DO vs Post Bacc for Orthopaedics

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Cakesdiesel

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Hey guys,

My spplication process isnt going so well and I thought I look to here for some advice. I have been reject from all my MD schools exept UCF (and still waiting). I currently have been accepted to LECOM Erie and am still waiting for an interview from PCOM. However, I have a strong interest in the field of Orthopaedics and the field is dominated by MDs. WOuld you recommend that I continue to pursue orthopaedics though an osteopathic school or do you think I should try the post bacc waters? If I go to a DO school I would be looking for a MD residency. My GPA is a 3.2 and and took the MCAT 2x (P11,V8,B8 M & P7, V6, B8 M) and I am currently a Notre Dame student. Any advice would be great.

-Cakes
 
There are plenty of AOA ortho residencies for DOs. I'll let you decide whether that is good for you or not.
 
Wow, this thread is worthless. 1. Post-Baccs are for people with strong MCATs and low GPAs. You have an ehh GPA with an alright first MCAT and a horrible second MCAT (how did you go from an 11 in PS to a 7 in PS? Am I reading this right?) You're not getting into Allo schools with either score. 2. Delaying medical school based on a specialty you will either a. change your mind about and not want to go into or b. not have the stats to go into at all, is beyond inane. 3. DOs have a full set of AOA Ortho residencies, and match alright into ACGME world. However, it's competitive, so you'd have to be a rockstar. I'd look at LECOM-E's matchlist, I'm sure they have ortho matches on there. I'd take the acceptance and run, because unless you take the MCAT and break 30 and do well in post bacc, I really don't think you'll have any new luck next year.
 
I applied MD, didn't get in and had no interviews. Decided to do a post bac program and apply to DO schools. This fall got nine interviews to DO schools and now I totally regret doing a post bac. I'm down about 60k before I start medical school. If money is a big deal for you then go to LECOM or PCOM. I got into both and liked both of them more than MD school Im at now. Either way you'll be working you ass off, why not start now and save the money and year or two of your life? And having to retake the MCAT a third time sounds terrible. If the MD behind your name is really important than go to the post bacc. I am interested in pediatrics, but I chose a DO school that would allow me to specialize if I change my mind later. Some of the good DO schools have like 60-70% of their students specialize and PCOM is one of them. I hope this helps. I wish I was starting medical school now instead of being unmotivated in a expensive post bacc program to get into a mediocre MD school.
 
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JaggerPlate said:
Wow, this thread is worthless. 1. Post-Baccs are for people with strong MCATs and low GPAs. You have an ehh GPA with an alright first MCAT and a horrible second MCAT (how did you go from an 11 in PS to a 7 in PS? Am I reading this right?) You're not getting into Allo schools with either score. 2. Delaying medical school based on a specialty you will either a. change your mind about and not want to go into or b. not have the stats to go into at all, is beyond inane. 3. DOs have a full set of AOA Ortho residencies, and match alright into ACGME world. However, it's competitive, so you'd have to be a rockstar. I'd look at LECOM-E's matchlist, I'm sure they have ortho matches on there. I'd take the acceptance and run, because unless you take the MCAT and break 30 and do well in post bacc, I really don't think you'll have any new luck next year.
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Hey man....don't be so hard on the guy. He has legitimate points. It will be harder for him to get an ortho residency out of a DO school.
 
Cakesdiesel said:
Hey guys,

My spplication process isnt going so well and I thought I look to here for some advice. I have been reject from all my MD schools exept UCF (and still waiting). I currently have been accepted to LECOM Erie and am still waiting for an interview from PCOM. However, I have a strong interest in the field of Orthopaedics and the field is dominated by MDs. WOuld you recommend that I continue to pursue orthopaedics though an osteopathic school or do you think I should try the post bacc waters? If I go to a DO school I would be looking for a MD residency. My GPA is a 3.2 and and took the MCAT 2x (P11,V8,B8 M & P7, V6, B8 M) and I am currently a Notre Dame student. Any advice would be great.

