LSU New Orleans vs vcom auburn

[Lettucechop]

I’m having trouble deciding between vcom and LSU.... I respect osteopathic medicine a lot, but I am from Louisiana so it would possibly be cheaper to stay home. I love auburn and vcom a lot though and I already paid my deposit. In addition, taking two board exams worries me,

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[libertyyne]

why are you trying to complicate your life? Go to the MD school.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Lol this isn’t complicated. MD school>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> new crappy DO school

 

[Lettucechop]

Lol this isn’t complicated. MD school>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> new crappy DO school

What’s wrong with do schools? Esp after the merge, that’s have matched into ortho!

 

[libertyyne]

What’s wrong with do schools? Esp after the merge, that’s have matched into ortho!

so has the Caribbean. Doesnt mean that it is the pathway of least problems. The merger will only make it harder for DOs down the road to match considering they are now competing against a larger pool for their residencies that were reserved. Any person who is telling you that going to DO is completely equivalent to going MD is omitting vital information or outright misleading you. Opportunities and outcomes are different for DO vs MD students.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

What’s wrong with do schools? Esp after the merge, that’s have matched into ortho!

Lol you're kidding right?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

"Always choose MD over DO." source: A DO student.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

 

[Lettucechop]

"Always choose MD over DO." source: A DO student.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

Why is that

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Why is that

No OMM means more time to focus on studying, no COMLEX means you only have to take one set of board exams the USMLE (the USMLE is actually a better exam than COMLEX), being an MD means more residency programs are opened to you after graduation, and the possibility of matching into the competitive programs increases exponentially. Some residency programs straight up mention on their websites that they don't accept DOs, and others won't rank any DOs to their programs even after you've spent your money to go to the interview. Just think about those, and tell me would you rather have to jump through more hoops to get to where you wanna be? Medical school by itself is already hard enough there's no need to do this to yourself.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

 

[Lettucechop]

No OMM means more time to focus on studying, no COMLEX means you only have to take one set of board exams the USMLE (the USMLE is actually a better exam than COMLEX), being an MD means more residency programs are opened to you after graduation, and the possibility of matching into the competitive programs increases exponentially. Some residency programs straight up mention on their websites that they don't accept DOs, and others won't rank any DOs to their programs even after you've spent your money to go to the interview. Just think about those, and tell me would you rather have to jump through more hoops to get to where you wanna be? Medical school by itself is already hard enough there's no need to do this to yourself.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

What about the merger?

 

[libertyyne]

What about the merger?

it is a merger of the residency system. It will do squat for DO schools because they were already allowed to apply to ACGME residencies. They will still have to take 2 sets of exams, still face bias, still have lower subspecialty match frequencies and rates. Oh and comparatively less access to research and home residency programs.

 

[Lettucechop]

it is a merger of the residency system. It will do squat for DO schools because they were already allowed to apply to ACGME residencies. They will still have to take 2 sets of exams, still face bias, still have lower subspecialty match frequencies and rates. Oh and comparatively less access to research and home residency programs.

Vcom has a high percent of matching into dermatology, ortho, radiology; and even one or two plastic surgery every year! I don’t know how true that is

 

[DrStephenStrange]

What about the merger?

Before the merger, MDs could only apply to ACGME accredited residency programs, and DOs could apply to both ACGME and AOA programs. After the merger, all AOA programs that succeeded to get accredited will all be ACGME. That means all the residency programs that were once only open to DOs only will now be open to MDs as well, so how does that help DOs other than making things even more competitive?

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

 

[libertyyne]

Vcom has a high percent of matching into dermatology, ortho, radiology; and even one or two plastic surgery every year! I don’t know how true that is

Who says that?

 

[libertyyne]

Here I will make it easy for you which match list is more impressive?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Vcom has a high percent of matching into dermatology, ortho, radiology; and even one or two plastic surgery every year! I don’t know how true that is

No they don’t.... VCOM is extremely PC focused. Not to mention the Auburn campus is complete garbage. VCOM-Auburn is not the same as VCOM-VA

 

[deleted915325]

Here I will make it easy for you which match list is more impressive?
View attachment 246008
View attachment 246010

Is vcom school B? If it is, they don’t seem to PC focused. If it’s school A then yeah they are PC focused

 

[libertyyne]

Is vcom school B? If it is, they don’t seem to PC focused. If it’s school B then yeah they are PC focused

Wait, What? If it is school B they dont seem PC focused, if it is school B they are PC focused?

 

[Stagg737]

Is vcom school B? If it is, they don’t seem to PC focused. If it’s school B then yeah they are PC focused

Lol, School B is definitely the MD school.

