UNECOM Discussion Thread 2010-2011

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As I pointed out earlier, many student skipped class and studied at home, so the "extra seats" problem wouldn't be a problem for most classes. The only issue would be for "mandatory attendance" classes like OMT, foundations in doctoring, etc.

As for my posts turning negative, I have tried to be balanced. Did they give me a good education? Reasonable. Education is what you make of it. Many of my classmates have done very well. Some have struggled with little help from UNE. And I have long been a proponent of some of the outstanding faculty they have at UNE. I think they are totally underpaid. Others are absolutely overpaid, but every medical school has good professors and bad ones. I have been pleased with my education, and I'm doing well in residency.

However, one of the biggest gripes I have and have always had is cost. Ask around - I actually sat outside of Ripich's office for an entire week waiting for her to come in so I could talk to her. She avoided me like the plague. I have been loudly complaining about the cost to attend UNE ever since my second year - and I will continue to do so. Especially given they say they are aware of the issue, yet they raise tuition every year. EVERY YEAR. And their answers to our protests, inquiries, and discussions has always been "you'll be able to pay it off later - you get loans." UNE students have the HIGHEST debt load of ANY medical institution. NUMBER ONE. And yet they seem totally unconcerned with that statistic. That bothers me, and I make no apologies for being very outspoken of my displeasure. I also believe you should be fully aware of what you may be walking into with regards to the history surrounding continuing problems with the high debt load.
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Hey guys

I also wanted to address the rotation issue since it has been raised in several of the last posts.

When I learned of UNECOM's desire to expand class size, my biggest concern was how this would affect rotations. One thing that drew me to UNECOM was their strong rotations, and the fact that the majority of students get their first choice of rotations. I worried that the addition of 37 students would make getting one's desired rotations, much more difficult.

When I brought up this concern, I was told that UNECOM will be adding a "rural medicine track" and will be adding at least 37 additional rotation slots in rural medicine. If this is indeed the case, then these additional rotation sites will accommodate the larger class size.


As for the cost issue that Shyrem mentioned....well there isn't a whole lot I can say there. There is no question about it-UNECOM is damn expensive and I wish tuition was significantly lower. With that said, it's not as though this high tuition is just sprung on you. We all know the tuition is high, and it is up to each applicant to decide if they are willing to pay the price of admission.

Now, I don't think I will be able to defend UNECOM if they continue to raise tuition once the class size increases. As I mentioned earlier, the administration has stated several times that one of the main reasons for increasing class size is to put a stop to the ever-rising tuition rate. If they are able to follow through on this, then it would indicate that the school does realize that their high tuition is problematic, and they are taking steps to address this issue. But, if they increase class size and continue to raise tuition....well in my eyes, that would be pretty indefensible.


I also agree that it would have been better for UNECOM to have told applicants of the plans to increase class size. I can see how some people could view this omission as suspicious, but I also think that UNECOM is in a bit of an awkward position considering the fact that they don't even know if the increase will be approved. Still, I think in retrospect it would have served them better to have informed applicants of their intent to increase class size.


I'm hoping a "higher up" in the administration will make some sort of public statement to address these legitimate concerns. Until that happens, all of this speculation will continue.
 
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I have a few friends who are now second years at UNE and the best advice they can give is to ask admissions the tough questions now because they wish they had when they were in your position. They are semi satisfied with the quality of education they are receiving, but when it comes to dealing with most other aspects of the school, they claim it is horrible. They claim that the admin ignores all of their concerns and are more concerned with getting new students to attend the school than to care about their current students. They know once they get you there that you are there for good.

My school isn't perfect either (I go to NYCOM and we have our share of problems with administration and faculty) but I think that you really need to take all of the previous comments into consideration, because I know some people who can and would definitely echo them.

I would also ask the tough questions about the rotation sites. Not that there is anything wrong with a "rural medicine" track, but I would hate to get stuck in upstate Maine for rotations if you have no intentions in pursuing rural medicine...just an opinion...and if they are not disclosing this information now to ensure that there is actually interest in a rural medicine track with next years class...then they may and probably will have some issues when it comes to sending people there...and as a med student, definitely ask the school why they aren't disclosing the planned class increases at interview days...if they're holding back information you should be worried...it is you right to know this information as a future investor into the school, and UNECOM's investment is huge!

And my UNE friends claim the school in no way is hinting that they will stop raising tuition after the increase in class size. One of my friends actually asked an admin this question specifically and was told "not to count on it".


Take these comments for what they're worth, and in the world of SDN that's not a lot, but this forum caught my eye when I was looking through since I had just seen my UNE friends when I was home visiting last weekend. All med schools have their problems, but UNE's admin and vision for the schools future is something you may want to think about before donating a lot of money to their cause.
 
