Touro University - College of Osteopathic Medicine

With the successful withdrawal of my medical school tuition deposit and my second transcript sent, I am not only poor, but I have been added to the class roster of 2012 (At least it is something worth being poor for)! When I share the good news with friends and family, they have often never heard of the campus, the school, or its programs. Encouraged by those who are curious and those who will be applying, I have compiled some information about the osteopathic program at Touro in one blog.

Certainly this is not the comprehensive tell-all, but a way to paint the picture from my current perspective and experience.

Location/Facility
On the outskirts of sparkling Las Vegas, Nevada in the suburb of Henderson not far from Lake Mead. (Map) Touro University's Nevada campus is housed in a modified warehouse that has the basic necessities of any medical school (anatomy lab, fitness equipment, lecture halls, electronic library, etc).

The Big Picture
Touro University Nevada is a sister school to the Mare Island, California campus of which Touro College in New York City is the parent. These institutions are Jewish sponsored and welcome students of all religious denominations.

Touro is a private institution "educating caring professionals to serve, to lead, and to teach." All school purchased foods are kosher although nutritional choices are left to the student. The Nevada campus educates the following professionals: Doctor of Osteopathy, Physician Assistant, Nurse, Occupational Therapist, and others within the School of Education.

Demographics
Approximately 300 medical students are instructed among a student body of nearly 600. The average age of entering students is 27 years and all students have a baccalaureate degree. MCAT scores are 23 or higher and GPA starts at a minimum of 3.0. The admissions committee has accepted students below these numbers on a case by case basis. Contact the admissions office for current details.

Mission Statement/ Accreditation
Prospective and current students at Touro are expected to embody strengths that enrich their education through Judaic commitments. The school became accredited in 2004 and will therefore be celebrating the graduation of its first class in 2008.

Applying
The first place to start is AACOMAS, the generalized application form for Osteopathic medical schools. Candidates will have a baccalaureate degree, MCAT scores not older than 3 years, and prerequisite course grades of "C" or better. If minimum requirements are met, applicants are invited to submit a secondary application at a cost of $100. A large portion of applicants who submit their secondary are invited to interview through the end of April. It is in your best interest to have shadowed an osteopathic physician well in advance to provide them with ample time to write a letter of recommendation.

Tuition/Expenses
Although it is variable, the reported 2007-2008 cost for tuition and fees was approximately $37,000. This does not include the estimated equipment ($4000), personal ($4000), transportation ($6000), and room/board ($18,500) expenses. The grand total is nearly $69,000 of which Stafford and Grad PLUS loans will cover if eligible.

Interview Day
This can be one of the most difficult experiences in the whole process. With an interview, you have the opportunity to prove in person who you are, and without it you will go nowhere. To be honest, I thought I performed horribly in the interview and was happily surprised to be accepted. It is common for interviewers to give the impression that they are not interested or that they do not agree with your responses. Whatever you do, stick to your story, be honest and be you. A great resource for past questions can be found at the Student Doctor Network.

Applicants will arrive and sit in the lobby until the day begins. Get to know the other candidates (it will help ease some tension later), dress professionally, do not chew gum, and use good manners. When the day begins, they take you to a conference room and explain the process. While some applicants take a tour of the facility, the other applicants are interviewed by two members of the staff. I say staff because I had a librarian and a professor. Once your half hour interview is finished and the tour complete, a kosher lunch is served before going home.

The Wait
Probably the best part of the process is when the interview is over and the wait begins. Those who are interviewed, and accepted, receive an email to that extent one week later (unless the director of admissions is asked by the applicant to send the committee's decision). It takes a few days to receive the official letter after the initial one week wait. The letter contains one of three possibilities: 1. Accept 2. Wait List 3. Denied. Two weeks are given to submit the letter of intent and initial deposit.

Resources
The brochure that is provided at college fairs contains a general overview of the school, similar to the information provided here. Their 2008 supplemental application may vary, but will likely be similar in future years. This is the TUNCOM portion of the Osteopathic Medical College Information Book that provides a general overview of the school.