WESTERN vs. AZCOM

[shlifer]

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so initially.....Western was my top choice. I really liked the curicullum (systems based), the people there and of course the location (im from LA so staying near by is easy and convenient).

But....after visiting AZCOM and gaining acceptance im starting to think that getting away from LA would be good for me and help me focus while AZCOM is close enough and very cheap to live at.

So.... waht do you guys think is more important for helping one get and stay focused for medical school?
A. being 40 min from all my freinds and family and in a city iv been in most of my life
or B. moving away from possible distractions and with a lower cost of living which will lower my overall debt


also.....which school will better prepare me and why? Western or AZCOM?

 

[Karen12345]

Isn't tuition at AZCOM slightly higher, though?

 

[slim78]

Our anatomy/histo/embryo curriculum here at AZCOM is more region-based than systems. Some people don't like that. I find it useful because that is how the netter flashcards are organized. Biochem is biochem is biochem (doubt there is much of a difference here than what they have at Western).

I've "heard" going to Western is a good idea if you want to do a CA residency. I don't really know how much it matters though. Look at the match lists for both schools and you will find that students end up going all over the place.

Life is good here at AZCOM and I would definitely recommend it, but I'm sure you will be successful at either school. Good luck!

-Slim

so initially.....Western was my top choice. I really liked the curicullum (systems based), the people there and of course the location (im from LA so staying near by is easy and convenient).

But....after visiting AZCOM and gaining acceptance im starting to think that getting away from LA would be good for me and help me focus while AZCOM is close enough and very cheap to live at.

So.... waht do you guys think is more important for helping one get and stay focused for medical school?
A. being 40 min from all my freinds and family and in a city iv been in most of my life
or B. moving away from possible distractions and with a lower cost of living which will lower my overall debt


also.....which school will better prepare me and why? Western or AZCOM?

 

[slim78]

Isn't tuition at AZCOM slightly higher, though?

When I was deciding between schools, I used cost-of-living calculators coupled with tuition in order to make those kinds of comparisons. AZCOM tuition is pretty high, but the cost of living here is fairly low (though now as low as some others). Someone with more time than I will have to look that stuff up.

 

[shlifer]

SLIM - have you faced any problems withy the larger class size? are your concerned about the rotations and/or the preceptorship rotations?

i have seen the amtch lists and they look similar. I want to specialize. i know i will end up doing something like nuerology or pain managment or even surgery as i have a ton of experince already doing surgery (rats) and think i will be good at it.

Do you thinkt here is much of difference in regards to specializing opportunities between the schools?

 

[shlifer]

also....tuition is around 41K at both schools but living in glendale is WAY cheaper. so i think you end up less in debt at AZCOM....LA rents are ridiculous even in Pamona...

 

[slim78]

Larger class size doesn't really seem to be an issue for me. Of course, this is the only medical school I've attended so I really don't have anything to compare it to. My undergrad was a really big school so I'm used to large class sizes.

They've made some nice upgrades to the OMM lab to make it easy to teach all 250 of us at once (lots of giant flat screens and video cameras and projectors and such). Also the local DOs are ALWAYS here helping out with the introduction to clinical medicine lab or the OMM lab so you really do get a lot of individual attention from actual DOs if you want it. There are, surprisingly, a TON of DOs in AZ.

I'm not really worried about the clinical rotations thing. The administration is CONSTANTLY being hounded about this from worried students and they've had to reassure us enough times that everything is going to be okay that you know what? I actually believe them! Plus I've seen how quickly and how well they have responded to other issues here and so I feel confident it is going to work out. Not everyone in my class shares my opinion on this, but most of us aren't really worried.

Traditionally AZCOM has a pretty high percentage of students that go on to specialize. The administration knows this too and that is why they are trying to go more toward ward-based rather than preceptor-based rotations.

I'm not really sure of the opportunities available at Western (didn't apply there even though I'm a CA resident. Too many LOR needed, too little time) so I can't really make a direct comparison for you. Sorry about that.

SLIM - have you faced any problems withy the larger class size? are your concerned about the rotations and/or the preceptorship rotations?

i have seen the amtch lists and they look similar. I want to specialize. i know i will end up doing something like nuerology or pain managment or even surgery as i have a ton of experince already doing surgery (rats) and think i will be good at it.

