DO orthopedic research importance

[Wabi-sabi]

I’m an incoming DO student and am very interested in orthopedics. Maybe I’m jumping the gun a bit, but I want to start building my app early so I’m not late to the game during 2nd/3rd year. My question is, for tradionally osteopathic ortho programs, how important is research and what is considered sufficient? I’m sure it probably depends on many factors, but what is a good baseline of what an applicant should have? I know for MD programs research is very important but matching at them is very difficult even with good research + scores.

I have some abstracts and posters from undergrad in MSK research and I like reaseach, I’m just not sure how much I’ll be able to do given I’ll be at a DO school that pushes FM.

Any help is much appreciated! @TheBoneDoctah @DNC127

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[TheBoneDoctah]

Congrats on getting accepted into medical school. Research for DO orthopedics traditionally has not been as important, but with the merger into ACGME, research has become much more important. Like I tell all MS1, you probably should focus on your courses in your first year to make sure you succeed in school. During the summer between M1/M2, you can start getting involved in some research. The more the better, but most of the students I came into contact with on the interview trail didn't have a TON of research. I would say @DNC127 had much more research than probably at least 90% of the students I spoke with. Most students will have a poster, some conferences, and then maybe a paper that they were listed on that they helped on. Rarely do you see students with first-author manuscripts. If you can shoot for a few posters, go to some conferences, and get on a paper, this should be plenty to compete with your peers when applying ortho. You will need to break away from your school "that pushes FM." This is your career...you need to take control. You will need to actively seek out research opportunities yourself. DO schools are notorious for not having research opportunities, but you gotta find some.

 

[Wabi-sabi]

Congrats on getting accepted into medical school. Research for DO orthopedics traditionally has not been as important, but with the merger into ACGME, research has become much more important. Like I tell all MS1, you probably should focus on your courses in your first year to make sure you succeed in school. During the summer between M1/M2, you can start getting involved in some research. The more the better, but most of the students I came into contact with on the interview trail didn't have a TON of research. I would say @DNC127 had much more research than probably at least 90% of the students I spoke with. Most students will have a poster, some conferences, and then maybe a paper that they were listed on that they helped on. Rarely do you see students with first-author manuscripts. If you can shoot for a few posters, go to some conferences, and get on a paper, this should be plenty to compete with your peers when applying ortho. You will need to break away from your school "that pushes FM." This is your career...you need to take control. You will need to actively seek out research opportunities yourself. DO schools are notorious for not having research opportunities, but you gotta find some.

Thanks for the reply and advice, I really appreciate it!

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Thanks for the reply and advice, I really appreciate it!

PM me if you have any further questions.


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[DNC127]

Research is important, but, you don’t need a ton in the DO world. My research certainly got me more interviews than I would have otherwise gotten, but unless you are in a school like mine where research is abundant it’s not realistic to have a ton of pubs.

research will not get you a spot as a DO. You still need to do well on auditions and in school, but it can get you noticed and remembered and perhaps make the difference in where you are ranked if you have quality work and know how to discuss that work with others.

pm me with any further questions

 

[Yellow345]

Congrats on getting accepted into medical school. Research for DO orthopedics traditionally has not been as important, but with the merger into ACGME, research has become much more important. Like I tell all MS1, you probably should focus on your courses in your first year to make sure you succeed in school. During the summer between M1/M2, you can start getting involved in some research. The more the better, but most of the students I came into contact with on the interview trail didn't have a TON of research. I would say @DNC127 had much more research than probably at least 90% of the students I spoke with. Most students will have a poster, some conferences, and then maybe a paper that they were listed on that they helped on. Rarely do you see students with first-author manuscripts. If you can shoot for a few posters, go to some conferences, and get on a paper, this should be plenty to compete with your peers when applying ortho. You will need to break away from your school "that pushes FM." This is your career...you need to take control. You will need to actively seek out research opportunities yourself. DO schools are notorious for not having research opportunities, but you gotta find some.

How important is It that the research be ortho specific? Also average pubs, abstracts, posters for ortho was 11.7 in 2018 do you think this is the median amount accepted applicants or skewed upwards by those with very high research count?

 

[DNC127]

How important is It that the research be ortho specific? Also average pubs, abstracts, posters for ortho was 11.7 in 2018 do you think this is the median amount accepted applicants or skewed upwards by those with very high research count?

very important to be ortho specific. Not that other stuff doesn’t count, but they will be more interested during interviews if it is ortho.

that’s pubs, abstracts, AND presentations. Not just pubs counted in that category.

I had like 75 in that category, so there are people who skew It up.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

I do think it is important to have ortho-related research, but ANYTHING is better than nothing. If you have an opportunity to jump on a non-ortho project, do it. You don't know when your next opportunity may be.

But you absolutely should try to have ortho related stuff before you apply.

Yes, the numbers are for sure skewed as research wizards pump out a ton of papers and presentations north of 20.