Any people who wanted MD, go DO? What was your rationale/are you happy?

[GUH]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Well, I have never lied before in my entire life so I'm not sure how I'll ever get through the interview.

Don't lie on the interview. They may or may not ask you directly about OMM. However, I would advise against going to a DO school if you really want to be an MD and believe that you can do it. Realize that you will have to take and pass OMM, that you will have to learn enough OMM to pass the COMLEX, and that you will be an osteopathic physician for your entire career if you go this route.

 

[bloodandguts]

I want MD I just don't want it that much.

In my mind, slighter higher chance at MD, even more debt, a year of life (second gap year) wasted and living rough, working so often I barely have time or energy to study is not above the option of having a good chance of going DO and having to learn manipulations. I study and do well in things I don't like or care for all the time, why do you think my regular GPA is higher than my sGPA?

If my parents paid for school, funded my apps and funded my MCAT, I'd do it no problem. But I'm going to bounce from relative to relative just to save up enough to pay for this cycle. Once I outlive my welcomes, I'm on the street unless I get a car or an apartment. That costs money. And time. I'd never be able to have time to study. Then during my second gap year they'd stop letting me defer my loans and I'd really have it.

And before anyone says fee assistance, my parents, who don't help me, make more than what is allowed for assistance.

In a perfect world, MD would be great, but DO isn't so bad.

 

[Bea5T]

From what I understand OMM is like a grand total of 200 hours of class time. It's not a significant part of the curriculum. Also, it includes some common physical therapy techniques that are good skills to have.


^Typical day in OMM class

 

[JimmyB123]

I want MD I just don't want it that much.

In my mind, slighter higher chance at MD, even more debt, a year of life (second gap year) wasted and living rough, working so often I barely have time or energy to study is not above the option of having a good chance of going DO and having to learn manipulations. I study and do well in things I don't like or care for all the time, why do you think my regular GPA is higher than my sGPA?

If my parents paid for school, funded my apps and funded my MCAT, I'd do it no problem. But I'm going to bounce from relative to relative just to save up enough to pay for this cycle. Once I outlive my welcomes, I'm on the street unless I get a car or an apartment. That costs money. And time. I'd never be able to have time to study. Then during my second gap year they'd stop letting me defer my loans and I'd really have it.

And before anyone says fee assistance, my parents, who don't help me, make more than what is allowed for assistance.

In a perfect world, MD would be great, but DO isn't so bad.

Go DO. Not worth all that hassle man.

 

[igor_raptor]

From what I understand OMM is like a grand total of 200 hours of class time. It's not a significant part of the curriculum. Also, it includes some common physical therapy techniques that are good skills to have.


^Typical day in OMM class

WOW. That was certainly... inspiring.

 

[bloodandguts]

200 hours is nothing compared to a whole second gap year.

And like 1 of the four DO's I visited used manipulations on me, and zero of the DO's I have observed.

 

[stickshifthonda]

Looks like you answered your own question OP!

 

[Roxas]

From what I understand OMM is like a grand total of 200 hours of class time. It's not a significant part of the curriculum. Also, it includes some common physical therapy techniques that are good skills to have.


^Typical day in OMM class

It's all about dat IT spread

 

[BorntobeDO?]

@HandsomeRob What was your GPA? OP's sGPA is 3.3 with a 27. That doesn't impress anyone. He/she has a low chance of getting any interview, unless is URM.

OP, if you think OMM is fake, you will hate it the first two years. Plus they will ask about it on your interview. Good luck faking your way through the interview.

True my sGPA was higher, and I had no retakes so that probably helped. But still me and my 63 LizzyM (at time of primary) wasn't exactly world beating numbers.

 

[kalat]

Well, I have never lied before in my entire life so I'm not sure how I'll ever get through the interview.

Lol

 

[kenjixshadow]

@Bea5T Not all classmates look like model materials though.
@bloodandguts Go DO and learn more about OMM. That way you wouldn't have to lie.

 

[FutureD0C17]

@Bea5T Not all classmates look like model materials though.

They don't!? Damn, I'm out then.

It would be hilarious if a some nut brought this vid into the interview and said "this, this is why I want to be an osteopathic physician."

