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TUCOM CA 2013 OR Western 2014
Started by PASJ 2013
TUCOM 2013. Every med school is pretty much the same unless you're trying to compare a top tier school with one that isn't. If you don't care about geography, cost, or facilities, go to TUCOM 2013. Every year you delay med school is a year of physician salary you've lost. If you like Western more than TUCOM, then it's a different story. It might be worth taking a year off to relax, travel, or work and ultimately end up somewhere you're happy.
Obviously, there are issues of rotations, match lists, student body, etc., that people might tell you to consider. However, I'm of the opinion that the person is more of a determinant of those qualities than the school. Either way, congrats on becoming a doctor.
Obviously, there are issues of rotations, match lists, student body, etc., that people might tell you to consider. However, I'm of the opinion that the person is more of a determinant of those qualities than the school. Either way, congrats on becoming a doctor.
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That's a tough call, it would definitely be tempting to take a year off and work and save money and maybe travel a little before medical school, but I say enroll for 2013.
The longer you are out of school before medical school starts the harder it will be to recall the information you learned as an undergrad. Granted you may not need a lot of it, but for example if you took anatomy as an undergrad it will really help to remember a lot of it when you start anatomy as a med student. Also, the sooner you start school the sooner you are finished and able to start practice!
The longer you are out of school before medical school starts the harder it will be to recall the information you learned as an undergrad. Granted you may not need a lot of it, but for example if you took anatomy as an undergrad it will really help to remember a lot of it when you start anatomy as a med student. Also, the sooner you start school the sooner you are finished and able to start practice!
Try to find out what 3rd/4th years think of their rotation locations for both schools. Maybe that will make things clearer. However, ultimately, I think it comes down to this: which of these two options do you prefer?
1.)Starting school right away to get things over with
2.)Taking a year off to ultimately land at a place with better facilities?
You should think about what you hope to gain out of your year off. If you're planning on sitting at home watching TV, it might not be the best idea. However, if you're planning on traveling, working, etc., it could be a very worthwhile experience. Keep in mind this will probably be the last time in your life where you'll have the luxury of choosing to go on a vacation for a year.
Perhaps I am naive, but how can you have a confirmed seat for a class a year in advance? Why would they offer you a confirmed seat next year but not even consider you this year... am I missing something here or am I just dumb and dont realize that someone can be offered a seat a year in advance?
Just under the assumption there is not sure thing except what you have in front of you, I'd say take your TUCOM CA seat that you know you have... no telling what can happen between now and next year. Like I said, I could be way off and something like this is common but if it is it just doesn't logically make sense to me why you wouldn't be considered this year for Western (especially since it's still EARLY in the cycle) but they would guarantee you a spot next year... just sounds weird to me.
Just under the assumption there is not sure thing except what you have in front of you, I'd say take your TUCOM CA seat that you know you have... no telling what can happen between now and next year. Like I said, I could be way off and something like this is common but if it is it just doesn't logically make sense to me why you wouldn't be considered this year for Western (especially since it's still EARLY in the cycle) but they would guarantee you a spot next year... just sounds weird to me.
You misread, he was deffered to the class of 2014 (the folks who are applying now). He (or she?) applied last year was WLed low enough to not get in, but high enough to be put automatically into 2014.
School starts for the 2013ers like NOW through August.
some schools believe the applicant would make a great student but the class is full and thus are not able to offer a seat. It's not necessarily an extremely common thing, but it does happen - especially if you've got great stats and applied late in the game.
From speaking to other students, normally if you're guaranteed a spot for the following year, they make you sign paperwork committing yourself to them. I'm sure others can elaborate.
From speaking to other students, normally if you're guaranteed a spot for the following year, they make you sign paperwork committing yourself to them. I'm sure others can elaborate.
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Hmmm I just spoke to a friend of mine who deferred an acceptance to AZCOM but he said he was free to reapply next year if he wanted. I'm curious, anyone else have the lowdown on this?
Ah... ok, got ya... that makes a little more sense. I saw numbers and wasn't thinking about class of 2013=now in my head so with that being said it is a little more sensible.
Western. There has been some concern on SDN about the Touros. I know rotations where an issue.
Take everything on SDN with a grain of salt, but you might want to check this out: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=600937&highlight=touro+rotation
While I generally say the education is pretty standardized, there was just something that left me uneasy with Touro-CA. I LOVE the bay area. It is great there, but once I was done seeing through the rose colored glasses of locale, there really didn't seem to be much else. Dr. Haight is a very nice guy but I wasn't impressed with Touros facilities, rotations or much of anything else. I felt depressed friggin driving there for the interview. I don't know how I could handle 2 years there.
There will be people that loved it and that is great. That is just what I thought of it.
There will be people that loved it and that is great. That is just what I thought of it.
Thanks for the input guys. Yes you are right, Western has this policy where you are waitlisted for class of 2013, but are confirmed for class of 2014.
But here is the scoop, early morning today, I got a call from DMU where I was waitlisted. I am in !!!.
I would still take Western, if I am accepted to 2013, since my boyfriend is going to a school in LA.
But would take DMU over Touro in a heartbeat. There was SO much differnce in the facilities.
I have to pay 1K for DMU acceptance now. I have already paid 3K at Touro and have paid 2K for Westerns acceptance / waitlist. Looks like I have to donate a lot of money to the DO schools.
Thanks for the great input guys.....
But here is the scoop, early morning today, I got a call from DMU where I was waitlisted. I am in !!!.
I would still take Western, if I am accepted to 2013, since my boyfriend is going to a school in LA.
But would take DMU over Touro in a heartbeat. There was SO much differnce in the facilities.
I have to pay 1K for DMU acceptance now. I have already paid 3K at Touro and have paid 2K for Westerns acceptance / waitlist. Looks like I have to donate a lot of money to the DO schools.
Thanks for the great input guys.....
It is a lot of money and I know TOURO doesn't give a long time to do it, my friend lost $2000 but got into PCOM!!!! 
I would take DMU and run with it. You'll find plenty of guys in Des Moines (unless you're about to be engaged, try the long distance thing).
I would take DMU and run with it. You'll find plenty of guys in Des Moines (unless you're about to be engaged, try the long distance thing).
DMU's COA is also MUCH better than Western's...
Hi TeanZissou,
What would you say are the basic differneces between Western & DMU?
Thanks
I wish I were in a position to give you more info about DMU but unfortunately I declined my interview there because at that point in the process money was tight for me.
I can tell you probably the biggest differences I've discovered from people here on SDN is that DMU's students must travel a lot more for their 3rd and 4th years. Although I've heard DMU is attempting to keep more students in Iowa for their 3rd year. This can be looked on as a good thing if you want a chance to experience different parts of the country or a bad thing if you want to remain in the same city due to family or SO.
Another aspect of that is I know Western allows 12 weeks of rotations in the same specialty whereas I think DMU allows something like 20-24 (not sure but its much more). This comes in handy if you are trying to do an AOA residency since at many of them an away rotation there is almost an unwritten requirement.
I can't comment on DMU's educational format or how it compares to Western. You're in a much better position to contrast these.
The other two main things to consider are COA and location. COA is self explanatory, how much does debt matter to you. Location is a bit tougher, I'd say the biggest key to this is your support network in that area (family, friends, SO) rather than just wanting to end up in that area for residency. Although most grads get residencies in the same geographic area as their school I talked to quite a few of the new interns for this year on how they got residencies away from their school. All of them said that although residencies in the same area of the school may be more familiar with your letter writers and your school in general this wasn't weighed as heavily as if they did an away rotation there. So if you want to do a residency in a different geographic location than your school just do an away rotation there.
Hope this helps....
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