Contacting Residency Programs about DO's?

[MN premed]

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I am particularly interested in a specific hospital for doing my residency (an MD residency) after medical school, based on its location (mine and my boyfriend's hometown). It just so happens that it is a world-reknown clinic/hospital, so I would imagine that their residencies are very competitive. Would it be inappropriate to contact the program and ask if they offer DO students spots? Or if the DO residents generally have higher scores, etc.

Edit: I just want to add that I know it sounds like I'm getting way ahead of myself, but I'm not really because knowing their answer could affect where I chose to go to school if accepted to both MD and DO. I have no problem having the DO after my name, I just don't want to be held back from it. Location is my most important factor in where I decide to go, so if I get accepted to an MD school that's really far away and a DO school near home or near my boyfriend (CA), then I will be probably leaning towards the DO schools if I don't think it will affect my residency.

 

[beckhunter116]

I understand what you are getting at, but really what can they tell you. Either yes we do take DO's or no we don't. Look on their directory and see if any are DO's. Of course, you also have to take into consideration that some places may have certain departments that are DO friendly and some departments that aren't. Last, every year DO's are getting into residencies that were previously not DO friendly.

Even if you go to an MD school there is nothing to ensure that you match at this program, especially since you pointed out that it is world reknowned; hence a lot of people are competing for the same spots--DO and MD alike.

The best advice is to go to a school that makes YOU happy. As a happy student, you should hopefully preform at your best, which will hopefully open all the residency doors that you are interested in. If this is a DO or MD school it doesn't matter.

 

[MN premed]

I suppose I was just hoping that if I e-mailed them about it, they would give me more than just a straight-up "yes" or "no," and I would be able to judge based on the way they answered. For example, I think that a "Yes, we absolutely consider DO's for our residency program" would be a much different response than "Yes, sometimes we have given residency positions to DO's."

I've looked at some of their "profiles" of residents, but it doesn't list all of the people, just a couple. I'm not sure where I would find a directory of residents?

 

[slick27]

Can you trust what they are going to tell you? Not really. Plus, you never know what will happen four years down the road. Make the right decision for yourself....not you and your boyfriend.

 

[Cp22kjer]

Most places take DOs nowadays. Call and ask to ease your concerns.

 

[n618ft]

Calm the hell down - you're 5 years away from going to a residency.

 

[MN premed]

I guess I really just wanted to know if anyone thought it would be inappropriate to ask them the question, but judging by everyone's responses, nobody thinks that it would be inappropriate. Instead it sounds like you guys think it's just pointless. Either way, good to know! I wouldn't ask them unless it came down to choosing between MD and DO anyways.

Make the right decision for yourself....not you and your boyfriend.

I imagine you wouldn't have said this if I had called him my husband...in which case of course you make the best decision for both of you.

Calm the hell down - you're 5 years away from going to a residency.

Lol, I am calm. It's not like I'm trying to apply to this residency or get them to know me

 

[DrDre2001]

You might as well contact them. There is nothing bad that can come out of it.


Just FMI (for MY information), I was under the impression that a DO could match every single place that a MD can match into but it would just be much harder for them to get that spot. Is this an incorrect way of looking at things?

 

[Handy388]

If this is Mayo Clinic, you may want to go MD.

 

[MN premed]

If this is Mayo Clinic, you may want to go MD.

Ha, you caught me. But why do you say that?

 

[beckhunter116]

Mayo has a few DO residents, I can't remember which programs though. And they have a few DO's as faculty/Staff Doctors. Anest., Neurology, and Psych have at least one DO on staff.

If you are interested in a surgical service then it will be more difficult.

 

[Handy388]

because it's a top tier school, incrediblly competitive. to get into their program you need top USMLE scores?

 

[Handy388]

Mayo has a few DO residents, I can't remember which programs though.

you can do Mayo if you are into family med or PM/R (physical therapy and rehab)

 

[beckhunter116]

you can do Mayo if you are into family med or PM/R (physical therapy and rehab)

You could do psych and probably neurology.

