Hi all. I'm new to the forum, so let me introduce myself for everyone. Ever since I can remember I have wanted to become a physician. Ever since my freshman year of high school I have wanted to become an osteopathic physician. Next year I will be a first-year student next year at Utica College of Syracuse University, enrolled in a seven year medical osteopathic program with UNECOM. I also got accepted to PCOM, NYCOM, and Western U's programs. I just wanted to know where UNECOM ranks among these other schools. Does UNE implement a dress code? Are students happy there? How hard is it for an osteopathic physician to obtain a AOA or ACGME general surgery residency? What about orthopedic surgery? Are there any AOA-accredited surgery supspecialty fellowships? Thank you all for your replies..and I look forward to talking with many of you for years to come! Also, does UNECOM implement a dress code?
Nik, First of all congratulations, and I hope you enjoy the journey and find that medicine is still right for you down the road. Sounds like you know that it is. With all due respect though, it seems to me that you should have looked into all of these questions before deciding to go to a 7 year college and DO program. Are you sure that you don't want to be an MD? Are you interested in primary care at all? As far a UNECOM goes, I have heard that students there are very happy, and that it is a good school also with good facilities. You may have to leave Maine to do rotations. Obtaining those residencies you mention, in my humble opinion, are up to you as an individual and not so much up to your DO degree. You will be competing with other DOs for the AOA residencies, and DOs and MDs for the ACGME residencies. There are AOA surgery subspecialty programs, but remember that there aren't as many AOA residencies as there are ACGME ones. I have seen many DOs that are orthopedic surgeons. This isn't my area of expertise though because I am and have been interested in either primary care, emergency medicine, or possibly cardiology.
Synergy, Thank you very much for your advice and information. I am very much interested in primary care and the osteopathic philosophy, including OMT. (They made sure of this when I interviewed) I have a very unique bvackground, as I was one minutes awqay from dying on the operating table...having survived this I had 15 other operations performed through my life up to this point. This is wat made me become a physician. I learned about osteopathiuc medicine through a discussion forum (AMSA, with the subject title being the infamous DO vs. MD. I ended up graduating a yr early, ranked third in my class. I decided to take a yr off, where I spent three months studying on my own in Cambridge, England, backpacked through Thailand and India, had another operation, and volunteered in the office of a DO who double specialized in OMT/Family Practice. I really did have the stats to got o a top IVY, but I knew osteo med was the way to go. My interest in gen. surgery and ortho stems from my early illnesses that nearly took my life. From my observations (I know I am totally generalizing this) I think DOs tend to be more compassionate doctors who LISTEN and get to KNOW their patients. Although an MD degree may be appropriate for an overwhelming majority of people, it is not for me.
Nik, you are a very interesting character! I congratulate you on your achievements and welcome you to the DO family my friend...
I can address one of your questions, Nik. I will be a first year at UNECOM this August. As far as I have been told, there is no dress code there. Good luck to you. Renee P.S. UNE ranked #50 in US News and World Report rankings for Primary Care schools.
