NYCOM Student Experiences

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Hi all!

I just got an II for NYCOM, and started searching SDN for some more information about the program/school. A lot of the posts I've been reading from current students have been negative (which surprised me), but a lot of these are from at least a few years ago. Could current students comment on the pros and cons of the program and how they like it overall? Thanks!

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Hi all!

I just got an II for NYCOM, and started searching SDN for some more information about the program/school. A lot of the posts I've been reading from current students have been negative (which surprised me), but a lot of these are from at least a few years ago. Could current students comment on the pros and cons of the program and how they like it overall? Thanks!

I have not heard anything good about this place. Its in New York for one thing.
 
I don't understand the hate on NYCOM on SDN...
A pretty well-established school with amazing match rates.
 
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Hi all!

I just got an II for NYCOM, and started searching SDN for some more information about the program/school. A lot of the posts I've been reading from current students have been negative (which surprised me), but a lot of these are from at least a few years ago. Could current students comment on the pros and cons of the program and how they like it overall? Thanks!

Current second year and loving it. Lecture attendance isn't mandatory, only have to come in 1 day a week for 2 labs (3 hours total for both), and lectures if you do choose to go all start at 1pm the earliest. Wake up at 9 most days and pretty much set my schedule. I believe the current first years have a slightly diff curriculum than I did but from quickly glancing at their calendar it doesn't look too different. You absolutely need to be disciplined with your time because it's easy to slack and let things snowball.

NYIT-COM has received a lot of flack from this forum in the past for issues with attrition/tough grading etc... but the new dean is great and as far as tests go (I'm basing this from my experience last year being that we haven't been tested on this block yet) they are very very easy to pass if you're simply looking to scrape by with a 70. From what I understand grading was harsher in the past but if you're consistent with studying every day you can easily pass and still def have enough time for outside hobbies/social life.
 
I don't understand the hate on NYCOM on SDN... I interviewed there before.
A pretty well-established school with amazing match rates.

The school is a meat grinder, it has very high attrition, a Dean that is allegedly a bullying dingus, and rotations in some of the not so savory parts of New York like the South Bronx, imagine someone like myself, a Boston Red Sox fan being in the Bronx, now that is not a pretty picture.

To match you need to graduate and pass the boards, unfortunately a good number of NYCOM students do not do that, they get kicked out. Fail two classes there you are expelled. Fail two classes at my school, they decel to the five year program.
 
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Fail two classes there you are expelled.
this is wrong. Fail 2 MODULES and you are expelled. if you fail the first time, you'll repeat it in the summer.
Since a module consists of several classes, it's hard to fail a MODULE, you know.
 
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this is wrong. Fail 2 MODULES and you are expelled. if you fail the first time, you'll repeat it in the summer.
as a module consists of several classes, it's hard to fail a MODULE, you know.

Ok thanks for the correction, I go to AZCOM, but someone I met told me Dr. Scandalis, the Dean is a complete dingus.
 
I am a current student at NYCOM (now dba NYIT-COM). Depending on what you are looking for, I may or may not recommend this school for you. I was a successful applicant to 6 other DO programs (PCOM, CCOM, DMUCOM, UNECOM, LECOM x2) and think PCOM would have been the best choice. PM me if you have more questions.

Before we begin, remember your goal as a med student: residency. Always thinking about the next step, team.

NYIT-COM's CONS

A. Lack of clinical rotation spots. Rotations are flung out to seedy hospitals in PA, CT and the ratio of students:residents is atrocious, nearly 10:1 at NYU Lutheran for surgery. Good luck getting an excellent personal recommendation out of the experience. This is not a secret at our school.

B. Teaching is questionable. We lost a few good professors this year and the ones left are usually out of practice for a reason (malpractice). We do not receive our exams back at this school. Wanted a second look at that OMM question? It is not going to happen. This strategy is meant to help us stay focused on the next exam. "Learning from your mistakes" is not something that is encouraged here.

C. A professor of biochemistry offered a review session and somehow the powers that be said NO. Explain how this makes for a good learning environment.

C. It is a huge school, you will be anonymous as 1 of 300 students in the class. It is easy to feel unsupported in Long Island and you will be in this factory of physicians. Morale is generally low.

