Do DO schools hold it against you if you reject an acceptance?

[medicinepassion1]

I know I should have not applied originally if I wasn’t 100%. Committed. But it’s too late now. If I choose to reapply again for MD schools, and DO schools will DO schools hold it against me I rejected an acceptance? If it’s impossible to get DO afterwards then I’ll keep my acceptance. Was also rejected by the original five DO schools if that makes a difference.

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[DameJulie]

My two cents is that it does, unless you have a very good reason to turn the acceptance down.

 

[medicinepassion1]

So does that mean I have a 0% chance of getting in again to any school? I don’t want it to turn into never getting into a medical school story.

 

[Sephirakra]

So does that mean I have a 0% chance of getting in again to any school? I don’t want it to turn into never getting into a medical school story.

Other than death and taxes, there are no guarantees in life. Though, given your post history, you turned down multiple DO acceptances. That's not going to gain you any favors with adcoms, I would think.

 

[medicinepassion1]

Turned down 1. Questioning if to turn down a second . My stats are significant higher than average, not being arrogant, I just want the best for my future career.

 

[Goro]

I know I should have not applied originally if I wasn’t 100%. Committed. But it’s too late now. If I choose to reapply again for MD schools, and DO schools will DO schools hold it against me I rejected an acceptance? If it’s impossible to get DO afterwards then I’ll keep my acceptance. Was also rejected by the original five DO schools if that makes a difference.

Only if you answer "yes" tot he prompt of "have you ever been accepted previously.

If you applied here, turned us down and then reapplied, you'd be DOA here.

Keep in mind that Admissions deans do, at times, talk to each other.

Beggars can't be choosy. But since you don't want to be a DO, I recommend turning down your accept, and giving it to someone who wants to be a doctor right now.

If your accept is at LUCOM, then I can understand.

 

[medicinepassion1]

What about a new school/kind of new school?

 

[Goro]

What about a new school/kind of new school?

Then your judgement gets called into question. You're supposed to know what you're getting into.

If you interview, and then don't like the school, you should withdraw your app immediately.

 

[armoman898]

if your mcat is high enough, i don't think they care

 

[Deecee2DO]

I know I should have not applied originally if I wasn’t 100%. Committed. But it’s too late now. If I choose to reapply again for MD schools, and DO schools will DO schools hold it against me I rejected an acceptance? If it’s impossible to get DO afterwards then I’ll keep my acceptance. Was also rejected by the original five DO schools if that makes a difference.

Im confused..If you were accepted to medical school why wouldnt you go? Unless of course you are having a change of heart about medicine as a career, but if not take that acceptance and run with it hard its med school

 

[Isoval]

Of course they hold it against you.

DO schools are not desperate. Unless you’re a stratosphere 4.0/520 applicant who cured cancer on Tuesdays and walked on water on Thursdays, yeah, they care.

 

[Magus5454]

OP, if your stats are really that. You have some red flags somewhere in your app. Just saying.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

Bad decision to apply to new schools if you’re a competitive applicant. I’m afraid you’ve made your bed and now you have to lay in it. Schools ask on applications if you’ve ever been accepted. They’re not gonna want to spend their resources on you for interview only to maybe back out again. I still can’t understand why people apply to schools they don’t want to go to and then put themselves in this situation.

A doctor I shadowed has a childhood friend and they also went to college together. His friend got 2 acceptances and was on the waitlist at his dream school. Turned down the acceptances and applied 2 more cycles in hopes for his dream school. Never got another acceptance. Now he works in research and says he regrets his decision and will everyday for the rest of his life. A friend of mine turned down a DO acceptance because she is set on MD. But with 2 low 500 MCAT scores I doubt that is going to happen. Unfortunately now she probably won’t ever become a doctor. Don’t make this mistake.

 

[Deecee2DO]

Bad decision to apply to new schools if you’re a competitive applicant. I’m afraid you’ve made your bed and now you have to lay in it. Schools ask on applications if you’ve ever been accepted. They’re not gonna want to spend their resources on you for interview only to maybe back out again. I still can’t understand why people apply to schools they don’t want to go to and then put themselves in this situation.

