VCOM Advice

[tndoc12]

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I will be applying this coming summer (2010) and just want to make sure that I do the right things to maximize my opportunity for acceptance. I am one of those people that like to have their ducks lined up and tend to grow a bit weary when uncertainty lingers. I REALLY like the focus of VCOM and it is definitely my first choice. Just wondering if anyone that is at med student, applicant there can give me some words of wisdom?

Also, one of my professors approached me and said that he would love to write me a lor is very good friends with a "head-honcho" at VCOM. How much does that help in the world of admissions?

I appreciate all of the help in advance. God Bless.

 

[matrica]

I will be applying this coming summer (2010) and just want to make sure that I do the right things to maximize my opportunity for acceptance. I am one of those people that like to have their ducks lined up and tend to grow a bit weary when uncertainty lingers. I REALLY like the focus of VCOM and it is definitely my first choice. Just wondering if anyone that is at med student, applicant there can give me some words of wisdom?

Also, one of my professors approached me and said that he would love to write me a lor is very good friends with a "head-honcho" at VCOM. How much does that help in the world of admissions?

I appreciate all of the help in advance. God Bless.

I just got accepted to school, and I had an interview offer to VCOM that I canceled, since I really liked the school where I got accepted.

The best advice is to APPLY EARLY!!!! I know you read this everywhere, but it is very important, it can be a break or make in early acceptance. I applied relatively early, I was verified in 3. week of Aug., and send all the secondaries back as soon as I received them. There are still schools I haven't heard back from.
I know from a fellow SDN-er that VCOM looking for people who are genuine, and MCAT, GPA is not the first they look at.
Make sure your essays show who you are! Even if you have high GPA, and MCAT, make sure you write a good essay, do not think good scores take you all the way, I think it is a mistake. You probably get in somewhere, but maybe not into your #1 school, so make sure you well arounded, do shadowing, volunteer work, and write good essays that show who you are not just your accompilshments!!!!
I think it can not hurt to get a LOR from somebody who knows some people at VCOM, but make sure, he knows you and have a good opinion about you. His LOR by itself not going to get you in!
Have good EC's,and show who you are. That will!!!!
Good Luck!!!

 

[tndoc12]

Thank you so much for the response. Its so awesome to have sdn as an avenue for all sorts of great information.

 

[tndoc12]

I noticed that you chose DCOM. I actually live in Middle Tennessee and have a few friends at DCOM. That is my 2nd choice. Seems like a great school. I need to come up and take a tour I've been told!

 

[matrica]

I noticed that you chose DCOM. I actually live in Middle Tennessee and have a few friends at DCOM. That is my 2nd choice. Seems like a great school. I need to come up and take a tour I've been told!

Yes, I am very happy with DCOM. That was one of my number one schools, I also liked AZCOM, but I was put on hold there. DCOM was my first interview, and I am very happy to go there.
The interview day (also on the Pizza night) you get so much information about the school, student life, curriculum that you can't find on SDN or on their website ( i searched a lot), you would be impressed. I think this school has a great future, and I am happy to be a part of it.
I can recommend to visit the school, also to attend the interview. It really worth it! I am excited as I guess you can tell!

 

[tndoc12]

I can tell! But thats awesome, you should be excited! Since these two schools are my top 2, what are some of the main differences between them?

 

[matrica]

I can tell! But thats awesome, you should be excited! Since these two schools are my top 2, what are some of the main differences between them?

well, I am not sure about VCOM since I am not planning to go to their interview, but you can read other threads pros and cons of your DO school. There are some posts.
For me, the turn off for VCOM was that some of the posts you can read on their current VCOM thread. Some students there is not very happy (changing curriculum during their semester), and they feel they do not get enough help from their faculty. Well, pretty much I was told they do not care about what their students want. Do not get me wrong, I know it might or might not be true, I do not know. I do not attending the interview because I do not like VCOM, I still like it, but I attended my interview at LMU-DCOM, and I loved the school, I got to talk to students not only who suppose to talk to us, but I met students during visiting the housing facilities, and I really did not talked to anybody who said it is not a good school.
I believe I might have chosen VCOM if there is my first interview I do not know.
I advice you if you are able to go to both interviews, and see it for yourself., because I got a tons of info I was not aware of it before, and I am sure it is the same with VCOM too.
With DCOM there are future international rotations (Oxford, Cambridge), some faculty were ex-deans at other schools, and what I really liked I was told by the faculty, if you want to do something you can do it, we help you do it. Since first year you can shadow, work at clinic, etc.
Of course, I am not sure how much I will have time for, but I like the fact I have alternatives, and they want me to be successful. After all I am going to represent their school after graduation. I like this mind set.
The students rather help each other than cut each other throat in the competition.
It was a weird feeling for me to be there. I felt this is the school I am suppose to go.
Ask me a year later if I still feel the same. Hopefully.

 

[tndoc12]

Awesome! Thanks for the remarks! Ill be sure to visit both schools and see which one is the right place for me!

 

[VA1986]

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[bioman2006]

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[PunkmedGirl]

I'm a little irked by some of the changes and inconsistencies, but I don't regret my decision to attend VCOM nor would I tell any applicants to head for the hills.

Has these changes made it hard for you to succeed in your courses?

