Need advice

[relite]

I wanted to goto osteopathic school, but I don't think I have the grades. I had a 2.9 in undergrad, and a PB of 3.2,.MCAT 8,9,10: so I applied to podiatry schools. I have interviews at all 6 schools and have interviewed at 2. But It makes me nausious to think of going to podiatry school. PS,I have a gpa of 3.02 now. Also, The University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences-College of Osteopathic medicine and Surgery has a podiatry school. I got an interview at the podiatry school. Should I try to get in there and than Apply to the osteopathic school the following year? I would appreciate any advice.

[This message has been edited by relite (edited April 25, 1999).]

[This message has been edited by relite (edited April 25, 1999).]

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[Henry]

Actually your MCAT score is good. Are you willing to take more Post-Bac courses to improve your GPA? Your current overall GPA is not bad but it is about on the border line.

My suggestion is take some advance biological science courses, such as immmunology, biochem, medical micro, neuroscience, neuroanatomy, endocrinology, etc. If you can raise your GPA to 3.3, your chances will be greater.

However, I hope you will reconsider carefully because right now you have a career waiting for you as a podiatrist.

Good luck

 

[fishdoc]

relite;

If I were you I would really research the Podiatry profession. I was the same as you, I didn't think I had the grades for DO so I considered Podiatry, but after talking to several Podiatrists and researching the profession. I found out the future of the podiatrist is on shakey grounds, as well as becoming overpopulated. (remember a general practice Doc. can do the same thing as most podiatrists). All the Podiatry schools will tell you just the opposite, I think they are hurting for students, I wouldn't be supprised if you got accepted at all of them. Most importantly, if you want to be a DO, you will be miserable as a Podiatarist. I only have a 3.2 GPA and a 26 MCAT and I got accepted into 5 DO schools. So you never know!!

 

[Doreen]

Relite,
I agree with fishdoc, research the podiatric profession by asking current podiatrists, not the podiatric schools.
I was going to do the same as you and attend podiatry school right after graduating from college until I got accepted into a D.O. school, but I decided not to waste my money getting a loan for a school that I had no intention of completing. Since it's too late for you to apply for this entering year, take a few more science courses at a public university (possibly during the summer) and apply to the D.O. schools as soon as possible. Good Luck!

 

[VM]

relite, Don't go into podiatry since you don't really want to go into it. In order to be successful in podiatry these days you would have to become a podiatric surgeon. This requires extra years of residency (2-4). And these residencies are competetive. Otherwise, its common foot problems like corns, callouses, plantars warts and fascitis that you will deal with. Family practice docs can also deal with some of these problems, and orthopedists that specialize in the foot and ankle take care of many of the more complicated problems. Managed care has made podiatry a less desirable profession to be in, and income levels have dropped ( I have been told ). Raise your GPA, and try applying to medical school again. You must go after what you really want, and not to settle. If it doesn't work out again then you should probably use a backup plan. Consider going to a good foreign medical school (but, look into it carefully), or become a physician assistant or something that will make you happy.

 

[scoren]

Relite,

A person here with the username 'G Mangle' graduated from the UOMHS podiatry program, and will be starting the DO program (at UOMHS) this fall. I think they might be a good person to talk to about podiatry, and the decision to pursue osteopathic medicine.

Scott

 

[georgia]

relite

i am in sort of the same boat as you, but im farther in deep. i always thought that my grades as well were inferior, so i chose not to apply to do or md school and decided to go to chiropractic school. what a big mistake.

im now stuck in a school where i am unhappy, and im really not sure of what to do. ive almost finished my first year.

my advice is to talk to some older doctors. im not sure if new doctors will give you straight up answers because of course they will say that it is a great profession, because they just started. hopefully though, most docs will be honest with you.

i went to chiro school, mostly because i just wanted to start right away. i should have done post-bacc like you did and waited a year and applied to probably DO school.

really research podiatry, because i thought that i had done research on chiropractic-
visited a few doctors, and talked to the schools, but you might want to dig a little deeper.

hope this helps

ga

 

[Diane E]

Your scores and grades are fine to apply to some DO schools. Apply early June 1st. Get some good experience with a DO or a DO state organization (you can find one by looking at http://www.aoa-net.org ). Talk to your pre-med committee take some post-bac courses ones's that show medical skills i.e. Biochem and apply this June. You need a premedical committee letter so get moving. Remember you CAN do anything you set your mind to do. If you want it bad enough you WILL get in, persistance and dedication does show! If you need futher advice feel free to e.mail me directly.
Best of Luck

Diane

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[InNY]

