DO students- are you happy?

[gensurghopeful]

Hoping for EM. Hoping DO can take me there.

3.82 GPA 507 MCAT

I’m ready to work.

EM is pretty DO friendly so should come easy with solid effort on your part

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[gensurghopeful]

I reached my goal through DO. Going MD would have made it much easier to reach my goal. I am happy.

Surgical? What kind?
What did you feel was the reason you got into surgery through the osteopathic route?
In what ways do you think it would have been easier thru the MD route?

Thanks

 

[gensurghopeful]

Or an "upper tier DO". Not a thing.

Idk I feel like CCOM, MSUCOM, and PCOM would be the top 3 DO schools in terms of established, ties to big universities, and hospital systems

 

[Scrubs101]

Depends what day you catch me on.

Day after an exam without another exam for a while where im chilling with my friends? Yeah definitely happy.

5th weekend in a row where I have a monday exam? No not happy.

It has its ups and downs. My complaints with med school are very similar to those of all med students MD/DO, a very minimal portion of what makes me unhappy can be attributable to going to my school specifically.

I do sometimes wonder what life would be like if i had gone to a different (DO) school. But thats mostly because of location.

 

[femmegoblue]

One of the only actual medical students in this thread.

Hey man! I know some things too!

 

[rg2o3]

Lol at all you pre-meds. You guys have no clue about what's in store for you. Someday you'll come begging for advice from people like Ram and I who are placing ourselves in very good positions to match very successfully.

He’s right, ya know. I’ve already received solid advice from both of them. Lesson of the day, never burn bridges, even if it’s on a forum. Everyone has different experiences and one can learn from all of them.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Maybe your tone isn't translating well and it seems like you disregard anyone else's opinion because we are "premed" and so too ignorant to even speak

In a thread asking DO students if they are happy they are attending a DO school yes pre-meds are not qualified to give an opinion. It would be like someone asking "current NBA players what is it like playing for the Cavaliers?" and then Colin Sexton trying to give an answer.

Lighten up a little and maybe read some philosophy and you wont feel so absolute about such a weak fact as others opinions.

Facts are facts man. You'll learn that fact real quick once you start school.

Surgical? What kind?
What did you feel was the reason you got into surgery through the osteopathic route?
In what ways do you think it would have been easier thru the MD route?

Thanks

He's a neurosurgery resident who busted his a** every single day of medical school.

Hey man! I know some things too!

Sorry Femme, I didn't see you up there

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

@gensurghopeful PM me.

 

[Blanky]

I will concede that you have more first hand experience in medical school. I do have years of experience in hospitals so I am not totally in the dark. You made your point, we can move on with the thread peacefully.

 

[knowledge777]

I think tiers exist more in DO schools than MD schools, especially when I look at the clinical affiliations of some of the newer/rural schools. Whatever, for matching purposes doesn’t seem to matter too much even if residency structure will be somewhat unfamiliar for those grads.


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[DO2015CA]

He’s right, ya know. I’ve already received solid advice from both of them. Lesson of the day, never burn bridges, even if it’s on a forum. Everyone has different experiences and one can learn from all of them.

Woah woah woahhh @RamsFan&FutureDO and @AnatomyGrey12 I get to be the all knowing med student..... you right about tiers. It’s application statistics of successful applicants not quality of education

 

[rg2o3]

Woah woah woahhh @RamsFan&FutureDO and @AnatomyGrey12 I get to be the all knowing med student..... you right about tiers. It’s application statistics of successful applicants not quality of application

Hah! Sorry! Applies for you as well

 

[BlueFeesh]

Just wait until the reality of med school hits you and you realize that you really are at a disadvantage. I too was bright and starry eyed when I was set to begin my MS1 year, but I can tell you that unless you're one of those people who drinks in the DO koolaid you'll be singing a slightly different tune in about 10-11 months. Not all that glitters is gold incoming MS1's

Sounds like somebody needs a hug.