A doctor I shadowed has a childhood friend and they also went to college together. His friend got 2 acceptances and was on the waitlist at his dream school. Turned down the acceptances and applied 2 more cycles in hopes for his dream school. Never got another acceptance. Now he works in research and says he regrets his decision and will everyday for the rest of his life. A friend of mine turned down a DO acceptance because she is set on MD. But with 2 low 500 MCAT scores I doubt that is going to happen. Unfortunately now she probably won’t ever become a doctor. Don’t make this mistake.

I agree except for not understanding why people apply to schools they dont want to go to part-its med school and its hard to be accepted aka its a numbers game so you take what you can get. Many if not most of the schools I applied to I didnt really want to go to but id go since its med school. Fortunately, I was accepted at my top choice but would have gone anywhere if thats the only place I was accepted

 

[Osminog]

I know I should have not applied originally if I wasn’t 100%. Committed. But it’s too late now. If I choose to reapply again for MD schools, and DO schools will DO schools hold it against me I rejected an acceptance? If it’s impossible to get DO afterwards then I’ll keep my acceptance. Was also rejected by the original five DO schools if that makes a difference.

Why do you think you got rejected by so many MDs and the original five DO schools with 3.7/3.6/520 stats? Were your essays atrocious? Did you have a negative LoR? Red flag? Zero ECs? Did you apply very late? Do you have US citizenship?

It’s hard to give you feedback without some sort of explanation for your very atypical situation.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Only if you answer "yes" tot he prompt of "have you ever been accepted previously.

If you applied here, turned us down and then reapplied, you'd be DOA here.

Keep in mind that Admissions deans do, at times, talk to each other.

Beggars can't be choosy. But since you don't want to be a DO, I recommend turning down your accept, and giving it to someone who wants to be a doctor right now.

If your accept is at LUCOM, then I can understand.

Same at my school

 

[Doctor-In-Training99]

Don't go to a DO school if you don't want to be a DO. I think it's just that simple. If you feel like another cycle would get you to the school you want then reapply, But don't take a spot from someone and go DO if you hate it. You probably got rejected by the original 5 because you aren't passionate about osteopathic medicine which is fine. Osteopathic schools work hard to weed out those who are using DO school as a second choice to MD. @medicinepassion1

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

I agree except for not understanding why people apply to schools they dont want to go to part-its med school and its hard to be accepted aka its a numbers game so you take what you can get. Many if not most of the schools I applied to I didnt really want to go to but id go since its med school. Fortunately, I was accepted at my top choice but would have gone anywhere if thats the only place I was accepted

I would agree if you actually end up attending the schools. But some people end up getting accepted to these schools they don’t want to go to and then reject the acceptance. It would be better for you not to apply at a certain school if you are just going to drop the acceptance and apply again next cycle. Now you’re in a bad position of having dropped an acceptance. Apply broadly but don’t apply to a school you know you won’t attend or even think about not wanting to attend.

 

[IdealNFP]

Obviously not advocating this and I would never do this myself, but would DO schools really go through that much trouble to research an applicant to see whether or not he was accepted somewhere in past cycles?

 

[Deecee2DO]

Obviously not advocating this and I would never do this myself, but would DO schools really go through that much trouble to research an applicant to see whether or not he was accepted somewhere in past cycles?

They ask this on AACOMAS

 

[medicinepassion1]

I contacted an MD advisor and they said because I had low clinical hours. I have now since done scribing, research and worked as a tech on a rehab floor. I just don’t know if it’s enough to get an MD admission. I’m not knocking DO schools but it’s objectively harder to get competitive residencies. I worked hard and want doors open and not closed. Maybe I want primary care but I could also end up wanting derm. I have 330 hours each of research, tech and scribing now. Is that enough ? I worked hard for my stats, and want to be rewarded for it.

 

[Goro]

I contacted an MD advisor and they said because I had low clinical hours. I have now since done scribing, research and worked as a tech on a rehab floor. I just don’t know if it’s enough to get an MD admission. I’m not knocking DO schools but it’s objectively harder to get competitive residencies. I worked hard and want doors open and not closed. Maybe I want primary care but I could also end up wanting derm. I have 330 hours each of research, tech and scribing now. Is that enough ? I worked hard for my stats, and want to be rewarded for it.

