WesternU vs Scholl

[AspiringDoc8]

Hey everyone!

Let me start this by saying that I currently live in Southern California. In the future, I hope to match in California (hopefully Southern but Northern would be amazing as well). Before submitting my application, I visited WesternU for Preview Day where they talked about the program, took us around campus, and showed us the facilities and I loved it there. When I interviewed at Scholl, I loved it there as well. I felt that the school cared about the students and the students had a tight-knit bond with each other. Idk if it was that I already loved Scholl or not, but I didn't feel the same way about WesternU when I interviewed there. Sure, they have great campus resources but I didn't feel that bond between the students. I'm unsure if I should move to Chicago (and learn how to drive in the snow) or stay in California and be close to my family? If any current students from either of these schools (especially first years from WesternU since their curriculum has changed) could give me some pointers, I would much appreciate it. Thank you!

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[dorsiflexor]

Have you ever lived away from home (assuming this is Southern California)? Do you think you could succeed away from home? Where you go to school doesn’t hold much weight when it comes to where you will go for residency. You should go to the school that you think gives you the best opportunity to succeed (aka get damn good grades) because that’s what matters when it comes to getting the clerkships you want and subsequently residency. There are some very sought after programs in Cali with pretty high GPA expectations (both scripps and Kaiser SF bay have residency classes full of people from the top of their respective classes).

 

[AspiringDoc8]

I used to live off campus when I went to school here. I was still very close to home though (about a half hour) so ik that doesn't really count as living away from home. I'm just worried I won't be able to come back to California for externships or residency. Is it possible to do so?

 

[Weirdy]

I used to live off campus when I went to school here. I was still very close to home though (about a half hour) so ik that doesn't really count as living away from home. I'm just worried I won't be able to come back to California for externships or residency. Is it possible to do so?

Possible with high grades. You can go anywhere in the country with high GPA + Class rank + 1st time board pass.

 

[FutureDPM123]

I always thought Scholl to be better quality wise. But maybe having family nearby is something that is important to you.

 

[basicofbasic]

I was in the same situation as well. I decided to attend Western. I really enjoyed everything about Scholl and thought the facilities were amazing. I went for my interview in January, so it was FREEZING, completely different from my home in SoCal. I honestly think its a great change in environment to go to an area that is different from where you're from, but I don't think I would be able to handle the cold weather for an extended period of time. Especially since I already complain about the cold weather here in SoCal. I also feel like I need to be close to my family, so Western was the best fit for me.

I think you would need to determine the environment you want to be in and if being near to your family is important. I think that both schools offer a great curriculum so its up to you how important these other factors are in your decision.

 

[AspiringDoc8]

I was in the same situation as well. I decided to attend Western. I really enjoyed everything about Scholl and thought the facilities were amazing. I went for my interview in January, so it was FREEZING, completely different from my home in SoCal. I honestly think its a great change in environment to go to an area that is different from where you're from, but I don't think I would be able to handle the cold weather for an extended period of time. Especially since I already complain about the cold weather here in SoCal. I also feel like I need to be close to my family, so Western was the best fit for me.

I think you would need to determine the environment you want to be in and if being near to your family is important. I think that both schools offer a great curriculum so its up to you how important these other factors are in your decision.

I heard, during the interview, that Western just switched their curriculum and lecture hours from 40 hr/week to 24-28 hr/week. Would students have to make up the information on their own? I'm just not able to get in touch with any first years who have experienced the new curriculum.

 

[FutureDPM123]

I heard, during the interview, that Western just switched their curriculum and lecture hours from 40 hr/week to 24-28 hr/week. Would students have to make up the information on their own? I'm just not able to get in touch with any first years who have experienced the new curriculum.

All I know is Western's four year graduation rate average is 69%. That is ridiculously low in my eyes. The average GPA, sGPA, and MCAT of those accepted to Scholl are similar to those at Western, yet Scholl has a graduation rate of 80%. When comparing part 1 pass rates, Scholl is at 82% while Western is at 91%. Why? Chances are Western has created a system where only those who are very prepared for the exam are sitting for the exam, thus leading to students getting held back and not graduating on time. And I wouldn't want to go to a school that is radically changing their curriculum because you have no idea how it's going to work out; you are the "test dummies".

