WVSOM v. VCOM(Va) v. LMU-DCOM? Advice please.

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SachmoJones

Osteopathic Medical Student
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Greetings SDN,

I have been extremely blessed this year and have actually been accepted to multiple schools, however with that comes the decision of where to go. I would like some input about the quality of the school(s) themselves, quality of facilities, quality/concern of faculty/staff, what it is like to live in each area, and also what kind of clinical education each school boasts. Any input in any of these topic areas is appreciated. I just want to make the most informed choice that I possibly can on which school to attend.

For those of you out there who believe you will not get in anywhere, I was told that by people on this forum. Take it with a grain of salt, YOU can make it in.

Thank you.

Sachmo

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Greetings SDN,

I have been extremely blessed this year and have actually been accepted to multiple schools, however with that comes the decision of where to go. I would like some input about the quality of the school(s) themselves, quality of facilities, quality/concern of faculty/staff, what it is like to live in each area, and also what kind of clinical education each school boasts. Any input in any of these topic areas is appreciated. I just want to make the most informed choice that I possibly can on which school to attend.

For those of you out there who believe you will not get in anywhere, I was told that by people on this forum. Take it with a grain of salt, YOU can make it in.

Thank you.

Sachmo

I would say Vcom for the Virginia tech connection. Any preference on location? Is there a cost difference?
 
I would say Vcom for the Virginia tech connection. Any preference on location? Is there a cost difference?


I think these connections are.... overstated. Extremely so when considering that Vtech has its own attached MD school. I think all three are largely similar in what they will offer and are enormously PCP and rural oriented schools. When it comes down to it, it'll depend along on whether or not you've got a particular persuasion towards either Blacksburg, Harrogate, or Lewisburg. College town v.s rural settings. VA v.s TN v.s WV. Etc.


Obviously though, based on your avatar you can pretty much survive anywhere*
 
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I think these connections are.... overstated. Extremely so when considering that Vtech has its own attached MD school. I think all three are largely similar in what they will offer and are enormously PCP and rural oriented schools. When it comes down to it, it'll depend along on whether or not you've got a particular persuasion towards either Blacksburg, Harrogate, or Lewisburg. College town v.s rural settings. VA v.s TN v.s WV. Etc.


Obviously though, based on your avatar you can pretty much survive anywhere*

If I was picking it would be VCOM but it so depends on this person.
 
I think these connections are.... overstated. Extremely so when considering that Vtech has its own attached MD school. I think all three are largely similar in what they will offer and are enormously PCP and rural oriented schools. When it comes down to it, it'll depend along on whether or not you've got a particular persuasion towards either Blacksburg, Harrogate, or Lewisburg. College town v.s rural settings. VA v.s TN v.s WV. Etc.


Obviously though, based on your avatar you can pretty much survive anywhere*

I appreciate the humor here and it is somewhat true. In my opinion all three have advantages and it will probably come down to simply picking one. I am also planning military so cost is not really in the equation. When I interviewed at WV, I felt at home there. I am not sure if it was the mountains, the fall colors, or the people (probably a combo), but I liked the feel. That being said, I liked what VCOM had to offer in the way of early exposure and international missions/rotations (seemingly well established connections) and also the area was not bad, cost of living probably a little higher but again, not much of an issue. I am very familiar with DCOM and know the area pretty well, I really like that they have so many elective slots in their clinical years (about double that of the other two and great to personalize the clinical education to your wants/needs). I have heard good things about all three schools and I think that is part of where my trouble in deciding is coming in. I just want more information to make a better decision.
 
If I was picking it would be VCOM but it so depends on this person.

Same. Though in my mind the reputation of VCOM has gone down a lot since they opened Auburn. I mean there's a bit of peace of mind in knowing at least that your school is not going to possibly attempt to haphazardly open up 3 unnecessary branch campuses with over 160 students over the next decade.
 
