33 MCAT: Should I be a DO?

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The DO stereotype exists only in the minds of ignorant pre-meds. But I'd rather you give up your seat so someone truly interested in Osteopathy can have your seat.
And first get into medical school before you start worrying about residencies. Competitive residencies are hard for MD students to get too.


My dilemma is with the DO stereotype that that DOs have many doors closed for them. If I were to go DO, I know I'll probably end up being a primary care physician (which I'm fine with) but with changes to IBR and PSLF, I dont think the pay justifies the debt, so I would probably need to specialize.

What should I do? Defer for a year and reapply to MD schools? Or start this year at a DO school?[/QUOTE]
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lalalaaaaaa said:
DO. Your numbers are average at best for md and you might not get in anywhere in which case you would reapply DO the following year and then hopefully get in and be behind 2 years from when you started.
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Posts like this (and people like you) make me sick, and embarrassed that I frequently view a website of this caliber.
 
This is how I picture the OP as he's reading the responses in this thread and where it is going:

 
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edgerock24 said:
Posts like this (and people like you) make me sick, and embarrassed that I frequently view a website of this caliber.
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Yikes, chillout. I have similar numbers as OP (32 mcat 3.6s 3.8s) and it took me three cycles to get in. For MD, OPs stats are not stellar by any means, an acceptance at a mid to low tier school, probably, but definitely not 100%. Plus I don't think there is a huge difference between the low MD schools and the high DO schools.

Look through the reapp forum and you will see a bunch of people with great apps and great stats who don't get in. It's definitely worth the OP's time to consider that nothing is a guarantee in this process, especially with an acceptance in hand! OP can start med school this year instead of doubling down on MD schools. I'm not sure why you are so offended by this opinion (maybe I was a little cavalier about the averages. to clarify: the OPs numbers are about average for MD schools. MCAT is at the median according to MSAR (or maybe 1-2 pts higher than average), sGPA at the average, and cGPA below average (hopefully this clarification will make you feel a little less embarrassed and relieve your sickness)).

OP if you really don't want to do DO, then don't. No one will fault you for making that choice as long as you own it. I'm sure there is a long line of people who will happily take your spot, and when you are applying to schools hoping to get in somewhere, they will be in medical school becoming doctors.
 
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Didn't read the whole thread but I just wanted to say there is a guy from last year who got into TCOM. He got rejected everywhere else. He turned down TCOM and reapplied for MD. He didn't get in anywhere on the second cycle because he was blacklisted. He talked to a dean of admissions at an MD school and they told him that hubris was not a good trait in an applicant. This guy's situation was recently discussed on this forum. I'll post the link if I find it.
 
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lalalaaaaaa said:
Why do people apply DO if they don't have any intention to go? Just for fun? Because they have a bunch of spare money to apply? Because they haven't put any thought into the possibility of being a DO?

There are all these threads on SDN of people with a >30 MCAT and >3.6 GPA who get into a DO school and suddenly they think they are too good for it and should have gone MD. It makes no sense!
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I kind of understand where this thinking comes from. They get freaked out at first, knowing medical school is competitive. Then they find that they were more competitive than they originally thought. The 'what if's' play out in their mind. Then it leads to bad decision making. As I said before, this happened to a guy in Texas and he ended up with nothing.
 
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What do you want to do with your life OP? Is your heart set on academic medicine? If it's not I would take the DO school. check out the Osteopathic forums and look at the match lists that have been posted. Shockingly they aren't completely made up of rural family medicine spots.

Also keep in mind that anything that is going to be difficult to match into as a DO is also going to be difficult to match into as an MD.
 
victoriah said:
Didn't read the whole thread but I just wanted to say there is a guy from last year who got into TCOM. He got rejected everywhere else. He turned down TCOM and reapplied for MD. He didn't get in anywhere on the second cycle because he was blacklisted. He talked to a dean of admissions at an MD school and they told him that hubris was not a good trait in an applicant. This guy's situation was recently discussed on this forum. I'll post the link if I find it.
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Just to clarify, I thought MD and DO schools don't communicate.

So him being blacklisted from DO schools didn't necessarily impact his MD chances, correct? It was his hubris and negative attitude that sunk him at his MD interviews, correct?
 
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lalalaaaaaa said:
Yikes, chillout. I have similar numbers as OP (32 mcat 3.6s 3.8s) and it took me three cycles to get in. For MD, OPs stats are not stellar by any means, an acceptance at a mid to low tier school, probably, but definitely not 100%. Plus I don't think there is a huge difference between the low MD schools and the high DO schools.

