...my thoughts on nycpm...

[G0dFather]

Hello everyone,

Yesterday i took my last final for this first semester at NYCPM and im here to share my experience this semester in detail ...

The academics here are excellent and match up to all other pod schools. Here they throw at you what you need and even supplement you with material ( papers, EBM, etc.) for those that want to go above and beyond ... in classes such as Histo, Biochem, Genetics, etc.. Throughout the semester i kept in contact with friends of mine in Barry, Ohio, DMU, and Temple ... i would always match up what we would learn in the same classes that we would take ( i.e. if we were both are taking Histo) and we would be on point with each other , same level of depth, similar testing style , etc. Thus, there is no doubt about the quality of education here. As long as your not lazy you will be provided with what you need to pass your boards and become a good doctor.

The professors here are also qualified to teach, they are either MDs or Phds from Mount Sinai school of medicine ( so far for these pre-clinical courses). They would teach and test in the same way they would provide the course over there. Ive had extensive conversations with them about this topic. I also enjoyed how they would integrate podiatry related issues into the courses they would teach such as Histology and Biochem.


The area the college is in is not bad at all or "dangerous". Although its in Harlem, Harlem is undergoing rapid change and its not the Harlem of the past and most importantly if your minding your own business no one will do anything to you, this same principle can be applied to almost anywhere.


What i dislike about the school is the grading system, it is extremely tough to excel with what they have in place :


AH 97-100 4.0

A 93-96 4.0

A- 90-92 3.7

B+ 87-89 3.3

B 83-86 3.0

B- 80-82 2.7

C+ 77-79 2.3

C 73-76 2.0

C- 70-72 1.7 Minimum passing grade

FC- 70 1.7 Maximum grade upon successfully completing a retest

F less than 70 0.0

I believe that this is by far the toughest out of all the podiatry schools so it really amazes me when people speak "garbage" of this school. If you get an "A" here you truly deserve it, you must be near perfect on all your exams and even on the final otherwise you could easily slip into the A- range. And then if you notice there is an even bigger drop in points if you hit the B+ range. This can get very frustrating as it can take a toll on your final GPA.


Another issue I disliked is how the school would physically and mentally wear you down. I have taken 31 exams this semester, not quizzes, exams. On any exam questions would range from 30 - 50 ( excluding finals of course, those would be way more). Take for example, Bacteriology, we had six exams ... this gets very frustrating. Although it may help a student who is doing poorly, it can potentially harm a student that is excelling because one bad grade and you could loose the "A" in the class. Also with this amount of tests in place, the schedule was set to 2 -3 exams per week after Sept. 16, it was never less than that. That gives you literally no time to breathe and you must always be studying and stressing on the weekends and weekdays, if you were a student that wants to excel and achieve the highest grades you possibly can. This school is no joke. Other schools go a little easier on you when it comes to testing. Any test you take at NYCPM goes towards your GPA.

That is about it. I believe this is what matters and everything else is trivial to me, so i wont address it. My class of 2013 is very hard working and competitive and so it seems are other classes in other podiatry schools, hopefully other classes that follow only keep getting more and more, this will be very promising for the future of this field and is exactly what we need.

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[UW66]

lol.

 

[Brodiatrist]

While I'm sure some will find this helpful, one semester is by no means long enough to gauge the quality your own education, let alone compare it to other schools.

 

[catchburns]

While I'm sure some will find this helpful, one semester is by no means long enough to gauge the quality your own education, let alone compare it to other schools.

I don't think G0dfather claimed to be an authority on the quality of his education, he just gave his opinion of the school - what he liked and didn't.

Besides, at what point exactly would you consider someone in school long enough to gauge the quality of their education? Does G0dfather have to wait until he is a practicing physician according to your rulebook in order to post his opinion?

I hate to come in an rip you apart, but what purpose do posts like yours serve? There are only a few dozen of us pre-pod/pod students her on SDN and it is silly to come on here and try to belittle someone for posting their opinion of a school, as if you may somehow be more of an authority.

 

[Feli]

While I'm sure some will find this helpful, one semester is by no means long enough to gauge the quality your own education, let alone compare it to other schools.

I agree.

It's great to be excited and interested, but pod school is a long haul. You really won't know how you stack up with your peers at other schools until clerkships (assuming you do fairly competitive ones). Every program can give you what you need and will generate some excellent students, so keep working hard and learn all you can

 

[air bud]

i don't get what you don't like about that grading scale. that is how it is at DMU too. A's should be hard to earn.

