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Your thoughts please on Western Uni in Pomona. The Osteo program and the school. ??????? :
Western Uni Pomona
- Thread starter britboy7
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All I know is that it's in a "bad" city....
My wife is from southern California and when people mention Compton and Pomona.... It pretty much makes people's ear's twitch!!! 😀
My wife is from southern California and when people mention Compton and Pomona.... It pretty much makes people's ear's twitch!!! 😀
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AS far as reputation, I can tell you that it's more well known than TUCOM because it's older, more established....
The doctor's I use to work with in UCDavis Medical Center, knew students from COMP that attend residency in UCDMC... Okay... Maybe I'll come up with more later.... Any specific questions you have? 😎
The doctor's I use to work with in UCDavis Medical Center, knew students from COMP that attend residency in UCDMC... Okay... Maybe I'll come up with more later.... Any specific questions you have? 😎
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I interviewed at Western Univ last year.
The school is undergoing some changes in its curriculum. The program had more class hours before. In response to students' suggestions, they decreased the lecture hours within the past few years. I have heard that testing is intense, and students are a bit too relieved to find out they passed (letter grades are given). Yet the students seemed very friendly and supportive. The school has semesters.
The school was founded in 1977, and is located in an old strip mall. They had plans to move-into a new library when I interviewed, and I think they mentioned something about eventually including a veterinary school and building a hospital on campus. Cal State Pomona and Mt. Sac undergraduate colleges are close by.
The school requires students to have a laptop.
There are approximately 2,600 applications received, and 500 interviews scheduled to fill a class of 176 students.
I had to comment on the Compton comparison. Your question did not ask about location, but Pomona is not considered in the same class as Compton. Compton is the site of the gang wars between the Bloods and Crips down here. Compton is an inner-city area. During the L.A. Riots in the 90's, it was Compton that was the site of the fires and vandalism. Historically, this is the site of the Watts riots in 1965. Pomona does not have as bad a reputation as USC, and certainly not Compton.
Average GPA: 3.34 Sci and Overall
Average MCAT: 8.68
The school also has a College of Pharmacy, College of Graduate Nursing, and College of Allied Health Professions.
Finally, the school passed out interview material that said it was ranked #1 in the nation in producing family doctors and primary care physicians.
An alumni told me the school is not considered strong with respect to Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.
The school is undergoing some changes in its curriculum. The program had more class hours before. In response to students' suggestions, they decreased the lecture hours within the past few years. I have heard that testing is intense, and students are a bit too relieved to find out they passed (letter grades are given). Yet the students seemed very friendly and supportive. The school has semesters.
The school was founded in 1977, and is located in an old strip mall. They had plans to move-into a new library when I interviewed, and I think they mentioned something about eventually including a veterinary school and building a hospital on campus. Cal State Pomona and Mt. Sac undergraduate colleges are close by.
The school requires students to have a laptop.
There are approximately 2,600 applications received, and 500 interviews scheduled to fill a class of 176 students.
I had to comment on the Compton comparison. Your question did not ask about location, but Pomona is not considered in the same class as Compton. Compton is the site of the gang wars between the Bloods and Crips down here. Compton is an inner-city area. During the L.A. Riots in the 90's, it was Compton that was the site of the fires and vandalism. Historically, this is the site of the Watts riots in 1965. Pomona does not have as bad a reputation as USC, and certainly not Compton.
Average GPA: 3.34 Sci and Overall
Average MCAT: 8.68
The school also has a College of Pharmacy, College of Graduate Nursing, and College of Allied Health Professions.
Finally, the school passed out interview material that said it was ranked #1 in the nation in producing family doctors and primary care physicians.
An alumni told me the school is not considered strong with respect to Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.
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I have just completed two years at COMP and I have a lot to say about the school. COMP is going through a lot of changes, especially in the curriculum and class hours. A new dean and new assistant deans are making lots of changes, and I think they are on a good and productive tract for the school.