D. Medical students need to eat. Food on campus closes around 5:30PM, anatomy OMM and DPR lab end at 5PM.

E. Micromanagement is another big problem. Big brother is always watching. Including the class's facebook group. It feels invasive. I personally had much more freedom and autonomy in high school compared to this. For example: our school has a director of student life who controls every aspect of every club's movement: from the moment a club post goes up on facebook to ordering food from vendors (we eat only pizza), down to the penny. Everyone is terrified of this person but no one can say anything because the Dean favors them. Please treat us like the adults we are.

F. NYIT COM is opening some campus somewhere in Alabama or Arkansas and are taking the best of NY's campus there. Money. Money. Money.

G. No affiliation with hospitals, and because of 'E' we are unable to get many physicians to visit our campus in the first place. It's a hostile world at NYIT-COM.

NYIT- COM's PROS

A. The match list is what everyone talks about. Great for anyone who wants to stay in NYC, I foresee that this will because of drop in rotation sites. Remember that match list reflects HISTORY and not the future. It is like reading tea leaves to read a match list. And the curriculum changes like the winds. For that, ask for COMLEX, Step 1 information.

B. The Dean is a nice man who seems to care about students. The VP and Dean hold weekly walk/runs.

C. The people who you will meet here. Everyone finds their niche eventually.
 
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NYIT- COM's PROS

A. The match list is what everyone talks about. Great for anyone who wants to stay in NYC, I foresee that this will because of drop in rotation sites. Remember that match list reflects HISTORY and not the future. It is like reading tea leaves to read a match list. And the curriculum changes like the winds. For that, ask for COMLEX, Step 1 information.

Community programs in NYC tend to be fairly easy to match into because they tend to be malignant. The NYC matches really just reflect geographic preference of the student body. Not surprising that students who go to NYCOM want to stay in NYC.
 
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I've visited the school before. Some of what neontetras are true. Professors don't allow students to review or appeal exams. You need to send an email to the dean or something to get clearance to see your exam. I've also heard that the school is understaffed and, despite the high tuition, have budget/financial issues. However, this is the first time someone has mentioned that the clinical sites are overcrowded. The school has mentioned, however, that they are cutting back enrollment by about ~30 students this year...
 
Community programs in NYC tend to be fairly easy to match into because they tend to be malignant. The NYC matches really just reflect geographic preference of the student body. Not surprising that students who go to NYCOM want to stay in NYC.
Those "community programs" in NYC typically have PG1 saleries of $65k+. I'm sure that also has an effect haha
 
Those "community programs" in NYC typically have PG1 saleries of $65k+. I'm sure that also has an effect haha

Salaries reflect how expensive it is to live in a specific location. NYC taxes are crushing. Rent is absurd. Groceries cost more. Good luck going out for a meal and drinks and spending less than $100. $65k in NYC doesn't go nearly as far as $65k anywhere else.

https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/index/north-america
 
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Salaries reflect how expensive it is to live in a specific location. NYC taxes are crushing. Rent is absurd. Groceries cost more. Good luck going out for a meal and drinks and spending less than $100. $65k in NYC doesn't go nearly as far as $65k anywhere else.
yikes!

Anyone else have an idea of the future of NYCOM? With the opening of Touro in Harlem and Middleton, are things going to change drastically in the future?
 
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yikes!

Anyone else have an idea of the future of NYCOM? With the opening of Touro in Harlem and Middleton, are things going to change drastically in the future?


Wish I had more thinks on the future of NYCOM.

Does it help that the school hired some part time staff? IDK..
There is the new NYCOM in the South, like new start up. Gotta put effort there.

I think Touro, the new CUNY med school linked with Saint Barnabas, the Hofstra-LIJ thing and the Caribbean med schools rotating in NYC is squeezing the life out of NYCOM. Saint Barnabas is a site that NYCOM students go to now. Carib schools have a lot of money to pass around at hospitals. Northshore LIJ doesn't take anyone but their students and some Downstate ones at Lenox. IDK. future is bleak.
 
Wish I had more thinks on the future of NYCOM.

Does it help that the school hired some part time staff? IDK..
There is the new NYCOM in the South, like new start up. Gotta put effort there.

