TUCOM-NY Discussion Thread 2009-2010

[bowlin123]

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Surprised that no one has started this thread yet. Well I received my secondary application on Aug 10, 2009 and was surprised by how long the essay is. The essay question is Please discuss how your background, experience or academic program has prepared you for meeting the TouroCOM Mission, Goals or Objectives. Please limit your essay to 2 pages. On a separate sheet of paper, consider addressing a few areas; Why Osteopathic Medicine? Why Harlem? Have you been exposed to a diverse environment? How did you contribute? How has your academic background and personal experiences prepared you for medical school? Can you express how you were influenced by a shadowing experience?


I felt like this is my personal statement on AACOMAS. Does anyone know if we can use the same essay? or do we need to write anyone?

 

[Grey Wind]

ha ha thats funny. i received my secondary from them today as well and i had the same questions as you!

it seems like this PS will just be a rewording of my original PS. anyone know if we can recycle the same one?

 

[Kayla]

.

 

[p1acebo]

ha ha thats funny. i received my secondary from them today as well and i had the same questions as you!

it seems like this PS will just be a rewording of my original PS. anyone know if we can recycle the same one?

You know what, I received my secondary today as well. Ha!

I am probably going to do something similar due to the amount of essays I will be writing anyways... I describe a lot in my PS.

 

[Grey Wind]

Does anyone know what kind of picture we are supposed to include, like a mugshot passport photo or just a normal casual picture?

passport style photo.

 

[thethethe]

,
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=649704

 

[123165]

passport style photo.

along with $200
😱

 

[JanikeyDoc]

Is it true if a Touro school sends you a secondary you will get an interview?? $200 is a lot of money, thats equal to the fee for four schools!! Does anyone know??

 

[thethethe]

Is it true if a Touro school sends you a secondary you will get an interview?? $200 is a lot of money, thats equal to the fee for four schools!! Does anyone know??

it is true! everybody who passes their minimum cut off gets an interview. which is bad...the school ends up interviewing so many people.

 

[buccsmf1]

I was initially extremely excited about applying here. But some threads on here about their administration blatantly lying to students about rotations has gotten me pretty scared about going here. I don't mind some minor growing pains, i understand it's a new school, but not placing third years to rotations IS AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM.

anyone have any more info about the school before i blow $200 on a secondary?

 

[JanikeyDoc]

it is true! everybody who passes their minimum cut off gets an interview. which is bad...the school ends up interviewing so many people.

But like most schools if you interview early your chances of admission go up, right? Is this the same policy for Touro CA and NV?

 

[thethethe]

But like most schools if you interview early your chances of admission go up, right?

yes, but i rather go to an interview where the school does a better job screening their applicants. at least i know they like my overall application rather than me just meeting their minimums.

 

[JediZero]

Man, vague prompt on a two page essay PLUS a lot of rambling about your affinity for Osteopathy? This thing is going to be a bear...

 

[JanikeyDoc]

I actually found the Touro NY essay prompt to be the most direct of all the ones I encountered.

 

[dtminhthu]

I like TouroCOM NY =) Anatomy professor is awesome. You'll have a good experience w/ anatomy here

 

[JediZero]

I actually found the Touro NY essay prompt to be the most direct of all the ones I encountered.

"Please discuss how your background, experience or academic program has prepared you for meeting the TouroCOM Mission, Goals or Objectives. Please limit your essay to 2 pages."

Well, yes, at least it's specific to the school, but it's still a very broad, sweeping kinda thing.

 

[coffeeeandtea]

ha ha thats funny. i received my secondary from them today as well and i had the same questions as you!

it seems like this PS will just be a rewording of my original PS. anyone know if we can recycle the same one?

You could but it would be a great disservice to your application; they DO read your primary PS before extending you a secondary.

But like most schools if you interview early your chances of admission go up, right? Is this the same policy for Touro CA and NV?

Only if your stats are competitive enough. If your stats are borderline, applying early isn't going to help unless you have an impressive interview. Otherwise: waitlist.

yes, but i rather go to an interview where the school does a better job screening their applicants. at least i know they like my overall application rather than me just meeting their minimums.

It's not just the minimums, they DO go through your personal PS and your ECs to see if you'd be a good fit for the school.

"Please discuss how your background, experience or academic program has prepared you for meeting the TouroCOM Mission, Goals or Objectives. Please limit your essay to 2 pages."

Well, yes, at least it's specific to the school, but it's still a very broad, sweeping kinda thing.

