Extremely Unique Situation

[Docforthepeeps]

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Hey folks, First time poster here. Advice pls...
Background Info: International student from SE Asia
B.Sc in biotech w/minor in Biochem from a major state University in the east coast but took my prereqs mostly in county college except for Orgo. Got an F in an advanced science class but retook and got B+.
Ended up with a not so stellar GPA of 3.42 and sGPa 3.41 (heavy science load and upward trend. Got a 4.0 in last semester) MCAT: 31N (studied for it while working full time)

Currently working full time as a research tech at Hopkins
Publications: 8th author in a paper in an okay journal, 3 posters(none lead author), and 4th or 5th author in 2 papers currently under review.

ECs: Tsunami relief effort in Aceh, Shadowed MD and DO, hospital volunteering 60 hrs+, soccer at county college, lots of research in undergrad (no publications), Dean's list 3 semesters
LORs: Strong LOR from my boss who is the co-director of his dept. at Hopkins, LOR from advisor who is chair of Microbio and Biochem dept. at undergrad university, and strong LOR from research mentor in undergrad

The Conundrum: I applied to Duke NUS in November 2010 coz I thought I had no chance of getting in as international student here but then I started receiving recruitment e-mails late in the application from DO schools.. Applied to: LECOM, TouroCOM in NY, UNECOM, and PCOM in January (very late I know...) So got interviewed at LECOM and Touro along w/ Duke NUS.

Accepted to LECOM and wait-listed at Duke NUS (lower end) and Touro (high list)

So should I take the chance to attend the DO school or wait it out and apply to MD for 2012. Working on a project where I might be able to publish as a 1st author possibly by next year

Pros of attending:
1. Cost is cheap (taking loans with a cosigner just in case u r wondering) No rich dad unfortunately
2. Already got in

Cons:
1. I don't really like the location... have always lived in gigantic cities.
2. Schools' Reputation?
3. Not sure whether being an international student and also DO instead of MD will be like 2 strikes against me if I want to do MD residencies in the future though not planning to do crazy competitive stuff like derma or plastic surgery
4. Not really sold on the whole DO is equivalent to MD stuff. Interested in ID and want to be involved in medical missions in the future so I hope a DO won't hinder me from doin that

Sorry for the length of my 1st post nonetheless... Any input will be appreciated...

 

[LuciusVorenus]

Take the DO spot. Your chances at MD schools as an international student are low, it's not worth the retry. Besides, who cares if you do a DO or MD residency?

 

[PressPforPi]

Hey folks, First time poster here. Advice pls...
Background Info: International student from SE Asia
B.Sc in biotech w/minor in Biochem from a major state University in the east coast but took my prereqs mostly in county college except for Orgo. Got an F in an advanced science class but retook and got B+.
Ended up with a not so stellar GPA of 3.42 and sGPa 3.41 (heavy science load and upward trend. Got a 4.0 in last semester) MCAT: 31N (studied for it while working full time and watching the world cup)

Currently working full time as a research tech at Hopkins
Publications: 8th author in a paper in an okay journal, 3 posters(none lead author), and 4th or 5th author in 2 papers currently under review.

ECs: Tsunami relief effort in Aceh, Shadowed MD and DO, hospital volunteering 60 hrs+, soccer at county college, lots of research in undergrad (no publications), Dean's list 3 semesters
LORs: Strong LOR from my boss who is the co-director of his dept. at Hopkins, LOR from advisor who is chair of Microbio and Biochem dept. at undergrad university, and strong LOR from research mentor in undergrad

The Conundrum: I applied to Duke NUS in November 2010 coz I thought I had no chance of getting in as international student here but then I started receiving recruitment e-mails late in the application from DO schools.. Applied to: LECOM, TouroCOM in NY, UNECOM, and PCOM in January (very late I know...) So got interviewed at LECOM and Touro along w/ Duke NUS.

Accepted to LECOM and wait-listed at Duke NUS (lower end) and Touro (high list)

So should I take the chance to attend the DO school or wait it out and apply to MD for 2012. Working on a project where I might be able to publish as a 1st author possibly by next year

Pros of attending:
1. Cost is cheap (taking loans with a cosigner just in case u r wondering) No rich dad unfortunately
2. Already got in

Cons:
1. I don't really like the location... have always lived in gigantic cities.
2. Schools' Reputation?
3. Not sure whether being an international student and also DO instead of MD will be like 2 strikes against me if I want to do MD residencies in the future though not planning to do crazy competitive stuff like derma or plastic surgery
4. Not really sold on the whole DO is equivalent to MD stuff. Interested in ID and want to be involved in medical missions in the future so I hope a DO won't hinder me from doin that

Sorry for the length of my 1st post nonetheless... Any input will be appreciated...

I wouldn't mention that part.

 

[UbuntuGM]

If I were in your shoes, I would take the DO acceptance. However, you seem to feel like you'd be settling if you went the DO route. If that's the case, then I would wait and apply for the next cycle for MD.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Honestly, if you feel like you're "settling" by going the DO route... get over it? I'm at a pretty highly regarded MD school doing my clinical rotations, and there are numerous DO attendings who are absolutely amazing here; I don't notice any difference between the two degrees at all in practice.

Also, don't post the same thread in multiple forums. I've merged your threads.

 

[Docforthepeeps]

Sorry for the multiple post. I am well aware that a DO is as good as an MD in most cases although some residency programs argue otherwise. In fact, another option I am considering is to apply to more reputable DO schools like PCOM for 2012 but of course much earlier this time.

But do you think that DO and MD residencies are on par w/ each other as well?

I'm just a little worried given my interest in ID and research and the fact that I am a non-citizen, if the DO route will in any way hamper my chances of obtaining a competitive residency position and thus my chances to practice in the US.

I do not want have an exorbitant amount of loan and have a degree that will only allow me to practice as a fully licensed physician in relatively limited places.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I think it is fair to say that there may be a small difference in how residencies view MDs vs. DOs. It's certainly MUCH better today for DOs than it was 10 or 15 years ago, but if someone wanted to make the argument that there's still a slight difference based on the relative difficulty of getting into an MD vs. DO school, I wouldn't really outright call them "wrong."

However, is it a big enough difference that I would turn down a sure-shot acceptance to a program--to be a doctor--for the CHANCE to re-apply and hope you get in again at a somewhat better program? I don't think so. I'd take the sure thing, and figure out the next step when you get there. No matter where you go for school, if you do well enough in class and on Step 1, you can make yourself as competitive as you feel you need to be to get into the residency program that you want.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

Sorry for the multiple post. I am well aware that a DO is as good as an MD in most cases although some residency programs argue otherwise. In fact, another option I am considering is to apply to more reputable DO schools like PCOM for 2012 but of course much earlier this time.

But do you think that DO and MD residencies are on par w/ each other as well?

I'm just a little worried given my interest in ID and research and the fact that I am a non-citizen, if the DO route will in any way hamper my chances of obtaining a competitive residency position and thus my chances to practice in the US.

I do not want have an exorbitant amount of loan and have a degree that will only allow me to practice as a fully licensed physician in relatively limited places.

Two things:

1) Being a non-citizen is all the more reason to take this acceptance. MD schools are notoriously strict on how many internationals (non-permanent residents) they accept. Most state schools don't accept ANY.

2) DO practice rights are not as limited as you seem to think:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Osteopathic_Medicine#International_variations gives a list of their practice rights by country.

 

[Docforthepeeps]

Anyone else care to chime in? Still have a couple of weeks to decide