Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Reviews

"Please read regarding the 46th ranged PCOM PA program! After attending PCOM PA program, I made it out by the skin of my teeth! I spoke with numerous friends in other programs and my experience was horrible compared to theirs and I wish I would have gone else where but I didn’t know. I only knew of the prestiges name PCOM holds but that’s only for the DO program. The PA program is run by people who could careless about you as a student. I say this truthfully because I have heard them talking about how they only care about their PANCE 1st time pass rate. What this means is they wouldn’t care if they lost over 75% of the class as long as those that finished passed the PANCE 1st time. Professor say differently but they don’t mean it in their actions. The averages on tests are low 80's, they provide NO CURVE or grade boosters and you need to keep a 3.0 to progress through program! Even the employees in the learning center, who offer tutoring and study techniques say that the PA program is not well manages. For example in 1 term we have a 10 credit class but sit in class for 16-18 hrs a week for that class. Then we have a 10% exam that covers 16 different ppt that are minimum of 60 slides each. For the final we had a 100Q test that covered 90 ppt all about 60 slides each. That is 5,400 slides of information! Again that is just one class and all the 2 credit classes are very similar. They have a Pathology class for the PA students but its not directed to PA, its the exact same lectures and tests the DO students get but PA students get 1/3 the time to learn and digest info. I get that PA school or any Masters program is challenging but at PCOM they teach you the same curriculum that the DO program gets but you have to do it in 1/3rd the time. They never test you on Keyword or Hallmark information that the PANCE tests you on. PCOM tests you on the pointless information that they find within the required reading of a 2000 pg textbook called Current medical diagnosis & treatment. When it comes to the clinical rotations they have bad rotations guidelines and never give students their suggestions they would like! Out of my whole class, only 1 person got a rotation they suggested and there were over 60 students who have ability to submit. Finally you have to do a RESEARCH PAPER in this program. The research professor is very belittling in how he talks to students. The research paper is worthless and pointless. It solely is to make the PA program look good by them posting it on their webpages. They could make the class way more enjoyable and not full of busy work. I’m glad I barely made it through but hope by sharing my view of the school this makes people question PCOM. We need PAs out in the world, go to another school as being a real PA is learning on the job not jumping through a million hoops and doing countless busy work assignments that PCOM mandates."

"If you are in any program other than the DO program prepare to be treated like a second class citizen. From DO students taking over classrooms to the faculty dropping the ball on scheduling all other programs here are below the PCOM standard due to the overarching faculty and leadership. In the Psychology department the heads are very kind and eager to help. Some advisors can be difficult to work with and a bit condescending but to have the PCOM name on a degree is worth it. Also it is important to remember that the psychology programs are not CAECREP accredited, which they tell you during interviews isn’t a hindrance on your career but in reality many places outside of the Philadelphia area will not view that as an acceptable degree. Just keep these things in mind before attending because it is glossed over during tours and interviews."

"GA-PCOM is absolutely terrible. The administration does not care for its students. They are very disorganized, untrustworthy, and administration does not want to do its job. They have the most complacent staff I have ever seen. Some professors are good, but most of them are worried about their place in the school. Only care about climbing up through the ranks without making any substantial change. Find another school."

"PCOM is a well respected school and has history. However the teacher:student ratio is too big, the graduating class had 270 students! Historically, PCOM has the worst boards pass rates. The attrition rate is high. It was 30% for my class. Rude staff!"

"PCOM has wonderful staff and faculty; it is truly a nurturing community. I grew a lot as a person and student while I was at PCOM and I feel very fortunate to have meet so many talented, friendly, and inspiring people many of whom have become lifelong friends."

"I think college has become more business orientated than education related. Anyone can get any degree anymore if you are willing to pay. It doesn't feel like an accomplishment to graduate anymore."

"What an amazing school. Professors believe in teaching the material properly and are always available in their offices for you. They are very welcoming and approachable. The school wants you to succeed and has a very close student population."

