Where would you go based on academics?

[DrVanNostran]

With all else equal, what school would you pick solely on academics?

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[Dr JPH]

With all else equal, what school would you pick solely on academics?

Seems a bit difficult for anyone to offer than opinion since they are likely only familiar with their own school.

But the correct answer to your question is PCOM.

 

[DrVanNostran]

Seems a bit difficult for anyone to offer than opinion since they are likely only familiar with their own school.

But the correct answer to your question is PCOM.

I know its a bit of vague question. But I was just wondering what the opinions of applicants were on what school they thought is the strongest. Or likewise, from people either in medical school or graduates.

Thanks for the input

 

[Dr JPH]

I know its a bit of vague question. But I was just wondering what the opinions of applicants were on what school they thought is the strongest. Or likewise, from people either in medical school or graduates.

Thanks for the input

You are posting in the premed forum my friend.

You are getting premeds who may not even want to be applying to DO schools, people who applied to 20 DO schools and people who dont know anything except for the DO schools they have researched (likely near their home).

In other words, you are asking a classroom of first graders to pick their choice for president. Its going to be an amalgamation of rumor, repetition of someone elses opinion and non-substantiated "facts" about the schools.

You should be asking this opinion to attendings, residency directors and residents. People who have at least had interaction with people from multiple schools.

Right now you are asking people to vote in a popularity contest.

Hell, I can tell you the top 5 vote getters right now.

And I tell you this...you are going to get people who will vote for schools that have had maybe 1-2 years of students or NO students at all...yet they will vote for their own school, or the school they have been accepted to.

I appreciate your desire to get more information, but realize your poll above will be completely worthless.

You could always ask someone who has had interaction with students from almost all of the DO schools (except for Oklahoma State and Ohio University).

I wonder who that could be...

 

[DoctorMom78]

I had to do it. I am just too loyal and in love with my school. I voted for DCOM, but honestly have no idea how the academics will actually be. I like the way everything is planned, but you will have to ask me in a year or two about what I really think.

I totally agree with JPHazelton. I don't know what you are trying to get out of this poll, but I wouldn't take the results too seriously.

 

[Dr JPH]

For all we know LMU-DMUCOMSOM could fail its accredidation!

But we will always have this thread to know that at least ONE person thought it was the best!



U rock Mom

 

[DoctorMom78]

For all we know LMU-DMUCOMSOM could fail its accredidation!

But we will always have this thread to know that at least ONE person thought it was the best!



U rock Mom

LOL! THANKS!

Fail? Never. Not with me in the first class.

 

[DragonWell]

With all else equal, what school would you pick solely on academics?

I'm not quite sure what "academics" means...do you mean which school will leave me alone enough to let me learn? I don't think you're going to learn much from your poll, but I have to admire your patience in typing out the initials of every damn school, even those who have yet to have a student enter their doors.

For me, any school w/o lectures, or w/lectures and w/o attendance policy will work.

 

[NeuroDocDO]

it's a no brainer, KCUMB all the way!!!

 

[DragonWell]

it's a no brainer, KCUMB all the way!!!

KCUMB votes = 0. I think you just invalidated your statement by forgetting to actually vote for your school.

 

[bigdog8829]

i'll just pick the school i'm going to.
i dont know anything about pcom but based on how many people specialize; i give them props.

 

[EastWestN2grt]

it's a no brainer, KCUMB all the way!!!

Since you are a Kcumb grad, I need to ask what you thought of the contextual based learning prograM? ATSU-mesa will be using this type of curriculum, and we were told in the interview day, kcumb is the first to use this curriculum. What did u think? The idea/overview of it seems great--very innovative. Thoughts....???

 

[Dr JPH]

3 people voted for LMU-DCOM. Is the paint even dry on the buildings there?

 

[Jamers]

I had to do it. I am just too loyal and in love with my school. I voted for DCOM, but honestly have no idea how the academics will actually be. I like the way everything is planned, but you will have to ask me in a year or two about what I really think.

I totally agree with JPHazelton. I don't know what you are trying to get out of this poll, but I wouldn't take the results too seriously.

You have a cow as your picture....why?

moo and all that.

Dmu is the correct answer only because I go here. All the rest of the schools suck because I don't go there. I am right, everyone else is wrong; just deal with it.

 

[DragonWell]

3 people voted for LMU-DCOM. Is the paint even dry on the buildings there?

I don't know about that, but I do know they've definitely got a better program than Touro-NY. Why? Touro-NY only has 1 vote. Case closed.

 

[DoctorMom78]

You have a cow as your picture....why?

moo and all that.

Dmu is the correct answer only because I go here. All the rest of the schools suck because I don't go there. I am right, everyone else is wrong; just deal with it.

Beause I love cows!!! Especially cute brown jersey cows.

JPHazelton: I don't know that we even have walls to paint at DCOM yet.

 

[Dr JPH]

JPHazelton: I don't know that we even have walls to paint at DCOM yet.