Let me talk about my personal experience with choosing a school. Temple is the closest school to where I live (almost all my relatives live within a 15 minute radius of me), but their pass rates are lower than other schools and the facilities are quite old. Right now, we are dedicating 4 years of our life to study and learn the skills necessary to become a great podiatrist; this is training for the rest of our career's. For me, that meant I was going to go to the best school possible, no matter the distance. I know many people will say you'll get a great education wherever you go. While that is true to some extent, why should I go to a school with old facilities, or with poor graduation rates, or poor pass rates, somewhere that just makes me overall unhappy just to be near family who I won't even have time to see except for holidays anyways?

In the end, the decision is yours, and I think you will most likely do well at both schools. All I'm saying is as far as location, humans are made to adapt to their surroundings. So many people travel far from home for their education and they turn out great. You are going to be so focused on your studies and modern technology has made it super easy to contact family whenever you want.

I hope I was able to offer some clarity. Just remember, there is no wrong decision.

 

[HarmonicConvergence]

All I know is Western's four year graduation rate average is 69%. That is ridiculously low in my eyes. The average GPA, sGPA, and MCAT of those accepted to Scholl are similar to those at Western, yet Scholl has a graduation rate of 80%. When comparing part 1 pass rates, Scholl is at 82% while Western is at 91%. Why? Chances are Western has created a system where only those who are very prepared for the exam are sitting for the exam, thus leading to students getting held back and not graduating on time. And I wouldn't want to go to a school that is radically changing their curriculum because you have no idea how it's going to work out; you are the "test dummies".

Let me talk about my personal experience with choosing a school. Temple is the closest school to where I live (almost all my relatives live within a 15 minute radius of me), but their pass rates are lower than other schools and the facilities are quite old. Right now, we are dedicating 4 years of our life to study and learn the skills necessary to become a great podiatrist; this is training for the rest of our career's. For me, that meant I was going to go to the best school possible, no matter the distance. I know many people will say you'll get a great education wherever you go. While that is true to some extent, why should I go to a school with old facilities, or with poor graduation rates, or poor pass rates, somewhere that just makes me overall unhappy just to be near family who I won't even have time to see except for holidays anyways?

In the end, the decision is yours, and I think you will most likely do well at both schools. All I'm saying is as far as location, humans are made to adapt to their surroundings. So many people travel far from home for their education and they turn out great. You are going to be so focused on your studies and modern technology has made it super easy to contact family whenever you want.

I hope I was able to offer some clarity. Just remember, there is no wrong decision.

Just saying Temple had the highest 1st time past rate of all the schools this year and has one of the busiest clinics of all the schools.

 

[FutureDPM123]

Just saying Temple had the highest 1st time past rate of all the schools this year and has one of the busiest clinics of all the schools.

Could you link me a source for the pass rates?

Reading back at what I said, it sounds like I'm disrespecting Temple which I didn't intend. There were personal factors that affected my decision too.

 

[HarmonicConvergence]

I don't think they've published it anywhere. It was like 97%. Will link once published if I remember.

 

[Dr.PatchAdams]

All I know is Western's four year graduation rate average is 69%. That is ridiculously low in my eyes. The average GPA, sGPA, and MCAT of those accepted to Scholl are similar to those at Western, yet Scholl has a graduation rate of 80%. When comparing part 1 pass rates, Scholl is at 82% while Western is at 91%. Why? Chances are Western has created a system where only those who are very prepared for the exam are sitting for the exam, thus leading to students getting held back and not graduating on time. And I wouldn't want to go to a school that is radically changing their curriculum because you have no idea how it's going to work out; you are the "test dummies".

Let me talk about my personal experience with choosing a school. Temple is the closest school to where I live (almost all my relatives live within a 15 minute radius of me), but their pass rates are lower than other schools and the facilities are quite old. Right now, we are dedicating 4 years of our life to study and learn the skills necessary to become a great podiatrist; this is training for the rest of our career's. For me, that meant I was going to go to the best school possible, no matter the distance. I know many people will say you'll get a great education wherever you go. While that is true to some extent, why should I go to a school with old facilities, or with poor graduation rates, or poor pass rates, somewhere that just makes me overall unhappy just to be near family who I won't even have time to see except for holidays anyways?

In the end, the decision is yours, and I think you will most likely do well at both schools. All I'm saying is as far as location, humans are made to adapt to their surroundings. So many people travel far from home for their education and they turn out great. You are going to be so focused on your studies and modern technology has made it super easy to contact family whenever you want.

I hope I was able to offer some clarity. Just remember, there is no wrong decision.

Chiming in as a current WesternU student, the attrition rate at WesternU is multifactorial. We take the exact same curriculum as our DO counterparts and held to the same standard. This may prove quite rigorous for many, and others may find other fields they enjoy more than podiatry in the process. For example, a number of ex-students have gone on to DO, DDS, and DMD programs.

