BS/DO program

[Cassie24]

I have applied and been granted interviews to the BS/DO program to SUNY New Paltz and OU-HCOM. I just wanted to know if anyone had experiences in either of these programs and how it worked out for you. I would also like to know which one you would consider the better school.

Thank you very much for your replies!

 

[ClassicJandT]

What is the do school associated with suny Paltz?

 

[Camaxtli]

I have applied and been granted interviews to the BS/DO program to SUNY New Paltz and OU-HCOM. I just wanted to know if anyone had experiences in either of these programs and how it worked out for you. I would also like to know which one you would consider the better school.

Thank you very much for your replies!

I feel like most people who start these programs don't end up in the medical school for a variety of reason. What are your reasons for wanting to attend? What is the cost? What are your other options? I did something similar and there are positives/negatives. I also think Ohio has some sort of contract.

 

[Cassie24]

SUNY New Paltz is associated with NYIT-COM.
I aspire to become a physician and the BS/DO program seems lucrative. At OU the MCAT is optional as long as the student has maintained a 3.7 GPA and graduated within certain parameters. Considering I am only a high school senior it is difficult to tell if I should jump at the opportunity of a BS/DO program or just take a more traditional approach.
I currently reside in Ohio but my family will be moving to Washington over the summer.
SUNY and OU were not really strong contenders until they offered the BS/DO program. Is this opportunity worth staying in the Eastern United States?

Any input is greatly appreciated, thank you all for your time!

 

[mathnerd88]

SUNY New Paltz is associated with NYIT-COM.
I aspire to become a physician and the BS/DO program seems lucrative. At OU the MCAT is optional as long as the student has maintained a 3.7 GPA and graduated within certain parameters. Considering I am only a high school senior it is difficult to tell if I should jump at the opportunity of a BS/DO program or just take a more traditional approach.
I currently reside in Ohio but my family will be moving to Washington over the summer.
SUNY and OU were not really strong contenders until they offered the BS/DO program. Is this opportunity worth staying in the Eastern United States?

Any input is greatly appreciated, thank you all for your time!

I would not do a program like this if I were you. College is a time where you explore what you really want to do. You may end up hating it.

If your heart is absolutely set on becoming a physician, then go with the BS/MD program instead of a DO one. You also need to know that there are some limitations on becoming a DO. If you're getting good stats, then go for MD first.

A 3.7 GPA, combined with a good MCAT score, would give you a good chance to get into MD schools and pretty much a guarantee to any DO school you want. Don't limit yourself because you don't want to take the MCAT. Since you're required to get a 3.7, I would say this program is a bad deal for you and really limits your options because you don't want to take the MCAT.

 

[Cassie24]

Unfortunately, none of the schools I applied to offered BS/MD programs.
I have volunteered about 50 hours in my city's hospital and shadowed a few MD's so it's a career I know I am interested in (definitely not enough to kid myself into saying this is the career for me based on my limited experience).

 

[Cassie24]

That definitely makes sense. Thank you very much.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

As long as you can still apply to MD programs, I'd say go for it. Otherwise, don't close career doors so early on.

 

[Phoodie]

Some of these SUNY-to-DO programs are also 7-year programs. One of my buddies is getting his BS in Biology at SUNY Geneseo in three years. At what would the beginning of his fourth, he will actually begin medical school at NYIT COM and will be awarded his BS after the first year of medical school. Everything was contingent on him maintaining >3.5 GPA and >503 on the MCAT. He's finishing up his third year of undergrad now btw and just needs to maintain his current GPA and he'll be all set.

 

[GypsyHummus]

As someone who knew medicine was their calling before college and someone who got smacked down by the mcat this year, yeah, take the BS/DO or MD program that doesn't require you to sit for the mcat. I wish I had this type of fast track. I would have settled for any DO school this year but alas, I will have to tango with the MCAT yet again.

Or just go to debtal school

 

[mathnerd88]

As someone who knew medicine was their calling before college and someone who got smacked down by the mcat this year, yeah, take the BS/DO or MD program that doesn't require you to sit for the mcat. I wish I had this type of fast track. I would have settled for any DO school this year but alas, I will have to tango with the MCAT yet again.

Or just go to debtal school

Honestly, to get into an established DO school, you just need to be 65% percentile on MCAT with that GPA. For someone who has a 3.7 GPA, it isn't really a big problem. You're already top 20% of your class who are all pre-meds. Even with a 3.7, you just need to score probably at least 60th percentile to get into DO school, which is totally doable without much studying for someone who has taken all the pre-reqs and got high grades.

