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Long story short step 1 ended up with low 250. Am wondering if some of the higher tier programs are an option for a DO or if there is still a bias? Any input appreciated!
General Surgery
- Thread starter soccrdoc08
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If I'm recalling correctly, DOs historically have ~50% match rate into ACGME Gen Surg programs. >250 is strong, but just as important for high tier programs will be research, connections and strong letters. As for bias: yes.
A
AnatomyGrey12
Yeah that 50% number is very misleading. If you take out applicants that have COMLEX only or less than a 230 Step 1 that percent jumps up quite a bit.
Don't just target top programs OP as that is likely a recipe for going unmatched, even with a 250. Apply broadly across all tiers and see what interviews you get.
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Here is the data you're referencing from this year's Charting Outcomes for Osteopathic Seniors. Basically if you get about a 230 your match rate is probably in the 70-80% range. However, what this data is not going to tell you is what type of program they matched at. I was at what is likely considered a "top tier" academic program, and I don't remember us interviewing a DO applicant in my time there.
Great link provided by @AnatomyGrey12
http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Charting-Outcomes-in-the-Match-2018-Osteo.pdf
Based solely on your Step 1 score, you have a 9/13=69% chance of matching into general surgery...so obviously there's much more to the application than your USMLE. Study the NRMP data. At a quick glance it seems like the match % is brought down by people applying to more than 1 specialty, and not going on too many interviews.
"Higher tier" is an illusion, but in general the "top" programs will have bias against DOs because they're already getting the best and brightest allopathic applicants. However, there are plenty of "DO friendly" programs who will rank students without discriminating as much...you just have to look around. You can get our biased opinions here, but in 2018 most programs have their resident roster on the website. If there aren't any DOs in the program currently, you're unlikely to be the first.
