Does anybody on board know anything about Lake Erie Colleg of Osteo med school? I am tempted to apply, but reviewing some the interview feed back from other applicants it seems to be luke warm? thanks…henry
I am planning on applying here and went to the school for an interview. I really liked what I saw. Everyone was very nice and answered my questions. I have a friend in her third year there in the PBL track and she cannot say enough good things about the place. If you are familiar with NW PA, you will know that the weather can be oppressive in that there is a lot of rain and snow. If you are coming up south of Erie like I would be you will drive through the snow belt.
I find Erie a pretty safe, quiet city. There is a lot to do in terms of family oriented activities. Presque Isle has some wonderful beaches and sunsets. There is a family sports center and various activities through out the year. For anyone accustomed to a trendy, bustling city this is not the place to live. But I am from Western NY and saw too many murder reports on the Buffalo news growing up and I welcome the quiet city.
LECOM does expect students to dress professionally during classes, which puts some people off. I have been dressing this way in working as a therapist for 10 years and this is nothing new to me.
The DO’s that I have spoken with locally respect the work that is done at LECOM and say that the students coming out are well prepared and well educated.
The classes are held in one building and there is plenty of parking. The school has a decent sized cafeteria with spots to link in on your lap top. The library is not the largest, but one can obtain any needed materials quickly using the inter-library loan system. I use that quite a bit in my small town.
The school also has a fitness center for students only. I saw the lecture halls and they all have comfortable desks with ports to link in as well.
I was lucky enough on my tour to encounter students who were hired to prepare cadavers for the fall classes. They showed me around the room, answered questions and showed me the cadavers they were working on. It was fascinating.
Each student has a locker and a slot for notes to be delivered. There is a note taking service you can subscribe to and pay for each semester at a cost of around $150. If you are a good note taker you can work as a “scribe” and then get the notes in your others classes for free.
Security is tight here to avoid any problems with drug seeking people being that the pharmacy program is also housed here.
Many of the local hospitals are accomodating in terms of rotations from what my friend is saying.
Hope this helps–
Erica
Thank you, sounds like a wonderful school. I actually grew up in the metro nyc area, vacationed in eastern pa, and look forward to a smaller city. Actually, my interests are rural medicine. I would like to practice in either eastern pa or the oh/pa apalachian area…my current gpa is around 3-3.4, my 12 y/o undergrad is 2.5, i’m begining some grad courses this year, and my mcat is 23…i have over 10 yrs health field back ground, worked in level i trauma er at a community hospital in a large city, and published a book. Do you think I would have a chance to get in, or should i take the year and strenghen my gpa w/ my grad work? thanks henry
I interviewed and was accepted at LECOM. I loved it and it would’ve been a great fit for me. I certainly recommend it.
With your MCAT score and GPA, you will certainly benefit from finishing grad school with a killer GPA and I recommend you re-take the MCAT and raise your score. Unfortunately, you’re experience in the ER really will not make up for the scores.
Med schools want you to prove you can do the work and the proof is in the grades and the MCAT scores - not in your employment history. But you should have no trouble at all getting letters of recommendation from doctors and showing that you understand and are committed to medicine. That part you have well covered!
Wmkayak
I cancelled my interview last year after being accepted to VCOM, but I was interested in LECOM. You can read about other’s opinions, but in the end it will be up to you to decide if you like it. I would say add them to your list and apply to them. I have heard alot of great things about them.
I agree with Erica. When I interviewed last year, students would just walk up to you and start talking, and all had good things to say. I ended up accepting LECOM’s offer and dropped two other offers. Also, there are over 60 hospitals that you can rotate through.
If you do not like the cold weather and all that snow, then try to get into LECOM’s Bradenton Florida campus, which we call LECOMB. LECOMB is all PBL.
Good luck,
thanks everyone! Actually, the more i look at lecom the more i like. I’m scheduling an appointment for a visit. I’m a bit nervous, with my previous grades; however, i do have other qualities and experiences that will offer the adcom some confidence in my success…again thanks! henry…
ps florida sounds great but I need to stay in the area due to family obligations…thanks!
I went on a tour with an admissions rep named Melissa. She was VERY nice. Her hubby is a 4th yr student and going into ER medicine. The tour lasts about 45 to 50 minutes. It can take a few weeks to get in–I would call asap.
I live about 35 miles south of the school in Meadville, PA. I can drive a straight shot up I79 and be there in about 45 minutes. Where are you coming in from? What year would you be applying for? I am hoping to start in the fall of 2006 if I get in. Please let me know if I can help in any way–I am not an expert on the school by any means, but a very good friend of mine is a third yr student and also an ambassador and has access to some good and helpful info.
Blessings–
Erica
Hello Erica,
I’ve tired to email you privately. Yes, I would like to speak with your friend. I have a campus tour scheduled This Friday at 3pm… Do you think your frien, or you would be intrested in chatting with me?
Oh, my friend is completing her masters. She needs access to the internet while we are away, do the libraries have internet access?
Thanks and blessings,
henry
Awwww nuts henry—I am so sorry–I had an accident on Saturday and ended up with a grade 3 concussion. I am kind of scattered and have not repsonded to all email. Please accept my apologies! I have a personal, this email, two business emails and an adoption support group email. I stumbed backwards down a flight of stairs and splatted onto the cement while we were having a patio party. The party went on and I went to the ER! lol
My friend, Jill, is actually in Russia right now. 
Good for her–not so good for you. Nuts. She will be back on the 18th. She is adopting a baby using the agency that I work for (I do homestudies). www.projectoz.com I am in the staff section with my daughter–we adopted her from Moscow in 2002.
Who are you meeting with? Is it Melissa? She will show you around the building, the locker room, the lecture halls, the cafeteria, the library (it does have hook up for computers), and other areas. You might get lucky and meet the 2nd year students in the lab preparing the cadavers.
Do you know how to get there? Park in the rear of the building and enter that way. For some reason there is not a sign in the front telling you to do this and I looked like an ass standing in an empty foyer. lol
Please try my email again and I will write back. Use the personal one: geploski@alltel.net I can give you her contact into for when she returns. She is an ambassador and can give you the run down. She is a real gem.
If I was driving yet (sigh) I would meet you up there…which direction are you coming from? Perhaps we could meet up for lunch on Friday? I can have my hubby drive me–
Blessings
Erica