If you're scoring that low on the MCAT, you should re-evaluate your "calling," or your school is way too easy. Not trying to be offensive here.

It's bad advice to tell someone to go to BS/DO program if they require a minimum 3.7 GPA just so they don't need to take the MCAT. Even my BA/MD program only requires a minimum 3.5 GPA.

http://hpo.rutgers.edu/special-programs/ba-md-rwj

 

[Phoodie]

Honestly, to get into an established DO school, you just need to be 65% percentile on MCAT with that GPA. For someone who has a 3.7 GPA, it isn't really a big problem. You're already top 20% of your class who are all pre-meds. Even with a 3.7, you just need to score probably at least 60th percentile to get into DO school, which is totally doable without much studying for someone who has taken all the pre-reqs and got high grades.

If you're scoring that low on the MCAT, you should re-evaluate your "calling," or your school is way too easy. Not trying to be offensive here.

It's bad advice to tell someone to go to BS/DO program if they require a minimum 3.7 GPA. Even my BA/MD program requires a minimum 3.5 GPA.

http://hpo.rutgers.edu/special-programs/ba-md-rwj

Along with this, just because it's one person's "calling" doesn't make it another's. OP, you shouldn't lock yourself into programs like these because a LOT can change during your college career. It's best to keep your options open and @mathnerd88 is right: if you can maintain a 3.7+, you'll have your pick of medical schools as long as you do well on your MCAT.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Unfortunately, none of the schools I applied to offered BS/MD programs.
I have volunteered about 50 hours in my city's hospital and shadowed a few MD's so it's a career I know I am interested in (definitely not enough to kid myself into saying this is the career for me based on my limited experience).

Give yourself a chance for MD. Don't do BS/DO.

Why? Because (like it or not) DO makes it harder, and sometimes nearly impossible to go into certain specialties. Sure, people can argue and say that something like 4 DO's got into dermatology last year, so it's "possible", but to be honest you don't know if those people went into programs where their mom is the director.
All in all, DO is meant to primary care. There IS a stigma, deserved or not, and it WILL have some bearing on what residency your get, unless you go for primary care. But why not give yourself a chance to at least see what's out there?

Why limit yourself at the ripe old age of 17-18 for the next 50 years of your life? If you got into the program now, you've got high grades/SAT scores and there's no reason to believe you won't get that in college too. Getting into low-tier MD schools isn't that difficult, and getting into a DO school (if that's what you choose) does not in any way require unattainable grades.

You'll be fine, but why not give yourself a chance to do any speciality you choose without barriers?

 

[deleted678292]

I am currently in the BS/DO program at NYIT which is linked to NYIT-COM as well! I can tell you that the program at SUNY NP usually has a smaller number of students because many people don't know that this program exists there! The NYIT program didn't require an interview to get in, so I can't give you my personal input about your interview, but I have heard that it's very easy to pass as long as you have solid responses to why a combined program/why DO type questions. Try and see if you can apply to NYIT's program as well! Although NYIT itself doesn't have a strong undergrad. reputation, the program here is pretty good in regards to faculty and peer support, especially since NYIT-COM is right there on campus. Our advisor is close to the admissions committee and we get the opportunity to do research with NYIT-COM faculty every semester (not required, but still a good choice to have) which is good because the research you do can carry over into medical school.

 

[babySimba]

I am currently in the BS/DO program at NYIT which is linked to NYIT-COM as well! I can tell you that the program at SUNY NP usually has a smaller number of students because many people don't know that this program exists there! The NYIT program didn't require an interview to get in, so I can't give you my personal input about your interview, but I have heard that it's very easy to pass as long as you have solid responses to why a combined program/why DO type questions. Try and see if you can apply to NYIT's program as well! Although NYIT itself doesn't have a strong undergrad. reputation, the program here is pretty good in regards to faculty and peer support, especially since NYIT-COM is right there on campus. Our advisor is close to the admissions committee and we get the opportunity to do research with NYIT-COM faculty every semester (not required, but still a good choice to have) which is good because the research you do can carry over into medical school.

I am a Junior in High school. Can you tell me how I can improve my chances to get into a BS/DO program like do they need research experience etc.

 

[Cath Up]

As someone who knew medicine was their calling before college and someone who got smacked down by the mcat this year, yeah, take the BS/DO or MD program that doesn't require you to sit for the mcat. I wish I had this type of fast track. I would have settled for any DO school this year but alas, I will have to tango with the MCAT yet again.

Or just go to debtal school

Oh they're all debtal schools

 

[dundundun]

As long as you can still apply to MD programs, I'd say go for it. Otherwise, don't close career doors so early on.

