Cheap DO or expensive MD?

[brofessor]

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So...I know there have been many threads discussing cheap lower ranked schools vs expensive top schools, but I haven't seen any that crossed MD/DO lines. I have been accepted to 2 schools at this point, DMU and UVM. The COA for DMU is about 60k, and UVM is about 73k OOS. So any thoughts? is the extra 50-60k over 4 years worth the MD, or is that enough money to go the DO route? I'm not sure what field I want to go in. I don't think it will be anything super-competitive.

 

[gravitywave]

you will want to wait until financial aid packages come out to make this decision for real. i'd say that where you go to school is more important than either DO/MD or that amount of money, though. locationlocationlocation, fitfitfit

 

[Slack3r]

$13k isn't a huge difference. Go MD.

 

[Long Way to Go]

$13k isn't a huge difference. Go MD.

$13,000, times four, plus interest. That's significant.

 

[DrMom]

$13k isn't a huge difference. Go MD.

actually, it's $52k...plus interest.

 

[DoctwoB]

So...I know there have been many threads discussing cheap lower ranked schools vs expensive top schools, but I haven't seen any that crossed MD/DO lines. I have been accepted to 2 schools at this point, DMU and UVM. The COA for DMU is about 60k, and UVM is about 73k OOS. So any thoughts? is the extra 50-60k over 4 years worth the MD, or is that enough money to go the DO route? I'm not sure what field I want to go in. I don't think it will be anything super-competitive.

Depends what you want. Want to go into FP, IM, Peds, etc? Go DO and save the $$. Want to go into Neurosurg, ENT, Derm, Plastics, etc? Pay the extra cash and go MD.

 

[blah2537]

This probably will not be a popular opinion but here it is all the same: if it really just comes down to money and you like both schools just as much, go MD. It keeps more options open. Sure you may end up wanting to do peds, but you also may not. In which case it would be advisable to go MD. Sure you can get into anything going DO, but the road is easier MD.

 

[dbeast]

Depends what you want. Want to go into FP, IM, Peds, etc? Go DO and save the $$. Want to go into Neurosurg, ENT, Derm, Plastics, etc? Pay the extra cash and go MD.

You'll make your money back a lot faster even if it is 13k per year more x4 years

 

[El Dooderino]

So...I know there have been many threads discussing cheap lower ranked schools vs expensive top schools, but I haven't seen any that crossed MD/DO lines. I have been accepted to 2 schools at this point, DMU and UVM. The COA for DMU is about 60k, and UVM is about 73k OOS. So any thoughts? is the extra 50-60k over 4 years worth the MD, or is that enough money to go the DO route? I'm not sure what field I want to go in. I don't think it will be anything super-competitive.

you're kidding, right? you'd be crazy to go DO

 

[Political]

go DO and give the MD to someone who really wants it if the whole DO/MD really doesnt matter to you

 

[ACSurgeon]

go DO and give the MD to someone who really wants it if the whole DO/MD really doesnt matter to you

I don't think premeds realize why it should matter, hence it not mattering to some.

Regarding the cost: if you decide to do any average competitive specialty (surgery, anesthesia, EM, etc) there is a real chance you don't match as a DO. The lost year of attending level salary is worth ~150-450k depending on what your desired specialty is. So, is 52k plus interest more important to you?

I understand some MD students fail to match every year, and I'm not about to go into that debate. When comparing level of difficulty of matching a certain spot, it's easier if you're MD.

 

[MDMDJDJD]

Are you considered "in-state" after a year of residency at the MD school? Some schools grant this. Some don't. If so, you will surely save money going to your MD school.

 

[brofessor]

$13,000, times four, plus interest. That's significant.

actually, it's $52k...plus interest.

yes, it is 52k over 4 years, and that is significant. If you look at the spreadsheet I made:
View attachment DMU vs UVM cost.xls
you can see that it will take 8 more years to pay back my loans if I were to go to UVM, if I paid 50k a year (If I go peds or IM I'm guessing that is a decent amount to pay back and still live a normal life). so correct me if I'm wrong, but it is really a 452k difference in my life (52k + 50k*8 years).

Are you considered "in-state" after a year of residency at the MD school? Some schools grant this. Some don't. If so, you will surely save money going to your MD school.

No, UVM doesn't do that unfortunately.

I don't think premeds realize why it should matter, hence it not mattering to some.

Regarding the cost: if you decide to do any average competitive specialty (surgery, anesthesia, EM, etc) there is a real chance you don't match as a DO. The lost year of attending level salary is worth ~150-450k depending on what your desired specialty is. So, is 52k plus interest more important to you?

I understand some MD students fail to match every year, and I'm not about to go into that debate. When comparing level of difficulty of matching a certain spot, it's easier if you're MD.

I thought that ACGME EM Residencies were relatively DO friendly?

 

[willen101383]

yes, it is 52k over 4 years, and that is significant. If you look at the spreadsheet I made:
View attachment 16394
you can see that it will take 8 more years to pay back my loans if I were to go to UVM, if I paid 50k a year (If I go peds or IM I'm guessing that is a decent amount to pay back and still live a normal life). so correct me if I'm wrong, but it is really a 452k difference in my life (52k + 50k*8 years).


No, UVM doesn't do that unfortunately.



I thought that ACGME EM Residencies were relatively DO friendly?

They are.

 

[gravitywave]

yes, it is 52k over 4 years, and that is significant. If you look at the spreadsheet I made:
you can see that it will take 8 more years to pay back my loans if I were to go to UVM, if I paid 50k a year (If I go peds or IM I'm guessing that is a decent amount to pay back and still live a normal life). so correct me if I'm wrong, but it is really a 452k difference in my life (52k + 50k*8 years).

yeah, pretty sure your excel skills need some work. i show the difference is <$200k in nominal dollars, payments that won't be made until over ten years from now.

 

[patel2]

I don't think premeds realize why it should matter, hence it not mattering to some.

Regarding the cost: if you decide to do any average competitive specialty (surgery, anesthesia, EM, etc) there is a real chance you don't match as a DO. The lost year of attending level salary is worth ~150-450k depending on what your desired specialty is. So, is 52k plus interest more important to you?

I understand some MD students fail to match every year, and I'm not about to go into that debate. When comparing level of difficulty of matching a certain spot, it's easier if you're MD.

these fields aren't overly competitive and DOs match fine into them (unless you mean subspecialties of surgeries). What is accurate though is that ACGME surgery is very unfriendly to DOs, but they have their own residencies there. ACGME EM and anesthesia are both perfectly friendly to DOs, as I understand...plus again they have their own match.

Regardless, to the OP I still recommend taking the MD.

 

[raltima07]

Go md