I think Touro, the new CUNY med school linked with Saint Barnabas, the Hofstra-LIJ thing and the Caribbean med schools rotating in NYC is squeezing the life out of NYCOM. Saint Barnabas is a site that NYCOM students go to now. Carib schools have a lot of money to pass around at hospitals. Northshore LIJ doesn't take anyone but their students and some Downstate ones at Lenox. IDK. future is bleak.

At least Touro students have their own hospitals in New Jersey. I haven't heard too many complains from Touro students about rotations.
 
The school is a meat grinder, it has very high attrition, a Dean that is allegedly a bullying dingus, and rotations in some of the not so savory parts of New York like the South Bronx, imagine someone like myself, a Boston Red Sox fan being in the Bronx, now that is not a pretty picture.

To match you need to graduate and pass the boards, unfortunately a good number of NYCOM students do not do that, they get kicked out. Fail two classes there you are expelled. Fail two classes at my school, they decel to the five year program.
"Fail more than one class and you're out unless you have a really good reason" is my school's policy. If you fail one, the remediation process is test on that class taken at the end of the next semester.
 
Don't mean to hijack this thread but...How do NYIT rotations compare to AZCOM? I always thought NYIT would be superior but from what it seems like, this school is on a decline?
 
2nd year here, and while we have lost some rotation spots we still have a pretty good selection from what I've seen. I def do not believe that we're suffering from a lack of spots
 
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I can tell you my experience from NYCOM.
If you are an excellent student, you believe that you not gonna fail any courses and if you don't mind paying $90000 per year(tuition+living+some other mandatory fees), then you are in a right school. Some of the courses are really tough to pass. Especially these last years they keep experimenting curriculum and they changed the passing criteria. Comprehensive exam consists of OMM(Osteopathy), DPR(doctor/patient), and science parts. Earlier, if you scored 70%+ in overall for each exam(u get exams in every 2 weeks) you passed. For example: if you are good at DPR but weak at science, your strong performance in DPR could cover your weak performance on science, so if combined score was 70+ u passed. Now they changed the rules and your overall score doesn't matter anymore. So if you get 99% OMM, 99%DPR but you get 69% on science you fail! I studied 2 years in this school, and got kicked out like a dog after "failing" 2 courses. I said "failing" because, I scored 90s in both OMM and DPR and 69 in science. I was not allowed to see my performance, professors can't give LoRs because of "school policy", dean ignored my emails and request to talk, and school wants me to pay tuition fee for classes that I never took because I was dismissed.
In the last 2 years, I know more than 20 students who got dismissed from school already, and this is not a full number(just don't know all of them). Dean is nice to most of the students, but god forbids if he doesn't like you for some reason, he can be a real jerk. Only good thing I can tell about this school is it's anatomy lab, they do a very good job with it.
So, after 2 years of hard work, good grades, sacrificing everything what I had in my life, even my marriage because I never had time to spend with my family, I ended up with $150000 of student loans, plus over $12000 that I "owe" them for nothing, and no diploma, no future in medical career, wasted time, a heavy depression and can't even get LoRs.
Considering that everyone saw me as one of the strongest students in the class and I still failed because I had some family issues(which is not excuse), you guys can learn a lesson from my story and make sure that you are really ready for this crazy medical student life.
So if you want to stay in NY and have very limited options, I think this school is a good place to go.
Hope this was helpful!
 
