Accepted to both medical (DO) and dental school. What should I choose now?

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PBJellytime

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I have gotten accepted into both medical school and dental school. I am currently choosing between Western University of Health Sciences for Osteopathic Medicine (DO) or University of the Pacific (DDS). I have been considering both for a long time now, but I still cannot come to a final decision. I feel that I want to go to med school, but I have a lot of thoughts/doubts that are making hesitant to make a life-time commitment. I want to work in the health care sector where I can have a decent amount of patient encounter, and I feel that both fields can offer that.

My considerations:
1) Intellectually Stimulating: I am more interested in medicine because it has more options, and I find that dentistry may become very laborious and repetitive..
2) Tuition: dental school, especially UOP's, is very expensive. One of my sister's friends says he has been in debt for 10 years and still cannot pay if off. Further, he and his wife (also a general dentist) cannot find jobs in California, so are moving out of Cali to find jobs and start a family.
3) Location Location..
-For grad school: if I go to WesternU, I will be living in Pomona, which is where I have been living in for the past 3 years of undergrad. There is not much to do there, and I think I will have nothing to look forward to during my studies. Whereas if I went to UOP, at least I'd have a new city to explore after exams.. not to say I have always wanted to move to norcal and explore San Francisco!
-For medical residencies: if I go to WesternU, does anyone know what are the chances of getting into a residency in a location that is in California? or at least in a location that is not out in the middle of no where? I know most residency matches give priority to MD>DO>foreign medical students. I am happy as a primary care physician (Family Doc, Internal med, pediatrician, OMM)
-For dental specialties: If I go for medicine, I will most likely want to specialize (bc I hear there are way too many general dentists and it is hard to find jobs...true or not?) But I also hear dental specialties are very competitive and will most likely be located outside of California. Is this true also? I'm thinking about pedo or ortho.
4) Lifestyle: I care about having a balanced and healthy lifestyle both during graduate school and after. For me, that means having the time to exercise and spending some time with people I care about after exams. I understand both medical school and dental school will be very rigorous, but is this possible during medical school, rotations, and residencies?

Thanks for taking the time to read this..I would love some advice/knowledge/experience that you guys may have! 🙂

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Wow! You're in a bit of trouble, aren't you? I would go to med school (DO) because i want to become a physician. Keep in mind that you will most likely enter primary care. As a dentist, you may decide to specialize.
 
Wow! You're in a bit of trouble, aren't you? I would go to med school (DO) because i want to become a physician. Keep in mind that you will most likely enter primary care. As a dentist, you may decide to specialize.

The bolded really makes no sense...but besides that, you gotta ask yourself if you want to work in the mouth with teeth or work with pretty much everything else...haha.

But both are very rewarding careers...I wouldn't expect anyone on here to really give you an answer nor should you. Just ask yourself...what you want to do with your life?
 
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The bolded really makes no sense...but besides that, you gotta ask yourself if you want to work in the mouth with teeth or work with pretty much everything else...haha.

But both are very rewarding careers...I wouldn't expect anyone on here to really give you an answer nor should you. Just ask yourself...what you want to do with your life?

How dosen't it make sense. Apparently, you have bad comprehension skills, but I will repeat it again for your sake:

I told the OP that going the DO route means that he (or she) will most likely enter primary care, as it is difficult to enter MD residencies as a DO.
 
How dosen't it make sense. Apparently, you have bad comprehension skills, but I will repeat it again for your sake:

I told the OP that going the DO route means that he (or she) will most likely enter primary care, as it is difficult to enter MD residencies as a DO.

Not at all. DO's can easily match into a non-primary care residency ( CCOM & NYCOM both have over 50% going into non-primary care) and 70% of DO's opt for ACGME residencies.

@OP, do you want to be a dentist or a doctor? Dentistry has it's benefits and is pretty sweet, but if you're not interested in working with peoples mouths and just their mouths, then consider medicine. Just out of curiousity.. how much is the DDS going to cost you?
 
