Am I the only one?

You're not the only one. I only applied to DO schools too. My GPA is the same, but my MCAT is lower, still above 31, though. And I know there is another girl with like a 4.0 and a 35 MCAT that only applied to one school, which was a DO school.

 

You two are a rare breed around here. Love it.

 

I have similar stats, but I applied to both. However, I am not one of those that are using DO schools as a backup. I already have been accepted to several MD schools but I am still going to interviews at DO schools because for me its much more about fit in terms of the curriculum, student body, service-learning experiences, and general "vibe" than the initials of my degree. And no I'm not made of money, as a non-trad, I have a family to support so going on these additional interviews is quite burdensome financially. I have been blown away by two of the DO schools and rather unimpressed with some of the MD schools. Let me just say that TCOM is amazing!

 

Very very very few people with stats that high will ONLY apply to DO schools. I'd be willing to bet that most wouldnt even apply.

That was my approach as well. I applied to both MD and DO schools with the hope of finding the best fit for me. The degree did not play a factor.

 

Congrats on the UC Irvine acceptance!! I am quite envious. I have been "pending" pre-secondary for 3 months now so I've given up hope. It was a long shot since I am OOS, but I was really attracted to the PRIME-LC program so I figured I might as well give it a shot.

 

Thanks!!! And yea, the PRIME-LC program is a pretty cool thing theyve got going on. But dont take the pre secondary pending status personally, the UCs, and especially UCI, are pretty unforigiving when it comes to OOS applicants. I think i heard that for UCI its upwards of 95% of pepole are in state (dont quote me tho).

 

If I could get into my state MD school I'd go due to tuition alone. I think the high tuition is hurting DO schools. I could care less about initials, but I would love to save some money!

 

3.63/31p...

 

3.55 32Q

Not as high as yours... But I did surprise a few people by applying to only DO schools.

 

3.8 + and 30+

DO all the way. I like the osteopathic take on the human body/being + the OMM education. I only ever wanted to be a DO.



Many of my friends want only allopathic.

 

i applied to 1 MD school
for the cheap tuition, plus the fact that i'd like to continue the research i've been doing at that school (did my master's in med science and research at the same school)
but CCOM may end up drawing me to chicago even if i get in to the md school
i'll go whereever i feel most comfortable
stats: 30+mcat
gpa: 3.6+ (including my masters courses)

 

I had a 36 MCAT, but only a 3.45(by aacomas) gpa and applied solely to DO schools. The funny thing is, washington university sent me a letter asking me to apply....But, by aamcas gpa I wouldnt stand a chance in heck.

 

3.81/31o.

 

you guys are awesome...i applied to both with the idea that if i didn't get into my one of my state schools then i would decide based on location, price, fit, blah blah... it is nice to be accepted to one school already (DCOM) because now i feel able to turn down other interviews (osteo. and allo.) since I really like that school. And to tell you the truth, even with the expenses, DCOM is right there with one of my state schools.

Anyway, I think that the people with higher stats solely applying to DO schools is going to become less rare since DO's are starting to become more well known (or better yet: more understood by premeds).

 

^^ Agree with this totally, although LECOM comes pretty close to matching state tuition.

 

I decided to go DO only because I like the fact that when i graduate, i can apply to MD residencies and also to do residencies that onyl do's can compete for. Also, i def wanna go primary care and i like the emphasis do schols place on it. The money does suck and if that doesnt change or if md schools begin to increase enrollment significantly, do schools will be in trouble.

 

I think assuming admissions requirements will go down is unfair. Schools will still be selective, I feel.

 

I can't see that being too much of a problem given that general interest in the profession is increasing and the year-over-year average applicant stats at both MD and DO schools seem to be rising by leaps and bounds. Unlike, say, the legal field, it'll be a lot harder to reach the "saturation" point for medical education because of continuing demand for doctors, etc.

 

When is this expansion happening?? That's all people talk about, but I never hear dates.

 

In fact, much of the talk I've heard lately seems to center on the fact that MD schools are in the process of decreasing their class sizes now and in the future.

 

Ain't that the truth. Tuition for LECOM = 27500. Tuition for my in-state MD school = 22500. The in-state MD school remains my top choice, but only because it I wouldn't have to uproot my spouse and kids from their current lives. I see med students from the state school frequently where I work, and... uh... many of them have made me wonder wtf they're teaching at the state school.

