I just interviewed at TUCOM and disliked every aspect of it. The new campus is okay, but face it, it's a remodeled army base- which despite the remodeling, still has that base feel. They spend 35-40 hours per week in class and have NO clinical exposure in the first two years. Their faculty is small; part of being a new school... I am really trying to find something positive about this experience. It was a bummer for me since my family lives nearby and I was hoping this would be my first choice. Anyone else share some of my feelings?
TUCOM
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Bummer! I do think that in a few years, TUCOM will begin to shape up. But if it is true that they get no clinical experience early on, then that is a real unfortunate circumstance. In one of my recent conversations with a NSUCOM MS-III who is doing rotations with M.D. students, he said that this early clinical exposure really sharpened his skills while the others have to play catch-up.
Good luck to you, whatever you decide.
Gregory Gulick
http://www.osteopathic.com/gregory
Good luck to you, whatever you decide.
Gregory Gulick
http://www.osteopathic.com/gregory
Hello Alexis-
I empathize with your feeling about TUCOM because I will be living only 45 min's from the new facility and contemplating about attending the school. It is so new and the current facility and program are in a pretty bad condition! But I hope that you will look at both positive and negative aspects about the school. While it has nothing to be praised about now, but they are putting a lot of effort and investment in the new facility. Even though the new facility is an old Navy base, it looks very nice compare to a lot of other facilities. Furthermore, they are in no condition to provide early clinical because of where they are located now. AZCOM has just begun their early clinical rotation this year (their third class). But at COMP, the students have to go about it themselves in finding a place for early clinical exposure. I have only interviewed at three schools, so I can't say for the rest. But as you see, TUCOM seems to be promising. It has a lot of potential. They will open their own clinic at the new facility, where students can have early clinical experience (I hope) and they are trying to get affiliation from a very nearby hospital. However, I am afraid that TUCOM will not really be established during our first two years of med school which can hinder us academically. That's my two cents. Viviane
I empathize with your feeling about TUCOM because I will be living only 45 min's from the new facility and contemplating about attending the school. It is so new and the current facility and program are in a pretty bad condition! But I hope that you will look at both positive and negative aspects about the school. While it has nothing to be praised about now, but they are putting a lot of effort and investment in the new facility. Even though the new facility is an old Navy base, it looks very nice compare to a lot of other facilities. Furthermore, they are in no condition to provide early clinical because of where they are located now. AZCOM has just begun their early clinical rotation this year (their third class). But at COMP, the students have to go about it themselves in finding a place for early clinical exposure. I have only interviewed at three schools, so I can't say for the rest. But as you see, TUCOM seems to be promising. It has a lot of potential. They will open their own clinic at the new facility, where students can have early clinical experience (I hope) and they are trying to get affiliation from a very nearby hospital. However, I am afraid that TUCOM will not really be established during our first two years of med school which can hinder us academically. That's my two cents. Viviane
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Sounds like you got ahold of some bad info. I interviewed there as well. I was not impressed with the facilities (although the new campus looks like it will be great when finished), problems are likely with new schools. I know someone in the 2001 class (the charter class) and aside from some organization complaints, he is very happy with his education. Most of thier instructors are shared between them and UCSF. I do not know of any other DO school in the nation that can offer UCSF caliber instruction. The professor who teaches 90% of their pathology course is also from UCSF, not to mention one of the editors of "First aid for the USMLE." They actually have experts from UCSF come in just to instruct on a specific topic. These people are lucking out!! I would put up with a little unorganization to be able to be taught by experts such as the ones UCSF can supply. Oh, they also have an instructor from Stanford who comes and instructs on all cardiology subjects.
They also are guaranteed residency slots due to their dean teaming up with several senators and finding a loop hole in the "no new residency programs" agenda
Take a closer look. I agree, and ugly duckling at first glance, but a second look might just prove worthwhile.
Sean
They also are guaranteed residency slots due to their dean teaming up with several senators and finding a loop hole in the "no new residency programs" agenda
Take a closer look. I agree, and ugly duckling at first glance, but a second look might just prove worthwhile.
Sean
Viv,
If by "early clinical rotation" you mean clinical exposure during year 1 and 2 then AZCOM started that with their inaugural class two years ago. Not only is there an opportunity to get the exposure, it is a required class every quarter during year 1 and 2.
Now if by "early clinical rotation" you mean clerkships during 3rd and 4th year, then you are quite correct that AZCOM's first class are now MS3 students in rotations.
If by "early clinical rotation" you mean clinical exposure during year 1 and 2 then AZCOM started that with their inaugural class two years ago. Not only is there an opportunity to get the exposure, it is a required class every quarter during year 1 and 2.
