Did I make a mistake??

[rg2o3]

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Hi all,

This is generally directed toward some of the students/residents/physicians/administrators on here, but would love to hear input from anyone!

I am no a non-trad former military with descent stats (3.89cGPA, 3.98sGPA, 509 MCAT). I initially planned on taking a gap year this upcoming year due to the fact that I took my MCAT late and received the score late in the cycle. However, I hated the thought of this as I am getting up there in age, not that old, but also at the point where I just want to start a career. When I got my score back, I decided to apply to one DO school for the heck of it. I was accepted to the school and decided I am going to attend as the thought of a gap year seriously bothers me. I have no intentions of wanting any crazy competitive specialty. I would say I would MAYBE consider EM, Neuro, PM&R, but most likely I feel as if I am more than content with some form of primary care. I know this will probably change during schooling/rotations, however family life and life outside of medicine is a very important factor. With all of that being said, I still get digs here and there from fellow students at school about me choosing DO and not gap year/apply MD. I am very content with the idea of being a DO. However, I would just like to hear everyones opinions on the topic and if you all believe I made a mistake.

Sorry for the long read and I appreciate whoever is willing to take the time to throw their input out there!

 

[mfrey28]

Hi all,

This is generally directed toward some of the students/residents/physicians/administrators on here, but would love to hear input from anyone!

I am no a non-trad former military with descent stats (3.89cGPA, 3.98sGPA, 509 MCAT). I initially planned on taking a gap year this upcoming year due to the fact that I took my MCAT late and received the score late in the cycle. However, I hated the thought of this as I am getting up there in age, not that old, but also at the point where I just want to start a career. When I got my score back, I decided to apply to one DO school for the heck of it. I was accepted to the school and decided I am going to attend as the thought of a gap year seriously bothers me. I have no intentions of wanting any crazy competitive specialty. I would say I would MAYBE consider EM, Neuro, PM&R, but most likely I feel as if I am more than content with some form of primary care. I know this will probably change during schooling/rotations, however family life and life outside of medicine is a very important factor. With all of that being said, I still get digs here and there from fellow students at school about me choosing DO and not gap year/apply MD. I am very content with the idea of being a DO. However, I would just like to hear everyones opinions on the topic and if you all believe I made a mistake.

Sorry for the long read and I appreciate whoever is willing to take the time to throw their input out there!

Is this something you will care about as a physician? If yes, then take the gap year and apply MD.

 

[virtussis]

Hi all,

This is generally directed toward some of the students/residents/physicians/administrators on here, but would love to hear input from anyone!

I am no a non-trad former military with descent stats (3.89cGPA, 3.98sGPA, 509 MCAT). I initially planned on taking a gap year this upcoming year due to the fact that I took my MCAT late and received the score late in the cycle. However, I hated the thought of this as I am getting up there in age, not that old, but also at the point where I just want to start a career. When I got my score back, I decided to apply to one DO school for the heck of it. I was accepted to the school and decided I am going to attend as the thought of a gap year seriously bothers me. I have no intentions of wanting any crazy competitive specialty. I would say I would MAYBE consider EM, Neuro, PM&R, but most likely I feel as if I am more than content with some form of primary care. I know this will probably change during schooling/rotations, however family life and life outside of medicine is a very important factor. With all of that being said, I still get digs here and there from fellow students at school about me choosing DO and not gap year/apply MD. I am very content with the idea of being a DO. However, I would just like to hear everyones opinions on the topic and if you all believe I made a mistake.

Sorry for the long read and I appreciate whoever is willing to take the time to throw their input out there!

First off, congratulations! The specialties you want to pursue are rather DO friendly, so no worries there. If you were to decline an acceptance and pursue MD and for some reason are denied, your shot at DO is probably also dead as well (you can’t break up with your girlfriend to hook up with the hot chick and expect her to stick around if the hot chick says no).

If you want to be a doctor, keep your DO acceptance. 67% of those with your grades were accepted to MD schools. Ultimately, do what will make you happy, but, you know, greener grass and all that.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Which school? You made a hasty decision that could have career ramifications so let’s not simply rush to say “take the acceptance.”

 

[RNthenDoc]

Age plays a factor as well. I'm in a similar boat in that I feel like I'm a solid MD candidate, but I'm sitting on DO acceptance and will likely matriculate DO rather than reapply. For me, that year lost does not make up for the difference.