Staying positive is a valued asset that perhaps I should learn. But staying positive takes a back seat to being practical when 240K is on the line.

I'm spending that money to be a surgeon not some "rural med" doc. If you want to do that then great come on over the mountain, but for the school to not mention it is unethical at best.

Why do you remain so loyal to a school you haven't attended and has done nothing for you save a lie of omission?
 
Truthteller said:
Staying positive is a valued asset that perhaps I should learn. But staying positive takes a back seat to being practical when 240K is on the line.

I'm spending that money to be a surgeon not some "rural med" doc. If you want to do that then great come on over the mountain, but for the school to not mention it is unethical at best.

Why do you remain so loyal to a school you haven't attended and has done nothing for you save a lie of omission?
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Loyaylty has nothing to do with it. I am all for the disclosure of ACCURATE information. You have made many assertions. Some of them are true, some have elements of truth, and some are entirely inaccurate.

I also have agreed with you on a few points. I think UNECOM made an error in judgement by not sharing this information with applicants.

As far as the rural med issue: You make it sound as though if you choose to attend UNECOM, you will be forced into pursuing this route. I have been assured that the rural medicine track will be entirely self-selecting. Only those who wish to go in this direction will be on this track. It is simply an option for those who wish to pursue rural medicine.

You say you came to UNECOM to be a surgeon. What is stopping you? Like any other school-do well on your boards, kick ass in rotations, and land your residency. How is UNECOM standing in your way or anyone else's?

On a personal note, I just want to address the insinuation you made that the people that are defending UNECOM are doing so only because it was their only acceptance. I have been offered several acceptances and I know that this is the case for another member who has been defending the school.

I will say again-all of these rumors should be addressed by a representative of the school. The rumors and school bashing have gone on long enough. There needs to be some sort of official statement which answers all of this speculation.
 
theone1979 said:
I will say again-all of these rumors should be addressed by a representative of the school. The rumors and school bashing have gone on long enough. There needs to be some sort of official statement which answers all of this speculation.
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As a wait-listed applicant, I'm just gonna poke my head in and give my two cents.

It would be awesome if there was an official statement that answers all of the speculation but it appears that previous, matriculated posters have been unable to get these statements and answers AND that's where the problem lies.

I appreciate Truthteller, Shyrem(as always, of course) and the rest for their views and I think all potential students should take heed from their posts and also take these posts with a grain of salt.

I, for one, think that this discussion is healthy for those invested in UNECOM because I'd rather hear it all (positive and negative) rather than only hear the good.

Good Luck to all:)
 
Lets talk about speculating for a second... I have an interview coming up at UNECOM shortly. Can anyone speculate as to how many seats are left in the class?
 
thisismyname17 said:
Lets talk about speculating for a second... I have an interview coming up at UNECOM shortly. Can anyone speculate as to how many seats are left in the class?
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Less then 2 weeks ago....more then 2 weeks from now.

When is your interview?

Obviously it is getting late in the cycle, but there are still seats left, otherwise you would not be invited for an interview (I am fairly certain UNECOM does not interview just for waitlist slots).

I interviewed on Jan 13th and was accepted so a late interview is not a death sentence.

I would just give them a call and ask. Good luck. Have you been accepted elsewhere?
 
Coming up next week. I dont have other acceptances but I do have two more interviews coming up.
 
I'm a second year student at UNECOM and today Dean Dane presented to us a few things.

1st - The increase in class size is to a total of 160 (that was the number on the application)
As of right now the lecture halls have 125 seats. Thats clearly a problem. I asked the dean if that meant "web cams" and he said that was a strong option. They MIGHT also do back to back classes (1/2 class does 1 lecture in 1 room and the other 1/2 does another in another and then SWITCH) I will tell you that for next year thats fine because the 2nd year students will have 1 room and the 1st years will have 2. HOWEVER, there are ONLY 4 lecture halls in Alfond and 1 of them is ONLY used for undergrads. Might that change? MAYBE - but I've never had a lecture there and I doubt the undergrads would be willing to give up one of their biggest lecture halls.
Lets talk about the Anatomy lab. With 124 kids in my class there was enough room in the 4 pods (8 tables in each pod with 4 students) Adding 36 more students is way to much for that lab to handle. And there is NO way to add 9 tables into the lab - just isn't room. SO, whats that mean? I have no idea.