 

[NeuroDocDO]

The systems based curriculum at KCUMB is superb. At the end of the first two years of basic sciences I had a very strong grasp of both basic and clinical medicine. The curriculum nicely blends the basic with the clinical and presents it as it applies to the different organ systems. I believe that I had a very solid foundation of medical knowledge onto which I was able to relatively easily add on more and more sophisticated clinical knowledge. The systems based curriculum works and works extremely well. I beleive it will be the way medicine will be taught in the future in med schools throughout the US and maybe abroad.

 

[CommanderRiker]

I don't understand the concept of problem based learning. What exactly is P.B.L.?

 

[GreenShirt]

Darn, they don't let you vote more than once

 

[Dr JPH]

Darn, they don't let you vote more than once

Yep

Guess my vote for TOURO-NY wont count

 

[DragonWell]

I don't understand the concept of problem based learning. What exactly is P.B.L.?

Each school, and really, each professor has a slightly different take on this question. In a nutshell, PBL is a way of integrating basic science information in the context of a clinical case. For example, right now we are in a neuro block. We may have a case where a patient shows up with unilateral arm weakness. We come up with a differential, order labs and essentially play doctor, taking time to discuss each test and symptom or clinical issue as it arises. Then at the end of the two hour session, we choose some issues to read about, in this case maybe spinal tracts.

The vast majority of the learning is done independently through reading, but the PBL group is a way to put your reading into a clinical framework and discuss it with your peers. Definitely not for everyone, but it works for me.

-Computer end transmission- sorry, I couldn't resist...

 

[MaximusD]

Each school, and really, each professor has a slightly different take on this question. In a nutshell, PBL is a way of integrating basic science information in the context of a clinical case. For example, right now we are in a neuro block. We may have a case where a patient shows up with unilateral arm weakness. We come up with a differential, order labs and essentially play doctor, taking time to discuss each test and symptom or clinical issue as it arises. Then at the end of the two hour session, we choose some issues to read about, in this case maybe spinal tracts.

The vast majority of the learning is done independently through reading, but the PBL group is a way to put your reading into a clinical framework and discuss it with your peers. Definitely not for everyone, but it works for me.

-Computer end transmission- sorry, I couldn't resist...

I agree with JP, this thread is awful. You are asking for the popularity of schools with this poll... and more often than not the most popular will have either 1) the best reputation or 2) be the school that a person is attending...

That said, PCOM all the way.

PS... how can Touro-NY or DCOM have the best academics when there haven't been ANY yet? not saying they'll be anything less than stellar, but c'mon...

 

[DoctorMom78]

I agree with JP, this thread is awful. You are asking for the popularity of schools with this poll... and more often than not the most popular will have either 1) the best reputation or 2) be the school that a person is attending...

That said, PCOM all the way.

PS... how can Touro-NY or DCOM have the best academics when there haven't been ANY yet? not saying they'll be anything less than stellar, but c'mon...

I know that! But, I did say that in my earlier post. How could I vote for anything but DCOM though?

As for academics, I have heard that PCOM is really good. I didn't apply to any of the schools off of the east coast, so I don't know much about the others. But, I have heard lots of great things about PCOM-PA, as well as NYCOM to a lesser extent. I think it really depends on what you are looking for in a school. I applied to both NYCOM and PCOM and even interviewed at NYCOM, but withdrew my applications at both to go to DCOM. Insane? Perhaps. But, there were a lot of things that made DCOM the right school for me. For someone looking solely at academics, I think that the older, more established schools are the way to go. But, I really think that you can become a great doctor regardless of where you go to school. What you put into your time there equals what you will walk away with. So, I think that the place where you attend medical school is relatively unimportant in the long run. Granted, certain schools have a stronger emphasis on primary care education and you may have a harder or easier time specializing based on where you attend medical school. But, in general, I don't think it really matters as much as everyone thinks.

 

[lrobin15]

I know that! But, I did say that in my earlier post. How could I vote for anything but DCOM though?

As for academics, I have heard that PCOM is really good. I didn't apply to any of the schools off of the east coast, so I don't know much about the others. But, I have heard lots of great things about PCOM-PA, as well as NYCOM to a lesser extent. I think it really depends on what you are looking for in a school. I applied to both NYCOM and PCOM and even interviewed at NYCOM, but withdrew my applications at both to go to DCOM. Insane? Perhaps. But, there were a lot of things that made DCOM the right school for me. For someone looking solely at academics, I think that the older, more established schools are the way to go. But, I really think that you can become a great doctor regardless of where you go to school. What you put into your time there equals what you will walk away with. So, I think that the place where you attend medical school is relatively unimportant in the long run. Granted, certain schools have a stronger emphasis on primary care education and you may have a harder or easier time specializing based on where you attend medical school. But, in general, I don't think it really matters as much as everyone thinks.

Nicely put.

 

[MJB]

Though I have not actually experienced it, I feel I'm more in tune with the systems based approaches that are or will be used at places like KCUMB and DCOM.