How dosen't it make sense. Apparently, you have bad comprehension skills, but I will repeat it again for your sake:

I told the OP that going the DO route means that he (or she) will most likely enter primary care, as it is difficult to enter MD residencies as a DO.


Quit being a douche.

To stay on topic, I will also add that you are wrong.
 
How dosen't it make sense. Apparently, you have bad comprehension skills, but I will repeat it again for your sake:

I told the OP that going the DO route means that he (or she) will most likely enter primary care, as it is difficult to enter MD residencies as a DO.

👍 for un-researched assumptions.
 
I DO see in the coming future that more and more DO's will eventually evenly equal MD's in terms of going for specialties. It's just some programs are not willing to break the barrier and still feel that MD's are the superior breed. Over here in my area (UCSF - Fresno), there are a few DO's who are sub-specializing in Internal Medicine, Surgery, and Emergency Medicine. I am however, is looking to go the DO route, only because I feel that primary care suits me best and the training DO students receive is beneficial for this field.
 
How dosen't it make sense. Apparently, you have bad comprehension skills, but I will repeat it again for your sake:

I told the OP that going the DO route means that he (or she) will most likely enter primary care, as it is difficult to enter MD residencies as a DO.

jump-to-conclusions.jpg


As a high schooler, you may be too young for that joke, but it's foolish to accuse someone of a lack of comprehensive skills when one doesn't adequetely express themselves and expects others to read their minds, while also jumping to conclusions about DO graduates.

I will excuse your impetuousness on the account of ignorance:
As a DO you can enter whichever specialty training you'd like, so long as one has the proper credentials (board scores, recs, etc). DO graduates can enter both AOA (DO) or ACGME (MD) residencies, many of whom do choose and enter ACGME training programs. DO graduates every year successfully match into competitive residencies in their respective specialties. You may be extrapolating from the fact that yes, some specialties are difficult for a DO to match into (ACGME ortho or derm), however those are both extremely difficult for MD graduates to match into as well. Being an MD graduate doesn't guarantee any position, and those residencies which DO's have difficulty matching into are also extremely exclusive for MD graduates as well, and those candidates need to have superior credentials themselves. An extremely small percentage of MD graduates will successfully match into a ROAD or lifestyle specialty. At the same time DO graduates can match into the respective AOA residency positions for those positions, so there will still be practicing DO's in those fields.

The specialty one ends up in, or the type of residency positions you see filled on match lists, are more reflective of the interests of the individual candidates than their degree or school. An MD degree may open up some doors for ACGME positions in certain surgical subspecialties and lifestyle specialties, but these are still hard earned and difficult positions to enter and they would have to be at the top of their class, excellent board scores, great LORs, etc. One degree or the other doesn't entitle anyone to any residency position. These have to be earned through hard work from graduates of both schools.
 
well honestly for me I will choose the one the I love the most because I will be stuck for the rest of my life and so I might as well enjoy it.

Regarding westernU, a lot of ( majority of them) there students stay in Southern California, northern cali, seattle area. and Lots of them (majority) have entered primary care for the past 8 years(I believe this is becuz of the competitiveness of socal and the fact they all want to stay in socal)

I can post the match lists for all those years if you're interested.
 
well honestly for me I will choose the one the I love the most because I will be stuck for the rest of my life and so I might as well enjoy it.

Regarding westernU, a lot of ( majority of them) there students stay in Southern California, northern cali, seattle area. and Lots of them (majority) have entered primary care for the past 8 years(I believe this is becuz of the competitiveness of socal and the fact they all want to stay in socal)

I can post the match lists for all those years if you're interested.
If the OP is not interested, I sure am. I'd like to move back to SoCal one day, and I'm considering applying to Western.
 
Go back to your h sdn ghetto, chump.

How dosen't it make sense. Apparently, you have bad comprehension skills, but I will repeat it again for your sake:

I told the OP that going the DO route means that he (or she) will most likely enter primary care, as it is difficult to enter MD residencies as a DO.
 
1) This is up to you. Nobody can really help you with this.

