VCOM-VA vs UNECOM! URGENT

[PrinceElvis97]

Hello Everyone,

I just got off the waitlist at VCOM-VA and am deciding between this school and UNECOM. I am a native Californian so both of these schools will be a pretty big shift for me, coming from the west coast. I did live in Charlottesville, VA when I was very young for a few years but have been in CA ever since. I also do have family in both the NEW England and DC areas.

I understand that the shift will be big regardless of what school I choose, but I guess the major factor for me is the quality of IM residencies from both of these schools and research opportunities. Typically, I would like to have a big city feel but in this case both of these cities seem to be pretty rural (Biddeford and Blacksburg).

Ideally I would like to practice in the Boston area in the future if on the east coast. However, I also understand that VCOM is close to V-TECH so maybe this opens up more research opportunities for me for my residency prospects compared to UNECOM?

Thanks! @DO2015CA

 

[Ell19]

It would help if you listed pros and cons- if your top concern is the IM residencies that students from both schools match to, then look up their match lists for the past couple of years and it will give you an idea of where graduates match to.

I am a little confused as to your post- you want the program that will match you to the best IM residency and the medical school with the best research opportunities, is that correct?

 

[PrinceElvis97]

It would help if you listed pros and cons- if your top concern is the IM residencies that students from both schools match to, then look up their match lists for the past couple of years and it will give you an idea of where graduates match to.

I am a little confused as to your post- you want the program that will match you to the best IM residency and the medical school with the best research opportunities, is that correct?

HI thank you so much for your response! Sorry I din't make a Pro/ Cons list.

You are absolutely right. The only factors that I am concerned about are the research opportunities available at a program and which of the two programs will help me better match into a mid to high tier IM residency.

Location wise I can possibly manage both without an issue. But I would ideally like to practice in the New England area in the future, but this is a minor aspect compared to the two factors mentioned above.

 

[Ell19]

So tell us your pros/cons list for each school. Do your research and tell us which school has more research for their medical school and which one matches to more mid-tier IM residencies. It’s all out there. Also matching to a mid to high tier IM residency is going to be hard, regardless of what DO school you go to, especially in Boston. Go to the school which has research projects you are interested in- I saw on UNECOMs curriculum they actually require research? That seems to align with your goal. But matching to a mid to high tier IM residency isn’t going to be able what school you went to, it’s going to be how well you do in med school and your boards and rotations.

 

[Skittsie13]

I know very little about these two schools, but Biddeford looks like it's only 20 minutes from Portland? I would imagine it's significantly less rural than VCOM's location