-Cakes
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Question better asked on the osteo forum...not pre-med

best of luck
 
IMDoc607 said:
Hey man....don't be so hard on the guy. He has legitimate points. It will be harder for him to get an ortho residency out of a DO school.[/QUO
Jeager u were a little harsh on the guy. I mean even in the ortho forumn there's a whole sticky related to do matching ortho. To the op. Yes it is more difficult as there are few spots for aoa ortho. However it is not impossible. If you look at lecoms and pcoms you will see a handfull of ortho matches and few who matched md ortho. Its hard but doable. As for your reasoning to do only md residencies now that's not smart. Especially since u would take a big risk by skipping the do match to do it. The aoa programs are good and pcom even has there own. Don't cut off your options apply to both and if u have the scores lors and grades ull b fine. Take either acceptance and run. Both schools will get u to ortho but u have to put in the work. Gl
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Cakesdiesel said:
Hey guys,

My spplication process isnt going so well and I thought I look to here for some advice. I have been reject from all my MD schools exept UCF (and still waiting). I currently have been accepted to LECOM Erie and am still waiting for an interview from PCOM. However, I have a strong interest in the field of Orthopaedics and the field is dominated by MDs. WOuld you recommend that I continue to pursue orthopaedics though an osteopathic school or do you think I should try the post bacc waters? If I go to a DO school I would be looking for a MD residency. My GPA is a 3.2 and and took the MCAT 2x (P11,V8,B8 M & P7, V6, B8 M) and I am currently a Notre Dame student. Any advice would be great.

-Cakes
Click to expand...


You've been accepted to a medical school, so go there, work hard and go for ortho. As stated, there are osteopathic ortho programs you can apply to, in addition to the MD world.

If you do the post-bacc, you are still a maybe, at best. You have a sure thing right now with an acceptance, so take it and run. If you really love ortho that much, get involved in the Ortho Club at school and try to get some research, which always helps, esp with allo

Oh, and no one cares if you're a DO. There are actually a lot of DO's who are orthopods. Also, why so hard-pressed about the MD residency? The ortho programs are all pretty good.
 
Listen, people can hark on me all they want for being 'hard' on the guy ... but let's check some facts here:

Him:
-pre-medical
-only has 2 posts, both of which are identical and were used to create cross threads (which are against TOS)
-his only question regarding this situation is HOW DO I GET ORTHO, not ... should I go DO or do a post bacc and try MD if I think I may want to specialize in the future

Me:
-Asinine
-You'll change your mind in medical school, go into it with your options open, do the best you can, but don't be shocked if you don't want to go into ortho or don't have the grades of it coming out of MD or DO
-post baccs are for people with high MCATs and low GPA. You have a 3.2 (lowish) and your most recent MCAT is a 21 ... you are not the ideal candidate for a post bacc, nor do I think one would increase your chances at an MD school next year without retaking and breaking 30.
-Go to the DO school.

I'm really sorry I'm out of hugs today ... I gave my last one to a bum on the corner on the way home from the gym.
 
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Jaggerplate, your posts are money. I definitely agree with what you said.

OP, take the DO acceptance and run (PCOM has really good residency programs, and they only take DO's. Don't rule DO residencies out until you have experience with some of the programs).
 
Jagger..
relax.. take a break and regain some composure. I think Nonsciencemajor pissed you off big time and now your displacing some of that anger onto others.

While yes, asking for entrance into a road specialty at the pre-med level is rather pointless. Its a question that we all are interested in, everyone(most ppl) want to get into a road specialty and make it big and rake in dough. No harm in saying simply you'll have a chance to get in.

However in statistical sense, ortho has a 15% acceptance rate for all people. But i really think that being a pre-med you should decide what specialty you want in your 3rd and 4th year after doing clerkships.

Good luck, score high on the Comlex & Usmle and you'll have a chance.
 
serenade said:
Jagger..
relax.. take a break and regain some composure. I think Nonsciencemajor pissed you off big time and now your displacing some of that anger onto others.

While yes, asking for entrance into a road specialty at the pre-med level is rather pointless. Its a question that we all are interested in, everyone(most ppl) want to get into a road specialty and make it big and rake in dough. No harm in saying simply you'll have a chance to get in.