A lot of it comes down to the individual, and what specialties you're into. EM, Neuro, FM... All attainable for DOs, so I think this is something you're going to have to seriously weigh out.

Your MCAT, GPA, and military service (Gracias for that) all seem solid, though! And congrats on your acceptance!

 

[Goro]

Hi all,

This is generally directed toward some of the students/residents/physicians/administrators on here, but would love to hear input from anyone!

I am no a non-trad former military with descent stats (3.89cGPA, 3.98sGPA, 509 MCAT). I initially planned on taking a gap year this upcoming year due to the fact that I took my MCAT late and received the score late in the cycle. However, I hated the thought of this as I am getting up there in age, not that old, but also at the point where I just want to start a career. When I got my score back, I decided to apply to one DO school for the heck of it. I was accepted to the school and decided I am going to attend as the thought of a gap year seriously bothers me. I have no intentions of wanting any crazy competitive specialty. I would say I would MAYBE consider EM, Neuro, PM&R, but most likely I feel as if I am more than content with some form of primary care. I know this will probably change during schooling/rotations, however family life and life outside of medicine is a very important factor. With all of that being said, I still get digs here and there from fellow students at school about me choosing DO and not gap year/apply MD. I am very content with the idea of being a DO. However, I would just like to hear everyones opinions on the topic and if you all believe I made a mistake.

Sorry for the long read and I appreciate whoever is willing to take the time to throw their input out there!

*sigh*
Do you want to be a doctor or not? Do you wanna throw away some $200K in salary to start one year later on the HOPE that you might get into an MD school?

There are tons of SDNers who would gladly take your seat, so since you don't want to be a DO, drop the acceptance, let someone who wants ot be a doctor NOW take the seat, throw you apps in the ring and try for MD....for the same specialties that are DO friendly to begin with?
But many thanks to you for your service to our country.

 

[rg2o3]

*sigh*
Do you want to be a doctor or not? Do you wanna throw away some $200K in salary to start one year later on the HOPE that you might get into an MD school?

There are tons of SDNers who would gladly take your seat, so since you don't want to be a DO, drop the acceptance, let someone who wants ot be a doctor NOW take the seat, throw you apps in the ring and try for MD....for the same specialties that are DO friendly to begin with?
But many thanks to you for your service to our country.

Thank you for the response! I respect your insight and comments I read from you here on SDN. I do however want to clarify that I by no means am insinuating that I do not want to be a DO. I agree with you in that I am extremely grateful to have been given an acceptance. I really just want to be a physician NOW and am ready to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible. The thought of a gap year and a risk of changing the two letters at the end of my name that I’ll be fighting for is cringe worthy. Thank you again for the response!

 

[rg2o3]

First off, congratulations! The specialties you want to pursue are rather DO friendly, so no worries there. If you were to decline an acceptance and pursue MD and for some reason are denied, your shot at DO is probably also dead as well (you can’t break up with your girlfriend to hook up with the hot chick and expect her to stick around if the hot chick says no).

If you want to be a doctor, keep your DO acceptance. 67% of those with your grades were accepted to MD schools. Ultimately, do what will make you happy, but, you know, greener grass and all that.

Thank you for th response! I agree, the grass is greener and believe I will be happy being a physician. Whichever road I take to get there.

 

[rg2o3]

Age plays a factor as well. I'm in a similar boat in that I feel like I'm a solid MD candidate, but I'm sitting on DO acceptance and will likely matriculate DO rather than reapply. For me, that year lost does not make up for the difference.

A lot of it comes down to the individual, and what specialties you're into. EM, Neuro, FM... All attainable for DOs, so I think this is something you're going to have to seriously weigh out.

Your MCAT, GPA, and military service (Gracias for that) all seem solid, though! And congrats on your acceptance!

I’m glad I’m not the only one in the situation. Based on all of the factors and pros/cons, I believe I am happy with my decision. I guess seeing these posts have confirmed that I made the correct decision.

Good luck to you and I hope everything works out!!

 

[Durty-Trixxx]

Unless your life goal is to be Chief of Neurosurgery at Harvard or Johns Hopkins then be happy with the DO school acceptance and get things rollin !!

