DO Application Process

[Suenya]

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Hiya.

I'm a reapplicant, planning on both MD and DO schools. I was wondering if there is a major disadvantage to applying to DO schools in Octoberish, or if later applications are just thrown out.

3.6 GPA, 38 MCAT, a lot of research, some solid clinical exposure in the fields I am most interested in, and moderate volunteering...

I am in the midst of doing MD secondaries (50 schools), and I am hoping to find a DO to shadow at my new job, starting in September. I have a friend who found someone to shadow there, so I don't think it will be too hard.

Thank you for any input,

Suenya

 

[LettingGo]

Hiya.

I'm a reapplicant, planning on both MD and DO schools. I was wondering if there is a major disadvantage to applying to DO schools in Octoberish, or if later applications are just thrown out.

3.6 GPA, 38 MCAT, a lot of research, some solid clinical exposure in the fields I am most interested in, and moderate volunteering...

I am in the midst of doing MD secondaries (50 schools), and I am hoping to find a DO to shadow at my new job, starting in September. I have a friend who found someone to shadow there, so I don't think it will be too hard.

Thank you for any input,

Suenya

Hi Suenya,
I'm also a re-applicant and from my experience last year you have to take into consideration the verification process for primaries (3-6 weeks)...so you would start secondaries November/December...I think by that time you are in the third or forth cycle of interviews (depends on the school). I applied early last year but was put on hold and interviewed on the last cycle for schools which were for waitlist positions...if money is not an issue I would say try a couple of schools...they fill up fast just like MD's...hope this helps 🙂.

 

[Phosphorus Ylide]

From what I have read on these boards, it's not the end of the world if you applied now and got verified in October with great stats. Others have done it before and gotten in. Your gpa is pretty on par with DO schools and your MCAT is excellent. If you wanted to be able to use it as an experience on your AACOMAS app, I would wait until one month into the job to have significant experience with it. If not, I would go ahead and submit AACOMAS asap. The PS is a little shorter, I think 3700 as opposed to 5000 characters on AMCAS if I remember correctly. If you submitted Sept 1, with the way things are going, you would get it verified in mid October. Meanwhile, read the threads on the DO forum for the secondary essays and prepare all your essays during that time. With luck, and fast secondary turnarounds, you can potentially be done by November and interview before the year is over. Best of luck.

 

[rkaz]

The AACOMAS application takes longer (for whatever reason) to verify than AMCAS... at least that has been my experience and that of a number of other people on this forum. I'd go ahead and get your AACOMAS primaries out now. You might even want to get your secondaries sent out as soon as you receive them as well, if you have a physician letter on file (as long as the physician letter doesn't specifically state anything MD-specific about your application). For the osteopathic schools that strongly desire a DO physician letter, see if you can't get the DO letter to those schools in September after you shadow.