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Well, I have never lied before in my entire life so I'm not sure how I'll ever get through the interview.

I would like to point out that whether you think all manipulations actually work, all of them are in fact real (well except cranial, its the blue pill apparently). And many of the techniques are shared with PT and have in fact proven to be effective. It is not necessary to focus on this in interviews. They don't want to hear it. If your answer to why DO is about OMM or how DO's do more 'holistic care' then interviewers = . Save that nonsense for naturopathic school. 😉

I will tell you my answer to why DO (at least the version I think worked best). I talked about the DO's I have interacted with being more personable, and that I felt that DO schools were looking for different kinds of students than many MD (heavy research focus vs clinical/community based medicine focus).

I also mentioned that I felt like DO was a more tight knit community, actually I asked the interviewer if she felt that way also (one interviewer loved that, and she was OMM instructor to boot). Seriously, I wish I had asked that in every interview because it got such a positive reaction. So I think its important to keep it on a more personal level when doing the whole 'Why DO' thing. If you can tie it into the schools mission you are doing well, i.e. I am really more interested in clinical medicine (bonus points for primary care) rather than bench research and I think that DO's have traditionally focused on this aspect more. Why DO really is why that school, I also talked about cooperative environment, friendliness towards nontraditional students, etc.

Its an open secret that many DO students would rather go MD due to lower cost of state school/easier time applying to residency with only 1 step take (i.e. just USMLE without COMLEX, which a DO must take). Note here: when I say easier I am not even talking about the whole 'residency's that won't take DO's thing.' Just that it is easier to prep for one exam than both. Also the whole Osteopathic traditional rotating internship nonsense with licensure in Florida and like 3 other states is a thing too, i.e. they give you trouble if you don't have one and you went ACGME (although I think that may be gone by the time we graduate). And then the decreased international practice rights (although where are you really gonna practice anyhow? It should be the country your going to medical school in). But at the end of the day DO is one of only two types of medicine that allow you to become a fully licensed physician. And that's why people go.

So there, you have my thoughts on the DO vs. MD thing. Once your done with residency tho, the DO part really becomes secondary to your specialty. There is no DO Anesthesiologist, just Anesthesiologists.

 

[GUH]

From what I understand OMM is like a grand total of 200 hours of class time. It's not a significant part of the curriculum. Also, it includes some common physical therapy techniques that are good skills to have.


^Typical day in OMM class

Wooooooooo dang that video makes me want to practice in Italy.

 

[feeling-dizzy]

Wooooooooo dang that video makes me want to practice in Italy.

Can we all admit the model in the video is hot? Btw, i did not understand a single word, nor I care, lol

 

[bloodandguts]

I'll translate, "And now we are centering your chakra and bringing your body more into alignment with Mars. Are you a Cancer, I heard they have spine alignment issues? Ah, a Scorpio, that would explain why you are so tense."

Just kidding! I'll give it a chance. I always assumed it was a placebo thing but I know very little about it.

@HandsomeRob

That was what I would have said because it is the truth. All the DO doctors I have ever met are infinitely more personable and seem more trusted by their patients. I literally saw a DO go in and talk to and seem to remember all his patients by name during rounds once, whereas I had always seen the other doctors stand in the hallway and just ask the nurses while they fiddled away on their computer. The difference is there. I was just more concerned about residency and other factors but I am not as much now.

 

[racerwad]

From what I understand OMM is like a grand total of 200 hours of class time. It's not a significant part of the curriculum. Also, it includes some common physical therapy techniques that are good skills to have.


^Typical day in OMM class

This video makes me disappointed in my classmates. 🙁

 

[chizledfrmstone]

Shadowed a DO who was well respected in the hospital. At that point I realized it's up to each individual to get the most out of life. If I busted my butt in med school then I would become a good physician regardless of MD or DO after my name.

With the application process getting so competitive I'm extremely grateful for my acceptance.

 

[Stagg737]

@HandsomeRob What was your GPA? OP's sGPA is 3.3 with a 27. That doesn't impress anyone. He/she has a low chance of getting any interview, unless is URM.

OP, if you think OMM is fake, you will hate it the first two years. Plus they will ask about it on your interview. Good luck faking your way through the interview.