However in statistical sense, ortho has a 15% acceptance rate for all people. But i really think that being a pre-med you should decide what specialty you want in your 3rd and 4th year after doing clerkships.

Good luck, score high on the Comlex & Usmle and you'll have a chance.
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Where in the heck did you get this number? I think you're very low. Take a look at this site: http://residency.wustl.edu/medadmin...fb92f0baaff885cb86256f8f0073c5bc?OpenDocument

In the past four years 82%, 84%, 82%, and 84% of US seniors that tried for ortho matched. This is really competitive, but only 15% matching? Even though the this is ACGME data, I don't believe the AOA residencies are going to be that different. The reality is that even for most competitive residencies most people match, it's when you get like 20% not matching that people start calling them super competitive. Very few would be shooting for ortho if only 15% matched, shoot, that's less than 2 of every 10 applicants, that can't be right.

And I think you're off assuming everyone, or even most, want a ROAD specialty. Pre-med dreams maybe, the reality, I don't think so.
 
JaggerPlate said:
Listen, people can hark on me all they want for being 'hard' on the guy ... but let's check some facts here:

Him:
-pre-medical
-only has 2 posts, both of which are identical and were used to create cross threads (which are against TOS)
-his only question regarding this situation is HOW DO I GET ORTHO, not ... should I go DO or do a post bacc and try MD if I think I may want to specialize in the future

Me:
-Asinine
-You'll change your mind in medical school, go into it with your options open, do the best you can, but don't be shocked if you don't want to go into ortho or don't have the grades of it coming out of MD or DO
-post baccs are for people with high MCATs and low GPA. You have a 3.2 (lowish) and your most recent MCAT is a 21 ... you are not the ideal candidate for a post bacc, nor do I think one would increase your chances at an MD school next year without retaking and breaking 30.
-Go to the DO school.

I'm really sorry I'm out of hugs today ... I gave my last one to a bum on the corner on the way home from the gym.
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dude u need to relax a bit. The fact is the guy was not properly informed and he came into the forumn with some questions and concerns. There's nothing wrong with us politely educating him. U could have been nicer but u took it as he offended u which he did not. As for bieng pre med and wanting a competetive specialty what's wrong with that. Nothing sometimes people want to do these specialties for other reasons as well. No need to be mean about it. He will probobly change his specialty a hundred times yes but who doesn't. There's nothing wrong with knowing your chances man. Its ok were all on the same team. We can all be nice to eachother cause that's the cool thing to do instead of bieng smart on an internet forumn.
 
stonewall22 said:
Where in the heck did you get this number? I think you're very low. Take a look at this site: http://residency.wustl.edu/medadmin...fb92f0baaff885cb86256f8f0073c5bc?OpenDocument

In the past four years 82%, 84%, 82%, and 84% of US seniors that tried for ortho matched. This is really competitive, but only 15% matching? Even though the this is ACGME data, I don't believe the AOA residencies are going to be that different. The reality is that even for most competitive residencies most people match, it's when you get like 20% not matching that people start calling them super competitive. Very few would be shooting for ortho if only 15% matched, shoot, that's less than 2 of every 10 applicants, that can't be right.

And I think you're off assuming everyone, or even most, want a ROAD specialty. Pre-med dreams maybe, the reality, I don't think so.
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Hmm.. I must have heard faulty data then.. so either theres some sort of pre-screening prior to applying then yes im totally off.
And im going to safely assume that most people want a road specialty/high paying one.
 
Cakesdiesel said:
Hey guys,

My spplication process isnt going so well and I thought I look to here for some advice. I have been reject from all my MD schools exept UCF (and still waiting). I currently have been accepted to LECOM Erie and am still waiting for an interview from PCOM. However, I have a strong interest in the field of Orthopaedics and the field is dominated by MDs. WOuld you recommend that I continue to pursue orthopaedics though an osteopathic school or do you think I should try the post bacc waters? If I go to a DO school I would be looking for a MD residency. My GPA is a 3.2 and and took the MCAT 2x (P11,V8,B8 M & P7, V6, B8 M) and I am currently a Notre Dame student. Any advice would be great.

