OCPM 1st year

[OSUDDS]

Yea I'm kinda leaning away from ohio more and more. The facility is nice as the old one was a complete dump. However, the schools seems to be the most $ driven of all the pods schools I've seen (all besides western) and I'm not too keen on the clinicals. You have kids being sent out to all these secondary clinics as the 2 main OCPM ones don't have enough patients to go around. Cost of living is nice but freezing my ass off in cleveland suburbs for nearly 4 years, no thanks

It seems like you don't know how the 4rd year works. OCPM students rotate through local hospitals as well as the 2 designated clinics. Euclid has MORE than enough pts to go around as I can speak from experience. Huron is slow, but it is aslo being shutdown and a new clinic to replace it is in the works. If you really want to know about clinics ask me, not some 3rd year prepod. I can list the 3rd year clinical rotations if everyone wants.

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[PMSIII]

It seems like you don't know how the 4rd year works. OCPM students rotate through local hospitals as well as the 2 designated clinics. Euclid has MORE than enough pts to go around as I can speak from experience. Huron is slow, but it is aslo being shutdown and a new clinic to replace it is in the works. If you really want to know about clinics ask me, not some 3rd year prepod. I can list the 3rd year clinical rotations if everyone wants.

Aside from the Euclid podiatry clinic, I think the senior experience rotations at the Cleveland Clinic is a huge improvement. Now, our students can rotate through Vascular surgery and Orthopedic surgery at the main downtown campus for the Cleveland Clinic.

 

[JEWmongous]

Any update on OCPM and the new "building?" Not sure if the economy has halted construction, as it has done at a number of universities in the US.

Also, have they found someone to take over lower yet? I heard the old prof is leaving and they are looking for someone new. A student on here complained that OCPM is really not utilizing the new anatomy lab (in a technology sense) during the lower course. I understand Dr. Landers used it a lot during the first semester.

Finally, what did you guys take out money-wise for freshman year? I have the 10K scholarship and of course wanna maximize stafford loans (trying to avoid grad plus and private loans). CSPM offered a good scholarship - renewable, but the estimated cost of attendance is 63K a year!

Thanks for your help!

 

[Lonman06]

Any update on OCPM and the new "building?" Not sure if the economy has halted construction, as it has done at a number of universities in the US.

Also, have they found someone to take over lower yet? I heard the old prof is leaving and they are looking for someone new. A student on here complained that OCPM is really not utilizing the new anatomy lab (in a technology sense) during the lower course. I understand Dr. Landers used it a lot during the first semester.

Finally, what did you guys take out money-wise for freshman year? I have the 10K scholarship and of course wanna maximize stafford loans (trying to avoid grad plus and private loans). CSPM offered a good scholarship - renewable, but the estimated cost of attendance is 63K a year!

Thanks for your help!

Are you talking about the new lecture halls that are being built? If so they are coming along pretty good. Should be done in a few months.

I didn't have any problems with LEA, except for the second lab practical being insanely hard.

The new lab technology did start getting used towards the second part of the semester. All the touch screen computers had anatomy atlases installed on them and they started to record the lab demonstrations so you could watch them and review for the class, this was very helpful.

As for one of the professors leaving, I haven't heard anything about this. All I have heard is that it is going to be the same 3 professors again next year.

I hope this helps.

 

[handoverfist77]

Any update on OCPM and the new "building?" Not sure if the economy has halted construction, as it has done at a number of universities in the US.

Also, have they found someone to take over lower yet? I heard the old prof is leaving and they are looking for someone new. A student on here complained that OCPM is really not utilizing the new anatomy lab (in a technology sense) during the lower course. I understand Dr. Landers used it a lot during the first semester.

Finally, what did you guys take out money-wise for freshman year? I have the 10K scholarship and of course wanna maximize stafford loans (trying to avoid grad plus and private loans). CSPM offered a good scholarship - renewable, but the estimated cost of attendance is 63K a year!

Thanks for your help!

Construction will be finished on June 30th for the new classroom.

