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Applying to DO as Canadian
- Thread starter Jinxapotato
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This should probably be in pre-osteo forum. But to answer your question, the list you linked seems to be accurate, for the most part. Your stats are great, apply to every DO school that accepts applications from international students. Send in your application on June 1st, you'll likely get in somewhere. I know MSUCOM sets aside 25 seats for Canadian students only, so you have a very realistic shot of attending there with your stats, and it's a GREAT school. As for your residency question, I could be wrong, but I think the difficulty applies to IMGs, or international medical graduates. If you attend a US DO school, you'll have just a strong of a shot as any of your classmates at matching. I haven't even attended med school yet, so take my words with a grain of salt though. Good luck!
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I'm Canadian too so I definitely understand the frustration of applying as an international. My advice to you would be to apply to every DO school that accepts Canadians, and especially MSUCOM, as suggested above. I would imagine that you will get some interest from the private institutions. This brings up the issue of how you will pay for your tuition since you are not eligible for FAFSA.
I can't speak to your residency issue though as I will have my green card by the time that rolls around. I think you would need the hospital to sponsor you, but don't quote me on that.
I can't speak to your residency issue though as I will have my green card by the time that rolls around. I think you would need the hospital to sponsor you, but don't quote me on that.
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Oh guess it's not as bad as it seems then! Thank you Dr.Hopeful and LChristmas!
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There are a number of resources on this issue online. I've tried to list the best places to look below. I'll try to hit a few of your points:
1) Schools really have different policies, but you should absolutely apply. Canadians tend to need higher stats than average to get in to DO schools, but you already have that. I would honestly look at each school's website or contact each school to see their policies. That website is good, but who knows how up to date it is.
Looking at the Canadian Osteopathic Association' s FAQs, this is stated "NOTE : If you are a Canadian interested in applying to AACOM schools, the AACOM has confirmed that the following colleges of osteopathic medicine may accept applications from Canadians that do not hold U.S. Permanent Resident Status (contact your school of interest directly to confirm eligibility): ATSU-KCOM, AZCOM, CCOM, DMUCOM, KCUMB-COM, LECOM-Erie, LECOM- Bradenton , LMU-DCOM, MSUCOM, NSU-COM, PCOM and GA-PCOM, PCSOM, TouroCOM-NY, UNECOM, UNTHSC-TCOM, VCOM, WVSOM, and WUHS/COMP (For more detail, please see 'Documents' page for link to document 'American Colleges Accepting Canadian Applicants')"
2) As people have said, MSUCOM has seats specifically set aside for Canadians. I would absolutely apply to MSUCOM.
3) As far as residency goes, yes you will run into some issues. First off, you'll want to do an ACGME residency (hopefully by 2020 of things go as planned all residencies will be ACGME accredited). This means that you will have to struggle in terms of finding a place that will take you as a DO and in terms of finding a place that will take you as a foreign national. That said, you will absolutely be looked at better by residencies as a US DO foreign national than an IMG foreign national.
Also, as a US DO graduate, you will be eligible to apply to Canadian residencies, and for both Ontario and BC, you will be able to enter the first round of the Canadian match alongside US MD and Canadian MD graduates. Foreign graduates must enter a second round of matching after the other graduates have matched. That said, obviously you will not be looked at the same as an MD, but as a US DO you will likely have a better shot than an IMG in those provinces. The thing is, you probably have a better shot at completing a US ACGME residency in that situation and just returning to Canada afterwards, but it's another option.
In any case, your options really are the following:
Canadian MD =/> US MD > US DO > Foreign (i.e. not North American) medical school.
Canadian Osteopathic Association:
http://www.osteopathic.ca/index.htm
http://www.osteopathic.ca/faq.htm
Canadian Osteopathic Medical Students Association:
http://www.studentdo.ca/drupal_beta/
http://www.studentdo.ca/drupal_beta/faqs
British Columbia Osteopathic Association:
http://www.osteopathic.bc.ca/
1) Schools really have different policies, but you should absolutely apply. Canadians tend to need higher stats than average to get in to DO schools, but you already have that. I would honestly look at each school's website or contact each school to see their policies. That website is good, but who knows how up to date it is.
Looking at the Canadian Osteopathic Association' s FAQs, this is stated "NOTE : If you are a Canadian interested in applying to AACOM schools, the AACOM has confirmed that the following colleges of osteopathic medicine may accept applications from Canadians that do not hold U.S. Permanent Resident Status (contact your school of interest directly to confirm eligibility): ATSU-KCOM, AZCOM, CCOM, DMUCOM, KCUMB-COM, LECOM-Erie, LECOM- Bradenton , LMU-DCOM, MSUCOM, NSU-COM, PCOM and GA-PCOM, PCSOM, TouroCOM-NY, UNECOM, UNTHSC-TCOM, VCOM, WVSOM, and WUHS/COMP (For more detail, please see 'Documents' page for link to document 'American Colleges Accepting Canadian Applicants')"
2) As people have said, MSUCOM has seats specifically set aside for Canadians. I would absolutely apply to MSUCOM.
3) As far as residency goes, yes you will run into some issues. First off, you'll want to do an ACGME residency (hopefully by 2020 of things go as planned all residencies will be ACGME accredited). This means that you will have to struggle in terms of finding a place that will take you as a DO and in terms of finding a place that will take you as a foreign national. That said, you will absolutely be looked at better by residencies as a US DO foreign national than an IMG foreign national.
Also, as a US DO graduate, you will be eligible to apply to Canadian residencies, and for both Ontario and BC, you will be able to enter the first round of the Canadian match alongside US MD and Canadian MD graduates. Foreign graduates must enter a second round of matching after the other graduates have matched. That said, obviously you will not be looked at the same as an MD, but as a US DO you will likely have a better shot than an IMG in those provinces. The thing is, you probably have a better shot at completing a US ACGME residency in that situation and just returning to Canada afterwards, but it's another option.
In any case, your options really are the following:
Canadian MD =/> US MD > US DO > Foreign (i.e. not North American) medical school.
Canadian Osteopathic Association:
http://www.osteopathic.ca/index.htm
http://www.osteopathic.ca/faq.htm
Canadian Osteopathic Medical Students Association:
http://www.studentdo.ca/drupal_beta/
http://www.studentdo.ca/drupal_beta/faqs
British Columbia Osteopathic Association:
http://www.osteopathic.bc.ca/
Just from my own and other's experience applying this cycle, the following schools are very Canadian friendly, i.e. interviewed and accepted many Canadians: AZCOM, CCOM, KCUMB-COM, LMU-DCOM, MSUCOM, NSU-COM, TouroCOM-NY, Western-COMP, UNECOM. Additionally, RowanSOM and TCOM are receptive to Canadian students but are much more competitive because of in-state bias. Other schools listed on AACOM that claim to accept international students are actually not friendly at all to Canadian students (or international students in general) or outright would not accept any (ATSU-KCOM, for example).
I would also advise OP to join the "Osteopathic Medicine (DO) for Canadians" and "Osteopathic Medicine (DO) for Canadians PREMED" groups on Facebook; you will get more first-hand information for Canadian applicants.
I would also advise OP to join the "Osteopathic Medicine (DO) for Canadians" and "Osteopathic Medicine (DO) for Canadians PREMED" groups on Facebook; you will get more first-hand information for Canadian applicants.
