DO Admissions Process 101

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Shanf7

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Ok so I decided to apply DO...and I need some help with having the basics pretty much spelled out for me. Here are some questions to start off with...

Is it required to shadow a DO?
What are some of the top DO schools requirements (MCAT, GPA)?
and what are those schools?
When should I apply?

If you have any other advice or useful information, I'm all ears. Thanks appreciate it!:)

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1) for some schools you need to have one, others it is recommended...depends on the school
2)Some schools such as DMU and Western are pushing 3.5 and 27-28 MCAT scores as their averages....others are just behind them and each year stats are rising.
3)see above
4)Start applying soon, since its rolling admissions, the earlier the better
 
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1) for some schools you need to have one, others it is recommended...depends on the school
2)Some schools such as DMU and Western are pushing 3.5 and 27-28 MCAT scores as their averages....others are just behind them and each year stats are rising.
3)see above
4)Start applying soon, since its rolling admissions, the earlier the better


Well I think I'm going to try to shadow this summer.. So should I wait for that and apply late summer
 
By the way, DMU stands for?....Is Western..wester health sciences and where is that?
 
Ok so I decided to apply DO...and I need some help with having the basics pretty much spelled out for me. Here are some questions to start off with...

1. Is it required to shadow a DO?
2. What are some of the top DO schools requirements (MCAT, GPA)?
3. and what are those schools?
4.When should I apply?

If you have any other advice or useful information, I'm all ears. Thanks appreciate it!:)

1. It is not required, but you will probably be asked in your interview why you didn't. I didn't shadow a DO and was asked about it in my interviews. I had a good answer though. Best to just find a DO to shadow and avoid problems later down the road.

2. No good answer for this. I would ESTIMATE you need something around a 27 MCAT and 3.6 GPA to be competitive. I had a low (3.5ish CUM 3.3ish sci) GPA but a 32 MCAT to make up for it.

3. DO schools are not ranked. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying, selling something, or ignorant. It is best to simply go with wherever you will fit in best and forget about school rankings. Things to consider are
Do you like PBL or traditional lecture based learning?
Do you want to stay near family or move far away?
COST!!!! Some of these schools are MUCH MUCH MUCH more expensive than others.

4. As early as possible. Now actually.
 
Well I think I'm going to try to shadow this summer.. So should I wait for that and apply late summer


Applying early is better than waiting to shadow. Apply now and shadow later. Try to get the shadowing in by the time you interview.
 
Applying early is better than waiting to shadow. Apply now and shadow later. Try to get the shadowing in by the time you interview.

Can I still put it on my application?

Also I have shadowed an MD doctor, would it be ok to put that on the application?
 
Can I still put it on my application?

Also I have shadowed an MD doctor, would it be ok to put that on the application?

On some applications that will be ok... You can update the schools if you shadow a DO. Since you have shadowed a physician, I would apply now and then just update the schools.
 
What is PBL?

Sorry for asking such simple questions, but u guys have been great! :bow:

problem based learning... It is different than the typical lecture based learning like a typical undergrad class. In PBL you work in small groups and work through cases.
 
Ok I have an MCAT score, but I recently took the MCAT again. Should I still apply or wait for my results?
 
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Ok I have an MCAT score, but I recently took the MCAT again. Should I still apply or wait for my results?

apply now so that you are verified. if you wait, your app will take waaay longer to be verified and its just extra delays you dont need or want. you have to record your previous MCAT score, but you can note you will be taking a future MCAT and they will put your app on hold until those scores come in. some schools may even give you secondaries and stuff if they think your MCAT is good enough as is and then you just update them when new scores come in.

one other thing, i think slim overestimated the gpa and mcat necssary to be competitive. 27 mcat and 3.6 is pretty high. If you have at least a 3.3-3.4 and a 25+ MCAT and the rest of your app is solid, you should get an acceptance if you apply early and broadly. i think that might even be the average for all DO schools (3.4/25). your acceptance may not be at the "top" DO school, or your first choice, but an acceptance nonetheless.
 
I don't recall any kind of ranking for DO schools at all. There are a lot of rankings for MD schools, US News, etc.
 
We need a little smiley face that puts a .357 Magnum to it's head and blows it's brains out ...
 
suicide.gif
?
 
How many schools do ppl usually apply to? what is a good number?
 
Of course it is.

Hell, in the Texas system, you can apply to both with the same application.


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How many schools do ppl usually apply to? what is a good number?

Question: Can each school see which and how many other schools you are applying to when they review your AACOMAS? I don't plan on applying to 30 schools, and I wouldn't like that to count against me in any way.
 
Question: Can each school see which and how many other schools you are applying to when they review your AACOMAS? I don't plan on applying to 30 schools, and I wouldn't like that to count against me in any way.

Most people don't apply to 30 schools. That won't be held against you. I know that TX schools ask what other schools you're applying to. I don't know if the other ones can see. Anyone know? I'm thinking they can't, but some ask in the interview.
 
What is PBL?

Sorry for asking such simple questions, but u guys have been great! :bow:

A good place to start is here, a thread about Problem Based Learning (PBL).
 
Ok so I decided to apply DO...and I need some help with having the basics pretty much spelled out for me. Here are some questions to start off with...

Is it required to shadow a DO?
What are some of the top DO schools requirements (MCAT, GPA)?
and what are those schools?
When should I apply?

If you have any other advice or useful information, I'm all ears. Thanks appreciate it!:)

It is usually not required, however always strongly recommended to shadow a D.O. It shows an initiative towards osteopathic medicine and helps you understand their philosophy and distinction in the medical profession. Furthermore it opens opportunities to get a LOR from a D.O. which is also extremely advantageous.

What you may also want to look into is volunteer work, a great way to strengthen your application and always looked upon favorably by admissions. You may want to consider volunteer work at a hospital as a potential future employer and extra experience in the medial profession.

I won't touch the "top" D.O. schools, try a search that question has been asked once before here to say the least.

When should you apply? It depends on your GPA/MCAT, volunteer experience, ECs, LORs, how old you are, there are a lot of factors. I will tell you however, once you pick the year to apply to medical school, generally speaking the earlier you get all your application requirements in the better.
 
So it is okay to apply to both types of schools during the same application cycle?

A lot of people do apply to both M.D. and D.O. schools and get accepted to both. Happens all the time, nothing wrong with it. I'm sure some people will disagree with me, but I think it is to your advantage to apply only to D.O. schools if you know that is what you want. Let me explain.

Out of the interviews and personal statements I went to or had to write, without fail, at least one question came up with something along the lines of "Why D.O.?" or "What does osteopathic medicine mean to you?" To educate yourself on the subject and answer appropriately is great, but to add that you only applied to D.O. schools because you endorse their philosophy and practices in your own life and know it's what you want really tells them you are a great candidate for their school.

Again, there is nothing wrong with applying to both M.D. and D.O. because hopefully the message is you want to help people and do that by becoming a successful physician. Also I believe the strong emphasis and pride displayed by the schools I applied to in osteopathic medicine could put you at an advantage if you applied solely to D.O. schools. Up for debate I suppose.
 
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