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Let's Talk About ICOM 2: Electric Boogaloo. My original post went up 6 months ago, but I thought it's worth updating and sharing for our DO friends applying this cycle. Hopefully, this one is a little more eloquent than the first time around. So, let's talk about ICOM...again.
Introduction + Disclaimer
For those who are unaware, the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) is a relatively new private, for-profit medical school in Meridian, Idaho. Their inaugural class will be entering their 3rd year and begin rotations in the Fall of 2020. It is not fully accredited by COCA and ineligible for federal loans at the time of this posting.
A lot of people have asked me: "Why do you care?". Guesses have been made that I'm a bitter applicant who was rejected. No, just a loser with too much time on his hands in self-isolation. The purpose of this post and its predecessor are to dissuade applicants from this sketchy program the same way premeds dissuade applicants from going Caribbean.
But why ICOM specifically? I grew up literally down the road of the new ICOM campus and have followed its development prudently since its inception. Four of my mentors (2 orthopedists, one pathologist, one FM, all members of the Idaho Medical Association) introduced me to ICOM in the earliest stages of its planning back in 2016. They were very disgruntled with the school's founders for reasons I will explain later, and these concerns were echoed as I've spoken with other physicians, local hospital administrators, and UW/WWAMI administrators. Most premeds would never be able to find this information on their own, so I think it's worth sharing and I'd like to help everyone make an informed decision.
You can, and most likely will, be a doctor after attending this school. I'm not even denying that you will be a good doctor after attending this school. But why attend this school when there are 140+ objectively better choices out there? This school might one day be good, even great, but
let someone else work out the bugs.
Bonus disclaimer: This is not an MD/DO debate. I care more about your personal character than the two characters behind your name.
Part 1 - Breaking News: New, For-Profit Schools Are Risky
Let's start with the more general, less upsetting complaints about ICOM. These aren't specific to ICOM, but bear with me.
ICOM is subject to the same pitfalls of many new, for-profit medical schools. New schools are always a gamble. Like when investing in stocks, it's important to do your research and see if these schools are worth investing in and betting your future on.
High seat deposits demand ~$1600 on acceptance (previously $2,000). Interviews and acceptances are sent early and fast so you will pay before MD schools get a hold of you. Many WWAMI applicants this year and last were faced with the decision to pay the deposit or risk getting into UW afterwards.
Lack of accreditation doesn't mean much at this point on its own. However, until accreditation happens, there are no federal student loans (which are more favorable) and no loan deferment. For the financially inclined, this will be a problem when Sallie Mae starts demanding payment and you can't pay it off with services like NHSC.
I also just want to include that ICOM was also launched by investor Dan Burrell, of Burrell College of Medicine (or BCOM). This is the same BCOM with a 25% attrition rate (2020) and 9% failed COMLEX twice. This is not damning to ICOM specifically, but it's not a good look either.
As with most new schools, this one has pretty terrible rotations and almost no GME connections or opportunities. These topics will require a little more scrutiny in new paragraphs with wacky titles.
Part 2 - Put Me Out of My Missouri
It's not uncommon for 3rd year medical students to rotate away from their home institution to nearby hospitals. That's normal and even encouraged, especially as you reach 4th year. It is less normal to leave your city and more so to leave your state for basic clinical rotations.
Interested applicants, please take a look at their clinical rotations
here.
2/3 of ICOM students this year will be traveling upwards of 500 miles to North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, and New York for their core rotations. Only about 1/3 actually stay within 200 miles of the school. This is both absurd and cruel to existing students, especially considering there is no assistance with housing or transport to these locations at this time. Placement is based on a lottery system.
Why else does this matter? Well, it's my time to shine as a local inter-hospital employee.
The difference in rotations between, say, UW or Utah and ICOMs core rotations is case complexity and abundance. At University of Utah, you will see complex cases, traumas, pediatrics, burns, rare disorders all in one facility system, all in one day. Your exposure to different specialties, research, and complex patients is the best in the region.
