Can Someone Please Help

[UCIgrad2002]

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hi everyone,

after researching osteopathic mecidine and its methodology for quite some time now, i've decided to apply to at least six or seven programs. i know it's kind of late in the process, but i'm hoping i'll still have a chance. my primary app is done except for the personal comments section. considering that time is against me right now, i wanted to know if any of you recycled your allopathic personal statement, if you applied to amcas as well, for the osteopathic one (i don't mean 100%). also, i'm sure it is pretty vital to include in your statement your specific interest in osteopathic medicine, as opposed to allopathic medicine. is this true? do we have to include this? thanks people for your help, i sincerely appreciate it and i wish you all the best of luck this application season. and to those that have already been admitted, CONGRATS!!! kindest regards.

 

[XCanadianRagwee]

My PS for the osteo schools stinks, but I have four interviews so what do I know?

But here's what I did. Took the intro paragraph from AMCAS, cut it up a little bit, took the second paragraph, chopped it up, added some osteopathic information in there, then pretty much took my concluding paragraph from AMCAS reworded it to fit osteo and that was that.

 

[MDmiracle]

Originally posted by XCanadianRagwee
My PS for the osteo schools stinks, but I have four interviews so what do I know.

But here's what I did. Took the intro paragraph from AMCAS, cut it up a litlte bit, took the second paragraph, chopped it up, added some osteopathic information in there, then pretty much took my concluding paragraph from AMCAS rewrded it to fit osteo and that was that.

Ditto, 3000 characters WTF!

 

[Idiopathic]

I did recycle it a little, just because it had nothing to do with a specific type of medicine, and more for my attitude towards going into medicine. It didnt take a lot. However, I had to cut it down considerably, I dont know if the size limits have changed or not.

 

[UCIgrad2002]

thanks for the help people. i have one concern though. my essay has no regard to osteopathic medicine, it's about why i want to be a physician. is this okay? it's a pretty solid, concise essay and i would hate to change it now, since i'm getting pretty late in the aacom application. i was thinking of saving the osteopathic info for secondaries. what do you people think, is this okay? did anyone else do this too? thanks for your help guys and best of luck to you all! regards.

 

[Adapt]

Originally posted by UCIgrad2002
thanks for the help people. i have one concern though. my essay has no regard to osteopathic medicine, it's about why i want to be a physician. is this okay? it's a pretty solid, concise essay and i would hate to change it now, since i'm getting pretty late in the aacom application. i was thinking of saving the osteopathic info for secondaries. what do you people think, is this okay? did anyone else do this too? thanks for your help guys and best of luck to you all! regards.

No. I think you have to specifically mention why Osteopathic medicine. DO schools, particularly at the interview, will ask you why DO over MD. If you don't include that in your personal statement, they will wonder if you even know there is a difference in the philosophy.

They will also wonder why you just didn't apply to MD schools. It is important to clearly state why Osteopathic medicine in your PS. It helps a lot if you shadowed a DO and have a DO recommendation.

I see you're from the bay area. TUCOM is a great school right there so you should look into it. I just was accepted there and I really liked the school.

 

[luckystar]

I just want to add that I wasn't asked a single question on osteopathic medicine during the two interviews that I decided to go to. My PS had a very brief section on why I decided to pursue a DO degree, because I had better things to talk about that I felt would reflect me as an applicant better than if I rambled on about my perspective on osteopathic medicine.

Most schools, if they even screen primaries, will focus more on your numbers as qualifiers to send you a secondary, and then will look at your whole file, including LORs and essays.

My advice, and there certainly are other ways to do it, is to triple check the essay you have now for spelling and grammatical errors, then submit it because it is getting pretty late. With 6-7 programs that you're applying to, you're sure to get some secondary apps where you can talk more about osteopathic medicine if you wish.

 

[fabiolablake]

I didn't mention anything about osteopathic medicine in my personal statement. Just chopped and pasted to the webpage. I had received interview invites at 11 schools, inverviewed at three and got into all three. Just write down why you want to be a doctor, but understand why you like osteopathy for the interviews. Good luck.

Blake

 

[UCIgrad2002]

thanks people for all your help, i really appreciate it!