You will have no problem matching into a primary care residency, especially if you achieve good grades and board scores in med school. Every year there are 100's of spots that remain open after the DO Match. Even some of the desirable, competitive primary care programs are having difficulties filling all their spots.

 

[ForgotUserName]

I agree with the posters above that if you're certain of going into primary care then choosing DO shouldn't be a problem, though, I would caution you not to limit yourself. Like the OP, I applied late and didn't want to have a gap year so I enrolled and graduated from a DO school. Prior to residency I thought I would be happy being a hospitalist or doing outpatient IM so I went to an AOA residency program in my home state to be closer to family as opposed to an ACGME residency that I interviewed at in other states. But as I went through residency my outlook changed. I think it changed because it is difficult to fully grasp being a physician when you're a medical student, despite the amount of exposure or "responsibility" you had as a medical student. Prior to residency I never thought about subspecializing but by second year I did not enjoy the hospitalist role and the majority of the complaints seen in outpatient general medicine. I eventually applied to a fellowship; and not to a super competitive fellowship by any means but not super easy like nephrology, geriatrics, or palliative care - no offense to anybody in those specialties. Long story short, I got a couple of interviews from ACGME programs but I believe coming from an AOA program was really limiting despite the quality of training. The thing I would advise you would be to not limit yourself with the thought that you won't subspecialize. Try to leave as many doors open as possible and go to an ACGME residency or if you go to an AOA residency then go to one with fellowships, so if you do have a change of heart as you go through residency then at least you still have that opportunity. I'm not sure if this will change with the merger but certainly something to keep in mind.

TLDR: no regrets going DO, just choose residency wisely.

 

[rg2o3]

I agree with the posters above that if you're certain of going into primary care then choosing DO shouldn't be a problem, though, I would caution you not to limit yourself. Like the OP, I applied late and didn't want to have a gap year so I enrolled and graduated from a DO school. Prior to residency I thought I would be happy being a hospitalist or doing outpatient IM so I went to an AOA residency program in my home state to be closer to family as opposed to an ACGME residency that I interviewed at in other states. But as I went through residency my outlook changed. I think it changed because it is difficult to fully grasp being a physician when you're a medical student, despite the amount of exposure or "responsibility" you had as a medical student. Prior to residency I never thought about subspecializing but by second year I did not enjoy the hospitalist role and the majority of the complaints seen in outpatient general medicine. I eventually applied to a fellowship; and not to a super competitive fellowship by any means but not super easy like nephrology, geriatrics, or palliative care - no offense to anybody in those specialties. Long story short, I got a couple of interviews from ACGME programs but I believe coming from an AOA program was really limiting despite the quality of training. The thing I would advise you would be to not limit yourself with the thought that you won't subspecialize. Try to leave as many doors open as possible and go to an ACGME residency or if you go to an AOA residency then go to one with fellowships, so if you do have a change of heart as you go through residency then at least you still have that opportunity. I'm not sure if this will change with the merger but certainly something to keep in mind.

TLDR: no regrets going DO, just choose residency wisely.

Thank you for your response! It was nice hearing from someone who was in a similar position and made a similar decision and is not a physician. I will definitely take every action possible to mitigate the possibility of being stuck. I will make sure I focus on Step, get research, EC's etc. I'll also go into med school with an open mind on specialties. I have also casually browsed a lot of the websites for ACGME residences within my home state and they seem to be quite DO friendly (excluding very competitive specialties). I'll definitely not go in to med school with blinders on and have a similar situation arise, so thank you for sharing your story.

 

[ZatAnteater]

I would say it depends on your acceptance. There are several DO schools that I would pass up to apply again. And it's not about the "brand name" but rather, I've heard a lot of different things about different schools from my colleagues that attend them.

 

[sab3156]

Always go MD if you can. Always. This is not even a point of debate. You really are going to be regretting your decision when you are doing unproven and scientifically baseless OMM techniques for hours in lab and being tested on your "mastery" of them. It's going to hurt a lot when even in uncompetitive specialties, many programs will not look at your application since you're from a DO school.

 

[ForgotUserName]

It's going to hurt a lot when even in uncompetitive specialties, many programs will not look at your application since you're from a DO school.

I think that's quite an exaggeration. If you do well on the USMLE and COMLEX and do not have any red flags (having to remediate, etc) then trying to match into an uncompetitive specialty is not a problem.