Admission to medical school, and a career in Medicine, is a privilege, not a right. It is not a reward for being a good student or having high grades + GPA.

You wanna be a doctor? Earn it.

 

[medicinepassion1]

Admission to medical school, and a career in Medicine, is a privilege, not a right. It is not a reward for being a good student or having high grades + GPA.

You wanna be a doctor? Earn it.

I know. I’m not demanding an acceptance, I’m asking if what I’ve done is enough to earn it. Didn’t want it to come across as entitled.

 

[Isoval]

I contacted an MD advisor and they said because I had low clinical hours. I have now since done scribing, research and worked as a tech on a rehab floor. I just don’t know if it’s enough to get an MD admission. I’m not knocking DO schools but it’s objectively harder to get competitive residencies. I worked hard and want doors open and not closed. Maybe I want primary care but I could also end up wanting derm. I have 330 hours each of research, tech and scribing now. Is that enough ? I worked hard for my stats, and want to be rewarded for it.

I know. I’m not demanding an acceptance, I’m asking if what I’ve done is enough to earn it. Didn’t want it to come across as entitled.

I mean, it's not my application.

But...

Look, if you weren't going to match dermatology as a DO, you probably wouldn't have been in a position to match it from an MD school, either. It's no secret that there are still many PDs out there that hold bias against DOs, regionally or otherwise. However, even on on the lowest end, a large number of programs do still consider DOs. Roughly 65% of dermatology programs do not consider DOs - the highest of any specialty, which itself is a solid amount higher than the next closest specialties (a la neurological surgery and the like). All that means is you need to do a little more legwork figuring out where to apply and play the game a little differently; there are still 35% of them that are interested in reading your application. Across tens or hundreds of programs, you'll still have more to choose from than you could reasonably apply to.

If you want to be an academic, this argument loses a lot of water as the place where you do residency truly matters.
If you don't, then I stand by this.

 

[DrStephenStrange]

If you have applied 2 cycles already with your MCAT, don't forget it's about to expire. Most schools don't accept 3+ year old MCATs. With that said, you talk about wanting to keep doors open by rejecting DO because you want MD, but at this pace, you're only going to close more doors as you go. Don't forget, every time you reapply to those MD schools, it's only getting harder to get in unless you show significant enough improvement (meaning a couple hundred more hours of ECs ain't gonna cut it, meaning you probably need 1 gap year). Every year, some DO students end up matching Derm, Ortho, ENT, Ophto, and other competitive residencies (though they are the minorities), and going MD doesn't guarantee you any of those spots either. What I wanna tell you is, you do the best of what you get. If you want Derm, and you go to a DO school, you just gotta make damn sure you're competitive for Derm for the match, just like you would have at an MD school. That's what any DO students that match any of the competitive specialities do.

 

[Isoval]

If you have applied 2 cycles already with your MCAT, don't forget it's about to expire. Most schools don't accept 3+ year old MCATs. With that said, you talk about wanting to keep doors open by rejecting DO because you want MD, but at this pace, you're only going to close more doors as you go. Don't forget, every time you reapply to those MD schools, it's only getting harder to get in unless you show significant enough improvement (meaning a couple hundred more hours of ECs ain't gonna cut it, meaning you probably need 1 gap year). Every year, some DO students end up match Derm, Ortho, ENT, Ophto, and other competitive residencies (though they are the minorities), and going MD doesn't guarantee you any of those spots either. What I wanna tell you is, you do the best of what you get. If you want Derm, and you go to a DO school, you just gotta make damn sure you're competitive for Derm for the match, just like you would have at an MD school. That's what any DO students that match any of the competitive specialities do.

