Choosing DO over MD

[MedSchoolAdvice20]

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I see a lot of talk on this forum about how important the DO ideals of holistic medicine and the added benefit of OMM training are in the innumerable MD vs. DO threads. Heck, I talk about them myself. I truly believe that there is a lot to the idea of treating people as greater than simply the sum of their parts and that hands-on medicine carries a significant value. I do, however, believe that these personal beliefs can be translated into an MD setting on an individual basis, apart from formal OMT training. I'm curious if there is anyone out there who has made the decision to pursue DO education over an MD acceptance for these reasons. Thanks!

 

[TUVIX]

 

[TallPreMed]

SERIOUSLY

 

[TallPreMed]

 

[AvrgPreMedKid]

I see a lot of talk on this forum about how important the DO ideals of holistic medicine and the added benefit of OMM training are in the innumerable MD vs. DO threads. Heck, I talk about them myself. I truly believe that there is a lot to the idea of treating people as greater than simply the sum of their parts and that hands-on medicine carries a significant value. I do, however, believe that these personal beliefs can be translated into an MD setting on an individual basis, apart from formal OMT training. I'm curious if there is anyone out there who has made the decision to pursue DO education over an MD acceptance for these reasons. Thanks!

If you spend some time shadowing physicians, you'll see that any physician (MD or DO) is smart enough to view the patient as more than just their symptoms. I don't think the whole "holistic" thing is limited to just DO's. The MD I work for is very hands-on and tries to keep patients off of pills as much as possible.

Edit: I don't think anybody in their right mind would choose a DO school over MD (US MD). We know there are no significant differences in our training, but just to avoid the hassle of explaining what a DO is, taking two board exams (COMLEX and USMLE), etc. DO's have to jump through some extra hoops. Why put yourself through that if you don't have to?

 

[Mad Jack]

Don't ever choose DO over MD. If you want to do manual medicine as an MD, however, you should absolutely pursue formal training in it, as it takes a great deal of practice and guidance to do properly. MDs are no less holistic than we are- medicine is what you make of it. A school doesn't teach you to value the while patient, you either do or don't based on your own personal philosophy of practice.

 

[MedSchoolAdvice20]

View attachment 200460

Easyyyy. I searched. Most recent close thread was from 2010.

 

[Ho0v-man]

I was more so leaning DO over MD because I've worked in healthcare for years and despite what you read on these forums, all the holistic approach stuff is real (but somewhat overhyped). I've seen plenty of MDs who do it too, and a couple of DOs who don't bother with it tbh. A family friend who is a DO neurologist told me he went DO because he couldn't go MD. He hated omm and thought the holistic approach stuff was BS. Until he had to spend a week in the hospital. He said it became apparent pretty quickly that he was just trained differently than the guys taking care of him. He never expected to be someone who advocated for osteopathic education, but now he's s big supporter of holistic medicine.

I'm also actually interested in omm. I shadowed a DO who does omm and he was upfront about how it's difficult to prove some stuff about it. But what interested me the most was how this guy who regularly practices omm in primary care has a vastly superior understanding of dynamic anatomy than anyone I'd ever seen.

Before starting down this path, my goal was my state MD school or DO. The decision was mainly financial at that point. Going DO is cheaper than going OOS MD. Going to your state MD is cheapest. My mcat was just borderline and I didn't feel like retaking.

Bias exists going DO over MD and you'll have to deal with it if you make that decision. If anyone is worried about what other people think about their education , try being the former premed trying to get a shift leader job at Best Buy.




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[piii]

News flash, in every MD school you take clinical medicine classes learning how to treat the patient as a whole, a holistic view. It's integrated into the entire scope of MD education. The philosophy and curriculums of DO and MD are 95% similar, OMM being the exception. Modern DO and MD philosophy is the same and the "DO way" is just a buzz word the schools use to recruit students.

 

[F#&$#^&&@theMCAT]

DO over MD?? come on lets be real here. When you see a DO after someone name 99 percent because they didn't get into MD. Nothing wrong with it but its simply a fact. and @piii makes a very good point

 

[Ho0v-man]

News flash, in every MD school you take clinical medicine classes learning how to treat the patient as a whole, a holistic view. It's integrated into the entire scope of MD education. The philosophy and curriculums of DO and MD are 95% similar, OMM being the exception. Modern DO and MD philosophy is the same and the "DO way" is just a buzz word the schools use to recruit students.