1. You're not "closing career doors" by going into DO. If you really think that, you should only apply to MD schools and Caribbean schools.
2. You call yourself a "Student Osteopath." You really should know the difference between an osteopath and an osteopathic physician ESPECIALLY if you are an osteopathic medical student. An osteopathic medical student is not the same thing as a "student osteopath." A person who practices osteopathic medicine is called an osteopathic physician. A person who practices osteopathy is called an osteopath. One is a doctor and the other is not. They go through different training and education, and earn different degrees. Calling an osteopathic physician an osteopath is not only incorrect, but also insulting, and it proves that you are ignorant. So be careful next time, yeah?

 

[Cath Up]

1. You're not "closing career doors" by going into DO. If you really think that, you should only apply to MD schools and Caribbean schools.

What do you say to residency match lists and rates in very competitive specialties for DO schools compared to MD schools? Those seem like doors that are at most creaked open to me. For most of us pursuing DO, this is totally fine. But if you want all of the medical specialties as open as possible, I don't see anyone that has educated themselves about this field arguing that MD holds an advantage over DO (because it does), for some of specialty medicine.

 

[GypsyHummus]

As someone who is now in an osteopathic environment, there are most certainly "soft" doors essentially closed off to you as a DO. Its not a lot (ENT subspecialties, Nuerosurgery, Dermatology, etc.) but there is a stigma that exists with DOs. Pretending it doesnt exist is to dilute oneself.

That being said, most other specialties are open to DOs, even competitive ones like Ortho.

1. You're not "closing career doors" by going into DO. If you really think that, you should only apply to MD schools and Caribbean schools.
2. You call yourself a "Student Osteopath." You really should know the difference between an osteopath and an osteopathic physician ESPECIALLY if you are an osteopathic medical student. An osteopathic medical student is not the same thing as a "student osteopath." A person who practices osteopathic medicine is called an osteopathic physician. A person who practices osteopathy is called an osteopath. One is a doctor and the other is not. They go through different training and education, and earn different degrees. Calling an osteopathic physician an osteopath is not only incorrect, but also insulting, and it proves that you are ignorant. So be careful next time, yeah?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

1. You're not "closing career doors" by going into DO. If you really think that, you should only apply to MD schools and Caribbean schools.
2. You call yourself a "Student Osteopath." You really should know the difference between an osteopath and an osteopathic physician ESPECIALLY if you are an osteopathic medical student. An osteopathic medical student is not the same thing as a "student osteopath." A person who practices osteopathic medicine is called an osteopathic physician. A person who practices osteopathy is called an osteopath. One is a doctor and the other is not. They go through different training and education, and earn different degrees. Calling an osteopathic physician an osteopath is not only incorrect, but also insulting, and it proves that you are ignorant. So be careful next time, yeah?

1. Yes, you are effectively closing doors to you by getting a DO degree. This is an indisputable fact. Literally, there are programs that will never consider you for those letters even if your boards are 300/300. You are the one ignorant if you don't know this.
2. My tag is a joke, and if you followed my posts, you'd know my sarcastic nature. You'd also realize that I'm using the Dr. Nick avatar on purpose as a way to joke around about how people see DOs. Maybe you should take your own words of "be careful" for yourself.

 

[dundundun]

1. Yes, you are effectively closing doors to you by getting a DO degree. This is an indisputable fact. Literally, there are programs that will never consider you for those letters even if your boards are 300/300. You are the one ignorant if you don't know this.
2. My tag is a joke, and if you followed my posts, you'd know my sarcastic nature. You'd also realize that I'm using the Dr. Nick avatar on purpose as a way to joke around about how people see DOs. Maybe you should take your own words of "be careful" for yourself.

Read my first line again carefully. If you think that you're closing off doors by going for DO, then you should only apply to MD schools. If you're so interested in those competitive MD residences that you think you're limiting yourself, and that you're afraid that you won't ever become a dermatologist as a DO, why did you even consider becoming a DO in the first place and then complain later that those routes are closed for you?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Read my first line again carefully. If you think that you're closing off doors by going for DO, then you should only apply to MD schools. If you're so interested in those competitive MD residences that you think you're limiting yourself, and that you're afraid that you won't ever become a dermatologist as a DO, why did you even consider becoming a DO in the first place and then complain later that those routes are closed for you?

You're starting to put words in my mouth and saying I'm "complaining" when the entire thread is about how they should leave the door open if available. I made my decision to go to DO based on my circumstances. If my circumstances had been to be able to go to Harvard, I would have, and unless you are one of these OMM quacks, you would go to Harvard too if your circumstances allowed you.

