Are all MD schools a better choice than ALL DO schools?

[QueenOfJunkertown5]

Let's say I get into CCOM (100% residency match x 18 years) and also get into Seton Hall (MD program).

Would the MD program be a better choice with respect to residency placements?

I feel like, even though there is a merger, the DO programs will be significantly biased towards DOs and MD programs may be open to both MD/DO equally (or slight MD bias). But then, doesn't that mean DO still almost guarantees a residency placement (especially CCOM's super impressive stats).

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[jcve34]

Go MD. There are a lot less hoops to jump through.

 

[Magus5454]

Let's say I get into CCOM (100% residency match x 18 years) and also get into Seton Hall (MD program).

Would the MD program be a better choice with respect to residency placements?

I feel like, even though there is a merger, the DO programs will be significantly biased towards DOs and MD programs may be open to both MD/DO equally (or slight MD bias). But then, doesn't that mean DO still almost guarantees a residency placement (especially CCOM's super impressive stats).

CCOMs pricetag.. 🙁 but yes, now that I've matriculated...not having that extra class would be amazing to be at a MD

 

[Isoval]

Hell no.

Read up on CNU, CUSM, and (this is more my opinion) Loma Linda.

I’d keep my TCOM seat any day of the week.

 

[DNC127]

Yes. MD is always better than DO. Maybe UNLESS you are 100% sure you want primary care, and satan will get your soul if you choose anything else, and the only MD school you are accepted to is across the country and the DO school is in your hometown. Only then.

 

[Magus5454]

Hell no.

Read up on CNU, CUSM, and (this is more my opinion) Loma Linda.

I’d keep my TCOM seat any day of the week.

CNU is its own ball of wax for sure.

 

[ciestar]

Hell no.

Read up on CNU, CUSM, and (this is more my opinion) Loma Linda.

I’d keep my TCOM seat any day of the week.

BUT:
Loma Linda > LUCOM

But in this case TCOM 100%.
(Granted, if i lived in TX i’d go DO before the outrageous tuition costs elsewhere..)

 

[deleted807068]

Yes. MD is always better than DO. Maybe UNLESS you are 100% sure you want primary care, and satan will get your soul if you choose anything else, and the only MD school you are accepted to is across the country and the DO school is in your hometown. Only then.

Interesting... suppose there is this situation; first-time applicant, no MD acceptance but multiple DOs. Applicant has no desire to do top specialities (but this can change). So all things considered, would you A) take the gap year to better your application and reapply next cycle or B) take the DO acceptance?

 

[AcesCracked]

Interesting... suppose there is this situation; first-time applicant, no MD acceptance but multiple DOs. Applicant has no desire to do top specialities (but this can change). So all things considered, would you A) take the gap year to better your application and reapply next cycle or B) take the DO acceptance?

Most definitely take the D.O acceptance.

 

[ciestar]

Interesting... suppose there is this situation; first-time applicant, no MD acceptance but multiple DOs. Applicant has no desire to do top specialities (but this can change). So all things considered, would you A) take the gap year to better your application and reapply next cycle or B) take the DO acceptance?

DO acceptance. Do you want to be a doctor or not?

Turning down an acceptance is probably the biggest mistake you can make. You’ll blacklist yourself from future DO acceptances and there is obviously no guarantee at MD even if you reapply.

 

[deleted807068]

DO acceptance. Do you want to be a doctor or not?

Turning down an acceptance is probably the biggest mistake you can make. You’ll blacklist yourself from future DO acceptances and there is obviously no guarantee at MD even if you reapply.

Damn, they can blacklist you? Sheesh, something to consider for sure then.

 

[Isoval]

BUT:
Loma Linda > LUCOM

But in this case TCOM 100%.
(Granted, if i lived in TX i’d go DO before the outrageous tuition costs elsewhere..)

You have spoken the name of they who shall not be named

 

[GetThatAcetoned]

Interesting... suppose there is this situation; first-time applicant, no MD acceptance but multiple DOs. Applicant has no desire to do top specialities (but this can change). So all things considered, would you A) take the gap year to better your application and reapply next cycle or B) take the DO acceptance?

