Hello (hopefully) Future UNECOMers,
My name's Geoff and I'm an OMS-III at UNECOM. I'm currently living in Providence doing my surgical rotation at Roger Williams Medical Center.
I just want to share with you my experience having spent both my 4 years undergrad and first two years of med-school on the Biddeford Campus. I know the school and area really well.
You'll fall in love with the campus. Unfortunately, as med-heads, you probably won't find yourself in the nooks and crannies of natural splendor (being at the mouth of the Saco River provides) as often as I was enjoying them as an undergrad. You'll spend a lot of time in the Alfond building, which is a great facility, learning
The classrooms are comfortable, giving you a lot of personal space, and at the same time, feeling close to a group of people you'll get to know really fast and for two good years that seemed all too short.
The staff is likeable, although I am unsure of how the Anatomy program is now without Dr. Cross, who ran it for like 20 years or something, maybe more. Their anatomy program is a very strong point as well, being in surgery, I am often complimented with my anatomy knowledge. I couldn't have gotten better training. 24/7 access to the cadaver lab made it work out really well. And it's like that with all the classes. Good digital communication makes getting materials easy. Part of the ease of the school is it's networking and propagation of digital materials. All our classes were great for that reason.
Again, the faculty is great. They'll instill your confidence and challenge you thoroughly. You'll get to know them fast and find that they treat you like colleagues as opposed to "students" and at the same time, they'll respectfully offer you their expertise when they sense you need it.
I really enjoyed my time there. The social aspect was great as well. Every class has always been a good mix of people that mesh well when the time is right for a little celebrating. They've done a great job at attracting students who are well rounded, athletically, academically and socially. Very little stressful drama if you're not that kind of person, and an overwhelmingly positive attitude.
This is what I got out of my time at UNE. Any bit of that you noticed while getting a tour of the campus was legit.
And one more thing, they train you for the real world. The usefulness of the osteopathic lab and how well it trains you for future patient encounters is indispensable in my mind. I don't know how people in MD schools get by without it. There's a certain amount of anxiety inherent in being a Doctor to someone, and the training you get in that role at UNECOM is not only sufficient but excellent. I was comfortable with my first 'real' patient, and that is what counts, in my mind. Confidence in oneself and displaying that confidence to those who seek advice is an acquired ability. Medicine will make anyone humble and that's why it takes 'Practice'. But UNE will definitely give you the tools to handle that humility. You'll be ready when you go off to rotations. And you'll love it.
Hope this helps, I can field specific questions if anyone asks!
Geoff Champagne, UNECOM class of 2009
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