 

[dundundun]

You're starting to put words in my mouth and saying I'm "complaining" when the entire thread is about how they should leave the door open if available. I made my decision to go to DO based on my circumstances. If my circumstances had been to be able to go to Harvard, I would have, and unless you are one of these OMM quacks, you would go to Harvard too if your circumstances allowed you.

What are you talking about? Nobody is talking about Harvard. This is MD vs. DO. I would go to Harvard if they accepted me, and also if they offered training in osteopathic medicine, but that's besides the point. To me, it sounds like you were forced to pursue a DO degree because you had no other choice after failing to make the cut line for MD schools. In your case, yes. You have closed your doors for your beloved competitive MD residencies. Why didn't you go to a Caribbean school instead? Caribbean medical students have much harder time finding residency spots in the U.S., and they'll probably never get those super competitive MD residency spots, but at least they still have those "doors" open for them because they're MD, no?

 

[el_duderino]

To me, it sounds like you were forced to pursue a DO degree because you had no other choice after failing to make the cut line for MD schools. In your case, yes. You have closed your doors for your beloved competitive MD residencies.

That's pretty much the only valid reason to choose DO over MD, except maybe extreme geographical limits or a huge difference in cost. There are residency programs that simply do not accept DO students. That means going DO over MD literally does close some doors. All else being equal, most residency programs will prefer MD over DO in almost all instances.

 

[dundundun]

That's pretty much the only valid reason to choose DO over MD, except maybe extreme geographical limits or a huge difference in cost.

That is just laughable. My GPA was 3.72 with 87% on the MCAT which are certainly good for MD schools. I still chose DO over MD and not for the reasons that you described. Osteopathic medicine had much more to offer in my circumstances. Try not to look at things in one dimension.

 

[el_duderino]

That is just laughable. My GPA was 3.72 with 87% on the MCAT which are certainly good for MD schools. I still chose DO over MD and not for the reasons that you described. Osteopathic medicine had much more to offer in my circumstances. Try not to look at things in one dimension.

What reasons were those then?

 

[IslandStyle808]

What are you talking about? Nobody is talking about Harvard. This is MD vs. DO. I would go to Harvard if they accepted me, and also if they offered training in osteopathic medicine, but that's besides the point. To me, it sounds like you were forced to pursue a DO degree because you had no other choice after failing to make the cut line for MD schools. In your case, yes. You have closed your doors for your beloved competitive MD residencies. Why didn't you go to a Caribbean school instead? Caribbean medical students have much harder time finding residency spots in the U.S., and they'll probably never get those super competitive MD residency spots, but at least they still have those "doors" open for them because they're MD, no?

You are building a lot of misconceptions here of what people are saying. Why would @AlbinoHawk DO go to the Caribbean, when DO match rates are better than caribbean match rates? And you are closing more doors by going to the Caribbean than to a US DO school.

He is stating that you need to go to the school that will match you into residency best, which is far better at US MD schools than US DO schools. US MD > US DO >>> Caribbean MD (the point he is getting at)

If Harvard offers and acceptance, you take it because they have the best match lists in the entire country. You can learn OMM in residency and yes, some family medicine allopathic residency do have osteopathic recognition. So you don't need to go to an osteopathic school to learn osteopathic principles.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

What are you talking about? Nobody is talking about Harvard. This is MD vs. DO. I would go to Harvard if they accepted me, and also if they offered training in osteopathic medicine, but that's besides the point. To me, it sounds like you were forced to pursue a DO degree because you had no other choice after failing to make the cut line for MD schools. In your case, yes. You have closed your doors for your beloved competitive MD residencies. Why didn't you go to a Caribbean school instead? Caribbean medical students have much harder time finding residency spots in the U.S., and they'll probably never get those super competitive MD residency spots, but at least they still have those "doors" open for them because they're MD, no?

The sign of desperation when your "argument" becomes nonsensical and personal attacks because you know you're wrong.

 

[dundundun]

The sign of desperation when your "argument" becomes nonsensical and personal attacks because you know you're wrong.

I wasn't making "personal attacks." I know there are a lot of people who do the same thing as you: failing to make it into MD schools, so going to a DO school instead. Bottom line is, if you are so insecure about getting a DO degree that you take what I said as a personal insult, then that's your problem. What I've been trying to tell you for the past 4 posts is that you shouldn't have gone into DO if you think MD is better than DO in every way.
If people are not passionate about osteopathic medicine, they should keep trying to apply to an MD school (or Caribbean medical schools even if they have horrible match rates as I have mentioned previously) because otherwise they'll never be happy for the rest of their lives with that "DO" at the end of their names. It never even crossed my mind that I'm "limited" just because I can't get those highly competitive MD residencies that 90% of MD students don't even get. I saw the values and things that osteopathic medicine offered that allopathic medicine didn't. So it's wrong for people to generalize that you're limiting yourself by becoming a DO. Apparently you don't know how to read between the lines, and I have to explicitly explain all this.