 

[tndoc12]

VCOM has been my top choice for a long time now and I dont see that changing. I want to drive up for a visit soon. Should be coming sometime after the first of the year.

Would VCOM be receptive to a person wanting to focus on rural pediatrics as a specialty or are there more receptive to a primary care (family doc) standpoint?

I appreciate all of the posts from students willing to offer some insight. I really appreciate it. Maybe ya'll can show me around when i visit?

CG

 

[matrica]

I can tell you that they've been very accommodating and receptive towards the first year class. When our white coat ceremony location was changed from Va Tech's main auditorium to one of VCOM's buildings across the street, we made a big deal out of it because there wasn't enough space for everyone's guests to attend. The administration worked things out, and now our ceremony is back at VT, even though it wasn't VCOM's fault that the venue wasn't originally available. We also raised our concerns about the test schedule and curriculum, and next block's schedule has no more than 2 subject exams per test day. Most of the curriculum problems this year came from an experiment with integrated exams, which didn't go as well as planned and needed some drastic changes. The school could have made us deal with the new testing style, but they changed next block's schedule so it wouldn't be so ridiculous.

Just remember to read everything with an open mind, whether it's pro or con. Get an idea of what feelings are shared by most students, and what's simply airing dirty laundry and starting drama on SDN. One thread on here involved drama at Rocky Vista, which may or may not have been true, and things really got out of hand. As for the accusations that the VCOM faculty doesn't give enough help to students, I certainly don't have that vibe, nor have I heard anyone discuss that in person. Never heard profs comment publicly on disorganization, either. I understand that some people may have regrets about their school choice, and problems may arise after starting classes...but to say something like "VCOM won't give you a good education" is flat-out ridiculous, especially when the majority of your medical education comes from your own effort and work ethic.

To some people, the grass is always greener...

I did not say that anywhere,and I do not think that if you regarding to my post, I am not sure.

I chose not to go to VCOM because I love LMU-Dcom, and I see myself being happy there.(i just repeat myself) Also, I wanted to save money, and I can't take a lot of days off from work. Also, I might have preferred Blacksburg over Harrogate, since I am married, and it is questionable if my husband can get a job in Harrogate, but I liked the school. That simple.
I know the schools can't make every single students happy, I am aware of that.
That is why my advice is for her/him to go and see for herself/himself, and talk to all the people there.

On the other hand, I like to hear different opinions/experiences, but I really do not like when name calling and other things start to come up in posts/threads, unfortunately it happens.
We are going to be doctors, we should act like it, and there will be always opposing opinions, so it is good to know about them, but the best thing is experience for ourself.

 

[bioman2006]

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[PunkmedGirl]

Not at all. I did as well as I thought I would for my first ever block of medical school. Actually, I likely benefited from the small weight changes, which usually gave a little more value to homework assignments and took some from test grades, so easy points for me. I should note that the test grade weights were changed before we actually took them, so it wasn't like people's efforts were reduced on previous tests. The lecture schedules were changed a few times during the block, which got a little annoying, but again that had a lot to do with the test format issue. I like our next block schedule.

Thanks. I'm considering applying to VCOM's new campus in Spartanburg (well if everything goes as planned.) and just wanted to make sure that the changes everyone is speak of doesn't affect students ability to succeed.🙂

 

[tndoc12]

Thanks. I'm considering applying to VCOM's new campus in Spartanburg (well if everything goes as planned.) and just wanted to make sure that the changes everyone is speak of doesn't affect students ability to succeed.🙂

Wait a second. VCOM is opening up a new campus too?

And thanks for the advice bioman! Ill be sure to talk that up.

 

[bioman2006]

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[tndoc12]

So does this mean that VCOM will accept more students since they are opening up a new campus? Or are the current numbers going to be divided amongst the two?

 

[bioman2006]

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[tndoc12]

Alright. That would be so awesome if the campus were to open in a year or so! I've heard a lot of people say that the VCOM admissions staff is very friendly and the interview was rather laid back. Thats a plus too!

 

[ilovefishing]

I loved VCOM when I interviewed and was so excited when I got accepted! I had a chance to talk to some of the current students who were not asked to talk to interviewees and none of them regret the decision to go to VCOM. Every school has problems, and I believe VCOM's are minor compared to some schools. Good Luck!

 

[allinthecookies]

I loved VCOM when I interviewed and was so excited when I got accepted! I had a chance to talk to some of the current students who were not asked to talk to interviewees and none of them regret the decision to go to VCOM. Every school has problems, and I believe VCOM's are minor compared to some schools. Good Luck!

Congrats on the acceptance! I just read your MDapps and saw you did volunteer work with an autistic boy and just wanted to let you know that what you did is awesome! My younger brother is autistic and I'm going to start volunteering at a school for special needs children soon, and it's cool to see other people working with them!

 

[ilovefishing]

Congrats on the acceptance! I just read your MDapps and saw you did volunteer work with an autistic boy and just wanted to let you know that what you did is awesome! My younger brother is autistic and I'm going to start volunteering at a school for special needs children soon, and it's cool to see other people working with them!

Thanks!!! I absolutely LOOOOOVED working with Jack. He was tons of fun like I'm sure your brother is!