I will concur and state that the difference in approach is largely more evident when comparing DOs to older MDs. I can't tell much of a difference between new docs of either route.


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[Bones 2020]

I know the OP's mean well, but these MD/DO threads are getting out of hand

 

[laserzpewpew]

Sure, choose DO over MD. Just make sure to budget some time in each day to kick yourself for doing so.

 

[OtoBro]

I chose DO over MD. Granted it was a low tier MD, I do not regret it for a second. Either way I feel I will be just as successful.

 

[mathnerd88]

I chose DO over MD. Granted it was a low tier MD, I do not regret it for a second. Either way I feel I will be just as successful.

Congrats for being the 1% out of the 1%ers.

 

[MusicDOc124]

I chose DO over MD. I have my reasons as I'm sure others have their reasons. A post I read not long ago, someone saved $10-20k per year by going DO over the MD acceptance. Someone else had a family and the DO program was nearby so the spouse could keep working at the current job, and children could stay in their current school.


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[takis]

I chose DO over MD. Granted it was a low tier MD, I do not regret it for a second. Either way I feel I will be just as successful.

a lot of the low tier US MDs are pretty bad in terms of overall environment. a certain combination of old facilities, unhappy faculty, out dated policies, poor surrounding areas, and unhappy student population. in comparison to the high tier DO, they just offer so little besides coming out as an MD and slightly better clinical sites. of course, the match is all that matters and still they only kind of pull through above the best DOs.

 

[feeling-dizzy]

I see a lot of talk on this forum about how important the DO ideals of holistic medicine and the added benefit of OMM training are in the innumerable MD vs. DO threads. Heck, I talk about them myself. I truly believe that there is a lot to the idea of treating people as greater than simply the sum of their parts and that hands-on medicine carries a significant value. I do, however, believe that these personal beliefs can be translated into an MD setting on an individual basis, apart from formal OMT training. I'm curious if there is anyone out there who has made the decision to pursue DO education over an MD acceptance for these reasons. Thanks!

Troll....Troll...and more Troll

 

[docycle]

News flash, in every MD school you take clinical medicine classes learning how to treat the patient as a whole, a holistic view. It's integrated into the entire scope of MD education. The philosophy and curriculums of DO and MD are 95% similar, OMM being the exception. Modern DO and MD philosophy is the same and the "DO way" is just a buzz word the schools use to recruit students.

Do they really need to recruit? I mean, all they have to do is exist and they'll get 2000+ applicants for 100-200 spots. I actually don't even understand why these schools go out and try to "recruit." I wonder if it actually yields quantifiable results or if it's really just a vacation for members of the administration written off as a business expense.

DO over MD?? come on lets be real here. When you see a DO after someone name 99 percent because they didn't get into MD. Nothing wrong with it but its simply a fact. and @piii makes a very good point

Brutal honesty hurts my feels.

I know the OP's mean well, but these MD/DO threads are getting out of hand

MD >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> DO. They're smarter, stronger, faster, and get more chicks.

Come at me.

[^^^isfuturedostudent]

I chose DO over MD. Granted it was a low tier MD, I do not regret it for a second. Either way I feel I will be just as successful.

Why? Cost? Location? Family/friends?

I chose DO over MD. I have my reasons as I'm sure others have their reasons. A post I read not long ago, someone saved $10-20k per year by going DO over the MD acceptance. Someone else had a family and the DO program was nearby so the spouse could keep working at the current job, and children could stay in their current school.

Really? Was it LECOM? Because MDs are usually cheaper (I thought).

 

[MusicDOc124]

@docycle I don't recall which school it was, and for the most part, you are correct when referring to instate MD, however some instate tuition costs for some MD programs are upwards of $40k-50k in various parts of the country.

 

[AlteredScale]

Please keep this conversation civil guys and gals.

 

[link2swim06]

Don't choose DO over MD. That's silly.

Whatever bull**** you are fed as a pre-med, the bottomline is that both degrees lead to the exact same jobs. It just happens one path is going to be harder and possibly more limited.