Look through the reapp forum and you will see a bunch of people with great apps and great stats who don't get in. It's definitely worth the OP's time to consider that nothing is a guarantee in this process, especially with an acceptance in hand! OP can start med school this year instead of doubling down on MD schools. I'm not sure why you are so offended by this opinion (maybe I was a little cavalier about the averages. to clarify: the OPs numbers are about average for MD schools. MCAT is at the median according to MSAR (or maybe 1-2 pts higher than average), sGPA at the average, and cGPA below average (hopefully this clarification will make you feel a little less embarrassed and relieve your sickness)).

OP if you really don't want to do DO, then don't. No one will fault you for making that choice as long as you own it. I'm sure there is a long line of people who will happily take your spot, and when you are applying to schools hoping to get in somewhere, they will be in medical school becoming doctors.
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3.6/33 is definitely competitive for MD. The reality is that there were probably problems elsewhere that were either undisclosed by those applicants because they were looking for confidence boosts or their interviewing skills were subpar. They mightve even applied late or their personal statements might have not been top notch. 3.6/33 is definitely good enough for most MD programs, not just low and mid tier.
 
Lucca said:
3.6/33 is definitely competitive for MD. The reality is that there were probably problems elsewhere that were either undisclosed by those applicants because they were looking for confidence boosts or their interviewing skills were subpar. They mightve even applied late or their personal statements might have not been top notch. 3.6/33 is definitely good enough for most MD programs, not just low and mid tier.
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I agree, OP has a good shot at MD, most likely at a mid tier or their state school (we know nothing about OPs app besides #s). The last thing OP should do is conflate his/her ego and apply MD top heavy, that would be a bad mistake. The OP just needs to keep in mind that there is a risk to declining an acceptance for a potentially marginal gain that is mostly a precieved gain and not a material one.

....I take that back. The material gain is in the DO route and ~$150,000 or so in career earnings with an extra year of medical practice. OP might even be able to get some sweet financial aid from the DO schools since he/she is clearly a desierable candidate.
 
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victoriah said:
Didn't read the whole thread but I just wanted to say there is a guy from last year who got into TCOM. He got rejected everywhere else. He turned down TCOM and reapplied for MD. He didn't get in anywhere on the second cycle because he was blacklisted. He talked to a dean of admissions at an MD school and they told him that hubris was not a good trait in an applicant. This guy's situation was recently discussed on this forum. I'll post the link if I find it.
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Now I'm imagining schools carrying a Vegas-like black book
 
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@ OP I feel you should have just held off till this upcoming cycle. Your stats will get you into some MD programs if you apply broadly and wisely. Utilize the MSAR to get a good spread. And I find it interesting that everyone is flaming the OP to go to DO when he has stats that make MD route doable. I know people on this forum seem to avoid the big elephant in the room, or pretend it doesn't exist, but the MAJORITY of DO students went DO because they WERE NOT competitive for MD programs. I am not putting down DO's I am just stating the truth. Its not big deal, but that is the truth. I don't know of anyone holding multiple MD acceptances that decided to go DO. Just like the majority of Caribbean students went that route because they weren't completive for MD or DO. I say you should go MD this cycle, apply early and broadly.
 
Xenoblade said:
Just to clarify, I thought MD and DO schools don't communicate.

So him being blacklisted from DO schools didn't necessarily impact his MD chances, correct? It was his hubris and negative attitude that sunk him at his MD interviews, correct?
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Texas
 
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screamin eagle said:
I basically did the same thing you did. Had a 33 and a 3.77 but applied a little bit late and was wait listed at an MD and accepted to all DO schools I went on an interview to. It's up to you what to do. I don't regret my decision and have yet to meet a doc who actually gave a **** about titles. I just don't worry about things I can't control.
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Same-ish story here. 3.65 gpa 34 MCAT applied in october-november. Boom, no MD acceptances.
 
Xenoblade said:
Just to clarify, I thought MD and DO schools don't communicate.

So him being blacklisted from DO schools didn't necessarily impact his MD chances, correct? It was his hubris and negative attitude that sunk him at his MD interviews, correct?
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This person is a troll. Not you @Xenoblade! It is okay to turn down an DO acceptance for MD application. It may not be a smart one but DO and MD schools dont communicate
 
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About28 said:
Same-ish story here. 3.65 gpa 34 MCAT applied in october-november. Boom, no MD acceptances.
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With all due respect you applied LATE. October? I was fully complete at all schools by July (Secondaries/MCAT/AMCAS). If you have average status YOU NEED TO APPLY DAY 1
 
That is the biggest red flag. Late app literally is the difference from interview/acceptance and waitlist rejection. People don't think it is a big deal but it is.
 