 

[Garurumon]

Good to know that EM is one of the DO friendly fields. Working as a scribe made me grow to love EM, especially pediatric EM. I'd love to do straight-up peds too.

 

[DO2015CA]

Good to know that EM is one of the DO friendly fields. Working as a scribe made me grow to love EM, especially pediatric EM. I'd love to do straight-up peds too.

You go through peds to get to EM-peds which is infinity easier

 

[gensurghopeful]

Good to know that EM is one of the DO friendly fields. Working as a scribe made me grow to love EM, especially pediatric EM. I'd love to do straight-up peds too.

Also doable - peds tends to not have too much competition and relatively average board scores
Now if you want to do peds in NYC or Detroit let's say, your scores will obviously have to be high as those are major attractions for residency

 

[BTC0821]

I DREADED in fear of the idea of me going to LECOM, but then I got accepted MD. In all honesty, anyone can get into a DO school if they put in marginal effort. A lot of people at my interview were so stupid. One girl didn't even study for the MCAT. I failed my interview and they accepted me lol. The schools bring in a level of mediocrity MD schools don't tolerate

Just applied to DO schools (LECOM included) which I would be proud to attend.

not even mad/10
troll harder

 

[Tall Tyrion Lannister]

Good to know that EM is one of the DO friendly fields. Working as a scribe made me grow to love EM, especially pediatric EM. I'd love to do straight-up peds too.

I worked at a childrens ED, just about everyone of the docs did EM residency then peds fellowship. Anyone trying to tell you go circumvent an EM residency to make it easier, is giving you bad advice

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[Garurumon]

I worked at a childrens ED, just about everyone of the docs did EM residency then peds fellowship. Anyone trying to tell you go circumvent an EM residency to make it easier, is giving you bad advice

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I had also worked at a childrens ED, before I transferred to the ED I work at now, but haven't had the chance to ask the physicians there about which path they took, and the pros and cons of either route to peds EM. What did you hear from the docs you worked with?

 

[Blanky]

I worked at a childrens ED, just about everyone of the docs did EM residency then peds fellowship. Anyone trying to tell you go circumvent an EM residency to make it easier, is giving you bad advice

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Small sample size and you label the alternative advice as bad?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I worked at a childrens ED, just about everyone of the docs did EM residency then peds fellowship. Anyone trying to tell you go circumvent an EM residency to make it easier, is giving you bad advice

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One anecdote. The peds ER I know is the other way around. Both routes are completely valid.

 

[Tall Tyrion Lannister]

I had also worked at a childrens ED, before I transferred to the ED I work at now, but haven't had the chance to ask the physicians there about which path they took, and the pros and cons of either route to peds EM. What did you hear from the docs you worked with?

Mostly they all did EM then peds EM. That route gave them higher privileges (could see level 1 and level 2). What i heard from them, from stictly an EM POV not having both will make you look less qaulified EM. There is a shortage of peds ER docs in a lot of areas so go the "easy" route will still get you a peds ER job but you will be less competitive. And if you want to work at great childrens hospitals like Cincinatti Childrens or Nationwide, you be better off going EM then ped EM

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[TheRealCookieMonster]

Ahem. Lab "Rat"

lol I was trying not to offend... but yes.

 

[EmilKraepelin55]

Former Licensed/Certified Medical Laboratory Scientist



HaHa! I bet you are, anything beats being a lab goon!

I’m always happy to see a fellow MLS pop up in the forums given the vitriol I continue to hear regarding the profession and our chances of getting into medical school. But I really concur with your statement! The lab was really not my thing. I’m enjoying my summer transition job as a medical assistant much more! Haha. Really looking forward to the med school though.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

And if you want to work at great childrens hospitals like Cincinatti Childrens or Nationwide, you be better off going EM then ped EM

This isn’t true.