You're going to find this general type of prompt on almost all the secondaries that you fill out. They deliberately leave it broad so that you can tell them what's important to you. Use this space to tell them something new about yourself that you weren't able to discuss in your PS 🙂

p.s. some background about me -- I'm a current 1st year at TouroCOM, so if you have any questions feel free to ask 🙂

 

[p1acebo]

You could but it would be a great disservice to your application; they DO read your primary PS before extending you a secondary.



Only if your stats are competitive enough. If your stats are borderline, applying early isn't going to help unless you have an impressive interview. Otherwise: waitlist.



It's not just the minimums, they DO go through your personal PS and your ECs to see if you'd be a good fit for the school.



You're going to find this general type of prompt on almost all the secondaries that you fill out. They deliberately leave it broad so that you can tell them what's important to you. Use this space to tell them something new about yourself that you weren't able to discuss in your PS 🙂

p.s. some background about me -- I'm a current 1st year at TouroCOM, so if you have any questions feel free to ask 🙂

How do you like TouroCOM? Are there places you can go to study after hours? Do you live close to campus/how is the living situation? Does TouroCOM have a gym, or is there a local gym in the area?

 

[snurpy]

How do you like TouroCOM? Are there places you can go to study after hours? Do you live close to campus/how is the living situation? Does TouroCOM have a gym, or is there a local gym in the area?

I really like TouroCOM and am happy with my decision to come here. We have a new anatomy professor this year and Dr. Rich, the class of '13 loves you (well maybe not the material, but you're awesome). Upperclassmen relate horror stories about the previous professor, known as Dr. Terror-nova. I think anatomy is our hardest class by far, but I think that's the case in any medical school, not because the material is difficult, but there's just so much information to absorb.

Being new also has its advantages facility-wise. After 2 weeks of anatomy lab, I can promise you I do not smell like cadaver after showering. The filtration in the brightly lit anatomy lab room is awesome, and we have tablet pcs / books that we can use within the lab itself. My only gripe is really with the library which has limited hours, but there are many study rooms throughout the building that you can use after hours, and there is a guard at the entrance 24/7, so you feel very safe. I would not suggest walking around at odd hours outside in Harlem, but if it's an emergency, the guard can escort you to the nearest train station.

I live extremely close to school in the heart of Harlem in a very well-maintained building for affordable rent. If you live in the so-called "safer" areas of Manhattan which is pretty much anywhere downtown of Harlem, you will likely pay very high prices. I suggest anyone who decides on Touro to really live in the Harlem area. After all, it's Touro's mission to recruit doctors for the area and specialize in urban medicine. IMO, if you can't deal with the relatively safer area of 125th St., your chances of practicing medicine there are also very slim. Plus, commuting in general sucks.

Touro will have a gym before the end of this year, but in the meantime, they offer subsidized memberships at the nearby Planet Fitness and NYSC at all locations. I got my membership at Planet Fitness b/c it's ridonkulously cheap.

 

[Sharmia]

Anyone get interviews yet from this school?

 

[DocHomer]

Anyone get interviews yet from this school?

Check the interview thread. It seems like a couple of people have.

 

[thethethe]

I really like TouroCOM and am happy with my decision to come here. We have a new anatomy professor this year and Dr. Rich, the class of '13 loves you (well maybe not the material, but you're awesome). Upperclassmen relate horror stories about the previous professor, known as Dr. Terror-nova. I think anatomy is our hardest class by far, but I think that's the case in any medical school, not because the material is difficult, but there's just so much information to absorb.

Being new also has its advantages facility-wise. After 2 weeks of anatomy lab, I can promise you I do not smell like cadaver after showering. The filtration in the brightly lit anatomy lab room is awesome, and we have tablet pcs / books that we can use within the lab itself. My only gripe is really with the library which has limited hours, but there are many study rooms throughout the building that you can use after hours, and there is a guard at the entrance 24/7, so you feel very safe. I would not suggest walking around at odd hours outside in Harlem, but if it's an emergency, the guard can escort you to the nearest train station.

I live extremely close to school in the heart of Harlem in a very well-maintained building for affordable rent. If you live in the so-called "safer" areas of Manhattan which is pretty much anywhere downtown of Harlem, you will likely pay very high prices. I suggest anyone who decides on Touro to really live in the Harlem area. After all, it's Touro's mission to recruit doctors for the area and specialize in urban medicine. IMO, if you can't deal with the relatively safer area of 125th St., your chances of practicing medicine there are also very slim. Plus, commuting in general sucks.

Touro will have a gym before the end of this year, but in the meantime, they offer subsidized memberships at the nearby Planet Fitness and NYSC at all locations. I got my membership at Planet Fitness b/c it's ridonkulously cheap.

Did you get into other schools or was touro your only option?

 

[coffeeeandtea]

Did you get into other schools or was touro your only option?