Why even apply to schools you wouldn't be willing to attend? This situation should never arise, but people still make posts about it. I'm always wondering why they wasted money and time writing secondaries to schools they had no intention of ever attending in the first place. I'm not saying that's the case with you as it's just a hypothetical situation, but it's one that always just leaves me scratching my head.

 

[Lexdiamondz]

It's almost universally easier to match from an MD school than a DO school, and certainly easier to match competitive specialties. Even new MD schools have managed to match their students at top research institutions for residency - places that take very few if any DOs at all. The benefits are pretty obvious - go MD if you can.

 

[drfaizii]

What does "MDs go through less hoops" mean??

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[Goro]

What does "MDs go through less hoops" mean??

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Don't have to take COMLEX
Don't have to learn OMM/OMT
Have a teaching hospital attached to the med school (except for a tiny handful of MD schools)
Aren't facing a bias from PDs
More doors are open to you career-wise (which doesn't mean you can still go through them as an MD)

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Hell no.

Read up on CNU, CUSM, and (this is more my opinion) Loma Linda.

I’d keep my TCOM seat any day of the week.

CNU is its own ball of wax for sure.

I would go to CNU over any DO school 10/10 and it's not even that close. I'm predicting right now that this coming match CNU will have a better match list than most DO schools combined.

Interesting... suppose there is this situation; first-time applicant, no MD acceptance but multiple DOs. Applicant has no desire to do top specialities (but this can change). So all things considered, would you A) take the gap year to better your application and reapply next cycle or B) take the DO acceptance?

Definitely go DO. That isn't close either.

 

[Ho0v-man]

The top DO students in the country have similar career opportunities as a slightly above average MD student. Unless you are getting in state tuition at a state funded DO school vs an expensive out of state MD school the answer is MD every time.

After a year in school I’ll definitely say that with rare exception, you should attend the highest tier school you can every single time. I laughed off the importance of the hidden curriculum which was naive.

 

[Magus5454]

I would go to CNU over any DO school 10/10 and it's not even that close. I'm predicting right now that this coming match CNU will have a better match list than most DO schools combined.



Definitely go DO. That isn't close either.

I interviewed at CUSM, would have gone there in a heartbeat over KCU.

 

[tlccreepwaterfalls]

Damn, they can blacklist you? Sheesh, something to consider for sure then.

Turned down a DO acceptance last cycle. First interview is Tuesday. I had legit reasons but the school doesn’t know this (yet).

 

[drfaizii]

Don't have to take COMLEX
Don't have to learn OMM/OMT
Have a teaching hospital attached to the med school (except for a tiny handful of MD schools)
Aren't facing a bias from PDs
More doors are open to you career-wise (which doesn't mean you can still go through them as an MD)

Thanks for answering. Appreciate it.

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[sab3156]

The worst MD schools in the nation have match lists that absolutely destroy any DO schools combined. Year after year. And it isn't even a fair fight.

DO schools teach pseudoscience (much of OMM) and waste your time with a lot of nonsense like COMLEX and heavy, over-the-top emphasis on primary care throughout the pre-clinical years.

That's all you need to know. You never, ever go DO over MD. MD >>>>>> DO.

 

[Mad Jack]

MD, always

 

[_Rod_of_Asclepius_]

It’s a general consensus in the medical field that if you have an option to do MD over DO; go MD. Of course there are other factors such as if you are able to stay close to a desirable location due to family or something of that sort.

Once you’re an attending, absolutely no one cares or is often even aware if you’re an MD or DO.

However, getting to be an attending in certain specialties can be more difficult as a DO. By difficult I mean 1.) certain programs will not even look at you as a DO. 2.) You may be held to a higher standard at certain programs than a MD candidate with equal or even worse stats.

This is typically why most agree if you’re given the option, go MD. If DO is your only option, go DO.

 

[THEBACKANDFORTH]

I would only choose this if location is a primary factor, such as having a wife/family that can stay in state if you go DO, etc.
EDIT: And at the same time you'd have to be 100% okay that you may have to choose between just IM, FM, and PEDs.

My match options (both speciality and location) are vastly better attending my state MD, although our class cohort is not unlike a top tier DO. I can't imagine the education quality is any different.