When I started COMP, there were too many hours spent in class. It was ridiculous with the amount of information that we had to learn and the constant repetition of information in the curriculum. My class was arguing to the new dean about this and he has cut class hours and decreased the repetition of material.
As far as OMM at the school, I believe we get an excellent education. I have talked to upper classmen, and they have said that our OMM skills are above students from other DO schools on rotations. In addition, I believe we get an excellent education in anatomy.
For rotations in the third and fourth year, our class is on a block-system (6 months) and 5 months of required electives at hospitals and clinics in Los Angeles. There are also sites in Vegas, Oregon, and Colorado. We can only do rotations at COMP affiliated sites during the third year, so there is some restriction in going back home or out-of-state. In the fourth year, you decide on what rotations to do and what hospitals that you want to go to.
As far as the boards, COMP does a poor job in preparing us for the COMPLEX. The exam is poorly written and is very clinically oriented and is very long (800 questions, two days). I just took the USMLE and I can say that this exam rocks the COMPLEX. It is straight forward and the questions are well written. I would advise to take the USMLE if you want to stay in California or the west coast and do an allopathic residency. Our graduating students have placed in some competitive residencies (USC, UCLA, Loma Linda, UC Davis, UCSF, Cleveland Clinic, UCSD), however most are entering into primary care.
All in all, COMP has good and bad aspects. The bad things about COMP is the enormous change it is going through currently and it can be frustrating for students. The best thing I liked about COMP these past two years is the classmates. My classmates have been awesome to be around with; they will make excellent doctors. I know you will run into people and hear and read positive and negative things about this school, and I can tell you that any medical school has good and bad aspects.
When I started COMP, there were too many hours spent in class. It was ridiculous with the amount of information that we had to learn and the constant repetition of information in the curriculum. My class was arguing to the new dean about this and he has cut class hours and decreased the repetition of material.
As far as OMM at the school, I believe we get an excellent education. I have talked to upper classmen, and they have said that our OMM skills are above students from other DO schools on rotations. In addition, I believe we get an excellent education in anatomy.
For rotations in the third and fourth year, our class is on a block-system (6 months) and 5 months of required electives at hospitals and clinics in Los Angeles. There are also sites in Vegas, Oregon, and Colorado. We can only do rotations at COMP affiliated sites during the third year, so there is some restriction in going back home or out-of-state. In the fourth year, you decide on what rotations to do and what hospitals that you want to go to.
As far as the boards, COMP does a poor job in preparing us for the COMPLEX. The exam is poorly written and is very clinically oriented and is very long (800 questions, two days). I just took the USMLE and I can say that this exam rocks the COMPLEX. It is straight forward and the questions are well written. I would advise to take the USMLE if you want to stay in California or the west coast and do an allopathic residency. Our graduating students have placed in some competitive residencies (USC, UCLA, Loma Linda, UC Davis, UCSF, Cleveland Clinic, UCSD), however most are entering into primary care.
All in all, COMP has good and bad aspects. The bad things about COMP is the enormous change it is going through currently and it can be frustrating for students. The best thing I liked about COMP these past two years is the classmates. My classmates have been awesome to be around with; they will make excellent doctors. I know you will run into people and hear and read positive and negative things about this school, and I can tell you that any medical school has good and bad aspects.
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I actually got a chance to stay in pomona for some time, and let me give you my input.
The neighborhood looks run down, especially down Holt avenue. You know you are living in a poor area when theres a Food 4 Less and 99 cent shop on every corner. Looks may be deceiving though, because I love the area. I am a ethnic minority (asian), and most of the population are minorites also, mainly hispanic. They are not the gang banger hispanics. They are the poor hard working ones, and the ones that don't cause trouble. I routinley went grocery shopping at 10-11 at night and felt totally safe. The area looks poor because most of the people there are poor, it dosn't mean they are bad or unsafe.