Pretty much 100% agree with Student Doctor Stephen Strange 😉

 

[mc29012]

If you have applied 2 cycles already with your MCAT, don't forget it's about to expire. Most schools don't accept 3+ year old MCATs. With that said, you talk about wanting to keep doors open by rejecting DO because you want MD, but at this pace, you're only going to close more doors as you go. Don't forget, every time you reapply to those MD schools, it's only getting harder to get in unless you show significant enough improvement (meaning a couple hundred more hours of ECs ain't gonna cut it, meaning you probably need 1 gap year). Every year, some DO students end up matching Derm, Ortho, ENT, Ophto, and other competitive residencies (though they are the minorities), and going MD doesn't guarantee you any of those spots either. What I wanna tell you is, you do the best of what you get. If you want Derm, and you go to a DO school, you just gotta make damn sure you're competitive for Derm for the match, just like you would have at an MD school. That's what any DO students that match any of the competitive specialities do.

Didn't realize OP already applied two cycles, OP I think you'll be making a huge mistake by turning down this acceptance. You are accepted to a medical school! Do you know how many people out there would love to trade spots with you right now? Take the sure thing and become a doctor

 

[Doctor-In-Training99]

If you have applied 2 cycles already with your MCAT, don't forget it's about to expire. Most schools don't accept 3+ year old MCATs. With that said, you talk about wanting to keep doors open by rejecting DO because you want MD, but at this pace, you're only going to close more doors as you go. Don't forget, every time you reapply to those MD schools, it's only getting harder to get in unless you show significant enough improvement (meaning a couple hundred more hours of ECs ain't gonna cut it, meaning you probably need 1 gap year). Every year, some DO students end up matching Derm, Ortho, ENT, Ophto, and other competitive residencies (though they are the minorities), and going MD doesn't guarantee you any of those spots either. What I wanna tell you is, you do the best of what you get. If you want Derm, and you go to a DO school, you just gotta make damn sure you're competitive for Derm for the match, just like you would have at an MD school. That's what any DO students that match any of the competitive specialities do.

Very very true. DO is competitive for any specialty and any competitive specialty (whether you go MD or DO) is going to be difficult to get into. I saw OP said you’ve worked hard to get here but so has everyone else. What you did in undergrad is over now you have to work hard in med school to get to the next step. Your reward is going to medical school. Undergrad doesn’t reward you with anything in terms of specialty. But definitely agree that you need to be careful that your MCAT doesn’t expire unless you want to take it again for further application cycles.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

I contacted an MD advisor and they said because I had low clinical hours. I have now since done scribing, research and worked as a tech on a rehab floor. I just don’t know if it’s enough to get an MD admission. I’m not knocking DO schools but it’s objectively harder to get competitive residencies. I worked hard and want doors open and not closed. Maybe I want primary care but I could also end up wanting derm. I have 330 hours each of research, tech and scribing now. Is that enough ? I worked hard for my stats, and want to be rewarded for it.

How many MD schools did you apply to?

 

[medicinepassion1]

22 MD Schools, did not apply to two cycles. This would be my second cycle. I had barely any clinical experience last time. My September 2017 MCAT is still within the 3 year rule. Also nobody knows how the merger will go and the school usually pumps out like 80% Primary Care. I don't know where people got the idea I applied to two cycles. Unless everybody thinks I have no chance for some other reason

 

[rajp98]

22 MD Schools, did not apply to two cycles. This would be my second cycle. I had barely any clinical experience last time. My September 2017 MCAT is still within the 3 year rule. Also nobody knows how the merger will go and the school usually pumps out like 80% Primary Care. I don't know where people got the idea I applied to two cycles. Unless everybody thinks I have no chance for some other reason

What's the 3 rule?

 

[medicinepassion1]

Scores only valid for three years

 

[deleted947265]

I know I should have not applied originally if I wasn’t 100%. Committed. But it’s too late now. If I choose to reapply again for MD schools, and DO schools will DO schools hold it against me I rejected an acceptance? If it’s impossible to get DO afterwards then I’ll keep my acceptance. Was also rejected by the original five DO schools if that makes a difference.

I really doubt it. I don't think schools keep a list of anyone who turned down their acceptance from them in the hypothetical case that they would then reapply to them so that they could reject them. That doesn't make very much sense to me.