2) Before doing some research, I assumed COMP's and UoP's tuition would be fairly similar. Holy s**t I was wrong...I can't believe UoP's DDS program is $80k a year 😱

Sure you'll come out with more debt, but IMO as a dentist (or ortho) you'll have an easier time paying off your loans unless you match into a lucrative specialty in medicine. As a dentist you can work more days to increase your income, unlike most doctors that already work 60+ hour work weeks. As a dentist you can bill your patients for whatever insurance does not cover. Can't do that in medicine.

3) Strictly based off the schools location, UoP wins (just as long as you don't spend any time at the main campus in Stockton). Pomona is a bit sketchy.

As for residency/specializing, there really are no guarantees as to where you'll end up. It will be based off your grades, test scores, connections, etc.

4) I would go with dentistry if you want a good lifestyle. Generally as a dentist you can work less and make more, therefore you'll have more free time to do whatever you choose.

Even my PCP urged me not to pursue medicine and pursue dentistry instead. He seemed upset and stressed-out working all-day 7 days a week to keep his practice running, while his dentist brother makes more money than him working only 3 days a week. Who knows what medicine will be like in 10 years with reimbursements on the decline and mid-level providers encroaching on physician territory.


In the end, it's up to you. Do what you think will make you happy now and in the future.
 
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How dosen't it make sense. Apparently, you have bad comprehension skills, but I will repeat it again for your sake:

I told the OP that going the DO route means that he (or she) will most likely enter primary care, as it is difficult to enter MD residencies as a DO.

You still have a long time to go buddy. I suggest you spend some of that time doing some research 😉

Here are a few things to look up: AOA (DO) and ACGME (MD) residencies, DO and MD school match lists (2011 DO lists should be up soon), match percentages in the DO/MD/military matches.
 
I was accepted to both also. So I went back to do more dental/medical shadowing and clinical volunteer work, eventually I chose the one that I could see myself doing everyday as a career with no regrets.
 
To you want to be a Dr or dentist?

Personally I would walk on glass rather than spend all day looking in people's mouths.

Quit analyzing where you *might* go to residency and figure out what you want to do with your life. Being a doctor != being a dentist.
 
Even my PCP urged me not to pursue medicine and pursue dentistry instead. He seemed upset and stressed-out working all-day 7 days a week to keep his practice running, while his dentist brother makes more money than him working only 3 days a week. Who knows what medicine will be like in 10 years with reimbursements on the decline and mid-level providers encroaching on physician territory.

It's funny you mention this, because I just had an appointment with my PCP (family practice doc) and he said he makes 300K/year working four days a week. Not too shabby. n=1, so take it with a grain of salt, but I hope that this is the direction primary care is headed.
 
jump-to-conclusions.jpg


As a high schooler, you may be too young for that joke, but it's foolish to accuse someone of a lack of comprehensive skills when one doesn't adequetely express themselves and expects others to read their minds, while also jumping to conclusions about DO graduates.

I will excuse your impetuousness on the account of ignorance:
As a DO you can enter whichever specialty training you'd like, so long as one has the proper credentials (board scores, recs, etc). DO graduates can enter both AOA (DO) or ACGME (MD) residencies, many of whom do choose and enter ACGME training programs. DO graduates every year successfully match into competitive residencies in their respective specialties. You may be extrapolating from the fact that yes, some specialties are difficult for a DO to match into (ACGME ortho or derm), however those are both extremely difficult for MD graduates to match into as well. Being an MD graduate doesn't guarantee any position, and those residencies which DO's have difficulty matching into are also extremely exclusive for MD graduates as well, and those candidates need to have superior credentials themselves. An extremely small percentage of MD graduates will successfully match into a ROAD or lifestyle specialty. At the same time DO graduates can match into the respective AOA residency positions for those positions, so there will still be practicing DO's in those fields.