 

[Blanky]

Mostly they all did EM then peds EM. That route gave them higher privileges (could see level 1 and level 2). What i heard from them, from stictly an EM POV not having both will make you look less qaulified EM. There is a shortage of peds ER docs in a lot of areas so go the "easy" route will still get you a peds ER job but you will be less competitive. And if you want to work at great childrens hospitals like Cincinatti Childrens or Nationwide, you be better off going EM then ped EM

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Both routes are perfectly viable. You heard their opinions that their residency path was better and the latter was "easier."

 

[Tall Tyrion Lannister]

Both routes are perfectly viable. You heard their opinions that their residency path was better and the latter was "easier."

Anyone telling someone to take the easy way out is probably not a person to follow. Thats what im getting. At the end of the day wouldnt you want to be most prepared? Not just get there

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[Tall Tyrion Lannister]

This isn’t true.

If you just say this isnt true but dont provide any reasoning. What reasoning does anyone have to believe you.

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[AnatomyGrey12]

Anyone telling someone to take the easy way out is probably not a person to follow. Thats what im getting. At the end of the day wouldnt you want to be most prepared? Not just get there

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Just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s easy.

If you just say this isnt true but dont provide any reasoning. What reasoning does anyone have to believe you.

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Because I am from a place that has a major pediatric center like that, and their peds EM docs are all peds —> EM. Why should anyone believe you? You provide a single anecdote, and then make broad statements that are clearly wrong and can be shown to be wrong simply through a google search. You can literally google the credentials of the docs that work at these places

Meet the Team | Emergency Services First doc I clicked on was peds trained —> EM fellowship.

TLDR. You have no idea what you’re talking about.

 

[Scrubs101]

Literally the first doc i clicked on at CHOP ER

Mercedes M. Blackstone, MD | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Edit: And heres their division chief

Cynthia J. Mollen, MD, MSCE | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

 

[DO2015CA]

Alas you have no idea what you are talking about @Tall Tyrion Lannister. A peds fellowship is 3 years long in itself. I wouldn’t want to do it but to say they are less prepared than EM is funny. Go do your own research instead of listening to people. Most people think their route is best that’s why they took it.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

at those first couple pages of this thread.

I reached my goal through DO. Going MD would have made it much easier to reach my goal. I am happy.

+1

+2. I am doing what I want at place(s) I am very happy to be. Certain programs were closed to me as a DO but I found plenty who were more than happy to take me for the person I am and physician I'll be.

 

[Garurumon]

I'm a TX resident interested in staying to study and practice. I looked up physicians at Texas Children's and found that most of them did pediatrics residency --> peds emergency medicine fellowship, and most got trained at BCM. I heard Baylor's got a strong peds residency program, and they seem receptive to osteopathic graduates.

 

[smukke]

The good old EM-PEM vs Peds-PEM debate The best advice I got was to imagine not getting a fellowship and consider which field (EM vs Peds) I'd like working in better.

And if you want to work at great childrens hospitals like Cincinatti Childrens or Nationwide, you be better off going EM then ped EM

I don't know why you think that when the huge majority of PEM docs at Cinci and Nationwide are Peds-PEM. And this is from a few years ago, but the majority of fellowship directors were Peds-PEM. There are some that feel like EM-PEM is actually looked down on.

 

[bostonstrong95]

this went from being so helpful to so off topic very fast...

thanks to everyone that posted relevant, helpful answers!

 

[Blanky]

Did we answer the question, “how many DO schools to apply to?”
This is dependent on how strong your stats are.

 

[Tall Tyrion Lannister]

Alas you have no idea what you are talking about @Tall Tyrion Lannister. A peds fellowship is 3 years long in itself. I wouldn’t want to do it but to say they are less prepared than EM is funny. Go do your own research instead of listening to people. Most people think their route is best that’s why they took it.

