UMDNJ-SOM: Pros and Cons

[eag]

What are the pros and cons for UMDNJ-SOM?

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[ArcherM2]

It's the best. Ever.

 

[chika_NYC]

What are the pros and cons for UMDNJ-SOM?

Hey eags,

In my mind the only cons that UMDNJ-SOM has is its location..but then again, it is about 10-20 mins away from Philly, so I can't really complain.

As far as its curriculum is concerned, its really trying to be the best of the osteopathic schools and bring in the cutting edge curriculum. The new curriculum is going to be like those problem based curriculas as in SUNY Buffalo..They are really trying to give students more clinical exposure.

Hope that helps.
chika

 

[Nate]

Here is my perspective and some of why I chose UMDNJ:

Pros:
Tuition: In the end it comes down to this; saving 10,000 dollars per year for four years.
4 students to a cadaver: I guess this is more important if you are interested in surgery or pathology.
Tiny class size of 90 students with largest faculty: this means a lot in terms of support and resources.
Clinical education: Own teaching hospital on campus plus an inner-city teaching hospital.
Curriculum: Integrating more patient and case based learning to the traditional curriculum this year and I love the idea of block exams with no classes during the week of the exams.
No dress code, very laid back environment, mandatory attendance only on some classes, and as I have mentioned before, a strong feeling of confidence throughout the students.
Classmate mentoring: You are matched with a second year student as your big brother/sister but as you may have noticed from these forums at the UMDNJ-SOM threads, the former and current students are very helpful anyway.

Cons:
The first year classroom itself doesn't look very comfortable, although with the new curriculum implementing more small-group sessions we will be spending more time in the small group rooms which do look comfortable.
The Histology lab STINKS, I mean it literally smells horrible =) Oh well.
The focus on family medicine in the clinical years is a bit exaggerated, 12 weeks of family medicine in the third year. However, you still get the exposure to other stuff and lots of electives in fourth year. Seeing the positive in it would be knowing that even if you are not interested in family med there will be plenty of general stuff worth learning in that rotation.

Good luck

 

[DrFeelgoodDO]

Here is my perspective and some of why I chose UMDNJ:

Pros:
Tuition: In the end it comes down to this; saving 10,000 dollars per year for four years.
4 students to a cadaver: I guess this is more important if you are interested in surgery or pathology.
Tiny class size of 90 students with largest faculty: this means a lot in terms of support and resources.
Clinical education: Own teaching hospital on campus plus an inner-city teaching hospital.
Curriculum: Integrating more patient and case based learning to the traditional curriculum this year and I love the idea of block exams with no classes during the week of the exams.
No dress code, very laid back environment, mandatory attendance only on some classes, and as I have mentioned before, a strong feeling of confidence throughout the students.
Classmate mentoring: You are matched with a second year student as your big brother/sister but as you may have noticed from these forums at the UMDNJ-SOM threads, the former and current students are very helpful anyway.

Cons:
The first year classroom itself doesn't look very comfortable, although with the new curriculum implementing more small-group sessions we will be spending more time in the small group rooms which do look comfortable.
The Histology lab STINKS, I mean it literally smells horrible =) Oh well.
The focus on family medicine in the clinical years is a bit exaggerated, 12 weeks of family medicine in the third year. However, you still get the exposure to other stuff and lots of electives in fourth year. Seeing the positive in it would be knowing that even if you are not interested in family med there will be plenty of general stuff worth learning in that rotation.

Good luck

Nate, I couldn't have said it better myself! The only two pros that I would add:

1) There are scribes for every class, and they are VERBATIM - this means that they are not just an interpretation or summary as deemed by the author, as is the situation at most med schools.....

2) The staff kicks some serious ass! You won't find better secretaries and such who care or do more for their students.....

Listen to Nate; as a former student at SOM, I know that what he says is 100% correct.

 

[umdnjdoc]

A quick note about the new circuilium (spelled worng) coming up. It won't take effect until the class of 2010 shows up. For next year's class, their will be an intergration of both old methods and new methods.

Also the big brother/big sister program is nice but I hardly know my big sister. The plus side is that is was very easy to talk to anybody in the second year class and get their opinions on things.

 

[eag]

So what is the curriculum for the class of 2009?

A quick note about the new circuilium (spelled worng) coming up. It won't take effect until the class of 2010 shows up. For next year's class, their will be an intergration of both old methods and new methods.

Also the big brother/big sister program is nice but I hardly know my big sister. The plus side is that is was very easy to talk to anybody in the second year class and get their opinions on things.