Bad to be research heavy in DO personal statement?

[deleted612812]

I have EXTENSIVE research background and want to become a DO. However, I know DO's are not heavy on research. While I love research, I did it more for the science understanding that I felt would help me in medical school and because I enjoyed it as a goal-oriented person. However, I do hope to ultimately obtain an academic residency that will allow me to continue research. Will this be bad for DO application?

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[Goro]

There is a risk that you will come off as looking better suited for a Ph.D program and rather than a DO program.

 

[Jordan95]

Exactly how much "extensive research" are we talking here...

 

[cyang55]

It depends on how you play it off as. You can list it as part of your EC, but you can talk about why you want to be a DO and not mention the research part in the personal statement and secondary essays. If all you talked about was research, then it wouldn't come across that great. But once you're in the school, no one is going to stop you from doing research. So get into the school first. Do this by talking about how much you want to be a DO, etc.

 

[Seth Joo]

I have EXTENSIVE research background and want to become a DO. However, I know DO's are not heavy on research. While I love research, I did it more for the science understanding that I felt would help me in medical school and because I enjoyed it as a goal-oriented person. However, I do hope to ultimately obtain an academic residency that will allow me to continue research. Will this be bad for DO application?

It might backfire given that many DOs are non traditional and DO schools do not really emphasize research like Allopathic schools. They tend to like well rounded people.

If you are a research type of person you will be much better off at an MD school.

 

[AlteredScale]

I have EXTENSIVE research background and want to become a DO. However, I know DO's are not heavy on research. While I love research, I did it more for the science understanding that I felt would help me in medical school and because I enjoyed it as a goal-oriented person. However, I do hope to ultimately obtain an academic residency that will allow me to continue research. Will this be bad for DO application?

You should be applying to DO schools that have a decent research component to their school or institution. OUHCOM, Rowan, KCU, PCOM, TCOM, and UNECOM come to mind.

If you are wanting to pursue an academic residency that will allow you to ppursue research you should be focusing on obtaining admissions to an MD school. It keeps a lot of those doors open and makes it easier for you to obtain this career track"


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[Seth Joo]

You should be applying to DO schools that have a decent research component to their school or institution. OUHCOM, Rowan, KCU, PCOM, TCOM, and UNECOM come to mind.

If you are wanting to pursue an academic residency that will allow you to ppursue research you should be focusing on obtaining admissions to an MD school. It keeps a lot of those doors open and makes it easier for you to obtain this career track"


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Pretty much this is the case, and you should make it an emphasis to apply to MD schools if you intend to go to an academic residency.

 

[Rekt]

I have EXTENSIVE research background and want to become a DO. However, I know DO's are not heavy on research. While I love research, I did it more for the science understanding that I felt would help me in medical school and because I enjoyed it as a goal-oriented person. However, I do hope to ultimately obtain an academic residency that will allow me to continue research. Will this be bad for DO application?

I had 2+ years of academic research plus another year of clinical research with a pub. I had >10 interviews and no one said anything about it all except one school. You're better off applying MD.

 

[deleted612812]

Exactly how much "extensive research" are we talking here...

2 years in clinical psych research, 2 years in clinical emergency med research, 2 years pathology research, 1 year endocrinology research, research classes in undergraduate, degree in Molecular Biology & Organic Chemistry with 10 science lab classes

3 publications

Maybe not super extensive but a decent amount for a pre-med I would think

 

[Seth Joo]

Most DO schools tend to be very community oriented, so you are better off applying to MD schools if you are looking at a research career.

I do not think it will hurt you but it will not really help you either.

 

[BeachBlondie]

2 years in clinical psych research, 2 years in clinical emergency med research, 2 years pathology research, 1 year endocrinology research, research classes in undergraduate, degree in Molecular Biology & Organic Chemistry with 10 science lab classes

3 publications

Maybe not super extensive but a decent amount for a pre-med I would think

I hear you -- I'm going on 6 years of full-time orthopaedic research (7, overall) with lots of pubs and presentations, ad nauseum.

While I agree with what many have said regarding a more community-focused slant in osteopathic medical school, there are DO PhDs and lab directors with DO degrees. I would also agree that allopathic schools might look upon your strengths more favorably, in general, but there are exceptions to this rule. Regardless, awesome research won't make up for any academic deficiencies (provided you have any), and that will be reflected in your success in allopathic and osteopathic application cycles.

As an anecdote: I am a non-traditional student and have a GPA that is lower than average. My MCAT and stellar research granted me MD interviews, but I was waitlisted for two consecutive years in the allopathic circuit owing to the GPA thing. This year, I've thrown my hat into the DO ring but have selected schools that have substantial NIH support and tout their research endeavors openly. It is my intent to continue research as a student and through my career, so why not court a school that smiles upon those ambitions and has the ability to facilitate them? If you do your background work, you'll find some places that cater to your desires.

As far as your personal statement: I think that as long as you tie in research to how you plan on contributing to osteopathic medicine -- how you marry the two -- it will work at more researched-based schools.