I did notice the night and day difference between pomona, and claremont. claremont has the claremont colleges, and is very upscale and expensive, yet it's down the street from pomona and holt avenue. If you feel unsafe, live in claremont, but expect to pay a little more. You will never go hungry in pomona. Just down Holt avenue, rtheres a restaurent or fast food joint in very other building. theres chinese, plenty of mexican, vietnamese, you name it. Living in pomona gives you a choice. If you want to live like a frugal med student, buy your food in pomona and do your shopping there. If you're used to the upscale joints, drive down a block to claremont or the surrounding neighborhoods and do you're hopping there. The claremont colleges (pomona, harvey mudd, scripps, etc) gives the place a nice college atmosphere right down the block.
I think the security is great. THere are security men on carts at all parking lots, and they drive aroudn all the time.
I'll add more if i can think of more.
The neighborhood looks run down, especially down Holt avenue. You know you are living in a poor area when theres a Food 4 Less and 99 cent shop on every corner. Looks may be deceiving though, because I love the area. I am a ethnic minority (asian), and most of the population are minorites also, mainly hispanic. They are not the gang banger hispanics. They are the poor hard working ones, and the ones that don't cause trouble. I routinley went grocery shopping at 10-11 at night and felt totally safe. The area looks poor because most of the people there are poor, it dosn't mean they are bad or unsafe.
I did notice the night and day difference between pomona, and claremont. claremont has the claremont colleges, and is very upscale and expensive, yet it's down the street from pomona and holt avenue. If you feel unsafe, live in claremont, but expect to pay a little more. You will never go hungry in pomona. Just down Holt avenue, rtheres a restaurent or fast food joint in very other building. theres chinese, plenty of mexican, vietnamese, you name it. Living in pomona gives you a choice. If you want to live like a frugal med student, buy your food in pomona and do your shopping there. If you're used to the upscale joints, drive down a block to claremont or the surrounding neighborhoods and do you're hopping there. The claremont colleges (pomona, harvey mudd, scripps, etc) gives the place a nice college atmosphere right down the block.
I think the security is great. THere are security men on carts at all parking lots, and they drive aroudn all the time.
I'll add more if i can think of more.
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Just to folow up with some information, as an incoming DO student.
The grading system is letters and numbers...
The new library is scheduled to open this summer..
Strip mall...is is located in a strip mall setting...but the school is at the end of a street called "Antique Row"...and is well deifined from the stores on the other streets.
Being from New York...Western reminds me of a urban school...I went to city schools(all concrete) and also went to University of Miami(lush palm tress...rolling lawns)...
Two different types of schools...urban vs. suburban.
The buildings are very nice and modern, and the computer T1 hookups at every desk in the lecture halls is matched only by UNECOM...
I liked all Western had to offer...especially compared to the other schools I interviewed at...
Just for the record...UHS is in a MUCH worse neighborhood then COMP....I spent a week at both...I know...
Chubby's burgers in Kansas City KICK ASS...as long as you don't get JACKED!
The grading system is letters and numbers...
The new library is scheduled to open this summer..
Strip mall...is is located in a strip mall setting...but the school is at the end of a street called "Antique Row"...and is well deifined from the stores on the other streets.
Being from New York...Western reminds me of a urban school...I went to city schools(all concrete) and also went to University of Miami(lush palm tress...rolling lawns)...
Two different types of schools...urban vs. suburban.
The buildings are very nice and modern, and the computer T1 hookups at every desk in the lecture halls is matched only by UNECOM...
I liked all Western had to offer...especially compared to the other schools I interviewed at...
Just for the record...UHS is in a MUCH worse neighborhood then COMP....I spent a week at both...I know...
Chubby's burgers in Kansas City KICK ASS...as long as you don't get JACKED!
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Hah...... Security Guards!
Their average age is 89.3!
I'd be afraid to yell for help for fear of giving them a heart attack...
Their average age is 89.3!
I'd be afraid to yell for help for fear of giving them a heart attack...
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I just have to add on to the area around Pomona and its not bad at all considering all the other places in LA. I've lived in LA all my life and seen places that are much more a threat then the Pomona area. In fact, I get more of a "hometown" feel for it if anything. Go to the urban areas of LA, East LA, Watts, even the thresholds of the suburbs that have turn urbanesque..and you will get scared.
