2017-2018 Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM)

[GBCrzzyy]

There's placement for 162 new students for each class. The remaining 10 in your class are students who had to repeat their first year. ACOM will eventually expand their class size now that it is fully accredited.

There's really that many? Geez I've only met like 4 lol

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[aspiremd84]

Just got the call - ACCEPTED! I started crying. My mom started crying. I'm so grateful.

 

[TDOCSPI]

Just got the call - ACCEPTED! I started crying. My mom started crying. I'm so grateful.

+1 Way excited

 

[DOsteopathic]

Congrats you guys!!

 

[thestudiousmeathead]

ACCEPTED!

 

[Snork]

Waitlist

 

[GwBXtRTrVktW9E]

.

 

[GwBXtRTrVktW9E]

.

 

[moyamoya6]

There's really that many? Geez I've only met like 4 lol

Yup, they've had around ~10 the last few years. Class size gets a bit smaller each year by the time you graduate.

 

[DecisionTime2017]

CONGRATS ALL!

 

[swammer24]

To those interviewing: Be prepared to 100% fall in LOVE with this school!
Honestly have never felt so welcomed. Very long day, but I whole heartedly enjoyed every single second. ACOM truly has something special happening! Nervous but excited to hopefully hear good news next week! Fingers crossed y'all

 

[goilers]

Anyone interviewing next Friday? There's another hurricane (Irma I think) brewing in the Atlantic right now. There's obviously a lot more at stake then a med school interview especially for the communities, and with hurricane Harvey wreaking such havoc in Texas so recently...
but if Hurricane Irma were to fall around the time of the interview next week somewhere around the panhandle, which would definitely affect Dothan, would the interview be rescheduled entirely, or would just whoever couldn't make it reschedule?

Just curious what would happen.

 

[cubamed]

Anyone interviewing next Friday? There's another hurricane (Irma I think) brewing in the Atlantic right now. There's obviously a lot more at stake then a med school interview especially for the communities, and with hurricane Harvey wreaking such havoc in Texas so recently...
but if Hurricane Irma were to fall around the time of the interview next week somewhere around the panhandle, which would definitely affect Dothan, would the interview be rescheduled entirely, or would just whoever couldn't make it reschedule?

I think it is too early too predict a possible path....and we all hope it doesn't touch any land.

 

[cubamed]

Honestly have never felt so welcomed. Very long day, but I whole heartedly enjoyed every single second. ACOM truly has something special happening! Nervous but excited to hopefully hear good news next week! Fingers crossed y'all

Any advise??, I am interviewing on Sept 22nd

 

[DOsteopathic]

To those interviewing: Be prepared to 100% fall in LOVE with this school!
Honestly have never felt so welcomed. Very long day, but I whole heartedly enjoyed every single second. ACOM truly has something special happening! Nervous but excited to hopefully hear good news next week! Fingers crossed y'all

I can definitely second this. The interview atmosphere today was great.

 

[swammer24]

Any advise??, I am interviewing on Sept 22nd

Be yourself and stay true to your application! It's a really fun experience and everyone is extremely kind and supportive. Try to remember that they already know what you're like on paper, this day is for them to get to know you as a person!

Above all, enjoy every moment. I was shocked that the 30 min interview finished so quickly! It felt like it FLEW by.

 

[BobbyT]

Hey guys, so does every applicant receive a secondary? On the ACOM website it says only qualified applicants receives one, but it seems like everyone on SDN got a secondary.

 

[goofy1]

Just sent in secondary last night. Scared Im a little late to this party.

 

[485686J]

Hey guys, so does every applicant receive a secondary? On the ACOM website it says only qualified applicants receives one, but it seems like everyone on SDN got a secondary.

I don't think everyone does. It sounds similar to lots of the schools though in that they aren't reviewed individually. Basically if you are talking about the group that meets minimum GPA and MCAT requirements then yes, I believe all of those people get secondaries. It seems very few schools actually go through and read the primaries, statements and all that and decide individually who gets a secondary.


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[AcadH]

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[DOsteopathic]

Anyone that flew into Atlanta and then rented a car have any tips or could tell me where they rented from? I booked my tickets since they were cheaper than dothan flights but going through some of these rental places, seems like theres tons of hidden fees and then extra that they wont price until after I book..

Yeah, so I rented from EZ REntal Car. They have an additional fee of 25.00/day if you're under 25, an additional fee for insurance (came out to 80), then 200 security deposit (which they give back to you within 24-48 hrs).

I'd suggest Ace Rent Car, they're cheaper I think and less fees.

 

[hopefuldoctor93]

I have USAA, so I booked through them and the under 25 fee was waived.

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[Walrusisgud]

Man I want an II from here

 

[CyrusJS]

I mentioned it a few pages back, but for flights, I would suggest Albany or Panama City (Northwest Florida Beaches). Go check through Southwest.com. I found a round trip this labor day weekend (direct flight) for $190, and the airports are both 1.5 hours away. Flying into Dothan is very expensive, and the drive to Atlanta and back is a lot longer than I'd enjoy, especially with traffic being unpredictable.