The specialty one ends up in, or the type of residency positions you see filled on match lists, are more reflective of the interests of the individual candidates than their degree or school. An MD degree may open up some doors for ACGME positions in certain surgical subspecialties and lifestyle specialties, but these are still hard earned and difficult positions to enter and they would have to be at the top of their class, excellent board scores, great LORs, etc. One degree or the other doesn't entitle anyone to any residency position. These have to be earned through hard work from graduates of both schools.

Thanks for the lecture, but I will have you know that I have never seen a DO urologist.
 
Thanks for the lecture, but I will have you know that I have never seen a DO urologist.

Then you must be blind if you never seen a DO urologist. You might wanna visit ur eye doc!
 
Thanks for the lecture, but I will have you know that I have never seen a DO urologist.

is that a joke? a lame joke perhaps? do you have to have SEEN something to believe it?

go check the match list section of this forum for all schools....almost most of the schools have 1-3 urology match...but then again who said urology is easy for MD students. Also why do you have to give an example of one of the most competitive residencies, competitive for both MD and DO. why not gen-surg? why not Anesth, orth surg, pathology? they're all competitive..Ive only checked AZCOM's and KCUMB's match list and they both have "PLENTY" of these specialties.

why do you try to defend yourself?? no one's accusing you, it just takes 30 minutes of research to see that you're wrong.

and please don't come back and say well I've never seen any DO derm...do your research, start with the match lists I told you, and don't believe anything any one tells you unless you've done your research!!! That's how rumors spread!!!
 
Thanks for the lecture, but I will have you know that I have never seen a DO urologist.

http://www.opportunities.osteopathi...essionid=f0308c02f4259b66e98d4f74647932457049

List of AOA urological residencies, open to (Gasp!) only DO's.

I'll be the first to say that a DO degree puts you at a disadvantage for HIGHLY competitive ACGME residencies (read: derm, ortho, plastics, etc.), but a DO degree hardly relegates someone to only primary care. Western's match list this past year has many ACGME placements in surgery, anesthesia, and emergency med. Please stop spouting ignorance and get back to hSDN where you belong.
 
http://www.opportunities.osteopathi...essionid=f0308c02f4259b66e98d4f74647932457049

List of AOA urological residencies, open to (Gasp!) only DO's.

I'll be the first to say that a DO degree puts you at a disadvantage for HIGHLY competitive ACGME residencies (read: derm, ortho, plastics, etc.), but a DO degree hardly relegates someone to only primary care. Western's match list this past year has many ACGME placements in surgery, anesthesia, and emergency med. Please stop spouting ignorance and get back to hSDN where you belong.
PCOM runs one.
 
Thanks for the lecture, but I will have you know that I have never seen a DO urologist.

LOL. Too foolish of a statement to even respond to (in theory). Do a 2.2 second google search, look at a match list, or check out the AOA residencies in Uro that are filled each year by DO candidates only.

I don't know why any of us even bother going to medical school ... clearly, pre-meds (especially ones who start here in high school) clearly know it all, so don't even know where we can expand the knowledge base.
 
Ok no offense people but how is being a dentist rewarding? Unless you mean financially...

Being a doctor however you can specialize in whatever you want (outside of the mouth), and I would call that rewarding work (well depends on specialty)

I dunno your call, but the mouth is very boring to me and I dont think I could spend the rest of my life in peoples mouths
 
Ok no offense people but how is being a dentist rewarding? Unless you mean financially...

Being a doctor however you can specialize in whatever you want (outside of the mouth), and I would call that rewarding work (well depends on specialty)

I dunno your call, but the mouth is very boring to me and I dont think I could spend the rest of my life in peoples mouths
It isn't fair for us pre-meds, focusing on being doctors, to call dentistry not rewarding. My dentist is an amazing guy and he loves what he does. Clearly it isn't for everyone, but no job is.
 
I am sorry everyone for not getting my facts straight about DOs. Perhaps the book I read on them was outdated.
 
It isn't fair for us pre-meds, focusing on being doctors, to call dentistry not rewarding. My dentist is an amazing guy and he loves what he does. Clearly it isn't for everyone, but no job is.

Yeah, I can see how it is a rewarding career. Normal hours, decent pay, and you help people with their teeth.
 