Of course beyond all of this is the fact that Mayo is competetive for everyone MD/DO alike; I don't think anyone should make a major decision on the hope that they will get to do their residency here. School should be chosen based on how you like it and how you will feel there---there are countless stories about students being miserable and failing out b/c they went to the "name" school vs. where they would have been happy.

 

[MN premed]

Thanks for the responses! I will definitely keep it in mind that an MD is probably best for Mayo, considering I'm not really interested in those other specialties right now (not to say I won't be in 4 years, but it's always better to leave options open!). So for now, here's to just hoping I get an acceptance And maybe even the option between DO/MD!

 

[n618ft]

Thanks for the responses! I will definitely keep it in mind that an MD is probably best for Mayo, considering I'm not really interested in those other specialties right now (not to say I won't be in 4 years, but it's always better to leave options open!). So for now, here's to just hoping I get an acceptance And maybe even the option between DO/MD!

Have you ever even been to Mayo or are you just interested in it because it's a household name? Do you really know what it's like until you go there and do it? Another great one is the people that don't like PBL without having experienced it. You traditional premeds think you know it all (not singling anyone out here). Seriously - without real career (and I use that word because having a regular job is not what I'm talking about) experiences you're too wet behind the ears to come to terms with reality... and definitely too green to be making rational decisions for where you'll be 5 years from now. It's the same tunnel vision that causes problems such as racism, fanaticism, and all sorts of prejudices. Take things one step at a time - planning your life isn't as simple as planning for the MCAT. Go do something productive TODAY... learn a new skill.

 

[UTsksk]

Have you ever even been to Mayo or are you just interested in it because it's a household name? Do you really know what it's like until you go there and do it? Another great one is the people that don't like PBL without having experienced it. You traditional premeds think you know it all (not singling anyone out here). Seriously - without real career (and I use that word because having a regular job is not what I'm talking about) experiences you're too wet behind the ears to come to terms with reality... and definitely too green to be making rational decisions for where you'll be 5 years from now. It's the same tunnel vision that causes problems such as racism, fanaticism, and all sorts of prejudices. Take things one step at a time - planning your life isn't as simple as planning for the MCAT. Go do something productive TODAY... learn a new skill.

Ouch 🙁

 

[MN premed]

Have you ever even been to Mayo or are you just interested in it because it's a household name? Do you really know what it's like until you go there and do it? Another great one is the people that don't like PBL without having experienced it. You traditional premeds think you know it all (not singling anyone out here). Seriously - without real career (and I use that word because having a regular job is not what I'm talking about) experiences you're too wet behind the ears to come to terms with reality... and definitely too green to be making rational decisions for where you'll be 5 years from now. It's the same tunnel vision that causes problems such as racism, fanaticism, and all sorts of prejudices. Take things one step at a time - planning your life isn't as simple as planning for the MCAT. Go do something productive TODAY... learn a new skill.

Well I grew up in Rochester, so yes, I've been to Mayo many many times. And if there were a different residency program in Rochester other than Mayo that wasn't well-known, I would be equally interested in it. I will probably want to start my family in residency / late med school (don't rip me a new one for this, I know it might not work). So if I did, then the closer to Rochester I am, the easier, as that's where all my family and my boyfriend's family lives.
I am NOT interested in Mayo for their prestige, but instead, for their location and incredible patient care!

 

[group_theory]

As a rule of thumb, top places actually don't care about the letters behind your name or whether you are IMG or AMG - they just want the best candidates. Their reputation won't take a hit if they accept IMG or DOs.

Newly establish but rapidly rising programs may be more conscious about whom they take.

For Mayo, one of my med school classmates is doing her Internal Medicine residency at Mayo Rochester. During rotations, I met a plastic surgeon (who happens to be a PCOM alumnus) who did his breast surgery fellowship at Mayo. So Mayo Clinic Rochester is possible ... but VERY competitive. One of our SDN mods (TCOM alumnus) completed his residency at Mayo (PM&R) prior to going into private practice. Many MD students do not match at Mayo and I'm not sure if going to an MD program will improve your chances.