Application timeline DO help

[Osono]

Hello! I'm applying this cycle to both MD and DO schools. My plan for MD is to apply within the first week of the app opening because I have everything I need.

For DO on the other hand, I have a bit of an issue. I recently started shadowing an MD- will probably have around 30-40 hours by June. I'm not sure if she will write me a letter though, since I will only have known her for around 1-2 months. This really cuts down on my application pool for DO. That is if I choose to apply in June with no LOR from a physician.

I want advice on my plan. I think I'm in a good spot for DO schools, so I want to find more physicians to shadow (preferably DO) and get a LOR from one of them. This might take me a few months though- maybe pushing into August/September (which is when I would plan to send my application for DO schools). I've read on reddit from people with similar stats to mine that it's fine to apply during that time. Basically just want to know if I should apply to DOs the same time as MD with potentially no LOR- or apply later (august/september) with LOR from DO/MD. Thank you in advance!

A breakdown of my stats:

>100 hours hospital volunteering (200 projected)
200 hours CNA in post-acute nursing facility
~40 projected shadowing MD, hopefully more with a DO and another MD (prob 60-80 projected if so)
~40 hours virtual shadowing
~300 hours clinical research coordinator (no patient contact, lab work)
3.48 cGPA, 3.2 sGPA (strong upward trend, 3.8-3.9 all of senior year)
502 MCAT first attempt Jan 21 --> projected MCAT anywhere from 505-510 (510 on both practice exams this month, taking April 30th)
Some other not really important stuff: lifelong musician- played in my undergrad wind ensemble for 4 years, learning spanish, etc.

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[Proudfather94]

Hello! I'm applying this cycle to both MD and DO schools. My plan for MD is to apply within the first week of the app opening because I have everything I need.

For DO on the other hand, I have a bit of an issue. I recently started shadowing an MD- will probably have around 30-40 hours by June. I'm not sure if she will write me a letter though, since I will only have known her for around 1-2 months. This really cuts down on my application pool for DO. That is if I choose to apply in June with no LOR from a physician.

I want advice on my plan. I think I'm in a good spot for DO schools, so I want to find more physicians to shadow (preferably DO) and get a LOR from one of them. This might take me a few months though- maybe pushing into August/September (which is when I would plan to send my application for DO schools). I've read on reddit from people with similar stats to mine that it's fine to apply during that time. Basically just want to know if I should apply to DOs the same time as MD with potentially no LOR- or apply later (august/september) with LOR from DO/MD. Thank you in advance!

A breakdown of my stats:

>100 hours hospital volunteering (200 projected)
200 hours CNA in post-acute nursing facility
~40 projected shadowing MD, hopefully more with a DO and another MD (prob 60-80 projected if so)
~40 hours virtual shadowing
~300 hours clinical research coordinator (no patient contact, lab work)
3.48 cGPA, 3.2 sGPA (strong upward trend, 3.8-3.9 all of senior year)
502 MCAT first attempt Jan 21 --> projected MCAT anywhere from 505-510 (510 on both practice exams this month, taking April 30th)
Some other not really important stuff: lifelong musician- played in my undergrad wind ensemble for 4 years, learning spanish, etc.

I'm not going to lie with those stats you may want to do a DO only cycle unless you want to do an SMP and crush the retake. Definitely try to get a DO letter

 

[Osono]

I'm not going to lie with those stats you may want to do a DO only cycle unless you want to do an SMP and crush the retake. Definitely try to get a DO letter

I feel like I might have a chance at some MD schools if I get a 510+. I think if I don't get in anywhere (including MD and DO) this cycle- I'll probably do an SMP and venture out in my experiences. Thanks for the response!

 

[Goro]

Hello! I'm applying this cycle to both MD and DO schools. My plan for MD is to apply within the first week of the app opening because I have everything I need.

For DO on the other hand, I have a bit of an issue. I recently started shadowing an MD- will probably have around 30-40 hours by June. I'm not sure if she will write me a letter though, since I will only have known her for around 1-2 months. This really cuts down on my application pool for DO. That is if I choose to apply in June with no LOR from a physician.

I want advice on my plan. I think I'm in a good spot for DO schools, so I want to find more physicians to shadow (preferably DO) and get a LOR from one of them. This might take me a few months though- maybe pushing into August/September (which is when I would plan to send my application for DO schools). I've read on reddit from people with similar stats to mine that it's fine to apply during that time. Basically just want to know if I should apply to DOs the same time as MD with potentially no LOR- or apply later (august/september) with LOR from DO/MD. Thank you in advance!

A breakdown of my stats:

>100 hours hospital volunteering (200 projected)
200 hours CNA in post-acute nursing facility
~40 projected shadowing MD, hopefully more with a DO and another MD (prob 60-80 projected if so)
~40 hours virtual shadowing
~300 hours clinical research coordinator (no patient contact, lab work)
3.48 cGPA, 3.2 sGPA (strong upward trend, 3.8-3.9 all of senior year)
502 MCAT first attempt Jan 21 --> projected MCAT anywhere from 505-510 (510 on both practice exams this month, taking April 30th)
Some other not really important stuff: lifelong musician- played in my undergrad wind ensemble for 4 years, learning spanish, etc.

The DO cycle is longer, so you can apply by early Oct and still be OK.

Can you give us your year by year cGPA and sGPA? A single strong SR year is ordinarily not enough data points for reinvention.

Do NOT apply MD until you have your 2nd score.

 

[temperatechimps]

Hello,

so DO application isn't strict about early applications? I read that people say you HAVE to be early for TMDSAS applications so i'll be submitting that day 1. But what other advantages are there between submitting on May 2nd versus submitting on June 2nd besides getting interviews/getting acceptances or rejections faster?

 

[Osono]

The DO cycle is longer, so you can apply by early Oct and still be OK.

Can you give us your year by year cGPA and sGPA? A single strong SR year is ordinarily not enough data points for reinvention.

Do NOT apply MD until you have your 2nd score.

Freshman and sophomore year were pretty tough for me, personal relationship wise and health wise- but I thankfully got out of that situation!

Freshman: sGPA 2.764, cGPA 3.454, non-science GPA 3.960
Sophomore: sGPA 2.759, cGPA 3.058, non-science GPA 3.564
Junior: sGPA 3.276, cGPA 3.469, non-science GPA 3.925
Senior: sGPA 3.715, cGPA 3.829, non-science GPA 4.000

I also took math courses at a community college while in high school. That was 30 quarter credits at a 3.85 gpa. I don't know the exact calculation but I think my cumulative science GPA (4 years) with those courses is a 3.3 and not a 3.2.

This all works out to a 3.3? science GPA and a 3.48?? cumulative GPA (don't know exactly how that 3.85 from community college changes it).

And yes, I'm not applying to MD until I get my MCAT score back- which should be May 31st.

Thank you Goro!

 

[Osono]

Hello,

so DO application isn't strict about early applications? I read that people say you HAVE to be early for TMDSAS applications so i'll be submitting that day 1. But what other advantages are there between submitting on May 2nd versus submitting on June 2nd besides getting interviews/getting acceptances or rejections faster?

I haven't looked into TMDSAS, so no clue about that.
From what I've read on reddit (from people who applied and got interviews throughout the app cycle for DO) they say submitting august/september/early october is okay. Looks like Goro agrees as well.

 

[Dr Meow]

I'd think Apply DO only. You're pretty far off from MD.
Your GPA alone puts you at a big disadvantage. You messed up your 1st mcat. Your second mcat won't save you for MD even if you scored higher than your target.