-Cakes
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In case you guys don't know there are plenty of DO orthopedic surgeons out there and DO ortho residencies. Plus if you are already accepted to LECOM- Erie you are golden. Millcreek hospital in Erie (the hospital that started LECOM) has its own orthopedic residency. Besides there is no correlation between post bacc and where you go in residency anyway.

Good luck, Lecom class 2006
 
Yeah dude, give up an ACCEPTANCE to medical school to do MORE undergrad work!...


I'm pretty sure you just eliminated any ROAD specialty with that thought process. Have fun in peds! (no offense to peds)
 
I first would like to thank the several people on here who did give me some sound advice. Second, yes Jagged you read it right, i went from 11 to 7 in PS, I ask the same thing, i guess it just wasnt my day. Also, yes your right, I only have 2 posts and I did duplicate the post on the DO forum, i thought the current med school kids might have some good insight to this too. I dont see what the big deal is. and yes my GPA is a bit low but I also go to prob one of the top reputable pre med schools so apply that how you want to my GPA o BTW thats my science GPA for the acomas i think. As for the Ortho intrest, my dad's an ortho, I've grown up around it and come to love it. Also im an athlete and so between my intrests and the field of medicine, this is how I think I can help people best. I never said that I wasnt going to keep an open mind. I worked in several medical and seen manydiffient fields so far and still sticks out. but your 100% RIGHT there is a long way to go and many things could change. as for the MD residency thats just the advice that ive gotten from other orthos (but they are MDs in the "MD Boys club") Just want you guys to know where im coming from....keep the advice coming and the put downs to a minum (I just have to talk to one of the ND clowns is is upset they didnt get into harvard med or Duke to get that)
 
Match data is tricky...it often refers to the percent of people who interviewed that went on to match. There is a whole section of medical school population that wanted to do ortho during their first two years and then didn't have grades/boards as fourth years so they never got interviews and didn't even bother ranking it on their lists. This is true for all specialties...very self selective with respect to ROAD/competitive fields.

OP, if you 100% know that you could only live with an Allo ortho residency, you are better off trying some form of grad school and applying to only US MD. This does not mean that DO's don't match MD ortho, but you would be putting yourself at a huge disadvantage with those programs if you go DO route...however in reality if you want to do ortho it really won't matter if you do MD/DO residency, so your DO acceptance is a nice option.
 
Bottom line, I think you should take the DO acceptance. Ortho is not a guarantee for any student, MD or DO, but it is certainly realistically obtainable for a DO and there are some good quality ortho DO residencies out there. You'd probably help your chances of getting ortho more if you were to take time off to do ortho-related research during you time in DO school than you would just by using that time to do a post-bac to try to get into a MD school.
Since Ortho is so competitive for both MDs and DO, though, you might also want to consider other fields that deal with similar issues like Family Medicine with a subspecialty in Sports Medicine or maybe even PM&R (both which are definitely very DO-friendly fields). All of the "musculoskeletal"-related fields tend to have a strong DO presence.
Congrats on the acceptance and good luck to you!
 
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Either way its going to be pretty tough to match Ortho. It is competetive specialty and most succesful applicants to Ortho were top of their class, did well on boards, and had good clinical grades. This is true for both DO and MD residencies. More than likely you will end up hating Ortho one day anyway. Nobody knows what they really want to do untill you've done a clinical rotation in it. Even if you do great in your post-bac and improve alot on the MCAT you still arent guaranteed a spot in an MD school. My rule is that if you get into a well established DO school than take the acceptance. You will be fine at LECOM.
 
JaggerPlate said:
No he doesn't. He's asking how to land a ROAD residency as a pre-med. My points are far more legitimate.
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Pretty sure the O in ROAD stands for ophthalmology and not for orthopedics. The ROAD specialties are supposed to be lifestyle specialties, and orthopedics is hardly a lifestyle specialty.

stonewall22 said:
And I think you're off assuming everyone, or even most, want a ROAD specialty. Pre-med dreams maybe, the reality, I don't think so.
Click to expand...