 

[AspiringD0c]

II for October 13.

 

[Jenny426]

My first II!!!!

 

[AcadH]

.

 

[aspiremd84]

Anyone have an admissions number to contact? Want to make sure that nothing is canceled for this Friday due to the hurricane but the only number I can find has me leave a voicemail.

I'd suggest calling Bob Willis 334-944-4062

 

[goilers]

As of two days ago nothing was cancelled!

 

[mega_tron]

II on 11/17! Anyone interviewing on the same day want to split a rental car from Atlanta?

 

[Singing315]

Hey, applicants! I'm a current second year here at ACOM. If you have any questions about ACOM in general, the interview, life in Dothan, etc. feel free to message me. Best of luck on your interviews and the application cycle! It's long, but you can do it!

 

[MissAnonLot]

I submitted my secondary on 9/5 and I didn't even get a confirmation for the payment or a receipt. Not sure it even went through lol. Anyone had similar issue?

 

[goofy1]

I submitted my secondary on 9/5 and I didn't even get a confirmation for the payment or a receipt. Not sure it even went through lol. Anyone had similar issue?

Submitted 8/28. Received email 9/6

 

[swammer24]

Literally having a heart attack every time someone posts in this thread because anticipated calls.

 

[Jaxey]

Literally having a heart attack every time someone posts in this thread because anticipated calls.

Hahaha same here! I freak out every time I receive a new email or whenever someone posts something here. Fingers crossed for the phone call!!

 

[BobbyKoch]

Hey, applicants! I'm a current second year here at ACOM. If you have any questions about ACOM in general, the interview, life in Dothan, etc. feel free to message me. Best of luck on your interviews and the application cycle! It's long, but you can do it!

Thanks for offering up your experiences. How was your first year? What are some things you like about Dothan/ACOM? Anything you don't like? Improvements you'd like to see in the curriculum/facilities?

 

[Singing315]

Thanks for offering up your experiences. How was your first year? What are some things you like about Dothan/ACOM? Anything you don't like? Improvements you'd like to see in the curriculum/facilities?

First year was LONGGGGGGG but great! There were definitely days where I was wondering how I was going to make it through, but that's first year for yah. It's all about adjusting to the pace of medical school and learning how to thrive. Overall it was awesome!

One thing I don't like about Dothan is that it's a very small town to me. To put things in perspective I lived in Pittsburgh, PA, Long Island, NY, and about 30 miles from Baltimore city. So I'm used to bigger cities with more going on. With that said, I don't feel distracted easily as I may be in a larger area. Also, there are a ton of people from all over the US well represented here at ACOM, which i think it really cool!

I think that one of the biggest selling points for me about ACOM was the "family" vibe that I get. Everyone is so willing to help each other out and it makes the hard days of medical school that much better. Yes, gunners exist everywhere because it's medical school, but those are rare here at ACOM. ACOM does a good job at accepting well rounded and overall just good people!

As far as the curriculum is concerned, they are still rearranging things and making improvements. Because it is a new school, the curriculum still isn't without flaws. They have rearranged the order of lectures, changed credit hours, etc. based upon faculty and student feedback. One good thing is that there is a system in place for you to voice your concerns or opinions about the curriculum, and they do review that information and take it seriously. So it's nice to know that your feedback is heard. Besides the few hiccups of a new school, I feel like we are being well prepared for boards and for rotations 3rd and 4th year. There are a lot of board study materials made available to you, which is nice. If you study hard and make use of the resources, you will do well on boards.

Fellowship: Also a random side note, we have a fellowship here between 2nd and 3rd year. It's very heavy in OMT and Anatomy. You work with first years in the anatomy and OPP labs, work in the OMT clinic, and teach some lectures to the first years while getting a masters in adult education. So if OMT is something you want to do in the future and would like an added experience before residency, it's a great program. Just a side note incase that is something that specifically interests you.

Anything else you wanna know, ask away!

 

[tiredphilosophile]

II! Does anyone know if earlier interview slots ever open up?

 

[BobbyKoch]

First year was LONGGGGGGG but great! There were definitely days where I was wondering how I was going to make it through, but that's first year for yah. It's all about adjusting to the pace of medical school and learning how to thrive. Overall it was awesome!

One thing I don't like about Dothan is that it's a very small town to me. To put things in perspective I lived in Pittsburgh, PA, Long Island, NY, and about 30 miles from Baltimore city. So I'm used to bigger cities with more going on. With that said, I don't feel distracted easily as I may be in a larger area. Also, there are a ton of people from all over the US well represented here at ACOM, which i think it really cool!

I think that one of the biggest selling points for me about ACOM was the "family" vibe that I get. Everyone is so willing to help each other out and it makes the hard days of medical school that much better. Yes, gunners exist everywhere because it's medical school, but those are rare here at ACOM. ACOM does a good job at accepting well rounded and overall just good people!

