vcom-la vs atsu sma

[jpremed]

Hello everyone
im happy to have acceptances to both VCOM-LA and ATSU-SOMA.
I loved both but need to decide soon which one.
ATSU-SOMA pros:
- Pretty area
- a good amount of diversity there
- good match list and pretty old so their pass rate is good too
- pretty established
- students seem very happy there
- The environment at my interview was amazing.

Con:
- PBL (I feel like im the traditional learning lecture type. Although I won’t focus too much in lecture, I like to hav the slides to review on my own.
- an exam every 5 weeks (big ones so hold more weight)
- pretty far from my home state and so cant do the 3rd year rotations there
- no simulation dummies

For ATSU-SOMA I am worried more on the PBL and not much lecture but ive heard they give pretty gd direction and faculty is very helpful.


VCOM-LA
Pros:
- everyone is friendly in the area
- closer a little and am able to do 3rd year in my home state
- lectures (mandatory 70%)
- early exposure to pts
- cheaper 49k
- good match rate
- good simulation
Cons:
- pretty towny so theres not much to do and not very diverse
- 2 exams a week
- mandatory lecture and they are strict on that
- pretty new as well but graduated a class

I am really worried just because I have to choose and theres not much time as school starts soon. I worry alot about the curriculum preparing me for boards so I want to give myself the best chance to do well.

any help would be appreciated. Regardless of each, I would be away from my home state.

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[Goro]

SOMA has issues:
Has recently lost a number of core hospital rotations, leaving students to fend for themselves. And on top of this, undertook a curriculum change that was not thought out very well. Read this: The new frontier: fighting for clinical training sites

 

[Just D.O. it]

- lectures (mandatory 70%)
- early exposure to pts

Probably more info than I should share about myself online, but I’m at a “vcom” school, and these two things aren’t pros they are cons. The lectures are often poorly organized and wastes of time, same goes for the “patient exposure” events. It might seem cool to a bright eyed new medical student, but I can promise you that repeated poorly organized events and lecture that you are mandated to attend will begin to grate on you.

Also while some of the VCOM campuses match well. VCOM-LAs match was pathetic. I have friends that go there who have told me as much. Obviously the posted list doesn’t seem that bad, but 3 of the “general surgery matches” were actually PGY-1 prelim spots. 2 of the general surgery matches were through military med which really doesn’t count either in my eyes. So I believe that leaves a singular actual Gen surg match. There were actually 6 OB/GYN applicants in their class, the match list shows that only 1 actually managed to get a spot. Anesthesia was also pretty competitive with several of their anesthesia applicants ending up at community IM back ups. (But the trend of anesthesia getting tougher for DOs was an all around phenom this cycle).

Basically, having been through the VCOM system. I would not choose them if I were in your shoes.

I vote ATSU.