 

[mme27]

ocpm is a good school. just a lot of the students are cry babies and still think they are in junior high, where the profs will spoon feed them all the time. lots of immature drama and people that take themsevles way too seriously. thats my two bits

 

[podvamp]

Sorry but I have to chime in again here. I don't know a single third year that talks about OCPM as being a "good school" at this point. Not one. If there is someone with fond feelings of the school they've never spoken up about it. Hell even the straight A students I know bash it constantly for being so disorganized and not effectively utilizing our clinic days and I am in complete agreement with them on that. Way too much wasted opportunity for how much this school costs.

So either there really are problems with the school or everyone's just being a "crybaby" as the above poster claims. Not everyone that has a gripe is bitching about their test scores or in the lower half of the class.

So if you decide to go to OCPM and end up getting burned don't say you wern't warned. Oh and shut your pie hole while you are there. No crybaby complaints allowed because everything is just going to be GREAT!

 

[PodunkUDPM]

Sorry but I have to chime in again here. I don't know a single third year that talks about OCPM as being a "good school" at this point. Not one. If there is someone with fond feelings of the school they've never spoken up about it. Hell even the straight A students I know bash it constantly for being so disorganized and not effectively utilizing our clinic days and I am in complete agreement with them on that. Way too much wasted opportunity for how much this school costs.

So either there really are problems with the school or everyone's just being a "crybaby" as the above poster claims. Not everyone that has a gripe is bitching about their test scores or in the lower half of the class.

So if you decide to go to OCPM and end up getting burned don't say you wern't warned. Oh and shut your pie hole while you are there. No crybaby complaints allowed because everything is just going to be GREAT!

although there may be some truth to what you're saying, the class of 2012 is notorious among the faculty and administration for being a class of cry babies and whiners. just saying. take everything you hear with a grain of salt.

 

[podvamp]

x

 

[PodunkUDPM]

One of the clinical professors stated that last month, and after babysitting the class of 2012 for 2 months the professor is definitely not wrong. I'm sure you got that school wide email that went out a few months ago, from a different clinical doctor addressing the problem as well.

 

[mildoc2016]

I suggest you all focus on the books and figure out how to make yourself stand out from the rest of the podiatric medical students nationwide .......

The most important goals to focus on for you all are
-pass board 1 and 2 ON THE FIRST TRY
-maintain a gpa above 3.0
-visit as many programs as possible
-when you extern you should be preapred to work hard
-keep up to date on the most current literature in regard to surgical technique/procedural innovations
-be familiar with the more traditional procedures and why they are still used today
-know anatomy like your life depends on it
-be familiar with drug classes and various interaction/side effect/ contra indications
-be able to read a radiograph: be able to recognize gas/ various types of arthritidities/ pes planus/ pes cavus etc and be able to by just looking at the radiographs to gauge what surgical procedure could correct the deformity you are looking at


all this is to gain a RESIDENCY POSITION

if you dont get one your all out of luck

it doesnt matter what school your from, or what professor said about your class, it matters how you sell yourself as a potential resident .....

residency directors are not going to care about what professor said what student is a lazy whiner-- they are going to care if a student could be a good resident- ie be able to distinguish gas gangrene etc, get along with other, have a professional attitude , show up on time and do their job


thats just my two cents

 

[podvamp]

Well said mildoc. That's actually the only thing keeping me going at the moment. The desire to get into my externships and show what I'm worth. My goal is to work hard, make the resident's life easier, and stfu while I am there.

One of the clinical professors stated that last month, and after babysitting the class of 2012 for 2 months the professor is definitely not wrong. I'm sure you got that school wide email that went out a few months ago, from a different clinical doctor addressing the problem as well.

Your story doesn't surprise me at all actually. I've also heard the infamous OCPM rumor mill pumping out generalizations for EVERY class in the school right now. DPMs speaking a little too freely during clinic rotations, lecturers in the middle of class, as well as students from the years above and below. To make a long story short... drama and gossip such as this permeate the school right now. No class in particular at this moment is made to be a "shining example" of what podiatry students should be.

I also find it hard to believe that you had to "babysit" our class for 2 months as you put it. Could you provide more detail as to what happened with your groups? I have only heard of a few serious incidents thus far with 2012 groups making trouble for the attending physicians or 4th year students. I have never had an issue of any sort with my own group in terms of performance of duties, complaints, or attendance.