Not necessarily, there've been quite a few things in OMM that I was very skeptical of coming into school but have been pleasantly surprised by. There are also many techniques that PTs and OTs use on a regular basis like muscle energy techniques. Are there parts of OM that are total bs? Yea (cough *cranial* cough), but there's also some stuff that if you use it on the right patient can make a decent difference.

It's also a minuscule part of the curriculum at more than a few schools. It's about 2 hours/week for us, so nbd even if I don't think it's useful. Plus, if you get a partner that's good at it you usually leave lab feeling great. I love those labs now, especially when we had the labs on cervical myofascial release. I almost fell asleep because I was so relaxed.

Wooooooooo dang that video makes me want to practice in Italy.

That video makes me want to do anything in Italy...

 

[BorntobeDO?]

I'll translate, "And now we are centering your chakra and bringing your body more into alignment with Mars. Are you a Cancer, I heard they have spine alignment issues? Ah, a Scorpio, that would explain why you are so tense."

Just kidding! I'll give it a chance. I always assumed it was a placebo thing but I know very little about it.

@HandsomeRob

That was what I would have said because it is the truth. All the DO doctors I have ever met are infinitely more personable and seem more trusted by their patients. I literally saw a DO go in and talk to and seem to remember all his patients by name during rounds once, whereas I had always seen the other doctors stand in the hallway and just ask the nurses while they fiddled away on their computer. The difference is there. I was just more concerned about residency and other factors but I am not as much now.

Any residency is open to a DO, but not all residencies are easily obtained (and usually the ones that are hard for DO, are hard for MD also). Taking a guess at what your interested in doing as premed is a crapshoot at best for most folks. Even me, as an experienced nurse, I have a hard time predicting exactly what I will do. I like to have my options open. That being said I have a general idea. I am sure you have one too, but you want to keep an open mind. What is more important, is what school will allow you to succeed, and what is a realistic residency for you? I am not sure you can answer the second part right now. Thats why its important to check out the 3rd and 4th year schedules of schools. If they aren't giving a good amount of time to do electives or are requiring a bunch of nonsense rotations in 4th year, that can really hurt your ability to do audition rotations and/or discover specialties that might be a perfect fit for you.

Also you have to be honest about your own drive. You may say you want Ortho, but if you were never an overachiever in undergrad, what suddenly makes you one now in a harder faster medical curriculum? Lets say you get into that MD program that has applicants who all scored better than you on the MCAT, and had higher GPA's in hard science degrees. Where do you think you will rank in that class? Is the 'name brand' of the school enough to cover for the fact that you are the low end of the totem pole, and the curriculum is really geared towards people who might just be better students than you? All medical school is hard, but will that environment be a hindrance, or will it help you complete everything the first time? These are thoughts I think when I think about picking a program. But they are useless if your not honest with yourself. And that is the take away IMO.

DO school is an opportunity to pursue a dream for most folks, but it can't open any doors you wouldn't have been able to open on your own. Its still upto you to succeed at the end of the day.

 

[Stagg737]

I'll also add that even though I didn't care that much about the letters at the end of my name I turned down an MD interview after being accepted to my current DO school. So far I have no regrets.

 

[kenjixshadow]

This video makes me disappointed in my classmates. 🙁

🤣I find this hilarious bc this is so true...I think medical schools should require ppl to exercise...😳

 

[thepoopologist]

From what I understand OMM is like a grand total of 200 hours of class time. It's not a significant part of the curriculum. Also, it includes some common physical therapy techniques that are good skills to have.


^Typical day in OMM class

If a typical working day was working with those types of patients and that type of equipment, I would've been the OMT king.

 

[evooo8]

If you have the money apply to both, if not take what ever acceptance you can. For me it wasn't worth it to go through grade replacement and study again for the MCAT when I had a better shot at DO. I would prefer to have MD at the end of my name, and I'm sure many others would, but not at the expense of more years of work. I am glad I have an acceptance and I'm sure I will not have any regrets in the future about my career choice.