 

[Ho0v-man]

This might be an inflammatory post, but I just have to ask: if being a DO is so bad, why don't/didn't you guys just go MD? I'm genuinely curious. Just retake the mcat and get a higher score. That's usually what's holding people back. What's the big deal?

I'm really not trying to start a war or anything, I just don't get why anyone would bother going DO if they loathe it so much.


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[WedgeDawg]

This might be an inflammatory post, but I just have to ask: if being a DO is so bad, why don't/didn't you guys just go MD? I'm genuinely curious. Just retake the mcat and get a higher score. That's usually what's holding people back. What's the big deal?

I'm really not trying to start a war or anything, I just don't get why anyone would bother going DO if they loathe it so much.


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1. No one is saying they loathe it, just that it makes certain paths more difficult
2. It's not as simple as "retaking the MCAT and getting a high score" (which in itself, even if it was the main issue, isn't a trivial hurdle to overcome)
3. DO honors grade replacement while MD does not. This means that you can just retake classes you did poorly in and boost your GPA significantly rather than going through an entire postbac or SMP which will be 1) more expensive, 2) longer, and 3) not change your GPA as much. This is not an advantage to be taken lightly. It is the saving grace for many people who would otherwise have unsalvageable GPAs
4. DO is often a perfectly adequate route for many career paths. The biggest problems are when you want to go into academic medicine, top tier academic residencies, or competitive specialties. However, if you want to become a community primary care doc (and many people do), you're going to have no problem going that route as a DO.

 

[IslandStyle808]

I see a lot of talk on this forum about how important the DO ideals of holistic medicine and the added benefit of OMM training are in the innumerable MD vs. DO threads. Heck, I talk about them myself. I truly believe that there is a lot to the idea of treating people as greater than simply the sum of their parts and that hands-on medicine carries a significant value. I do, however, believe that these personal beliefs can be translated into an MD setting on an individual basis, apart from formal OMT training. I'm curious if there is anyone out there who has made the decision to pursue DO education over an MD acceptance for these reasons. Thanks!

So was the search feature broken or something else?

 

[Ho0v-man]

1. No one is saying they loathe it, just that it makes certain paths more difficult
2. It's not as simple as "retaking the MCAT and getting a high score" (which in itself, even if it was the main issue, isn't a trivial hurdle to overcome)
3. DO honors grade replacement while MD does not. This means that you can just retake classes you did poorly in and boost your GPA significantly rather than going through an entire postbac or SMP which will be 1) more expensive, 2) longer, and 3) not change your GPA as much. This is not an advantage to be taken lightly. It is the saving grace for many people who would otherwise have unsalvageable GPAs
4. DO is often a perfectly adequate route for many career paths. The biggest problems are when you want to go into academic medicine, top tier academic residencies, or competitive specialties. However, if you want to become a community primary care doc (and many people do), you're going to have no problem going that route as a DO.

In response to 1: We may end up agreeing to disagree. While you are generally correct, lots of people have a chip on their shoulders.

In response to 2: I just see a lot of folks post on here with perfect apps for MD...but they got a 26 MCAT. So they go DO and complain about DO bias until the end of time. In my personal situation, I worked 2-3 jobs throughout undergrad and during MCAT prep and I'm pretty non-traditional. I couldn't give the test the attention it deserves and got a borderline score for MD. To me, it was no big because I'm happy to just be a doctor.

I'm just a little perplexed as to why someone who has been gunning for MD since day 1 of college, doesn't have a job, and studies for 3-6 months for 8 hours a day and 6 days a week for the MCAT can't break 30-31. Maybe it's just me, but I actually kind of liked the MCAT. I just didn't have time for it. Maybe not the first try, but three tries?

In response to 3: I love grade replacement and wish MD schools used it too. But they don't, and it's not a secret. It's generally understood that you have to make good grades to be a doctor.

In response to 4: I don't think anyone would contest that.

Again, I don't want to come off too harsh here. But if you want to be an MD...just do it. It's not like there's a secret to getting in. And if you can't but you still get a DO acceptance then what's there to complain about?


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[IslandStyle808]

In response to 1: We may end up agreeing to disagree. While you are generally correct, lots of people have a chip on their shoulders.

