DO (Accepted) or Post-Bacc

[Sai111394]

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Be sure to keep in mind that once you decline that DO acceptance, you will be pretty much blacklisted at all other DO schools in the future.

This isn't true. I had to give up my DO school acceptance for personal reasons, I reapplied this year both MD and DO and I have been accepted to 2 DO programs (established) and an MD. OP, if you feel like you can get a higher GPA in the SMP go for it. You have an excellent MCAt.

 

[Sai111394]

This is one piece of advice that always irked me. I get that for a lot of people specifically on this site "ANY school is better than no School" but on a couple interviews I went on, I knew instantly "THIS IS NOT THE SCHOOL FOR ME". I applied because on paper the school seemed great but you don't know the whole picture until you talk to students and visit the campus. At some schools, I could understand turning down an acceptance and go for another round in next years application cycle.

The pseudo blacklist everyone talks about is ridiculous. Do you have a lower chance of going to medical school if you reject an acceptance? OF COURSE but its not a death sentence.

I agree with this. The DO school I was accepted to seemed great on paper, I went to interview day and realized I would be miserable. I got weird vibes from the class, the location, just about everything. My gut told me not to take it. That, along with other personal problems, made me decide to reject the acceptance. Best decision I made. I ended up reapplying two years later (of course not to the DO school I rejected), I've been accepted to AZCOM and Western and I found out yesterday I was accepted to my first MD school. For me, my own sanity and well being was worth not taking the first acceptance. My stats were pretty average being from CA, and not once did my rejection of a DO school the first time around come up in any of my DO interviews. Was never asked on applications either. As for the difference in going to the DO school vs MD, I'm relieved about not having to take two boards, worrying about quality and variability of clinical rotations, research opportunities, etc. If you feel like you can overcome these and it doesn't worry you too much, take the acceptance!!

 

[__AVI8R__]

If you did a postbac, you'd only be able squeeze in two semesters before applying again. Obviously turning down a DO acceptance would just about bar you from getting another DO acceptance after this cycle. If you decide to turn down the DO, you need to be 100% confident that you can put in the work it will take to get into MD. You don't want to end up stuck with the carribean as your only option.

Edit: Don't be an idiot, just take the DO route. You have a sub 3.0 GPA and it will take years to get yourself into a position to get MD. The letters on your coat are going to cost you 1 million dollars in lost salary if you wait to get your stats on par with MD.

What is the reasoning behind being barred from future DO acceptances? If I say "no thanks" to school A, does school B find out?

 

[bears1992]

What is the reasoning behind being barred from future DO acceptances? If I say "no thanks" to school A, does school B find out?

AMCAS does let other schools know if you've been accepted at the end of the cycle but I think AACOMAS does as well. Schools are looking for low risk students as COCA requires DO schools to have no more than a 10% attrition rate. A student that has turned down an acceptance and then reapplied gives the impression that the student may not be all in to become a physician. If your ultimate goal is to accept low risk students, you don't want to accept a student that has declined a single acceptance when you have 1000's of other students that would do anything for an acceptance.

 

[Wiggly Tuff Da Ruff]

Not bad. I was hoping this would be the last quote for a while between us, but you missed one thing in the part I outlined. All that stuff before it is true, however, you will be called an MD instead of a DO if you do what I suggest. This is something you need to carry with you for the rest of your life and it should not be undermined.

See, the whole competitive application process of both med school and residency really blinds us to why we SHOULD want to be doctors. To help people. And help each other out, so our future colleagues can go out and help people better.

It's concerning that you place so much emphasis on what people call you and how people view you. Having other people call you "Dr. M.D." shouldn't be your primary reason for becoming a physician. Everyone has their reasons but seriously, "helping others to the best of my abilities" should be every med student's #1 reason.

... also, super scary to think that you'll be providing care to someone.


Edit: OP if you don't want the acceptance, turn it down. There's a LOT of people that would give up so much to have your spot. If you're going to go and be bitter, just don't go and give another person a chance at the D.O.

 

[IslandStyle808]

This isn't true. I had to give up my DO school acceptance for personal reasons, I reapplied this year both MD and DO and I have been accepted to 2 DO programs (established) and an MD. OP, if you feel like you can get a higher GPA in the SMP go for it. You have an excellent MCAt.

Pre-meds and even those in medical school and beyond should read you comment 10 times, because they been drinking the SDN koolaid for a long time. You are definitely not blacklisted from all DO schools, only the one you declined an acceptance to (a few exceptions to this rule I admit). There have been multiple people who reapplied and got in from turning down an acceptance.