 

[bloodandguts]

I am realistic, at least I think so. I know I'm not really neurosurgeon material/ortho material but I would be bored to tears as a family doctor. I'd also be bored to tears with anesthesiology and derm but I have a feeling a lot of people go into that more for the money, hence it being competitive. I want variety and urgency. I am very calm and work well in a crisis situation, hence I like the idea of EM a lot.But I'd also get to deal with more minor issues and talk to people. I think it is a nice balance.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

I am realistic, at least I think so. I know I'm not really neurosurgeon material/ortho material but I would be bored to tears as a family doctor. I'd also be bored to tears with anesthesiology and derm but I have a feeling a lot of people go into that more for the money, hence it being competitive. I want variety and urgency. I am very calm and work well in a crisis situation, hence I like the idea of EM a lot.But I'd also get to deal with more minor issues and talk to people. I think it is a nice balance.

EM should be fine to get as a DO. It is one of the traditionally more friendly fields.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

Shadowed a DO who was well respected in the hospital. At that point I realized it's up to each individual to get the most out of life. If I busted my butt in med school then I would become a good physician regardless of MD or DO after my name.

With the application process getting so competitive I'm extremely grateful for my acceptance.

This right here... I will admit, I was skeptical just like the OP.

Then I shadowed a DO who was an EM doc and on the board of directors at a hospital. Then I spent a few months shadowing a DO orthopedic surgeon who is in practice with 5 other MD surgeons and is a partner in their business. After those experiences any stigma in my mind was erased. If they can do it, I can do it; the only person stopping me is me.

 

[MPHOrtho13]

Any residency is open to a DO, but not all residencies are easily obtained (and usually the ones that are hard for DO, are hard for MD also)..

So true!!!

Before interview day for a competitive fellowship program at a big-name teaching hospital system, all the docs would annotate each candidates' application files.

Among the 30ish candidates, there was only one DO (in the programs' defense, only a few DO's applied). IMO, he was one of the best candidates-- not only did he have jaw-dropping board scores, recs, incredible military service, research, community service, etc. etc. etc. (I don't think he ever slept), but he was one of the most personable physicians I had ever met.

When I opened the attending's folder on this candidate after interview day, I was shocked. This doc had simply highlighted the initials "DO" after his name on the first page, then had tossed the file. NOTHING had been highlighted, annotated, or read. In contrast, everyone else in the department had annotated the candidates' folder with praises. Nobody "cared" that he was a DO... except one. So obviously, he didn't stand a chance at our program.

However, the doc ended up at "Rival" Hospital, and he thrived... And it was our loss. Was there "DO bias"? Yes. Did that prevent this candidate from matching into an outstanding program? Absolutely not. Yes, perhaps at the top allopathic fellowships/residencies, you may have someone not like you because of your initials (people do like to 'take care of their own', so to speak). However, you may also not gain in a program for an equally asinine reason (I've seen interviews get ugly when candidates started talking about sports teams).

To the OP (and everyone else worried about the "bias")-- I wouldn't worry about it. DOs are a growing field, and aside from a small minority, there really isn't much of a bias. It's also important to remember that there are lots of other biases too, even if you're an MD (for example, I once heard a surgeon say that he would NEVER endorse a resident who applied from a state school... Another said that they didn't like women because they get pregnant... like whaaaaaaa?).

Thankfully, times are changing. When I joined a particular teaching hospital institution, there were practically no women. Now, it's virtually all women. And that attending at that program? Just recently endorsed a DO candidate for residency. 🙂

 

[sameharu1991]

So reapplicant here.
I applied to 20 schools last year - 17 MDs, 3 that didn't require DO letter. I didn't really know DO schools last year so I think when I had the best chances with interview at a DO school, it probably stood out that I didn't know enough. Ended the cycle with 1 MD/1 DO interviews, both waitlisted.

This cycle, I applied to only 6 DO schools - (I KNOW I KNOW ... CRAZY... HOW CAN YOU ONLY APPLY TO 6 schools?!) Got 3 interviews, accepted at 2 of my top choices, withdrew from 1. I was limited in terms of finances after previous cycle and couple of things I did to boost my application - DO LOR, working in clinical research admin for 2 years, DO shadowing, really geared my app for DO schools. I really wanted to go DO after learning that I was always interested in primary care/EM and felt that DO program was the best fit for that.