In response to 2: I just see a lot of folks post on here with perfect apps for MD...but they got a 26 MCAT. So they go DO and complain about DO bias until the end of time. In my personal situation, I worked 2-3 jobs throughout undergrad and during MCAT prep and I'm pretty non-traditional. I couldn't give the test the attention it deserves and got a borderline score for MD. To me, it was no big because I'm happy to just be a doctor.

I'm just a little perplexed as to why someone who has been gunning for MD since day 1 of college, doesn't have a job, and studies for 3-6 months for 8 hours a day and 6 days a week for the MCAT can't break 30-31. Maybe it's just me, but I actually kind of liked the MCAT. I just didn't have time for it. Maybe not the first try, but three tries?

In response to 3: I love grade replacement and wish MD schools used it too. But they don't, and it's not a secret. It's generally understood that you have to make good grades to be a doctor.

In response to 4: I don't think anyone would contest that.

Again, I don't want to come off too harsh here. But if you want to be an MD...just do it. It's not like there's a secret to getting in. And if you can't but you still get a DO acceptance then what's there to complain about?


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Some people are just better test takers than others. There are those who had a 24-27 MCAT score on here that have gone on to get 230-250 scores on step I, so the test isn't always reflective of how one does on the boards. I for one suck at verbal and after multiple attempts had the same low score (only a one point rise from the initial take). I had a 15-20 hour part time job when I took my most recent attempt. I am not smart. It is what it is.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Some people are just better test takers than others. There are those who had a 24-27 MCAT score on here that have gone on to get 230-250 scores on step I, so the test isn't always reflective of how one does on the boards. I for one suck at verbal and after multiple attempts had the same low score (only a one point rise from the initial take). I had a 15-20 hour part time job when I took my most recent attempt. I am not smart. It is what it is.

You're not one of those that shake their fists at the sky and scream of the injustice that has befallen you, either.
Perhaps my last post came across the wrong way. I don't think the MCAT is all that important either. In fact, I know someone who squeaked in to kcumb with a 23 (when that was still possible) after four attempts and he's an interventional cardiologist now! I guess it's just exhausting hearing people complain about DO when without it, they wouldn't be doctors at all.

PS: after re-reading my last post, I think I came off as someone who thinks he's a rockstar. I promise you I KNOW I'm not!


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[MasterWolf]

7 months into OMSI. Please Please Please I beg you don't go DO over MD. You should try to get into an MD school at least 2-3 times. Take the MCAT at least 2-3 times. After all that than apply to DO school. Don't make the mistake I made in just trying to rush to become a physician. I wish I had taken the MCAT at least one more time (took it once and scored above average). When people say it is a backdoor to medicine, it is the truth! No one should ever be required to learn the nonsense that is OMM and have to take 2 board exams even though there is one GME match. There are so many other reasons but if it helps someone. If I could, I would drop out of my DO school, retake the MCAT, and reapply to MD schools (broadly this time) but I have spent too much money and been through a lot of stress.

Remember MCAT 2-3x, Apply/Reapply 2-3x. If you fail than apply for DO. This isn't about DO vs. MD name because the education is practically the same. Its just DO has a lot of BS (OMM, lack of research, poor faculty, 2x board exams for each step, etch.) that negatively impacts the important stuff (modern medicine).

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

First post... Nice one. 2-3 times? Sorry but no. One time only MD maybe for one round of applications.

I'm sorry you hate your decision but honestly it seems you acted hastily. If you hate it that bad then quit and retake the MCAT. And I doubt you are actually a student. Saying this in your first post reeks of attention seeking

 

[Dr.Smexy]

Through SDN and real life interaction with accepted DO students or current DO students, it is clear to me that there are two categories that all DO people fall into. First, the ones who constantly have a chip on their shoulders, inferiority complex to the max, and mouths that will never stop when it comes to the topic of how DO are superior in order to make them feel better. The second is humble, hard-working, and grateful students who understand that DO gives them their dream back and proud of the fact that they can become a physician or for extreme personal reasons choose DO and grateful that they have an option that fit their needs. They understand the drawbacks and negatives of DO degree and not afraid to admit it. Unfortunately, SDN is probably 90% first category... @Mad Jack is the rare category 2 I know

 

[allantois]

People need to stop acting as if DO is some shody degree that will get you mopping floors at a hospital.