"Great education. Loved gross anatomy lab. They strive to make sure you succeed."

"I would not recommend PCOM PA program. Most of the faculty do not care about your success. The school has a very high first time PANCE pass rate because they make the academic standards very difficult, and many people don't make it until graduation. Their GPA requirements are much higher than other programs, and their exams are weighted differently than every other program, making it very difficult to get a good grade. PA school is already hard enough. PCOM ups the standards and the demands of students so they look good as a program when all their students pass the certification exam."

"GA-PCOM is a great school for those who are interested in osteopathic medicine. The professors are wonderful, and opportunities to further one's education abound!"

"Leaves you well prepared for workforce, but not much financial help available other than loans."

"The Biomedical Sciences Program (GA Campus) prepares you mentally and physically for medical school. There are pros and cons to this school like any other school you would attend. However, I would like to start with the pros: helpful faculty, same professors teach Biomedical Students as in the DO program, OMM instructor really good, small school, very safe, and a lot of clubs/organizations. The cons: small library and no food sold in the cafeteria."

"Great campus amenities, library is stocked always, and faculty is always helpful!"

"The DO program at PCOM is excellent. The pros are a competitive program that is highly regarded within the medical community that provides students with a well rounded clinical and didactic foundation for practicing medicine as well as a faculty and staff that are extremely experienced and knowledgable in their respective fields of education, study, and practice. The cons are heavily outweighed by the pros, but include a lack of on-campus student housing and a high yearly tuition, however this can be well managed with the help of the financial aid department."

"PCOM in Georgia is a wonderful medical school. The faculty and staff do an excellent job of catering to student's needs and providing all the necessary advice and help to succeed in class. Students are also friendly and do a great job of explaining possible questions. A con associated with PCOM is that the campus could use some expansion in the future because it can seem to be somewhat smaller than other medical school campuses."

"The school takes a lot of effort to provide professional networking for students. It also provides resources on financial planning"

"PCOM pharmacy program is only 4 years old. The school rely heavily on recording of lectures which is good because if you miss a class, you can go back and listen to the lectures. PCOM is a private school so tuition is very expensive. There is not much aid from financial aid. I wish they offer more scholarships. The school is a trimester system which is a good thing and a bad thing. You will take about 12-14 credits hours but have to be in school longer than most schools. We only get 12 days for winter break. Most colleges get three weeks off."

"My graduate program was excellent. I feel fully prepared for the psychology field. I had excellent faculty and professors. With regard to cons, the lack of coherent information presented to students was difficult."

"GA-campus: Pros: -Accessible and supportive faculty -Medically-based curriculum that can be useful in gaining admission to professional school -Academic support -Favorable class hours -Research opportunities Cons: Few student organizations available for grad students"

"Pros - I initially choose this program because of the campus atmosphere and sense of camaraderie that I felt on my interview. I would say that this is one aspect of the program that does not disappoint. The individual faculty members are very helpful and many of them put in lots of extra hours to provide assistance if needed. My fellow classmates were much less competitive and much more supportive than I expected. The program is trying to stay up with the times, evidenced by the continual addition of new technology and skills labs available to students. Not all of the changes have worked out well, but I feel that the intentions are in the students' best interests. The school appears to have a good reputation in the clinical setting - important for the post-graduate years. There's a lot of traffic in the area, but the campus is easy to get to in the outskirts of Philadelphia, with a public bus stop conveniently located in front of the campus and affordable housing within walking distance. If you have time, the city of Philadelphia has lots to offer in terms of sports, entertainment, and culture, also all easily accessible by public bus. Cons - Philadelphia isn't the safest city, however I never felt unsafe on campus because there are always security officers around. The program is expensive. There are scholarships available, however if you are from out of state you do not qualify for the majority of them. The administration is generally unhelpful, which can be a pain if things don't go smoothly for your entire time as a student."