I'm currently a MS2 at Loma Linda Medical school and I've been debating whether or not I should make a thread about this. However, I think it would be a disservice to pre meds applying to this school if I did not share the truth about Loma Linda. I'll try to break things down in terms of categories that students should consider when applying to medical schools.
Curriculum
The curriculum at Loma Linda is outdated and most of it is not as relevant to boards as some other schools. It is also not a systems based curriculum and is highly disorganized. I have never seen a more disorganized way of presenting material in my life. For example, it is intuitive that when you learn about the cardiac system you learn about its anatomy, physiology, embryology, biochemistry, genetics, etc. However, at Loma Linda you will learn about completely different systems in different subjects. What this means is that in anatomy you will be learning about the heart but in say, physiology you might be learning about renal. This leads to odd pairing that is not conducive to learning. During one test cycle you will be forced to learn GI, immunology, and pulmonary. That is really dense and is extremely difficult to do. Not to mention highly disorganized because those systems are not traditionally paired together. Testing here is also a NIGHTMARE. You have test weeks where you have 3 days of multiple choice exams and 2 days of practical exams (anatomy and cell). That's another thing we call histology "cell structure and function".... Some good things are that lectures are recorded. Although, professors always forget to record lectures and I heard that they may stop doing it after trying it for one year. There are some professors who outright refuse to do so as well. The professors are also not great teachers. They don't really know how to teach and often go out of their way to test low yield topics more than high yield boards topics. Another good thing is that it is pass/fail so you don't have to worry about competing with your classmates. Lastly, the teaching is trash and most of the professors don't know how to teach medicine.
Retention Rates
A lot students do not graduate on time at loma linda. I can already confirm that there are about 15 - 20 students missing from our class. This is not normal because it is more than 10% of our class and the national average is about 10 percent.
Boards Scores and Matching to Residencies
Board scores are below average at Loma Linda and this will affect what residencies you want. There is a lot of talk about Loma Linda accepting candidates that are not academically strong because they like to accept students that fit their mission to serve the community and continue Christs health ministry. Therefore, they do not care about rankings and will take risks with accepting certain students. Sounds good at first, right? WRONG! I have even heard that certain administrators say that boards are not a priority. This is extremely bad for students and Loma Linda is doing them a disservice because your step 1 score holds 90% of your applications weight for residencies. I have also heard that most people do not match to what they really want. They also do not publish their match list, which is suspicious. Also, the school gives you 5 weeks of dedicated study time for board exams which is lower than the average 6-8 weeks you get at other schools.
Social/Student life and Religion
Loma Linda is a relatively conservative place. You will find judgmental people here and a minority who are not. You have no choice but to take religion courses along with basic sciences and are required to go to chapel. Loma Linda also does not allow students to drink or have pre marital sex because they make you sign a contract that says you have to abide by their religious based policies. People do drink but if you are caught or exposed they do have grounds to pretty much dismiss you. Social life is really tricky at Loma Linda because students here are honestly kinda lame. They are very clicky because most students are from Adventist schools and they pretty much all know each other. So it is difficult for those who did not come from an Adventist school. Students are not very friendly in that sense because they have a hard time accepting others into their cliques and groups more so than public school kids.
Mental Health
I am convinced that there is a mental health issue at Loma Linda. We had 3 resident suicides, which the school is trying to hide. Instead they are trying to ship students to therapy. The problem is that the school is not taking any responsibility and almost blames you for issues like burnout. In reality, mental health issues are a combination of environmental factors and intrinsic factors. The school does not want to acknowledge that their curriculum is causing burnout and negative mental health outcomes. My own mental health has become dangerously unhealthy over the past year with thoughts of depression, suicide, etc.
Politics
Many medical schools do have politics in terms of admissions where people pull strings all the time. However, it is extremely rampant in Loma Linda to a point where most admin are kinda corrupt in my opinion. Many people have had their mommy and daddy pull strings because they knew admin to get them in. Or they schemed their way in through various connections.
Curriculum
The curriculum at Loma Linda is outdated and most of it is not as relevant to boards as some other schools. It is also not a systems based curriculum and is highly disorganized. I have never seen a more disorganized way of presenting material in my life. For example, it is intuitive that when you learn about the cardiac system you learn about its anatomy, physiology, embryology, biochemistry, genetics, etc. However, at Loma Linda you will learn about completely different systems in different subjects. What this means is that in anatomy you will be learning about the heart but in say, physiology you might be learning about renal. This leads to odd pairing that is not conducive to learning. During one test cycle you will be forced to learn GI, immunology, and pulmonary. That is really dense and is extremely difficult to do. Not to mention highly disorganized because those systems are not traditionally paired together. Testing here is also a NIGHTMARE. You have test weeks where you have 3 days of multiple choice exams and 2 days of practical exams (anatomy and cell). That's another thing we call histology "cell structure and function".... Some good things are that lectures are recorded. Although, professors always forget to record lectures and I heard that they may stop doing it after trying it for one year. There are some professors who outright refuse to do so as well. The professors are also not great teachers. They don't really know how to teach and often go out of their way to test low yield topics more than high yield boards topics. Another good thing is that it is pass/fail so you don't have to worry about competing with your classmates. Lastly, the teaching is trash and most of the professors don't know how to teach medicine.
Retention Rates
A lot students do not graduate on time at loma linda. I can already confirm that there are about 15 - 20 students missing from our class. This is not normal because it is more than 10% of our class and the national average is about 10 percent.
Boards Scores and Matching to Residencies
Board scores are below average at Loma Linda and this will affect what residencies you want. There is a lot of talk about Loma Linda accepting candidates that are not academically strong because they like to accept students that fit their mission to serve the community and continue Christs health ministry. Therefore, they do not care about rankings and will take risks with accepting certain students. Sounds good at first, right? WRONG! I have even heard that certain administrators say that boards are not a priority. This is extremely bad for students and Loma Linda is doing them a disservice because your step 1 score holds 90% of your applications weight for residencies. I have also heard that most people do not match to what they really want. They also do not publish their match list, which is suspicious. Also, the school gives you 5 weeks of dedicated study time for board exams which is lower than the average 6-8 weeks you get at other schools.
Social/Student life and Religion
Loma Linda is a relatively conservative place. You will find judgmental people here and a minority who are not. You have no choice but to take religion courses along with basic sciences and are required to go to chapel. Loma Linda also does not allow students to drink or have pre marital sex because they make you sign a contract that says you have to abide by their religious based policies. People do drink but if you are caught or exposed they do have grounds to pretty much dismiss you. Social life is really tricky at Loma Linda because students here are honestly kinda lame. They are very clicky because most students are from Adventist schools and they pretty much all know each other. So it is difficult for those who did not come from an Adventist school. Students are not very friendly in that sense because they have a hard time accepting others into their cliques and groups more so than public school kids.
Mental Health
I am convinced that there is a mental health issue at Loma Linda. We had 3 resident suicides, which the school is trying to hide. Instead they are trying to ship students to therapy. The problem is that the school is not taking any responsibility and almost blames you for issues like burnout. In reality, mental health issues are a combination of environmental factors and intrinsic factors. The school does not want to acknowledge that their curriculum is causing burnout and negative mental health outcomes. My own mental health has become dangerously unhealthy over the past year with thoughts of depression, suicide, etc.
Politics
Many medical schools do have politics in terms of admissions where people pull strings all the time. However, it is extremely rampant in Loma Linda to a point where most admin are kinda corrupt in my opinion. Many people have had their mommy and daddy pull strings because they knew admin to get them in. Or they schemed their way in through various connections.