Same point as above.
 
Cakesdiesel said:
Hey guys,

My spplication process isnt going so well and I thought I look to here for some advice. I have been reject from all my MD schools exept UCF (and still waiting). I currently have been accepted to LECOM Erie and am still waiting for an interview from PCOM. However, I have a strong interest in the field of Orthopaedics and the field is dominated by MDs. WOuld you recommend that I continue to pursue orthopaedics though an osteopathic school or do you think I should try the post bacc waters? If I go to a DO school I would be looking for a MD residency. My GPA is a 3.2 and and took the MCAT 2x (P11,V8,B8 M & P7, V6, B8 M) and I am currently a Notre Dame student. Any advice would be great.

-Cakes
Click to expand...

Dude, take the DO acceptance unless you can break a 35 on the MCAT. Yes a 35! I had a higher GPA than you and a significantly higher MCAT, yet no love from the MD schools even with the interviews. I have several classmates who did the post bac at highly priced private schools thinking that they might get into MD schools but their MCAT was just not strong enough to offset their undergrad mediocrity. You will waste time, nothing else. Unless you break 35 of course, then you are in business for sure.
 
DarkHorizon said:
Dude, take the DO acceptance unless you can break a 35 on the MCAT. Yes a 35! I had a higher GPA than you and a significantly higher MCAT, yet no love from the MD schools even with the interviews. I have several classmates who did the post bac at highly priced private schools thinking that they might get into MD schools but their MCAT was just not strong enough to offset their undergrad mediocrity. You will waste time, nothing else. Unless you break 35 of course, then you are in business for sure.
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Nope. Not this year anyway.

35S here, 3.38. No love.

Not trying to be a dream killer here, but, that's the way it is. GPA counts for so much.
 
Cheshyre said:
Nope. Not this year anyway.

35S here, 3.38. No love.

Not trying to be a dream killer here, but, that's the way it is. GPA counts for so much.
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Sorry bro, but you would be the perfect candidate for a masters or a SMP program, I wouldn't quit with your MCAT yet, give it one more year or DO all the way, just like me
 
Oh by the way, your pre-med school really doesn't matter, we have some Hopkins, Cornell, Emory, and yes Notre Dame kids in my class, what matters is whether you have the stats. You could be from a lowly commuter state school.
 
DarkHorizon said:
Sorry bro, but you would be the perfect candidate for a masters or a SMP program, I wouldn't quit with your MCAT yet, give it one more year or DO all the way, just like me
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Yeah, that's the plan.

By the way, I meant no love from MD schools, although I'm waiting on ~9. I'm waiting on DO schools right now so there's still hope. Also, I'm awaiting a DO post-interview decision.


:: gulp ::
 
JaggerPlate said:
I'm really sorry I'm out of hugs today ... I gave my last one to a bum on the corner on the way home from the gym.
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Funny...I wasn't a just another "bum on the corner" yesterday, but I'm sure you give the same lip service to all the bums you give hugs to.

In other news, how do all these pre-meds know 100% what they want to match into. I believe I've been able to trim what I want to go into, down to about 9 different specialties...but my mind is still wide open to the other 20.
 
JaggerPlate said:
No he doesn't. He's asking how to land a ROAD residency as a pre-med. My points are far more legitimate.
Click to expand...


ROAD means radiology, ophtho, gas, and derm


Ortho is not a ROAD residency.
 
Cheshyre said:
Nope. Not this year anyway.

35S here, 3.38. No love.

Not trying to be a dream killer here, but, that's the way it is. GPA counts for so much.[/QUOTE]

I always hear the total opposite. Who knows the whole thing is puzzling.
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Well, I might have the answer for you.

I, luckily, shadowed an amazing D.O orthopedic surgeon/team physician for the 76ers team/Director of Orthopedic Medicine at PCOM

He graduated from PCOM and, as my mentor, kept wanting me to do orthopedic surgery. I prefer PCP.