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I can tell you my experience from NYCOM.
If you are an excellent student, you believe that you not gonna fail any courses and if you don't mind paying $90000 per year(tuition+living+some other mandatory fees), then you are in a right school. Some of the courses are really tough to pass. Especially these last years they keep experimenting curriculum and they changed the passing criteria. Comprehensive exam consists of OMM(Osteopathy), DPR(doctor/patient), and science parts. Earlier, if you scored 70%+ in overall for each exam(u get exams in every 2 weeks) you passed. For example: if you are good at DPR but weak at science, your strong performance in DPR could cover your weak performance on science, so if combined score was 70+ u passed. Now they changed the rules and your overall score doesn't matter anymore. So if you get 99% OMM, 99%DPR but you get 69% on science you fail! I studied 2 years in this school, and got kicked out like a dog after "failing" 2 courses. I said "failing" because, I scored 90s in both OMM and DPR and 69 in science. I was not allowed to see my performance, professors can't give LoRs because of "school policy", dean ignored my emails and request to talk, and school wants me to pay tuition fee for classes that I never took because I was dismissed.
In the last 2 years, I know more than 20 students who got dismissed from school already, and this is not a full number(just don't know all of them). Dean is nice to most of the students, but god forbids if he doesn't like you for some reason, he can be a real jerk. Only good thing I can tell about this school is it's anatomy lab, they do a very good job with it.
So, after 2 years of hard work, good grades, sacrificing everything what I had in my life, even my marriage because I never had time to spend with my family, I ended up with $150000 of student loans, plus over $12000 that I "owe" them for nothing, and no diploma, no future in medical career, wasted time, a heavy depression and can't even get LoRs.
Considering that everyone saw me as one of the strongest students in the class and I still failed because I had some family issues(which is not excuse), you guys can learn a lesson from my story and make sure that you are really ready for this crazy medical student life.
So if you want to stay in NY and have very limited options, I think this school is a good place to go.
Hope this was helpful!

There is something up with that attrition going at NYCOM. You're story is similar to BonesDO, he got dismissed after failing one class. However, he got back into another school and is in residency currently. Something doesn't feel right about how you were dismissed.
 
There is something up with that attrition going at NYCOM. You're story is similar to BonesDO, he got dismissed after failing one class. However, he got back into another school and is in residency currently. Something doesn't feel right about how you were dismissed.

Don't believe the hype
 
there have been complaints about this school's administration going back a number of years. This is not surprising.

I know alot about this school. If u fail its your fault.
 
I know alot about this school. If u fail its your fault.
well I am hoping there is more to the story since his post sounds as if he was expelled for failing 1 class at the end of his 2nd year.
 
well I am hoping there is more to the story since his post sounds as if he was expelled for failing 1 class at the end of his 2nd year.

The user is a DO/PHD? Student with one post. I'm skeptical.
 
There is something up with that attrition going at NYCOM. You're story is similar to BonesDO, he got dismissed after failing one class. However, he got back into another school and is in residency currently. Something doesn't feel right about how you were dismissed.
I thought this was nigh impossible to do. That's pretty impressive
 
I can tell you my experience from NYCOM.
If you are an excellent student, you believe that you not gonna fail any courses and if you don't mind paying $90000 per year(tuition+living+some other mandatory fees), then you are in a right school. Some of the courses are really tough to pass. Especially these last years they keep experimenting curriculum and they changed the passing criteria. Comprehensive exam consists of OMM(Osteopathy), DPR(doctor/patient), and science parts. Earlier, if you scored 70%+ in overall for each exam(u get exams in every 2 weeks) you passed. For example: if you are good at DPR but weak at science, your strong performance in DPR could cover your weak performance on science, so if combined score was 70+ u passed. Now they changed the rules and your overall score doesn't matter anymore. So if you get 99% OMM, 99%DPR but you get 69% on science you fail! I studied 2 years in this school, and got kicked out like a dog after "failing" 2 courses. I said "failing" because, I scored 90s in both OMM and DPR and 69 in science. I was not allowed to see my performance, professors can't give LoRs because of "school policy", dean ignored my emails and request to talk, and school wants me to pay tuition fee for classes that I never took because I was dismissed.
In the last 2 years, I know more than 20 students who got dismissed from school already, and this is not a full number(just don't know all of them). Dean is nice to most of the students, but god forbids if he doesn't like you for some reason, he can be a real jerk. Only good thing I can tell about this school is it's anatomy lab, they do a very good job with it.
So, after 2 years of hard work, good grades, sacrificing everything what I had in my life, even my marriage because I never had time to spend with my family, I ended up with $150000 of student loans, plus over $12000 that I "owe" them for nothing, and no diploma, no future in medical career, wasted time, a heavy depression and can't even get LoRs.
Considering that everyone saw me as one of the strongest students in the class and I still failed because I had some family issues(which is not excuse), you guys can learn a lesson from my story and make sure that you are really ready for this crazy medical student life.
So if you want to stay in NY and have very limited options, I think this school is a good place to go.
Hope this was helpful!