This message is to relite(and to all those future doctors out there!!We WILL make it if we want it enough):
I couldn't help wanting to say something to you, especially since I am kind of in the same boat right now. I am currently in my third year of college, studying for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy, a wonderful field full of hope, promise, and advances in the future. I love it, I honestly do. But, I love medicine more. I've wanted to be a doctor forever-when the other kids were playing house and with their dolls, I, an early budding feminist, used to pretend to make everyone feel better when they were sick. Freshman year of college, the hard year for all of us-it wasn't that I wasn't a studier, I just didn't know HOW to study on a college level-I got a 3.054 first semester, and a 2.7 second semester. That summer, I panicked, and said to myself"I'll never get into med school with these grades. I'm never going to amount to anything." I did volunteer work in a hospital, liked O.T., and also realisticially realized I had a good shot of getting into the program because they only required a 2.5 and I had a 2.9. So, that year, I stocked up on the rest of my prereqs( had already taken Biology, Chemistry, Calc,English, and some Humanities and Psych courses freshman year), including Physics, Anatomy and Physiology, Abnormal and Developmental Psych,Sociology, and Statistics, and it was a HELL year! But, I was lucky enough to get into a great program in a great school. I left Binghamton University that year with a cumulative GPA of around 2.98, happy to have a future, but anguished at the fact I had talked myself out of med school. Well, I'm here now a year, doing great in all my courses-I've gotten my GPA to about a 3.5, and still climbing, and more than that, a renewed sense of hope. I LOVE O.T. and I am thankful for the chance I got, but like I said, I love medicine more.We live only once, and we should never have to compromise what we love and want because of a lack of self-confidence. When I read you said you felt nauseated at the thought of going to Podiatry School, my heart went out to you, and here's my advice to you-DON'T GO!!! You're going to go, graduate, waste 3 or so years, and hate what you do and regret all that hard work and 3 years of your life you could have been doing something you loved. It's going to take me a little longer too to get into med school, but you know what, as I wait to get there, I'll be involving myself in things I love, like volunteering in my spare time in a medical setting, dreaming about how one day it'll all pay off and I'll be standing there one day a doctor, saying the same thing to a kid who'll be in the same shoes I was in. Believe in yourself and your abilities. It took me a year to get that hope back, but I am glad I got it back. It's not just about grades, it's about committment and perserverance. If you have to apply 5 times before you get in, do it, if medicine really means that much to you.And better than that, it's not just medicine, it's medicine with the osteopathic touch, a touch of humanity! Good luck fellow D.O. student of the future. I'll see you there-we'll both be there, I can bet on it!

 

[VM]

I hope that some of you aren't giving people a false sense that it is EASY to get into DO school, because it is NOT. It is about as hard to get into a DO medical school as it was to get into an MD program in the 80's or even a little harder. 3.0s are not going to cut the mustard unless there has been sharp improvement. And it depends on YOUR situation, and life experience. I wish you the best of luck, but it is not EASY to get in. If MCATS are higher, then GPAs can be a little lower, and vice versa. Don't kid yourself into thinking that its as easy getting into DO school as it is chiropractic (they'll take anyone breathing), podiatry, or even dentistry. The latter 2 have around a 50% acceptance rate! Raise the GPA and/or MCATs.

 

[G Mangle]

It is very easy to give information that may be misleading or harmful to individuals. We should all be very careful as to what we suggest and how we suggest things. None of us are yet experts but have merely crossed the threshold of the osteopathic profession.

It is always good to be realistic of course, but for the man, "who says he can," little is not possible. Relite, I will not be so vain as to say any of the aforementioned suggestions are incorrect but it all boils down to what it is that you want. You see, if you are not happy with your decision and truly dedicated to that which you call your avocation, then success may escape you. You must find for yourself what it is you will be willing to give nine tenths of your time , nearly $200,00 of your hard earned dollars and all of your HEART. If you are entering any profession for any reason other than a passion and love for what you will be ultimately required to do in that profession then you do yourself a disservice and those whom you will serve an even greater deed of deciet.

Podiatry is alive and well. It is not washed up as many would believe. The profession is facing major crisis in metropolitan and high population areas where DPMs are "a dime a dozen." I have found myself limited and not satisified in the rural community in which I serve because people simply need more help than I am allowed by law to give. This is very disappointing. To be successful in Podiatry you must immediately recognize the limitations you face and the stigmatic burden imparted you by those who don't know the ins and outs of podiatry.

Finally, it must be understood that we do a great disservice to medicine as a whole when we belittle other professions. These, such as denistry and podiatry, are our allies in the battle to make lives more enjoyable and productive. When we in any form begin to put ourselves above anyone else because of the "numbers", we break the bonds that ultimately bind us together as "THOSE WHO PRACTICE THE HEALING ARTS." Just as no man can stand alone as an island to himself, neither can any of the many branches of the medical team.

God Bless
G

P.S. Relite please feel free to E-mail me and I will help all that I can in your decision.

 

[DOGBOY]

Good advice Henry, to pursue a career that will make them nauseus.

You may wonder why I say most people view DO school as a backup? Just read your responses. " Your grades are good enough for DO school." " I have a 2.98 GPA and will be applying to DO school." Ithink people make my point for me. There has to be more stringent criteria besides life experience to be accepted to medical school. Anyone who is a hard worker can be a medical tech, OT, whatever and get lots of patient contact. To me that doesn't qualify you to be a physician. When I hear people say I never thought I could go into medicine because my grades weren't good enough and then they say I found out about osteopathic medicine and now I have a renewed determination, that disturbs me because it fosters discrimination.

Go ahead and ignite the fire to the stake you have all just tied me to but think about this and review what other posters have said and try to tell me I am wrong. I am not interested in hearing mumbo jumbo from you Henry.

