DO or MD easier??

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
doctorbob22

doctorbob22

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Members don't see this ad.
Hey guys this is my first post and I had a question that was constantly on the back of my mind and iv had mixed answers. Which is "easier" to get accepted into with average stats DO or MD. Before anyone badgers me that none is easy I know. Key word is higher chances with average stats.

The obvious answer looks like DO is easier but if you go to amcas or aacomas it shows that about 35% of all applicants were accepted while about 43% of all applicants were accepted for MD. What the heck? Now I'm confused. Can anyone shine a light upon me?
 
So we had the URM quota complete for the week. All we needed was DO vs MD and now we got that too, nice one Pre-Allo! Real nice!
 
tumblr_lxjlw4AnIX1rn1xxfo1_250.gif
 
doctorbob22 said:
Hey guys this is my first post and I had a question that was constantly on the back of my mind and iv had mixed answers. Which is "easier" to get accepted into with average stats DO or MD. Before anyone badgers me that none is easy I know. Key word is higher chances with average stats.

The obvious answer looks like DO is easier but if you go to amcas or aacomas it shows that about 35% of all applicants were accepted while about 43% of all applicants were accepted for MD. What the heck? Now I'm confused. Can anyone shine a light upon me?
Click to expand...

Easier to get into, DO, due to lower average stats and grade replacement, mostly. Don't think either one is easier when you get in, but might be wrong...

The higher proportion of successful applicants to MD schools vs DO schools is simply a function of the number of applicants compared to the number of seats available. If there were 100 seats and 200 applicants for MD schools, the success rate would be 50%. If there were 20 seats but 100 applicants for DO schools, the success rate would be 20%. Neither of those rates has anything to do with the stats of the average applicant, or acceptee, to either school, so neither stat has anything at all to do with the chances an individual applicant has to get into MD or DO schools.
 
theseeker4 said:
Easier to get into, DO, due to lower average stats and grade replacement, mostly. Don't think either one is easier when you get in, but might be wrong...

The higher proportion of successful applicants to MD schools vs DO schools is simply a function of the number of applicants compared to the number of seats available. If there were 100 seats and 200 applicants for MD schools, the success rate would be 50%. If there were 20 seats but 100 applicants for DO schools, the success rate would be 20%. Neither of those rates has anything to do with the stats of the average applicant, or acceptee, to either school, so neither stat has anything at all to do with the chances an individual applicant has to get into MD or DO schools.
Click to expand...

One might also consider that applicants applying to MD schools could be stronger than applicants applying to DO schools on average, when explaining the 43% vs. 35%.
 
DO is harder. End of story. People who do well in undergrad know this so they do everything they can to bypass DO and get into the easier MD schools (smart, right?! hence the high stats). The kicker is that the MD students can then compete for the same residencies as DO students, but with a way easier time in med school. This leaves people with lower stats to deal with the tremendously difficult DO curriculum. Good luck OP!
 
lalalaaaaaa said:
DO is harder. End of story. People who do well in undergrad know this so they do everything they can to bypass DO and get into the easier MD schools (smart, right?! hence the high stats). The kicker is that the MD students can then compete for the same residencies as DO students, but with a way easier time in med school. This leaves people with lower stats to deal with the tremendously difficult DO curriculum. Good luck OP!
Click to expand...

Wow i always thought the curriculum is pretty much the same. So getting in low tier MD schools is actually easier than getting into any DO based on the # of seats?

I'm talking about average DO stats which is prob where I will end up by graduation given my "less than optimal" first few semesters.
 
doctorbob22 said:
Wow i always thought the curriculum is pretty much the same. So getting in low tier MD schools is actually easier than getting into any DO based on the # of seats?

I'm talking about average DO stats which is prob where I will end up by graduation given my "less than optimal" first few semesters.
Click to expand...

Wow dude. I'd love to buy you some sort of recognizing sarcasm. But in all seriousness, Naturopathic school is by far the most prestigious branch of medicine and is highly competitive, which is why so few people get into their programs.
 
CjOz said:
Wow dude. I'd love to buy you some sort of recognizing sarcasm. But in all seriousness, Naturopathic school is by far the most prestigious branch of medicine and is highly competitive, which is why so few people get into their programs.
Click to expand...

I heard you have to be very attractive to get in.
 
doctorbob22 said:
Hey guys this is my first post and I had a question that was constantly on the back of my mind and iv had mixed answers. Which is "easier" to get accepted into with average stats DO or MD. Before anyone badgers me that none is easy I know. Key word is higher chances with average stats.