As far as the curriculum is concerned, they are still rearranging things and making improvements. Because it is a new school, the curriculum still isn't without flaws. They have rearranged the order of lectures, changed credit hours, etc. based upon faculty and student feedback. One good thing is that there is a system in place for you to voice your concerns or opinions about the curriculum, and they do review that information and take it seriously. So it's nice to know that your feedback is heard. Besides the few hiccups of a new school, I feel like we are being well prepared for boards and for rotations 3rd and 4th year. There are a lot of board study materials made available to you, which is nice. If you study hard and make use of the resources, you will do well on boards.

Fellowship: Also a random side note, we have a fellowship here between 2nd and 3rd year. It's very heavy in OMT and Anatomy. You work with first years in the anatomy and OPP labs, work in the OMT clinic, and teach some lectures to the first years while getting a masters in adult education. So if OMT is something you want to do in the future and would like an added experience before residency, it's a great program. Just a side note incase that is something that specifically interests you.

Anything else you wanna know, ask away!

Thank you for the thorough response!

Are there any opportunities to shadow local physicians as a 1st year? I've heard of people doing this at other schools and it sounds like a good experience.

Do you feel like you have gotten some good clinical exposure in your first year, or is it entirely didactic? Heard any feedback from upperclassmen about clinical rotations?

 

[Singing315]

Thank you for the thorough response!

Are there any opportunities to shadow local physicians as a 1st year? I've heard of people doing this at other schools and it sounds like a good experience.

Do you feel like you have gotten some good clinical exposure in your first year, or is it entirely didactic? Heard any feedback from upperclassmen about clinical rotations?

I think if you want to shadow, there are definitely opportunities. Through the clubs, we often have speakers come through who like teaching, so connecting up with them could give you a good way in. I shadow one of the OMT professors in clinic, which is fantastic. I have definitely had a lot of clinical exposure, but much of this was through volunteer work with local clinics and club events. I think if you search for the opportunities, they are available! We have a lot of clinical exposure through the curriculum with standardized patients. The OPP department also brings in real patients with somatic dysfunction so you can feel what REAL restriction of motion is like, not just what your healthy classmates feel like. I think that ACOM does a good job of providing the opportunities. You just need to take them and run with it!

As far as upperclassmen go, I think each rotation site is very different. I haven't heard anything specific about the sites, but it sounds like overall everyone is getting a good experience. Feedback from preceptors are good so far with ACOM students, so thats always good. The curriculum does a good job of introducing things like SOAP notes and patient skills right out the gate, so you are well equipped for when you do go out in rotations.

 

[moyamoya6]

Thank you for the thorough response!

Are there any opportunities to shadow local physicians as a 1st year? I've heard of people doing this at other schools and it sounds like a good experience.

Do you feel like you have gotten some good clinical exposure in your first year, or is it entirely didactic? Heard any feedback from upperclassmen about clinical rotations?

Clinical rotations have been fine. It really depends on your rotation site and what you're looking for, such as whether you prefer a smaller rural city with close knit physicians or a bigger city with a big hospital system.

 

[Magulick81]

Has anybody that interviewed September 1 heard anything back yet?

 

[swammer24]

Has anybody that interviewed September 1 heard anything back yet?

Nope!

 

[Jaxey]

Has anybody that interviewed September 1 heard anything back yet?

Nothing yet! Today they are interviewing the next group, and on Monday the committee is meeting to decide on today's group. I would not be surprised if we do not hear back until mid next week.

 

[BobbyKoch]

So...did anyone here interview 9/8? Thoughts?

 

[goilers]

So...did anyone here interview 9/8? Thoughts?

I did, and liked it a lot! Very welcoming, staff very committed and qualified, super nice shiny new facilities, and encouraging numbers. I feel like this school has gotten some bad rep for being so new, but I was very much impressed.

 

[BriBama]

Hey guys,
I submitted my secondary on August 18. Is it weird or too aggressive to email them updates on what I am currently doing this semester during my gap year since they didn't ask in the secondary.

 

[AcadH]

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[DOsteopathic]

Anyone interview on 9/1 hear anything back yet? Lol

 

[GBCrzzyy]

I did, and liked it a lot! Very welcoming, staff very committed and qualified, super nice shiny new facilities, and encouraging numbers. I feel like this school has gotten some bad rep for being so new, but I was very much impressed.

lol the reputation I heard about ACOM when I was applying was anything but bad. I know their inaugural class didn't have ground breaking numbers but the improvement the school has shown has been absolutely positive. I think the only negative points about this school are the fact that it's new, despite them already overcoming most of the growing pains other new schools are dealing with, and for some the attendance policy is a negative. but that's not unique to ACOM. The overall reputation of the school has actually been very good so I'm not surprised at all that you liked your interview but I'm glad to hear you liked it so much and I hope to meet you next year!

This is my opinion of course and it could be biased because I'm actually a student here. However, before I even submitted applications and was just doing research on the schools I would apply to, I really couldn't find any truly negative opinions about this school! And now that I'm here I can definitely say their good reputation is well deserved!