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Lucca said:
You also applied in october-november
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Espadaleader said:
With all due respect you applied LATE. October? I was fully complete at all schools by July (Secondaries/MCAT/AMCAS). If you have average status YOU NEED TO APPLY DAY 1
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Oh yeah I know how bad I messed up. I was talking to the person I quoted who looks plenty competitive for MD but applied late and shot themselves in the foot, just like me.
 
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Espadaleader said:
This person is a troll. Not you @Xenoblade! It is okay to turn down an DO acceptance for MD application. It may not be a smart one but DO and MD schools dont communicate
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As @touchpause13 stated this was in Texas, so it is very likely that MD adcoms could have found out. I know of a physician who served as an adcom member at both a DO school and an MD school at the same time for several years. So, although generally quite unlikely, there are different scenarios where MD schools may find out about acceptances that were turned down in previous cycles. There's also the possibility that the student was dumb enough to say something about turning down prior acceptances during interviews as well.
 
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WillburCobb said:
As @touchpause13 stated this was in Texas, so it is very likely that MD adcoms could have found out. I know of a physician who served as an adcom member at both a DO school and an MD school at the same time for several years. So, although generally quite unlikely, there are different scenarios where MD schools may find out about acceptances that were turned down in previous cycles. There's also the possibility that the student was dumb enough to say something about turning down prior acceptances during interviews as well.
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IC.

Also, when you say no to an acceptance to a do school, is this noted in your aacomas app the next year you apply?
 
First of all, you might be better off talking to actual doctors and asking their opinion, not 19 year old pre-meds who have yet to take the MCAT. If you turn down your acceptance, you will lose a year's worth of attending salary and your chance of ever applying DO again. At that point, you will need to get into an MD school or start applying to McDonalds in your area. So you need to be 100% certain you will get into an MD school.

touchpause13 said:
What do you want to do with your life OP? Is your heart set on academic medicine? If it's not I would take the DO school. check out the Osteopathic forums and look at the match lists that have been posted. Shockingly they aren't completely made up of rural family medicine spots.
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Where are the new matchlists posted?
 
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OP, I know your pain. You probably have a bit of an inferiority complex, where you applied to DO because you resigned yourself (not a commentary on DO schools, but OP's mindset). When you got interviewed and accepted, you suddenly became suspicious of DO schools. "Wait, if I'm good enough to get in, how impressive is this school really?" I know this happened to me for the handful of med school interviews I got this cycle.

However, I planned logically, not emotionally. You should never apply to a school you wouldn't attend if you were accepted. If you did the same before applying, then attend the school. If, however, you disagree fundamentally with the idea of osteopathic medicine, you should definitely hedge your bets. MD or DO, you are following an ideal for the rest of your life. If you don't like the prideful arrogance of DOs, then why would you become one? If you think they are one in the same, then it doesn't matter much, does it?
 
type12 said:
...If you don't like the prideful arrogance of DOs, then why would you become one?
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d3b.gif
 
If I were you, I would be happy with my acceptance at an affordable, highly regarded in-state school and go DO. But I work in a hospital where I know DOs in many specialties including derm, anesthesiology, ob-gyn, plastics, cardiology and orthopedics.

But since you are doubtful enough to post about it ...

If you are also OK with not getting into anywhere next year, go ahead and reapply only MD. Realize that if your plan backfires and you do not get an MD acceptance on the first try, you will have screwed yourself out of the chance to become a DO forever and will have an uphill battle as an MD reapplicant the next year.

I know of a few SDNers who had stats better than yours who did not get in *anywhere* this cycle.

Is it worth the risk? Only you can decide.
 
WillburCobb said:
As @touchpause13 stated this was in Texas, so it is very likely that MD adcoms could have found out. I know of a physician who served as an adcom member at both a DO school and an MD school at the same time for several years. So, although generally quite unlikely, there are different scenarios where MD schools may find out about acceptances that were turned down in previous cycles. There's also the possibility that the student was dumb enough to say something about turning down prior acceptances during interviews as well.
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Yes. Since we use a match system in Texas and our DO school (TCOM) participates in the match, if you decline your acceptance, other schools will certainly know about this. Then your only opportunity would be to go out of state where you would have to explain why you are trying to leave Texas.
 