The obvious answer looks like DO is easier but if you go to amcas or aacomas it shows that about 35% of all applicants were accepted while about 43% of all applicants were accepted for MD. What the heck? Now I'm confused. Can anyone shine a light upon me?
Click to expand...

Nice cross-post in pre-osteo dude.

All of the posters here are wrong. MD is much easier than DO.
 
They see me trolling...


That said, I think this is likely true:
somethingdeep said:
One might also consider that applicants applying to MD schools could be stronger than applicants applying to DO schools on average, when explaining the 43% vs. 35%.
Click to expand...
Probably a lot of the people on the low end know they definitely won't get in to an MD school, so they apply DO just in case. (and don't end up getting in there either)
 
rain4venus said:
They see me trolling...


That said, I think this is likely true:

Probably a lot of the people on the low end know they definitely won't get in to an MD school, so they apply DO just in case. (and don't end up getting in there either)
Click to expand...

That's actually a pretty interesting stat. I think rain4venus probably struck it on the head. Interesting how data can get twisted...

Survivor DO
 
wanna_be_do said:
It's a testament to the effectiveness of the AOA's propaganda machine that people would actually consider getting $100,000+ in debt to pursue a degree that statistically gives you a much less chance of obtaining the specialty of your choice in a good training program. It's one thing to not have the option (in that case it's better to go to osteopathic over foreign), but if you do have the option, the M.D. degree is still considered the gold standard of medical degrees in the USA. As a practicing physician, my osteopathic credentials got me to where I am now but with a lot more effort and compromises than my M.D. colleagues.
Click to expand...

This is the holy grail of the MD vs. DO topic. Concise, correct, and from a DO physician. Read it and read it well.
 
La Presse said:
This is the holy grail of the MD vs. DO topic. Concise, correct, and from a DO physician. Read it and read it well.
Click to expand...

That'd be a productive statement if the majority of DO students were competitive for MD schools. It's like joining the Navy hoping to be a Navy SEAL,failing out of BUD/S and saying **** the Navy (it happens). Similarly you don't deserve Gold Standard if you're unaware that it exists.
 
NontradCA said:
That'd be a productive statement if the majority of DO students were competitive for MD schools. It's like joining the Navy hoping to be a Navy SEAL,failing out of BUD/S and saying **** the Navy (it happens). Similarly you don't deserve Gold Standard if you're unaware that it exists.
Click to expand...

Of course people are aware that it exists. There are multiple ways one can make him/herself competitive for an MD program. Many are already well-suited to contend, seeing as many DO schools have averages within the range of many MD schools.
 
doctorbob22 said:
Hey guys this is my first post and I had a question that was constantly on the back of my mind and iv had mixed answers. Which is "easier" to get accepted into with average stats DO or MD. Before anyone badgers me that none is easy I know. Key word is higher chances with average stats.

The obvious answer looks like DO is easier but if you go to amcas or aacomas it shows that about 35% of all applicants were accepted while about 43% of all applicants were accepted for MD. What the heck? Now I'm confused. Can anyone shine a light upon me?
Click to expand...

Since you looked on the AMCAS and AACOMAS, look at the average stats of the pool of applicants for each. You will find that the applicant stats for DO schools is lower than MD schools. This is your answer.

Also remember that there are more MD schools than DO schools. So obviously there are more spots for MD schools.

In the end, better stats "usually" translates to better chance. This is why people say DO schools are easier to get into because you are competing against a pool of people with lower stats.
 
La Presse said:
This is the holy grail of the MD vs. DO topic. Concise, correct, and from a DO physician. Read it and read it well.
Click to expand...

Good stuff.

P.s There's a lot of trolls on this post. Ppl waste a lot of time talking crap instead of improving their own apps. Better for me trollers
 
doctorbob22 said:
Good stuff.

P.s There's a lot of trolls on this post. Ppl waste a lot of time talking crap instead of improving their own apps. Better for me trollers
Click to expand...

I'll get to work on that. You should use one of your EC blocks to make sure adcomms know that you solved the "MD vs. DO" riddle once and for all. On SDN no less. Let the acceptances wash over you like a waterfall.
 
doctorbob22 said:
Good stuff.

P.s There's a lot of trolls on this post. Ppl waste a lot of time talking crap instead of improving their own apps. Better for me trollers
Click to expand...

🤣🤣🤣
 
pre med 2014 said:
DO is harder because in addition too the same MD curriculum they have to get extra training in OMM.
Click to expand...

Dr Dazzle said:
Exactly....plus take both comlex and usmle in some cases.
Click to expand...