I would pay particular attention to the number of externships offered before CRIP at each school and where students are being placed for residency. WesternU has had a 100% pass rate on part 2 and the CSPE consistently and continues to place students at exceptional programs throughout the country.

Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions about student life at the college. I highly encourage you to go where you feel most comfortable, but consider the unique advantages each college provides. Develop grit and a strong work ethic and you will do well, no matter which school you hail from.

 

[AspiringDoc8]

Thank you everyone for your help. I have chosen to attend WesternU!

 

[SharkoMarieTooth]

Thank you everyone for your help. I have chosen to attend WesternU!

Excited to see you joining WesternU CPM! For myself WesternU has been the best decision career wise. The pre-clinical & clinical ed is top notch.

 

[WESTERNU2022]

Hey guys! I'm a current 2nd year student at WesternU and my class was the first to undergo the "new curriculum." The new curriculum's goal was to minimize the amount of time students sit in lecture allowing them more time to independently study and allocate their time however needed. From what I heard from upperclassmen, the "old" curriculum's schedule consisted of lecture from 8AM-5PM almost every day of the week. However, with the new curriculum our schedule generally consists of lecture from 8AM-12PM every day, and the afternoons are typically for activities such as anatomy labs/CM&R (clinical medicine & reasoning - which is basically our "how to be a doctor" class for our clinical experience)/podiatry classes, etc. Most Fridays are half days meaning we are out by 12PM after having completed a weekly quiz. We do not have multiple exams during the week as per the old curriculum; instead we have a finals week where we have an individual exam for didactics, CM&R, anatomy lab, etc. Following finals week, we have what is called a "conference week" which is basically a week consisting of guest speakers, lectures on important topics such as professionalism and the current climate of healthcare, and podiatry workshops. This weeks' lectures are not "testable topics" meaning that students who have successfully passed all their final exams are allowed a "break" from studying whereas those who were not successful at passing any exam are allowed an additional week to study to retake the exam.

As for our matriculation (graduation) rate, the current 2020 class has a rate of 94.59% and the following classes (2021, 2022, 2023) are consistently projected at >91%. This is due to the workings of the "new curriculum" which implements a retake/remediation plan allowing students multiple attempts at passing examinations and being able to graduate on time. WesternU really prides itself in understanding that students may have an "off day" or are dealing with situations outside of school that negatively impact students' ability to perform on an exam and not penalizing them for having so. Similarly, our board pass rates reflect WesternU's ability to teach students the foundational education needed for students' to pass the APMLE successfully.

Regardless of what school you choose, make sure that it is the right fit for you and that you can imagine yourself in that environment (location, proximity to your support system, etc.). Although statistics are important, choose a school that you see yourself adjusting to comfortably which will really help with your transition into medical school! Ultimately my advice is to try and visit every program that you are interested in and ask current students of any questions that you may have so you can have a greater understanding of the school/program itself, which cannot merely be represented by statistics.

 

[de Ribas]

Hey guys! I'm a current 2nd year student at WesternU and my class was the first to undergo the "new curriculum." The new curriculum's goal was to minimize the amount of time students sit in lecture allowing them more time to independently study and allocate their time however needed. From what I heard from upperclassmen, the "old" curriculum's schedule consisted of lecture from 8AM-5PM almost every day of the week. However, with the new curriculum our schedule generally consists of lecture from 8AM-12PM every day, and the afternoons are typically for activities such as anatomy labs/CM&R (clinical medicine & reasoning - which is basically our "how to be a doctor" class for our clinical experience)/podiatry classes, etc. Most Fridays are half days meaning we are out by 12PM after having completed a weekly quiz. We do not have multiple exams during the week as per the old curriculum; instead we have a finals week where we have an individual exam for didactics, CM&R, anatomy lab, etc. Following finals week, we have what is called a "conference week" which is basically a week consisting of guest speakers, lectures on important topics such as professionalism and the current climate of healthcare, and podiatry workshops. This weeks' lectures are not "testable topics" meaning that students who have successfully passed all their final exams are allowed a "break" from studying whereas those who were not successful at passing any exam are allowed an additional week to study to retake the exam.

As for our matriculation (graduation) rate, the current 2020 class has a rate of 94.59% and the following classes (2021, 2022, 2023) are consistently projected at >91%. This is due to the workings of the "new curriculum" which implements a retake/remediation plan allowing students multiple attempts at passing examinations and being able to graduate on time. WesternU really prides itself in understanding that students may have an "off day" or are dealing with situations outside of school that negatively impact students' ability to perform on an exam and not penalizing them for having so. Similarly, our board pass rates reflect WesternU's ability to teach students the foundational education needed for students' to pass the APMLE successfully.