 

[GypsyHummus]

I disagree with a lot of people on the forum. You GPA is rocking, and your MCAT is just shy of being solid for MD school. You are also Military, and MD schools love that.

Despite what people on the forum say, DO will close doors for you in the competitive specialties and upper level residencies of semi competitive specialties like EM, General Surgery, Radiology, etc. You say that you dont want a high end specialty, but what happens if you develop a love for ENT or Ophthalmology?

I've witnessed it myself, I have a very good friend who got a sub 200 on his first Step (MD) who matched into a top tier program (close to Ivy, not quite though). That doesnt happen at my school, the forth years who are shooting for more than Primary Care are panicking.

If you cant get into MD school, no problem, apply DO. There is no shame in being a DO, but there is a price to pay for not having the stats to go MD. Are you willing to pay that literal and figurative price?

I can not tell you what to do, only what I would do if I was in your situation. We get one life to live. If I had your stats, I would do everything in my power to get into MD school.

 

[sab3156]

I think that's quite an exaggeration. If you do well on the USMLE and COMLEX and do not have any red flags (having to remediate, etc) then trying to match into an uncompetitive specialty is not a problem.

You didn't read what my post thoroughly enough. Yeah, you can match Peds, for example, without any problem whatsoever as a DO. You'll get in SOMEWHERE, yes. But even within those, matching into a lot of strong programs like Boston Children's and other top tier peds hospitals is just not happening as a DO. Your chances of getting to where you want to go are infinitely higher as an MD. It's not even a matter of contention. Anyone who tells the OP to go DO with his stats instead of trying for MD just doesn't have a clue.

 

[Lawpy]

Hi all,

This is generally directed toward some of the students/residents/physicians/administrators on here, but would love to hear input from anyone!

I am no a non-trad former military with descent stats (3.89cGPA, 3.98sGPA, 509 MCAT). I initially planned on taking a gap year this upcoming year due to the fact that I took my MCAT late and received the score late in the cycle. However, I hated the thought of this as I am getting up there in age, not that old, but also at the point where I just want to start a career. When I got my score back, I decided to apply to one DO school for the heck of it. I was accepted to the school and decided I am going to attend as the thought of a gap year seriously bothers me. I have no intentions of wanting any crazy competitive specialty. I would say I would MAYBE consider EM, Neuro, PM&R, but most likely I feel as if I am more than content with some form of primary care. I know this will probably change during schooling/rotations, however family life and life outside of medicine is a very important factor. With all of that being said, I still get digs here and there from fellow students at school about me choosing DO and not gap year/apply MD. I am very content with the idea of being a DO. However, I would just like to hear everyones opinions on the topic and if you all believe I made a mistake.

Sorry for the long read and I appreciate whoever is willing to take the time to throw their input out there!

I suggest matriculating at the DO school. Since family life and life outside of medicine matter highly for you, primary care is a good field to pursue. Your other specialty interests are DO friendly, so you will be fine as a DO.

 

[Goro]

I disagree with a lot of people on the forum. You GPA is rocking, and your MCAT is just shy of being solid for MD school. You are also Military, and MD schools love that.

Despite what people on the forum say, DO will close doors for you in the competitive specialties and upper level residencies of semi competitive specialties like EM, General Surgery, Radiology, etc. You say that you dont want a high end specialty, but what happens if you develop a love for ENT or Ophthalmology?

I've witnessed it myself, I have a very good friend who got a sub 200 on his first Step (MD) who matched into a top tier program (close to Ivy, not quite though). That doesnt happen at my school, the forth years who are shooting for more than Primary Care are panicking.

If you cant get into MD school, no problem, apply DO. There is no shame in being a DO, but there is a price to pay for not having the stats to go MD. Are you willing to pay that literal and figurative price?

I can not tell you what to do, only what I would do if I was in your situation. We get one life to live. If I had your stats, I would do everything in my power to get into MD school.

You didn't read what my post thoroughly enough. Yeah, you can match Peds, for example, without any problem whatsoever as a DO. You'll get in SOMEWHERE, yes. But even within those, matching into a lot of strong programs like Boston Children's and other top tier peds hospitals is just not happening as a DO. Your chances of getting to where you want to go are infinitely higher as an MD. It's not even a matter of contention. Anyone who tells the OP to go DO with his stats instead of trying for MD just doesn't have a clue.

