BS/DO Programs
Started by bluewind751
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DO schools generally have a stigma about them though, ultimately, you end up being a physician. Search for these discussions if you have any more interest.
With that said, I would say wait to apply to normal MD schools. You can always apply to the DO schools at that time if you want to go that route.
With that said, I would say wait to apply to normal MD schools. You can always apply to the DO schools at that time if you want to go that route.
the fact that its BS/DO doesnt really matter. There are BS/MD programs as well. I wouldnt recommend any one to apply to either type, and i think thats the general consensus. Ive never heard someone say "Well you should apply BS/MD but not BS/DO." The problem is not the degree, its the fact that you are REALLY young when making this decision. You really think you know where you want to spend the next 8 years of your life? You might not even want to go into medicine anymore. Go in to college with an open mind and enjoy yourself. If you have an interest in medicine then do your best to pursue that interest. If you do this, and also enjoy yourself with outside activities and friends unrelated to pre med/medicine, then by the time you are ready to apply you are going to have a pretty stellar application and MANY options to choose from.
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I am in a BS/DO at Nova, UG is good, med school excellent, the stigma is often only in the mind of premeds. DOs are excellent physicians as are MDs. My father is an who did the PSU/JMC BS/MD and he agrees there is no stigma and refers to and gets referrals from DOs. If you know you want to practice medicine apply to BS/DO and BS/MD programs.
From someone entering med school, I wish I had considered this a lot more. Doing a BS/MD or BS/DO program never entered my mind even though I probably had the stats for it. Med school admissions are a crap shoot: you can have a high GPA/MCAT and still not get in anywhere. Having a reserved spots saves you time, IMMENSE WORRYING FROM HAVING TO COMPETE, APPLY, INTERVIEW, WAIT and money. The only thing I'd be worried about is whether or not you're ready to make this choice. At 18/19 you really haven't experienced what's out there in terms of a career. Taking 4 more years to apply might be worth the perspective.
I agree however I think a lot of premeds (myself included) knew they wanted to be a doc way before college... not saying everyone, but a lot
Yeah...that's what I'm worried about. You "know" you want to be a doctor before you really know what it means to be a doctor and what other careers are out there. I'm not saying that this is entirely wrong, I think I've always felt a personal push towards the field. I'm just saying that right now, like many other professions, there are significant numbers of physicians wishing they had not pursued the path that they took. As such, in order to prevent people from investing so much for so little utility, I think it might be a good idea for some people to take the time and consider what's out there before they narrow in on one field particularly. I think this is primarily important for people applying to college. At 17/18/19/whatever you're still JUST coming into a consciousness in which you're becoming aware of the world around you and your place in it. Years from now, you'll look back and say: "wow, I was such a kid and knew nothing" but hopefully you won't say: "damn, I was a kid and made a stupid choice--now I'm stuck in a field I don't want to be in, in my mid-20s, in debt up to my eyeballs and no end in sight for the misery to end". IMO, think long and hard before committing yourself. If there's even an INKLING that you could be happy doing something else, look into it. Not doing a BS/MD or BS/DO doesn't mean you've hurt your chances of becoming a doctor.
OP, I would recommend a combined program if you have shadowed a doctor and are sure that medicine is what you want to do. Combined programs take a HUGE amount of stress out of the whole app. process, which makes i more then worth while. I knew at 11th grade I wanted to be a dentist and I am in a 7 year bs/dds program, so don't let anyone stop you if medicine is what you truly want to do.
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