DO/MD match

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rohitkedia07

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hey everyone,
I have a quick question
some students at my school are confused on the match proccess.

From what I understand

the DO match is before the allopathic match.
If you get a DO match, are you required to take it? or can you decline and gamble with the allopathic.

If then you miss the allopathic are you then put in the scramble for the DO?

I do not know if this is right or all wrong.
Granted, I would not care either way which way I match, I just want to make sure that I understand the procedure.

thanks in advance.
 
From what I understand the DO match is before the allopathic match.

You are correct. NRMP announces allopathic matches during the third week of March, whereas osteopathic matches will be announced on February 9.

If you get a DO match, are you required to take it? or can you decline and gamble with the allopathic.

The match is binding. If you try to dodge your match, the AOA will send people to your house to remove a body part of their choice.
 
the DO match is before the allopathic match.

Yes.

If you get a DO match, are you required to take it? or can you decline and gamble with the allopathic.

If you match DO, you will be removed from the allo match. Once you match, you match (unless you have violated the regulations in some way).

If then you miss the allopathic are you then put in the scramble for the DO?

If you miss the deadline to submit your allo ROL or do not match, then you scramble for an open postition - whether MD or DO, since this would be in March. Those who did not match DO either scramble for DO spots or if they also entered in the allo match, they wait for that one.

National Matching Service for Osteopathic Residencies: http://www.natmatch.com/aoairp/index.htm
National Resident Matching Program for Allopathic Residencies: http://www.nrmp.org/
 
Yes, if you match AOA, you are automatically pulled from the NRMP match (MD).
The scramble (for either) isn't like a formal last chance lottery that you are put into, the scramble is what you do calling every program to see if they have a position left and are willing to take you. So I suppose technically you could still scramble for a DO spot, I'm not sure how feasible this: on one hand, the AOA match is in February, and the NRMP match is 5 or 6 weeks later in March, are there actually spots left in your desired field?...And on the other hand, there are other threads on here with the numbers for how many AOA spots do go unfilled every year.
If I wanted to do primary care, then I probably wouldn't worry as much about finding a program to scramble into. If I wanted to do a competitive specialty such as derm, gambled and participated in the NRMP match only, didn't match, and had to scramble - by that point I'm sure all the DO derm positions would have already been filled.
 
Whoops. I guess we were all typing our replies at the same time 🙂
 
So if you decide on going to an MD residency do you kind of know that your going to match into one so you don't apply to DO residencies because that would defeat the purpose of trying to match into an MD residency if your going to be selected for a DO residency before that.

Is this correct or am I talking crazy talk? Someone please clarify.

Thanks
 
So if you decide on going to an MD residency do you kind of know that your going to match into one so you don't apply to DO residencies because that would defeat the purpose of trying to match into an MD residency if your going to be selected for a DO residency before that.

Exactly. Most people make their choice of which match to participate in depending on their specialty. If you want to go into a non-competitive field, and your stats are decent (look at the NRMP website for reports on applicant stats matching into specific fields) you'll probably match allo, so there's no point in applying osteo unless you're set on going to a particular location.

If you're planning on going into derm, matching allo will be nearly impossible so you might as well just apply to both.

A good strategy is to just apply to both, see where you get interviews, decide which programs you like, and then if you really like an allo program and think you have a good shot, just withdraw from the osteo match.
 
Exactly. Most people make their choice of which match to participate in depending on their specialty. If you want to go into a non-competitive field, and your stats are decent (look at the NRMP website for reports on applicant stats matching into specific fields) you'll probably match allo, so there's no point in applying osteo unless you're set on going to a particular location.

If you're planning on going into derm, matching allo will be nearly impossible so you might as well just apply to both.

A good strategy is to just apply to both, see where you get interviews, decide which programs you like, and then if you really like an allo program and think you have a good shot, just withdraw from the osteo match.
Agree with Fortaz. Don't limit yourself, but keep the expectations level, and realize that even for MD students, ortho, rads, ophtho, & derm are competitive.