I would say... apply to both MD and DO if you can. But I also understand your situation - and if you know for sure you won't regret, go all in on DO apps too. Just don't be crazy like me and only apply to 6 schools. lol.

 

[moonwake]

I applied to 6 DO~ and 18 MD. I did most of it by either prestigiousness or cost of tuition. Given, I had a 3.7 and I was getting 32-33's on my practice MCATs and applied before I got my score back. When I got a 28 I had already applied to Brown and Baylor and stuff and just withdrew. I knew my chances were dead for 75%+ of the MD schools I applied to but luckily I had the fee waiver so it didn't really cost me. People on here bash DO a lot but it's because they're either a) trolls or b) bigots which will exist anywhere and everywhere. It's been disappointing to be like I go to "X DO school" and people are like "?" "where's that?" "What's DO? Huh?" That has been annoying and I wish the stigma wasn't there. But at the end of the day I'm glad to be on the road to becoming a doctor. It's super exciting and I'm glad that these DO schools gave me the opportunity. I would have chosen cheaper schools if I had gotten accepted, but I don't have any regrets. It all depends on what your goals are. No matter what you are going to do in life there will be haters (a lot of nurses hate doctors regardless if you're DO/MD). Just follow your dream and screw anyone who says you can or can't do it.

 

[AM508]

I applied to 6 DO~ and 18 MD. I did most of it by either prestigiousness or cost of tuition. Given, I had a 3.7 and I was getting 32-33's on my practice MCATs...

Yeah, I wouldn't feel bad at all about the 28 and missing the MD boat, I had a 3.7 and a 31, applied to 16 DO schools and 12 MD schools, got 14 interview invites for DO and 2 interview invites for MD. Both MD ones I turned down because I already had 3 DO acceptances and the one MD school was going to cost $60,000 in tuition alone and the other school was in a city I decided I would not like to live in and they got to me way too late, they wanted to schedule an interview for April. The whole MD vs DO thing never really made much difference to me. My goal was to be a physician and either route gets me there.

 

[ehwhatsupdoc]

I was curious if some ACGME internal medicine programs are discriminatory towards DO? I'm talking about a program filled with mostly FMG but not a single DO. Example Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. For me it really comes down to location for residency. Is lack of DO due to discrimination or is it due to limited numbers applying?

 

[user3]

I'll also add that even though I didn't care that much about the letters at the end of my name I turned down an MD interview after being accepted to my current DO school. So far I have no regrets.

you might regret it if you do poorly on the USMLE.

 

[Goro]

The vast majority of our grads tell us at graduation, when they have no incentive to embellish or lie, that they were glad they went to a DO school and wouldn't attend a MD school if they could do it over.

Interestingly, a fraction stated that they would not go to med school at all!

Reasons I wanted MD
-Better residency chances.
-I think manipulations are fake.
-Stats to get in are higher, therefore a lot of people assume you are smarter (even if it isn't the case!)

Reasons I'd Go DO
-I like DO's I've interacted with more.
-I like they also believe in prevention of further problem, and put effort into it.
-1 less year my loans will be accumulating debt.
-I'll get to be a doctor faster, which was always my goal, rather than waste a year of my life restudying for the MCAT when I could be spending that year in the future as a doctor. Life is short.
-Much cheaper to apply, can only really afford to apply DO, nothing left over for MD so I wouldn't be able to apply broadly at all for MD.
-Better chances of getting in. Plus I volunteered a ton, and I'm passionate about it, and DO schools care more about that than a test score.

I'd have to wait until next year to apply to up my MCAT, and I don't want to wait a whole year to restudy for a standardized test when I could be learning medicine. But I don't want my chances of having the freedom to choose my specialty lessened. But I might spend that whole year studying, still not get into MD, and would have wasted a year.

Advice? Personal experience? Thanks.

 

[starkinthemidwest]

I am realistic, at least I think so. I know I'm not really neurosurgeon material/ortho material but I would be bored to tears as a family doctor. I'd also be bored to tears with anesthesiology and derm but I have a feeling a lot of people go into that more for the money, hence it being competitive. I want variety and urgency. I am very calm and work well in a crisis situation, hence I like the idea of EM a lot.But I'd also get to deal with more minor issues and talk to people. I think it is a nice balance.

