New Paltz - NYCOM

[Moneyless]

Hi, I'm about to interview at NYCOM for their 7 yr med program with SUNY New Paltz... can anyone give me some advice?

Also, is there anyone here that can comment on the program?

Thanks

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[Moneyless]

bump

 

[Liquid_Tension]

I am back baby!!!!!

 

[DrWBD]

Ive commented on the NYIT/NYCOM 7 year program in the past. I've met people who did the New Paltz BS/DO program and said it was better in terms of flexibility it offered while you were studying there.

However, it is still one of the lower-tier SUNY programs. I'm still of the opinion that if you just aim for a good GPA and MCAT scores during your college years at a reputable undergraduate institiution, getting into most osteopathic schools is a piece of cake. Don't cheat yourself out of your college experience!

 

[DrWBD]

I'd also think, coming from Stuyvesant, that you're a pretty smart person who shouldn't have trouble doing well in college

 

[Castro Viejo]

I agree. Unless the combined program is situated at a quality undegraduate college, you shouldn't cheat yourself out of a good college experience. College will be the best four years of your life, why waste it away at an institution with an open admissions policy (e.g., NYIT) or at a school whose only entrance requirement is having a carotid pulse (e.g., New Paltz).

Even if your eventual goal is to become a physician, there's much more to college than just being premed and studying all the time. Med school won't allow you much time to study anything other than medicine, so don't blow your chance to learn a new language, pick up some useful analytical skills, or read some of the world's great literary works.

Just being a doctor won't make you much of a hit at cocktail parties, but being a graduate of a good college with a quality program will.

 

[MsDO15]

Moneyless-
I can't comment on the New Paltz program itself but I'm sure it's equivalent to the NYIT -NYCOM 7yr. BS/DO program. Basically how the program works is you do you undergrad degree in three years and as long as you maintain a 3.3 gpa, 3.0 in the sciences and get a 24 on the MCAT u get automatic acceptance into NYCOM (As long as you know how to speek and can pass a very simple interview). At NYIT they fill about 35 slots of all applicants. When I got in I was #10 in my H.S. class and had a 1340 SAT score and LOTS of extracuricculars...they really look at that. They don't want applicants who get A's and sit around and study all the time...they want people who get A's and are very involved.
I saw 3 problems with the program. #1, you don't get to take several classes that would help you before you go to NYCOM. (Embryo/or histology, cell phys. etc.) #2 you don't get your B.S. degree until after your first year at NYCOM which means that you are locked into going to NYCOM and no where else. and #3, if you don't get the GPA or MCAT score before you're suppossed to go to NYCOM, you need to stick around another year and I know a lot of people then have a problem getting into NYCOM. (The school will tell u that you won't...but I know that a lot of people have in the past and are right now).
I personally switched out after my first year in the program because of it. Personally, it was the best decision I made. I was truly able to experience college life and feel much more prepared for med. school than had I stayed in the program. I have already been accepted to 2 DO schools and I have to say, it's kinda nice having a choice on where u want to go. For me personally, NYCOM works and in the long run I have decided to still go there.
If you know that NYCOM is ABSOLUTELY the place you want to end up and assuming you won't have any problems meeting their standards then this program "may" be right for you. It's really great not having to worry about getting into a medical school...with this program, you already are as long as you maintain their standards.
Hope this helps!
I'll look back at this post so feel free to ask any other questions!

 

[Moneyless]

Can anyone help me with the interview? Is it panel or one-one?

 

[MsDO15]

See Pre-DO forum

 

[JP2005]

I would have to disagree about one of msdo15's 3 points....having completed the NYIT portion of the program and 3 weeks away until becoming an MS 3 at NYCOM, NYIT prepares you VERY well for NYCOM (for the the 1st yr at least)......BS/DO's traditionally have done very well and continue to do well at the medical school level......

 

[dumbest premed]

As a SUNY Albany student who once looked into New Paltz, I'm gonna have to suggest against it. As another poster pointed out, you're a Stuyvesant grad...I'm sure that you can do much better than New Paltz...which as yet another poster pointed out, all you literally need to get in there is a carotid pulse. New Paltz has almost open admissions and coming from Stuyvesant, you will most probably not be happy with the class of students that you will find there. It's basically community college level. You can definitely find a better school with a much more intellectually challenging environment. It's a bit late in the application cycle, but have you looked into the RPI/Albany Med 7 year Physician Scientist program? RPI is an excellent school. The Brooklyn College/Downstate program is also a great choice. Good luck.

 

[labruy69]

I am in the BS/DO program through New Paltz-NYCOM and I am currently a 1st year at NYCOM. Everyone seems to be knocking New Paltz, but I would recommend the program. Yeah, it's not the traditional pre-med school, but who wants to waste their time at those stuffy places anyway. At those schools, their trying to weed out the pre-meds. Do you really want to bust your butt all through college just to have to break your back for another 4 years of medical school? You'll end up having to take a break between college and medical school just to recover from being burnt at college(this happened to a few of my friends). Obviously you graduated from a great high school, so you've proven to yourself that you're smart. College is not only a time to learn a little, it's also a time to have fun. You will have time for fun if you don't have to worry about impressing med schools with 1000s of hours of volunteering at your local hospital, Dr's office, shelter,....
As a plug for New Paltz:
There are so many different and interesting people at New Paltz. In any give day you will see hippies playing their bongos on "Tripping Fields", pre-meds studying in the CSB, artists selling their pottery on the quad, bio and chem majors preparing posters for their research presentations, and film majors interviewing students in the halls. There are so many different classes to take (they also fill those pesky requirements to graduate) and clubs to join. I really had a good time during college and I'm so glad I have those relaxing times to look back on when I'm stressing out for exams now.