Two schools - nova/uiwsom advice needed

[drabberbadge]

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I’m trying to decide between attending nova and uiwsom
I’m from California and nova is 5 hours from family and uiwsom is 3 hours
I would be moving with my wife so I want to live in a place that would be nice for her as well - safe- things to do etc but also want a better school to choose
I loved the nova campus but two things bother me 1) the rural rotations for 3 months 2) the overkill in the first year from what I hear
Can I get some advice

 

[Goro]

I’m trying to decide between attending nova and uiwsom
I’m from California and nova is 5 hours from family and uiwsom is 3 hours
I would be moving with my wife so I want to live in a place that would be nice for her as well - safe- things to do etc but also want a better school to choose
I loved the nova campus but two things bother me 1) the rural rotations for 3 months 2) the overkill in the first year from what I hear
Can I get some advice

All med schools are overkill in the first year

I'm impressed with the way UIW has set up their curriculum, and San Antonio is indeed a nice place to live (killer barbecue on top of that).

But I think that established schools have advantages.

 

[drabberbadge]

So would you say that I’d be better off in nsu than uiwsom? I’m trying to decide between the two yet the rural rotation thing is irritating

All med schools are overkill in the first year

I'm impressed with the way UIW has set up their curriculum, and San Antonio is indeed a nice place to live (killer barbecue on top of that).

But I think that established schools have advantages.

 

[Ruraldoc18]

I’m trying to decide between attending nova and uiwsom
I’m from California and nova is 5 hours from family and uiwsom is 3 hours
I would be moving with my wife so I want to live in a place that would be nice for her as well - safe- things to do etc but also want a better school to choose
I loved the nova campus but two things bother me 1) the rural rotations for 3 months 2) the overkill in the first year from what I hear
Can I get some advice

Here are my thoughts-

I personally chose UIWSOM over some other schools because of the family aspect. My wife's entire family lives in San Antonio and I don't think anyone should underestimate the importance of having a good support system close by during medical school, not only for the students but also for our spouses. Even though I haven't started yet, we are already trying to prepare ourselves for me having no life whatsoever for a few years. UIWSOM has a support group/club set up specifically for spouses of students, which my wife thought is a great idea and will be a part of.

I also think Texas (and UIWSOM in part) is doing a lot of good things in the residency development department. The government is pumping in several millions of dollars to create 1.1 residencies to 1 Texas medical school graduate (UIW included). Mostly primary care positions because Texas ranks near last in primary care physicians per capita.

I should also point out that you may end up in Abilene or Laredo for clinicals. I think around 65% stay in San Antonio and the rest end up in the other areas. It is done through a lottery and by ranking your preference. Neither of the other cities are rural, but Laredo gets a pretty bad rap here in Texas as being unsafe. Abilene is fine, it is in West Texas and near were I went to undergrad.

Oh, I should also mention that in addition to awesome BBQ, San Antonio has probably the best Mexican food ever created. Try Mi Tierra near the Riverwalk, it has a great ambiance!

All that being said, I totally agree with Goro, a school as established as Nova will provide a lot of great opportunities. Plus, I attended a conference in Fort Lauderdale last year and there were plenty of things to do as a couple as long as you enjoy beautiful beaches, seafood, and a few crazy retired Floridians (I can say that, I was born in the Florida panhandle and lived there for awhile when I was young 🙂 ). Don't know much about the curriculum there though. Seemed like a pretty safe area. Cost of living may be a bit higher?

Best if luck on whichever you choose!

 

[Goro]

So would you say that I’d be better off in nsu than uiwsom? I’m trying to decide between the two yet the rural rotation thing is irritating

After seeing a post in the "New DO schools" thread, and then noting that the Nova pass rate for COMLEX I (on the NOVA website) has been going down for for the past four years, I am now worried about Nova. The trend is either due to their admitting weaker students, or some negative change in their curriculum that is negative.

Therefore, this is a very hard decision to advise on.

 

[drabberbadge]

Wow that is quite concerning
I was pretty much dead set on nova and thought it would be no contest comparing an established school to a newer one
Not sure what to do in this case
Wouldn’t a new school be very disadvantageous

After seeing a post in the "New DO schools" thread, and then noting that the Nova pass rate for COMLEX I (on the NOVA website) has been going down for for the past four years, I am now worried about Nova. The trend is either due to their admitting weaker students, or some negative change in their curriculum that is negative.

Therefore, this is a very hard decision to advise on.

 

[Goro]

Wow that is quite concerning
I was pretty much dead set on nova and thought it would be no contest comparing an established school to a newer one
Not sure what to do in this case
Wouldn’t a new school be very disadvantageous

That's the dilemma.
New schools are best for people who are good at self-leaning, because it takes time for Faculty at those schools to gel and figure out how to deliver a curriculum. In addition, their rotation sites are a complete black box, unless they have tied into established ones.

