Which Arizona DO school is better?

[Smithy007]

I am wondering which school is better A.T. Still University or Arizona Midwestern University? Also, if anyone knows what are the pros and cons for each school? Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[BB8730]

ATSU-SOMA of course

Both schools are different and have their pro's and con's. Most notably, SOMA is focused on the underserved and has the 1+3 curriculum with the 11 different CHCs throughout the US for years 2-4. If that sounds appealing to you, SOMA would be a great match. I can't speak to AZCOM's curriculum.

Neither school is "better." You can find plenty of info on the school-specific threads and on the schools' websites. Find which one fits you best.

 

[NurWollen]

I am wondering which school is better A.T. Still University or Arizona Midwestern University? Also, if anyone knows what are the pros and cons for each school? Thanks

Both are great schools. I interviewed at and was accepted at both. I ended up deciding to attend AZCOM, and am quite happy with my decision. At the same time, I was very impressed by ATSU-SOMA and I think I would have been very happy there.

Which one is better certainly depends on what you prefer. Since preferences vary so much between individuals, I'll just list some areas where the schools really differ:

Class size: AZCOM is a lot bigger, SOMA is much smaller. ~250 students vs. ~100 students.

Curriculum: AZCOM has a very traditional, subject-based curriculum. Biochem, Anatomy, Physiology, etc. SOMA has a somewhat unique, cutting edge 'clinical presentation model.' Basic sciences are taught within the context of how patients present to a physician, i.e. signs and symptoms. Pretty cool actually.

Campus: AZCOM has a relatively large campus, with a lot of students from the other programs around. It feels like school. Places to study, full-service cafeteria, bookstore, on campus-housing, gym, etc. SOMA has a small but well-kept, open campus with a main building and a few smaller office-type buildings. Students get a membership to a very nice YMCA that is right next door. You spend your second pre-clinical year and rotation years based out of one of the their affiliated community health centers. These health centers have on site faculty, though some of the lectures for what I have heard are streamed in from the main campus. There are about ten students per CHC per year.

Tuition: SOMA is ~10k/year cheaper. Not something to ignore, though again I am very happy at AZCOM despite the price.

Rotations: AZCOM assigns you to a clinical rotation region (Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego, Chicago, etc) that will serve as a core rotation region, though from what I have heard the rotation regions are pretty loosely defined; you'll still likely be assigned a few rotations outside your core region. Most of the rotations are preceptor-based, though some ward-based rotations are a available. At SOMA, some of your core rotations are based at your CHC though you still might end up doing some of them at other hospitals/clinics etc depending on your CHC. I hope that helps.

 

[Anicetus]

Both are great schools. I interviewed at and was accepted at both. I ended up deciding to attend AZCOM, and am quite happy with my decision. At the same time, I was very impressed by ATSU-SOMA and I think I would have been very happy there.

Which one is better certainly depends on what you prefer. Since preferences vary so much between individuals, I'll just list some areas where the schools really differ:

Class size: AZCOM is a lot bigger, SOMA is much smaller. ~250 students vs. ~100 students.

Curriculum: AZCOM has a very traditional, subject-based curriculum. Biochem, Anatomy, Physiology, etc. SOMA has a somewhat unique, cutting edge 'clinical presentation model.' Basic sciences are taught within the context of how patients present to a physician, i.e. signs and symptoms. Pretty cool actually.

Campus: AZCOM has a relatively large campus, with a lot of students from the other programs around. It feels like school. Places to study, full-service cafeteria, bookstore, on campus-housing, gym, etc. SOMA has a small but well-kept, open campus with a main building and a few smaller office-type buildings. Students get a membership to a very nice YMCA that is right next door. You spend your second pre-clinical year and rotation years based out of one of the their affiliated community health centers. These health centers have on site faculty, though some of the lectures for what I have heard are streamed in from the main campus. There are about ten students per CHC per year.

Tuition: SOMA is ~10k/year cheaper. Not something to ignore, though again I am very happy at AZCOM despite the price.

Rotations: AZCOM assigns you to a clinical rotation region (Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego, Chicago, etc) that will serve as a core rotation region, though from what I have heard the rotation regions are pretty loosely defined; you'll still likely be assigned a few rotations outside your core region. Most of the rotations are preceptor-based, though some ward-based rotations are a available. At SOMA, some of your core rotations are based at your CHC though you still might end up doing some of them at other hospitals/clinics etc depending on your CHC. I hope that helps.