:oops: ... I was seriously considering going there last yr around this time... Sure this is a N=1 story telling, but man you had it so rough :/ ... Hope you are doing better now
 
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I thought this was nigh impossible to do. That's pretty impressive

It's because SDN likes to lump all cases of drop out in one category. He didn't have three board failure nor did he fail three classes. It wasn't coupled to other professionalism issues. So it didn't fit the usual reasons for dismissal. People who fall into this category should do everything they can to get back into the same school or, by a long shot, get into another school. If the person above does fall into this category, this is what he or she should do. However, we don't know the full story (but I though it might help him or her if he or she is reconsidering medical school).
 
Don't believe the hype

Well, my post was more to help the post realize if that was the only reason he or she was dismissed then they should try to get back in medical school. However, we don't know the full story and there could be more to it than just the 2 failures. I am just wondering why he wasn't heard out from the school and why he wasn't able to appeal? His case might be a bit on the unusual side, but I don't want to jump to too many conclusions.
 
The user is a DO/PHD? Student with one post. I'm skeptical.
What makes you skeptical? I told you a true story from my personal experience. I don't know about failing one course, but after failing two courses you are dismissed for sure, or else you need to prove that you had some serious medical issues or smthng like that and you will be reinstated and charged half of the tuition fee for the repeating year. In my case this was the only reason. I never had any issues with ethics and unprofessionalism, my professors and classmates were shocked when they heard about me being dismissed. As I mentioned, grading criteria is more complicated now than it was in previous years. So we are all humans and it just happened.
I would never even imagine failing in medical school, this is the nightmare.
There was a hearing after all. They said ok, go home and we'll let you know the decision. Then I got the mail that said that I was dismissed. I guess my arguments were not good enough.
So after that I tried to reach out the faculty and dean... then you already heard what happened.
It really messed up my life, thinking of leaving USA forever.
Thanks for empathy guys, but the reason I share this with you is to let you know some true facts about this school, before you make decision.
Again, if you don't fail this is a good opportunity!
 
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What makes you skeptical? I told you a true story from my personal experience. I don't know about failing one course, but after failing two courses you are dismissed for sure, or else you need to prove that you had some serious medical issues or smthng like that and you will be reinstated and charged half of the tuition fee for the repeating year. In my case this was the only reason. I never had any issues with ethics and unprofessionalism, my professors and classmates were shocked when they heard about me being dismissed. As I mentioned, grading criteria is more complicated now than it was in previous years. So we are all humans and it just happened.
I would never even imagine failing in medical school, this is the nightmare.
There was a hearing after all. They said ok, go home and we'll let you know the decision. Then I got the mail that said that I was dismissed. I guess my arguments were not good enough.
So after that I tried to reach out the faculty and dean... then you already heard what happened.
It really messed up my life, thinking of leaving USA forever.
Thanks for empathy guys, but the reason I share this with you is to let you know some true facts about this school, before you make decision.
Again, if you don't fail this is a good opportunity!

Why don't you try for other schools? I don't think you should give up so easily.
 
Community programs in NYC tend to be fairly easy to match into because they tend to be malignant. The NYC matches really just reflect geographic preference of the student body. Not surprising that students who go to NYCOM want to stay in NYC.
Normally I don't have a problem with you, but your eagerness to discredit anything that involves osteopathic matches has become grotesque. I'm not even disagreeing with your statement, or with you in general, but anytime there a mention of a match list in this sub-forum, you pop up with your constant need to remind everyone how feeble it is. It's starting to get creepy, bro.
 
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starting all over with 150k of debt wouldn't be very enticing.

Probably not, but if he wants it that badly then he should do it. Besides, even if he pursued other educational opportunities (ex. law school, podiatry, etc.), he would still be taking on extra debt anyway.
 
Why don't you try for other schools? I don't think you should give up so easily.
My chances after dismissal is very low, plus I have too much loans already and my school is not giving me transcripts if I won't pay the remaining balance.
 