How about respecting the OP's wishes? Not everybody wants to be the uber-surgeon or oncologist.

I have no intentions of wanting any crazy competitive specialty. I would say I would MAYBE consider EM, Neuro, PM&R, but most likely I feel as if I am more than content with some form of primary care.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

You didn't read what my post thoroughly enough. Yeah, you can match Peds, for example, without any problem whatsoever as a DO. You'll get in SOMEWHERE, yes. But even within those, matching into a lot of strong programs like Boston Children's and other top tier peds hospitals is just not happening as a DO. Your chances of getting to where you want to go are infinitely higher as an MD. It's not even a matter of contention. Anyone who tells the OP to go DO with his stats instead of trying for MD just doesn't have a clue.

Eh I’m as pro “go MD always” as you can get but after talking with OP I really do think they are in a situation where taking the DO acceptance is the best option. For you and I the decision would be very different, but for them I think it’s the best option honestly.

 

[Lawpy]

Eh I’m as pro “go MD always” as you can get but after talking with OP I really do think they are in a situation where taking the DO acceptance is the best option. For you and I the decision would be very different, but for them I think it’s the best option honestly.

I agree. If OP has an MD acceptance in hand, I'd recommend them to go MD. But turning down a DO acceptance to reapply MD is an expensive and risky move, especially considering OP's career goals and personal factors. Not to mention, the arguments assume that OP will get into an MD school, and that's not a guarantee even if OP's background is compelling.

I don't think it's worth taking a year off and applying MD, when going DO accomplishes the same goals.

 

[MADD!!!]

I disagree with a lot of people on the forum. You GPA is rocking, and your MCAT is just shy of being solid for MD school. You are also Military, and MD schools love that.

Despite what people on the forum say, DO will close doors for you in the competitive specialties and upper level residencies of semi competitive specialties like EM, General Surgery, Radiology, etc. You say that you dont want a high end specialty, but what happens if you develop a love for ENT or Ophthalmology?

I've witnessed it myself, I have a very good friend who got a sub 200 on his first Step (MD) who matched into a top tier program (close to Ivy, not quite though). That doesnt happen at my school, the forth years who are shooting for more than Primary Care are panicking.

If you cant get into MD school, no problem, apply DO. There is no shame in being a DO, but there is a price to pay for not having the stats to go MD. Are you willing to pay that literal and figurative price?

I can not tell you what to do, only what I would do if I was in your situation. We get one life to live. If I had your stats, I would do everything in my power to get into MD school.

Your friend matched with a sub-200 step 1 for what specialty?

Any MD student who gets a sub-200 would also be a nerveous wreck if they were to want to pursue anything other than PC (sometimes including PC!) The average score for FM is 220+ right now. If what you guys say is true, then there should only be DO’s at the lowest tier programs for every specialty. Explain how there are DO’s in many specialties who are in better residency programs than MD’s too. BECAUSE ITS NOT JUST ABOUT A TITLE. There’s an individual aspect to all of this that consistently gets looked over on SDN. Really annoying.

Also I gotta admit, I’m biased because of my program. At PCOM we really feel like all the doors are open to us if we’re as qualified as any MD student for those spots. But I don’t think this is the case nationally, especially for the newer programs.

 

[GypsyHummus]

He ended up in PCP at a very well known institution. Methinks if he went to a DO school, he would be at a community hospital. Nothing wrong with that, but there is limited pathology at small programs.

And while DOs aren’t technically excluded from any specialty, there are soft doors closed if you go the DO route. I have family in MD world (ENT and Optho) and they told me flat out their programs will not take DOs.

To imagine that there isn’t a stigma attached to the DO degree is to dilute oneself. For better or worse, you are a DO, not an MD. Not saying that one is better, but they are different. Just like there are business people from a state school vs Ivy League. Doesn’t make the Ivy League student any better, but it puts them in a better position.

Your friend matched with a sub-200 step 1 for what specialty?