I am sorry everyone for not getting my facts straight about DOs. Perhaps the book I read on them was outdated.

Fair enough. I don't think anyone meant to particularly jump down your throat, it's just that the information was definitely untrue. Feel free to ask any questions, err whatever, for more clarification, info about DOs, etc.
 
It isn't fair for us pre-meds, focusing on being doctors, to call dentistry not rewarding. My dentist is an amazing guy and he loves what he does. Clearly it isn't for everyone, but no job is.

well im not really a pre-med anymore, but thats besides the point. Well im definitely not gonna tell you your dentist isn't happy. I would never in a million years do it or call it rewarding, but hey we need people to fix our teeth dont we? I would look like a monster had I not got braces, head gear, etc when i was younger

If dentistry is interesting for some, good for them they should pursue it just as someone who wants to be an astronaut, stripper, or lawyer should pursue that if it makes them happy
 
How dosen't it make sense. Apparently, you have bad comprehension skills, but I will repeat it again for your sake:

I told the OP that going the DO route means that he (or she) will most likely enter primary care, as it is difficult to enter MD residencies as a DO.

I think you are likely mistaken or misinformed. Going DO does not necessarily equal primary care. Plenty of my classmates chose non-primary care routes, whether via MD or DO residencies.

The statistics show that many DO's choose primary care specialties, but this doesn't preclude you matching into one that is not. This depends on your preference, how well you play the game, and your abilities. Regardless, going the DO route does not mean you will most likely have to choose primary care. That's misinformation.
 
I think you are likely mistaken or misinformed. Going DO does not necessarily equal primary care. Plenty of my classmates chose non-primary care routes, whether via MD or DO residencies.

The statistics show that many DO's choose primary care specialties, but this doesn't preclude you matching into one that is not. This depends on your preference, how well you play the game, and your abilities. Regardless, going the DO route does not mean you will most likely have to choose primary care. That's misinformation.

Yeah, this is true. Going DO, we just most likely won't go into rad oncology 😀
 
Yeah, this is true. Going DO, we just most likely won't go into rad oncology 😀

Seen a handful of DO rad onc matches in the past. Keep in mind too that going MD, you will most likely not end up in rad onc. I know you aren't personally drawing these conclusions here, but one of the funniest misconceptions on SDN is the idea that going 'MD' is an automatic ticket into derm, plastics, rads, etc.

If you look at any MD matchlist, you'll find that the majority of MD students ALSO end up in primary care fields (FM, IM, OB, Peds), and that many, many qualified MD applicants don't end up in the specialty of choice (the one they told pre-med SDNers would be 'impossible to achieve as a DO').

Look at the most recent match stats for Ortho: for ACGME residencies, 75% of MD students matched. That means 1 out of every 4 self-selected, bright, hardworking, ortho gunner did NOT match. Additionally, look at any DO match list and check out the AOA ortho matches.

I'm not going to sit here and argue the fine details of where it's easier to specialize, what a match list even demonstrates, etc, etc, etc, but definitely understand that :

1. The DO = primary care thing is definitely a myth

2. You're more likely to end up in primary care coming from EITHER side

3. If you barely tumble into a state MD school and stay wildly average the entire time, don't expect ACGME integrated PRS PDs to come knocking on your door because 'you went MD.'
 
Seen a handful of DO rad onc matches in the past. Keep in mind too that going MD, you will most likely not end up in rad onc. I know you aren't personally drawing these conclusions here, but one of the funniest misconceptions on SDN is the idea that going 'MD' is an automatic ticket into derm, plastics, rads, etc.

If you look at any MD matchlist, you'll find that the majority of MD students ALSO end up in primary care fields (FM, IM, OB, Peds), and that many, many qualified MD applicants don't end up in the specialty of choice (the one they told pre-med SDNers would be 'impossible to achieve as a DO').

Look at the most recent match stats for Ortho: for ACGME residencies, 75% of MD students matched. That means 1 out of every 4 self-selected, bright, hardworking, ortho gunner did NOT match. Additionally, look at any DO match list and check out the AOA ortho matches.