 

[armoman898]

 

[Dr.YabbaDabbaDoo]

The worst MD schools in the nation have match lists that absolutely destroy any DO schools combined. Year after year. And it isn't even a fair fight.

DO schools teach pseudoscience (much of OMM) and waste your time with a lot of nonsense like COMLEX and heavy, over-the-top emphasis on primary care throughout the pre-clinical years.

That's all you need to know. You never, ever go DO over MD. MD >>>>>> DO.

So is the DO curriculum easier in a sense?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

So is the DO curriculum easier in a sense?

Not even close, if not harder. Because on top of learning everything MDs also learn, you also have to learn OMM, so you end up with more packed daily schedules than MDs.

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[Chibucks15]

I would only choose this if location is a primary factor, such as having a wife/family that can stay in state if you go DO, etc.
EDIT: And at the same time you'd have to be 100% okay that you may have to choose between just IM, FM, and PEDs.

My match options (both speciality and location) are vastly better attending my state MD, although our class cohort is not unlike a top tier DO. I can't imagine the education quality is any different.

The options are a lot more than just those 3...its no ortho, optho, ROAD, but things like Neuro, OB, PM&R, etc are wide open for DOs too

EDIT: But your point stands...options may be limited, but it all depends on what you prioritize/can get into

 

[Goro]

So is the DO curriculum easier in a sense?

No, absolutely not, and I've been on faculty at both MD and DO schools

 

[THEBACKANDFORTH]

The options are a lot more than just those 3...its no ortho, optho, ROAD, but things like Neuro, OB, PM&R, etc are wide open for DOs too

EDIT: But your point stands...options may be limited, but it all depends on what you prioritize/can get into

Yes, simply pointing out that not being a high performer can quickly curtail your chances at a DO school, whereas at an MD school you can be a pretty bland student and still have a wealth of mid tier specialities to choose from.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Interesting... suppose there is this situation; first-time applicant, no MD acceptance but multiple DOs. Applicant has no desire to do top specialities (but this can change). So all things considered, would you A) take the gap year to better your application and reapply next cycle or B) take the DO acceptance?

C) Have thought about this before applying

 

[Knight in shining armor]

Current DO student. If you are truly interested in learning osteopathic medicine, go to the DO school. If you are using the DO school for "a backup choice" or "because they match well into residency" but you are not interested in learning osteopathic medicine, go to the MD school. If you don't want to learn OMM, you will be bored/mad in your OMM class and your COMLEX exam will be 20% or so material you are not interested in.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Current DO student. If you are truly interested in learning osteopathic medicine, go to the DO school. If you are using the DO school for "a backup choice" or "because they match well into residency" but you are not interested in learning osteopathic medicine, go to the MD school. If you don't want to learn OMM, you will be bored/mad in your OMM class and your COMLEX exam will be 20% or so material you are not interested in.

Lol no. You go to a DO school if you have no MD options. That’s it. End of story. /thread.

 

[THEBACKANDFORTH]

Current DO student. If you are truly interested in learning osteopathic medicine, go to the DO school. If you are using the DO school for "a backup choice" or "because they match well into residency" but you are not interested in learning osteopathic medicine, go to the MD school. If you don't want to learn OMM, you will be bored/mad in your OMM class and your COMLEX exam will be 20% or so material you are not interested in.

Your idealism of osteopathic medicine is wrong, and also, chivalry is dead

 

[eberge3]

Most MD's are better I would say def go MD if you get in. I go to a very established DO school and there are students in my class that chose it over MD acceptances for many reasons such as 1. Price 2. proximity to family and SO 3. liked the DO philosophy and wanted to learn OMM 4. were treated by a DO and really motivated by them. Its not the majority of my class but there are def a surprising amount. With that being said I would choose the MD

 

[Doc_Ock]

Current DO student. Went because I had a crappy gpa and didn't have much of a choice. Beggars can't be choosers but being DO puts you in a box. Kiss your chances at any top-tier programs goodbye instantly. Most students don't realize this until their 3rd/4th year. I know students who had offers at TOP MD schools who want to match into competitive fields like ortho who are reeeeeally gonna regret it down the line when they start applying to places. Anyone who chooses DO if MD is available (even the less reputable ones) is making a mistake.