You will still be a physician!!

 

[docisthegoal]

7 months into OMSI. Please Please Please I beg you don't go DO over MD. You should try to get into an MD school at least 2-3 times. Take the MCAT at least 2-3 times. After all that than apply to DO school. Don't make the mistake I made in just trying to rush to become a physician. I wish I had taken the MCAT at least one more time (took it once and scored above average). When people say it is a backdoor to medicine, it is the truth! No one should ever be required to learn the nonsense that is OMM and have to take 2 board exams even though there is one GME match. There are so many other reasons but if it helps someone. If I could, I would drop out of my DO school, retake the MCAT, and reapply to MD schools (broadly this time) but I have spent too much money and been through a lot of stress.

Remember MCAT 2-3x, Apply/Reapply 2-3x. If you fail than apply for DO. This isn't about DO vs. MD name because the education is practically the same. Its just DO has a lot of BS (OMM, lack of research, poor faculty, 2x board exams for each step, etch.) that negatively impacts the important stuff (modern medicine).

I'm kinda interested as to where you are attending. Sounds like you don't like it too much?

 

[MasterWolf]

I'm kinda interested as to where you are attending. Sounds like you don't like it too much?

That is why I made this account because my previous will give it away. As the above posters keep assuming it IS NOT about being a DO vs MD. Like most premeds I wanted to be a physician didn't care about the name. But trust me once your working day in and out, hours upon hours struggling to learn nonsense like OMM that you will never use you will understand what I am saying. Having to study for 2 exams, spending twice the money, and having poor faculty gets to you fast. In hindsight if I knew DO school was like this I would have done those things before I applied to DO schools. The science part of DO school makes complete sense and allows you to use your brains to understand it, the OMM portion expects you to forget about having a brain.

 

[Mad Jack]

7 months into OMSI. Please Please Please I beg you don't go DO over MD. You should try to get into an MD school at least 2-3 times. Take the MCAT at least 2-3 times. After all that than apply to DO school. Don't make the mistake I made in just trying to rush to become a physician. I wish I had taken the MCAT at least one more time (took it once and scored above average). When people say it is a backdoor to medicine, it is the truth! No one should ever be required to learn the nonsense that is OMM and have to take 2 board exams even though there is one GME match. There are so many other reasons but if it helps someone. If I could, I would drop out of my DO school, retake the MCAT, and reapply to MD schools (broadly this time) but I have spent too much money and been through a lot of stress.

Remember MCAT 2-3x, Apply/Reapply 2-3x. If you fail than apply for DO. This isn't about DO vs. MD name because the education is practically the same. Its just DO has a lot of BS (OMM, lack of research, poor faculty, 2x board exams for each step, etch.) that negatively impacts the important stuff (modern medicine).

OMM isn't that bad lol. Even at my OMM-heavy school it is only a few hours a week and by second year you don't even need to study it, it's all second nature. First year OMM sucks because they make you learn all the specific things, but second year it's like intuition as to how to approach something. Hang in there, because seriously, second year is better all around- the focus changes to a much more boards and wards oriented setup than you're dealing with in first year. As to taking both exams, really, don't worry about it- the COMLEX isn't a big deal if you study for the USMLE.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Through SDN and real life interaction with accepted DO students or current DO students, it is clear to me that there are two categories that all DO people fall into. First, the ones who constantly have a chip on their shoulders, inferiority complex to the max, and mouths that will never stop when it comes to the topic of how DO are superior in order to make them feel better. The second is humble, hard-working, and grateful students who understand that DO gives them their dream back and proud of the fact that they can become a physician or for extreme personal reasons choose DO and grateful that they have an option that fit their needs. They understand the drawbacks and negatives of DO degree and not afraid to admit it. Unfortunately, SDN is probably 90% first category... @Mad Jack is the rare category 2 I know

This is right on the money. Would I go MD if I could? Absolutely. Am I bending over backwards in relief that there is another option that allows me to overcome my abysmal start to college and give me a chance to have my dream? Absolutely. It's all about perspective. Honestly, the people who really have a bone to pick with their DO degree are probably the ones who had stats right at the line and rushed to go to any DO program without realizing what they were doing.

