Getting in 2001

[georgia]

Im in desparate need of good, constructive advice.

First off, i just finished my fifth quarter of chiropractic school, and am regretting my decision of ever going into it. I find almost all of the chiropractors i have ever encountered to be dishonest, decietful, and selfish. The name of the game in this profession is patient visits. Keep them coming back, and who cares if they are getting well or not. Try to keep them as patients for the rest of their lives. The few honest ones i have met are trying to figure ways out of this profession.

I am very interested in DO school, but there are many blemishes on my academic record. In undergrad i had a 3.0 overall with a 2.48 scigpa. In that, I had a few W's, a D+, and an F. In chiro school I only have a 2.9.

I know that I have a grueling road ahead of me to get to where I want to go, but i just want to know if I have a legitimate shot at getting into DO school for Fall 2001 if I
do great in post-bacc and do good on the MCAT, from now till then.

What impresses me most about DO's is that they tend to look at the person as a whole, rather than just treating a symptom. Chiropractors claim that they do also, but they are not educated or competent enough to the extent that a DO is to find out if a person is in grave danger.

All success stories, advice welcome.

Thank you,

GA

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[Jon@COMP]

Georgia,

If you want to improve your chances in getting into a DO school, then study hard on the MCAT and do well. With your subpar undergraduate science GPA, you need to score well on the science sections of the MCAT (minimum score of 9-11 on each science section).
In addition, get to know some DO's in your area. It would be very beneficial to you if you got some good letters of recs from DO's.
Always apply early to improve your chances. Good luck with the MCAT, and apply to many DO schools.

 

[mj]

Georgia,

In your post I didn't see anything specifically that you didn't like about the actual practice of chiro. Your listed reason for wanting out is your collegues.

IMHO, if chiropractors are all like you described (and I have no idea if they are or not)the profession needs people like you who can render patient centered care. A substantial amount of people seek help from chiropractors every year. Whether you choose to stay in the profession or not that fact will continue to be true, only if you leave, they will have one less caring professional to choose from.

Just because you think others provide substandard care, doesn't mean you have to. Something obviously spurred your interest in chiro. to start with. If you don't mind my asking, what was it and have you exhausted all of your options of finding that with in chiro?

 

[georgia]

MJ

Thanks for your reply. Besides the colleagues that I see around me, another reason I want to jump ship is because there really is no scientific evidence to back up what chiropractors believe or practice. I did not find this out until I came here. Most of their protocol for treatment and why they do things is from their philosophy-not concrete evidence. Also, there is not much research to advance the profession. Much of what they believe in and do is still grounded in the 1800s. I believe, unless something happens, this profession will not be able to survive with the times and it will cease to exist, especially with science and technology so popular and powerful in our times. Doctors can no longer fool patients, because the general public is just so much more educated today.

The reason I went into it in the beginning is because of money. Where I grew up, I had these neighbors, a husband and wife who were both chiropractors, who were extremely wealthy. Blinded by the dollar signs, I thought if they could do it, I could do it.
Last year, they closed their practice, because they could not get over insurance companies constantly questioning and not paying them for their services rendered. I know this is happening to MD's, DO's, and everybody else. They decided to get out of practice while they could and sold their practice.

I talked to a DO a few days ago, who had the same problem I have. He too was here at Life Univ School of Chiropractic and left because he found that you can't make a living, and that if you do want to make a living, you are going to have to convince patients to keep seeing you even in the absence of pain. I could not look myself in the mirror everyday if this is what I had to do, and neither could the DO. I know there are good hearted chiros out there, but they are the ones who are having trouble making it. As a DO, I truly feel i will be able to help patients to a much higher degree than a chiropractor. I know the money will always be there for the doctors, but now im in it for much more than the money. I want to have the utmost respect for myself, my colleagues and my profession, and I want to have a direct impact on the well-being of others and that is why I have chosen to apply to DO school.

GA

[This message has been edited by georgia (edited 03-23-2000).]

[This message has been edited by georgia (edited 03-23-2000).]

 

[Smile]

Georgia,

Save your last response. It will make a great personal statement in your applications, I'm serious. You are honest, forthright, and candid about your current situation and have very strong reasons to want to enter osteopathic medicine. As long as you do well on your MCAT and your post-bacc courses, you should have no problems gaining acceptance and be truly deserving for a seat at an osteopathic medical school. I'm impressed.

 

[Quinn]

To the chiro student:

You are well on your way to getting into a DO school. Also remember that DO admission committees tend to want well-rounded individuals, they don't always want 21 just out of college BS students. So with your added experience you will have a much better chance of getting in. The m2003 class of NSU-COM (of which I am in) average age was 26!!

Quinn

 

[Pikevillemedstudent]

It is scary to think that chiropractors are lobbing for the right to prescribe drugs! I only hope the AOA and the AMA are against this.