Now, about the curriculum....
While Dean Dane wouldn't admit that we are moving to a "PBS" system - we are certainly very close to such a system. There will only be about 14 hours of "structured classroom" time a week. That includes time for the anatomy lab. Basically if you are a good self-directed learner you'll be fine. If you like lectures and that format, IMHO this switch won't fit very well with that style. Don't let the admin fool you - this is a HUGE switch from what it was when I was a first year when structured time was 24-30 hours a week (including 6+ a week in the anatomy lab)

Faculty - talking with some whom I trust - some who are new and some who have been here since the school started. As a whole they are not on board yet with this planned change. Dean Dane assured us today that they are getting on board and are excited - but what people say to their boss is different from what they say to others.

Can this place handle it? Simply put NO WAY IN HELL. The school can barely barely barely hold it together as it is. I've talked to people who have organized their own preceptorships only to be pulled out of the OR because the SCHOOL didn't turn in the right paperworl (even though they told the student it had been done.) Second years TA the OPP 1 course and we had been scheduled by the OPP department as to what lecture we were going to attend. Another lady took that scheduling over because "she knew our schedules better" and COMPLETELY forgot to schedule TAs for 1 day. Which means first year student had no table trainers when trying to learn sacral diagnosis (ask shyrem - its not the easiest to learn). We've waited over 1 week to get exams back and they are fill in the bubble exams and have the stupid machine read them. We were just told at 2pm today when to show up for our exam TOMORROW. These are just the ones I had the time to write down. There are plenty more examples if you care to hear them. Oh and don't get me started on how "busy" the clinical education office is - they can't out together the infor for lottery until JANUARY?

Overall the school really can't handle the students it has right now. I'm disappointed in the administration, many of the faculty, and the overall experience I am having here. I am very lucky to be here and to become a doctor because there were 3000+ applicants for the 124 seats in my class (yea, I get all that). But its still not an excuse to offer a poor education.

If I were you I'd take my $68,000 (tuiton plus living expenses, unless you can afford to live without the loans) and go get myself 1.5 years of a better education at another school.
 
I think I have to disagree with a lot of the negative sentiment towards the changes that are happening with the UNE Curriculum. And I wanted to make this post because it seems like unhappy second years are trying to project their unhappiness onto the in-coming class. I don’t want a few unhappy students to cast this ugly cloud over our school, because I am really happy here and I many of the students are too.

I attended the meeting yesterday after hearing about and reading some of the posts that have been made on this forum. And I have to say I walked away from the meeting more encouraged than I expected. It seems like the curriculum changes are focusing on making the UNECOM student succeed and stand out when they enter into 3rd year rotations. That is the end goal of the curriculum change, to make us rock stars when we go out to our clinical sites, so that we can impress the residents and attending with our competence and knowledge. We need to be able to compete and stand out against med students from Tufts, UVM, and Dartmouth among many others. They see that the best way to do that is to encourage more independent learning, which will give the students the skills necessary to take a topic, and research it on their own. I took much comfort when I found out that Dean Dane implemented this same curriculum at OSUCOM. This is not a new idea and in fact is a process that many medical schools across the country are going through and implementing.



Also, I was encouraged to see that one the best faculty members we have at the meeting yesterday and he seems to fully support the curriculum changes. I have not spoken directly to all the faculty members, so I do not know how all of them stand, but I am sure if they didn’t believe in the changes they would be more vocal and resistant to the new curriculum. At UNECOM there is an amazing core group of educators, responsible for directing your medical education through year one and year two. These professors are so passionate about educating the students, and they do it so well. These professors have taken days off (Saturdays, evenings, holidays) to come in and work with the students to make sure that all questions are answered. They want to make sure that we fully understand the material that is presented to us because they are aware that it is a foundation of knowledge we need to be successful physicians. Some of these professors have been here for decades. I can’t imagine that they would sit by and watch as the school implemented something that they thought would be to the great detriment of the student. They care too much about us and their purpose to stand by idly and let incoming classes get a sub-par education.


I do agree however, that if you have any questions about these changes you should call and talk to the administration. I would ask how the school how they are going to handle the increase in students, and where they are all going to sit for lectures. But after attending class for 1.5 years I feel there is little difference if I get lecture live or from a recording, and I don’t think it would be the deciding factor for where I choose to go to school. I think it is important for the administration to let you all (interviewing and especially accepted students) know about the changes that are taking place.


Overall I am incredibly happy with my choice to attend University of New England I know that a lot of fellow students feel the same way. I think on a whole, UNECOM produces high quality 3rd year med students who excel at their rotations, which propels them into good residencies upon graduation. I hope this isn’t just a massive ramble, and I hope I have addressed some of the issues. If anyone has any questions please don’t hesitate to shoot me a message, I will try my best to get back to you quickly with a response.
 