I have heard of one recent incident with 2011 students not showing up to their shifts causing us to suddenly lose a pediatric neurology rotation (Did you get that school wide email by any chance?). I am positive you are familiar with that one by now since you seem to be in the know. Want to know why I don't make a group judgment against the entire 2011 class because of that? Generalizations are a slippery slope are they not? Students make mistakes. Punish those students instead of showering needless insults upon their classmates.

Bottom line is that I don't think it's fair to dismiss all criticism of the school as "whining" because of isolated incidents with students who actually do make an embarrassment of themselves in public and at clinic. Obviously the school has some issues that need to be sorted out or I wouldn't be wasting my time posting here. Obviously the school has some terrible students that should have been BOOTED out long ago or better yet never admitted in the first place if OCPM didn't crave the tuition dollars. If said issues (such as class of 20XX Vs. class of 20XX warfare) are not criticized by whiners such as myself then it will only get worse as the years roll on.

TO clarify my position. I don't hate OCPM. I don't think I've received a poor quality education. I like and respect most of the DPMs up there. However, I am not a big fan of the administrations ability to lead the school into the future at the moment. Many of the decisions they make are overreactions that seem to involve emotions far more often than logical thought. The most recent example being school proceeding as normal in dangerous driving conditions during active snow storms then the sudden cancellation of school on Tues. during a midterm for a snow storm that never happened.

I'd like nothing more than to look back at the school years from now and see improvement. If nothing more than for the sanity of the incoming classes. To say I feel bad for them is an understatement. (yes I am sorry for the long rant)

 

[Makaveliforever]

Well said mildoc. That's actually the only thing keeping me going at the moment. The desire to get into my externships and show what I'm worth. My goal is to work hard, make the resident's life easier, and stfu while I am there.



Your story doesn't surprise me at all actually. I've also heard the infamous OCPM rumor mill pumping out generalizations for EVERY class in the school right now. DPMs speaking a little too freely during clinic rotations, lecturers in the middle of class, as well as students from the years above and below. To make a long story short... drama and gossip such as this permeate the school right now. No class in particular at this moment is made to be a "shining example" of what podiatry students should be.

I also find it hard to believe that you had to "babysit" our class for 2 months as you put it. Could you provide more detail as to what happened with your groups? I have only heard of a few serious incidents thus far with 2012 groups making trouble for the attending physicians or 4th year students. I have never had an issue of any sort with my own group in terms of performance of duties, complaints, or attendance.

I have heard of one recent incident with 2011 students not showing up to their shifts causing us to suddenly lose a pediatric neurology rotation (Did you get that school wide email by any chance?). I am positive you are familiar with that one by now since you seem to be in the know. Want to know why I don't make a group judgment against the entire 2011 class because of that? Generalizations are a slippery slope are they not? Students make mistakes. Punish those students instead of showering needless insults upon their classmates.

Bottom line is that I don't think it's fair to dismiss all criticism of the school as "whining" because of isolated incidents with students who actually do make an embarrassment of themselves in public and at clinic. Obviously the school has some issues that need to be sorted out or I wouldn't be wasting my time posting here. Obviously the school has some terrible students that should have been BOOTED out long ago or better yet never admitted in the first place if OCPM didn't crave the tuition dollars. If said issues (such as class of 20XX Vs. class of 20XX warfare) are not criticized by whiners such as myself then it will only get worse as the years roll on.

TO clarify my position. I don't hate OCPM. I don't think I've received a poor quality education. I like and respect most of the DPMs up there. However, I am not a big fan of the administrations ability to lead the school into the future at the moment. Many of the decisions they make are overreactions that seem to involve emotions far more often than logical thought. The most recent example being school proceeding as normal in dangerous driving conditions during active snow storms then the sudden cancellation of school on Tues. during a midterm for a snow storm that never happened.