You also shouldn't turn down an acceptance to reapply, that'd be really dumb.

 

[Goro]

I really doubt it. I don't think schools keep a list of anyone who turned down their acceptance from them in the hypothetical case that they would then reapply to them so that they could reject them. That doesn't make very much sense to me.

You also shouldn't turn down an acceptance to reapply, that'd be really dumb.

This is why ignorance of the admissions process is dangerous.

Schools definitely keep old files, and my wily old Admissions dean does refer to older apps when we see new ones from the same person.

MD schools will reject you simply for turning in the same essays on the second try.

Someone who turns down an accept and then reapplies simply did not want to be a doctor. We have plenty of applicants who do.

 

[DokterMom]

If there was a significant weakness during your first cycle that will have been remediated fully (plus some) before your second cycle, and since you're so conflicted... Here's the deal though:

You gotta be a rock star! You've got a very strong MCAT (if it's really 520) and your GPA is solid (if it's 3.8 / 3.6). You'll need to significantly improve your volunteering and clinical exposure since that was your weak point before. Then apply appropriately to a wide variety of MD schools that fit your profile.

Are you talking about reapplying this cycle? So next month? How many hours did you cram in?

It's a high risk endeavor though...

 

[medicinepassion1]

360 as a tech on a rehab floor. 330 as a research intern, 330 as a scribe

 

[Sleepingdoc]

I know I should have not applied originally if I wasn’t 100%. Committed. But it’s too late now. If I choose to reapply again for MD schools, and DO schools will DO schools hold it against me I rejected an acceptance? If it’s impossible to get DO afterwards then I’ll keep my acceptance. Was also rejected by the original five DO schools if that makes a difference.

They do look at your commitment to the profession.. They want people who would all complete and finish their degree requirements.. not someone to look at it and leave after 1 year. Granted there are people who do not finish their degree and drop out...

If there are circumstances beyond your control... like death in the family or going through hardship- I think they can defer your admission if you talk to them.

 

[medicinepassion1]

They do look at your commitment to the profession.. They want people who would all complete and finish their degree requirements.. not someone to look at it and leave after 1 year. Granted there are people who do not finish their degree and drop out...

If there are circumstances beyond your control... like death in the family or going through hardship- I think they can defer your admission if you talk to them.

How about the logical concern that these new schools are uncharted territory? Also, if I'm actively improving the application vs doing random nonrelated stuff, how would this not show commitment to the profession?

 

[Sleepingdoc]

How about the logical concern that these new schools are uncharted territory? Also, if I'm actively improving the application vs doing random nonrelated stuff, how would this not show commitment to the profession?

I dont want to sound rude but the schools tell you " you should not have applied". Again it depends on individual basis so ask the schools that you plan to apply to next year.

 

[medicinepassion1]

I dont want to sound rude but the schools tell you " you should not have applied". Again it depends on individual basis so ask the schools that you plan to apply to next year.

Nobody really guided me in the application process, not making excuses as I should have been more through. If I applied again I'd really only focus on the 'old' five DO schools. Needless to say, would not apply to the school that accepted me.

 

[Doctor-In-Training99]

Nobody really guided me in the application process, not making excuses as I should have been more through. If I applied again I'd really only focus on the 'old' five DO schools. Needless to say, would not apply to the school that accepted me.

I think you need to ask yourself why you applied to the school you were accepted to. Was it just a safety school? I think it could be dangerous to only focus on the original 5. I hate to be blunt but they didn’t want you this year even with your MCAT, GPA, hours, and such. Take your MCAT and GPA out of the equation, because obviously that wasn’t what was wrong with your app. If it was you’d be in already. Have you made any recent changes besides clinical hours? Research was a big part of my application and everyone wanted to talk to me about it. Applications are already open for next round so you need to make those application changes within the next month or two if you’re going to reapply so you can get your application in early and therefore interview early. It would be extremely naive to apply again without making changes. My guess (like I said above) is you came off as either someone who doesn’t know what osteopathic medicine is or didn’t vocalize why you wanted to do it. These schools have lower MCAT and GPA averages, meaning they don’t mind looking at an applicant who doesn’t have your mcat or gpa caliber. If you’re going to reapply (which I believe is foolish to do because you’ve already been accepted), you have to prepare yourself to be rejected by all 5 DO schools again. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Are you willing to be rejected by all of them again? If you’re not, do not reapply.