 

[el_duderino]

I wasn't making "personal attacks." I know there are a lot of people who do the same thing as you: failing to make it into MD schools, so going to a DO school instead. Bottom line is, if you are so insecure about getting a DO degree that you take what I said as a personal insult, then that's your problem. What I've been trying to tell you for the past 4 posts is that you shouldn't have gone into DO if you think MD is better than DO in every way.
If people are not passionate about osteopathic medicine, they should keep trying to apply to an MD school (or Caribbean medical schools even if they have horrible match rates as I have mentioned previously) because otherwise they'll never be happy for the rest of their lives with that "DO" at the end of their names. It never even crossed my mind that I'm "limited" just because I can't get those highly competitive MD residencies that 90% of MD students don't even get. I saw the values and things that osteopathic medicine offered that allopathic medicine didn't. So it's wrong for people to generalize that you're limiting yourself by becoming a DO. Apparently you don't know how to read between the lines, and I have to explicitly explain all this.

Please tell us about your passion for osteopathic medicine.

What year are you in?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

You're not "closing career doors" by going into DO.

Lol, anyone who says this is either 1. Lying, 2. Dumb, or 3. Completely uniformed. So which are you?

2. You call yourself a "Student Osteopath." You really should know the difference between an osteopath and an osteopathic physician ESPECIALLY if you are an osteopathic medical student. An osteopathic medical student is not the same thing as a "student osteopath." A person who practices osteopathic medicine is called an osteopathic physician. A person who practices osteopathy is called an osteopath. One is a doctor and the other is not. They go through different training and education, and earn different degrees. Calling an osteopathic physician an osteopath is not only incorrect, but also insulting, and it proves that you are ignorant. So be careful next time, yeah?

How dare you? I am a Bone Wizard, and don't you forget it.

Read my first line again carefully. If you think that you're closing off doors by going for DO, then you should only apply to MD schools

You are closing off doors. Lots of them.

but at least they still have those "doors" open for them because they're MD, no?

Well.... uh I don't even know what to say to this.... it takes a special person to do such logical gymnastics.

That is just laughable. My GPA was 3.72 with 87% on the MCAT which are certainly good for MD schools. I still chose DO over MD and not for the reasons that you described. Osteopathic medicine had much more to offer in my circumstances. Try not to look at things in one dimension.

You made a dumb decision.

It never even crossed my mind that I'm "limited" just because I can't get those highly competitive MD residencies that 90% of MD students don't even get

Come talk to us when you are applying to residencies. It isn't just the super competitive fields or programs that are limited. In EVERY field, at EVERY level, there are programs who will either not consider you or will only take DOs that have applications above those of the MD applications they receive.

saw the values and things that osteopathic medicine offered that allopathic medicine didn't.

Do tell...

So it's wrong for people to generalize that you're limiting yourself by becoming a DO.

No it's not. It's wrong for someone to misrepresent the reality of the situation.

DO is a completely valid and viable route to becoming a physician. I love my DO school and will be extremely proud to be a Bone Wizard, but there are sacrifices that one makes in attending a DO school and every prospective applicant should be able to make an educated decision whether or not they are willing to make those sacrifices.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

I wasn't making "personal attacks." I know there are a lot of people who do the same thing as you: failing to make it into MD schools, so going to a DO school instead. Bottom line is, if you are so insecure about getting a DO degree that you take what I said as a personal insult, then that's your problem. What I've been trying to tell you for the past 4 posts is that you shouldn't have gone into DO if you think MD is better than DO in every way.
If people are not passionate about osteopathic medicine, they should keep trying to apply to an MD school (or Caribbean medical schools even if they have horrible match rates as I have mentioned previously) because otherwise they'll never be happy for the rest of their lives with that "DO" at the end of their names. It never even crossed my mind that I'm "limited" just because I can't get those highly competitive MD residencies that 90% of MD students don't even get. I saw the values and things that osteopathic medicine offered that allopathic medicine didn't. So it's wrong for people to generalize that you're limiting yourself by becoming a DO. Apparently you don't know how to read between the lines, and I have to explicitly explain all this.

lol the "you must be insecure" line because I said that MD gives you an edge in competitive specialties. Sorry to break it to you, but some of us just wanted to be doctors and didn't care about the initials MD or DO. We, however, care about maximizing our opportunities in the future.