Vcom has a high percent of matching into dermatology, ortho, radiology; and even one or two plastic surgery every year! I don’t know how true that is

No they don't. Almost no DO school does, and those numbers will decrease after the merger. There's nothing wrong with going to a DO school, pretty much all of them will give you the tools needed to become a doctor (although I'd definitely recommend avoiding a couple of them). The problem is you will be significantly limiting your options down the road both in terms of field and program you can get into. I'm saying this as a DO resident who originally wanted to do ortho.

 

[deleted915325]

Wait, What? If it is school B they dont seem PC focused, if it is school B they are PC focused?

Yeah that was a typo. Was supposed to say “If VCOM is school B they aren’t PC focused, if it is school A, they are PC focused.” My bad

 

[Lettucechop]

Lol, School B is definitely the MD school.



No they don't. Almost no DO school does, and those numbers will decrease after the merger. There's nothing wrong with going to a DO school, pretty much all of them will give you the tools needed to become a doctor (although I'd definitely recommend avoiding a couple of them). The problem is you will be significantly limiting your options down the road both in terms of field and program you can get into. I'm saying this as a DO resident who originally wanted to do ortho.

So what did you get into instead of ortho?

 

[Stagg737]

So what did you get into instead of ortho?

I didn't apply to ortho, I matched into psych which was my top choice. ACGME ortho is nearly impossible for DOs to match into and that won't change with the merger.

 

[Lettucechop]

I didn't apply to ortho, I matched into psych which was my top choice. ACGME ortho is nearly impossible for DOs to match into and that won't change with the merger.

How about my chances with radiology, esp interventional ?

 

[Lettucechop]

I didn't apply to ortho, I matched into psych which was my top choice. ACGME ortho is nearly impossible for DOs to match into and that won't change with the merger.

Also how was taking two board exams?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

How about my chances with radiology, esp interventional ?

Lol interventional was the most competitive match last year.... for MDs or DOs. It was a blood bath.

Also how was taking two board exams?

Stop asking questions like you are still toying with the idea.. go to LSU.

 

[el_duderino]

Going to vcom over LSU would be phenomenally foolish.

 

[Lettucechop]

Going to vcom over LSU would be phenomenally foolish.

Wow y’all rwalky have hate toward DOs... it’s freaking the same thing, except you take two boards

 

[DrStephenStrange]

You come here asking for advice, and they give it you. You don't like it, then you do you. No one is forcing you to do anything. Whatever choice you make, learn to live with its consequences. Just remember that most of us telling you these are DOs or DO students, but who knows you might know better.

Good luck.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Wow y’all rwalky have hate toward DOs... it’s freaking the same thing, except you take two boards

Lol I am a DO student... you are simply wrong.

 

[Lettucechop]

You come here asking for advice, and they give it you. You don't like it, then you do you. No one is forcing you to do anything. Whatever choice you make, learn to live with its consequences. Just remember that most of us telling you these are DOs or DO students, but who knows you might know better.

Good luck.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

Thanks for the advice

 

[xiaomeimei6]

How about my chances with radiology, esp interventional ?

LSU has an IR residency, and their radiology program tends to take MD med students. Also, taking two sets of boards is expensive. You’ll get annoyed studying for OMM for COMLEX.

 

[el_duderino]

Wow y’all rwalky have hate toward DOs... it’s freaking the same thing, except you take two boards

There's no hate towards DOs. By choosing DO over a good US MD school, you are needlessly throwing away significant and even quantifiable career opportunities and subjecting yourself to double the board exams (and twice the expense). It would be a very poor decision for your career. Ask someone who took Step 2 CS if they want to do it a second time.

Make the bad decision if you want to. Someone with better judgment would be happy to have the spot at LSU.

 

[puahate]

go to LSU.

 

[PickleRickelus]

I agree with what everyone said already but just want to add one thing if there's even a slight bit of reservation since you brought it up.

Forget the deposit! It's just a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things anyway. Taking two sets of boards will be significantly more expensive in and of itself.

Do yourself a favor and go to LSU.

 

[el_duderino]

Just to be clear, DO schools seem to do just fine educating physicians. People who graduate DO schools make good physicians. But I generally can't recommend a DO school over an MD one except in certain circumstances (serious family/location issues, full scholarship, questionable MD program) due to the worse career opportunities and generally inferior access to clinical rotations.

 

[PickleRickelus]

Just to be clear, DO schools seem to do just fine educating physicians. People who graduate DO schools make good physicians. But I generally can't recommend a DO school over an MD one except in certain circumstances (serious family/location issues, full scholarship, questionable MD program) due to the worse career opportunities and generally inferior access to clinical rotations.