Bottom line, If you have ok stats then maybe spend your first cycle on MD only to see how it goes. If you don't get in then apply to a mix of MD and DO the second time around. If you have have low stats, then just be grateful someone is willing to give you a chance to redeem yourself.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

OMM isn't that bad lol. Even at my OMM-heavy school it is only a few hours a week and by second year you don't even need to study it, it's all second nature. First year OMM sucks because they make you learn all the specific things, but second year it's like intuition as to how to approach something. Hang in there, because seriously, second year is better all around- the focus changes to a much more boards and wards oriented setup than you're dealing with in first year. As to taking both exams, really, don't worry about it- the COMLEX isn't a big deal if you study for the USMLE.

OMM honestly isn't that bad. Sometimes it's entertaining and you have fun. I competencies do wear me out though and I do feel stressed over them, but that's usually not a big deal.

 

[68PGunner]

This is right on the money. Would I go MD if I could? Absolutely. Am I bending over backwards in relief that there is another option that allows me to overcome my abysmal start to college and give me a chance to have my dream? Absolutely. It's all about perspective. Honestly, the people who really have a bone to pick with their DO degree are probably the ones who had stats right at the line and rushed to go to any DO program without realizing what they were doing.

Bottom line, If you have ok stats then maybe spend your first cycle on MD only to see how it goes. If you don't get in then apply to a mix of MD and DO the second time around. If you have have low stats, then just be grateful someone is willing to give you a chance to redee yourself.

I had stats that make me a borderline MD candidate. If I spend another year on my application, I could probably get into a few MD schools. Also, it didn't help that my back and hand were seriously injured in July, disabling me from writing MD secondaries. But, I'm not going to delay my education by a year and that is the bottom line for my decision.

I have zero regret going the DO route. It is what it is.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I had stats that make me a borderline MD candidate. If I spend another year on my application, I could probably get into a few MD schools. Also, it didn't help that my back and hand were seriously injured in July, disabling me from writing MD secondaries. But, I'm not going to delay my education by a year and that is the bottom line for my decision.

I have zero regret going the DO route. It is what it is.

You are the perfect example of someone who thoughtfully weighed their options and made an educated choice. If more people would do that you would get less people on this site complaining about things like "having to learn OMM..."

 

[Goro]

I've have a number of students over the years choose my school over an MD acceptance; one turned down Northwestern, in fact.

Their numbers seem to be growing each year. I suspect it's due to our school having a good reputation, and that Osteopathy is becoming a more valid career path, despite the limitation in specializing. Geography has something to due with it as well....given the choice of, say, going to Drexel or Wake (far way from home), vs my school (close to home), and the kids say "I'd rather be a Primary Care doc and stay close to home than be a [specialist] and be far away".

I chose DO over MD. I have my reasons as I'm sure others have their reasons. A post I read not long ago, someone saved $10-20k per year by going DO over the MD acceptance. Someone else had a family and the DO program was nearby so the spouse could keep working at the current job, and children could stay in their current school.


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[ortnakas]

For what it's worth, I don't have a chip on my shoulder about being in a DO program in real life, but I probably do on SDN because reading "MD vs DO" threads over and over gets old rather quickly.

 

[Dustbowl12]

7 months into OMSI. Please Please Please I beg you don't go DO over MD. You should try to get into an MD school at least 2-3 times. Take the MCAT at least 2-3 times. After all that than apply to DO school. Don't make the mistake I made in just trying to rush to become a physician. I wish I had taken the MCAT at least one more time (took it once and scored above average). When people say it is a backdoor to medicine, it is the truth! No one should ever be required to learn the nonsense that is OMM and have to take 2 board exams even though there is one GME match. There are so many other reasons but if it helps someone. If I could, I would drop out of my DO school, retake the MCAT, and reapply to MD schools (broadly this time) but I have spent too much money and been through a lot of stress.

Remember MCAT 2-3x, Apply/Reapply 2-3x. If you fail than apply for DO. This isn't about DO vs. MD name because the education is practically the same. Its just DO has a lot of BS (OMM, lack of research, poor faculty, 2x board exams for each step, etch.) that negatively impacts the important stuff (modern medicine).