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So there's going to be a curriculum change too? I remember asking my interviewers specifically if there were any planned curriculum changes and they flat out said no. But I guess I'm not surprised as it seems noone at this school has any idea what's going on, but I did interview with a dean, so you would think she would have known. :confused:
 
ERmedic said:
Interview march 8! Anybody else?
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Pretty late in the game but who cares? Congrats! and all the best wo/man at the interview. Its usually very personal so relax and be yourself. :)
 
willthethrill said:
So there's going to be a curriculum change too? I remember asking my interviewers specifically if there were any planned curriculum changes and they flat out said no. But I guess I'm not surprised as it seems noone at this school has any idea what's going on, but I did interview with a dean, so you would think she would have known. :confused:
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Didn't you have the presentation before your interview that was almost entirely dedicated to explaining what the curriculum change is and the reasons behind it? I also specifically asked about the curriculum change during my interview and they said that they were working to have less lecture and more group discussion and independent study time to better prepare their students for "lifelong learning". They had no problem addressing that issue, and even dedicated about a half hour discussing it.
 
Hey guys, just reading the posts and wanted to give one more current 2nd year opinion on the school. It occurred to me while reading that not many current students read these forums and post, so I hope incoming students keep in mind that you're getting the opinions of a select number of students and it really doesn't reflect the opinion of some large percentage of the class.

Jiggles complains about a lot of administrative things that are true, and like most people I find it pretty annoying when it takes 2 weeks for my cardio grade to be released when I know it shouldn't take more than an hour for the computer to process some bubble sheets. But still, I feel like this is just normal stuff that goes on at University. I came from a large undergrad, considered one of the best, and the admin there was equally confused and rude. Can any of us really say they definitely wont be able to handle a class load of 160? No. Maybe they will hire a new person or two.

The one thing you've mentioned that does concern me is this rotation space issue, and making up for it with a bunch of rural sites. I can tell you right now that is going to be a problem, because few of your classmates will want those sites and a number of your classmates (and maybe you) will get them regardless. Yes MOST people get there first choice, but SOME people get their last. Enough people got choices that were not suitable for them this year (5-10?) that it was upsetting. I wouldn't want anything changing in such a way that there is more of a chance that you will end up being one of the miserable few.

All in all I am not regretting my choice of schools, despite my anxiety producing debt load that just keeps on accruing. I am not much of a class goer, so the change in the curriculum would not concern me in the least. The school provides all the resources you need to do well, the professors try their best to be helpful, it is made clear what is expected of you for all the exams that matter, and the tests are fair. I feel confident that Dr. Reese has prepared me well for Pharm, and Dr. Willard and the rest of the Anatomy crew are top notch. I have learned more in the past 1.5 years than I thought possible, and I have learned how to learn more efficiently in the process which should help me from here on out. My favorite classes have been those designed with a self directed learning approach, with some instructor guided class exercises to test your knowledge. This seems to be what they're moving towards. I really think it will work. Kinda jealous actually. Sitting in lecture 30 hours a week is EXTREMELY overrated.
 
Hey guys, first off congratulations on being accepted to UNECOM. I am very happy with my decision and I would recommend enrolling to this institution.

For those of you that will be first year students in August. I want to offer you a great deal:

ALMOST FREE, NEVER HIGH LIGHTED, CLEAN BOOKS AT A VERY LOW PRICE:

Rohen - Cadaveric atlas that will be your most important resource for Anatomy Lab - ($50)

Grant's Dissector - a MUST HAVE for Anatomy Lab. ($30)

Berne and Levy - Physiology - Great book, concise and clear. ($50)

Histology Ross and Pawlina - Very clear, good imaging samples, excellent for reviewing purposes. ($25)

Send me a private message if you are interested in saving lots of money for books that you will have to buy anyways.
 
How does this school typically notify you whether or not you got in? Is it email, postal... carrier pigeon?
 
Wow. Wow. Wow.

After skimming nine pages of frustrations, accusations, judgment, and general inquisition, I have to say that I wished I'd come back to SDN sooner.

So, quickly, my credentials so you know where I'm coming from. I am currently an MSI, long-time SDN user, once UNECOM cheerleader turned skeptic. Reading some of these posts (particularly from the second years students) I think I know who some of these people are. That having been said, I would take seriously EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEIR OPINIONS. With very few exceptions, the people with an opinion about what's going on at UNECOM are well informed and well educated. If they are loud and opinionated in their posts, while they may be brash, they make valid points. So I would politely suggest that people stop pointing a bratty finger at others. We all have a perspective to bring to the table, and each one is as valid as the next, given the right amount of clarification and consideration.