BUT he still wrote me an awesome recommendation letter. I have the lowest GPA out of everyone here (and I AM PROUD)

So if you think becoming a D.O will slow you or stop you from getting to where you want to be, you should talk to my mentor. I will be glad to give you his information. YOU CAN TOTALLY SHADOW HIM (I won't be jealous)

And see for yourself, what a degree in D.O can do for you =D
 
IMDoc607 said:
ROAD means radiology, ophtho, gas, and derm


Ortho is not a ROAD residency.
Click to expand...

ROADS:

Radiology
Ophthalmology
Anesthesiology
Dermatology
Surgical Subs: ENT, Ortho, Neuro, PRS

That's the way I learned it ...

Probably not as lifestyle friendly as derm or rads, but anyone who's going to sit here and argue it's not competitive, simply wants to argue.
 
JaggerPlate said:
ROADS:

Radiology
Ophthalmology
Anesthesiology
Dermatology
Surgical Subs: ENT, Ortho, Neuro, PRS

That's the way I learned it ...

Probably not as lifestyle friendly as derm or rads, but anyone who's going to sit here and argue it's not competitive, simply wants to argue.
Click to expand...

True, but like you said its very competitive.

Good luck in school man!
 
JaggerPlate said:
Listen, people can hark on me all they want for being 'hard' on the guy ... but let's check some facts here:

Him:
-pre-medical
-only has 2 posts, both of which are identical and were used to create cross threads (which are against TOS)
-his only question regarding this situation is HOW DO I GET ORTHO, not ... should I go DO or do a post bacc and try MD if I think I may want to specialize in the future

Me:
-Asinine
-You'll change your mind in medical school, go into it with your options open, do the best you can, but don't be shocked if you don't want to go into ortho or don't have the grades of it coming out of MD or DO
-post baccs are for people with high MCATs and low GPA. You have a 3.2 (lowish) and your most recent MCAT is a 21 ... you are not the ideal candidate for a post bacc, nor do I think one would increase your chances at an MD school next year without retaking and breaking 30.
-Go to the DO school.

I'm really sorry I'm out of hugs today ... I gave my last one to a bum on the corner on the way home from the gym.
Click to expand...


there are post-bacs I am aware of associated w/ DO schools that I know for a fact have students with his stats as their average. If you rock the post-bac and retake your mcats, you can do as you wish MD or DO.
 
IMDoc607 said:
ROAD means radiology, ophtho, gas, and derm


Ortho is not a ROAD residency.
Click to expand...

I said the exact same thing two days earlier. But thanks just the same!

Sigh.

LawNonTrad said:
Pretty sure the O in ROAD stands for ophthalmology and not for orthopedics. The ROAD specialties are supposed to be lifestyle specialties, and orthopedics is hardly a lifestyle specialty.
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LawNonTrad said:
I said the exact same thing two days earlier. But thanks just the same!

Sigh.
Click to expand...

Sorry didn't mean to rain on your parade. I didn't feel like reading every post.


Sighhh
 
joes5230 said:
there are post-bacs I am aware of associated w/ DO schools that I know for a fact have students with his stats as their average. If you rock the post-bac and retake your mcats, you can do as you wish MD or DO.
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The OP has already been accepted to a DO school, he was posting whether he should start med school there or do a post bacc and apply again later to MD schools only.
 
OP I know you said you want to pursue a MD residency but just to let you know so far PCOM has 4 ortho matches (AOA).
 
One of the physicians at my job is an ortho who teaches at nyu med school. She says that she notices many DO's in the residency program and that their is no stigma between DO's and MD's.
 
To the OP, take the DO acceptance. When you take the MCAT more than once, the score gets complicated. If you go from a 29 to a 33, that shows that you figured out your weaknesses, and you improved. However, when your score goes down, it calls into question whether your first score is nothing more than a fluke. At this point, even if you scored a 35, the 21 cannot be erased. If you do a search, different school look at multiple MCAT scores differently, but unfortunately a 21 coupled with a low gpa, even if you can rewrite an excellent MCAT, will kill your chances.

