Accepted into a DO Program but am unhappy + cancer diagnosis

[iamthekhaleesi]

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This is a unique but not so unique story so thank you in advance.

I have been offered an acceptance to a DO program and have been waitlisted at 2 MD programs. I graduated from Ohio State in 2018 with a 3.59 GPA and a 510 MCAT. I have around 120 hours volunteering in a syringe access program and hospital, 100 shadowing hours, 1400 hours in a cancer lab with two publications, 1600 hours working in a gastroenterology office as a study coordinator, 115 hours tutoring, and around 600 hours in a leadership position of a club I started at OSU.
I finished majority of my secondaries late September/October because my anxiety was off the charts- and the next week after I finished my apps, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of thyroid cancer (which was making me super hyperthyroid explaining the anxiety). I am now thankfully cancer free but am not happy with my application outcomes.
I know my GPA is on the lower end and I believe I could score better on the MCAT (was averaging 516s on my practices- CARS threw me for a loop on my test day). I am debating looking at some post-baccs and restudying for my MCAT while getting some more volunteer hours. I don't want to go into FM/IM and would much rather specialize (so I can do research too) which I am nervous about going DO.

Any advice on this would be wonderful.

 

[Shotapp]

Turn down the DO acceptance. I wouldn't retake your MCAT (that is not the reason why you didn't get accepted). You desperately need clinical experience (e.g. working with patients in a CNA/Medical Assistant role) where you can take vitals, draw blood, or transport patients to different departments in a hospital. Also make sure you fill out your secondaries as early as possible whenever you apply again.

 

[iamthekhaleesi]

Turn down the DO acceptance. I wouldn't retake your MCAT (that is not the reason why you didn't get accepted). You desperately need clinical experience (e.g. working with patients in a CNA/Medical Assistant role) where you can take vitals, draw blood, or transport patients to different departments in a hospital. Also make sure you fill out your secondaries as early as possible whenever you apply again.

at the gastro lab where I am a study coordinator I take vitals, draw blood, and continue care with them everyday- which is in my app. Thank you for the advice and I guess what would your reasoning be for turning down the DO?

 

[Shotapp]

I don't want to go into FM/IM and would much rather specialize (so I can do research too) which I am nervous about going DO.

The statement above is my reason for you to turn down your DO acceptance. You shouldn't be having any doubts about the path you have chosen. This is where my advice for you ends. I will give the floor to a more highly qualified individual @Goro. Best of luck.

 

[Goro]

This is a unique but not so unique story so thank you in advance.

I have been offered an acceptance to a DO program and have been waitlisted at 2 MD programs. I graduated from Ohio State in 2018 with a 3.59 GPA and a 510 MCAT. I have around 120 hours volunteering in a syringe access program and hospital, 100 shadowing hours, 1400 hours in a cancer lab with two publications, 1600 hours working in a gastroenterology office as a study coordinator, 115 hours tutoring, and around 600 hours in a leadership position of a club I started at OSU.
I finished majority of my secondaries late September/October because my anxiety was off the charts- and the next week after I finished my apps, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of thyroid cancer (which was making me super hyperthyroid explaining the anxiety). I am now thankfully cancer free but am not happy with my application outcomes.
I know my GPA is on the lower end and I believe I could score better on the MCAT (was averaging 516s on my practices- CARS threw me for a loop on my test day). I am debating looking at some post-baccs and restudying for my MCAT while getting some more volunteer hours. I don't want to go into FM/IM and would much rather specialize (so I can do research too) which I am nervous about going DO.

Any advice on this would be wonderful.

Very sorry to hear of your illness.

I can't sugar coat this: This is not the application of a person who dearly wants to be a physician. It is the application of someone who wants to be a doctor as long as it is convenient, outside of the lab.

I suggest the following:

Turn down the acceptance. I'd rather your seat go to someone who really wants to be a doctor now.

Stop researching. You have the app of a grad school candidate, not a med applicant. Or just get a PhD.

You need to engage in service to others less fortunate than yourself. Get off campus and outside of your comfort zone. Medicine is a service profession, and the schools that will be most accepting of your stats, are service-loving schools.

I don't see a need for a post-bac or an MCAT retake, only the need for building up your ECs.

