DPT or DO, dilemma

[HonorG2]

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I am guessing this thread has come up before, but I wanted to post my situation/thoughts and get some feedback.

I have always had an interest in PT, worked in 3 different therapy settings, and applied to 6 schools this past fall. My current job is within the rehab dept. at a big hospital in a fairly large city. I have become more familiar with PM&R physicians and working with doctors in general. Also, I understand more of the downfalls of becoming a PT (lower salary, boredom, meeting insurance time requirements, etc.).

My DO interest has spiked. However, I have not taken the MCAT, just the GRE. I am a Biology major and have taken all the pre-med coursework, except Biochem, although I took a Biogeochemistry class and O-Chem II. My overall GPA is 3.59 and my science GPA is 3.62. I graduated in 2008.

Basically, is it worth it to back out on getting a DPT and spend the next 3+ months studying for the MCAT? Or, will that be rolling the dice too much? Any direction/advice/thoughts would be great.

 

[dozitgetchahi]

Your total and science gpas are both quite good and I think you'd appreciate OMM a bit more given your background with PT. If you can muster a MCAT score >27 or so (and I think you could), it's definitely worth a shot.

I'd far rather be a DO (i.e. physician) than a DPT...and I harbor no ill will towards PT practitioners. If you really are attracted to manual medicine, I think you'd enjoy being something like an OMM-only DO much more than being a DPT in the long run.

 

[NSU14]

I work at an outpatient PT clinic as a receptionist and in the Rehab Dept at a big trauma center in St. Paul. I would never be able to handle inpatient PT in a big hospital. All you do it get ppl to take a few steps and it can take weeks, rewarding but boring. Outpatient PT can be a lot more diverse and a little more fun. You see many types of injuries and use many different types of therapy. The therapists that i work for actually use osteopathic techniques!

The DO I shadowed at works at the Mayo Clinic in PM&R and he was a PT for 7 years before going to DO school. He said he would get frustrated having limited options to help his PT patients. Now that he is a DO he can refer to therapist, use his OMM, give steroid injections (discovered at mayo so they love doing them) or a number of other treatment options.

PT has potential to help people but for the most part it is in the patients hands to do stretching/exercises on their own. It can be very frustrating if ppl don't do their work. Also a lot of patients don't respond to PT so they have to go back to the Doc.

Most PT schools cost almost as much as some DO schools but make only about 1/3 the DO salary. PTs only make around 60,000 and with similar loans to pay off that is not much money. The problem is PT's make the same as when it was an undergrad degree as they do now when it requires 3 years of grad school.

If I were you I would at least take the MCAT and see how you do. With plenty of time to study you should do fine.

PT is a great profession and I have seen it help many people but I have had a lot of exposure to PT and still want to be a DO.

Good luck!

 

[positive1]

Agree with the above and also:
to advise you to think very carefully about WHY you wish to become a physician. Read the DO's by Gevitz to gain a better understanding of osteopathic medicine (2004 ed is the newest), and Med School Confidential by Robert H Miller to gain insight into the medical school process. Obviously, medical school a challenging road, but don't let other pre-meds sway your judgement. Listen to the advise of medical students, residents, and attendings and give the aformentioned books a read. There is no harm, no foul in taking the MCAT. Just make sure that you are good and ready to do so and please take at least one practice full length AAMC practive test to make sure your score is in your desired range b4 taking the real thing.

I also wanted to become a DPT, however, I had similar concerns and have made the journey and have been accepted to med school. School starts in August, so I don't have any first hand experience, but believe me: I did a LOT of research, reading, shadowing, and soul searching before deciding to apply.

Best of luck to you and remember to follow your passions, above all.

 

[NSU14]

Yes take the practice tests on the web site, they are worth paying for. And i'm a little biased cuz i'm going to be a DO. I did something similar, i was about to go to chiro school and then did a TON of research and interview people in both professions before I made my decision. Talk to a lot of ppl!