Anybody here applied to ISAC ?
Hi, I am a first year podiatry student at Western U. I did not do the ISAC program but I did do the SPaRc summer program and know a few friends that did the ISAC, here is what I know and please feel free to ask me any other questions.
ISAC is a pretty intense summer program that gives you credit (if you pass) for the anatomy portion in your first year. Our school is divided by organ systems and in the 6 weeks of ISAC you will go over the entire body (everything that the first year students do for the entire year). The benefits to this is that you will not have to attend any of the anatomy lab classes during the school year and do not have to take one out of the three exams we take during exam week for each organ system. You will be tested during this summer program and if you do not pass <70 you will retake it with your classmates during their exam week for the specific organ system. For example, if you pass musculoskeletal system but do not pass neuro you will retake the neuro exam around December with your classmates during exam week. For the musculoskeletal exam week you will just have to do the OSCE (patient encounter) and didactic (written exam) while your classmates take the anatomy practical. I personally loved anatomy lab and felt like coupling lab with my lectures helped me understand the material more, however, with lab ranging from 2-4 hours once/twice per week you will have those hours to focus on your written exam/ lectures. So it is really up to you and how you learn. You will only be with other DO students and DPM students, since the DO class is much larger than our class ISAC is majority DO students, for our class only three DPM students did ISAC, however, this should not deter you, the DO class is friendly and pretty accepting of the DPM students. Just put your self out there, introduce yourself, and be friendly!
SPaRC was a very "chill" low stress review of anatomy via professor lectures as well as creating good study habits, getting to know people in different programs (all 9 programs are together), focusing on mental health, and "intro to medical school" type lectures/resources. We did get tested but it was not for a grade and it was much more of an intro to what medical school tests look like. There were five DPM students that did SPaRC and two of them are now my best friend. I loved this program so much just because I had been out of school for 2 years and needed to "dip my toe" into medical school before I dove in at the start of the year.
Again please, reach out to me with any other questions! I love answering anything and just know there are NO dumb questions!
Clara
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