Applying for Residency as DO

[Mr_Doc]

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When applying for residency I am told that applicants are looked at in the following order, 1. MD 2. DO 3. Carcaribbean but my friends dad who is an successful MD in the state of California and who also is on the medical admission board for UCI told me that DO's are looked at last and that it is very difficult for them to match into a MD residency regardless of what everyone says. He said he has seen first hand that student have a VERY difficult time matching into MD residencies because they are a D.O. I'm not sure what he is saying is the total truth becuase everytime i bring up going to DO school he down grades it and tells me MD is the only way even if it mean going out of the country. Also everytime i try to explain to him that DO and MD are basically the same thing he just shuts me down, i dont know what to say now to him eventhough i am really intrested in the DO field....

 

[supersash]

why don't you ask some recent DO graduates?

 

[Cat48100]

When applying for residency I am told that applicants are looked at in the following order, 1. MD 2. DO 3. Carcaribbean but my friends dad who is an successful MD in the state of California and who also is on the medical admission board for UCI told me that DO's are looked at last and that it is very difficult for them to match into a MD residency regardless of what everyone says. He said he has seen first hand that student have a VERY difficult time matching into MD residencies because they are a D.O. I'm not sure what he is saying is the total truth becuase everytime i bring up going to DO school he down grades it and tells me MD is the only way even if it mean going out of the country. Also everytime i try to explain to him that DO and MD are basically the same thing he just shuts me down, i dont know what to say now to him eventhough i am really intrested in the DO field....

I work at UCI Medical Center and I know of at least 1 DO in PM&R and I also 1 DO in family medicine. Due to the nature of my work, I don't really run into any other residents so I don't know if there are any other DO's over there.

 

[Mr_Doc]

yes, but what is the order applicants are looked at for residency programs?

 

[CatsandCradles]

yes, but what is the order applicants are looked at for residency programs?

Someone with a 260 on Step 1 USMLE is going to have better odds of matching as oppose to someone with a 215.

Furthermore, a lot of residency PDs at AGCME programs aren't familiar with the COMLEX. They see 500 allopathic applications with USMLE scores and when they run across 1 COMLEX scores, chances are they have no clue how to analyze it or look at that osteopathic graduate application. Sure you can look at the other things besides the score, like honors, GPA etc - but how do you translate a 520 COMLEX score and compare it to all your other USMLE applicants. So naturally they aren't going to look further at that one application.

You said you were interested in an osteopathic program, my advice is to take both the COMLEX and the USMLE.... I know, it's a lot more work....

 

[jp104]

yes, but what is the order applicants are looked at for residency programs?

I think the problem with this line of thinking is that it is really an individual thing as opposed to a systemic widespred thing. Are there PD's out there that don't like DO's? I'm sure there are tons. However, there are also PDs out there who don't care as long as the candidate is solid.

I'd also assume that there are specialities that are biased based on competitiveness. For example Derm is insanely competitive for allopathic grads. You would have to be (in general) an extraordinarily talented DO student to land a residency spot in derm over an AOA/Top 5% Honors/Multiple research allopathic student.

 

[DrMom]

considering that about half of recent DO graduates are in MD residencies, I don't think it is a huge problem.

some programs aren't DO friendly, and the highly competitive specialties are tough for anyone, especially DOs, to get into on the MD side...but there are DO residencies, too, in these areas.

 

[sunnyjohn]

How to land a good residency:

1. Take the COMLEX
2. Take the USMLE
3. Smoke BOTH
4. Do away rotations at places you want to match
5. Get outstanding LORs

DO or MD, you're in like Flynn. 😀

 

[Taus]

not to sound like an old man.....but... "the proof is in the pudding"....check out the DO schools match lists in the areas that you are interested in....

 

[Toohotinvegas33]

Just to confirm what Taus said, When I looked at DMU's 2006 match they had more then half their students match in allo world, with matches at places such as Mayo, Hopkins, Standford, but also in competitive fields like gas,rads, rad onc, optho

 

[MCATTT]

this might be a bad question.

How do you look at matchlists for school? On their websites?
I want to see for NYCOM and DMU.

 

[Toohotinvegas33]

this might be a bad question.

How do you look at matchlists for school? On their websites?
I want to see for NYCOM and DMU.

Yes, that is one place to look but there are other ways to get it. I was refering to DMU' s2006 list which they have not put on there website yet.