Regardless of what school you choose, make sure that it is the right fit for you and that you can imagine yourself in that environment (location, proximity to your support system, etc.). Although statistics are important, choose a school that you see yourself adjusting to comfortably which will really help with your transition into medical school! Ultimately my advice is to try and visit every program that you are interested in and ask current students of any questions that you may have so you can have a greater understanding of the school/program itself, which cannot merely be represented by statistics.

Any information about USMLE?

Does school help you prep for that in some way?

 

[AD1208]

Any information about USMLE?

Does school help you prep for that in some way?

If I may chime in...at the end of the first year and again at the end of the second year, there is a week and a half where faculties go over high yield materials that might be on the USMLE. After that, we would take the NBME, which is an exam that will allow us to sit for the USMLE. Our curriculum with the DO overall prepares us well for the USMLE. On top of that, the school also provides us with study resources. Recently, CPMA (California Podiatric Medical Association) purchased us access to USMLE-Rx that ultimately helps us prepare for the exam. As someone mentioned before, by studying for the USMLE, you are overstudying for the APMLE, minus the podiatry stuff. In a way, you are studying for both exams simultaneously.

 

[DexterMorganSK]

Can one of the WesternU ppl post their new curriculum here? Not seeing much on the website. thanks

 

[njfisch]

I am a first year student at WesternU. Our curriculum has been revised the last couple years. We now have a two pass system. We learn about all of the systems during the first year but mainly focus on the normals with each system with a little bit of pathology for sake of completion. During the second year, we revisit each system again with an emphasis on pathology and pharmacology. Our classes are mainly integrated with the DOs. Wherever you choose to attend, you will become a foot and ankle surgeon. Each school prepares you for you to become a competent podiatrist. However, WesternU does a great job at teaching you to be a physician first that specializes in podiatry. It is a great philosophy because you are going to be rotating with DOs and MDs during clinical rotations and your first year of residency. You will not be solely doing podiatry related procedures until 2nd year of residency. WesternU is a great school and prepares you for success for clinical rotations and residency. Hope this helps!

 

[KT9]

To add to what njfisch said, WesternU's curriculum consists of basic science courses that take place in roughly 2-3 blocks per semester. In these courses, you have your anatomy labs, basic science lectures, and clinical skills sessions. For the podiatry courses, there is one course per semester where different podiatry topics are taught like lower extremity anatomy, biomechanics, radiology, etc. All of these courses apply to the first two years. In the third year, students choose a track to do clinical rotations in the southern California area for about a month per rotation. In the fourth year, students go on externships, which I think is the same as all the other pod schools, where they do their month-long rotations/interviews at different locations across the nation.

 

[B.G.M.]

Can anyone talk about the relationship between Faculty and students at WesternU? Do pod students ever feel left out among the big DO class? Are professors supportive? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

[david_british]

I am between attending WesternU and Scholl. I like the curriculum changes at western, but am concerned at the level of difficulty at that university. Those first years at Western, how was it like in the new curriculum and how did that influence your rank. Thank you in advance.

 

[jabbywockeez]

I am between attending WesternU and Scholl. I like the curriculum changes at western, but am concerned at the level of difficulty at that university. Those first years at Western, how was it like in the new curriculum and how did that influence your rank. Thank you in advance.

Hello,

I am a current first year student at WesternU CPM and I will let you know that I had the same dilemma when I was in your position last year! At the end of the day, school is difficult wherever you go, but I would say first hand that being around a group of students working on the same tasks will make the task seem less daunting. Whichever school you choose to attend, you will never truly know how to compare curriculums unless you've experienced it yourself. WesternU does a great job of tooling us with a wide range of skills that make us a well-rounded doctors. The experience you make in school is whatever you choose to make of it. I personally chose WesternU to maximize my time and experience as a student-doctor. I also felt that the new curriculum would set me up for success in my board exams as well.

The new curriculum has been great so far. It is essentially a two-pass system, so you will pretty much get to see everything from your first year again during your second year before your boards. You will see when you begin school that receiving as many passes as you can when learning new material is crucial to long-term memory, so it is something myself and many of my classmates are grateful for!

If you have any other questions, please feel free to personal message me.

