Medical First time DO application, third time MD, school list help?

[tantacles]

Hello! Thanks to all for sharing your stories and advice. You are all very impressive and equally inspiring! I am a third time MD (2015 / 2019 / now) and first time DO applicant. Last cycle I got 1 interview at UCD. I would like some help with my school list. I am ready to submit to DO but not quite MD. My big new assets from last cycle are that I am now a licensed EMT and have shadowed a DO who has written me a strong LOR. She’s a Tauro alumni and thinks I am a good fit there. Thanks for reading, I will continue to pay it forward!

Here are the specifics:

1. cgpa 3.1 | postbacc gpa 3.9 | MCAT: 2016 - 496 (123,124,123,126) & 2019 - 502 (124,125,125,128)
2. State of residence - California
3. Ethnicity and/or race - Latina / Mexican
4. Undergraduate institution - Community college to University of California to self post bacc at community college (Anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and prerec retakes) and Berkeley extension for biochem/ochem
5. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer) - AmeriCorps 1700 hours 2015 ; Non-profit work 2017 / 2018, 1600 hrs ; Now EMT training, 172 hrs
6. Research experience and productivity - A year in undergrad, 2 papers in school department capstone and 1 semester 2019, no pub
7. Shadowing experience and specialties represented - AmeriCorps shadowing 2015 both MD and DO during AmeriCorps / DO virtual shadowing 20 hours ongoing, 8 hours psychiatrist ongoing
8. Non-clinical volunteering - Science tutor/mentor 2019, task force for homeless, 200 hrs
9. Other extracurricular activities - mostly work / school part-time / non-league sports for fun
10. Relevant honors or awards - Americorps service grant, speaker at health fair 2015
11. 2019 school list -
    

    School Name –

    University of Arizona - Tucson

    University of Arizona - Phoenix

    Albany Medical College Regular

    Central Michigan University College of Medicine Regular

    David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

    George Washington University Sch of Med & Hlth Sci

    Georgetown University School of Medicine

    Howard University Regular M.D.

    Meharry Medical College Regular M.D

    Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

    Morehouse School of Medicine Regular M.D.

    New York Medical College Regular M.D.

    New York University Regular M.D.

    Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine Regular M.D.

    UCLA/Drew Medical Education Program Regular M.D.

    University of California San Diego Regular M.D.

    University of California San Francisco Regular M.D.

    University of California-Riverside School of Medicine Regular M.D.

    University of California, Davis School of Medicine Regular M.D.

    University of California, Irvine- College/Medicine Regular M.D.

    University of Illinois Chicago-College of Medic Regular M.D.

    University of Washington school of medicine

At this point, if you haven’t improved your MCAT above a 502, Especially since you are a repeat applicant, I wouldn’t bother applying MD. I think you’re a fine DO applicant, but MD is likely to be a $3500 donation to the schools you apply to.

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[Goro]

At this point, if you haven’t improved your MCAT above a 502, Especially since you are a repeat applicant, I wouldn’t bother applying MD. I think you’re a fine DO applicant, but MD is likely to be a $3500 donation to the schools you apply to.

Agree 100%. If you couldn't seal the deal at UCD, then I don't reapplying to MD will do any good.

Chances excellent with DO schools, including mine. I can't recommend Nova, Wm Carey, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me. CUHS is too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites. UIW refuses to post their Boards scores, which is fishy.

 

[Goro]

Thanks! I'm sorry @Goro I am not as familiar with your legacy as some, which is your school? UCD was a great experience, my interview went well, but in the end, I think it was a thin margin or error. I needed to do a better job of demonstrating how the circumstances that I described in my statement will not affect me as a medical student in the future. I did that well this time around because it's true. I honestly think having to spell it out helped me a lot.

That said, my goal is patient care, and I am more than ready to move forward with my education with a good program. DO is exceptional for patient-centered care so I would be more than happy with a DO program. I do, however, have FAP for this year, and all else is out of pocket and am feeling pressed for time.

Can you please help me with this DO list? What I have so far is based on a health fair I attended / general research, thanks again for any and all feedback!

Touro - strong alumn LOR / local to me
Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Western University of Health Sciences North West
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences
California Health Sciences University (maybe?)

I could tell you, but then I'd have to reject you!

Can't recommend CalHS. Too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites. The others are fine schools. Add TUNCOM to list

 

[Goro]

@Goro Of course, conflict of interest! I got off work today feeling motivated, thank you. Do you think this short list will be enough? I'm tempted to add more schools but not enough to delay applying to these first. Thanks again, again!

Consider KCU, DMU, KCOM, RVU (BOTH) and SOMA

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Don't apply MD. Especially being a California resident is a dagger. Still in the game for DO.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Thanks for the advice, happy to be in the game! Any programs you might also recommend for me?

Any of the DO programs outside of the super new ones. Then also for sure include @Goro list.