 

[Jinxapotato]

Shocked so many downvotes for DO. Become a physician or waste years gunning for MD on your shirt and the same job you could have had years prior. IF you succeed...

Because us DOs can only do FM in rural Wyoming, didn't you know that?

In all seriousness though, I was in the OPs position when I got my DO acceptance 2 days after interview. My Harvard ophtho boss tried to talk me into delaying and try MD again (I told him I wanted ophtho, so it's a reasonable suggestion). But then I took the DO offer, you know why? Because the day before my interview, I had a dream that I got accepted to the DO school, and in that dream, I was happy 😉.

 

[shadow97]

not sure why everyone thinks I don't like DO. I see comments like why did you apply if you did not want to go there etc... May be some of you know all the answers before you embark on a journey, I don't. I came here for helpful suggestions. I am just trying figure out what's best for me in my situation. How many of you will turndown a MD seat for a DO? How many of you will stop trying for an MD seat if you think there is a chance even after you have been accepted for a DO? I know I will be happy as either a MD or OD. I am not label conscious. End of the day I want to be the best doctor I can be. I will pay the deposit for the best school I have an offer from by December. I will still go for interviews after that, if I get any and if I feel that school is better than what I have in hand. Some of you have made good comments and given me helpful suggestions, I am thankful for that.

 

[Shotapp]

not sure why everyone thinks I don't like DO. I see comments like why did you apply if you did not want to go there etc... May be some of you know all the answers before you embark on a journey, I don't. I came here for helpful suggestions. I am just trying figure out what's best for me in my situation. How many of you will turndown a MD seat for a DO? How many of you will stop trying for an MD seat if you think there is a chance even after you have been accepted for a DO? I know I will be happy as either a MD or OD. I am not label conscious. End of the day I want to be the best doctor I can be. I will pay the deposit for the best school I have an offer from by December. I will still go for interviews after that, if I get any and if I feel that school is better than what I have in hand. Some of you have made good comments and given me helpful suggestions, I am thankful for that.

I don't understand why you applied to a newish DO school. It would have made more sense to apply and complete an SMP hosted at a medical school you'd be interested in attending (considering your strong MCAT score). You want to attend a solid/established medical school (good rotations/curriculum so you can be the best physician you can possibly be) but you applied to a new DO school...I don't get it. That's why it's always best to apply with the best application possible. Getting into medical school is a marathon, not a sprint.

Edited

If I were you, I would decline the acceptance you received a the newer DO school and apply and complete the UNT program (since its a well-recognized program). Do well in the said program and also retake that C- you have in your prereq (that might prevent matriculation) reapply in 2019 to get into a better DO or MD school.

 

[Tooth fairy 20]

since yall are discussing this stuff. i did a masters in biomedical sciences and got a C in pharmacology but my grad gpa is 3.66 and my undergrad scigpa is 3.21 and ugcgpa is 3.09. worked full time since undergrad. firefighter/emt and work in level 1 trauma emergency department! MCAT 506. DO schools?

 

[Robin-jay]

since yall are discussing this stuff. i did a masters in biomedical sciences and got a C in pharmacology but my grad gpa is 3.66 and my undergrad scigpa is 3.21 and ugcgpa is 3.09. worked full time since undergrad. firefighter/emt and work in level 1 trauma emergency department! MCAT 506. DO schools?

I'd apply to your state MD schools as medium-long shots, and apply broadly to DO schools and you should be fine.

 

[gensurghopeful]

Personally would run with the DO acceptance, crush your boards - which you can clearly do looking at your MCAT scores - and go from there. Unless you want to be a plastic surg...

 

[Isoval]

I recognize this thread is rather old and the OP has likely already made a decision, but for anyone in the future:

The UNTHSC SMP program has a strong track record of placing students in Texas public school programs and pulls from the SMP program for its own school very heavily.

Several people in my class - in fact, a number I’d imagine is encroaching on 25% of my class - are graduates of the program.

With that being said, it is unwise to take an SMP if you do not have a track record of solid school performance. A poor SMP performance can quickly demote a high MCAT score to worthlessness.

I agree with many posters that this decision should be predicated on your career goals. Want to be a neurosurgeon? Want to go to Yale for residency? Take an SMP and take your chances. Want something more modest like Peds or EM at a respectable mid-tier program residency? Whichever DO school you end up with should be able to get you there.