Not having a USMLE score is an easy way for programs to narrow the applicant pool, and the scores are typically high for ROAD specialties. That, combined with the fact specialties like ortho essentially never match DOs, should keep your expectations grounded and guide you with which match to enter, or which one to back out of first.

If you've only got a 500 on COMLEX, and no USMLE score, you're not competitive, bottom line, fact of life, sorry to break it to you, and your dream of becoming a radiologist is rapidly vanishing. That's a fact for DO students as well as MD students: don't have a 230 step I? Good luck with derm. As mentioned above, go to the NRMP site and look at avg scores for the various specialties...you'll see a bell curve. The further one is to the left, the less likely one will match.
 
Here's a list... feel free to add....

A DO CAN SPECIALIZE IN......
Addiction Medicine
Anesthesiology
Asthma, Allergy & Immunology
Breast-Cancer Surgery
Cardiac Surgery
Cardiology
Colorectal Surgery
Critical Care
Dermatology
Emergency Medicine
Endocrinology
Family Medicine
Gastroenterology
General Surgery
Geriatrics
Gynecologic Oncology
Gynecology
Hand Surgery
Head and Neck Surgery
Headache
Hematology
Infectious Diseases
Infertility Medicine
Internal Medicine
Neonatology
Nephrology
Neurology
Neuro-ophthalmology
Neurosurgery
Nuclear Medicine
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Oncology- Medical
Oncology- Radiation
Ophthalmology
Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery
Orthopedic Surgery
Otolaryngology (ENT)
Otology
Pain Management
Pathology
Pediatrics
Pediatric Specialists
Perinatology
Physiatry
Physical Rehabilitation
Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery
Podiatry
Prostate Care
Psychiatry
Psychology
Pulmonary Medicine
Radiology
Rheumatology
Sleep Disorders
Sports Medicine
Thoracic Surgery
Transplant Surgery
Trauma Surgery
Urology
Vascular Surgery





-2007, AMA.org :laugh:


found that in another thread, you can do anything you set your mind to! 👍
 
Actually, I go to TCOM and we just had a student, class 0f 2008 match at JPS Ortho (allopathic) residency....and word is, he is kicking butt. SO it is possible, although an uphill battle. We also have had several students match to very good allopathic Radiology programs as well.
 
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In 2007, there were only 12 active DO applications for ACGME ortho, meaning only 12 DOs submitted a match list. And out of that 12, 2 of them matched. So is the situation for DOs so bad that they cannot even get interviews? Or do the majority of DOs wanting to do ortho match into AOA and the rest just give up? Are the ones sticking it out in the ACGME match, AOA rejects or are they DO all-stars? I wish the NMRP kept more data on DO applicants.
 
In 2007, there were only 12 active DO applications for ACGME ortho, meaning only 12 DOs submitted a match list. And out of that 12, 2 of them matched. So is the situation for DOs so bad that they cannot even get interviews? Or do the majority of DOs wanting to do ortho match into AOA and the rest just give up? Are the ones sticking it out in the ACGME match, AOA rejects or are they DO all-stars? I wish the NMRP kept more data on DO applicants.

You could probably figure out how the 1 in 6 odds for DO compare to the odds for MDs and IMGs. That would be telling.
 
You could probably figure out how the 1 in 6 odds for DO compare to the odds for MDs and IMGs. That would be telling.

Right. But the NMRP doesn't keep track of DO applicants scores, so you don't know who is applying. If only 2 DOs match, and only 2 of them had scores 235+, then it makes sense only 2 matched. However, if all 12 had 280s and graduated #1 in their class, and only 2 matched, it would be a different story.
 
It would be really nice if we could see stats for DO students and competitive specialties for the MD match. Just as cliquesh mentioned, who knows if all 12 DO's were studs and only 2 matched, or if 2 of them were competitive and 10 others just tried to wing it.

Unfortunately, it seems that once students get into rotations and residency, that their participation on these forums goes way down as well. I've been trying to find out about the DO ortho program in IL and what individuals thought about it and I've gotten 1 reply on someone who knew someone that went there.

