snitzle,
like 8404, i am also in the class of 2003 at TUCOM. i am also very happy here at TUCOM. i chose the school basically for the location. i am not from CA so the thought of moving to an unknown place, especially near a city like
San Francisco was very appealing to me.
however, as with any new school, there are still some growing pains. there aren't as many nice amenities that may perhaps be offered at another school. for instance, no fitness center or cafeteria so far. the bookstore is not even started yet!
however, the education i received last year was almost impeccable and that's what counts to me. as i read through board review books, i realize that my professors did stress the necessary information in a way that will help us for boards.
as for OMM, there are always enough table trainers to answer your questions during lab. OMM is something that you can't learn in a classroom, it's more hands-on. for any DO school, be prepared to get to know your classmates well--meaning OMM lab where your classmates are your "patients". but everyone is very professional. it actually has helped me get over some insecurities about myself, being able to strip down to a jogbra in front of my classmates.
i don't live in student housing, but many of my classmates lived on campus last year and seemed to like it a lot. it's very safe and quiet on the island (except for the occasional Monday night party after an exam!). the surrounding town of Vallejo isn't all that great, but is getting better. there are many people from San Francisco who are moving to Vallejo and buying new houses or fixing up old Victorian homes, because it is cheaper up here, so the town is getting better. also, there is a ferry right near the school that will take you into the city. it is very convenient and fun, too.
what else can i tell you--oh, there are a lot of student interest clubs here. chances are you'd find one that you would like to be involved in. another thing about my class that impressed me was the fact that we are not "competitive". DO schools in general probably have less competition than MD schools, but our class really does work together, with notepools, etc.
overall i am very impressed with the faculty. as for the facilities, i'd say they are adequate. the best part is probably the anatomy lab. it is big and bright and not very smelly! i am also excited about rotations. the Bay Area will be a wonderful place to learn. and TUCOM also has affiliations in NY and Vegas so if you wanted to, you could spend one or two years, or even just one rotation in either place.
so, in all honesty, there are growing pains here and it is not a "plush" environment with lots of amenities. but, if a great education is what you are after, and you'd like to be in the Bay Area, i think you would really enjoy TUCOM. the faculty is very receptive to student input, and it's nice to be able to proactively be involved in improving the curriculum.