Do you thinkt here is much of difference in regards to specializing opportunities between the schools?

 

[tkim]

I'm a Western grad, but interviewed and was accepted to both schools.

Bear in mind my impression is now six years old, but the comparison back then was this:

Western had better clinical and more ward-based rotations for 3rd year, and AZCOM had better preclinical lectures in prep for Step I.

Both a strong Step I score and ward-based rotations are important for obvious reasons. Since most people skip lectures and study on their own, preclinical lectures were less important than access to good rotation sites.

Don't underestimate the importance of a good inpatient rotation to give you the background you need for residency, and also good rotation grades and LORs from those places. Office-based preceptorships are great for one on one training, but the LOR may not be as impressive as from someone with a hospital letterhead behind it.

 

[shlifer]

so it seems there is a common opinion that these preceptorship rotations arent as good....or as usefull....

my understnading is that AZCOM you get both....furthermore, i want to do ym residency in cali so i was thinking that i can aggresivly seek rotations in cali for my electives ..... i plan on doing this if i go to either school. I have family freinds in medicine and was planning on using these connections as a foot in the door to try to get into the competative Cali residencies.

Is this plan ridiculous? should i push for Western becuase of the stronger rotations?

i'm really torn right now. I want to get away from LA but i also want to get into the best position possible for residency......

thanks for all the feedback.....its a WORLD of help.

 

[tkim]

If your ultimate goal is to do a residency in CA, then I'd go to Western. Residencies are familiar with the school, and you save some time and money fourth year when you travel all over for electives .

Another thing - how many electives does each school allow? At Western we were allowed no more than three in the same specialty, which made it difficult to schedule an optimum number of audition rotations for some people.

Western requires an OMM rotation. Some people found this to be a hindrance third year, as the number of rotation sites were limited and some people had to rotate out of the state. Check into that.

One last thing. The rotations office can be your friend or foe when it comes to helping you schedule your away electives. Since they also handle your rotation grades as well, if they aren't on the ball in sending them to the registrar when it comes time for that stuff to be transmitted to ERAS, you could be in for delays.

 

[shlifer]

thank you so much for the feedback.

I have heard that i should go to western if i want a CA residency.

But im concerned that staying so close to everyone and everything i know will be distracting and hard to refocus myself on school (im in my 3rd year post undergrad)

I guess im also more focused on being competative for the specialities im interested in than in staying in Cali...i figure i can always go back to Cali.

so i dont know. I need to keep researching. But im so attracted to the idea of changing locations cause iv been in LA since i was 9 and have never left (went to UCLA and still work on campus).

But im thinking down the road......i want to do competative specialy stuff and i know its alreayd hard as a D.O. so i need to find the best route to get there.

thanks

 

[Sassybird]

thank you so much for the feedback.

I have heard that i should go to western if i want a CA residency.

But im concerned that staying so close to everyone and everything i know will be distracting and hard to refocus myself on school (im in my 3rd year post undergrad)

I guess im also more focused on being competative for the specialities im interested in than in staying in Cali...i figure i can always go back to Cali.

so i dont know. I need to keep researching. But im so attracted to the idea of changing locations cause iv been in LA since i was 9 and have never left (went to UCLA and still work on campus).

But im thinking down the road......i want to do competative specialy stuff and i know its alreayd hard as a D.O. so i need to find the best route to get there.

thanks

I understand your desire for something new, and a change of pace. But as a first year at Western, I wish I was closer to my family (in the Bay Area). I choose Western over Touro-MI for a multitude of reasons, and I would make that decision again in a heart beat- I love my school. With that said, I think you're looking at your friends and family being close as a bad thing. I am eternally jealous of my classmates that can drive home for a day after a long, tiring week. For me to go home, I would need to have at least 12 hours of time to burn on the road or the money to fly- not easily done. Medical school in itself is such a change, that having the support of those you love and enjoy spending time with I think you will find to be a blessing, not a burden. If for all intensive purposes the schools are equal, I would go to the school closer to the people that are most important to you.

**And for further clarification, if you were wondering and if it helps, I am not typically the home-body type of person, I haven't lived at home since I was 17.