I don't think there'd be much of a problem there, honestly. I mean, I know Iowa has a disproportionate amount of DOs cause of DMU, but the DO I'm gonna be shadowing specializes in IM and works largely with geriatric patients cause he finds it more fulfilling.

 

[Stagg737]

you might regret it if you do poorly on the USMLE.

Maybe, but I doubt it. The school I go to is one of the better DO schools and last year our USMLE average was 226, just below average. I'm also a decent standardized test taker, so not really worried there. On top of that, my DO school has better USMLE averages, is well above the COMLEX average, has a really good reputation in this area of the country, and is about 23k/year cheaper than the MD school I had the interview at. On top of that I really love where I'm at and it's in a place that my fiancee can actually be employed (her field is pretty limited to cities), and after talking to people at the MD school it really didn't sound that appealing to me. It was pretty much a 'back-up' school in the first place and not somewhere I particularly wanted to go from the start, but that doesn't matter now.

Now if I bomb COMLEX and USMLE, then I may be having some regrets. Considering I think I'd be happy in more than one primary field, I'm not too worried at this point.

 

[BrooklynBulls]

I've basically graduated, and I'll admit that if all else were equal, I'd have preferred the MD over the DO. You're less scrutinized, better access to residencies (in general), the pay is better in ACGME residencies, fewer quizzical looks from laypeople who don't know what a DO is, less boards to take (I think all DO's should take the USMLE). It's, again if all ELSE is equal, preferable to have an MD after your name. From the US, of course.

Is it enough to wait a year without a very convincing reason for doing so? No, I definitely wouldn't wait a year. Would I reject an acceptance in order to wait a year? Double no, that seems ridiculous to me.

On a scale of 1-10, how much being a DO limits your potential, as opposed being at a low-to-mid tier US allopathic school? I'd put it as like a 2.5. I'd put USMLE Step 1 score at like a 7, with wearing a bowtie at a residency interview as 1 and being a sociopath as 10. Does that help?

 

[BorntobeDO?]

I've basically graduated, and I'll admit that if all else were equal, I'd have preferred the MD over the DO. You're less scrutinized, better access to residencies (in general), the pay is better in ACGME residencies, fewer quizzical looks from laypeople who don't know what a DO is, less boards to take (I think all DO's should take the USMLE). It's, again if all ELSE is equal, preferable to have an MD after your name. From the US, of course.

Is it enough to wait a year without a very convincing reason for doing so? No, I definitely wouldn't wait a year. Would I reject an acceptance in order to wait a year? Double no, that seems ridiculous to me.

On a scale of 1-10, how much being a DO limits your potential, as opposed being at a low-to-mid tier US allopathic school? I'd put it as like a 2.5. I'd put USMLE Step 1 score at like a 7, with wearing a bowtie at a residency interview as 1 and being a sociopath as 10. Does that help?

I think if everything was equal as far as residencies acceptances and not having to take two exams as DO, that a lot more people would go DO. Alot still do as is. But I think the clinical focus rather than research base (IF it didn't matter to residencies) would be appealing to a large amount of medical students. Now granted some people actually want to do research only, but I think most people are using that as an means to a end (Rad-Onc residency etc.).

I know I would (in a world where MD and DO are completely equal) probably pick DO. I feel like it fits my MO more. I am not a lab rat, I am a clinician. I think OMM is cool, even if it is just for pain relief. But we don't live in that world and I don't know that I could pick DO over one of my state schools right now tho. The cost difference is too much to ignore, and not having to take the steps twice would be convenient. Add in my states schools being in my preferred location (Ha! that's right, I live in Fl cause I like Fl!), and I would have a hard time turning them down. All of these things are much more important to me than the 'bias against DO.'

 

[user3]

I've basically graduated, and I'll admit that if all else were equal, I'd have preferred the MD over the DO. You're less scrutinized, better access to residencies (in general), the pay is better in ACGME residencies, fewer quizzical looks from laypeople who don't know what a DO is, less boards to take (I think all DO's should take the USMLE). It's, again if all ELSE is equal, preferable to have an MD after your name. From the US, of course.