If you want my honest opinion, take the acceptance. You’re going to get out of med school what you give. If this school doesn’t have the best boards then that means you’re going to have to study harder/smarter to get the scores you’re looking for. But to decline a school for schools that already rejected you is (in my personal opinion) insane. They’ve told you no and someone else is willing to take a chance on you: TAKE IT!

 

[medicinepassion1]

If residency positions were fair I would agree with the above post. But you can't tell me that even with competitive board scores, research etc. I still won't be barred from pursuing what I want because of the school I went to. Also, I have research now about 330 hours with a presentation on it.

 

[DrStephenStrange]

If residency positions were fair I would agree with the above post. But you can't tell me that even with competitive board scores, research etc. I still won't be barred from pursuing what I want because of the school I went to. Also, I have research now about 330 hours with a presentation on it.

Well, looks like you already made up your mind OP. There's no point in arguing anymore. This thread should be closed now.

 

[medicinepassion1]

I did not make up my mind, I'm still deciding. Arguing is how people reach a consensus, I'm eager to see if people have evidence against what I wrote.

 

[Doctor-In-Training99]

If residency positions were fair I would agree with the above post. But you can't tell me that even with competitive board scores, research etc. I still won't be barred from pursuing what I want because of the school I went to. Also, I have research now about 330 hours with a presentation on it.

You're asking us for assistance and we are giving you our honest opinions. Don't ask us for assistance if you're not going to listen to it though. You sound like you just wanted us to affirm your choice to reject the school and apply again. I wish you the best of luck in your medical endeavors no matter what you choose, but I'm tired of giving advice because I feel like I'm wasting my time. The most important thing you should know is you can't go into residency if you never get into medical school.

 

[Goro]

How about the logical concern that these new schools are uncharted territory? Also, if I'm actively improving the application vs doing random nonrelated stuff, how would this not show commitment to the profession?

That's something one should have thought of BEFORE applying to said schools.

Also, if I'm actively improving the application vs doing random nonrelated stuff, how would this not show commitment to the profession?
Actively improving how? Doing t=stuff that all pre-meds do? That just says you want to be a doctor, which is admirable...but DO schools want someone who wants to be a DO (or, is willing to be one)

 

[Ho0v-man]

I go to one of the old 5 DO schools and can’t imagine someone with your stats being rejected. For reference, I had a 504 mcat, 3.8 from a no name school and almost no extracurriculars. Zero research. I shadowed for one month and took most of the pre reqs at community college and had about 20 W’s on my transcript. I shouldn’t have gotten in anywhere.

I honestly can’t imagine you being rejected from...anywhere with those stats. Did you at least get an interview? Did you just apply last minute or something?

You need to sit down with a pre-med committee or maybe someone at your local MD school to figure out what’s up. Maybe you have a toxic letter of recommendation or interview like a serial killer or something. I’d consider getting all new letters.

I would not apply DO with a 520 mcat. But the fact that you had trouble with obtaining a DO acceptance says there’s something seriously wrong with your app.

 

[DrStephenStrange]

I go to one of the old 5 DO schools and can’t imagine someone with your stats being rejected. For reference, I had a 504 mcat, 3.8 from a no name school and almost no extracurriculars. Zero research. I shadowed for one month and took most of the pre reqs at community college and had about 20 W’s on my transcript. I shouldn’t have gotten in anywhere.

I honestly can’t imagine you being rejected from...anywhere with those stats. Did you at least get an interview? Did you just apply last minute or something?

You need to sit down with a pre-med committee or maybe someone at your local MD school to figure out what’s up. Maybe you have a toxic letter of recommendation or interview like a serial killer or something. I’d consider getting all new letters.

I would not apply DO with a 520 mcat. But the fact that you had trouble with obtaining a DO acceptance says there’s something seriously wrong with your app.

I agree.