I'm not going to sit here and argue the fine details of where it's easier to specialize, what a match list even demonstrates, etc, etc, etc, but definitely understand that :

1. The DO = primary care thing is definitely a myth

2. You're more likely to end up in primary care coming from EITHER side

3. If you barely tumble into a state MD school and stay wildly average the entire time, don't expect ACGME integrated PRS PDs to come knocking on your door because 'you went MD.'

Yeah, I was just joking. Definitely agree with everything you said in your post.
 
I am sorry everyone for not getting my facts straight about DOs. Perhaps the book I read on them was outdated.

Here's the thing, you are a HS student (maybe a senior maybe not), but you are in a forum with primarily college graduates. There are some med students, some people still in college, and some residents/attendings, but really most everyone here has already graduated with at least one degree possibly more. When you come into a forum with people who will primarily have more life experience, and are closer to applying, have applied, or are already done, don't spout off to them when they say you're wrong about something. You have just seen the minor consequences of those actions; you were lucky they didn't flame you worse. When I post a question or an answer in the resident forums I do it humbly and I apologize for not knowing the answer already... I do not go in acting like I know more than them about anything... It's good form... Just some advice for the future. I applaud coming in to the pre-osteo/pre-allo forums to learn more about the process etc, but do so remembering to be humble. Also, instead of making an assertion, ask a question: instead of saying "you will likely be going into primary care" ask "are you planning on going into primary care"? Also, the snotty retort isn't necessary, and was what really put you in the doghouse... it looks bad for anyone to do it, and while I can be guilty of it, I try to be conscious of it and avoid it... Not trying to be a lecturer, just trying to give you some hints so the next time you post in here, you're not asked to leave...
 
I just find it strange that he made it to almost 250 posts without figuring it out.
 
Kids... I shouldn't have to say more, likely we were all just as bad...
 
FYI: All MDs go into radonc or integrated plastics. DOs have to do lightning bone setting or family medicine in Montana or Idaho. Duh.


In regards to the OP: Asking in the pre-med section is probably not the greatest idea heh
 
http://www.opportunities.osteopathi...essionid=f0308c02f4259b66e98d4f74647932457049

List of AOA urological residencies, open to (Gasp!) only DO's.

I'll be the first to say that a DO degree puts you at a disadvantage for HIGHLY competitive ACGME residencies (read: derm, ortho, plastics, etc.), but a DO degree hardly relegates someone to only primary care. Western's match list this past year has many ACGME placements in surgery, anesthesia, and emergency med. Please stop spouting ignorance and get back to hSDN where you belong.

Just FYI, KCUMB had a match into ACGME plastics this year. And last year, AZCOM had a match into derm at Mayo.
 
[YOUTUBE]kc7mS4N2r3U[/YOUTUBE]
👍 👍 👍 favorite family guy quote (back in high school when this show was so cutting edge and we had to rewatch all the first 3 seasons on DVD because it wasn't even on the air at the time 🙁 )


Just FYI, KCUMB had a match into ACGME plastics this year. And last year, AZCOM had a match into derm at Mayo.

KCUMB ACGME plastics match? I didn't hear about this. Was it integrated PRS or and ENT/Facial Plastics program???
 
KCUMB ACGME plastics match? I didn't hear about this. Was it integrated PRS or and ENT/Facial Plastics program???

I won't speak for EA, but I heard about it too over here in the MD world. Pretty impressive. I don't know for sure, but I thought it was integrated. From everything I've heard, KCUMB is a top-notch school and highly respected in medicine.
 
I won't speak for EA, but I heard about it too over here in the MD world. Pretty impressive. I don't know for sure, but I thought it was integrated. From everything I've heard, KCUMB is a top-notch school and highly respected in medicine.

Wow. I was 99.9% sure you'd never see a DO match integrated ACGME plastics. That's the holy grail for Ivy League MDers.

Could you imagine how many heads would explode if you posted this in pre allo???
 
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