When people say..if UNECOM was your only acceptance, take it. If not, reconsider, they are demonstrating remorse about their own decisions to come here. That's not someone with an agenda, that's remorse. Recognize it and think about what they must have gone through to think that way. We are all grateful to be pursuing medicine and I highly doubt anyone would speak negatively about such an opportunity if it wasn't a heavy message.

Alright, so my beefs. I had more options than UNECOM when I was an applicant and I went with UNECOM because of the location and reputation among alumni. That having been said, a large part of me wishes I had given it more thought:

We are in the middle of a student VS administration battle. Many of you have noticed that the MSIIs are unhappy and someone claimed that they are "just trying to project that on others." There are a number of MSIs that are equally upset with a number of issues. Personally, I am going to stop participating in student government because I am so depressed by the issues we constantly have to discuss. Issues include, but are not limited to:

-Costs of tuition are disproportionate to the experience MANY of us feel we get here.
-There is absolutely no transparency in where this money goes.
-There is going to be a "discussion" tomorrow among students/admin/undergrad admin about study space concerns. Many/Most of us feel that it is nearly impossible to find a nice, quiet place on campus to study because there is so much preference given to the undergrads by the administration. Personally, I study at home for this very reason.
-Undergrad vs UNECOM is a constant battle. When you get here for orientation...you won't be able to get to the bookstore to purchase any of the books that are recommended because there are limited hours. Why? Because on August 2nd, the undergrad classes haven't started.
-If the undergrads aren't there, forget getting a coffee or a snack after 11:30 am unless you want to drive. PS-you're on campus from 8-5. You get hungry and you will want coffee.
-No scholarships. Did I mention that I'll owe $300,000 for my education when I'm done? I wanted to be a family practice physician. I'm quickly reconsidering it because I'd like to raise a family without the concerns of debt/income ratio.

Honestly I can't keep going because I know that I would stop reading after about 10 lines. I know that I am one of the least disgruntled people, so that should say something.

Positives....YES they do exist! Pay attention to ShyRem because she has more experience than I do, but anatomy was awesome, and I fully anticipate that Neuro will be amazing.

Ugh, I hate being negative, but I just want people to know that there are serious concerns among some of us who are already matriculated and IT'S TOO LATE. Dr. Dane, who is in charge of our curriculum for those who are just getting informed, literally said to the first year class that our requests as medical students are over the top. He is of the opinion that some of our concerns are outrageous. Excuse me for wanting to know where my tuition money goes and wanting a study space designated for medical students. We are after all, as you will hear in EVERY Dean Hahn speech, Maine's only medical school. Sounds great to the press, but they don't treat us with the same appreciation once we get back to campus.

That having been said....if you are planning to matriculate here...I do sincerely congratulate you. Regardless of the number of piles we step in, we are walking an admirable path. Joining this profession will drain you as an individual and you will work far harder than your family or friends will ever understand. If I did it all over again, I would choose UNECOM again...just after more consideration than I did the first time ;)

Ok I'm done this is the largest post I have officially ever given. I hope for you it was worth what I intended it to be.

After reading my short novel of a post, I feel guilt because I know that I have been given an opportunity that thousands of people each year don't get. I just have a lot of anxiety about my experience here. I paid $50,000/year for my undergrad and I loved it. I'll be sending them all of my alumni donations. But I am so thankful that I have this opportunity...so i'm torn.
 
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Lupus, you will absolutely love neuro. The exams are a (*!#$&, they are literally small books that land with a THUMP when passed out, but Dr. Willard is AMAZING.

A M A Z I N G.

It was by FAR the absolutely BEST course at UNE.

Did I say Dr. Willard was amazing????? I should say it again...

As for where the money goes, I have been asking that question for years. I have literally had prospective and newly hired deans RUN from our classroom because I would not be deterred from getting a straight answer. I also had professors turn off the recording equipment and go on 20 minute diatribes against administration agreeing with me and my dogged pursuit of an answer to the money question.

As for the coffee thing, if you gripe and complain loudly enough and come together as a group (that one is important), you can succeed in getting some concessions there. We had a coffee trolley delivered to our classroom for the days the undergrads were not in session, but we had to fight tooth and nail to get it.

Study space has always been, and continues to be, an issue. We griped about it, complained about it, and got nowhere. So we used the system. We reserved the small study rooms for self-named groups and kicked out the undergrads. We had the rooms locked up for months at a time. And used them. We also got the rooms blocked off for a month or two for board review study time.

You have to make compelling arguments why you can't go elsewhere to study. We did so by making the argument "it's all interconnected and our OMM lab is here, as is our histology lab and anatomy lab, so going across campus is NOT an option!" It worked.