Rotations in Idaho mean you will only see burns in EIRMC (Idaho Falls), traumas at St. Al's (West Boise), pediatrics at St. Luke's (Downtown Boise), and many of our complex cases are shipped to UW (Seattle) or Utah (Salt Lake). My job requires I'm very familiar with all these facilities. No single Idaho facility has the capability or credentials to take on all of these types of patients. As a student, this is NOT okay. You are paying top dollar for this exposure. Why shortchange yourself?
Part 3 - GEM talks about GME
Let's walk through a scenario as an ICOM student.
Congratulations. You've managed to get through your rotations (wherever they may be), passed your STEPs, and crushed COMLEX. Time to match.
You're in luck! There are about 41 primary care residency slots in Idaho, and you are one of the few students who rotated through those locations! Wowie!
Alas, you're also competing with the 161 other students who graduated from ICOM, as well as the many competitive UW Seattle students, 60+ WWAMI Idaho students, and 10 University of Utah students who also rotated through there. NOW THERE ARE OVER 75 APPLICANTS (Many MD) PER ONE RESIDENCY SLOT IN IDAHO. *Gulp*
Being familiar with residency PDs via your rotations is a huge advantage when matching. As an Idaho student, you'll likely know the programs and want to apply to residencies here, but the fact of the matter is you're not likely to make it.
Again, this isn't an MD/DO debate, but you're not going to be competitive against these MD students that have historically have rotated through these residencies for longer and are heavily incentivized to stay as physicians in Idaho - a state ranked 49th in physicians per capita.
This is also an issue as ICOM also promised new residency slots in Idaho as part of their mission to decrease the physician shortage *in Idaho*. Since then, they've been silent on this goal and have contracted with a Montana health system to create residencies instead. They plan on opening only 78 residency slots, although there is no confirmed date they will be available, and again, it's not enough to cover the 150+ students they have.
Source
Part 4 - The Lack of Transparency Is Apparent
This is by far the most important part in this series. ICOM has a baffling number of red flags and a very shady past.
I can not recommend this article enough. Seriously, read it.
Before Idaho, the Burrell Group (a group of investors wishing to create a medical school), were rejected from making the school in Montana. Naturally, Idaho was their next best bet as a vulnerable state with no official medical school, aside from WWAMI/UW.
- The Bozeman Daily Chronicle on why ICOM (planned to be MCOM) was rejected from Montana
Since its inception, ICOM has upset members of the Idaho Medical Association and local hospitals with a lack of transparency on its budget, plans for rotations, amount of investment, etc. This is beyond sketchy for what should be public information, especially as the state has promised tax breaks to the COM in expectation that it will bring in money to the local economy.
Idaho's (now) former governor, Butch Otter, approved the creation of ICOM under the assumption that it would bring residencies and more physicians to Idaho. As stated previously, this isn't going to happen.
The inaugural dean of ICOM, Robert Hasty, made a hasty retreat from ICOM after only 3 years to help build a new for-profit school in Kansas. Insert surprised pikachu face.
Today, ICOM has become something of an inside joke for practicing Idaho physicians. Many agree that Idaho needs more doctors, but ICOM is not going to help. A great opinion piece was written about them
here.
Part 5 - Going for Broke
I want to conclude by circling back on the fact that this school is a for-profit institution. Unlike a state university and like a Caribbean institution, the school does not want to invest in itself or in you. Rotations are far away because it's going to the cheapest locations. The Montana Medical Association did not trust the intentions of the founders of ICOM. Finally, the ICOM is under consideration as being a less-than-stellar investment and may not make returns as planned.
Source
Your education is not their priority. Physician shortages are not their priority. Honesty is not their priority.
In order to make profits, the school has concrete plans to double its class size to 324 students by 2034. An increase of 54 students, every four years. Remember how there are 41 primary care residency slots? Do the math.
Source (Page 10)
Medical school is not and will not be the rest of your life, but does play a major role it. You deserve better. Go somewhere else.
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