Is it enough to wait a year without a very convincing reason for doing so? No, I definitely wouldn't wait a year. Would I reject an acceptance in order to wait a year? Double no, that seems ridiculous to me.

On a scale of 1-10, how much being a DO limits your potential, as opposed being at a low-to-mid tier US allopathic school? I'd put it as like a 2.5. I'd put USMLE Step 1 score at like a 7, with wearing a bowtie at a residency interview as 1 and being a sociopath as 10. Does that help?

This MD student with 213 Step 1/ 209 Step 2, applied to around 40 Anes programs and received 12 interviews.
http://anesthesiology.matchapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?id=13897

A DO student with these scores would be lucky to match into gas at all, and gas is considered "DO friendly". In situations where a student has marginal board scores, it is hard to deny that USMD status offers a massive advantage. MD students with marginal board scores still have great chances at nearly any of the non-surgical/non-derm specialties. The same CANNOT be said for DO students.

 

[BrooklynBulls]

This MD student with 213 Step 1/ 209 Step 2, applied to around 40 Anes programs and received 12 interviews.
http://anesthesiology.matchapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?id=13897

A DO student with these scores would be lucky to match into gas at all, and gas is considered "DO friendly". In situations where a student has marginal board scores, it is hard to deny that USMD status offers a massive advantage. MD students with marginal board scores still have great chances at pretty any of the non-surgical or derm specialties. The same CANNOT be said for DO students.

That guy did get 12 interviews, but how do you know he matched? You wanna talk anecdotes, I got em for DO students with poor scores that matched unlikely ACGME specialties. And a DO with those stats might not match ACGME gas. There's still AOA gas, which might have a bad reputation for strength of training, but still gives you access to the specialty. I similarly doubt bottom-of-the-barrel USMD's get great training at the places THEY usually match competitive specialties.

 

[user3]

That guy did get 12 interviews, but how do you know he matched? You wanna talk anecdotes, I got em for DO students with poor scores that matched unlikely ACGME specialties. And a DO with those stats might not match ACGME gas. There's still AOA gas, which might have a bad reputation for strength of training, but still gives you access to the specialty. I similarly doubt bottom-of-the-barrel USMD's get great training at the places THEY usually match competitive specialties.

these are the statistics from charting outcomes-

211-220 step 1 score and USMD match rate:

Gas: 96%
Rads: 95%
EM: 90%
GS: 81%

Even accounting for AOA programs, I doubt match rates for DO students with this score are anyhere near this high for these specialties.

 

[pattr]

-I think manipulations are fake.

So, do you think physical therapy is fake?

 

[MLaura]

So, do you think physical therapy is fake?

Yeah for people who think this like... I really think you're underestimating the amount of pain people can be in sometimes, just from muscle pain or budling discs or pinched nerves. I'm young and was in a car accident that didn't seem that bad when it happened but I've been in a lot of pain for 4 years now and wish my insurance covered OMM Bc I wanted to try it. Even massage therapy is a relief when you can't even lie down and sleep without feeling really bad back pain. I think it'd be amazing to learn honestly (OMM I mean).

And to answer the OP's question, I used to think "oh yeah MD" only Bc I didn't know about DO as well as I could have. But after shadowing a DO, and after I switched from seeing a DO specialist to an MD specialist (Bc the DO was too far away for me), I really saw a HUGE difference. The next time I had to choose a doc for something I searched for a DO. I really love the treatment I got from one and I personally would love to be one myself.

(Assuming Im lucky enough to be accepted lol)

 

[deleted436726]

I was curious if some ACGME internal medicine programs are discriminatory towards DO? I'm talking about a program filled with mostly FMG but not a single DO. Example Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. For me it really comes down to location for residency. Is lack of DO due to discrimination or is it due to limited numbers applying?

Sure, a lot of the top academic programs likely do have a bias against DO, but for low tier ACGME programs like the one you mentioned my guess is that it's more a matter of it being a low quality FMG sweatshop that no US trained physician would voluntarily go to than anything else.