UNE will listen if you all make a united front. But it must be united. That is the difficult part. Even then, don't expect miracles. You will get some small concessions, but nothing more.

And I still don't know where my money went. Especially considering they don't pay for 4th year rotations, and pay only a small pittance for 3rd year rotations. Basically they BANK your third and fourth year tuition and pay a small staff of 4 people to do paperwork for those two years.
 
I had a very good rotation experience in third year. But most are far from campus. Only a very few spots in Portland. Most of my classmates were quite satisfied with their rotation experiences, and most folks went where they wanted to be.
 
So it’s time for me to jump on this UNE-COM bandwagon, but I’ll try to keep it quick and to the point. I’m an MS-1 here and have only perused student doctor in the past when it seemed necessary and appropriate. But today after randomly checking out the UNE-COM thread now that I’m a student here, I decided that I finally needed to register so I could throw my two cents in after reading a page of comments from other current students.
If you ask for complaints at UNE-COM or any other med school or even any other institution, you will find someone who has them. But having been here for six months, I have absolutely no complaints that I feel affect the quality of my education or experience.
Since August, I’ve gotten pretty involved with UNE-COM, which has allowed me to see the school from a number of different angles (though certainly not all). This includes helping as an interview tour guide and host, and I’ve probably met most of you that have applied this season. The reason I’ve chosen to get involved with helping applicants is partially because, as I will admit to anyone and everyone, UNE-COM was never my first choice school. I’m not a Mainer and never had any desire to live in Maine; it’s just not my style. But when I interviewed here and got the chance to talk to the students here, I realized that UNE-COM might work for me. When I next visited, at OsteoBlast!, I realized that I might really like it here. And by the end of my first two weeks, I realized there is nowhere else I’d rather be. Clearly I realize this won’t be the case for everyone, but the reason it is the case for me is largely because of the community here at UNE-COM between the faculty and the students. I don’t feel like that has been really represented here, but I hope that when you interviewed here or when you do come here, that you’ll see what I mean. In addition, I’d strongly suggest coming to OsteoBlast! in April. It’s a great chance to see the school again and ask questions.
Is everything roses and rainbows here? Of course not. Is everything perfect? No. Are there some administrative officials who sometimes seem unresponsive? Unfortunately, yes. Are there kinks in the system that need to be worked out? Yes. But personally, I didn’t come to medical school expecting everything to be perfect and set in stone. Of course there are things that need to be fixed and of course there are things that are going to change; that’s how the very field of medicine is. And as for the changes that Dean Dane is proposing to class size and curricular changes, it’s not like we’re starting over; he’s editing a current system. And let’s think about this logically. If we as students don’t do well on boards and aren’t well trained, UNE-COM will look bad and no one will want to keep giving them money. If for no other reason, the administration are going to want us to succeed so that they don’t look bad and they aren’t going to make changes that will threaten that. And I for one actually think the faculty and administration do want us to succeed and be happy here, which is why most of the deans and all of the faculty go out of their ways to make themselves available to us.
And to answer the question above about rotations, 3rd year rotations are selected by a lottery process, but it is run by students, so there is some flexibility with it. The sites range from as close as Portland to as far as Newark and the 4th year sites are also very flexible, though you still have to take core rotations, such as surgery, peds, etc.
I’m happy to answer any questions and no matter where you end up, good luck to you guys.
 