As others have mentioned, you should also look at other fields of medicine such as PM&R, FM+sport med, or IM+rheumatology, not necessarily because being a DO will preclude you from going into ortho, but because ortho is inherently difficult to match into, irrespective of the letters behind your name
 
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Okay, let me give you some PERSONAL experience from the ortho world. As an undergrad I had a 3.5 GPA and a 29O MCAT. Not outstanding, but okay. Couple MD and multiple DO interviews. Got into DO only and decided to go for it instead of a year off...a doctor is a doctor right? I chose Des Moines Univ. because it had a great reputation, and they were known for getting students into ortho (plus I'm from the Midwest).

What I didn't realize is that I actually had a BETTER chance of matching ortho as a DO than an MD. MD ortho residencies require a top 10% class rank and board score to even be considered (in general). If you're not there, they don't want you. On the flip side, the DO programs base their decisions on those things as well (not to the same extent) but also put a lot of weight on visiting "audition" rotations you do. They want to see that you are serious and will work your tail off for them.

I had a top 30% class rank and a board score in the top 20%. Again, good but not ridiculous. Did 5 months of rotations, gunned hard and received unofficial offers from my top 2 programs. I just matched my top choice of residency (Doctors Hospital in Columbus) which works hand in hand with the 2 MD programs in the city, and works in a top 50 ortho hospital in the nation (Grant Medical Center).

In 5 years I will be working as an orthopedic surgeon. To get there, I worked harder than I ever have before, but I got there. You can too, and with the scores you have at this point, I think you actually have a much better chance as a DO than an MD.

Hope this helps. Don't let anyone tell you that you'd be getting a sub-par education/residency training as a DO because it just isn't true.
 
OrthoDO13 said:
Okay, let me give you some PERSONAL experience from the ortho world. As an undergrad I had a 3.5 GPA and a 29O MCAT. Not outstanding, but okay. Couple MD and multiple DO interviews. Got into DO only and decided to go for it instead of a year off...a doctor is a doctor right? I chose Des Moines Univ. because it had a great reputation, and they were known for getting students into ortho (plus I'm from the Midwest).

What I didn't realize is that I actually had a BETTER chance of matching ortho as a DO than an MD. MD ortho residencies require a top 10% class rank and board score to even be considered (in general). If you're not there, they don't want you. On the flip side, the DO programs base their decisions on those things as well (not to the same extent) but also put a lot of weight on visiting "audition" rotations you do. They want to see that you are serious and will work your tail off for them.

I had a top 30% class rank and a board score in the top 20%. Again, good but not ridiculous. Did 5 months of rotations, gunned hard and received unofficial offers from my top 2 programs. I just matched my top choice of residency (Doctors Hospital in Columbus) which works hand in hand with the 2 MD programs in the city, and works in a top 50 ortho hospital in the nation (Grant Medical Center).

In 5 years I will be working as an orthopedic surgeon. To get there, I worked harder than I ever have before, but I got there. You can too, and with the scores you have at this point, I think you actually have a much better chance as a DO than an MD.

Hope this helps. Don't let anyone tell you that you'd be getting a sub-par education/residency training as a DO because it just isn't true.
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/end thread
 
OrthoDO13 said:
What I didn't realize is that I actually had a BETTER chance of matching ortho as a DO than an MD. MD ortho residencies require a top 10% class rank and board score to even be considered (in general). If you're not there, they don't want you. On the flip side, the DO programs base their decisions on those things as well (not to the same extent) but also put a lot of weight on visiting "audition" rotations you do. They want to see that you are serious and will work your tail off for them.
Click to expand...

I've heard this regarding several competitive fields and AOA residencies, but whenever I repeat it on the boards, people act like I'm a heretic. Lol. Congrats.
 
OrthoDO13 said:
In 5 years I will be working as an orthopedic surgeon. To get there, I worked harder than I ever have before, but I got there. You can too, and with the scores you have at this point, I think you actually have a much better chance as a DO than an MD.

Hope this helps. Don't let anyone tell you that you'd be getting a sub-par education/residency training as a DO because it just isn't true.
Click to expand...