Now if by "early clinical rotation" you mean clerkships during 3rd and 4th year, then you are quite correct that AZCOM's first class are now MS3 students in rotations.
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I was talking to a faculty member at TCOM who had very positive things to say about the leadership, whom he knows personally, at TUCOM. TUCOM does indeed have its work cut out for it being sandwhiched between two powerhouse and well-established medical schools---UCSF and Stanford. Still, the administration on board is widely regarded as being tough as nails. These were guys who furthered osteopathic medicine when the MD's were overtly hostile toward it.
I would examine every school MD or DO on its individual merits and pick the one that you believe best meets your needs and can offer you an outstanding medical education. If your heart is set on staying in the Bay Area---and being former Bay Area resident I can't blame you if it is---then rest assured that TUCOM will earn its place as a solid DO school within the next 5-10 years, just about the time you'll be finishing residency.
By the way, they also stole away from us one of our infectious disease docs, Francis Blaise, DO. It's our sad loss and their fortunate gain.
--dave
I would examine every school MD or DO on its individual merits and pick the one that you believe best meets your needs and can offer you an outstanding medical education. If your heart is set on staying in the Bay Area---and being former Bay Area resident I can't blame you if it is---then rest assured that TUCOM will earn its place as a solid DO school within the next 5-10 years, just about the time you'll be finishing residency.
By the way, they also stole away from us one of our infectious disease docs, Francis Blaise, DO. It's our sad loss and their fortunate gain.
--dave
Hello,
I just recently interview at TUCOM in San Francisco, and I had a totally positive experience all the way around. I am not only impressed with the current school, but I am very impressed with where the school is headed.
I currently have two friends from UofM who attend TUCOM (Sop and Frosh) and they are very happy with the school. The majority of the basic science faculty are from UCSF, UC Berkely, Stanford, and Harvard. UCSF professors do almost all specialty lectures. I have yet to find another osteopathic program that has the credentials that this schools faculty has, and has the vision of where the administrators are going to take the school in the future.
I have actually heard that only one class started off unorganized, but is up and running very good now.
I will definitely be attending this school if I am accepted for many positive reasons. One of them being its location in one of the nicest areas in the world.
Elward
I just recently interview at TUCOM in San Francisco, and I had a totally positive experience all the way around. I am not only impressed with the current school, but I am very impressed with where the school is headed.
I currently have two friends from UofM who attend TUCOM (Sop and Frosh) and they are very happy with the school. The majority of the basic science faculty are from UCSF, UC Berkely, Stanford, and Harvard. UCSF professors do almost all specialty lectures. I have yet to find another osteopathic program that has the credentials that this schools faculty has, and has the vision of where the administrators are going to take the school in the future.
I have actually heard that only one class started off unorganized, but is up and running very good now.
I will definitely be attending this school if I am accepted for many positive reasons. One of them being its location in one of the nicest areas in the world.
Elward
Z
zo
I have heard from my brother working in the bay area this past year that he has met fourth and third year Touro students without anywhere to go for their clerkships and clinical rotations. Is that true?? Does it mean that Touro is not well known enough to establish adequate educational opportunities for its students? I have also heard that the percentage of students who pass the boards are below average due to the fact that many of the faculty are new and have no real experience with training medical students to pass their boards.
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I go to TUCOM and I just wanted to set you guys straight on the facts.
1) TUCOM beat the national average in pass rates for the Comlex 97%
2) The school has more rotation spots than it has students. Most of our rotation sites are still unfilled. Those who don't want to go to sites outside of CA have a greater challenge in getting the rotations they want in the order they are required. Some of our sites are shared with COMP.
3) The faculty here are from UCSF, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and KCOM. I have worked at other schools and the faculty here is amazing.
4) The clinical exposure is what you make of it. The attending physicians who review our 3rd and 4th years say that our students are more comfortable with patients and H&P's than students from other schools.
I think that this is a great school, young but promising. If you wanna ask me more E-mail me.
[email protected]
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Jim
1) TUCOM beat the national average in pass rates for the Comlex 97%
2) The school has more rotation spots than it has students. Most of our rotation sites are still unfilled. Those who don't want to go to sites outside of CA have a greater challenge in getting the rotations they want in the order they are required. Some of our sites are shared with COMP.
3) The faculty here are from UCSF, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and KCOM. I have worked at other schools and the faculty here is amazing.
4) The clinical exposure is what you make of it. The attending physicians who review our 3rd and 4th years say that our students are more comfortable with patients and H&P's than students from other schools.
I think that this is a great school, young but promising. If you wanna ask me more E-mail me.
[email protected]
------------------
Jim
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