 

[VM]

DOGBOY, I see your point entirely, here. You see this cr#p all the time saying, I have a 2.5, didn't think I could go into medicine, and then I discovered osteopathic medicine. It makes DOs seem like a bunch of MD rejects. Come on, the 2.5 to 3.0 student that gets into DO school is the EXCEPTION. Also these students probably were people that did bad early in college, but have good GPAs like 3.25 or 3.5 or higher since, like OLD MAN DAVE (and great medical experience). In other words, their GPAs have steadily went up, showing their real potential. C Mangle, I did not imply any disrespect about chiropractors, dentists, or podiatrists. I just stated the facts. It IS easier to get into those fields than getting into MD or DO schools. On another subject, it seems like a lot of health professionals are doctor wannabes. I see dentists that say they could've been doctors, but they didn't want to work all the time. They say, well I took classes with the doctors at my dental school. What about clinical rotations, didn't do that did you? I see nurses, PTs, etc. saying they just didn't want to spend the time and money, but they COULD've been doctors if the WANTED to. Give me a break. I get sick of it, because they have no idea how damn hard it is to get in. I have spent thousands of dollars, and have reached the end of my rope in the application process. On my second try, I finally got into medical school. I say to them, how do you KNOW you would have gotten into medical school anyway. Of course most health professionals wanted to do what they do, and are not doctor wannabes. I am not saying that they all are. I respect their professions. They have a great place in the health care field. So I say, respect your own profession, and quit comparing yourself to doctors. Relite, I believe you need to go after what you want in life. I was told by my first advisor not to bother applying to medical school, and he was wrong. But, YOU are the only person that can realistically assess whether you want to be a physician, and whether you have the fortitude to get in. It is a grueling, self-esteem reducing process (unless you're God's gift to medicine, which you aren't considered with your current numbers). I do wish you the best of luck. Henry, you should have become a detective not a DO because you need to find a clue.

[This message has been edited by VM (edited April 27, 1999).]

[This message has been edited by VM (edited April 27, 1999).]

[This message has been edited by VM (edited April 27, 1999).]

 

[Henry]

VM

Just what kind of a clue do I need?

 

[sean]

Henry
How about the clue that would have stopped you advising Relite to become a podiatrist when she clearly states the idea makes her "nuasious."
Relite
All I can say is that you follow your passion. Don't spend the rest of your life saying "I could have done that." If the chance of getting in to med-school is worth it to you, then do what you can to make it happen. From my perspective, I would rather try and not succeed, than not try and wonder if I could have made it. Sean

 

[InNY]

I am not attacking anyone, especially those of you who have been through the application process, and know much more than me. But I do need to stand my ground. I DO believe it is hard to get into D.O. school,and I know for a fact it is, I've had friends apply and get rejected, and they had stellar grades,MCATS, and all the rest of the mumbo jumbo. I DO believe though, that if you have semi-semi grades(doable though, like 3.0+) and a passion, and you not only show it to others,but to yourself, you CAN get in to med school. I want DO in particular because OT is a wholistic field, and I've gained an appreciation for the wholistic aspect of practicing medicine, and YES, I do believe that as a hard-worker, that is enough for me to get into med school and be a good physician.I've known all my life I want to be a doctor, and aside from my passion and life experience, I also believe myself to be fairly intelligent, enough to get through med school and be a good doctor.
Like I said, it's not an attack, it's just to stand my ground.Relite deserves to hear from another person out there that there is hope, and it has to come from within yourself, beccause if you don't believe in yourself, then no one else will, and the acceptance committee sure as hell won't either.
So, for those of you who don't know me, now you know my story and the real reasons why I want osteopathy.It's not about grades and MCATS, it is about my belief in my abilities as well as the things I've learned in life about people and healthcare, and this is so to reiterate that I know DO schools won't accept you anymore just because you couldn't get into MD school, but because you knew and care about the difference between the two.

 

[adri]

relite,
i would suggest applying to DO schools next year. why would you waste money and tIME(the most valuable thing) on pursuing something that makes you unhappy? i applied to DO schools my senior year and never got an interview. two years later, i improved my mcat(from 17 to 22) and everything else stayed the same(gpa3.6, no extra volunteer work other than that in college). i know they take into account your life expereinces and your desire to get in. age has a lot to do with it also. i am 24 now, more secure in myself and sure of what i want. i am not saying it is easy to get in...but if that's what you want by all means ...go work for a year...travel...do something that will stand out on your application next year..
the last thing i would do if i were you is podiatry! i know that some schools will nokt accept applicants in the middle of a master's program or phD program so be careful if you plan to go into a program and want to apply next year!They would rather you finish the program before you apply. i hope this helps...if you would like to email me please do.
good luck,
adriana

 

[DOGBOY]

Adriana,

Did you get into school this year. If so which one?

 

[adri]

dogboy,
yes i got into two schools so far lecom and westernu...i haven't heard from nycom...but i've chosen westernu.i am pretty disappointed in the admin. at nycom...i interviewed in february and they still refuse to give me an answer. anyway, have you made it in yet? if so where.
adriana