 

[G0dFather]

I don't think G0dfather claimed to be an authority on the quality of his education, he just gave his opinion of the school - what he liked and didn't.

Besides, at what point exactly would you consider someone in school long enough to gauge the quality of their education? Does G0dfather have to wait until he is a practicing physician according to your rulebook in order to post his opinion?

I hate to come in an rip you apart, but what purpose do posts like yours serve? There are only a few dozen of us pre-pod/pod students her on SDN and it is silly to come on here and try to belittle someone for posting their opinion of a school, as if you may somehow be more of an authority.

THANK YOU , im glad there are people here with some sense lol.

 

[dtrack22]

...

 

[spo01]

I would love to have your grading system my gpa would actually be higher on yours for this semester (not much higher, but still slightly higher). Tough to excel? Mentally and physically wearing you down? Welcome to graduate school, hell, welcome to life. The grass isn't any greener over here. Opinions are welcome but some of those comments seem to be your 'post finals frustration' taking over.

 

[ckjets]

I am so proud of NYCPM, they became aware of their reputation and jumped right up and fixed it. I know so many NYCPM students and they are top notch; same could be said about professors.
However, there are some cons that must be mentioned:
1-Attendance is mandatory, you must be in class on time like in high school (few lates=absence)
2-Last year they let go a lot of people (why accept them in the first place?)
3-School is falling apart.
4-School is very small, library does not have enough seats for all students.
5-Security cams everywhere... really everywhere, including the locker rooms and class rooms...feels like big brother.
6-I was told by a few NYCPMers that the Dean does not like students and looks like Mr Burns from The Simpsons

Overall...
great board pass rate + great clinic = GREAT SCHOOL

 

[ckjets]

While I'm sure some will find this helpful, one semester is by no means long enough to gauge the quality your own education, let alone compare it to other schools.

really? then WTF is? and please stop mixing fancy words with dumb comments.

 

[MaseratiGT]

I think it's great that you're having a great time at NYCPM, but it sounds like my year, last year...

I would venture to say that almost every basic science at all the schools is taught by a Ph.D. It's not unusual, and anything to the contrary would seem strange.

I think that it's arguable that straight percentages are a harder grading system. If I get a 93 at NYCPM, I get the same grade reported on my transcript as someone with a 96. There can be a huge difference from pulling a 93 in general anatomy, to a 96 in the same course.

Every graduate program will wear you down. Every program has gagillions of exams. That isn't something exclusive to NYCPM. And when do exams not count toward your GPA? I have never taken an exam in 2.5 semesters that didn't count. And if you're not taking 31 exams, then you're taking 15 with twice as much information on each one.

Although I'm not trying to discount your experiences and how much you are enjoying school, your situation is basically replicated at 7 other schools.

 

[Brodiatrist]

One of the best pieces of advice I can give is to talk to 4th years from the different schools. I find that the first/second years are fiercely loyal to their schools and even into the third year. When they go out their 4th year and start rotating with students from other programs and either a) feel very well prepared or b) start seeing that they may have been shafted, they become much more realistic.

This is taken from another thread, but sums up the experience of my 3rd and 4th year colleagues quite nicely. Pre-pods take note..

 

[G0dFather]

I am so proud of NYCPM, they became aware of their reputation and jumped right up and fixed it. I know so many NYCPM students and they are top notch; same could be said about professors.
However, there are some cons that must be mentioned:
1-Attendance is mandatory, you must be in class on time like in high school (few lates=absence)
2-Last year they let go a lot of people (why accept them in the first place?)
3-School is falling apart.
4-School is very small, library does not have enough seats for all students.
5-Security cams everywhere... really everywhere, including the locker rooms and class rooms...feels like big brother.
6-I was told by a few NYCPMers that the Dean does not like students and looks like Mr Burns from The Simpsons

Overall...
great board pass rate + great clinic = GREAT SCHOOL

1- I agree with the attendance thing, they shouldn't be so strict.

2- I think they have learned this year the class is 92 kids significantly less than the 100+ they have been accepting in the past ... i know personally kids that were given a rejection letter and they were accepted at other schools

3- They are doing construction on everything as we speak .... by February the school is going to be like new

4- Although the library is small, they are placing more seats if that helps lol

5- Security cams are self explanatory, keeps crime down in the school itself , think about it lol

6- No comment lmao

 

[G0dFather]

Opinions are welcome but some of those comments seem to be your 'post finals frustration' taking over.