This is by far the WORST advice I have ever seen on SDN.

OMM is one of the things im most excited about learning. Wish people like you weren't accepted to DO programs it dilutes the quality

 

[FutureD.O]

This is by far the WORST advice I have ever seen on SDN.

OMM is one of the things im most excited about learning. Wish people like you weren't accepted to DO programs it dilutes the quality

I'm very excited as well! It's another technique to treat patients that will be at our disposal! It can only help.

 

[cliquesh]

This is by far the WORST advice I have ever seen on SDN.

OMM is one of the things im most excited about learning. Wish people like you weren't accepted to DO programs it dilutes the quality

I would recommend every borderline MD applicant to retake mcat/improve their application atleast once before committing to an osteopathic medical school.

 

[TUVIX]

People need to stop acting as if DO is some shody degree that will get you mopping floors at a hospital.

You will still be a physician!!

The level up uppityness, entitlement, and trolling that can be found on SDN is rather appalling sometimes.

 

[mathnerd88]

7 months into OMSI. Please Please Please I beg you don't go DO over MD. You should try to get into an MD school at least 2-3 times. Take the MCAT at least 2-3 times. After all that than apply to DO school. Don't make the mistake I made in just trying to rush to become a physician. I wish I had taken the MCAT at least one more time (took it once and scored above average). When people say it is a backdoor to medicine, it is the truth! No one should ever be required to learn the nonsense that is OMM and have to take 2 board exams even though there is one GME match. There are so many other reasons but if it helps someone. If I could, I would drop out of my DO school, retake the MCAT, and reapply to MD schools (broadly this time) but I have spent too much money and been through a lot of stress.

Remember MCAT 2-3x, Apply/Reapply 2-3x. If you fail than apply for DO. This isn't about DO vs. MD name because the education is practically the same. Its just DO has a lot of BS (OMM, lack of research, poor faculty, 2x board exams for each step, etch.) that negatively impacts the important stuff (modern medicine).

This is by far the WORST advice I have ever seen on SDN.

OMM is one of the things im most excited about learning. Wish people like you weren't accepted to DO programs it dilutes the quality

I don't think people dilute the quality of DO programs. Rather, some DO programs dilute the quality, especially some schools like LUCOM. It isn't the applicant/matriculant's fault that the school doesn't offer research, have better clinical rotations, have poor faculty, etc.

However, saying that someone should take the MCAT 2-3 times is a bad idea. Many MD schools already red flag those who take the MCAT more than twice. Ideally, you only want to take it once. Taking it at least 2-3 times is awful advice.

 

[TUVIX]

This is by far the WORST advice I have ever seen on SDN.

OMM is one of the things im most excited about learning. Wish people like you weren't accepted to DO programs it dilutes the quality

I doubt they shadowed a D.O before going. If they did, then I have a hard time understanding what they thought they were getting themselves into. It seems like they went in with no understanding of what OMM is.

 

[mathnerd88]

I doubt they shadowed a D.O before going. If they did, then I have a hard time understanding what they thought they were getting themselves into. It seems like they went in with no understanding of what OMM is.

Many DO's don't even utilize OMM. I can see why some may take it as a waste of time.

I'm sure OMM is a useful tool, but it isn't something to be extremely excited about, and is not used very often in actual practice. Out of my shadowing hours with a DO (over 120 hours,) I've only seen OMM used maybe three times in a family practice clinic. It is only effectively used in specific cases.

 

[TUVIX]

Many DO's don't even utilize OMM. I can see why some may take it as a waste of time.

I'm sure OMM is a useful tool, but it isn't something to be extremely excited about, and is not used very often in actual practice. Out of my shadowing hours with a DO (over 120 hours,) I've only seen OMM used maybe three times in a family practice clinic. It is only effectively used in specific cases.

Some use it more than others for sure. Have you ever had a medical issue that was treated with OMM?

 

[mathnerd88]

Some use it more than others for sure. Have you ever had a medical issue that was treated with OMM?

Nope. I see OMM as not really a full treatment option, but rather, a complement to treatment to alleviate pain in some cases and increase mobility. Of course, my views can change as time passes.