Any MD student who gets a sub-200 would also be a nerveous wreck if they were to want to pursue anything other than PC (sometimes including PC!) The average score for FM is 220+ right now. If what you guys say is true, then there should only be DO’s at the lowest tier programs for every specialty. Explain how there are DO’s in many specialties who are in better residency programs than MD’s too. BECAUSE ITS NOT JUST ABOUT A TITLE. There’s an individual aspect to all of this that consistently gets looked over on SDN. Really annoying.

Also I gotta admit, I’m biased because of my program. At PCOM we really feel like all the doors are open to us if we’re as qualified as any MD student for those spots. But I don’t think this is the case nationally, especially for the newer programs.

 

[MADD!!!]

He ended up in PCP at a very well known institution. Methinks if he went to a DO school, he would be at a community hospital. Nothing wrong with that, but there is limited pathology at small programs.

And while DOs aren’t technically excluded from any specialty, there are soft doors closed if you go the DO route. I have family in MD world (ENT and Optho) and they told me flat out their programs will not take DOs.

To imagine that there isn’t a stigma attached to the DO degree is to dilute oneself. For better or worse, you are a DO, not an MD. Not saying that one is better, but they are different. Just like there are business people from a state school vs Ivy League. Doesn’t make the Ivy League student any better, but it puts them in a better position.

I agree with what you say, BUT I also believe the DO with a better board score is in a better position with an MD with a lower score. There are certain exceptions like FM and IM, especially at home institutions, because I’ve heard some programs (possibly many) give auto interviews to all of their students. But your friend will have a difficult time applying for competitive fellowships too.

Yea the DO student in this case would end up at a community program, but is THAT worth taking an extra year out to apply MD and possibly not get an acceptance too? Weighing pros and cons here.

Also the BEST way to see this clearly is by looking at the PD survey posted on NRMP. They indicate the percentage of MD, DO, and IMG’s (both US and non-US) each specialty interviews frequently, seldom, or never. And yes in the DO world it’s almost impossible to get into an MD ent, Derm, plastics, neurosurg, etc. BUT its also hard for 90%+ of MD’s so with that, just being an MD may keep your doors “open” but still doesn’t mean you’re in.

On the other hand, if you’re a DO student with a 240+, which is what you need for those specialties, you’re in a better position to match (mostly through DO match) than being a less competitive MD.

Tl;dr It’s all on you and your own capabilities. Again, I have never seen a case with a DO with a strong board score not get their desired residency..., but I have seen them get into a lesser known one as opposed to a “Harvard-caliber” one with an equivalently competitive app.

With that, I agree know what you’re getting yourself into, but I’ll tell ya again 90%+ in the MD world don’t end up there anyway. Up to you to weigh out the pros and cons to make that decision.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I have family in MD world (ENT and Optho) and they told me flat out their programs will not take DOs.

These aren’t good examples because I could go to any random MD and tell them they weren’t going to be an ENT and I would be right 99% of the time. The real issue actually arises in the lower and medium competitive fields.

BUT I also believe the DO with a better board score is in a better position with an MD with a lower score.

Completely untrue. Look at GS, MDs that simply break 220 have a very high chance of matching. If you’re a DO you need to break 230 if you want a decent chance (yes people get lucky with scores below that from time to time but are the outliers) and that’s just for community programs. Once you hit that 230 yeah your chances of matching are probably decent if you apply broadly but I’d rather be an MD with a 225 than a DO with a 235.

 

[BadHorse]

Everyone's making some good points-- I would say for the OP it comes down to how much you crave prestige. A DO in the hand is worth two MDs in the bush, you've got an acceptance in hand and, from a financial perspective, this is clearly your best option. Yes you've got a great looking CV but MD applications are always a gamble, if you were absolutely 100% assured acceptance next year it might be another story, but a medical school acceptance is an awesome and valuable thing in itself.

There is little doubt to me that the ivory tower is harder to scale with an osteopathic degree. One of my mentors in a competitive allopathic residency was an osteopath, one of the best docs I've ever encountered, and he always said that doors would always be closed to DOs. If being a dean at an allopathic school, teaching at harvard or applying derm are worth the opportunity cost, then you should seriously consider applying MD. This doesn't sound like the OP, but it's a valid consideration, and I don't think it should be dismissed out of hand.