I'd like nothing more than to look back at the school years from now and see improvement. If nothing more than for the sanity of the incoming classes. To say I feel bad for them is an understatement. (yes I am sorry for the long rant)

You spend too much time on here. You seem like a focused student. You're better off dedicating the time you spend on here into your externships and continuing to do a good job. Try and have a better attitude about your school as the negativity you have (which is shared by many schools as many schools have the drama, crying and lazyness...all the bs) will show up while you're an extern TRUST ME. I heard all kinds of stuff all year from residents, other students etc... that would be better kept to themselves. Bash your school and essentially you're telling other residents "I have terrible training and am from the worst school there is". Instead, focus more on doing well on your externships and hope that the hard work you put in now pays off. Just so all of you know, many of my classmates did EXCELLENT as externs this year and many have been offered great residency spots (tentatively). Just stop giving our school a bad rap on this silly website as it is a reflection on you as well (as the degree you hope to get will say OCPM class of 20**). Good luck this year

 

[podvamp]

Thanks and yes I see what you are saying. I don't talk often in clinic. In fact I would be mortified to verbally complain in clinic or class about anything no matter how bad it gets. This forum is like a pressure release valve for me more or less. I post when it builds up to the point where I think I might actually SAY something to the wrong person. Maybe I'm under some delusion that if the school's bottom line is involved (recruitment) then they will snap into action. I am now aware that it's pretty pointless and will stop posting.

Just to make sure I'm clear on something though... I am pretty content with my clinical training from OCPM right now.

For the money we are paying though I feel the school BADLY needs to get itself a little more organized. First and foremost they need to trim off the fat out of our schedules. Eliminate some of the clearly useless classes and rotations and beef up our surgical training with that time. I've tried to augment my surgical knowledge (OR prep, instrumentation, how to make certain incisions and cuts) with my own learning time but I can only do so much on my own time with my own materials and still keep the grades up.

Anyway... it's over now. I hope improvements get made for the sake of the people just coming in, but you are correct in the end it's still a pretty good school. Now it's time to see what I can really do.

 

[347932]

Thanks and yes I see what you are saying. I don't talk often in clinic. In fact I would be mortified to verbally complain in clinic or class about anything no matter how bad it gets. This forum is like a pressure release valve for me more or less. I post when it builds up to the point where I think I might actually SAY something to the wrong person. Maybe I'm under some delusion that if the school's bottom line is involved (recruitment) then they will snap into action. I am now aware that it's pretty pointless and will stop posting.

Just to make sure I'm clear on something though... I am pretty content with my clinical training from OCPM right now.

For the money we are paying though I feel the school BADLY needs to get itself a little more organized. First and foremost they need to trim off the fat out of our schedules. Eliminate some of the clearly useless classes and rotations and beef up our surgical training with that time. I've tried to augment my surgical knowledge (OR prep, instrumentation, how to make certain incisions and cuts) with my own learning time but I can only do so much on my own time with my own materials and still keep the grades up.

Anyway... it's over now. I hope improvements get made for the sake of the people just coming in, but you are correct in the end it's still a pretty good school. Now it's time to see what I can really do.

When I was at Temple there was this little bar not far away that had 10 cent wings and $1 Beers every tuesday night. A bunch of us would go there drink a bit, have some wings and vent to each other. Maybe that might be a better way to vent your frustrations than letting it build up. That's not healthy at all. Neither is getting a little drunk and eating too many hot wings either, but you do what you gotta do.

I think that if you have a close group of friends to chat with, you'll find that everyone has something they need to vent about and this can lead to lifelong friendships and close colleagues you can trust down the road. Just saying.

 

[Makaveliforever]

Thanks and yes I see what you are saying. I don't talk often in clinic. In fact I would be mortified to verbally complain in clinic or class about anything no matter how bad it gets. This forum is like a pressure release valve for me more or less. I post when it builds up to the point where I think I might actually SAY something to the wrong person. Maybe I'm under some delusion that if the school's bottom line is involved (recruitment) then they will snap into action. I am now aware that it's pretty pointless and will stop posting.

Just to make sure I'm clear on something though... I am pretty content with my clinical training from OCPM right now.

For the money we are paying though I feel the school BADLY needs to get itself a little more organized. First and foremost they need to trim off the fat out of our schedules. Eliminate some of the clearly useless classes and rotations and beef up our surgical training with that time. I've tried to augment my surgical knowledge (OR prep, instrumentation, how to make certain incisions and cuts) with my own learning time but I can only do so much on my own time with my own materials and still keep the grades up.

Anyway... it's over now. I hope improvements get made for the sake of the people just coming in, but you are correct in the end it's still a pretty good school. Now it's time to see what I can really do.

Good luck, I promise all of your work will pay off. Stay in good spirits and enjoy this year. It will fly, I promise.