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- Jan 28, 2008
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I was fortunate enough to receive 4 interviews this season (DMU, CCOM, KCUMB, Western) three of which are an acceptance (Western, KCUMB, and CCOM), one waitlist (DMU).
For me, it will be between Western, CCOM and KCUMB. I wanted to compare only academic and clinical opportunities of the above schools. Cost and state are of the least importance for me.
Here is what I want from a medical school:
1) Higher than average board scores
2) Matching into competitive specialties and residencies… I want to go into Ophtho.
3) Proximity to great research schools (for Summer)
I know that many people would tell that any of these schools are capable of graduating a great doctor and it all depends on the students. But I think I am trying to make the best informed decision. Here are my impressions of the three schools:
CCOM
Found: 1900
Question: what is the board score average for this school?
Pros:
- All the 3rd year cores done in Chicago
- Extensive list of rotations plus possibility of doing elective locally in NW, Rush, Loyola, etc.
- Safe area
- Proximity to great research schools
- Notetaking service
- Good reputation (from what I hear)
- Someone on SDN mentioned competitive environment: I thrive on competition. But I enjoy friendly competition, not cut-to-throat kind of competition.
Cons:
- Below average overall technical level of the school (dial-up slow internet, wireless internet not in all buildings old TVs in the lecture halls and anatomy labs, no flat screens).
- The school kind of looks sad. Old buildings, new construction ones probably would not finished anytime soon to matter for me anyways. I got an impression that school does not like to spend money on technology at all.
Western
Found: ~1977
Unanswered question: Only ~2700 people applied to this school for 220 seats, comparing to 3700 people for 160 seats in Chicago. I would think California school should receive much more applicants than that. I do not understand why a Cali school would have less people applying to it than Chicago school.
Question: what is the board score average for this school?
Pros:
- Everything is new, good technical level, though no flat screens in anatomy labs
- Core rotations are pretty good and you can do them on LA area.
- UCLA, USC and Loma Linda rotation sites are close
- Proximity to great research schools
- Higher than average board scores (not sure by how much)
Cons:
- It would extremely hard to get matched into California if I want to go into something like ophto. So I think I am most like to return back to Midwest for my residency so education in Cali may not be as important.
- No official notetaking service
- A lot of unnecessarily fancy people (Example: when I was interviewing, some guy walks into the room… expensive suit, expensive groomed hair… I thought he was a DO or MD who was going to interview us. As a result, it was just one of the applicants). I am on the contrary a pretty simple guy for the most part.
KCUMB
Found: 1960's
Special thing: Case-based curriculum which I thought was an interesting idea. Not sure if this is my kind of learning since I got used to the standard classes. I feel that if you keep jumping from subject to subject, it would be hard to glue individual case together and have a good understanding of overall anatomy. I guess one can argue either ways.
Pros:
- Good technical level of the school, updated equipment, many flat screens throughout campus
- 71% of students specialize after medical school (which I think is the highest out of all DO schools)
- 5% board scores than other schools
- Notetaking service
Cons:
- Some negative information that leaked into KCUMB thread (not sure how much of it 100% true). I feel that if students are allowed to retake tests, there is nothing terrible about that. I feel that students actually learn the material better that way instead of just giving up on a topic after getting a bad grade). Plus the board scores showed for the last 5 years students scores 4-6% higher than the national average
- Not that many research schools in the area (KU)
- A lot of people have to travel for their core rotations
My overall questions:
1) How critical is it go to a school with an established reputation like CCOM vs. newer school (Western) in terms of residency matching?
2) Which school has the most residency programs?
3) How do people wait for financial aid packages? It seems like I have to put down a hefty non-refundable deposit before I find whether I get any scholarships. I thought about risking sending out deposits into 2 schools and wait till the financial aid package arrives. I guess DO schools do not encourage the FA bargaining.
For me, it will be between Western, CCOM and KCUMB. I wanted to compare only academic and clinical opportunities of the above schools. Cost and state are of the least importance for me.
Here is what I want from a medical school:
1) Higher than average board scores
2) Matching into competitive specialties and residencies… I want to go into Ophtho.
3) Proximity to great research schools (for Summer)
I know that many people would tell that any of these schools are capable of graduating a great doctor and it all depends on the students. But I think I am trying to make the best informed decision. Here are my impressions of the three schools:
CCOM
Found: 1900
Question: what is the board score average for this school?
Pros:
- All the 3rd year cores done in Chicago
- Extensive list of rotations plus possibility of doing elective locally in NW, Rush, Loyola, etc.
- Safe area
- Proximity to great research schools
- Notetaking service
- Good reputation (from what I hear)
- Someone on SDN mentioned competitive environment: I thrive on competition. But I enjoy friendly competition, not cut-to-throat kind of competition.
Cons:
- Below average overall technical level of the school (dial-up slow internet, wireless internet not in all buildings old TVs in the lecture halls and anatomy labs, no flat screens).
- The school kind of looks sad. Old buildings, new construction ones probably would not finished anytime soon to matter for me anyways. I got an impression that school does not like to spend money on technology at all.
Western
Found: ~1977
Unanswered question: Only ~2700 people applied to this school for 220 seats, comparing to 3700 people for 160 seats in Chicago. I would think California school should receive much more applicants than that. I do not understand why a Cali school would have less people applying to it than Chicago school.
Question: what is the board score average for this school?
Pros:
- Everything is new, good technical level, though no flat screens in anatomy labs
- Core rotations are pretty good and you can do them on LA area.
- UCLA, USC and Loma Linda rotation sites are close
- Proximity to great research schools
- Higher than average board scores (not sure by how much)
Cons:
- It would extremely hard to get matched into California if I want to go into something like ophto. So I think I am most like to return back to Midwest for my residency so education in Cali may not be as important.
- No official notetaking service
- A lot of unnecessarily fancy people (Example: when I was interviewing, some guy walks into the room… expensive suit, expensive groomed hair… I thought he was a DO or MD who was going to interview us. As a result, it was just one of the applicants). I am on the contrary a pretty simple guy for the most part.
KCUMB
Found: 1960's
Special thing: Case-based curriculum which I thought was an interesting idea. Not sure if this is my kind of learning since I got used to the standard classes. I feel that if you keep jumping from subject to subject, it would be hard to glue individual case together and have a good understanding of overall anatomy. I guess one can argue either ways.
Pros:
- Good technical level of the school, updated equipment, many flat screens throughout campus
- 71% of students specialize after medical school (which I think is the highest out of all DO schools)
- 5% board scores than other schools
- Notetaking service
Cons:
- Some negative information that leaked into KCUMB thread (not sure how much of it 100% true). I feel that if students are allowed to retake tests, there is nothing terrible about that. I feel that students actually learn the material better that way instead of just giving up on a topic after getting a bad grade). Plus the board scores showed for the last 5 years students scores 4-6% higher than the national average
- Not that many research schools in the area (KU)
- A lot of people have to travel for their core rotations
My overall questions:
1) How critical is it go to a school with an established reputation like CCOM vs. newer school (Western) in terms of residency matching?
2) Which school has the most residency programs?
3) How do people wait for financial aid packages? It seems like I have to put down a hefty non-refundable deposit before I find whether I get any scholarships. I thought about risking sending out deposits into 2 schools and wait till the financial aid package arrives. I guess DO schools do not encourage the FA bargaining.