 

[rg2o3]

Thank you all for the great insight. I have considered much of what is being discussed at length. I know myself, and know that I personally do not care about prestige, or making it to any "top ranked" programs. I have also considered the fact that many specialties will be "closed" to me and for the most part, I can say with certain that I would never want that specialty. However, I know there is some risk of beginning the journey and coming to the idea of wanting something that may be difficult to get as a DO. However, based on where I am at in life and the experiences I've had, I know that I will be able to come to terms with this and be just has happy in something else. I agree that attempting MD next cycle would be a gamble and I do not think that it is a gamble that is worth it in regards to my own situation and personality. Thank you again for all of the guidance and I have definitely considered it all in depth.

 

[Durty-Trixxx]

Thank you all for the great insight. I have considered much of what is being discussed at length. I know myself, and know that I personally do not care about prestige, or making it to any "top ranked" programs. I have also considered the fact that many specialties will be "closed" to me and for the most part, I can say with certain that I would never want that specialty. However, I know there is some risk of beginning the journey and coming to the idea of wanting something that may be difficult to get as a DO. However, based on where I am at in life and the experiences I've had, I know that I will be able to come to terms with this and be just has happy in something else. I agree that attempting MD next cycle would be a gamble and I do not think that it is a gamble that is worth it in regards to my own situation and personality. Thank you again for all of the guidance and I have definitely considered it all in depth.

Glad to hear you have the confidence and resolve to move forward with your DO school matriculation. I think you won't regret your decision.

 

[MADD!!!]

Definitely won’t regret it!! Trust me once you start you could care less about MD vs DO. It feels incredible to be in medical school and get the ball rolling.

 

[rg2o3]

Definitely won’t regret it!! Trust me once you start you could care less about MD vs DO. It feels incredible to be in medical school and get the ball rolling.

Awesome to hear! I must say that I’m extremely thankful and humbled to be able to walk the halls of ANY medical school as a student.

 

[MADD!!!]

These aren’t good examples because I could go to any random MD and tell them they weren’t going to be an ENT and I would be right 99% of the time. The real issue actually arises in the lower and medium competitive fields.


Completely untrue. Look at GS, MDs that simply break 220 have a very high chance of matching. If you’re a DO you need to break 230 if you want a decent chance (yes people get lucky with scores below that from time to time but are the outliers) and that’s just for community programs. Once you hit that 230 yeah your chances of matching are probably decent if you apply broadly but I’d rather be an MD with a 225 than a DO with a 235.

Again, specialty specific. You’re alluding to IM I believe. And again, I argue I’d rather be the DO who started med school a year earlier. You always talk about outcomes for match, but living in the real world, taking one year off to do nothing but reapply and hope to get in is very tough mentally, physically, and financially. So weighing pros and cons, by all means put me in that community program and pump me out in the real world sooner than put me through that burden of reapplying. Especially if you don’t get in to an MD school then you’re REALLY screwed.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

You always talk about outcomes for match, but living in the real world, taking one year off to do nothing but reapply and hope to get in is very tough mentally, physically, and financially.

First, I’ve already stated I agree that for this specific person the DO acceptance is the way to go. Second, they wouldn’t be “reapplying” because they never applied for a first time. For 95% of people not even giving MD a shot with these stats is simply stupid, and could have serious career ramifications down the road. OP falls into the 5%, but for most people this isn’t the case. Not matching the program you want in the specialty you want (or even worse not even getting a chance) simply because of letters is even more tough mentally or emotionally. Medical school affects the residency you go to and residency affects your job opportunities.

Again, specialty specific. You’re alluding to IM I believe.

I’m talking about literally any field except maybe FM or Peds.

 

[THEBACKANDFORTH]

How about respecting the OP's wishes? Not everybody wants to be the uber-surgeon or oncologist.

I have no intentions of wanting any crazy competitive specialty. I would say I would MAYBE consider EM, Neuro, PM&R, but most likely I feel as if I am more than content with some form of primary care.

Agreed. I’m fairly certain that one of the greatest treasures of my life will be sipping coffee at 8:30 while I type the note for my first physical of the morning.

 

[MADD!!!]

First, I’ve already stated I agree that for this specific person the DO acceptance is the way to go. Second, they wouldn’t be “reapplying” because they never applied for a first time. For 95% of people not even giving MD a shot with these stats is simply stupid, and could have serious career ramifications down the road. OP falls into the 5%, but for most people this isn’t the case. Not matching the program you want in the specialty you want (or even worse not even getting a chance) simply because of letters is even more tough mentally or emotionally. Medical school affects the residency you go to and residency affects your job opportunities.



