Good number of DO schools to apply to/merit aid?

[mik30102]

Hello everyone, I am starting to prewrite secondaries for next cycle and wanted to ask for peoples opinion. I have good stats (37, and around 3.9s/3.8c for DO 3.8s/3.8 for MD), and I plan to apply to somewhere around 17 MDs and 4 DOs. Specially LECOM, NYCOM, PCOM, and DMU. I am not just applying to them as backups and generally would be fine going to a DO school as I find OMM very interesting. The only reason I am leaning towards MD is since I plan to specialize in either neurology or oncology. In your opinion is applying to 4 DO schools enough? Also with my stats could I potentially see sizable merit aid to one of these schools. I have substantial prior debt from pharmacy school, and this would be a important factor in where I choose to go to school. Thanks everyone!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[costales]

Your best bet would be an MD/PhD program. Very few med schools give merit aid worth more than a few months' rent.

 

[Isha2018]

With your stats, applying to 4 DO schools should be enough. You would most likely get interviews at the DO schools.

 

[mik30102]

Thanks for the suggestion costales. I was thinking about that for awhile but I don't think my research background is strong enough to be competitive, plus I'm not sure if I want to be in school even longer (already 2 years behind). Anybody else have some other thoughts?

 

[TreadLightly]

AFAIK, DO schools are more expensive than MD schools. And even with those stats, I don't think schools give any real scholarship money (at least not DO schools).

 

[DrEnderW]

I don't believe DO schools offer much in terms of merit aid. I had well above average stats for DO and that was never an option offered to me. However, that could just be the schools I was accepted at and not indicative of schools overall.

I'd look into state MD schools. Those will be the cheapest. It is incorrect to say private DO schools are more expensive than private MD schools. I don't know why people on here feel the need to regurgitate that. I really don't think you need to worry - your stats are very high and you will likely get MD state offers or possibly merit money.

Good luck.

 

[NontradCA]

DMU has a merit scholarship; full and half tuition, not sure about the others. Maybe I'm lucky but I was offered a very good one from a DO school with above avg stats (nowhere near yours though). I tend to think that you'd be in the 90% statwise of those who are applying to DO schools, meaning you'd have a good shot at those scholarships.

Off the top of my head DMU, KCUMB, and OU have merit scholarships. I'm sure there are others. Do some research. Good luck.

 

[Setto]

If you somehow don't get into Allo, I just wanted to mention that Neurology has been historically friendly to DO. Oncology on the other hand has been tough for everybody, having said that there's still a solid representation of DOs in oncology.
Good luck!

 

[baboxxyun]

PCOM also offers merit and need-based scholarships. I'm not entirely sure how much though.

From what I've seen and heard, there's usually a pretty big range on the number of students awarded merit scholarships. Some schools have 1-3 students. Others have as many as 30+ students. (I guess it would also depend on how badly an institution wants you to enroll at their institution)
For schools that you are really interested in, you could always call and ask!