 

[Stagg737]

That guy did get 12 interviews, but how do you know he matched? You wanna talk anecdotes, I got em for DO students with poor scores that matched unlikely ACGME specialties. And a DO with those stats might not match ACGME gas. There's still AOA gas, which might have a bad reputation for strength of training, but still gives you access to the specialty. I similarly doubt bottom-of-the-barrel USMD's get great training at the places THEY usually match competitive specialties.

I agree with @user3 on this one. My school had someone in the bottom quarter of the class match ortho this year, that doesn't mean that's common or even plausible for most people. Just because people can do it doesn't mean it's typical. It's tough to deny that an MD with average stats will have an easier time matching ACGME for anything than a DO with the same stats. If you're just trying to match into a certain field and don't care about the actual program, then DO is fine for almost any field. As you stated, having AOA positions also makes this possibility less of an issue for most fields. However, if you're trying to get into a top ACGME program in any field, you'd typically have much more to prove as a DO than your MD equal. That, unfortunately, won't likely be changing any time soon.

 

[Mr Kenobi]

From what I understand OMM is like a grand total of 200 hours of class time. It's not a significant part of the curriculum. Also, it includes some common physical therapy techniques that are good skills to have.


^Typical day in OMM class

 

[tom10]

I didn't think it would be this complicated. If you can go to a US MD school rather than a DO school, then do it. Plain and simple. You wll have an advantage down the road. I have friends that are MD students that have very similar scores to me that got a lot more interviews than I did and I applied IM which is definitely DO friendly.

Do I regret going to a DO school? Absolutely not. My preclinical education adequately prepared me for Step 1 and Comlex 1 and my third year clinicals more than prepared me for Level 2. I'm studying for Step 2 now (long story) and am scoring above average. For me, it didn't matter. I matched into the speciality that I wanted and get to do what I wanted to do from the beginning. Win.

EDIT: No one can answer if you should wait a year or not. I would not, but I didn't want a crazy competitive residency. If I wanted ortho, I may have considered holding out a year or maybe more, but this is clearly just a hypothetical so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[yanks26dmb]

I want MD I just don't want it that much.

In my mind, slighter higher chance at MD, even more debt, a year of life (second gap year) wasted and living rough, working so often I barely have time or energy to study is not above the option of having a good chance of going DO and having to learn manipulations. I study and do well in things I don't like or care for all the time, why do you think my regular GPA is higher than my sGPA?

If my parents paid for school, funded my apps and funded my MCAT, I'd do it no problem. But I'm going to bounce from relative to relative just to save up enough to pay for this cycle. Once I outlive my welcomes, I'm on the street unless I get a car or an apartment. That costs money. And time. I'd never be able to have time to study. Then during my second gap year they'd stop letting me defer my loans and I'd really have it.

And before anyone says fee assistance, my parents, who don't help me, make more than what is allowed for assistance.

In a perfect world, MD would be great, but DO isn't so bad.

Year of life wasted? I had 7 gap years. I started a business and traveled the world several times over. Wasting tears of life is based on your decisions... and not on whether you start med school or not.

Don't rush into this because you feel you have to. Apply to the program you want to be in most AND when your stats are sufficient.

 

[bloodandguts]

Eh, I also don't think I'll ever be a good MD applicant though. I can't muster the enthusiasm to study for the MCAT again (I may be just burnt out, I am taking a gap year luckily, but I need to apply in June if I don't want to take two gap years). My science GPA is way too low and there is no way I am continuing school, too expensive.

I could spend a whole year, raise my GPA a little studying things I have no interest in or could be studying in med school, raise my MCAT a few points, take a second gap year and still get in nowhere. If I got a chance of DO, no additional hassle or 30,000 dollar loans, or studying 400+ hours for a test I might not even see a dramatic change in score at, or paying to make ends meet and barely having time/energy to study, and being finally able to learn medicine, I'm going to just go DO.

I've taken too many risks in the past that failed miserably. I would have a much higher sGPA if I didn't fool around taking so many upper level courses for "fun" when I'm not even a science major. Need to realize I might be good where I am at for DO, and any further messing around could just end up sabotaging me further.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

Some fun food for thought that was brought up in another thread.


You got a DO trauma surgeon and an MD ear note throat surgeon discussing some of the difference (or lack thereof) between MDs and DOs.