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this is wrong. Fail 2 MODULES and you are expelled. if you fail the first time, you'll repeat it in the summer.
Since a module consists of several classes, it's hard to fail a MODULE, you know.
What do you mean by MODULES?, courses? There are several courses in each semester, and each course has its threads. It makes more complicated. You failed if you don't score 70%+each thread. So one course=3 threads. You get 4 courses in the second semester, it means you need to pass 12 threads. Fail 1 thread you remediate, Fail 2 threads you are out. This is how it works in that school!
 
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...
NYIT-COM's CONS

A. Lack of clinical rotation spots. Rotations are flung out to seedy hospitals in PA, CT and the ratio of students:residents is atrocious, nearly 10:1 at NYU Lutheran for surgery. Good luck getting an excellent personal recommendation out of the experience. This is not a secret at our school.

B. Teaching is questionable. We lost a few good professors this year and the ones left are usually out of practice for a reason (malpractice). We do not receive our exams back at this school. Wanted a second look at that OMM question? It is not going to happen. This strategy is meant to help us stay focused on the next exam. "Learning from your mistakes" is not something that is encouraged here.

C. A professor of biochemistry offered a review session and somehow the powers that be said NO. Explain how this makes for a good learning environment.

C. It is a huge school, you will be anonymous as 1 of 300 students in the class. It is easy to feel unsupported in Long Island and you will be in this factory of physicians. Morale is generally low.

D. Medical students need to eat. Food on campus closes around 5:30PM, anatomy OMM and DPR lab end at 5PM.

E. Micromanagement is another big problem. Big brother is always watching. Including the class's facebook group. It feels invasive. I personally had much more freedom and autonomy in high school compared to this. For example: our school has a director of student life who controls every aspect of every club's movement: from the moment a club post goes up on facebook to ordering food from vendors (we eat only pizza), down to the penny. Everyone is terrified of this person but no one can say anything because the Dean favors them. Please treat us like the adults we are.

F. NYIT COM is opening some campus somewhere in Alabama or Arkansas and are taking the best of NY's campus there. Money. Money. Money.

G. No affiliation with hospitals, and because of 'E' we are unable to get many physicians to visit our campus in the first place. It's a hostile world at NYIT-COM...

Wow, some parts of NYCOM (admin & policies) sound as bad or worse than my school. Makes me appreciate my school a bit more. At least our dismissal policies are a bit more forgiving. Don't forget, its all temporary. Keep your heads down and get through it.
 
What do you mean by MODULES?, courses? There are several courses in each semester, and each course has its threads. It makes more complicated. You failed if you don't score 70%+each thread. So one course=3 threads. You get 4 courses in the second semester, it means you need to pass 12 threads. Fail 1 thread you remediate, Fail 2 threads you are out. This is how it works in that school!
Module consists of several courses.
What is "thread"?
Is it still that way at NYCOM now?
 
Module consists of several courses.
What is "thread"?
Is it still that way at NYCOM now?
Thread means 1 course divided into 3 parts. OMM is thread , or DPR, or science.
I guess I didn't explain it well before.
So there are 3 kinds of exams on each course: 1.Osteopathic(OMM) practical, 2.DPR(doctor&patient) practical, 3.written comprehensive computer-based test exam (that includes questions from science, OMM and DPR(very similar to COMPLEX)).
In earlier years comprehensive exam was giving one score, it wasn't divided into three parts. That rule was making science part easier, because if you missed 3 questions from pharm, you could score 3 extra questions from OMM and DPR and you were fine. According to new rules they divided comprehensive exam into 3 threads and your written score of OMM and DPR goes toward your practical scores basically, and your science score needs to be over 70%. So, in your written exam if you score OMM 90%, DPR 90%, and science 69%, they will take it as a failure and your average score doesn't count any more(that's what messed up many students including me).
70% sounds easy when U have 100 questions right? but look. On your computer-based test, when you get 100 questions and 60% comes from DPR, and only 30% comes from science(these numbers vary all the time), it means that 1 wrong answer of science gives more than -3%, so if you fail 10 science questions but score rest of 90 correctly, you are still failed.
Hope I explained it well, if you are still confused, it's ok, everybody's confused about that. This change was made to make more students to fail!
 
