UNECOM Discussion Thread 2010-2011

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Did anyone receive an email from Dean Kelley with attached Welcome and Congrats pdf files regarding the school?
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I got this email as well.

It was very nice of them to send that out and it's great to see they received such great reviews for this recent accreditation. Having said that I really wish the administration would contact us and acknowledge and explain the details of the class expansion and other proposed changes.

I absolutely loved UNECOM and am thrilled to have been accepted, but it still troubles me that there has been no acknowledgement of these issues. It seems odd that the admin continues to avoid this issue. They obviously believe that the increase in size and other changes are good ideas (otherwise I'm assuming they wouldn't be seeking to enact these changes), so why not fill us all in? They read these forums and obviously know we are all talking about it, so why not put an end to all the rumours and speculation by making an official statement and providing us with the information.

As you guys can probably tell from my posts, I am really torn right now. As I have repeatedly said, I loved the school and the faculty is clearly top notch and extremely dedicated. However I am troubled by the sort of "elephant in the room" stance that the admin is taking. I believe in the school and believe they would not make the proposed changes unless they thought it was in the interest of the school and its students. I just want them to fill us in so we can put these issues to rest and move forward.
 
theone1979 said:
I got this email as well.

It was very nice of them to send that out and it's great to see they received such great reviews for this recent accreditation. Having said that I really wish the administration would contact us and acknowledge and explain the details of the class expansion and other proposed changes.

I absolutely loved UNECOM and am thrilled to have been accepted, but it still troubles me that there has been no acknowledgement of these issues. It seems odd that the admin continues to avoid this issue. They obviously believe that the increase in size and other changes are good ideas (otherwise I'm assuming they wouldn't be seeking to enact these changes), so why not fill us all in? They read these forums and obviously know we are all talking about it, so why not put an end to all the rumours and speculation by making an official statement and providing us with the information.

As you guys can probably tell from my posts, I am really torn right now. As I have repeatedly said, I loved the school and the faculty is clearly top notch and extremely dedicated. However I am troubled by the sort of "elephant in the room" stance that the admin is taking. I believe in the school and believe they would not make the proposed changes unless they thought it was in the interest of the school and its students. I just want them to fill us in so we can put these issues to rest and move forward.
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+1 :thumbup:..."It would be nice" is all we are saying.
 
CantSleep said:
have u made a decision yet? im still torn
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I chose UNECOM over NYCOM.

A friend of mine went to NYCOM and all he had were horror stories (see they happen everywhere).

But I am also interested in rural medicine and will have more of an opportunity for that in Maine than I would in the suburbs of NYC.
 
FSD2015 said:
I chose UNECOM over NYCOM.

A friend of mine went to NYCOM and all he had were horror stories (see they happen everywhere).

But I am also interested in rural medicine and will have more of an opportunity for that in Maine than I would in the suburbs of NYC.
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CantSleep said:
oh no what kind of horror stories!! did he do lecture or dpc?

and congrats on making a decision!!!
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He said that 15% of his class failed first year and that it was a policy of the school to do so.

I have only his word, but I trust him.

I don't know what path he took, I will let you know when I find out.

Thanks, and good luck with your decision.
 
Postal said:
That is ridiculous if true
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When I was in dental school - NYU had that reputation also. My friend went to NYU and did not find that to be the case. I don't think any school would have a policy to fail a certain %.
 
This talk of schools seeking to fail a certain % of students is absurd (unless we are talking about some of the caribbean schools).

US schools bend over backwards to make sure their students do well. They are almost as incentivized for you to succeed as you are.
 
theone1979 said:
This talk of schools seeking to fail a certain % of students is absurd (unless we are talking about some of the caribbean schools).

US schools bend over backwards to make sure their students do well. They are almost as incentivized for you to succeed as you are.
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I only know what my friend, who went there 2 years ago, told me when we discussed the schools. I have no reason not to believe him. There are 300 students per class there, it wouldn't shock me to find out that a large number of students failed.
 
As a NYCOM student, our school definitely has its quirks. Our school is known for its 2 strikes policy...so if you fail an exam, you better get your act together because you're on thin ice. With three hundred plus per class here, and such a strict policy, we do see quite a few of our class mates fail out. However, I don't think it is the intentions of the school to fail out students. Plus, NYCOM is known to screen heavily pre-interview and accepts almost everyone that does get an interview...I don't know if that has anything to do with it...but sometimes I wonder how some people in my class got to where they are. Many of those people, however, were the one's who didn't make it.