Touro was not my only option, and I know of a few of my classmates who had other options open to them as well. We all made decisions based on our own preferences about the location, the teaching styles, cost, administrative policies, etc.

 

[snurpy]

Did you get into other schools or was touro your only option?

At first, I interpreted this question as coming off as very rude, but I guess for at least a few people in my class, this was a step up from Caribbean schools and a last resort. I did get into other schools (is it worth it to mention which schools?), but for me, because being a DO and location were key factors, the choice to come to Touro was easy. Because of personal issues, I wanted to be in a DO school as close to my family as possible. The non-gunner philosophy and camaraderie in the air here after touring the place were just big bonuses after dealing with years of insanely cutthroat premeds.

 

[drplease]

I had a question.. so my MCAT scores were missing (I forgot to release them.. stupid me) and so they contacted me to send them in. Within an hour of sending it in, I received an email that I got the secondary.. and it included the sentence:

"Once you have submitted all of the required documents you will receive an interview invitation via e-mail."

Does that mean I WILL get an interview? Or does that mean I will just be notified about a potential interview...? Am I reading too closely to this detail??? I hope I get one regardless of what it meant tho!!

 

[DocHomer]

I had a question.. so my MCAT scores were missing (I forgot to release them.. stupid me) and so they contacted me to send them in. Within an hour of sending it in, I received an email that I got the secondary.. and it included the sentence:

"Once you have submitted all of the required documents you will receive an interview invitation via e-mail."

Does that mean I WILL get an interview? Or does that mean I will just be notified about a potential interview...? Am I reading too closely to this detail??? I hope I get one regardless of what it meant tho!!

My understanding is that you will be invited for an interview after you complete your secondary. Congrats and good luck.

 

[premedmind]

A few questions about the application:

Where it says "Office use only" on the secondary application, what is that referring to?

Do we fill in the "Student ID #"?

Also where it says physician shadowing, can we list more than one underneath the space provided?

And for the LOR part, if we are submitting a Pre-medical Committee Letter, should we still list the names of three recommenders in that packet?

 

[DocHomer]

A few questions about the application:

Where it says "Office use only" on the secondary application, what is that referring to?

Do we fill in the "Student ID #"?

Also where it says physician shadowing, can we list more than one underneath the space provided?

And for the LOR part, if we are submitting a Pre-medical Committee Letter, should we still list the names of three recommenders in that packet?

1) Leave it alone. The "office use only" is probably referring to some administrative procedure to track applications.

2) I forgot what the Student ID # part looks like, but if it's grayed out then leave it blank.

3) I guess you could do that, but I just listed the DO I shadowed.

4) I only included the name of the pre-health committee chairman who wrote the letter.

 

[premedmind]

1) Leave it alone. The "office use only" is probably referring to some administrative procedure to track applications.

2) I forgot what the Student ID # part looks like, but if it's grayed out then leave it blank.

3) I guess you could do that, but I just listed the DO I shadowed.

4) I only included the name of the pre-health committee chairman who wrote the letter.

Thanks a lot.

Also a question on the essay. 2 pages seems like a lot....especially considering my PS is only a page.

How long should the essay be, ideally? Double or single-spaced?

I can get my response across in about a page single-spaced and I don't feel like adding any more fluff but at the same time I feel guilty about the filling the limit.

 

[DocHomer]

Thanks a lot.

Also a question on the essay. 2 pages seems like a lot....especially considering my PS is only a page.

How long should the essay be, ideally? Double or single-spaced?

I can get my response across in about a page single-spaced and I don't feel like adding any more fluff but at the same time I feel guilty about the filling the limit.

I wondered whether they meant double-spaced as well. I think a page, single-spaced is good. I believe my essay was about 1.3 pages, single-spaced. Just focus on having a substantive essay that responds to the questions they ask, and you will be fine.

 

[premedmind]

How long is the second part of their essay supposed to be? The part where they ask you to "on a separate sheet of paper, consider addressing..."

Is that another two pages as well?

 

[DocHomer]

How long is the second part of their essay supposed to be? The part where they ask you to "on a separate sheet of paper, consider addressing..."

Is that another two pages as well?

The entire essay should be no longer than two pages. Those questions are meant to be a guide as to what should be incorporated into your essay. Do not write two separate essays.

 

[premedmind]

The entire essay should be no longer than two pages. Those questions are meant to be a guide as to what should be incorporated into your essay. Do not write two separate essays.

Hmm...then why would they mention "on a separate sheet of paper...consider addressing..." after the initial essay prompt?

And you don't have to address every point, do you?

 

[thethethe]

Hmm...then why would they mention "on a separate sheet of paper...consider addressing..." after the initial essay prompt?