 

[drabberbadge]

Just spoke to someone at Nova and they said their match rate was 100% last year and complex scores are not decreasing plus they have a lot of established alliances with reputable programs
To be honest speaking to the admission counselor was reassuring for nova
The “black box” rotation sites concerns me for uiwsom
Where is the link to the decreasing complex scores?

 

[Cath Up]

Just spoke to someone at Nova and they said their match rate was 100% last year and complex scores are not decreasing plus they have a lot of established alliances with reputable programs
To be honest speaking to the admission counselor was reassuring for nova
The “black box” rotation sites concerns me for uiwsom
Where is the link to the decreasing complex scores?

Residency Match Data and COMLEX Level 3 Board Scores | NSU COM

Prior to being aware of NSU's pass rate for COMLEX 1 I would have thought NSU would be preferable as well, but those are well below nat' averages for those years.

I spoke with someone on SDN recently about UIW and they pointed out that UIW has some excellent affiliated residency prospects. There were a couple other advantages to going to med school in Texas (regardless of DO or MD) that seemed very attractive to me, in UIW's favor. I would consider that program if I were in your shoes.

 

[drabberbadge]

What are the advantages of going to Texas ? I am considering it however because it’s not an established school and a newer school it seems more of a risk to me that I’m not sure if I want to take ... overall I feel nsu has a good rep aside from the recent dip in complex 1 scores but rep wise and resource wise I feel because it’s been around longer it has more hospitals and opportunity
Please correct me if I’m wrong

Residency Match Data and COMLEX Level 3 Board Scores | NSU COM

Prior to being aware of NSU's pass rate for COMLEX 1 I would have thought NSU would be preferable as well, but those are well below nat' averages for those years.

I spoke with someone on SDN recently about UIW and they pointed out that UIW has some excellent affiliated residency prospects. There were a couple other advantages to going to med school in Texas (regardless of DO or MD) that seemed very attractive to me, in UIW's favor. I would consider that program if I were in your shoes.

 

[Cath Up]

What are the advantages of going to Texas ? I am considering it however because it’s not an established school and a newer school it seems more of a risk to me that I’m not sure if I want to take ... overall I feel nsu has a good rep aside from the recent dip in complex 1 scores but rep wise and resource wise I feel because it’s been around longer it has more hospitals and opportunity
Please correct me if I’m wrong

Search function should help with the Texas question- I don't remember what the user told me.

Your thinking is otherwise along the same lines of what I would be considering in your shoes. It is tough to know what's best.

 

[Ruraldoc18]

Just spoke to someone at Nova and they said their match rate was 100% last year and complex scores are not decreasing plus they have a lot of established alliances with reputable programs
To be honest speaking to the admission counselor was reassuring for nova
The “black box” rotation sites concerns me for uiwsom
Where is the link to the decreasing complex scores?

I saw that post as well. Nova's COMLEX scores are on their website.

Residency Match Data and COMLEX Level 3 Board Scores | NSU COM

What are the advantages of going to Texas ? I am considering it however because it’s not an established school and a newer school it seems more of a risk to me that I’m not sure if I want to take ... overall I feel nsu has a good rep aside from the recent dip in complex 1 scores but rep wise and resource wise I feel because it’s been around longer it has more hospitals and opportunity
Please correct me if I’m wrong

Read my post above regarding the state dedicating money to create residencies to a 1.1 to 1 ratio. If you google TheCB and GME creation you can find some useful info/ reports from the state.

 

[Ruraldoc18]

Maybe this will help-

THECB - Graduate Medical Education Expansion Programs

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Nova will be better for getting you out of PC, and I’m skeptical that PDs in Texas will even give two craps about the brand new private DO school’s graduates. Look at this example, last year Broward health had a massive increase in applicants for their ortho program (DO+MDs due to gaining accred) and they still took 3 DOs... ALL of them were from NSU. NSU simply has more affiliates and is a proven entity.

Lol at everyone looking at 2 years of lower COMLEX pass rates... Boards are completely on you and the overall rates are meaningless for you as an individual student.

 

[MADD!!!]

Nova will be better for getting you out of PC, and I’m skeptical that PDs in Texas will even give two craps about the brand new private DO school’s graduates. Look at this example, last year Broward health had a massive increase in applicants for their ortho program (DO+MDs due to gaining accred) and they still took 3 DOs... ALL of them were from NSU. NSU simply has more affiliates and is a proven entity.