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I appreciate the humor here and it is somewhat true. In my opinion all three have advantages and it will probably come down to simply picking one. I am also planning military so cost is not really in the equation. When I interviewed at WV, I felt at home there. I am not sure if it was the mountains, the fall colors, or the people (probably a combo), but I liked the feel. That being said, I liked what VCOM had to offer in the way of early exposure and international missions/rotations (seemingly well established connections) and also the area was not bad, cost of living probably a little higher but again, not much of an issue. I am very familiar with DCOM and know the area pretty well, I really like that they have so many elective slots in their clinical years (about double that of the other two and great to personalize the clinical education to your wants/needs). I have heard good things about all three schools and I think that is part of where my trouble in deciding is coming in. I just want more information to make a better decision.


I mean, as I've said all three probably are going to offer you a similar deal. VCOM may be a bit better, but it's marginal.
 
Bumping for input from other people.
 
Bumping for input from other people.
what state are you from? I'd go VCOM or LMU with preference going to which ever is closer to where you live (barring you dont live across the country)
 
Virginia, DCOM ~1hr from home. VCOM ~3 hrs, so both are fairly close to home. Why not WVSOM?
 
I shadowed a doctor who went to WVSOM and I have heard nothing but good things about it from her - beautiful campus, granted his whole family lives in WV still so it was a comfort zone for him to stay in that state when he was in medical school.

LMU - also looks like a beautiful building, I have been to TN more times than I could ever count and the state honestly has never appealed too much to me, but the mountains are an absolutely beautiful place to be

VCOMVC - I am very biased for a number of reasons, but am a fan of the LARGE university access nearby, but it still doesnt have much going on around it either
 
Are you a WV resident? If not, you have to figure out if the extra tuition is worth it. IMO, the extra electives and solid rep was enough for me to apply and interview at DCOM. In reality, you can't go wrong with either VCOM or DCOM. That being said, I'm pretty sure DCOM has int'l volunteering as well. You also have to think, are you really going to take advantage of that anyway (only you know that answer). The two schools are pretty similar, and I would basically let it boil down to whichever school made you feel at home.
 
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Same. Though in my mind the reputation of VCOM has gone down a lot since they opened Auburn. I mean there's a bit of peace of mind in knowing at least that your school is not going to possibly attempt to haphazardly open up 3 unnecessary branch campuses with over 160 students over the next decade.
I wonder why VCOM didn't just invest in their original campus and potentially pursue a deeper affiliation with VT. That would have really put the school on the map, rather than opening branch campuses.
 
I wonder why VCOM didn't just invest in their original campus and potentially pursue a deeper affiliation with VT. That would have really put the school on the map, rather than opening branch campuses.


Most likely because Vtech doesn't gain anything from holding hands with a school that touts rural primary care as its main goal, mostly is connected to community hospitals and clinics, and has little stand alone research. Medical schools for home institutes are nothing but a resource drain that is only reconciled by the prestige they bring the school and the capacity for more controlled research.

Associating with VCOM doesn't do that, nor does associating with ANY DO school do that. Hence why Vtech opened up a MD school instead.


Truth is that this is the biggest dilemma with DO schools and the Osteopathic medical profession. We want to get bigger names to open up DO schools and bring the profession towards higher respect. Yet any big school that will open up a medical school will look towards getting LCME/MD and hence we end up with smaller borderline non-names applying for DO schools.
 
Are you a WV resident? If not, you have to figure out if the extra tuition is worth it. IMO, the extra electives and solid rep was enough for me to apply and interview at DCOM. In reality, you can't go wrong with either VCOM or DCOM. That being said, I'm pretty sure DCOM has int'l volunteering as well. You also have to think, are you really going to take advantage of that anyway (only you know that answer). The two schools are pretty similar, and I would basically let it boil down to whichever school made you feel at home.
As stated before, I am a VA resident and, again, I have applied for the HPSP through the AF and the recruiter seems to think I have a good shot for it so cost will likely not be an issue. I have heard from a practicing physician in VA as well as a Nurse Practitioner that DCOM students were not quite up to par in their opinion during rotations, but that could have been the inaugural class who were just getting their feet wet, don't have specifics on time frame. They told us about the international trips available at DCOM as well.