Residency is a whole different can of worms, the likes of which are difficult to predict with the upcoming AOA/ACGME merger. I'd have to defer on this subject to someone else...

 

[Jordan95]

2 years in clinical psych research, 2 years in clinical emergency med research, 2 years pathology research, 1 year endocrinology research, research classes in undergraduate, degree in Molecular Biology & Organic Chemistry with 10 science lab classes

3 publications

Maybe not super extensive but a decent amount for a pre-med I would think

I'm jealous. How did you manage all of that? I assume you're a non traditional student?

 

[zurc2014]

2 years in clinical psych research, 2 years in clinical emergency med research, 2 years pathology research, 1 year endocrinology research, research classes in undergraduate, degree in Molecular Biology & Organic Chemistry with 10 science lab classes

3 publications

Maybe not super extensive but a decent amount for a pre-med I would think

Im going to assume that there's a ton of overlap in your research years, correct? Or do you have 7 years of research total? Im similar to you (5+ years and 3+ pubs) and put every bit of it in my app. I didnt put it in my statement tho. If you have that much it will get their attention so I wouldnt load my PS with it. I got some DO love so you should be fine.

 

[hallowmann]

Yes, non-trad. Took two years off after undergrad. But lots of overlapping research during undergrad

You're fine. I had a similar amount of research and pubs with overlap across almost a decade. You can mention it in the PS, but the PS is more about who you are and why you want (and would be good for) medicine. It shouldn't be a copy and paste of your CV. There's no problem applying DO schools and including it, but I wouldn't make it some big part of your PS regardless (unless you're applying for a dual DO/PhD program or something).

If you want strong academic medicine, really put a lot into your MD app if you haven't already.

 

[BeachBlondie]

30 on MCAT. I messed up my freshman year; my mother had cancer and passed away. GPA is 3.25 by AMCAS but 3.6 by AACOMAS (grade replacement for classes I retook). I doubt I will get admission to an allopathic school (I am asian, statistics show I have a very low chance).

From my research I found that only Rowan, Des Moines, and West Virginia have NIH grants. So I think these are the schools you are suggesting I court?

I am not exactly sure I want to tie osteopathic medicine to research. I want to learn osteopathic medicine because thought of learning an additional medical skill entices me. I wasn't planning on really even touching on OMM in my PS, but now I'm thinking maybe I should....?

There are more schools with grants than that -- UNECOM has hefty funding, for instance

 

[ERinspired]

There are more schools with grants than that -- UNECOM has hefty funding, for instance

Nova just built a new research center also.


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[deleted612812]

Nova just built a new research center also.


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Great thank you!

 

[MADD!!!]

Yes, non-trad. Took two years off after undergrad. But lots of overlapping research during undergrad

Why not post-bacc for MD school then? It's not good to do DO just as a backup, especially when your interest really peaks with MD schools.

 

[hallowmann]

Also DO is not necessarily "backup" if I find a good research school (Nova seems great)

Pretty much no matter what DO school you go to, its not going to be a "good research school". Its going to be either "yes, there is some research here to get involved in" or "no there isn't". None of the DO schools are research powerhouses even comparing to the mid-tier MD schools.

Also 24 isn't all that old, 25 is like the average age of matriculating DO students.

Your issue seems to be the GPA and a slightly below average MCAT. You really should consider a post-bac or SMP with linkage. Its not the same as retaking the pre-reqs, in many cases its more like taking a lighter version of the 1st year of med school.

Its not impossible to do research as a DO, but its just so much harder that if there's any US MD option its worth pursuing it.

 

[cliquesh]

Even if you end up at a med school with no research outlets you can resume your interest once you get to residency. There are many research opportunities in residency. Additionally, you will likely do more meaningful research as a resident/fellow than a med student, anyway. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[MADD!!!]

Even if you end up at a med school with no research outlets you can resume your interest once you get to residency. There are many research opportunities in residency. Additionally, you will likely do more meaningful research as a resident/fellow than a med student, anyway. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Yea but why not do that research in med school in order to improve your chances dramatically for a competitive residency as well?

 

[gamieg]

I don't think your research experience will hurt you for DO schools, but you'll be asked again and again why osteopathic medicine (which is something you'd be asked even if you didn't have extensive research experience). as long as you have a convincing, genuine reason for that, I don't think you have to worry about explaining the research.

from the osteopathic schools' point of view, I think no school will NOT want to further their resources and medicine is largely furthered by (good) research. it's just a matter of wording and making sure your personal statement and secondaries (if you decide to mention your research in them) don't come across as putting osteopathic medicine second to research, if that makes sense.

I'm sure my research experience is not as extensive as yours, but for the past three years I've been heavily involved in clinical research, with four accepted posters, one accepted manuscript, and two more manuscripts under review. I interviewed at a DO school this cycle and was accepted, and I have 6 other DO interviews coming up.

best of luck with everything!

 

[Brinkley]

PCOM has a dual degree program, DO/PhD in Molecular Biology.

http://www.pcom.edu/academics/progr...elated-programs/do-phd-molecular-biology.html