WVSOM vs NSU-KPCOM

[theprodigy999]

any advice?

WVSOM
Pros:
established school
cheaper tuition by around $10K and cheaper cost of living
nice facility/staff
very involved in community
state school

Cons:
Rural focused
small town
weather


NSU-KPCOM
Pros:
weather
location
international medical missions
able to use NSU main campus amenities

Cons:
very expensive

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[brockhamptonfanacct]

I believe @Goro has mentioned in the past that Nova's first time COMLEX pass rate is concerning (especially for an established school). They seem to have gone up nowadays (as an applicant I don't really know if the increase is to an appreciable extent, so I'll leave that to someone with more knowledge).

 

[Goro]

Here are my complaints with Nova:

Two of the four last years have declining first-time COMLEX pass rates. The last two years for which we have data are in the low 90s. They still have yet to post data for the 2019-20 cycle, which is fishy. Some 7% of their 2018 grads failed to match, ditto 4% of their Class of 2019. There are also signs of significant delay to graduation in these numbers. That’s still not good for a veteran school. I’d expect > 95% pass rates and match rates closer to 100%. These problems are what you expect from a new school. Something is very wrong there. See: Residency Match Data and COMLEX Level 3 Board Scores | NSU COM

And also:

Thoughts On Nova Post Preclinical Years

I am a current medical student at Nova and after reading comments at a previous thread about the academic failures of my school I thought it would be helpful to attest that everything that has been written in such great detail is still 100% correct and a reality for many of us. From the...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[theprodigy999]

@Goro what's your take on WVSOM?

 

[drstranger]

for DO schools go with the cheaper option! WVSOM is a very established school that will allow any student to do fine.

 

[Goro]

@Goro what's your take on WVSOM?

Fine school. I recommend it often

 

[theendisnigh]

WVSOM is a pretty great and beautiful DO school. Definitely advise attending.

 

[Nerdout19!]

I'm confused though because WVSOM's comlex scores aren't better than Nova's outside of 2016. They haven't had >90% 1st pass rates on COMLEX 1 in the past 5 years. Nova's are in the low 90's, excluding 2016. I was also told that Nova has implemented the COMSAE now to ensure their students are prepared to take the boards. With the addition of the new Dean, it seems like Nova is back on track.

 

[drstranger]

I'm confused though because WVSOM's comlex scores aren't better than Nova's outside of 2016. They haven't had >90% 1st pass rates on COMLEX 1 in the past 5 years. Nova's are in the low 90's, excluding 2016. I was also told that Nova has implemented the COMSAE now to ensure their students are prepared to take the boards. With the addition of the new Dean, it seems like Nova is back on track.

Yeah, both schools are within a % or two of each other so that's not the biggest deal. The big deal at least for me for NOVA is 5 students did not match or soap last year and on top of that 14 matched in prelim positions. That means come July up to 19 NOVA '21 grads could not have training. Yes, some of the prelims will match but DO grads have a 44% match rate compared to 89% for DO seniors. So they are 1/2 as likely to have training after July. On top of that WVSOM has had 2 students not placed in the last 4 years while NOVA has had 17 not placed in the same time, while both have similar class sizes.
I will also add that NOVA does not give a good picture with the stats they publish, WVSOM presents the most through match data of any medical school I have seen.

I have no personal problems with NOVA but the numbers seem to point that since they diverted resources for the MD school something has changed.

 

[Nerdout19!]

Yeah, both schools are within a % or two of each other so that's not the biggest deal. The big deal at least for me for NOVA is 5 students did not match or soap last year and on top of that 14 matched in prelim positions. That means come July up to 19 NOVA '21 grads could not have training. Yes, some of the prelims will match but DO grads have a 44% match rate compared to 89% for DO seniors. So they are 1/2 as likely to have training after July. On top of that WVSOM has had 2 students not placed in the last 4 years while NOVA has had 17 not placed in the same time, while both have similar class sizes.
I will also add that NOVA does not give a good picture with the stats they publish, WVSOM presents the most through match data of any medical school I have seen.