Congrats to getting your #1! It's great to see someone who applied themselves, worked hard, and got what they wanted. And that you took the responsibility to get where you wanted to go. 👍
 
I'm not sure what aspects of ortho you're interested in, podiatrists do pretty much everything orthopedic surgeons do, only they stick with the foot and ankle. They do surgery, diagnosis, sports medicine, they can run their own private practice... the education is almost exactly the same except for a few specialized classes, and because they start specializing earlier, the longest residency you'd have to do would be 3 years. These people KNOW the foot and ankle like you know the back of your hand. Plus not many people apply, so it's really easy to get in.

(I shadowed a podiatrist for a while when I was looking into different health professions. I eventually decided it wasn't for me because I'm more interested in systemic illnesses.)
 
Spin said:
I'm not sure what aspects of ortho you're interested in, podiatrists do pretty much everything orthopedic surgeons do, only they stick with the foot and ankle. They do surgery, diagnosis, sports medicine, they can run their own private practice... the education is almost exactly the same except for a few specialized classes, and because they start specializing earlier, the longest residency you'd have to do would be 3 years. These people KNOW the foot and ankle like you know the back of your hand. Plus not many people apply, so it's really easy to get in.

(I shadowed a podiatrist for a while when I was looking into different health professions. I eventually decided it wasn't for me because I'm more interested in systemic illnesses.)
Click to expand...

Podiatry is a good health care field, but I wouldn't say they do everything ortho surgeons do. Orthos go through 5 years after med school, and can choose to own the whole body or specialize to a more specific area (ie spine) which can include the foot and ankle. There is also the aspect of physician vs non-physician. If an ortho guy ever gets super fed up with ortho (don't know why he would) he basically has a unrestricted medical license and all that comes with it ... pods don't. A pod couldn't go work as a GP at an urgent care center, an ex ortho could. Plus, going to pod school essentially means you picked out your specialty day one, going to medical school gives you the flexibility to change (which was one of my earlier points - people often change their mind while in med school so moot point atm). Again, pod is a nice field, but it's really not an identical option to attending medical school and becoming an ortho surg.
 
A guarantee is better than none. You tried DO and MD, only DO accepted so do it. You may change your mind about your specialty you may not, but regardless do well on the exams and you can do whatever you want. If you must have MD by your name improve your application more classes, MCAT again etc yes it will cost more, but it is a gamble that you need to consider you might not improve by much. Lake Erie has very good matches from waht I have seen...Good Luck

Accepted 2014 UCF
GO ARMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Spin said:
I'm not sure what aspects of ortho you're interested in, podiatrists do pretty much everything orthopedic surgeons do, only they stick with the foot and ankle.
Click to expand...

The OP stated that he already has an ACCEPTANCE to med school. He's just concerned that a DO school will make it impossible to do an MD residency in Ortho.
 
OP: you are in a rather difficult situation. As you know, ortho is competitive and you are wise for doing your research prior to attending to medical school. I do not know how difficult it is to land an ortho-DO spot but I will tell you that I met very few DO students interviewing for MD residencies. I met a total of 2 DO applicants out of the 100+ students I met during the interview trail. Out of the places I did my ortho AIs, 0 were DOs. Out of the residents that interviewed me, 1 was a DO. The point is that it is possible- but highly unlikely. Take that into consideration.
On a final note, there is always the possibility of transferring from DO to MD programs.
 
basupran said:
OP: you are in a rather difficult situation. As you know, ortho is competitive and you are wise for doing your research prior to attending to medical school. I do not know how difficult it is to land an ortho-DO spot but I will tell you that I met very few DO students interviewing for MD residencies. I met a total of 2 DO applicants out of the 100+ students I met during the interview trail. Out of the places I did my ortho AIs, 0 were DOs. Out of the residents that interviewed me, 1 was a DO. The point is that it is possible- but highly unlikely. Take that into consideration.
On a final note, there is always the possibility of transferring from DO to MD programs.
Click to expand...

How many people have successfully transferred to a MD school?

The point is that the OP would be giving up an acceptance to apply again when he may not get another acceptance. Most DO students wanting ortho are going to apply to DO residencies because they know how competitive it is.
 
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