NYCOM also has a ridiculous attendance policy that we all hate but are slowly learning to live with. I think we feel like we are often being treated like children which I think is counter to us being med students. Like UNECOM, our complaints fall on deaf ears as the admin is pretty disconnected with the students. I have a hypothesis that it is the admins need to please the undergrad side of the school and doesn't realize med students aren't undergrad and don't need to be told what to do all the time...which I think is an underlying problem at UNE too. Undergrads and med students on the same campus tends to lead to problems between the two bodies...although at NYCOM, we are a lot more separated than you guys at UNE...but still, there are problems.


No matter where you go to medical school, your success is based off of your own efforts. While NYCOM might have a little more turnover in its class...numbers do play a part in it and some flaws in out admissions process do too. Some people simply aren't prepared/invested in medical school, and those are the one's that don't make it. Other's can't get up to speed in time to escape the 2 strikes policy and fall victim to that...those are the tragic losses and NYCOM isn't willing to change this policy
 
fluffy0 said:
As a NYCOM student, our school definitely has its quirks. Our school is known for its 2 strikes policy...so if you fail an exam, you better get your act together because you're on thin ice. With three hundred plus per class here, and such a strict policy, we do see quite a few of our class mates fail out. However, I don't think it is the intentions of the school to fail out students. Plus, NYCOM is known to screen heavily pre-interview and accepts almost everyone that does get an interview...I don't know if that has anything to do with it...but sometimes I wonder how some people in my class got to where they are. Many of those people, however, were the one's who didn't make it.

NYCOM also has a ridiculous attendance policy that we all hate but are slowly learning to live with. I think we feel like we are often being treated like children which I think is counter to us being med students. Like UNECOM, our complaints fall on deaf ears as the admin is pretty disconnected with the students. I have a hypothesis that it is the admins need to please the undergrad side of the school and doesn't realize med students aren't undergrad and don't need to be told what to do all the time...which I think is an underlying problem at UNE too. Undergrads and med students on the same campus tends to lead to problems between the two bodies...although at NYCOM, we are a lot more separated than you guys at UNE...but still, there are problems.


No matter where you go to medical school, your success is based off of your own efforts. While NYCOM might have a little more turnover in its class...numbers do play a part in it and some flaws in out admissions process do too. Some people simply aren't prepared/invested in medical school, and those are the one's that don't make it. Other's can't get up to speed in time to escape the 2 strikes policy and fall victim to that...those are the tragic losses and NYCOM isn't willing to change this policy
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when is the first day of classes / orientation week?
 
Alright, I'm going to respond to a couple of posts here.

Apartment costs: Depends where you live and how many people, etc. Personally, I have a studio/one bedroom on Hills Beach that is $620 a month, with the added and unusual benefit of a year round lease. When I was apartment hunting, which I did in April/May, I was able to find a number of one bedroom places around Biddeford for under $750. I suggest using the UNE off campus housing site or facebook or even craigslist. There will be a "Moving to the area" presentation at OsteoBlast! as well.

OsteoBlast! attire: I believe I wore black jeans and a nice sweater last year. Essentially, I'd say not super casual, but no need to get overly dressy. I'll ask tonight at a committee meeting, and if I'm wrong, I'll pass the word on.

Number of spots left in class: I believe you said you're friend got the notice in February; I know of people who have gotten acceptances in March, so at least since then they still had spots for people.

What I really want to address are the posts about the changes and wanting to know what is going on. I completely understand that you think people should know and there shouldn't be this "elephant in the room", and I can understand how this can be both frustrating and maybe even scary. However, not to point fingers, but the lack of clarity is, in my opinion, partially the fault of current students who have come here to complain about changes that haven't been implemented yet. The reason why the administration hasn't been more upfront with you guys is because none of the changes have been set in stone yet. Dean Dane had a few meetings with the current students to give us a heads up that this is the direction we're heading, but he didn't even give us that many specifics because they were still working out the logistics. This goes back to the fact that the school isn't going to make a change without making sure it is going to work and that we students will still succeed. So I'm sorry that I can not give you any better answers, but what I can tell you is that any changes are not going to be as drastic or extreme as others have tried to suggest. As a current student, I also would even like to apologize for that fact that it seems there may be "an elephant in the room" and unanswered questions, but I really don't see this as the fault of the administration, but of students who spoke to soon without having concrete knowledge of what is actually going on. The only concrete answers I feel comfortable giving are these: 1. Come to OsteoBlast! if you can. We will be able to give you real answers then. If you can't make it, the info that you missed should be made available to you somehow. 2. I'd look at the current curriculum for general answers, because no matter what changes are made, we will be working off of this curriculum, rather than starting out with a totally different one. I hope that helps.
 
