. Medicine and medical practitioners should not be elitist. Don't bash things (or areas) you know nothing about.

I did interview at Touro-NY and it is a lovely school. I liked the fact that the tour guides were informal, much better than some other places. My interview, just like the person above, went fine. In fact ,they asked questions about SCHIP and other important issues in healthcare in the US today. I wish more schools emphasized information like that in their candidates.

As for the $200, yeah it was a lot, and I think that is a valid criticism, regardless if you interviewed or not 🙂 If you go to interviews to get prizes or food, go to LECOM, they give you a salad plus slippers. By the way, the breakfast was excellent.

 

[dannyboy1]

Hmmh, I'm gonna beg to differ in this one. My interview at Touro was very professional. May be I interviewed on a good day but I thought the interview couldn't have gone any smoothly. In fact, from all my interviews, they were the only school that served you light breakfast before the interview and tour. I got up early that morning without breakfast to go for the interview and I was pleased that we were treated to some coffee, tea, orange juice and bagels while we waited for the tour and interview to commence. My tour guide was a 1st year student who was a pleasant host and answered my questions aptly.

In regards to the interview, I think the questions were fair and warranted. One should be able to answer why they're interested in osteopathy and you MUST show you understand the needs/issues of urban/underserved communities ( which is the mission of the school). My interview at NYCOM was literally 5 minutes: " what made you interested in NYCOM? I see you have a 28 on your MCAT? Anymore questions you want to ask us? No? Ok bye." I felt neither my thought process or knowledge was at all analyzed. In fact, all of us that interviewed that day were very surprised by the speed of the interview. The rest of the tour was nice though.

Oh, by the way,Columbia is also located in "one of the worst neighborhoods". I think we should leave location out of it.

Why do you care if the interviewer seemed interested in you. If you are at a medical school interview you should be secure enough in your own thought process that you dont need the interviewer to validate them. and the why Osteopathy question is just plain stupidity. You want to be a PHYSICIAN. either an MD or a DO gets you to this goal. the differences between the two disciplines is negligable at best, and not being able to articulate why DO shuld not be a deciding factor in admissions (hell, the real reason why nobody seems to have a good answer to this question is because there is no good answer)

 

[Semicolon]

Once again, my apologies.

I have no intention of starting a flame war and so I shall retract my statements. Every school has its "kinks" and I was just quick to point out what I thought were Touro's. I did not mean to insult anyone or question anyone's decision to go there. Good luck to all of you.

Yes, Harlem IS one of the most underserved areas. I'm sure that relates very much to it being one of the worst as well. However, I never stated anything about them NOT deserving medical care, and indeed Touro's mission is a significant one. I sincerely hope that they succeed. Please don't turn what I said around; I wasn't being that serious.

I'm glad you both received a good impression of Touro and I hope, if you attend, you will be happy there. 🙂

Oh, and I absolutely agree with dannyboy; in a time when everyone knows there's no TRUE difference between an MD and a DO (the only distinction being OMM), why delve so deep into the philosophy? I suppose they're doing it for the sake of tradition.

 

[HALIVE]

Obviously not.

I am talking about their tour/interview day in comparison with other schools. I have read a few times in the interview feedback that the tour guides would act unprofessional, make vulgar expressions, and would even go so far as to say that the OMM room is a "good place to sleep". I haven't seen that said about any other school and I doubt these people are lying about their experiences. Also apparently the food they gave was cheap and disappointing. Keep in mind you pay $200 for this interview (that's a hell of a lot, btw); you WOULD expect better. There were other complaints, but they weren't as prominent.

Nevertheless, granted...I cancelled my interview and so I never saw this for myself. However, I do not feel in any way that it is a "bad" school or that it is lacking in medical education. I just feel it has some kinks it definitely needs to work out. My apologies if I offended you.

And who the hell wants to go on a bus tour through one of the worst neighborhoods in the country? Jesus.

Did you know this when you applied and paid the $200 for an interview?