This thread is solid gold. You've got the tiger by the tail, gentlemen. Ignore match lists and go with your gut on this one.
 
Everyone keep up the good work. I hope this thread isn't too stale yet but I've decided I'm going to see if I can stay on top of SDN to use threads like this to post-pad...exclusively by typing "in". Wish me luck and diligence. 🙂


btw...

in.
 
VictorAlpha said:
Everyone keep up the good work. I hope this thread isn't too stale yet but I've decided I'm going to see if I can stay on top of SDN to use threads like this to post-pad...exclusively by typing "in". Wish me luck and diligence. 🙂


btw...

in.
Click to expand...

I support this.
 
pre med 2014 said:
DO is harder because in addition too the same MD curriculum they have to get extra training in OMM.
Click to expand...

Dr Dazzle said:
Exactly....plus take both comlex and usmle in some cases.
Click to expand...

This is my understanding too. The OMM is an extra couple of hours a week in lab instead of studying. The DO students I know list this as their reasoning behind DO being harder. Otherwise they take the same classes and have an extra test hurdle to jump through.

Pons Asinorum said:
This thread is solid gold. You've got the tiger by the tail, gentlemen. Ignore match lists and go with your gut on this one.
Click to expand...

I don't think they are referring to matching. They are talking about the actual medical school portion.
 
DO is harder due to a limited amount of DO residencies (not enough for all people graduating DO schools) so many DO students take COMLEX and Step 1. I have heard they are kind of different but both are very hard, so step 1 X 2 sucks.

OMM does not factor in there, imo. (PS I am in an allopathic school....)
 
BABSstudent said:
This is my understanding too. The OMM is an extra couple of hours a week in lab instead of studying. The DO students I know list this as their reasoning behind DO being harder. Otherwise they take the same classes and have an extra test hurdle to jump through.



I don't think they are referring to matching. They are talking about the actual medical school portion.
Click to expand...

lol coming at me with a (poor) logical argument in a troll thread
 
BABSstudent said:
I never said I was. I just pointed out that the OP sounded like he was talking strictly about med school.
Click to expand...

And I was telling them why DO is easier to get accepted with the same stats, because MD programs are on the aggregate more competitive. The reason they are more competitive is because you have a higher chance of matching successfully into whatever specialty you would like from "better" programs, hence match lists. That spectrum of "better" to "worse" for residency matching is heavier with MD programs at the "better" end, and heavy with DO programs at the "worse" end. Contra what many pre-meds think, medical school isn't a goal, it's an intermediate step. Residency is what determines what type of physician you become and how you practice. Where you go for residency is determined largely by where you go to medical school. There are individual exceptions, but it is a better path to success to try to ride the averages (work hard, go to great medical school, match at great residency program for what you want to do) than to assume that you'll be the exception (work hard, go to mediocre DO school, hope that the 267 you dropped on Step 1 is enough to get you even an interview at the Big City Competitive Specialty residency programs that your heart is set upon.)
 
BABSstudent said:
I never said I was. I just pointed out that the OP sounded like he was talking strictly about med school.
Click to expand...

Nope...they were in fact asking about APPLYING to med school (which one is easier to get into). But now this can truly turn into the DO vs MD thread it was always pretending it didn't want to become!

Sent via phone, please excuse typos and formatting errors!
 
mehc012 said:
Nope...they were in fact asking about APPLYING to med school (which one is easier to get into). But now this can truly turn into the DO vs MD thread it was always pretending it didn't want to become!

Sent via phone, please excuse typos and formatting errors!
Click to expand...

This was my mistake. I took it as which is harder to do because of some of the posts from other people.

If getting in is the question, the MD is probably harder because of the score requirement.

Nevertheless, both ignore residency.
 
BABSstudent said:
This was my mistake. I took it as which is harder to do because of some of the posts from other people.

If getting in is the question, the MD is probably harder because of the score requirement.

Nevertheless, both ignore residency.
Click to expand...

To be fair, it's a really misleading title!
 
:corny:
:flame:

Sent from my SCH-I405 using SDN Mobile
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Ms or PhD before MD?
Replies
6
Views
319
LizzyM
LizzyM
J
Try for MD or accept DO?
Replies
10
Views
2K
Goro
Goro
bikes&bones
  • Question Question
MD or DPM
Replies
2
Views
561
Dr.S at Princeton Review
D
HolyBasil25
MD & DO **
Replies
0
Views
145
HolyBasil25
HolyBasil25
D
DO in-state near partner vs deferred OOS MD
Replies
12
Views
665
WildWing
WildWing
Top