Even though I still haven't heard from my top choice school, I am still super excited about UNE!!! I think it seemed like a really cool place to be, and I really liked the two docs who interviewed me, and I really hit it off with the nice woman who took me around for a tour.

This is expensive, as most medical schools are, but there are ways to help finance the education if you are willing to apply for National Health Corps and other underserved scholarship support. There is also a really cool Osteopathic fellowship in the fourth year that combines teaching and research, both highly interesting and both very very good for residency applications.

A very high percentage of students from UNE get their FIRST choice residency. That is a positive message you don't see at most medical schools in the US especially those who have "more competitive" student bodies. Also, they have a relatively high MCAT standard a equally relatively high GPA standard so we are not talking about a school filled only with "rejects" who couldn't get in anywhere else.

Right on the beach, gorgeous, surfing, sunning, 1/2 hour from New England's best snowskiiing resorts, hiking and backkcountry hiking, canoeing (the Saco - amazing, I've canoed it many times and it even has class 4 rapids for those into that sort of hyperbole in sportif.)

I am very excited about this and very pleased and can't wait to start the adventure. Look forward too meeting all you other folks, seems like an interesting and diverse group. Oh - forgot to mention the amazing below national average cost of living and the way way cool Portland food coop I have already started looking into joining.

Yay!!!
 
'
 
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RockerDoctor said:
Alright, I'm going to respond to a couple of posts here.

Apartment costs: Depends where you live and how many people, etc. Personally, I have a studio/one bedroom on Hills Beach that is $620 a month, with the added and unusual benefit of a year round lease. When I was apartment hunting, which I did in April/May, I was able to find a number of one bedroom places around Biddeford for under $750. I suggest using the UNE off campus housing site or facebook or even craigslist. There will be a "Moving to the area" presentation at OsteoBlast! as well.

OsteoBlast! attire: I believe I wore black jeans and a nice sweater last year. Essentially, I'd say not super casual, but no need to get overly dressy. I'll ask tonight at a committee meeting, and if I'm wrong, I'll pass the word on.

Number of spots left in class: I believe you said you're friend got the notice in February; I know of people who have gotten acceptances in March, so at least since then they still had spots for people.

What I really want to address are the posts about the changes and wanting to know what is going on. I completely understand that you think people should know and there shouldn't be this "elephant in the room", and I can understand how this can be both frustrating and maybe even scary. However, not to point fingers, but the lack of clarity is, in my opinion, partially the fault of current students who have come here to complain about changes that haven't been implemented yet. The reason why the administration hasn't been more upfront with you guys is because none of the changes have been set in stone yet. Dean Dane had a few meetings with the current students to give us a heads up that this is the direction we're heading, but he didn't even give us that many specifics because they were still working out the logistics. This goes back to the fact that the school isn't going to make a change without making sure it is going to work and that we students will still succeed. So I'm sorry that I can not give you any better answers, but what I can tell you is that any changes are not going to be as drastic or extreme as others have tried to suggest. As a current student, I also would even like to apologize for that fact that it seems there may be "an elephant in the room" and unanswered questions, but I really don't see this as the fault of the administration, but of students who spoke to soon without having concrete knowledge of what is actually going on. The only concrete answers I feel comfortable giving are these: 1. Come to OsteoBlast! if you can. We will be able to give you real answers then. If you can't make it, the info that you missed should be made available to you somehow. 2. I'd look at the current curriculum for general answers, because no matter what changes are made, we will be working off of this curriculum, rather than starting out with a totally different one. I hope that helps.
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Thank you for your post. I appreciate your willingness to update prospective students. I will be attending the Osteoblast, and am excited to learn more about UNECOM. Would you be able to share what a typical day is like for a first or second year student? Be well.
 
Hey Medic,

You'll get an overview of what a day is like here at UNE-COM multiple times throughout the OsteoBlast! day, so I'm only going to give a brief response. If you have more questions after OsteoBlast!, feel free to message me or post them, I'll try to stay on top of checking this forum till the end of May (sorry, no guarantees about summer). Honestly, it is a really long day, but I'm fairly certain that's how it is at any school. It really depends on how involved you get and how you choose to use your time. For myself, I almost always go to class, which is from roughly 8 am to 5 pm. We have an hour for lunch; I usually either go to a club meeting or talk to people or just space out online. Others use that time to go to the gym or to a lunchtime lecture. At night, some people go home to families, others hang out with other students, others hit the gym but the common thread through it all is that we study. It's long and no matter how much you think you know what it's going to be like, you probably don't until you're in the middle of it all. But if this is what you want to be doing with your life, if this is really what you want to be, than it is totally worth it. And we definitely still have fun.