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Wow, some parts of NYCOM (admin & policies) sound as bad or worse than my school. Makes me appreciate my school a bit more. At least our dismissal policies are a bit more forgiving. Don't forget, its all temporary. Keep your heads down and get through it.
What school r u studying at?
 
Thread means 1 course divided into 3 parts. OMM is thread , or DPR, or science.
I guess I didn't explain it well before.
So there are 3 kinds of exams on each course: 1.Osteopathic(OMM) practical, 2.DPR(doctor&patient) practical, 3.written comprehensive computer-based test exam (that includes questions from science, OMM and DPR(very similar to COMPLEX)).
In earlier years comprehensive exam was giving one score, it wasn't divided into three parts. That rule was making science part easier, because if you missed 3 questions from pharm, you could score 3 extra questions from OMM and DPR and you were fine. According to new rules they divided comprehensive exam into 3 threads and your written score of OMM and DPR goes toward your practical scores basically, and your science score needs to be over 70%. So, in your written exam if you score OMM 90%, DPR 90%, and science 69%, they will take it as a failure and your average score doesn't count any more(that's what messed up many students including me).
70% sounds easy when U have 100 questions right? but look. On your computer-based test, when you get 100 questions and 60% comes from DPR, and only 30% comes from science(these numbers vary all the time), it means that 1 wrong answer of science gives more than -3%, so if you fail 10 science questions but score rest of 90 correctly, you are still failed.
Hope I explained it well, if you are still confused, it's ok, everybody's confused about that. This change was made to make more students to fail!
Wow, this is even harsher than it was before!
 
I just joined SDN to comment on this, I just recently finished 2nd year at nycom/ nyit-com and here's my input:
im going to say "I" bc this is my experience. you may experience differently, it's all what you expect & what u make of it. There are few students who are always on campus, have a group of friends and love nycom. Unfortunately im not one of those cool kids, so i dont go to school unless required

CONS:
-I feel like a nobody in a class of 300+ students. professors / classmates don't know ur name. U really need to make ur support group beginning of first year by going to classes
-which brings me my next point, lack of community. Majority of students r commuters and have the mentality of "Im here just to get my medical degree, not to socialize."
-lack of academic mentor environment: I was always active in high school/ college and it's complete opposite at nycom
-Summer program urban community thing is REALLY disorganized. We had to write cover letter/ resume/ rank summer internship sites and all that jazz. Had to go to city for "interview" just to meet this lady who came out of no where/ knows nothing about u to decide ur pacement based on "who raises hands first." Considering the program has been around for 10 yrs... it's so bad.
-rotations: one of our best rotation site NUMC had 100+ applications for ~20 spots? Idk the exact # but I live with parents 5 min away from the hospital but got rejected. there's no reason I shouldn't be there. Apparently current 3rd yrs at NUMC can write to vouch a 2nd yr...
-which brings me to my next pt, lack of communication. I get my sources from people I know rather than administrators (who I don't even know because we get emails from so many different people.) Administrators don't tell us anything until last minute. Sometimes they just dont tell us period.
-director of student life that someone above mentioned is very true. I suck at kissing ass to someone who's not helpful, so I stopped going to school
-It feel like I'm taking an online med school
-starbucks booth that they show u during the tour has been closed since 1st year. You can still get starbucks coffee only and there's a starbucks 5 min drive away
-$150 credit for printing that I don't use and can't opt out of tuition
-The only big social event we have is drink at a low/mid tier lounge in long island
-too many different websites for too many diff things

PRO:
-anatomy department is very well organized. professors seem to love teaching and care
-professor who directs renal system and teaches physio/ path is really competent and care about teaching
-technology team that records lectures work hard for students
-lectures r recorded = u dont have to goto school (if ur a commuter/ married)
-great match list (but then again, ur talking about TOP students in a 300+ class who worked their ass off... ur the rule, not the exception)


I always remember what the dean said, "nycom may not have been ur top choice, but we give u the tools and CHANCE to be a doctor." for that, I am thankful to Nycom for opportunity to pursue medicine that NY MD schools never gave.

hope this helps
 
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Hi all!

