Go DO or apply next year for MD?

[Osteo4sure]

Hi all!

I've been accepted into several DO schools, but still havent recieved word from any of the MD schoosl I applied to.
My question is, do I go ahead with DO school or take the MCAT again and give it another shot? What do you think??? (My current stats are:MCAT-27 GPA-3.6)
All responses appreciated. Thanks.

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[docuw]

Judging by your name, you should go DO.

This really should be a decision made by you and only you. Do you want to practice osteopathic medicine, and do you like their philosophy? They are just as much physicians as MDs. The only disadvantage I see is that there are still those people who have a stereotype against DOs, and you might have to deal with that in your life/career. Using your stats etc., has nothing to do with this choice. You need to decide based on the type of medicine you want to enter not on what system is easier to gain admissions to.

 

[Osteo4sure]

Docuw:

Thanks for the advice. What you stated was exactly what I am concerned about. I have nothing whatsoever against the Osteo. philosophy in actuality its entirely identical to the allopaths. The thing that really concerns me is whether or not the stigmatism I might face in the future is worth it. Should I even worry about that or just take what I got?? Thanks for the advice again.

 

[LR6SO4]

I put myself in a similar situation by applying to both, but beforehand I told myself that if I got into DO first I would take it. I got into a few DO schools, and then a few MD schools a couple of months later. If you back out of the DO schools you are throwing a year down the drain, money money money, and the stress of the MCAT again if you wanted to take it (not like you can't get into MD with a 27, it happens). I'd go DO this year unless you absolutely cannot stand the thought. Maybe shadow a DO again a few times, call up some DO specialists. If you feel that they are stigmatized then don't go, but realize that a year now can turn into more than that if it doesn't work out.

 

[colorado_1]

take the d.o. if you really want to do medicine, take the d.o. if you aren't sure you want to do whatever it takes to treat patients, you're in the wrong career path. no one will care 10 years from now if you have a d.o. or m.d. i'm an m.d. student and i tell ya i don't care nor will my peers. i have enough to worry about on my own with my own patients, my own career. by not taking the d.o. you'll be risking never getting into med school which would tell me treating your patients isn't the MOST important thing in your life.

 

[Osteo4sure]

Hi again,
I thank you guys for the insightful advice. I think indeed I am gonna go DO rather than go through the awful application process, as well as taking the MCAT again. If anything, I think this experience has taught me to be grateful with what I am given. And most importantly, regardless of the letters that follow my name, I'll be doing the thing I love most. Thanks again, take care.

 

[guardian]

Have you received interviews from any allopathic schools? Your stats would be competetive at some med schools. Write a letter of intent to a few adcoms, get additional letters of rec., etc.

 

[Osteo4sure]

Guardian,

Sorry to say that I have'nt. I think its mostly due to the fact that my applications were complete late (mid-December). Oh well, guess I learned my lesson the hard way.

 

[A little elf]

It really depends on what you want to eventually end up going into. If you want to score an allopathic EM or radiology residency in the end, reapply and go allopathic. If you want to go into something less competitive, go osteopathic.

 

[rastelli]

The Elf fellla is on to something...GENERALLY, DO's fair better when applying to primary care residencies compared to other specialties. I've seen plenty of DO's in peds, medicine, etc. I've yet to see any in surgery, ortho, or the like.

At the risk of inflaming DO's out there(which seems fairly easy to do), I offer this. You could be potentially ham-stringing yourself by going DO if you're not sure what you want to go into. If primary care is where you're headed and you like what DO has to offer, go for it. You'll enjoy getting your education underway...