I have constantly heard that SOMA focuses on pushing for primary care, while after interviewing at AZCOM, they actually are proud of putting lots of students into specializations.

 

[NurWollen]

I have constantly heard that SOMA focuses on pushing for primary care, while after interviewing at AZCOM, they actually are proud of putting lots of students into specializations.

Yeah, at my SOMA interview and during other interactions I had with their admissions reps prior to applying, I got mixed signals. Some faculty kept talking about how they really want to focus on producing primary care doctors while others went out of their way to emphasize that they aren't trying to jus produce primary care doctors.

AZCOM talks a out primary care a lot (all DO schools do) but I don't think the primary care emphasis is as strong as it is at some other DO schools. We do have impressive match lists each year as far as specialties go.

 

[BB8730]

I have constantly heard that SOMA focuses on pushing for primary care, while after interviewing at AZCOM, they actually are proud of putting lots of students into specializations.

SOMA certainly promotes primary care, but they aren't against specializing. I told them I was interested in surgery during my interview and my interviewers didn't have a problem with it. Lots of people in my class are interested in specializing and nobody seems to mind. Granted, the education here is primary care oriented.

Edit: just so I don't throw any applicants under the bus, I want to reiterate that SOMA is focused on primary care and some faculty are very passionate about primary care, so to be on the safe side during the interview, I would avoid acting like you're dead set on specializing. My interviewers didn't care, but that might not always be the case.

 

[SLC]

Just to add on to what Brakk026 said above me, it's true that SOMA is very primary care oriented but that doesn't mean they discourage or inhibit students that are interested in non-PC fields.

In reality SOMA is very Commuity Health Center focused, and Community Health Centers overwhelmingly provide primary care. But that doesn't mean that CHC patients don't need surgeons or cardiologists etc.

I think the key to a successful interview for someone who is surgery oriented is to be prepared to talk about applying surgery in the context of Community Health. The CHC I came up out of before medical school has tons of volunteer specialists, I just rotated with most of them during my IM month. They generally come down 1-3 days a month to see the patients needing their services and they are a huge part of the clinic. Be ready to talk about things like that and you'll do awesome!

 

[DrWily]

ATSU-SOMAAZCOM of course

Fixed that for you 😎


Both schools will get you where you need to go. Just decide where you would feel more comfortable. Plenty of information in this thread already. AZCOM's match lists continue to impress year after year [insert random comment about not comparing match lists, etc etc]. However, AZCOM must be doing something right. Strong 1st and 2nd yr curriculum, but there is something to be said about 3rd and 4th yr rotations that I am not qualified to speak about. Happy with my choice.

 

[Isha2018]

I am wondering which school is better A.T. Still University or Arizona Midwestern University? Also, if anyone knows what are the pros and cons for each school? Thanks

The school that accepts you, of course! For me, that's ATSU-SOMA.
If both accept you, pick ATSU-SOMA because AZCOM wait-listed me and is not high on my 'warm and fuzzy feelings' list at the moment. 🙂

 

[TwinsFan]

AZCOM
pros: a bit more established, lots of local and CA rotations, higher academic selectivity (3.5/28), outstanding match lists, high faculty to student ratio, great location
cons: cost @ 55k, large class size
per SDN traditionally regarded as upper-mid tier DO

ASTU-SOMA
pros: cost @ ~45k, small class size, alternative curriculum, great location (but maybe only for 1 year)
cons: less established, average match lists, lower academic selectivity (3.4/26), 3 year rotation sites all over the country
per SDN traditionally regarded as lower-mid tier DO

*In the end finding the right fit is the most important, more than a perceived ranking

 

[moto_za]

What about cost of living? About the same?

 

[novafan3000]

What about cost of living? About the same?

Mesa and glendale are only about 20 mins apart.. all metro phx is pretty cheap

 

[NurWollen]

What about cost of living? About the same?

Yeah, about the same. Very similar neighborhoods on opposite ends of the phoenix metro area. 40 miles apart but if someone blindfolded you and took you from one to the other you'd be hard-pressed to know you'd gone anywhere.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

SOMA is cheaper and has awesome curriculum, and I hear great things about it from students... not sure about AZCOM and it's more expensive