And Envmed, I'm honestly sorry that it seems you feel like you don't have a voice here, but I have to kindly disagree. There are a number of committees here that, in my opinion, ensure that our voice is heard. Can the process seem slow at times? Sure. Is every issue going to be fixed at one meeting? No. But do I think they blow us off? Not at all.
 
Anyone who interviewed in March, Lisa said we should most likely hear back by the end of next week. Committee met today and made final decisions, the list is going to Dean Hahn next week and letters/emails will go out when he is done. :xf: Stinks we haven't heard back for Osteoblast though...
 
ERmedic said:
Anyone who interviewed in March, Lisa said we should most likely hear back by the end of next week. Committee met today and made final decisions, the list is going to Dean Hahn next week and letters/emails will go out when he is done. :xf: Stinks we haven't heard back for Osteoblast though...
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I don't think it would be a problem if you attended Osteoblast while you're still waiting to hear if you've been accepted. I would go if I were in your shoes to meet people, to ask questions, and to see what the COM has to offer. There are a lot of activities planned and a lot of the current students and their families will be there to assist you with all of your questions.
 
RockerDoctor said:
And Envmed, I'm honestly sorry that it seems you feel like you don't have a voice here, but I have to kindly disagree. There are a number of committees here that, in my opinion, ensure that our voice is heard. Can the process seem slow at times? Sure. Is every issue going to be fixed at one meeting? No. But do I think they blow us off? Not at all.
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These remarks are disingenuous at best. Setting up multiple committees for you to air concerns, and actually doing something to improve are two very different things. We do the former well and the latter not at all. It's called the "UNE brushoff," everyone on here should get used to it.

On a lighter note, how did everyone like OsteoBlast?
 
Osteoblast was a blast! It helped me confirm my suspicions for how much I will love being a student here in the fall
 
Truthteller said:
These remarks are disingenuous at best. Setting up multiple committees for you to air concerns, and actually doing something to improve are two very different things. We do the former well and the latter not at all. It's called the "UNE brushoff," everyone on here should get used to it.

On a lighter note, how did everyone like OsteoBlast?
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I had a great time at OsteoBlast. The only thing I didn't like was having the conversation me and a few other prospective students and our families were having interrupted by a student who proceeded to do nothing but complain about the school and proposed changes in curriculum (which are in line with changes that several med schools are making). I am sure they felt like they were helping but it was inappropriate and uninvited.

As for everything else I am excited for next year.
 
I had a blast!!! It was nice meeting everybody.


FSD2015 said:
I had a great time at OsteoBlast. The only thing I didn't like was having the conversation me and a few other prospective students and our families were having interrupted by a student who proceeded to do nothing but complain about the school and proposed changes in curriculum (which are in line with changes that several med schools are making). I am sure they felt like they were helping but it was inappropriate and uninvited.

As for everything else I am excited for next year.
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bradtech said:
I had a blast!!! It was nice meeting everybody.
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That's great, I'm glad you guys had fun. I know they worked hard on putting together an informative day long program for you guys.

Some advice would be to use the facebook page for your class to post housing. You will find that everyone is looking at the same houses on Hills beach and in the Mill. Share comments about the places, the rents, and ask around about potential roommates. Housing is the last thing you want to have to worry about in August.

Best of luck. Let me know if you have questions.
 
Truthteller said:
That's great, I'm glad you guys had fun. I know they worked hard on putting together an informative day long program for you guys.

Some advice would be to use the facebook page for your class to post housing. You will find that everyone is looking at the same houses on Hills beach and in the Mill. Share comments about the places, the rents, and ask around about potential roommates. Housing is the last thing you want to have to worry about in August.

Best of luck. Let me know if you have questions.
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Thanks man! I should be heading there soon to look for a place. I hope there are decent one bedroom places around. Do you think having a car helps? Or how good/reliable is the bus service (do most people use it)?
 
dunaa said:
Thanks man! I should be heading there soon to look for a place. I hope there are decent one bedroom places around. Do you think having a car helps? Or how good/reliable is the bus service (do most people use it)?
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Public transportation is essentially non-existent. You must have a car to get around town. They do have a couple of Zip cars, but I don't know how reliably they can be accessed.

As for one-bedrooms, they're everywhere! Hope you find a good one.
 
I loved Osteoblast as well! Thanks for those who organized; you did a great job.

