The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) is one of the choice medical schools in the United States. If you are considering attending VCOM for your medical studies, you are most likely looking for answers to an important question: is VCOM a good medical school? With the many options available in the country, it can be downright frustrating to decide which medical school to go to or send your wards to.
This is why we take our time at Student Consort to analyze schools in the United States, identifying the factors that either make them good or bad. Today, our spotlight is on VCOM and if it is among the list of considerations for medical school, at the end of this article, you’d be able to make an informed decision.
Is VCOM a Good Medical School?
VCOM may not be among the top DO schools but it is a good medical school. They have a lovely campus culture with fosters collaboration and networking among students. Medical schools should be hubs for heavy research work and VCOM has the facilities and encourages students to explore areas of their field for more insight and understanding. Sadly, the clinical rotations at VCOM may discourage you from attending but if you don’t mind a little stress, VCOM is a good option for aspiring medical students.
I’d be breaking down some of the pros and cons of VCOM in this article. The idea behind this section on the pros and cons of VCOM is to provide detailed insight into what to expect if you get admitted into VCOM. Here’s something I need you to know: with schools, not everything would be picture perfect. You’d have to overlook the negatives, at least in some cases, and focus on the positives. That said, let’s look at the pros and cons of VCOM.
Pros of VCOM
There are a couple of reasons why VCOM is a good medical school. They include:
1. Accreditation
Before applying to any school, whether it is a medical school or not, you need to find out if they are accredited or not. VCOM is an accredited medical school. The school is fully accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). VCOM’s accreditation is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) which means students from the school are considered qualified medical practitioners.
On the terms of accreditation, VCOM passes the first check on discerning good medical schools.
2. Less Stringent Admission Requirements
It is almost unbelievable to think that the admission requirements for a medical school would not be stringent. Medical schools typically have a pattern for choosing only the best of the best. However, if you have fallen short of the requirements for getting admitted to VCOM in terms of grades, you still stand a chance. You can have a C in Chemistry or Physics and still get admitted to VCOM. I’ve seen it happen a lot of times.
3. Amazing Research Opportunities
Student research is an integral part of VCOM’s educational procedure. You can join the research teams at VCOM to gain more insight and understanding of the medical field. There’s a chance you could find a missing link to one of the world’s problems and get a scholarship. To join the student research forum at VCOM, you’d have to be in good academic standing. Your grades must be sky-high. The research opportunities at VCOM are very helpful and give graduates from the school a competitive advantage over others.
4. Proximity with Virginia Tech and the Carillion School of Medicine and Research Institute
There are ample opportunities for networking and collaboration at VCOM Virginia. This is because the school is close to Virginia Tech. Students from VCOM can equally meet and interact with their counterparts at the Carillion School of Medicine and Research Institute which is Virginia Tech’s medical school.
5. Beautiful Campuses
According to a study by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services in the UK, the environment you learn in, significantly impacts how you learn. Studying in a beautiful and serene environment can improve your assimilation and help you understand better. Virginia may not be considered by many as a beautiful campus but the other three campuses where VCOM is located are in beautiful environments.
6. Clinical Opportunities and Hands-on Approach
This should not be among the pros of a medical school but because there are a large number of medical schools in the country that do not give students a hands-on approach to studying medicine, it is worth noting. VCOM provides students with clinical opportunities. As a student, you’d work in primary healthcare facilities and learn practically how your chosen profession works.
7. Supportive Faculty
Your success in any school would greatly depend on how much the faculty supports you. The good thing about the faculty at VCOM is that they’re both supportive and knowledgeable. They won’t just provide support and encouragement to you, they are capable of setting you on the right path regarding whatever issues you might be having.
That’s it on pros, let’s look at the cons. As I said, no school is perfect. There’d be some flaws in the school that you should be wary of.
8. Affordable Tuition
VCOM is a medical school and according to the recent VCOM medical school tuition and estimated costs update, students pay $49.8k as their tuition. This is lower than the national average for private medical institutions which is $65,575 and $54,195 for an in-state resident. The school is considered the third most affordable private medical school in the United States.
Cons of VCOM
The following are some of the cons of VCOM;
1. The Campus Diversity
The many campuses that VCOM can on hamper everything I have said about how good VCOM is. Sometimes, these campuses act independently and it can be difficult to generalize it as the norm in VCOM.
2. Hectic Curriculum and Academic Activities
Normally, medical schools are hectic and maintain rigorous academic processes but VCOM students complain that it seems to get busier when exams approach which feels rather unfair. One would expect that as exams approach, the amount of academic work and activities to be done would be lessened to give students time to focus on exams. That’s not always the case at VCOM.
3. Choice of Campus
You do not choose the campus you are assigned to when you get admitted at VCOM. The school decides what campus you’d be placed and I am not sure you can apply for a change. The decision is often final.
FAQs
How hard is it to get into VCOM?
VCOM maintains a competitive framework. Candidates must have a 3.4 cumulative science GPA from the last 90 hours of their baccalaureate/master’s degree. They must have completed 90 hours or three-fourths of the required credits in the following subjects: Biological sciences, Physics, General and Inorganic Chemistry, English, and a minimum of 9 additional biomedical science credit hours at the 200 level or above.
What is VCOM Known For?
VCOM is known for creating a balanced environment for learning with state-of-the-art facilities. They’ve got very supportive faculties that provide expert support and guidance for students while they ensure students have the tools and leverage to explore other areas of their fields in research.
Is VCOM MD or DO?
VCOM is DO school. It confers the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine to its graduates. Students at the school must have completed a bachelor’s degree in medicine or other related courses before applying to VCOM.
Conclusion
Choosing the right medical school is quintessential to your growth and development as a medical practitioner. Having gone through the pros and cons of VCOM, I am optimistic you now know whether VCOM is a good school for you or not.