Lol at everyone looking at 2 years of lower COMLEX pass rates... Boards are completely on you and the overall rates are meaningless for you as an individual student.

Texas cares a lot about their graduates staying there to practice (same as Oklahoma). Hence their high presence of Public schools an in-state biases. UIWSOM is new, but if their graduates apply and show a commitment to stay in Texas to practice I think it would go a long way.

With that said, NSU is the choice and it's easy. Although Texas is expanding it's GME, Florida has it beat. Florida already has more established residencies, in more competitive fields, and is one of the most DO-friendly states in the nation. Nova matches well and they have a decent reputation. I think UIW is good for a new school, don't get me wrong, but it's not in the same tier as Nova.

And with that said, there's always exceptions. If you're from Texas or a nearby area and want to stay there (which many UIWSOM students are), I'd probably choose it. If you want to go for a competitive specialty and want to maximize your opportunities and open geographically, I'd choose Nova.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Texas cares a lot about their graduates staying there to practice (same as Oklahoma). Hence their high presence of Public schools an in-state biases. UIWSOM is new, but if their graduates apply and show a commitment to stay in Texas to practice I think it would go a long way.

With that said, NSU is the choice and it's easy. Although Texas is expanding it's GME, Florida has it beat. Florida already has more established residencies, in more competitive fields, and is one of the most DO-friendly states in the nation. Nova matches well and they have a decent reputation. I think UIW is good for a new school, don't get me wrong, but it's not in the same tier as Nova.

And with that said, there's always exceptions. If you're from Texas or a nearby area and want to stay there (which many UIWSOM students are), I'd probably choose it. If you want to go for a competitive specialty and want to maximize your opportunities and open geographically, I'd choose Nova.

Yep, I’m 5 or 6 years the answer could be different but as it is today NSU is the better option.

 

[Osminog]

Lol at everyone looking at 2 years of lower COMLEX pass rates... Boards are completely on you and the overall rates are meaningless for you as an individual student.

Nova's admission standards are very comparable to those of other well-regarded DO schools. Therefore, I think we can safely assume that the intellectual quality of students is comparable to those at other well-regarded DO schools. Yet Nova students, on average, perform worse on board exams than their peers at other institutions. What's your explanation for this?

My hypothesis is that Nova has below-par curricular standards that don't adequately supplement students' board preparation. Would this potential implication be "meaningless" for individual students? I hardly think so.

 

[Goro]

I saw that post as well. Nova's COMLEX scores are on their website.

Residency Match Data and COMLEX Level 3 Board Scores | NSU COM

Read my post above regarding the state dedicating money to create residencies to a 1.1 to 1 ratio. If you google TheCB and GME creation you can find some useful info/ reports from the state.

Please note, for accuracy's sake, the Table on the website doesn't show Board scores. You only see first time pass rates. these have been going down for the past four years. And if pass rates are going down, then scores are going down. This should be of concern.

ACADEMIC YEAR
LEVEL 1
2016-17
85.80

2015-16
87.23

2014-15
93.00

2013-14
90.30

 

[zafonte86]

Go where you are going to be the most happy. In the end Board scores are going to fall on you and how you prepare. I’m a Nova grad. The rural rotation really isn’t that bad. Irritating but it’s not going to prevent you from getting the Residency you want.

 

[premed45456]

I chose UIW over another established DO school due to being from Texas and wanting to stay here for residency, and subsequently practice in Texas in the future. But if you're not from here and have no intention of wanting to settle in Texas, I would go to the more established school (NOVA in this case)!

 

[Spectreman]

I have some opinions on the pass rates at Nova... nova has a very established 1-2 year masters program and many of the students matriculate via this MBS program. If you take Biochem, for example, and get an A, but also get a C in Physio, you have to move into the 2-year program. You get to do research and bunch of other nifty things, but you have to retake Physio. Then after that you enroll in the school and don’t retake any classes you got an A in. That means many students (I’m talking 20+ students) are taking their boards not having seen Biochem for 3 whole years. You can only imagine how some students are going to get wrecked by that stuff. I also want to caution that established schools like Nova have TONS AND TONS of EC stuff going on. Freaking clubs on clubs on clubs. And little doey-eyed future-othropod Timmy is going to convince himself he has to be part of all of it if he has any shot at a future.
That stuff sucks your study time right down the crapper. Just keep that in mind as you pick a school and think about stuff. In the end board scores are on you. I think it’s funny how people who want to be super competitive specialists get all bent out of shape by 5-10% lower pass rates. Are you seriously thinking that might be you? Every one of these schools also has students cracking 800 on their COMLEX and 260 on their Step, and I’m pretty sure they couldn’t give a rip what the average pass rate was in their class.