RockerDoctor said:
So it’s time for me to jump on this UNE-COM bandwagon, but I’ll try to keep it quick and to the point. I’m an MS-1 here and have only perused student doctor in the past when it seemed necessary and appropriate. But today after randomly checking out the UNE-COM thread now that I’m a student here, I decided that I finally needed to register so I could throw my two cents in after reading a page of comments from other current students.
If you ask for complaints at UNE-COM or any other med school or even any other institution, you will find someone who has them. But having been here for six months, I have absolutely no complaints that I feel affect the quality of my education or experience.
Since August, I’ve gotten pretty involved with UNE-COM, which has allowed me to see the school from a number of different angles (though certainly not all). This includes helping as an interview tour guide and host, and I’ve probably met most of you that have applied this season. The reason I’ve chosen to get involved with helping applicants is partially because, as I will admit to anyone and everyone, UNE-COM was never my first choice school. I’m not a Mainer and never had any desire to live in Maine; it’s just not my style. But when I interviewed here and got the chance to talk to the students here, I realized that UNE-COM might work for me. When I next visited, at OsteoBlast!, I realized that I might really like it here. And by the end of my first two weeks, I realized there is nowhere else I’d rather be. Clearly I realize this won’t be the case for everyone, but the reason it is the case for me is largely because of the community here at UNE-COM between the faculty and the students. I don’t feel like that has been really represented here, but I hope that when you interviewed here or when you do come here, that you’ll see what I mean. In addition, I’d strongly suggest coming to OsteoBlast! in April. It’s a great chance to see the school again and ask questions.
Is everything roses and rainbows here? Of course not. Is everything perfect? No. Are there some administrative officials who sometimes seem unresponsive? Unfortunately, yes. Are there kinks in the system that need to be worked out? Yes. But personally, I didn’t come to medical school expecting everything to be perfect and set in stone. Of course there are things that need to be fixed and of course there are things that are going to change; that’s how the very field of medicine is. And as for the changes that Dean Dane is proposing to class size and curricular changes, it’s not like we’re starting over; he’s editing a current system. And let’s think about this logically. If we as students don’t do well on boards and aren’t well trained, UNE-COM will look bad and no one will want to keep giving them money. If for no other reason, the administration are going to want us to succeed so that they don’t look bad and they aren’t going to make changes that will threaten that. And I for one actually think the faculty and administration do want us to succeed and be happy here, which is why most of the deans and all of the faculty go out of their ways to make themselves available to us.
And to answer the question above about rotations, 3rd year rotations are selected by a lottery process, but it is run by students, so there is some flexibility with it. The sites range from as close as Portland to as far as Newark and the 4th year sites are also very flexible, though you still have to take core rotations, such as surgery, peds, etc.
I’m happy to answer any questions and no matter where you end up, good luck to you guys.
Click to expand...

When is OsteoBlast?
 
Speaking of boards, how have classes after mine done on boards? I find it very very strange that they only have on the web site boards from 2008. I know my class had a 96% pass rate. Looks like class after mine had a 94.something% pass rate.
 
Im probably going. Got accepted, but waiting for my other favorite school. Im very happy and can't wait to get started!

Horton Who
 
Is anybody going to attend osteoblast in April?

Any current students recommend it?

I am about 8 hours away from campus right now and don't want to make the journey if it isn't worth it.
 
CantSleep said:
accepted to unecom!!
Click to expand...

Nice! Congrats! What were some of your dates/stats? I have an interview on Tuesday 3/8. Im psyched but nervous. If anyone has any info on the interview I would greatly appreciate it!

Good luck to everyone!
 
My wife and I are attending. We are coming from Texas!!



FSD2015 said:
Is anybody going to attend osteoblast in April?

Any current students recommend it?

I am about 8 hours away from campus right now and don't want to make the journey if it isn't worth it.
Click to expand...
 
OsteoBlast! is an all-day event Saturday April 2nd that is also open to family members and I personally would recommend attending. It's a great chance to ask any and all questions, see the school again, become familiar with the area and start meeting people in your class. It's not mandatory and there are certainly people in our class who didn't attend, but I personally did and it really was a great experience in my opinion. But I will also admit that I'm biased, since I'm one of the co-chairs organizing it.

The interviews are open-book, two-three people interviewing you at the same time and are fairly low-stress. I've rarely heard of interviewees feeling that the interviewers asked difficult questions or questions to trip them up. Good luck!
 
Is Osteoblast for ACCEPTED students only or does it include waitlisted students as well?
 
theone1979 said:
Even for Truthteller?
Click to expand...

I may be there, I will have to check my schedule. I would definitely recommend going. It is a great time to ask questions and get to know people. Plus, you will get to see the vast amount of study space and resources available to all 150 of you.

See you there.
 
How long do you typically have to wait to get an interview invite after the secondary is complete?
 