I don't know what you are getting at exactly, so Im going to give you the benefit of doubt here, but just to let know after getting to know most of the kids in my class this semester, out of the current 92 kids in my class, I'm def in the top 5 of the class so far. So I'm def not frustrated at all lol.

 

[krabmas]

6-I was told by a few NYCPMers that the Dean does not like students and looks like Mr Burns from The Simpsons

While I never had to deal with Dr. Lowy as dean he was one of my favorite professors. He is a great teacher, extremely passionate and does not put up with any BS.

There were always students that disliked him, but they also did not care to fully study for his specific, detail oriented exams.

I don't think that your statement is accurate of him disliking students.

 

[ckjets]

While I never had to deal with Dr. Lowy as dean he was one of my favorite professors. He is a great teacher, extremely passionate and does not put up with any BS.

There were always students that disliked him, but they also did not care to fully study for his specific, detail oriented exams.

I don't think that your statement is accurate of him disliking students.

I have met him briefly, and all I can say is that he has a very intense sense of humor which can be funny. I actually liked him. I do not know him enough to agree or disagree whether he liked me or any other student. All I know is that's what goes around in The College.

 

[nycdancingdiva]

I am so proud of NYCPM, they became aware of their reputation and jumped right up and fixed it. I know so many NYCPM students and they are top notch; same could be said about professors.
However, there are some cons that must be mentioned:
1-Attendance is mandatory, you must be in class on time like in high school (few lates=absence)
2-Last year they let go a lot of people (why accept them in the first place?)
3-School is falling apart.
4-School is very small, library does not have enough seats for all students.
5-Security cams everywhere... really everywhere, including the locker rooms and class rooms...feels like big brother.
6-I was told by a few NYCPMers that the Dean does not like students and looks like Mr Burns from The Simpsons

Overall...
great board pass rate + great clinic = GREAT SCHOOL

1. Attendance is not mandatory in all classes, it is at the decision of the department or professor. During most of 2nd and 3rd year, we are given random attendance quizzes that go towards 5% of our grades, and you are allowed to miss one (because emergencies occur) As with any job, you are not allowed to miss work just because you "feel like it," same rules apply to school.
2. NYCPM's attrition rate is 10%. Saying we let go of a lot of people is not true. It is sad when you lose a fellow collegue, especially after 2 or 3 years in medical school. Usually a few are lost that first semester who realize medical school is not the right path for them.

NYCPM Class of 2011--- 99 % Pass rate for boards PART 1!!!!

And yes, great clinic = excellent training and great school!

Hope this helps!

 

[morgan0405]

I am so proud of NYCPM, they became aware of their reputation and jumped right up and fixed it. I know so many NYCPM students and they are top notch; same could be said about professors.
However, there are some cons that must be mentioned:
1-Attendance is mandatory, you must be in class on time like in high school (few lates=absence)
2-Last year they let go a lot of people (why accept them in the first place?)
3-School is falling apart.
4-School is very small, library does not have enough seats for all students.
5-Security cams everywhere... really everywhere, including the locker rooms and class rooms...feels like big brother.
6-I was told by a few NYCPMers that the Dean does not like students and looks like Mr Burns from The Simpsons

Overall...
great board pass rate + great clinic = GREAT SCHOOL

the dean is awesome! i dont even know how that rumor could get started.
some students get to new york and have "a little too much fun in the city" and this is much different than their lives were in undergrad, thats why they are "let go." doesnt mean they shouldnt have been accepted.
although the school is really only one building, i find it actually more convenient that way. everything is in ONE place, you dont have to be jetting all over the city, anytime you need anything you can just walk up a flight of stairs.
although the library is small there are always empty classrooms, the caf, etc... plenty of places to study, plus its NEW YORK- some of the biggest libraries in the world, and students all over the place (there are a LOT off colleges in new york)... plenty of places to go and study.

 

[air bud]

my favorite part of this thread was the OP saying " oohhhhh it is so hard to get an A...you have to get a 93 percent..waaahhhh." Its called an A. Its not harvard where they just hand out A's with the morning newspaper.

 

[Sig Savant]

rough night last night air bud? in a bad mood?