DO looking for an MD residency..what are my chances?

[CuriousDoc]

Hey Everyone,

I just got my USMLE scores back and I got a 240/97.

Do you think this is good enough to get into a competive residency for IM, surgery, optho? Still very undecided as you can see.

I was considering UCSF, UPenn, JHU, or NYU. Are these schools DO friendly? Would my score be good enough to get me to the first step...the interview

Your opinion would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

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[Lisa_OSU]

From what I've heard, the most important thing you can do is go do a rotation at the program you're interested in. You have to show your face. I think this is especially true for DO students interested in very competitive MD residencies. Low board scores will keep you out, but high board scores won't necessarily get you in unless you've demonstrated sincere interest by actually spending a month someplace you're thinking of applying.

 

[Dr. MAXY]

Lisa_OSU,
Hey a couple of OSU-COM class of 2006 SDners are meeting at Tulsa on the 3rd of August. We would be glad if some of you Upperclassmen would come to answer some questions and also for us to know you guys. Here is the link
Thanks.

http://www.studentdoctor.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=368841#post368841

 

[njdevil]

FOR IM, you are golden...the best in the country have DOs. A guy a year ahead of mine matched to JHU for IM and another matched to Radiology at Cleveland Clinic.

Allopathic surgery is a strange bird in that regard, most would rather not fill than take DOs for some reason...so you should look towards DO surgical residencies.

 

[njdevil]

Yes

 

[kenfused]

You should definitely look in the Medicine programs. Last year many programs were tight on applicants anyways, and there are TONS of spots!
You should have no problem there. I can't comment on surgery though...

Probably best to do a rotation at your favorite programs. (Good way to get a strong letter too!)

 

[Cranialpressure]

njdevil:

I don't want to start a fight here but I find it extremely hard to believe that a significant number of allopathic surgery residencies would rather not fill than take a DO. This does not make sense on many levels, the most compelling one being cheap labor for the attendings. I refuse to believe this regardless of the anectodal evidence that can be given on its behalf. I do understand that allopathic residencies show bias against DOs but come on?????

 

[Dr JPH]

Wouldn't these programs be losing a good chunk of government money NOT to fill?

 

[njdevil]

There is no fight to be had here people. We are all in the same boat trying to share information.

But it is true, in doing clinical rotations there are several things to be learned. There are some specialties that are still do not see MD and DO's on the same playing field. Surgical specialties in particular. Now, there are programs that take DOs, but only 75% of surgery spots filled in the allopathic match this year. Now we can get into a chat about categorical v. prelim and all that stuff. Nonetheless, my point does exist in the surgical realm. By the way I am a DO student myself, I don't like the situation...but this is a forum to help people understand what is going on.

I am not interested in surgery and perhaps someone training in the field can shed more light on this.

 

[dr.evil]

Well, I'm training in surgery right now and I have to agree that "the majority" of surgical residencies would rather go unfilled (or possibly accept an IMG) rather than a D.O. I think it sucks and is not right but that's the way it is. From what I've heard, if a program takes a D.O. student, they think they are admitting that they are a low tier program (somewhat similar to taking IMG's). Again, not necessarily true, but that's the perception.

I've said this on another thread and it is simply anecdotal (as most things are on forums), but I had a D.O. friend match into a prelim surgery spot, repeated his internship year twice (that's 3 years total), and they finally gave him a categorical spot. That's a long road but he got what he wanted and was willing to sacrifice the extra 2 years.

Surgery rocks (that's coming from a PGY-1) and you should go for it if you want it.

 

[DocWagner]

I am sorry but I simply can't agree. It does FAR more damage to a program to be listed as unfilled rather than have DO residents in the program. This is obvious. A program that does not fill, year after year, is in jeopardy of losing both funding and positions. Rarely do you find programs that purposely stay unfilled for exactly THAT reason. Surgery is an applicants market, and likely will be for the next 5 years or so.

The remaining bias against DO's in the medical community, is primarily based upon the DO exclusive residency program and NOT against DO's in general. Repeating the internship year is common practice for DO's primarily because of the "5 state" rule requiring a DO internship to practice in MI, OK, WV, Fla, PA. I chose not to follow such a path, but many do the extra year for that same reason.