VCOM vs. LECOM

[Lo8]

I have been accepted to both VCOM and LECOM and can not really decide which school to go to. Any opinions? I think my only fear of VCOM is that it is only 4 years old.

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[Amy B]

There is another thread about VCOM verses another school that I already posted on, but I will say... I have learned so much on my clinicial rotations. It has been an awesome experience. I would readily pick VCOM if I had to do it all over again.

 

[Lfribble]

Hi, I've applied to both, have visited and been accepted to LECOM and am waiting still on VCOM (lor got lost in the mail ). I can't speak too much about VCOM, I've heard it's a good school. I like LECOM, even the snowy, cold town. I've heard a lot of negative things on these boards but have also heard a lot of positive things from these boards, people I've tracked down on myspace and in person.

If you've been to the schools what were your feels for them? I think that's just as important as their numbers and such. Good luck choosing, I don't think you would go wrong with either.

 

[trypto82]

I would recommend VCOM...LECOM has been around longer, but still has major setbacks as far as their rotations go. There are "mandatory" rotation sites (must have students there at all times) that have to be filled by your groups that you divide up into when scheduling rotations. You end up being forced to fill these mandatory rotation sites, because of the shear number of mandatories and not enough people in the group. Also, figure in the LECOM Bradenton students...which share your affiliates (makes for scheduling nightmares). This of course is just talking about the rotations aspect of the school

 

[Lo8]

Hey everyone! Thanks for all the input!

Here are some things i'm weighing....

LECOM
-Familiar with school and faculty because I am currently attending Post Baccalaureate at LECOM
-Independent Study Pathway (won't have to attend a lot of classes........will teach my self from the book by following directed objective questions)
-3 hours away from home
-semester schedule where i'd have off 3 months in summer (after first year)
-tuition: 25,000
-rotation sites: variety........could be in AR, GA, IN, MA, MI, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA
-administration is rough.....(ex. unfair: 3 cheaters found..............penalize whole class)
-250 accepted students a year.......so large school
-students from all over
-hate erie winter weather!!

VCOM
-Very friendly/compassionate people
-amazing anatomy lab!
-emphasis on missionary work!
-6 hours away from home
-block schedule where i'd have off a week about every 1 1/2 months and a one month summer vacation
-tuition: 29,000
-rotation sites: split between reasonably sized hospitals in areas of VA such as Roanoke, small hospitals in VA and super rural sites in VA..........main goal of school is to provide care to under served areas of Appalachia
-160 students accepted.........so smaller school.......more attention
-majority of students from VA.......i'm from PA
-only graduating their first class in 2008 ( I think this is the most negative factor)
-town more country/beautiful Appalachian mts. and nicer weather

AmyB-->glad to hear you like VCOM! Do you like the block scheduling? Do you feel you are receiving a well rounded education considering the rotation sites only include smaller hospitals (maybe i'm wrong on this)? What made you choose VCOM? I know during my interview that admissions told me that some to the current VCOM students attended LECOM's Post Bac program. Do you know anyone or how I might be able to contact them?

trypto82-->I definitely don't like the sound of mandatory rotations and too many students causing problems with scheduling! Do you feel like you are prepared though compared to other schools during your rotations? What made you choose LECOM to begin with? I think the main reason i'm considering LECOM is bc i'm familiar with the school bc of post bac, ISP, and closer to home.

Thanks!

 

[trypto82]

Hey everyone! Thanks for all the input!

Here are some things i'm weighing....

LECOM
-Familiar with school and faculty because I am currently attending Post Baccalaureate at LECOM
-Independent Study Pathway (won't have to attend a lot of classes........will teach my self from the book by following directed objective questions)
-3 hours away from home
-semester schedule where i'd have off 3 months in summer (after first year)
-tuition: 25,000
-rotation sites: variety........could be in AR, GA, IN, MA, MI, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA
-administration is rough.....(ex. unfair: 3 cheaters found..............penalize whole class)
-250 accepted students a year.......so large school
-students from all over
-hate erie winter weather!!

VCOM
-Very friendly/compassionate people
-amazing anatomy lab!
-emphasis on missionary work!
-6 hours away from home
-block schedule where i'd have off a week about every 1 1/2 months and a one month summer vacation
-tuition: 29,000
-rotation sites: split between reasonably sized hospitals in areas of VA such as Roanoke, small hospitals in VA and super rural sites in VA..........main goal of school is to provide care to under served areas of Appalachia
-160 students accepted.........so smaller school.......more attention
-majority of students from VA.......i'm from PA
-only graduating their first class in 2008 ( I think this is the most negative factor)
-town more country/beautiful Appalachian mts. and nicer weather

AmyB-->glad to hear you like VCOM! Do you like the block scheduling? Do you feel you are receiving a well rounded education considering the rotation sites only include smaller hospitals (maybe i'm wrong on this)? What made you choose VCOM? I know during my interview that admissions told me that some to the current VCOM students attended LECOM's Post Bac program. Do you know anyone or how I might be able to contact them?

trypto82-->I definitely don't like the sound of mandatory rotations and too many students causing problems with scheduling! Do you feel like you are prepared though compared to other schools during your rotations? What made you choose LECOM to begin with? I think the main reason i'm considering LECOM is bc i'm familiar with the school bc of post bac, ISP, and closer to home.

Thanks!

I am a Second year now, ready to go out into rotations...so can't tell you too much yet on how prepared I am. Can give you any info ya need on the process and such, but it will be another couple months before I am on site.

 

[Lo8]

I am a Second year now, ready to go out into rotations...so can't tell you too much yet on how prepared I am. Can give you any info ya need on the process and such, but it will be another couple months before I am on site.

What made you say go to VCOM over LECOM? Was it just because of the nightmares in getting rotations? What pathway are you in and do you wish you chose another one? If I go to LECOM I will be in ISP. I think it suites me bc I don't really learn anything in class until I go home and read. I'm drilling you with questions! I hope you don't mind

 

[Sarikate]

Would choose VCOM over LECOM. Just got a much better feeling from it. But it's so subjective! Go with your gut. Go ahead, it's okay.

 

[trypto82]

What made you say go to VCOM over LECOM? Was it just because of the nightmares in getting rotations? What pathway are you in and do you wish you chose another one? If I go to LECOM I will be in ISP. I think it suites me bc I don't really learn anything in class until I go home and read. I'm drilling you with questions! I hope you don't mind

I am in the LDP pathway, and if you were going to attend LECOM, I would recommend the ISP program. Reason --> 1. seems to fit your learnig style, 2. Sometimes ISPers get their test questions written by different profs (a good thing especially in systems, where clinicians have their residents write questions which don't correlate with the presented material at all), and 3. LDP is just rough for time management (especially with boards rolling around, and being in class too much to study for them).

 

[trypto82]

What made you say go to VCOM over LECOM? Was it just because of the nightmares in getting rotations? What pathway are you in and do you wish you chose another one? If I go to LECOM I will be in ISP. I think it suites me bc I don't really learn anything in class until I go home and read. I'm drilling you with questions! I hope you don't mind

No worries about all of the questions...it is a very important decision! It was more than just rotation nightmares that made me say VCOM. A pretty good list of "issues" have been brought up by current students in the lecom class of 2011 thread. The info (for the most part) is factual, and expresses the feelings of most students (not just a few). Hope the info helps, feel free to PM me with any specific questions!