 

[lrobin15]

Though I have not actually experienced it, I feel I'm more in tune with the systems based approaches that are or will be used at places like KCUMB and DCOM.

Me too. Plus First Aid thinks that is the best way to study for boards too.

 

[sunnyjohn]

I don't understand the concept of problem based learning. What exactly is P.B.L.?

Paging Dr PandaBear!

 

[Depakote]

I don't understand the concept of problem based learning. What exactly is P.B.L.?

Basically, the school decided they had too many better things to do with your tuition money than teach you, so they tell you what to learn and you do it yourself...

 

[MaximusD]

i don't disagree with anything that docmom said.

i was just pointing out that the future academics of touro-ny and dcom are amorphous... i have no doubt that dcom will have strong academics in the future with the faculty they have accrued.

 

[DragonWell]

Basically, the school decided they had too many better things to do with your tuition money than teach you, so they tell you what to learn and you do it yourself...

To each their own - my goal is to learn the material in the most effecient way possible. I get bored easily, and being spoon fed information has never worked well for me; thus lectures are a waste of my time. If you do some reading, I think you will find that among the schools that have PBL curriculums, students in the PBL tract tend to outscore students in the lecture-based tract on boards. Interpret that as you will.

Your comment on tuition is misguided, but if you want to go there, the PBL-only school I attend is the cheapest of the private DO schools. I chose my school over several lecture-based schools, all of which cost at least 10 grand more/year. Students at all of these schools told me that in reality, few students attend lectures and most just learn on their own from the notes or power points. Given the choice between a lecture based curriculum in which people pay for lectures no one goes to or a PBL curriculum that is structured to allow self learning and costs 10-20 grand less/year, personally, I'll pick PBL every time.

As I say, to each their own. PBL works for some students, and is terrible for others, as is lecture. You really need to experience both in order to judge.

 

[DoctorMom78]

i don't disagree with anything that docmom said.

i was just pointing out that the future academics of touro-ny and dcom are amorphous... i have no doubt that dcom will have strong academics in the future with the faculty they have accrued.

 

[Dr JPH]

While I agree with some of what DocMom said, I DO think that the school choice IS important in the long run.

Your choice in medical school has a lot to do with where you will match for residency (and your match options) and can influence where you practice.

There is no real way to know how MUCH it will affect in the long run, but I am glad I am at PCOM...no doubt being here helped me match into the #1 DO Surgery residency (and only dually accredited program) in the country.

The numbers show that too. 4/5 PCOMers in the program

 

[GreenShirt]

Basically, the school decided they had too many better things to do with your tuition money than teach you, so they tell you what to learn and you do it yourself...

At the end of the day, you have to sit on your butt and learn it yourself anyway, so why not get some clinical context while you're in class as opposed to being read the outline of what you're going to study later that night?

 

[GreenShirt]

While I agree with some of what DocMom said, I DO think that the school choice IS important in the long run.

Your choice in medical school has a lot to do with where you will match for residency (and your match options) and can influence where you practice.

There is no real way to know how MUCH it will affect in the long run, but I am glad I am at PCOM...no doubt being here helped me match into the #1 DO Surgery residency (and only dually accredited program) in the country.

The numbers show that too. 4/5 PCOMers in the program

Yeah, it seems to me when I look over the Match lists, people pretty much match every year to the same programs from the same schools. I guess it is somewhat predetermined by your school. Although, there a some exceptions.

 

[DoctorMom78]

While I agree with some of what DocMom said, I DO think that the school choice IS important in the long run.

Your choice in medical school has a lot to do with where you will match for residency (and your match options) and can influence where you practice.

There is no real way to know how MUCH it will affect in the long run, but I am glad I am at PCOM...no doubt being here helped me match into the #1 DO Surgery residency (and only dually accredited program) in the country.

The numbers show that too. 4/5 PCOMers in the program

That was kind of the point I was trying to make at the end when talking about specializing. I haven't really looked into that much because I am confident that I want to do rural family medicine. But, I have heard that where you went to school can affect where you match and what you match into. That said, it still ultimately rests on your academic performance and board scores. If you don't perform well on those, then where you went to school doesn't really matter.

 

[MCATTT]

This post will ultimately answer the following question:

What is the percentage distribution of DO schools that SDN members will be (or) are attending to?

 

[Orthodoc40]

This post will ultimately answer the following question:

What is the percentage distribution of DO schools that SDN members will be (or) are attending to?

Not necessarily! I voted for a school that didn't even interview me!

 

[Static Line]

I'm not quite sure what "academics" means...do you mean which school will leave me alone enough to let me learn?[/B] I don't think you're going to learn much from your poll, but I have to admire your patience in typing out the initials of every damn school, even those who have yet to have a student enter their doors.

For me, any school w/o lectures, or w/lectures and w/o attendance policy will work.

I will restart med school for these options----Not! But they are the best idea's I've seen on SDN in a long time