It would even be nice to hear from some current DO ortho residents and their thoughts on doing MD or DO match, their stats, ect as it would be helpful since I am looking into ortho DO/MD as well!
 
the DO match is before the allopathic match.

Yes.

If you get a DO match, are you required to take it?

Yes.

or can you decline and gamble with the allopathic.

No.

If then you miss the allopathic are you then put in the scramble for the DO?

If you don't match, your scramble ability is only limited by where you're willing to go and who is willing to take you.
 
In 2007, there were only 12 active DO applications for ACGME ortho, meaning only 12 DOs submitted a match list.
Where did you get this info, and where can I get it for the other specialties?
 
You want to be a little more specific? God......
 
Hey, is it legal for allopathic residency programs to reject osteopathic students from doing an elective rotation at their institution? I was told today that since I dont go to a LCME accredited med school, im SOL!!
 
Hey, is it legal for allopathic residency programs to reject osteopathic students from doing an elective rotation at their institution? I was told today that since I dont go to a LCME accredited med school, im SOL!!

Yes it is. It's their program, their rules. The same way the AOA denies LCME schools residency spots.
 
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You want to be a little more specific? God......

Really? Are you kidding? How about under "Data and Reports" where it talks about match data. The 2008 match report is 100 pages long, um, do you want me to identify the relevant tables in there too?
 
In 2007, there were only 12 active DO applications for ACGME ortho, meaning only 12 DOs submitted a match list. And out of that 12, 2 of them matched. So is the situation for DOs so bad that they cannot even get interviews? Or do the majority of DOs wanting to do ortho match into AOA and the rest just give up? Are the ones sticking it out in the ACGME match, AOA rejects or are they DO all-stars? I wish the NMRP kept more data on DO applicants.

Ok so I went to look at the 100 page report and I'm with beastmaster on this one. Ya I can see the two DO's who matched into Ortho in the Osteopathic Table (pg 21) but how did you find out there were 12 active DO applicants?
 
Really? Are you kidding? How about under "Data and Reports" where it talks about match data. The 2008 match report is 100 pages long, um, do you want me to identify the relevant tables in there too?

Cliquesh referenced data that's not in the match report (as pointed out above). This is the type of attention to detail you'll need next year as a medical student to be successful.
 
the 2 in 12 getting into ACGME ortho is misleading...the MAJORITY of ortho apps don't bother and simply apply AOA.

Don't delude yourself to thinking you have a 1 in 6 chance of matching allo ortho. You have no idea what circumstances surrounded those 2 getting in, and have no idea how many programs they applied to: did they shot gun it and apply to all? Or just the 1 they had an 'in' with? Or if they scraped the bottom of the barrel and took a spot in a subpar program no-one else was willing to take.
 
Ok... The student that matched into allopathic ortho from my school did an away rotation and BUSTED HIS !#@!! That program had a Hx of rejecting us. But they loved him and now are open to DOs there (I hear). As for his stats, I heard (again im 2010, he was 2008) he was top of class and like a mid 240 on step I. So yes you have to have the stats as well as rotate there and bust !@#. Im not sure on how many allopthic programs he applied to but I heared that he was gun ho for that one program, and our Dean etc, pushed for him to go there. Hope that helps
 
I am in great anxiety now. For extraneous circumstances I had to quit my PGY 1/Int medicine program in a town 200 miles from my home after 6 months commuting with a small baby. I am trying to re apply to be able to get in as new Pgy 1 in my home town Orlando now January 26, 2009. I am on ERAS/ have LOR/ PS uploaded already.

Am I too late ? or just give it up for this year and start fresh next year ?
I passed comlex 1 ( 76%) comlex 2 ( 81%) and Comlex PE. Scheduled to take my Comlex 3 ( on march , 09).

The two residency program I am targetting are both MD programs. One is FAM PRACTICE another is Internal Medicine.

Any help about approaching them or action plan will be helpful. what are my choices ?????
 
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