DO to MD

[needsomeguidance]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hello,

I am looking for any recent cases in which a DO student successfully transferred to an MD school. I understand most responses will suggest that I should've aimed at getting accepted to an MD school to begin with. My situation falls in the category of most common reason med students transfer, but I'm not comfortable sharing the specifics here. If anyone is familiar with any recent transfers and wouldn't mind shooting me a PM, I'd appreciate it. Thank you.

 

[SilveoDante]

 

[Dr.Smexy]

Hello,

I am looking for any recent cases in which a DO student successfully transferred to an MD school. I understand most responses will suggest that I should've aimed at getting accepted to an MD school to begin with. My situation falls in the category of most common reason med students transfer, but I'm not comfortable sharing the specifics here. If anyone is familiar with any recent transfers and wouldn't mind shooting me a PM, I'd appreciate it. Thank you.

Sorry but it's not possible (assuming you mean US MD). Anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying to make you feel better or doing you a disservice by giving advice without actual knowledge. Life ain't fair...

 

[SilveoDante]

Every time I see one of these threads I just shake my head.

"Quit before you ever settle". Probably the best advice I ever received in life.

You knew what you were getting into...now you have to live with the consequences. There is no way to shine a positive light on a desire to transfer from DO to MD.

Why would you ever spend major bank and time on a degree you never wanted? Blows my mind. I had a friend who said he would rather clean toilets than go to a DO school, and that's exactly what he did during his reapplication year before gaining an MD acceptance. Call it vain or immature, but at least he didn't lie to himself.

 

[Mad Jack]

Hello,

I am looking for any recent cases in which a DO student successfully transferred to an MD school. I understand most responses will suggest that I should've aimed at getting accepted to an MD school to begin with. My situation falls in the category of most common reason med students transfer, but I'm not comfortable sharing the specifics here. If anyone is familiar with any recent transfers and wouldn't mind shooting me a PM, I'd appreciate it. Thank you.

Skipping out on DO school for an MD is a very, very rare thing these days. I haven't heard of a student doing it in literally years. Most schools stopped taking DO transfers, but if you'd like to look into it, buy the MSAR and look for schools that allow it. There's only a handful of them and most don't have spots available on a reliable basis (Drexel, for instance, went a few years with no spots available recently).

The only way a transfer would be allowed is if a spot is available at a school that happens to take DOs in a city where you happen to have a very good reason to be (not just "I want a MD instead of a DO degree," it has to be like, "My mother lives in the city where this school is and she's currently dying of cancer" or something along those lines- we're talking really, really ****ing good reasons). Then you have to petition your dean for a letter of transfer at your DO school before they'll even fully consider your app. Then you've got to hope you're the one they pick out of the 50 or so people from the Carib and other DOs vying for that same seat. Most also require that you've taken Step 1 with scores available by March or April, as you have to be ready to transfer in sometime in late May or early June.

 

[ACSurgeon]

Hello,

I am looking for any recent cases in which a DO student successfully transferred to an MD school. I understand most responses will suggest that I should've aimed at getting accepted to an MD school to begin with. My situation falls in the category of most common reason med students transfer, but I'm not comfortable sharing the specifics here. If anyone is familiar with any recent transfers and wouldn't mind shooting me a PM, I'd appreciate it. Thank you.

N=1

DO student took several years off between second and third year to do high level research including Howard Hues (sp?) then transferred to an MD program that had a pioneer researcher-physician in the field he was researching. I doubt he did the research years for the purpose of transferring; it just worked out that way.

He was going to apply ENT now that he was allopathic, but ultimately decided on psych and did that instead!

 

[sazerac]

If anyone is familiar with any recent transfers and wouldn't mind shooting me

'bout sums it up right there

 

[Ioannes Paulus]

N=1

DO student took several years off between second and third year to do high level research including Howard Hues (sp?) then transferred to an MD program that had a pioneer researcher-physician in the field he was researching. I doubt he did the research years for the purpose of transferring; it just worked out that way.

He was going to apply ENT now that he was allopathic, but ultimately decided on psych and did that instead!

I actually know of a very similar situation. Student started at a DO school but wanted a DO/PhD. He applied to transfer to both DO/PhD and MD/PhD programs. He took a year off to do a research fellowship at an MD school. He killed the boards. The school allowed him to stay for the PhD and get an MD in 4(?) years which is typical for MD/PhD students. He's doing his rotations now. I think he's gunning for neurosurgery.

 

[Stagg737]

As others have said, it's possible, but don't count on it.

I do know there was a student in my class that applied to a couple MD schools during fall of her M1 year at our DO school. She actually got accepted, dropped out of our school halfway through spring semester, and started at MD school that fall.

 

[HealingGrace]

As others have said, it's possible, but don't count on it.

I do know there was a student in my class that applied to a couple MD schools during fall of her M1 year at our DO school. She actually got accepted, dropped out of our school halfway through spring semester, and started at MD school that fall.

Do MD schools frown upon, or are less inclined to look at an applicant that is currently enrolled in DO school? Scenario: enrolled at DO school, applies for MD school, get's accepted in MD school the following year, drops out, starts MD school, and just simply call the semester or time spent at DO school a wash, rather than try to transfer? Has this been done or heard of being done?