My stats are 39R and 3.24 AMCAS . AACOMAS GPA was--had to look this up--3.59. Had a rough first couple of years in college, then transferred out, and quite a few classes were unique to the first school and couldn't be retaken. But I digress.

My prejudice is that I'd rather be a DO. Largely this is because I'm a non-trad and my role model physician is an awesome DO who chose medicine as a second career. OMM is appealing to me because of the hands-on physical assessment practice, but most DO's will tell you it doesn't change their clinical practice to a great degree.

I only have my state school's process to go by, but I'd also say that the DO process, especially interviews, has been far less adversarial than the MD process.

And about numbers, you could substantially increase enrollment and still have plenty of qualified applicants, IMHO. And we're going to have to. The primary care physician shortage is real, and is likely to get much, much worse as health care coverage is expanded. AAMC says allopathic classes are expanding, but it's not nearly to the degree that osteopathic schools are doing so.

 

Well, I have a 30 MCAT and a 3.3 (3.7+ in grad school) and I only applied DO. Not quite a 3.7+ in undergrad.... and a solid but not phenomenal MCAT by any standards. (see MDapps for more details).

I want to do primary care, DO was/is a better fit for me. But I agree...high tuition is hurting Osteopathic Medicine and its mission. I would have applied to my state schools if I were not in CA, probably would have wasted time/$ filling out amcas with my grades!

Why aren't there very many DO state schools? Especially when they are known to produce many primary care physicians which the US is desperately in need of?? (only Texas, Michigan, NJ, and OK have them if I'm not mistaken)

 

And OH.

 

Speaking of which, you want to know something really crazy? UC Irvine Med was originally an osteopathic medical school.

http://www.healthaffairs.uci.edu/som/historicalTimeline.asp

So there was a public DO school in CA until the 70s also...

 

There can be only one. And it is I!



(Please go to Nova so we can study together)

 

All joking aside, what's your situation? Did you apply to DO schools because it was late in the MD cycle? Did you apply because you wanted to learn OMM? I need more info.

 

33Q / 3.94 - Applied DO, and applied to only one school. This was for many reasons - OMM, many DO friends and acquaintances, the school's atmosphere (especially when compared with my state school, though I know my state school is very highly regarded), their greater acceptance of non-traditional students, location, and the ability to get a kick-ass scholarship to name a few.

And in my wise opinion , I don't see the DO arena dying off or even decreasing anytime soon. With the aging of the baby boomers and the increasing lack of personal preventative care, the demand on healthcare is increasing rapidly. There is plenty of room for MDs, DOs, PAs, ARNPs, etc. If you want to be one of the highly regarded ones, work your butt off and become one! There are GREAT DOs and there are crappy DOs, just like there are GREAT MDs and crappy MDs. But I personally do not believe that the initials after my name will ever stop me from achieving my goals.

 

are you sure it was public back then? I think COP&S might have been private until UCI took over during the merger...maybe not though, im not a historian

 

You're certainly not the only one. I was accepted at a really great allopathic school and my osteopathic school and I chose the osteopathic one based on my personal convictions. The curriculum hasn't disappointed me, it's really fulfilling if that's the sort of medicine you want to practice.

As for the stats going down, everyone worries about all of these things as DOs are the minority, but I was pleased to find more than a few people in my class with high stats and hefty resumes. They applied only to DO schools. It seems to me that osteopathic medicine's time has come, essentially. Just think of the shifting landscape of medicine in our country. And for that matter, DO schools need more people like all of you with these higher scores who go for the philosophy and the education, and it seems that that's the way things are headed. If that's the case, then low stats won't be a concern.

My GPA was 3.8, MCAT 30+S

That's just my two cents. It's a matter of shifting minds. I would like more international practice rights though, and maybe better PR. I will say that.

 

Hey thanks for all the helpful input on here. I am certainly not in the ballpark with any of you as far as scores (not that I am some dummy ) but I have had to overcome some serious hurdles to get to where I am as well as have some significant work history which has taught me so much about patient care and crisis management. DO schools were my only pick for many of the same reasons as mentioned above. I am looking forward to going to school with some smart(-er) cookies and thanks for dispelling some myths about DO students.