RockerDoctor said:
So it’s time for me to jump on this UNE-COM bandwagon, but I’ll try to keep it quick and to the point. I’m an MS-1 here and have only perused student doctor in the past when it seemed necessary and appropriate. But today after randomly checking out the UNE-COM thread now that I’m a student here, I decided that I finally needed to register so I could throw my two cents in after reading a page of comments from other current students.
If you ask for complaints at UNE-COM or any other med school or even any other institution, you will find someone who has them. But having been here for six months, I have absolutely no complaints that I feel affect the quality of my education or experience.
Since August, I’ve gotten pretty involved with UNE-COM, which has allowed me to see the school from a number of different angles (though certainly not all). This includes helping as an interview tour guide and host, and I’ve probably met most of you that have applied this season. The reason I’ve chosen to get involved with helping applicants is partially because, as I will admit to anyone and everyone, UNE-COM was never my first choice school. I’m not a Mainer and never had any desire to live in Maine; it’s just not my style. But when I interviewed here and got the chance to talk to the students here, I realized that UNE-COM might work for me. When I next visited, at OsteoBlast!, I realized that I might really like it here. And by the end of my first two weeks, I realized there is nowhere else I’d rather be. Clearly I realize this won’t be the case for everyone, but the reason it is the case for me is largely because of the community here at UNE-COM between the faculty and the students. I don’t feel like that has been really represented here, but I hope that when you interviewed here or when you do come here, that you’ll see what I mean. In addition, I’d strongly suggest coming to OsteoBlast! in April. It’s a great chance to see the school again and ask questions.
Is everything roses and rainbows here? Of course not. Is everything perfect? No. Are there some administrative officials who sometimes seem unresponsive? Unfortunately, yes. Are there kinks in the system that need to be worked out? Yes. But personally, I didn’t come to medical school expecting everything to be perfect and set in stone. Of course there are things that need to be fixed and of course there are things that are going to change; that’s how the very field of medicine is. And as for the changes that Dean Dane is proposing to class size and curricular changes, it’s not like we’re starting over; he’s editing a current system. And let’s think about this logically. If we as students don’t do well on boards and aren’t well trained, UNE-COM will look bad and no one will want to keep giving them money. If for no other reason, the administration are going to want us to succeed so that they don’t look bad and they aren’t going to make changes that will threaten that. And I for one actually think the faculty and administration do want us to succeed and be happy here, which is why most of the deans and all of the faculty go out of their ways to make themselves available to us.
And to answer the question above about rotations, 3rd year rotations are selected by a lottery process, but it is run by students, so there is some flexibility with it. The sites range from as close as Portland to as far as Newark and the 4th year sites are also very flexible, though you still have to take core rotations, such as surgery, peds, etc.
I’m happy to answer any questions and no matter where you end up, good luck to you guys.
Click to expand...


Great post. This just goes to show that your education is what you make of itl As a Marquette School of Dentistry Grad I can attest to this. Sure we had problems, but in the end it all worked out. No school is perfect, but no school wants to see their students be miserable or fail.
 
Are there any affordable places to live near the school and ocean?
 
a place that isn't going to break the bank. I will live like a student in school and a doctor when I am out. $800 tops for a one bedroom.
 
Any word on how full the class is? A friend of mine said he interviewed in January and heard back "accepted pending space". Did he get a form of waitlist? Or are they really full and that is what all accepted students are hearing back? I should be hearing back in a couple weeks.
 
Hey everyone! I just replied to the OsteoBlast invitation and look forward to meeting you all. Quick question though, does anyone know what the general dress code is for this event? My parents were planning on coming with me and didn't know how dressed up they should be. Thanks!
 
ERmedic said:
Nice! Congrats! What were some of your dates/stats? I have an interview on Tuesday 3/8. Im psyched but nervous. If anyone has any info on the interview I would greatly appreciate it!

Good luck to everyone!
Click to expand...

.
 
Last edited:
CantSleep said:
heyy ERmedic! My stats were good GPA but not so good MCAT :p I have a cumGPA 3.69, i forget what my science GPA was but my major GPA is a 3.75 and minor GPA is 3.76....I think my sciGPA is around a 3.7something. On the MCAT I got a 24R (still bummed about that, but my interviewers didn't even mention it) I also have volunteer work, research, a lot of experience working in the medical field and a letter of rec. from a D.O.

I loved my interview experinece, it was very relaxed and conversational. They really seemed like they just wanted to get to know my personality, style of learning and goals for my future. It was really important to them that I be a "good fit" for the school, which I really feel that I am. I also made it very clear to them that unecom was my 1st choice and if I was accepted I would be excited to be a part of the class. Good luck on your interview don't stress it!

(I just realized that I'm a little late with this response and you already interviewed but hopefully this post will be helpful for anyone else with upcoming interviews!)
Click to expand...

Awesome. Well thanks for the update. This gives me some good hope! I also didn't do well on my MCATs. I have a 3.92. cGPA and a 3.8 something sGPA. Lots of clinical experience since I was 16. But my MCATs were a 24O. The other thing i have going against me is being a traditional student. I've heard UNE is pushing for non-trads. But I'm also a UNE undergrad.
 
ERmedic said:
Awesome. Well thanks for the update. This gives me some good hope! I also didn't do well on my MCATs. I have a 3.92. cGPA and a 3.8 something sGPA. Lots of clinical experience since I was 16. But my MCATs were a 24O. The other thing i have going against me is being a traditional student. I've heard UNE is pushing for non-trads. But I'm also a UNE undergrad.
Click to expand...

.
 
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