 

[Stagg737]

Do MD schools frown upon, or are less inclined to look at an applicant that is currently enrolled in DO school? Scenario: enrolled at DO school, applies for MD school, get's accepted in MD school the following year, drops out, starts MD school, and just simply call the semester or time spent at DO school a wash, rather than try to transfer? Has this been done or heard of being done?

Your "scenario" is exactly what I just described in a previous post. So yes, I have heard of it being done...

As to whether or not MD schools frown about accepting students already attending DO schools, idk but it didn't seem to hurt my former classmate.

 

[ACSurgeon]

Your "scenario" is exactly what I just described in a previous post. So yes, I have heard of it being done...

As to whether or not MD schools frown about accepting students already attending DO schools, idk but it didn't seem to hurt my former classmate.

Very interesting. I wonder how much she disclosed early on. Not sure how you'd spin it

 

[Goro]

I had a student do this about 15 year years ago, to end up at LSU.

Given the differences in curriculum, it's not possible anymore.

You made your bed, now lie in it, if you want to be a doctor.

Hello,

I am looking for any recent cases in which a DO student successfully transferred to an MD school. I understand most responses will suggest that I should've aimed at getting accepted to an MD school to begin with. My situation falls in the category of most common reason med students transfer, but I'm not comfortable sharing the specifics here. If anyone is familiar with any recent transfers and wouldn't mind shooting me a PM, I'd appreciate it. Thank you.

 

[PL198]

I had a student do this about 15 year years ago, to end up at LSU.

Given the differences in curriculum, it's not possible anymore.

You made your bed, now lie in it, if you want to be a doctor.

difference in curriculum? You forget your OMM like 99 % of DOs do when they go to practice and it's literally the exact same

 

[HealingGrace]

Very interesting. I wonder how much she disclosed early on. Not sure how you'd spin it

Not a route I would personally take, but also just curious how she or anyone else maneuvered that.

 

[Goro]

PBL vs TBL vs vertical vs classic Flexner vs mixes of all of these, genius.

difference in curriculum? You forget your OMM like 99 % of DOs do when they go to practice and it's literally the exact same

 

[Mad Jack]

PBL vs TBL vs vertical vs classic Flex net vs mixes of all.of these, genius.

Most schools that do accept transfers only take incoming 3rd years that have passed their boards for this very reason- preclinical curriculums just vary so widely these days that first year at two schools can cover completely different material. Everyone, however, packs in the same stuff by the end of year 2, so that makes for the ideal time to transfer.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Your chances are literally higher to match neurosurgery then they are for transferring to an MD school from a DO one.

 

[Stagg737]

Very interesting. I wonder how much she disclosed early on. Not sure how you'd spin it

I'm not sure how much she disclosed, but I do believe the MD school she transferred to knew she was currently attending the DO school. From what I understand, she told the MD school that she really wanted to practice medicine in that state, go to residency there, spend the rest of her life there, etc. (she grew up and lived in that state and commuted to another state to attend med school) and was doing well at the DO school. Idk why the MD school took her or if they held her to different standards bc she was already attending school, but she did get accepted to an MD school while attending DO school, so it's certainly still possible to do.

 

[AnonymousD.O.]

I can't imagine answering that question on a residency interview phew.

"So why did you transfer out of your first Medical School"

" Well I wasn't comfortable with the particular D.O. degree I was getting, and I wanted to switch to an M.D. school"

"Ok. So how comfortable do you feel working with the numerous Osteopathic doctors at our hospital and the rest of your life"

"ehhhh?"

 

[PL198]

I can't imagine answering that question on a residency interview phew.

"So why did you transfer out of your first Medical School"

" Well I wasn't comfortable with the particular D.O. degree I was getting, and I wanted to switch to an M.D. school"

"Ok. So how comfortable do you feel working with the numerous Osteopathic doctors at our hospital and the rest of your life"

"ehhhh?"

you would just say you wanted to move home to be closer to family. where you wanted to spend rest of your life and that DO or MD had nothing to do with it. not very difficult

unrelated but just because you'd rather go to an MD vs a DO school doesn't mean you don't feel comfortable working with DOs...

 

[tatsuchi]

My situation falls in the category of most common reason med students transfer, but I'm not comfortable sharing the specifics here.

Degree envy? Ego?

Would love to actually hear a legitimate reason. Switching schools purely for location is not one, as that is so specific to the institutions involved so asking for general advice like this is useless.

 

[evilbooyaa]

PBL vs TBL vs vertical vs classic Flexner vs mixes of all of these, genius.

As others have stated, transfers generally happen between MS2 and MS3, where, outside of the 1.5 year preclinical schools, most schools overall have a very similar set-up for clinical rotations.

 

[Goro]

IF they happen at all. Despite the similarity of clinical education years, it's a logistical issue for the schools. Do they have the room for the new student????

As others have stated, transfers generally happen between MS2 and MS3, where, outside of the 1.5 year preclinical schools, most schools overall have a very similar set-up for clinical rotations.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Not saying it happens often, just that it's possible, primarily in that narrow window where there is generally a sharp line between pre-clinical and clinical rotations. There is generally room as (depending on size of med school class) someone has possibly been held back a year or dropped out from the incoming MS3 class.