I just got an II for NYCOM, and started searching SDN for some more information about the program/school. A lot of the posts I've been reading from current students have been negative (which surprised me), but a lot of these are from at least a few years ago. Could current students comment on the pros and cons of the program and how they like it overall? Thanks!

Im a NYCOM alum and can honestly say it was a good school that prepared me well for clinicals and the step 1,2,3. It has a 100% match rate nearly every year. A number of grads even ones at the bottom of the class matched very well often in very competitive residencies. Its not an touchy feely place and the classes are large. But its very established and great clinical rotations though you have to like working in the inner city. I saw a ton of pathology there. I was pretty stressed out by the amount of work we were required to do my first year there. But it quickly became apparent that I was not going to flunk out so I started to relax and enjoy learning medicine. My pals and I would play tennis at lunch every day in the spring during my second year. When I graduated I started out in Brooklyn at a AOA/ACGME IM program because i originally planned to get double boarded as osteopathic/allopathic but didn't like the program and I was sick of winter. So I interviewed in SF/Bay area at a really competitive program (ACGME). They offered me a PGY-2 right there during the interview. I was very surprised and said yes right away. I don't know to this day why they offered me the position right away. I think it may have been my board scores 99thile and good recs. I hadn't even rotated there and before me there werent any DO's from NYCOM there. It was a great residency program.
 
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Wow. I was pretty close to going to NYCOM at one point. After reading this thread, I feel like I may have dodged a bullet there. The horror stories I'm reading from the cons of this school make LECOM look like a relaxation spa by comparison...
 
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It's because SDN likes to lump all cases of drop out in one category. He didn't have three board failure nor did he fail three classes. It wasn't coupled to other professionalism issues. So it didn't fit the usual reasons for dismissal. People who fall into this category should do everything they can to get back into the same school or, by a long shot, get into another school. If the person above does fall into this category, this is what he or she should do. However, we don't know the full story (but I though it might help him or her if he or she is reconsidering medical school).

Still an important post to remember because not all drop outs are the same.
 
Hi everyone, here is my story after 3 years:

I ended up deferring my loans for 2 years, while I found a job in a private endocrinology clinic as “med assistant”, but after few months of hardwork, my job turned into a clinician’s job. I was treating patients under my physicians supervision, eventually I could work independently! Was getting payed $16 an hour, although I have gained a solid experience and knowledge of endocrinology in depth.

After 2 years when deferral expired, I had to find higher payed job in order to afford my student loans, also my wife got pregnant and we couldn’t survive on my $16 salary, so after 2 years of endo, I have found a new carrier in the NYC H+H as CDI(clinical documentation improvement specialist), in one of the big public hospitals in NYC. It pays well above 100k and allows loan forgiveness in 10 years. Still thinking of taking USMLE steps as long as I have medical degree from foreign med school, not rushing though, enjoying life with my family.
So this is my story guys, I’m happy now, “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”, I’ve never been happier in my life. So if you have the same issue don’t think that this is the end, it’s actually opposite, this is the start.

Thank you all for your supporting comments, I wish you good luck in you career!
 
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Hi everyone, here is my story after 3 years:

I ended up deferring my loans for 2 years, while I found a job in a private endocrinology clinic as “med assistant”, but after few months of hardwork, my job turned into a clinician’s job. I was treating patients under my physicians supervision, eventually I could work independently! Was getting payed $16 an hour, although I have gained a solid experience and knowledge of endocrinology in depth.

After 2 years when deferral expired, I had to find higher payed job in order to afford my student loans, also my wife got pregnant and we couldn’t survive on my $16 salary, so after 2 years of endo, I have found a new carrier in the NYC H+H as CDI(clinical documentation improvement specialist), in one of the big public hospitals in NYC. It pays well above 100k and allows loan forgiveness in 10 years. Still thinking of taking USMLE steps as long as I have medical degree from foreign med school, not rushing though, enjoying life with my family.
So this is my story guys, I’m happy now, “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”, I’ve never been happier in my life. So if you have the same issue don’t think that this is the end, it’s actually opposite, this is the start.

Thank you all for your supporting comments, I wish you good luck in you career!
Congrats I am really happy to hear this after reading your old posts. Youve been through a lot. All the best going forward :thumbup:
 
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