The area around Pomona is a nice place to study medicine. Good Luck.
The area around Pomona is a nice place to study medicine. Good Luck.
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The computer hook up issue is one of the last reasons why you would want to go to COMP. Other schools are hooked up just as well as COMP yet they don't charge you over $1000 a year to use the system.
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The schedule is intense. COMP is the most established DO school in the West and ranks high among DO schools or meschools in general. The letter grades were dropped in favor of a number system. Students are generally friendly and suportive.
The computer "hook-ups" are mandatory as they should be, but there is no one grand fee for implementing this.. you buy a laptop on your own or lease one from them. Bottom line we use the internet for dowloading presentations, lectures, updated class schedules and its a useful tool for being plugged into university life (they should hire me to write for the catalog eh?)
Some things at COMP are disagreeable to me, but thats ok. What I can say as an MSI is that COMP kicks your ass. Like they say medschool is an experience unlike any other.
Pomona.... yes, its ghetto. Poor. The G's are keepin it way real, but thats cool i grew up in that environment so I dont care for that personally. I can spit if i need to. For studing tho, I recomend a quieter nearby area.
MS1 DO2005 COMP
The computer "hook-ups" are mandatory as they should be, but there is no one grand fee for implementing this.. you buy a laptop on your own or lease one from them. Bottom line we use the internet for dowloading presentations, lectures, updated class schedules and its a useful tool for being plugged into university life (they should hire me to write for the catalog eh?)
Some things at COMP are disagreeable to me, but thats ok. What I can say as an MSI is that COMP kicks your ass. Like they say medschool is an experience unlike any other.
Pomona.... yes, its ghetto. Poor. The G's are keepin it way real, but thats cool i grew up in that environment so I dont care for that personally. I can spit if i need to. For studing tho, I recomend a quieter nearby area.
MS1 DO2005 COMP
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I just want to add to what my fellow COMPers and non-COMPers have already mentioned. As a first year, we are currently going through the curriculum changes. One of the professors has mentioned to us that the process will be slow, and not so abrupt as they have done at UHS (just ask them how they felt about it and you'll hear an earful). So rather than taking 38 units this semester and going 8-5 everyday, we're down to 34.5 this semester with occasional days where we may end before 5. Those few extra hours during the week definitely helps. And yes, like the others have mentioned, this school's schedule is very intense. Example: other med school's gross anatomy 6-8 units, our's 12.5 units not including neuro...that's a whole separate class in itself. Yeah, I'm sure looking forward to that! But my opinion about the school, it rocks! And my colleagues are awesome, none of this gunner me, myself, and I only business...we're there to help each other out, if you're a gunner, consider Harvard, UCLA, Yale, etc.
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For anyone looking for a friendly atmosphere, a support system, friends, hard studying, and hard partying, Western U has been great for me.
I know I have just started. But from the day I interviewed up until today, everyone has been great. I definately feel at home and welcome here.
Yes there are drawbacks to every school, so find the school that "fits" you and go there. Good luck wherever it is. Make the school you go to a home because you will spend many hours with the people and the school.
SL
I know I have just started. But from the day I interviewed up until today, everyone has been great. I definately feel at home and welcome here.
Yes there are drawbacks to every school, so find the school that "fits" you and go there. Good luck wherever it is. Make the school you go to a home because you will spend many hours with the people and the school.
SL
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Britboy,
Looks like there are a lot of varying opinions here.... the good thing is that you can take all the comments (good and bad) and ask really informed questions at your appointment. And the only opinion that really counts in your case.... is yours.
Enjoy your time at WesternU.... I have been there several times and liked what they had to offer.
ST 🙂
Looks like there are a lot of varying opinions here.... the good thing is that you can take all the comments (good and bad) and ask really informed questions at your appointment. And the only opinion that really counts in your case.... is yours.
Enjoy your time at WesternU.... I have been there several times and liked what they had to offer.
ST 🙂
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