Applying DO after MD deferal?

[paramed2premed]

Dumb sorta hypothetical question.

I am waitlisted at two allo schools right now. Without hearing anything new, I am planning to apply to ACOMAS on June 1.

IF I get accepted at one of the allo schools, and IF they let me defer for one year, would applying to an osteo school be bad (ethically, legally, morally)? For various reasons I think that a certain DO school would be just right, but it would be foolish to give up a "bird in the hand."

I feel duplicitous just writing this.

I would be seeking a deferal in any case, due to family issues and logistics.

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[Dr JPH]

You're going to get a few different opinions on this...some are probably gonna be not-nice.

I say apply to DO schools.

If you want the next year off, then apply for the entering class of 2008.

If you do end up getting the nod from the MD schools, then take the deferall and pull your AACOMAS application. If you get the MD acceptance and they WONT let you defer, then you need to decide what you want to to.

What would be bad to do? Holding onto an MD acceptance while waiting for a decision from a DO school. You are holding an MD spot from someone and possibly holding a DO spot from someone.

Good luck either way.

 

[Plinko]

In so far as "morally" or "ethically" is concerned, I would advise you not to care one bit. Being a premed is all about having a cut-throat attitude. You literally can take no prisoners lest you become one. There are plenty of people out there you have to compete with side-stepping the laws of the land to get into medical school so don't be bashful about taking advantage of all the possiblities for your future. In so far as the "legal" is concerned, I would check with the school you eventually get accepted to. Once they accept you you can politely mention a what if type scenario to find out what their rules and regulations are about deferring. Of course, don't let them in on your plans before you hear about your applications. That would be waitlist suicide--to tell an allpathic school that you plan on applying osteopathic. I go to an osteopathic school and many of them pride themselves on being different from allopathy. I would assume allopathic schools, albeit probably to a lesser degree, suscribe to the same ideology.

 

[FutrFPDO]

Tke the MD school and take some CME to learn the manip if you want later. If you get in this year, GO!! Don't delay, especially not if you get an MD program. And this comes from a DO student. I chose Do because iI thought it was the best way to learn OMM fast and furious and be able to use it in family medicine. But if there was a way to be a manipulating MD, I would have done it. You are just saving yourself years of hassles. Being a DO is nothing to be ashamed of, but it requires extra energy and explanation that you will never have to do as an MD. Go to Jack-in-the-box school of medicine if you get in to it this year! The only reason I could see justfiying the wait is if you really want to be a DO, and if you really can save some money or something by going to the DO school. Otherwise, don't worry so much about the "fit". You will find that most schools that "fit" you seem to start rubbing blisters at some point anyway!!

 

[Herpeto]

I have to agree with JP on this one. Put yourself in this situation: You have applied to DO schools this year, had several interviews and been put on a wait list to your top choice school. Upon calling the admissions office you find out that you are very high on the wait list, in fact, if one more person relinquishes their seat you are in. Now say that that person is in your situation and decides to hold a seat for the next year in hopes of attaining entrance into an MD school. Now you have to spend one more year out of school, hundreds to thousands of dollars on applications again a blow to your ego. Are you alright with this? In addition, I would assume that if you defer for a year and then change your mind, the school will somehow penalize you financially. Think about it, they will be losing 4 years of tuition costs totaling anywhere from $60,000 to $160,000. Can they afford that?

Herp

 

[paramed2premed]

This was a good mix of responses, covering a wide gamut of sensibilities!

I am not quite ready to accept the nihilism espoused by one responder; anybody who applies to medical school is at least somewhat idealistic. The truly practical-minded don't become doctors (the return on investment stinks).

My thinking about hurting another applicant ran like this:
If I defer, no one in the 2003 or 2004 class gets screwed; my 2003 spot is immediately offered to the next in line. Usually schools ask you to apply EDP, if you have defered, to lock you in to that that class, and out of others. If you bag on that, it would just go to a regular applicant. Likewise, if I were offered my DO acceptance, than took the MD after all, it would be early enough that another applicant would take my spot that hour.

I would not want to hurt anyone else going through this application mess. Bad karma.

If you started school, then dropped out a few months in, you would be in the "going to hell" category, absolutely. Also the "damn idiot" category.

My situation is somewhat personal, and involves spousal issues. Thanks for responding with respect and insight.

 

[Plinko]

I'm sure it was me that the nihilism comment was for. You seem like an intelligent and thoughtful person so I don't want to whole heartedly disagree with your somewhat angelic view of the medical profession. I certainly don't know everything there is to know about medicine. In fact, you may know much more than me, as I noticed you are already a medical professional, denoted by your User ID name. However, speaking as a medical student I would be lying if I did not tell you that just about everybody I have come in contact with since starting school is of the practical-minded variety. My father is a surgeon and on the board of directors at his hospital and I can tell you that politics, conniving, scheming, etc. is the same in medicine as I'm sure it is in just about every other field out there. It is true that doctors do God's work, but that does not mean they are angels. If anything, I would say that the proto-typical personality of any doctor is one of a fierce competitor that has taken on a great challenge in their life. It is that competiveness that makes them good doctors. That was simply the point I was trying to make. I think one has to do everything they can to get what they want so long as they abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the governing bodies they are working within. If you choose to take on a Ghandi-esque approach to your situation, then all I can say is that your a more moral man/woman than I. If it is between me or Mr. X getting into to medical school, I'm not ashamed to say that, so long as I stay within the rules of the game, I'd rather it be me. Anyway, good luck wherever you end up.

 

[paramed2premed]

Plinko -

I lay no claims to moral superiority, and I did not intend "nihilism" to be taken pejoratively. Bleak, perhaps, but not bad.

I don't believe I could live up to Ghandi-status. I just want to avoid pulling any moves that I would be ashamed to reveal to another student. So far, the common thread has been "If you ain't hurting another student, fine."

I just don't want to be sleazy. (Hey, I should put that in my essay...)

 

[Wrigleyville]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if a school picks you up off their waitlist they aren't going to let you defer. They're going to the waitlist to try and fill their current class, not take up spots in next year's class.

Wrigley

 

[paramed2premed]

I have no doubt that that would be the most likely outcome.

Ach, just some cockamammie plan I concocted.