Does legacy matter?

[YA7ES]

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Does being a relative of a DO have any impact on the application process? Being the son of a DO, I'm hoping that it gives some sort of an advantage. I'll be sending in my application in early August to about 6 schools.

 

[udsoccer7]

I think it does. I feel like you have a more realistic understanding of the time constraints, commitment, and sacrifices your family members make. Unlike other pre-meds you get first hand exposure of the day to do lifestyle, especially the dynamic between family life and work. Make sure you apply to the school your relative went to. It should help.

 

[MasterShakeDO]

I think it does. I feel like you have a more realistic understanding of the time constraints, commitment, and sacrifices your family members make. Unlike other pre-meds you get first hand exposure of the day to do lifestyle, especially the dynamic between family life and work. Make sure you apply to the school your relative went to. It should help.

While admirable qualities indeed, this is in no way unique to osteopathic medicine.

There are quite a few "legacies" in my class. They all likely would have gained admission had they not been so I can't be sure of how much it helps.
However, when you interview for DO schools, it is paramount that you demonstrate at least a basic understanding of osteopathic medicine. If you are a legacy, the schools will assume (hopefully correctly) that you have this basic understanding of the philosophy of osteopathic medicine and a strong commitment to the profession.

 

[0Complications]

Does being a relative of a DO have any impact on the application process? Being the son of a DO, I'm hoping that it gives some sort of an advantage. I'll be sending in my application in early August to about 6 schools.

Simple answer, yes.

If I were interviewing you I would know that you had a pretty solid understanding of what you were preparing to get into, so my questions would shift to asses whether I felt you were going into medicine because you were pressured by your father/mother.

I don't do interviews, nor am I in med school yet, but I have conducted hundreds of professional interviews in my day and this how it works, just a different topic/field. 😉

 

[Anita817]

A friend of mine is the son of a DO and went through the app process last cycle. As the daughter of a DO myself, he gave me the following info on this topic: most of the DO schools he interviewed at immediately took him in as "one of their own." The interviews were all incredibly warm, and he was treated like family from the moment he arrived. Some schools even made remarks about the fact that he already "knows the ropes" etc. This welcome reception did not, however, guarantee his acceptance at each of those schools. (a poor freshman year GPA outweighed his 30 MCAT and VERY STRONG upward trend, including a 3.8 science GPA). Additionally, the school he was a true legacy at (the one his father attended), was not welcoming. Their first question was why his father had never been back there, and why he hadn't donated. I believe he was still accepted at said school, but the interview left a bad taste in his mouth. I think the bottom line is, legacy status can be both a blessing and a curse--but mostly a blessing.

 

[YA7ES]

Additionally, the school he was a true legacy at (the one his father attended), was not welcoming. Their first question was why his father had never been back there, and why he hadn't donated. I believe he was still accepted at said school, but the interview left a bad taste in his mouth. I think the bottom line is, legacy status can be both a blessing and a curse--but mostly a blessing.

Wow, a 30 MCAT and they weren't welcoming? that's interesting..
The whole donation thing could be a nail in the coffin I suppose. Thankfully my dad has kept his dues up to retain his "alumni" status. So I don't have to worry about answering that question haha.

 

[life is good]

my sister's husband's cousin's father is a DO. does that count?


hahah j/k. i don't know how much weight (if any) having a relative holds. i agree with the previous posts that u have the added bonus of knowing what osteopathic medicine is like, especially family life and responsibility.

i do not think that this will make you or break you. maybe if they were between another applicant and you, they would pick you, because your father/mother is a DO??

"Their first question was why his father had never been back there, and why he hadn't donated. I believe he was still accepted at said school, but the interview left a bad taste in his mouth."

---> that just seems wrong!!

 

[Flushot]

Don't most secondaries ask you if you have a relative that is an alumnus? I recall several of my secondaries asking specifically that. It seems pretty important to admissions if they make an entire section for that.

 

[Anita817]

Don't most secondaries ask you if you have a relative that is an alumnus? I recall several of my secondaries asking specifically that. It seems pretty important to admissions if they make an entire section for that.

It's actually asks on the primary. In the background/family history section they ask whether any relatives are physicians. When I answered yes, father DO, it then asked me to specify what school he went to. It did the same when I answered yes, cousin MD.

 

[Flushot]

It's actually asks on the primary. In the background/family history section they ask whether any relatives are physicians. When I answered yes, father DO, it then asked me to specify what school he went to. It did the same when I answered yes, cousin MD.

Oh, I know about that; I mean on the secondaries, they usually ask the additional question of relatives that are alumni from that specific school.

 

[Anita817]

Oh, I know about that; I mean on the secondaries, they usually ask the additional question of relatives that are alumni from that specific school.

Interesting, good news for me I guess! haha

 

[diamondclub]

what if my brother is currently attending the school in which i am applying? think it gives me any benefit? i can't put it on the application though because it only asks for current DO's, not ones in school. any thoughts on how to include it..