Thats cool. My opinion may be wrong. Im giving it from working and having personal relationships with many pediatric ER docs in a childrens hospital (which is better research than a google search). But its an opinion that still may be off and anyone is free to ignore it. People come on SDN to get different view points fron people of different backgrounds and make thier own opinions. What i have given is mine.
Opinion is opinion. And my opinion is that a person that advises someone to take the easy route with no other reasoning than that it is easy, comes off as lazy. If you think that the route of advice you're giving is better, go ahead and give actual justification. But if your only reason is that it easier than ill say its bad advice. If you want to be a great doc you pursue the path that will make you better not the one that is easy (and im not saying that it is easier, DO2015CA said it was "infinity easier" look back in the thread).
At least other people bashing on me here tried to do some google research or had justification to why ped to ped-em was a better option. You only said it was "infinity easier"
Also anyone who says alas like that comes off as super lame.


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[Tall Tyrion Lannister]

Just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s easy.



Because I am from a place that has a major pediatric center like that, and their peds EM docs are all peds —> EM. Why should anyone believe you? You provide a single anecdote, and then make broad statements that are clearly wrong and can be shown to be wrong simply through a google search. You can literally google the credentials of the docs that work at these places

Meet the Team | Emergency Services First doc I clicked on was peds trained —> EM fellowship.

TLDR. You have no idea what you’re talking about.

I never said it was or meant to make it seam like that. I was responding to DO2015CA saying "You go through peds to get to EM-peds which is infinity easier"

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[Tall Tyrion Lannister]

this went from being so helpful to so off topic very fast...

thanks to everyone that posted relevant, helpful answers!

You're right, im some of that cause. I apologize and will stop commenting after this so it can get back to useful info

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[Blanky]

Thats cool. My opinion may be wrong. Im giving it from working and having personal relationships with many pediatric ER docs in a childrens hospital (which is better research than a google search). But its an opinion that still may be off and anyone is free to ignore it. People come on SDN to get different view points fron people of different backgrounds and make thier own opinions. What i have given is mine.
Opinion is opinion. And my opinion is that a person that advises someone to take the easy route with no other reasoning than that it is easy, comes off as lazy. If you think that the route of advice you're giving is better, go ahead and give actual justification. But if your only reason is that it easier than ill say its bad advice. If you want to be a great doc you pursue the path that will make you better not the one that is easy (and im not saying that it is easier, DO2015CA said it was "infinity easier" look back in the thread).
At least other people bashing on me here tried to do some google research or had justification to why ped to ped-em was a better option. You only said it was "infinity easier"
Also anyone who says alas like that comes off as super lame.


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Dude just stop. He posted that peds residency and then Peds-EM is easier to match into, than matching EM and following into peds. You are saying that people who train residency as Peds-EM arent getting quality training....because thats your opinion. This is an ignorant opinion from someone who hasnt done either residency path. Please just give it a rest. You want someone to counter your opinion with another opinion? And then bash people who actually searched real information online. Your logic is so far removed its scary.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I never said it was or meant to make it seam like that. I was responding to DO2015CA saying "You go through peds to get to EM-peds which is infinity easier"

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Lol he was talking about ease of landing a residency, not saying that a peds residency is easier than EM.

Your opinion is still wrong, and that google search you say isn’t as good as the opinions you’ve been told is actually infinitely better because it shows you the credentials of the peds-EM docs at these large academic pediatric centers.

There are many many reasons that peds—> EM could be a better route than EM—> Peds.

 

[Scrubs101]

Also just want to add that someone doing a peds residency->pedER felowship are not doing it because it’s easier or less competitive. The people matching at CHOP and cinci definitely could have matched or done a EM residency if they so desired. I think it was mentioned earlier but when choosing a residency people consider the possibility of not matching into a fellowship OR the options available after residency. If you arent 100% sure on pedER, and may like peds, peds gi, or peds cards then obviously a peds residency should be your route of choice.