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WillburCobb said:
(scary image)
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That is a supremely creepy image! I was giving examples of reasons why people don't go into DO school. This particular (and random but real) example was from my friend who was the valedictorian of his graduating med class RWJ. This was one of the reasons he cited that he hated working with DOs: during a joint recruitment event at Georgetown U, where SGU and a DO school presented, the DO rep said, "We're like doctors, but better. There's nothing we can't do that doctors can, but not all doctors can do what we do." I'm guessing this has to do with OMM, but I didn't care enough to ask.

This was in 2010, though, so perhaps the mindset has changed since then. There are millions of reasons not to pick DO school. You can question the validity of each one, but if the OP has doubts, he has doubts.

The example was more for the OP, not an insult to DO schools. DOs are not prideful nor arrogant IMO, at not the ones I know personally. However, perhaps the OP does not like the image/philosophy of DOs. Who knows.
 
type12 said:
That is a supremely creepy image! I was giving examples of reasons why people don't go into DO school. This particular (and random but real) example was from my friend who was the valedictorian of his graduating med class RWJ. This was one of the reasons he cited that he hated working with DOs: during a joint recruitment event at Georgetown U, where SGU and a DO school presented, the DO rep said, "We're like doctors, but better. There's nothing we can't do that doctors can, but not all doctors can do what we do." I'm guessing this has to do with OMM, but I didn't care enough to ask.

This was in 2010, though, so perhaps the mindset has changed since then. There are millions of reasons not to pick DO school. You can question the validity of each one, but if the OP has doubts, he has doubts.

The example was more for the OP, not an insult to DO schools. DOs are not prideful nor arrogant IMO, at not the ones I know personally. However, perhaps the OP does not like the image/philosophy of DOs. Who knows.
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Ah, gotcha. Without this context it came off as a sort of absolute blanket statement.

Edit - About the image. I use the "LOL WUT" pear and its many incarnations a bit too much, so I thought I'd mix things up.
 
Disclaimer: I didn't read all the posts (just a few of them)

It seems you (OP) don't know much about DO schools, match, residency, etc... so why did you apply to them? I can't understand someone who gets a 33MCAT/3.65GPA and only applies DO before even knowing what specialties they can go into as a DO. This seems odd.
 
radkat101 said:
Yes. Since we use a match system in Texas and our DO school (TCOM) participates in the match, if you decline your acceptance other schools will certainly know about this. Then your only opportunity would be to go out of state where you would have to explain why you are trying to leave Texas.
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Okay, thanks for clarifying. Texas is a very different place.
 
WillburCobb said:
Ah, gotcha. Without this context it came off as a sort of absolute blanket statement.

Edit - About the image. I use the "LOL WUT" pear and its many incarnations a bit too much, so I thought I'd mix things up.
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It's kinda mesmerizing. I'm jelly of your Lolwut collection though
 
lalalaaaaaa said:
DO. Your numbers are average at best for md and you might not get in anywhere in which case you would reapply DO the following year and then hopefully get in and be behind 2 years from when you started.
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They're average for a matriculant. So, they'd have a decent shot, provided everything else is in order. But, IMO, this guy still shouldn't defer just to apply to MD, as there is a risk they might not get in. They probably would, but given the choice between admission in hand and risk of nothing, I'd take the admission on any day ending in y.
 
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MedWonk said:
They're average for a matriculant. So, they'd have a decent shot, provided everything else is in order. But, IMO, this guy still shouldn't defer just to apply to MD, as there is a risk they might not get in. They probably would, but given the choice between admission in hand and risk of nothing, I'd take the admission on any day ending in y.
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YEP! A bird in the stork is worth two in the duck or something.
 
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Seeing how admissions are such a crapshoot nowadays, I'd go with the DO acceptance!
 
A bird in hand…

…will fly away if you're a *******.
 
RoyalAgent said:
Hey guys, I have a 33 MCAT and a 3.65 sGPA and a 3.65 cGPA. I applied to only DO schools this year and got into mostly everywhere I applied. I got into a good DO school instate which is 1) cheap 2) has good reputation within the state 3) lots of connections 3) good facilities
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Celebrate! You had a successful year, got into a good school, and your future looks bright. DO isn't nearly as bad as you're making it out to be. In fact, you can see that residencies are as available for DO as for MD. It could be much, much worse: over applied, hoping to get into med schools for MD and heard nothing but rejections. Not only were you successful, but you didn't waste money on applications.

Suggestion: come back next year and again 4 years from now and write about your positive experiences.
 
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