So up until a couple of weeks ago, I planned to apply to a couple of 1-year Master's programs with a high rate of graduates that matriculate into MD school following graduation. I hadn't really thought about the possibility of DO school until I met with an admissions counselor for a school in my state who basically told me if I applied, I'd get in. Now I'm considering applying to the top DO schools (because why not) along with the MS programs I was initially applying to. Would this be pointless? Should I just do the MS and go for MD afterward, or would I be dumb for passing up the opportunity to do DO and just skip over the extra year I'd spend doing MS (and save a year's worth of tuition $$)?
1-year Masters or DO?
- Thread starter jstaf15
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There are no guarantees in life. If you apply DO and don't get in, despite the advisor's assurance, where will you be? Better to apply for both and see if you have any choices when the offers are put on the table.
Definitely! I'm still planning on applying to both, but if I end up getting accepted into both DO and the MS, would it be better in the long run for me to take the DO rather than do MS and try for MD next year? I know it's still amazing to be accepted into DO, but I also know that I really want to specialize and I'm worried that going DO would hurt my chances.
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This is a very personal decision.
You should just be aware that, even with an SMP, an MD or DO admission is never guaranteed. Just factor in a year of attending salary and additional loan money (for the master’s) into your thought process.
The landscape is constantly changing - but you will almost surely close some doors as a DO. This generally includes “top” residency programs and “highly competitive” specialties.
IM, and subsequent specialization, is more of a gray zone. For reference, the more competitive specialties include Cardiology and Gastroenterology, of which 6/10 and 4/10 (respectively) of DO applicants were able to secure those fellowships. As a comparison, 9/10 MDs secured a cardiology fellowship. This doesn’t account for location or quality program (for which MDs almost certainly have some advantage - this will possibly effect job prospects).
I’d encourage you to look up “NRMP Charting Outcomes” to better inform yourself on the residency prospects of DO applicants. Compare them to MD applicants. See if you’re comfortable with what you see.
You should just be aware that, even with an SMP, an MD or DO admission is never guaranteed. Just factor in a year of attending salary and additional loan money (for the master’s) into your thought process.
The landscape is constantly changing - but you will almost surely close some doors as a DO. This generally includes “top” residency programs and “highly competitive” specialties.
IM, and subsequent specialization, is more of a gray zone. For reference, the more competitive specialties include Cardiology and Gastroenterology, of which 6/10 and 4/10 (respectively) of DO applicants were able to secure those fellowships. As a comparison, 9/10 MDs secured a cardiology fellowship. This doesn’t account for location or quality program (for which MDs almost certainly have some advantage - this will possibly effect job prospects).
I’d encourage you to look up “NRMP Charting Outcomes” to better inform yourself on the residency prospects of DO applicants. Compare them to MD applicants. See if you’re comfortable with what you see.
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Thank you so much for the great advice!
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Cross that bridge when you come to it.
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If you know you want a competitive specialty then I would not apply DO. If you're not competitive for MD and the masters will make you competitive (or get you a linkage program), then I would do the one year masters and not apply DO concurrently. When you go to apply MD, apply both MD and DO.
If you decide you want to be a doctor sooner with more risk of not getting the specialty you want, then apply DO and MS concurrently, but don't apply DO, get accepted, then turn it down to do the MS
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If you aren't a strong candidate for MD, you may not be a strong candidate for a very competitive specialty, regardless of where you earn your medical degree.
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Take a good hard look at yourself and be unflinchingly honest -- Why are you not currently a good candidate for MD? Is it because of weak freshman/sophomore performance and you have done better more recently now that you've grown up some? Or is it because, despite tremendous effort, you are a B+ student? Will a one-year masters program enable you to succeed in MD school to the extent that you will then be able to match into a competitive specialty? Or are you still likely to struggle and end up in primary care? As the very wise @LizzyM notes above -- Are you a cardiology-caliber applicant?
Place your bets accordingly --
Place your bets accordingly --
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@LizzyM and @DokterMom bring up a great point - there’s actually people underneath the “9/10 v.s. 6/10” statistic! Only 40% of people get in MD, but that doesn’t mean everyone applying has a 40% chance. Not every marriage has a 50% chance at divorce. Same goes for residency, fellowships, and the rest of life.
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Beggars can't be choosy, can they?