 

[scoKraz4]

If you decline the DO acceptance that is an enourmous risk. Going to an MD school isn't going to mean anything over DO if you can't crush the steps and excell in classess/research. I know many people in MD schools losing spots because they felt some security of being in such a program and ended up not matching due to lackluster efforts.

 

[lalalaaaaaa]

Goro usually nails it, but missed the mark here. "It is the application of someone who wants to be a doctor as long as it is convenient, outside of the lab." This is such a bad take. Ignore it because it's trash. Not only is it unfair to OP, it's totally contrary to a huge portion of medicine that focuses on research and being in the lab. Not all MDs are clinical 100% of time. Pathologists aren't always doing research or taking care of patients and they are still super valuable members of the team. Radiologists too!

And what's with this personal jab "I'd rather your seat go to someone who really wants to be a doctor now." Again, garbage-->trash.

Goro's advice outside of this is pretty good, esp because the schools you will be competitive at are service minded (like Goro said).

OP based on what you wrote, it seems unfair to say you're not committed to medicine (though you 100% need to focus on clinical experience if you take a gap year). You clearly have a strong research background which is awesome, clinical is weak which is typical because that's the hardest thing to get IMO. So many pre-meds have bs clinical experience, and pushing around patients for 100 hours vs 10 hours doesn't really do that much except let you check a box on your app. The syringe exchange is a great experience. The research is strong. You got interviews. Keep working and come up with a plan to be more successful next time.

Giving up the DO acceptance is a huge risk (my intuition is to say don't give it up), but if you want to that's your choice. Why did you apply there if you wouldn't take the acceptance? I don't get it.

Good luck!

 

[RNthenDoc]

Why did you apply/complete a secondary/interview to a DO school that you didn’t want to attend?

I just don’t understand why so many of these topics exist.

If you decided on interview day that the school wasn’t for you, the correct thing to do is withdraw the application so somebody else gets the spot.

 

[deleted480308]

It seems like you still think you are choosing between DO and MD. Unless one of those waitlists pans out (in which case, the MD) that is not the choice you have

Your current choice is be a DO or maybe never be a doctor vs maybe MD. And as evidenced by this cycle, the MDs didn’t exactly fight over you.

You won and are about to piss it away.

 

[Hippocrates II]

My humble opinion as a 1st year at a DO school:

Your stats are too good and wasted on DO school, but you're in a pickle now. If you turn down this acceptance, you may very well never get into any medical school. Your first application is by far your strongest in my experience - I got several MD interviews with a mediocre application my first time, and then never received another MD interview invite in my reapplications despite improving my app each year.

I think if you *really* want to be a doctor, go the DO route, embrace the humility of having to learn **** like Chapman's reflexes in medical school, work hard and achieve what you want. You are not relegated to family medicine as a DO, despite what the loudest complainers on here will proclaim. Otherwise, you're taking a pretty big gamble on never getting into school. As much as I hate the DO-specific aspects of my education, I have been receiving a solid education otherwise, and I have no doubt I can become a radiologist, anesthesiologist, cardiologist, etc. if that's what I want and continue to work for it. If none of that matters and you just simply do not want to be a DO, turn it down now because you will work your hands to the bone obtaining a degree you aren't satisfied with.

 

[Osteosaur]

Given your stats MD is NOT a sure thing. I applied three times to MD programs with better stats and research than you (3.6 and ~515) and only made wait lists.

If you turn it down and don't get into an MD you may have lost your backup plan. I don't know how DO schools would look at a turned-down DO acceptance but probably not well. Much of SDN would kill to be in your shoes and holding an acceptance. Is your issue with DO or with the school?

I'm sorry about your diagnosis but glad you've made a recovery.

 

[PA3587]

accept the DO offer while you still are on the waitlist for MD. If you then get accepted by an MD school then you can withdraw from DO and lose the tutition deposit. There was a classmate who started DO school and one week in she got an offer to an MD school and transferred. I myself a DO and matched into anesthesia and other classmates match ortho, ophto, urology, radiology etc. Yes it might be harder to get the competitive fields as a DO but with hard work its possible.

 

[BC_89]

I find myself In bewilderment wondering why people apply DO only to turn it down...I understand it’s a back-up, and in your case (presuming MDs say no) your back-up paid off and you should be ecstatic...

Your worried on having a limited scope as a DO while others are worried to even get an acceptance...

On a side-note I’m glad your health is better.