declining DO admission and re-applying to MD

[stat3113]

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Imagine someone applies to both DO and MD schools, and as happens very often, he gets into a DO school but not into MD. I think in most cases the applicant will enroll in DO school, and that's the end.

But: is it imaginable for the student to decline the DO offer and hold out for next year and re-apply to MD? Will MD schools know that he had a DO offer the previous year? Is he still classified as a "re-applicant"? Does this hurt his chances of admission into MD next year?

What actually happens in thsese types of situations?

 

[146233]

👎 Ugh. How I grow tired of these "hypothetical" situations... No, MD schools won't know about your DO acceptance unless you tell them. You'll only be considered a reapplicant at the schools to which you already applied.

If you're going to turn down a perfectly good DO acceptance to reapply to MD programs, then why did you apply to DO school in the first place? If you understand and like the osteopathic philosophy, then I'd accept their offer and start your career. If, as I suspect, you consider osteopathic medicine as a last resort, then please reapply - the DO schools don't want you.

Remember, by reapplying and going through all this again, you're missing out on a year of attending pay. Your call.

 

[Law2Doc]

Imagine someone applies to both DO and MD schools, and as happens very often, he gets into a DO school but not into MD. I think in most cases the applicant will enroll in DO school, and that's the end.

But: is it imaginable for the student to decline the DO offer and hold out for next year and re-apply to MD? Will MD schools know that he had a DO offer the previous year? Is he still classified as a "re-applicant"? Does this hurt his chances of admission into MD next year?

What actually happens in thsese types of situations?

DO and MD are separate systems so they won't know you previously applied or were accepted to DO unless a secondary question asks. I'm not sure if any do.

If you applied to both DO and MD and apply again then obviously you are classified as a reapplicant because you already applied to MD before. You needn't have had an acceptance previously to be a reapplicant (most don't). Reapplicants generally have to show substantial improvement to get considered so it is a harder path - you want to only have to do this process once if you can, so get your ducks lined in a row before you shoot.

But if you aren't planning to go to a particular school even if it's the only one that will accept you, you really shouldn't apply to it. Particularly so if you have your mind set on going to an MD school, and will reapply if you don't get one, then don't bother with the DO applications.

 

[Lozza]

DO and MD are separate systems so they won't know you previously applied or were accepted to DO unless a secondary question asks. I'm not sure if any do.

texas asks and ive heard it doesnt look good to do this.

 

[necta]

👎 If you're going to turn down a perfectly good DO acceptance to reapply to MD programs, then why did you apply to DO school in the first place? If you understand and like the osteopathic philosophy, then I'd accept their offer and start your career. If, as I suspect, you consider osteopathic medicine as a last resort, then please reapply - the DO schools don't want you.

👍👍👍
Well put!!! Please reapply, and keep reapplying...

 

[rockstar77]

Imagine someone applies to both DO and MD schools, and as happens very often, he gets into a DO school but not into MD. I think in most cases the applicant will enroll in DO school, and that's the end.

But: is it imaginable for the student to decline the DO offer and hold out for next year and re-apply to MD? Will MD schools know that he had a DO offer the previous year? Is he still classified as a "re-applicant"? Does this hurt his chances of admission into MD next year?

What actually happens in thsese types of situations?

is it imaginable for the student to decline the DO offer and hold out for next year and re-apply to MD?
Yes, he could decline or defer the DO acceptance.

Will MD schools know that he had a DO offer the previous year?
MD schools should not know that he has received a DO offer. The application system is separate from one another. However, there is a question that does ask if you have been accepted or have you matriculated into a medical school. Not sure which one it is or if its both.

Is he still classified as a "re-applicant"?
Yes, he is. There is nothing wrong with being a re-applicant. It's only a problem when you reapply the following year without significantly improving your application. And there are some allo schools that will not look at your application if you have applied there twice already.