I have started looking for housing, but don't have much luck so far. I'm looking for an apartment complex in Biddeford or Saco, but the ones I've found so are full!! I called The Mills at Saco Falls and North Dam Mill, and those are the only ones I could find online.

Could any current students recommend/name any apartment complexes in Biddeford or Saco?

Thanks so much guys. I will ask on the fb page as well.
 
Osteoblast was great! I rented a 2 bedroom 2 bath under 2 miles from campus and would like one roommate. If anyone wants details PM me .
 
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Hello everyone,

I'll be joining UNECOM this August as a member of the class of 2015 and actually grew up in Biddeford, graduated from Biddeford High, and currently live in the area. If anyone has any questions regarding the town, things to do, etc. feel free to ask me any questions. Although the downtown area itself doesn't have the best reputation (you will hear it referred to as "the Biddo" often), it is a great place to be. My father is a teacher and was the lifeguard captain at the nearby beach for 20 years, and I absolutely love it here.

I also own a condo in Old Orchard Beach less than one mile from the beach that I might be renting out. It is a big one bedroom, tri level condo and is about a 15 minute car ride to campus. There is an additional office area which is great for studying. I personally am trying to save money and will be renting a cheaper (yet not as nice) place in Biddeford. Let me know if you are interested. I will know in a few weeks whether my current tenant plans to renew the lease or not.

Looking forward to meeting you all this coming August. It's going to be a great ride.
 
lefty24 said:
Hello everyone,

I'll be joining UNECOM this August as a member of the class of 2015 and actually grew up in Biddeford, graduated from Biddeford High, and currently live in the area. If anyone has any questions regarding the town, things to do, etc. feel free to ask me any questions. Although the downtown area itself doesn't have the best reputation (you will hear it referred to as "the Biddo" often), it is a great place to be. My father is a teacher and was the lifeguard captain at the nearby beach for 20 years, and I absolutely love it here.

I also own a condo in Old Orchard Beach less than one mile from the beach that I might be renting out. It is a big one bedroom, tri level condo and is about a 15 minute car ride to campus. There is an additional office area which is great for studying. I personally am trying to save money and will be renting a cheaper (yet not as nice) place in Biddeford. Let me know if you are interested. I will know in a few weeks whether my current tenant plans to renew the lease or not.

Looking forward to meeting you all this coming August. It's going to be a great ride.
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Would you know the answer to my question above?
Do you know the names of any apartment complexes in Biddeford or Saco?
 
There aren't many apartment complexes in Biddeford and Saco per se. The Falls at North Dam Mills in Saco have newly renovated apartments that are nice and affordable, however I'm not sure on the availability (there might be a waiting list). There are a lot of 3 to 4 unit buildings that are individually owned in the area, and I'm sure craigslist will help you out there. And, as mentioned above, UNE's website has a list of housing available, which is where I found my apartment near the beach.
 
If anyone is looking for a place to live, I'll need a roommate for next year. Shoot me a PM and we can talk shop.
 
ERmedic said:
Grrrr......"Alternate" listed today
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Hey Ermedic! I also interviewed on the 8th of March but haven't heard back. Did you receive the decision via email or post mail?
 
Hey guys,

I have a house for rent in Saco, which is just across the bridge from Biddo. Its a nice cape. Has 2 bedrooms upstairs which are good size - we have a king bed in one and there is plenty of space. There is an office downstairs with a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and dining room. There is also a 3 season porch/room. There is a very nice back yard and its on a quiet street with very friendly neighbors. Its a 3-5 minute walk to Shaws and a 5-7 minute walk to downtown Saco. A 3-5 minute drive to I-95 and about 8-12 minutes to campus depending on how the stoplights work out.

If you have any questions send me a PM.

Its great for a couple or for 2 roommates!!
 
DocF said:
Hey Ermedic! I also interviewed on the 8th of March but haven't heard back. Did you receive the decision via email or post mail?
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Hey DocF... I heard back by snail mail. Admissions told me they would send an email but I never got one...maybe only email for acceptances?

The letter was sent to my true home which is not far from UNE...usually only takes a day, so maybe, depending on how far away your home address is you may receive the letter very soon.

Good luck!
 
Anybody looking for a house to rent?

Pool St.- 6-8 minute walk from UNE (Not even a 1/2 mile), 30second drive. Just down from SeaStar Market.

I am currently in this house but will not be there next year. It is a 2-story 3-Bedroom, full kitchen, 2 full bathrooms, sunroom, mudroom, living & dining areas, basement storage. Plenty of parking, back yard.

We had 4 people here over the last 2 years. Great house.

If anybody is interested send me a PM and I can hook you up with the landlord/give more info.
 
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