Do you at the top of your head know which are questionable MD programs? I was under the impression that their all held to strict accreditation standards.

 

[el_duderino]

Do you at the top of your head know which are questionable MD programs? I was under the impression that their all held to strict accreditation standards.

Not off the top of my head, but you hear things about suspended accreditations, probation, cheating scandals, etc. Also, brand new schools could be considered questionable.

 

[Lettucechop]

There's no hate towards DOs. By choosing DO over a good US MD school, you are needlessly throwing away significant and even quantifiable career opportunities and subjecting yourself to double the board exams (and twice the expense). It would be a very poor decision for your career. Ask someone who took Step 2 CS if they want to do it a second time.

Make the bad decision if you want to. Someone with better judgment would be happy to have the spot at LSU.

Thank you

 

[Stagg737]

How about my chances with radiology, esp interventional ?

Fine for rads, poor for IR. If you go DO you can essentially count yourself out of Neurosurg, ortho, derm, plastics, ENT, and IR. Is it possible to get in to those fields? Sure, but you have to be better than the best MD students, which only 1-2 DO students accomplish most years. Sometimes people make strong contacts at a single program or know people and are able to get in, but they still have to be very strong applicants.

Also how was taking two board exams?

I only took Level 1. I was able to get away with it because I applied to a field which doesn't really care about board scores that much and had a very strong MSPE and LORs. Even with that I had programs straight up tell me not to apply because I didn't have a Step score. By the time you take it one would be very stupid to not take Step 1 as the landscape of the match is significantly changing. Most people who take both don't even bother studying for Level 1 and just study for Step. No on cares about Level 1 scores anyway other than AOA programs which won't exist anymore in the next year or two.

Either way, as a DO who chose to attend a DO school over MD schools I would 100% advise you to go to to the MD school 99.999999% of the time. The only exceptions are if planets align for the DO school in terms of "real life requirements", and I can almost guarantee that will not be true for you.

Do you at the top of your head know which are questionable MD programs? I was under the impression that their all held to strict accreditation standards.

I know a few, but most of it you have to figure out through the grapevine or be familiar with the school itself. I'd also be careful about just looking at probation status. Emory was on probation when I applied the first time, but apparently it was because there wasn't enough study space for med students. So nothing to do with the education or outcomes. Also, accreditation standards go far beyond just clinical rotations or match outcomes, they also have to do with facilities, who is on staff, research funding available, etc. Some of which is relevant when considering a school, some will be relevant to only some students, some will be completely irrelevant to students. Ymmv

 

[Goro]

Going to vcom over LSU would be phenomenally foolish.

This, 100000%

OP, I'm on Faculty at a DO school, I love my students, and I found my niche in life by teaching here. But the advice you getting here is both from DO students, not just me, and we're ALL not making the news, just reporting it.

Your professional chances in life are better by going to LSU. More doors won't be shut to you simply by being an MD.

Going to VCOM means that the odds are 50% you'll be end up in Primary Care, and if not that, most likely PM&R, EM, Rads, Gas, Path, Psych or Neuro. Gen Surg might be doable, but will take extra effort.

/thread

 

[Lettucechop]

This, 100000%

OP, I'm on Faculty at a DO school, I love my students, and I found my niche in life by teaching here. But the advice you getting here is both from DO students, not just me, and we're ALL not making the news, just reporting it.

Your professional chances in life are better by going to LSU. More doors won't be shut to you simply by being an MD.

Going to VCOM means that the odds are 50% you'll be end up in Primary Care, and if not that, most likely PM&R, EM, Rads, Gas, Path, Psych or Neuro. Gen Surg might be doable, but will take extra effort.

/thread

So rads are possible ?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

So rads are possible ?

You are clearly looking for validation. You aren’t going to get it here. It would be the biggest mistake of your career to choose VCOM over LSU. It’s not just MD v DO here, VCOM-Auburn is simply not a good school. There is zero upside to choosing it over LSU. None.

 

[Lettucechop]

You are clearly looking for validation. You aren’t going to get it here. It would be the biggest mistake of your career to choose VCOM over LSU. It’s not just MD v DO here, VCOM-Auburn is simply not a good school. There is zero upside to choosing it over LSU. None.

I’m deff choosing MD over DO

 

[libertyyne]

So rads are possible ?

anything is possible.

Running a marathon is a difficult task, Running a marathon with a backpack with 100lbs of lead is a more difficult task.

 

[Goro]

So rads are possible ?

Diagnostic Rads, yeah.

IR? Not likely.