Same thing w for example GS->plastics vs integrated plastics trained, both routes create well trained plastics docs and both are hired by top institutions. Is integrated more competitive? Maybe. Does that mesn people in the 5+3 are looking for an easy way out? No. A 4th year match gs may think theyre looking to do transplant surg post residency and not love plastics till theyre in training. Or whatever other example you want to use.

Hardly anyone in medicine is doing something because its the “easy way”, its about what best fits your goals and desires at the time

 

[workaholic181]

Not to revitalize the debate concerning "tiers" at DO schools, but I wish I had known going into this app cycle how much discrepancy there is between clinical rotations at different DO programs. I was fortunate to get in to a DO with well established clinical sites, but interviewed at other schools that really lacked these. I'm not at all saying students at these schools are lower quality or can't match well. I would have been happy to end up at one of these programs. I'm simply putting this out there for those applying this cycle. Do your homework as DO programs can differ pretty significantly in this regard.

 

[Goro]

Getting back to the thread...are you all happy?

 

[Blanky]

At the very least this thread contains good and bad information so OP should be learning relevant info.

Not to revitalize the debate concerning "tiers" at DO schools, but I wish I had known going into this app cycle how much discrepancy there is between clinical rotations at different DO programs. I was fortunate to get in to a DO with well established clinical sites, but interviewed at other schools that really lacked these. I'm not at all saying students at these schools are lower quality or can't match well. I would have been happy to end up at one of these programs. I'm simply putting this out there for those applying this cycle. Do your homework as DO programs can differ pretty significantly in this regard.

I actually sent in a primary to LECOM-PA and now im unsure about sending in the secondary because with mandatory attendance and I believe I read about issues with clinical rotations I may save my money and apply elsewhere. My stats are strong for DO but Im not sure I should be overconfident.

 

[rg2o3]

At the very least this thread contains good and bad information so OP should be learning relevant info.



I actually sent in a primary to LECOM-PA and now im unsure about sending in the secondary because with mandatory attendance and I believe I read about issues with clinical rotations I may save my money and apply elsewhere. My stats are strong for DO but Im not sure I should be overconfident.

You can choose directed study or PBL and have significantly less required nonsense. I suggest directed study.

I also haven’t heard anything poor about LECOM-E rotations. Are you confusing Erie with Bradenton?

 

[Blanky]

Im a FL resident and not applying LECOM-B. I want to say I remember hearing some bad about the other campuses and just that they are better than Bradenton. I do not like the kdea of mandatory lectures and I dont prefer PBL. But I want to be a doctor, obviously. I think I may be competitive enough that AT Still, KCU, DMU, Nova, or PCOM will show me love. Being 3.82 and 507 I am borderline for MD and wish to put my funds towards MD apps and still invest some in the DO arena.

 

[rg2o3]

Im a FL resident and not applying LECOM-B. I want to say I remember hearing some bad about the other campuses and just that they are better than Bradenton. I do not like the kdea of mandatory lectures and I dont prefer PBL. But I want to be a doctor, obviously. I think I may be competitive enough that AT Still, KCU, DMU, Nova, or PCOM will show me love. Being 3.82 and 507 I am borderline for MD and wish to put my funds towards MD apps and still invest some in the DO arena.

Yeah, I’ve heard of Bradenton having issues. Not so much Erie.

So just choose the Directed Study Pathway. It’s self study. So, you’d only come to campus for classes like H&P, OMM etc

 

[Blanky]

Yeah, I’ve heard of Bradenton having issues. Not so much Erie.

So just choose the Directed Study Pathway. It’s self study. So, you’d only come to campus for classes like H&P, OMM etc

O wow, that sounds good so its not PBL you just study powerpoints or texts at home? Lecture videos? And then come in for the hands on.
So Erie has it together enough that I wont be setting up my own 3rd and 4th year?

 

[Blanky]

Wow! Im reading Lecoms DSP and it sounds amazing! You still head to campus 3-5 days a week but no lectures.
Does anyone know anyone on sdn thats a current student I could message?