And you don't have to address every point, do you?

i dont plan on addressing every point. if i did, my essay wouldnt flow and would just feel like a bunch of short answers put into 1 essay.

 

[thethethe]

At first, I interpreted this question as coming off as very rude, but I guess for at least a few people in my class, this was a step up from Caribbean schools and a last resort. I did get into other schools (is it worth it to mention which schools?), but for me, because being a DO and location were key factors, the choice to come to Touro was easy. Because of personal issues, I wanted to be in a DO school as close to my family as possible. The non-gunner philosophy and camaraderie in the air here after touring the place were just big bonuses after dealing with years of insanely cutthroat premeds.

I was coming off as very rude and i apologize. Today I had my first interview VERY far from home and I became very homesick in just 1 day. I'll never underestimate the importance of family. I'm going to fill out their secondary and hope I do well at their interview.

 

[DocHomer]

Hmm...then why would they mention "on a separate sheet of paper...consider addressing..." after the initial essay prompt?

And you don't have to address every point, do you?

I think you're looking into this too much. It was a poor choice of wording on their part, but doing anything else would be pretty illogical. They just want you to write the essay (maximum 2 pages) on a separate sheet of paper, and they want you to answer some of the prompts. Basically, they want to know why you chose osteopathic medicine and whether you would be a good fit for the school's primary mission.

 

[Runner69]

along with $200
😱

Who The F do they think they are?

 

[premedmind]

I think you're looking into this too much. It was a poor choice of wording on their part, but doing anything else would be pretty illogical. They just want you to write the essay (maximum 2 pages) on a separate sheet of paper, and they want you to answer some of the prompts. Basically, they want to know why you chose osteopathic medicine and whether you would be a good fit for the school's primary mission.

Yeah, it would be illogical. But when it comes to these applications I take their instructions very literally...to assume that they meant something else would be illogical on my part.

Anyway, thanks for clearing that up.

One more thing:

Should I wait for my DO letter before sending in the secondary? Or just go ahead and submit now and send the letter later?

 

[coffeeeandtea]

Yeah, it would be illogical. But when it comes to these applications I take their instructions very literally...to assume that they meant something else would be illogical on my part.

Anyway, thanks for clearing that up.

One more thing:

Should I wait for my DO letter before sending in the secondary? Or just go ahead and submit now and send the letter later?

I would suggest that you send your secondary when you finish it, and the letter as soon as you get it. You could send them in at the same time, too, though, because they won't review your file until it's complete anyway.

 

[BassCaster]

I wrote two pages for my first essay and on a separate sheet of paper I addressed every topic they suggested. Interview invite today via email. Logical/illogical... either way it worked.

 

[premedmind]

EDIT: Question was already answered

 

[premedmind]

Can anyone confirm that the Student ID# is not to be filled out by us?

 

[DocHomer]

Can anyone confirm that the Student ID# is not to be filled out by us?

Leave it blank.

 

[jesscsanchez]

p.s. some background about me -- I'm a current 1st year at TouroCOM, so if you have any questions feel free to ask 🙂

Hey there! Quick question, I was looking into the different programs available at TouroCOM and I seem to remember a program that pairs a medical student with a pregnant woman, and you work with this patient throughout her pregnancy and delivery. How does that work?

 

[youreokandimok]

Any acceptances so far? Have any of you all interviewed already?

 

[jesscsanchez]

Any acceptances so far? Have any of you all interviewed already?

I got an interview invite so far for September. I'm trying to see if I can have it scheduled for the first week of October, since I'll be in D.C. at the time and I can stop in NYC. But we'll see...hopefully this all works out 🙂

 

[Gomes]

Any New Yorkers or TouroCOM students willing to share some advice about Hotels and Plane Tickets? I have an interview coming up and I am booking a flight to La Guardia but don't know which place to stay at. Any help is appreciated!! Thanks!

 

[thethethe]

Any New Yorkers or TouroCOM students willing to share some advice about Hotels and Plane Tickets? I have an interview coming up and I am booking a flight to La Guardia but don't know which place to stay at. Any help is appreciated!! Thanks!

expect to pay a lot of money. it's really expensive.

 

[abdohalimo43]

hey guys...i just got my MCAT scores back and im waiting for AACOMAS to receive them. TUCOM-NY is my #1 DO program and i was wondering what you guys think about my chances...considering there are TUCOM students on here, i dont think i could get better advice.

PS: 9
VR: 9
BS: 9
WS: Q

27Q

nothing crazy but a good spread between scores. my gpa is 3.24 both science and cumulative....biggg upward trend (from 2.3). A lot of EC's but yea im jw if i fit the criteria. thanks

 

[SmokD]

I would say you would be competitive as long as you interview well.