 

[podsquad1]

Can anyone talk about the relationship between Faculty and students at WesternU? Do pod students ever feel left out among the big DO class? Are professors supportive? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Hey there! I am a first year student at WesternU class of 2024. For your first question, the relationship between the professors and the students have been really great, even with being online. They often hold online hours a few time a week for us and have an open door policy where we able to email them anytime. Also, some of my podiatry professors here have even gone as far as giving us their phone numbers so we can reach them quicker. I think thats really unique and never had a professor do that before in undergrad. Some professors outside of class hours will even hold review sessions for us. One anatomy professor in particular holds review sessions late hours into the night to make sure that we are well prepared for exams. Professors are so supportive.

For your 2nd question. Coming from a small undergrad I was also concerned about feeling left out among the DO class but since being here that hasn't been an issue for me at all. The professors do a really great job on integrating our classes and including relevant material for both sides. Since we are online we often have break out rooms with our DO counterparts and it's been a really great way to get to know them and work with another profession and also educate them about podiatry too!

please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy to help!

 

[vvcc]

I am between attending WesternU and Scholl. I like the curriculum changes at western, but am concerned at the level of difficulty at that university. Those first years at Western, how was it like in the new curriculum and how did that influence your rank. Thank you in advance.

Another WesternU student here to add onto what my other colleagues have mentioned! The new curriculum is a large contributing factor into my decision when choosing between schools. Jabby already mentioned the curriculum but something that applicants don't hear much about is how westernU supports students that have a hard time while transitioning to medical school or just have a hard time in general during a challenging block. If you do not receive a passing grade on the block, you are allowed another chance to retake the test after an additional week to review material (& sometimes, that's all you really need to give it your best shot). If that test is still difficult, you're given another chance to study off the first aid material to have another go at the material. Either way, in the end, the material really gets in through the many passes provided by the school. I can't speak as to what other schools do, but the supportive nature of WesternU was a contributing factor. Please feel free to ask any other questions!

 

[PodGirl123]

Can one of the WesternU ppl post their new curriculum here? Not seeing much on the website. thanks

Hello! The new curriculum here at WesternU is based on a two pass system which means you go through each organ system twice before board exams. I'll list the flow of each class that we took during first year so you can get an idea.

ISOM: Introduction to the Science of Medicine --> think of it as your biology crash course!
FOM1: Foundations of Medicine 1 --> This was Lower Extremity and immunology
FOM2: " of " 2 --> Head and Neck/Neuro
FOM3: " of " 3 --> Cardio, Respiratory, and Renal
FOM4: " of " 4 --> GI and Reproduction
PMP1: Anatomy/ Biomechanics
PMP2: Pathology of the LE
CMR: Clinical Medicine and Reasoning --> you learn how to interact with patients in various situations and practice typing SOAP notes. This class is pretty cool because the school hires actors to play the roles and they're very good !

END OF YEAR 1

Then we had a High Yield Review at the end of the year that really highlighted the key points and concepts from throughout the year which is really helpful.

Other points about the curriculum here at WesternU:
1. The faculty are amazing, they are always ready to help and are very accessible.
2. the lectures are usually pre-recorded and you can download them and watch them over again or speed them up or review them even when you're offline.

 

[sunshinelibra99]

Another WesternU student here to add onto what my other colleagues have mentioned! The new curriculum is a large contributing factor into my decision when choosing between schools. Jabby already mentioned the curriculum but something that applicants don't hear much about is how westernU supports students that have a hard time while transitioning to medical school or just have a hard time in general during a challenging block. If you do not receive a passing grade on the block, you are allowed another chance to retake the test after an additional week to review material (& sometimes, that's all you really need to give it your best shot). If that test is still difficult, you're given another chance to study off the first aid material to have another go at the material. Either way, in the end, the material really gets in through the many passes provided by the school. I can't speak as to what other schools do, but the supportive nature of WesternU was a contributing factor. Please feel free to ask any other questions!

Hello! Wondering how many "fails" you can have before you have to retake the entire academic year?

 

[sean.lee]

Hello! Wondering how many "fails" you can have before you have to retake the entire academic year?

Hello, second year WesternU student here. You have four attempts to pass an exam before you fail that portion of the block. During our Finals week for each block, we have three exams: didactic, CMR, and anatomy. Following the first attempt, if you don't pass, there is a "conference week" in which you will be given an opportunity to retake the exam (different questions from only the sections you did not pass). If you don't pass that, you will be given a chance to remediate, then one last opportunity if you don't pass the remediation.
Failing multiple blocks will put you in consideration to repeat the year, but there are plenty of resources and support at the university before this happens.
Hope this helps!