 

[Anita817]

Definitely sounds like worthy secondary material-- but you could also just ask your brother to drop your name around admissions, talk you up a bit. And if your name is distinct enough... they might just figure it out on their own.

 

[Mohammed1989]

My dad has a MD degree will that help . I might get attacked in this thread now, the thing is he has the degree from a carribean school but never got to do his exam and residency because of us kids.

Will I be able to use this in anyway?

 

[0Complications]

My dad has a MD degree will that help . I might get attacked in this thread now, the thing is he has the degree from a carribean school but never got to do his exam and residency because of us kids.

Will I be able to use this in anyway?

That probably won't help you... I actually would abstain from mentioning that. The last thing you want a med school to associate with you is getting an MD, then you not going into medicine.

 

[MossPoh]

A friend of mine is the son of a DO and went through the app process last cycle. As the daughter of a DO myself, he gave me the following info on this topic: most of the DO schools he interviewed at immediately took him in as "one of their own." The interviews were all incredibly warm, and he was treated like family from the moment he arrived. Some schools even made remarks about the fact that he already "knows the ropes" etc. This welcome reception did not, however, guarantee his acceptance at each of those schools. (a poor freshman year GPA outweighed his 30 MCAT and VERY STRONG upward trend, including a 3.8 science GPA). Additionally, the school he was a true legacy at (the one his father attended), was not welcoming. Their first question was why his father had never been back there, and why he hadn't donated. I believe he was still accepted at said school, but the interview left a bad taste in his mouth. I think the bottom line is, legacy status can be both a blessing and a curse--but mostly a blessing.

Something is backwards with that school. I have never heard of a school actually mention why someone doesn't donate money. I'm pretty sure that is treading a fine line legally. As it is, my dad is a legacy at an MD school, donates tons of money and I didn't even get an interview. Legacy isn't that important. It might help get in the front door, but so does a letter from a well respected graduate.

The sibling thing really doesn't mean anything to them. I talked to numerous admissions people about this. Name dropping doesn't matter if your brother or sister isn't known anyway. They just want the most solid students. If you have equal stats as someone that doesn't have a sibling there, you are from the same region, have about the same interview, etc. THEN it might matter a little more.


My dad is an MD....didn't hurt at all during the interview process, so I hope that was just sarcasm. Kind of difficult to tell through this. Heck, at 5 of my DO interviews there were MDs there.

 

[IamAriDO]

I am the son of a DO and I would say that this past cycle was very hit or miss.

Most schools only cared about it in the sense that I did not suddenly learn about the Osteopathic physicians as a backup to the MD's....that I had a long history with the DO profession.

My father's legacy school (hi anita!!) gave me a horrible interview about how my father has no connection to the school and why I think that is and why he has not visited ...they were very mean, rude and it ruined my impression of their institution and I withdrew my application shortly after interviewing.

The school I am attending this fall, Nova, was very interested in it. The first thing said to me in the interview was "your father is a DO/PhD...sit down ...your already in the family as far as we are concerned." It was a great feeling but they still concentrated on who I was, why I wanted to be there and related items.

But I would say that having a relative makes it very easy to say how you know of and are interested in the DO degree and profession. These schools dont like to be thought of as MD backups and are very interested when someone, like myself, was gunning for the DO the entire time. The truth is that I love the viewpoint, know that opportunities are not restricted....my father is an ACGME trained interventional cardiologist (Sub specialist!!) so I had the DO schools in mind the entire time.

Hope that gives some perspective.
IamAriDO

 

[Anita817]

My dad is an MD....didn't hurt at all during the interview process, so I hope that was just sarcasm. Kind of difficult to tell through this. Heck, at 5 of my DO interviews there were MDs there.

I think 0complications was was trying to say that the circumstances surrounding the poster with a MD father were what ought not be mentioned (the fact that he never took his exam or did a residency), not the fact the he's and MD instead of a DO.

 

[0Complications]

I think 0complications was was trying to say that the circumstances surrounding the poster with a MD father were what ought not be mentioned (the fact that he never took his exam or did a residency), not the fact the he's and MD instead of a DO.

👍

 

[Mohammed1989]

Fair enough. thanks guys 🙂

 

[udsoccer7]

I do think there is a difference between being a legacy at an MD school vs. DO school. MD schools regardless of legacy, are more numbers driven. If you don't have the grades, they are not as willing to readily accommodate. Most DO schools however, are very family oriented, and like to keep it in the family if you will. There are DO schools though that are not as welcoming. I think it is site specific. I know PCOM is very interested in legacies if that is a school that anyone is interested in attending and has a family member who was a student there.

 

[Semicolon]

My brother graduated from NYCOM several years back. I was interviewed on the second day of interviews and got accepted a month later even though I thought I had a pretty bad interview...

Could be legacy. I'd rather think it was me. 😀