Why does it seem that very few would go to WV over these other two? Just looking for reasoning here.
 
As stated before, I am a VA resident and, again, I have applied for the HPSP through the AF and the recruiter seems to think I have a good shot for it so cost will likely not be an issue. I have heard from a practicing physician in VA as well as a Nurse Practitioner that DCOM students were not quite up to par in their opinion during rotations, but that could have been the inaugural class who were just getting their feet wet, don't have specifics on time frame. They told us about the international trips available at DCOM as well.

Why does it seem that very few would go to WV over these other two? Just looking for reasoning here.


LMU's clinical rotations seem to actually be very weak from what students say. And WVSOM has a bit of a high drop out rate ( likely due to low entrance stats than anything, I imagine). So honestly VCOM probably is the best for you, not to mention that if you decide to stay in VA it's going to arguably probably be easier to get a residency and do auditions.
 
Most likely because Vtech doesn't gain anything from holding hands with a school that touts rural primary care as its main goal, mostly is connected to community hospitals and clinics, and has little stand alone research. Medical schools for home institutes are nothing but a resource drain that is only reconciled by the prestige they bring the school and the capacity for more controlled research.

Associating with VCOM doesn't do that, nor does associating with ANY DO school do that. Hence why Vtech opened up a MD school instead.


Truth is that this is the biggest dilemma with DO schools and the Osteopathic medical profession. We want to get bigger names to open up DO schools and bring the profession towards higher respect. Yet any big school that will open up a medical school will look towards getting LCME/MD and hence we end up with smaller borderline non-names applying for DO schools.
couldn't the school be part of the university, but independently funded (via tuition or whatnot)? This is the status of MSU's law school (a privately funded college of MSU). Couldn't something like this be done to offset whatever costs might be involved in the university operating it?

I imagine DO schools would be much less of a "resource drain" than MD schools, anyway.
 
couldn't the school be part of the university, but independently funded (via tuition or whatnot)? This is the status of MSU's law school (a privately funded college of MSU). Couldn't this be done to offset whatever costs might be involved in the university operating it?

I imagine DO schools would be much less of a "resource drain" than MD schools, anyway.

If you're a top 50 school, are you particularly interested in taking on a relatively low ranked school to use your name?
 
If you're a top 50 school, are you particularly interested in taking on a relatively low ranked school to use your name?
I didn't consider that. Hypothetically, if the "resource drain" issue is compensated by private funding...I figured at worst, the university would neither gain nor lose in such a partnership. But you definitely have a point.

In VCOM's case, VT was willing to allow the school to build in its research park, give students access to facilities, and even use its web server (until not long ago). Clearly, they weren't averse to the idea of at least associating with a DO school on that level. Same with the Arkansas State school--which seemed to want its own DO school, but ultimately needed a private partnership (NYIT) instead (for what I thought, were mainly financial reasons.)
 
Who knows about the details honestly. Maybe VTech would have sufficed with just VCOM except something happened, who knows?
 
Who knows about the details honestly. Maybe VTech would have sufficed with just VCOM except something happened, who knows?
I am just trying to gain a better understanding of the "dilemma" that you mentioned, which I find interesting.
 
I am just trying to gain a better understanding of the "dilemma" that you mentioned, which I find interesting.


Big schools want research oriented medical schools. You could open up a DO school and do that for sure. But why when you'll meet all the requirements for LCME and have a significantly more high ranked school? That here in lies the dilemma, the distinction between them is OMM and truth is few are interested in testing that or becoming claimers of its effectiveness. Add in that COCA's requirements are more lax and we have why many schools open up at smaller schools, because they know the LCME would never accredit them. But for bigger schools they have LCME accreditation because they're large and they have an interest in investing huge amounts of cash.
 
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