I have no personal problems with NOVA but the numbers seem to point that since they diverted resources for the MD school something has changed.

Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t most surgical specialties require a prelim year before they are allowed to apply? So wouldn’t that data show more that nova grads tend to pursue more competitive specialties versus WVSOM pursuing more PC specialties?

 

[brockhamptonfanacct]

Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t most surgical specialties require a prelim year before they are allowed to apply? So wouldn’t that data show more that nova grads tend to pursue more competitive specialties versus WVSOM pursuing more PC specialties?

I also am just an applicant, so take what I say with a grain of salt. However, if you look at, for example, Harvard's match list (https://meded.hms.harvard.edu/files...cted_match_list_by_specialty.pdf?m=1617299792), you'll notice that people who matched into prelims also matched into the PGY2 position for their more competitive specialty simultaneously. Lots of people who matched into a prelim medicine year and then a PGY2 spot for derm, for example, and a surg prelim who then matched into ophtho. I believe matching into just a prelim year is actually a bad sign because it does not guarantee a continuation of your training.

 

[Nerdout19!]

I also am just an applicant, so take what I say with a grain of salt. However, if you look at, for example, Harvard's match list (https://meded.hms.harvard.edu/files...cted_match_list_by_specialty.pdf?m=1617299792), you'll notice that people who matched into prelims also matched into the PGY2 position for their more competitive specialty simultaneously. Lots of people who matched into a prelim medicine year and then a PGY2 spot for derm, for example, and a surg prelim who then matched into ophtho. I believe matching into just a prelim year is actually a bad sign because it does not guarantee a continuation of your training.

Ohhh ok I didn’t know it was supposed to be simultaneous. So going into a prelim year on its own without any other match is a bad sign.

 

[theprodigy999]

@Goro and anyone else. What is your opinion on UNECOM vs these schools I have an interview this month? It looks like UNECOM has better COMLEX scores than both my other schools.

 

[theprodigy999]

Ohhh ok I didn’t know it was supposed to be simultaneous. So going into a prelim year on its own without any other match is a bad sign.

very interesting and good to know! I thought prelim was a good sign but I guess not.

 

[theprodigy999]

Yeah, both schools are within a % or two of each other so that's not the biggest deal. The big deal at least for me for NOVA is 5 students did not match or soap last year and on top of that 14 matched in prelim positions. That means come July up to 19 NOVA '21 grads could not have training. Yes, some of the prelims will match but DO grads have a 44% match rate compared to 89% for DO seniors. So they are 1/2 as likely to have training after July. On top of that WVSOM has had 2 students not placed in the last 4 years while NOVA has had 17 not placed in the same time, while both have similar class sizes.
I will also add that NOVA does not give a good picture with the stats they publish, WVSOM presents the most through match data of any medical school I have seen.

I have no personal problems with NOVA but the numbers seem to point that since they diverted resources for the MD school something has changed.

I'm kinda confused about the prelim year, I'm considering diagnostic radiology as a specialty. Are u saying I apply to a radiology residency my senior year and the one year preliminary year is built into the residency??

 

[Goro]

@Goro and anyone else. What is your opinion on UNECOM vs these schools I have an interview this month? It looks like UNECOM has better COMLEX scores than both my other schools.

Good school

 

[Nerdout19!]

very interesting and good to know! I thought prelim was a good sign but I guess not.

Hey I just want to mention that I’ve spoken with a few physicians since last posting here and they’ve all said transitional years are good even if you don’t have a specialty PGY2 lined up. They weren’t able to give me the specifics but I don’t think seeing TY matches is a red flag

 

[Doc_Ock]

@Goro and anyone else. What is your opinion on UNECOM vs these schools I have an interview this month? It looks like UNECOM has better COMLEX scores than both my other schools.

I went there. It is not a good school.

 

[theprodigy999]

I went there. It is not a good school.

care to expand on this?