I’m talking about literally any field except maybe FM or Peds.

I agree... it's a tough call. Again, I'm super biased b/c I was out for a few years before entering med school and those years were tough (tougher than med school itself). But yes I think we both agree that if you go DO, know what the limitations are and how you will be limited. I think some other users dramatize it, but like you said above how it affects the low to mid level residencies is what I agree with across the board.

The other side that ppl don't see is how many ppl opted for MD, did post-bacc's etc. and still ended up in residencies that they would've as DO's. What's the point of keeping an open door if you're not going to utilize it? So yes definitely comes down to an individual basis.

 

[sab3156]

Again, specialty specific. You’re alluding to IM I believe. And again, I argue I’d rather be the DO who started med school a year earlier. You always talk about outcomes for match, but living in the real world, taking one year off to do nothing but reapply and hope to get in is very tough mentally, physically, and financially. So weighing pros and cons, by all means put me in that community program and pump me out in the real world sooner than put me through that burden of reapplying. Especially if you don’t get in to an MD school then you’re REALLY screwed.

I understand what you're saying, but the OP has stats and a great personal background (military) that will allow him to get into MD schools. I think if the OP really has very low expectations and thinks he will only be able to get into low tier residencies in community hospitals for neurology and EM, despite going to an MD school, then so be it. Let him go down the DO route. It's fine if that's what he really wants. But you really have to understand the simple fact that going to an MD schools starts you off with all the doors open. Going to a DO school closes most doors. One year is a drop in the bucket and can be spent wisely to further his goals. He can do research in that time, maybe in EM or Neurology since he wants that.

Also, he applied to ONE DO school. He's not denying acceptances at several. Unless he's crazy about that DO school, who cares.

 

[ronglo]

I understand what you're saying, but the OP has stats and a great personal background (military) that will allow him to get into MD schools. I think if the OP really has very low expectations and thinks he will only be able to get into low tier residencies in community hospitals for neurology and EM, despite going to an MD school, then so be it. Let him go down the DO route. It's fine if that's what he really wants. But you really have to understand the simple fact that going to an MD schools starts you off with all the doors open. Going to a DO school closes most doors. One year is a drop in the bucket and can be spent wisely to further his goals. He can do research in that time, maybe in EM or Neurology since he wants that.

Also, he applied to ONE DO school. He's not denying acceptances at several. Unless he's crazy about that DO school, who cares.

I agree with mostly what you said, but going to DO school does not close doors. It just simply makes it a bit more difficult, but certainly not impossible.

 

[sab3156]

I agree with mostly what you said, but going to DO school does not close doors. It just simply makes it a bit more difficult, but certainly not impossible.

This doesn't make any sense. Go look at PD surveys... The vast majority of PDs even in Gen Surgery will not ever interview a DO. Gen Surgery is not even a competitive specialty by MD standards. Going to a DO school means that the majority of programs in a lot of specialties will not touch you with a 10 foot pole. This is the reality, and I'm telling you this also after talking to several PDs. So yes, it closes many doors. Trust the PDs in the surveys. They're not lying to you.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I agree with mostly what you said, but going to DO school does not close doors. It just simply makes it a bit more difficult, but certainly not impossible.

Yeah no. It definitely closes doors.

 

[MADD!!!]

Here's the survey:

http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/NRMP-2016-Program-Director-Survey.pdf

One of the graphs for each specialty shows the percentage of each applicant type (MD, DO, IMG, etc.) programs often, seldom, and never interview. Keep in mind this is just for the ACGME residencies and we do have AOA residencies as well.

I also agree though, if your goal is to get into a competitive specialty I'm not saying go to a DO school. But if you are content with the vast majority of specialties that are open to you then why wait an extra year for a door you may not even use. I'm not trying to say I'm right here by any means, but for anyone who's looking at this thread I think the more important thing to establish is exactly what "closed doors" are.

My rule-of-thumb has been that these specialties are open to DO's:

http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Charting-Outcomes-US-Osteopathic-2016.pdf

(Page 3)

If it's not on that list, it's a "closed door" where you have to fight tooth-and-nail to get into as a DO.