Help with my choice

[Psych25]

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[ndafife]

Have you shadowed a DO doctor? Have you done anything that makes you seem remotely interested in DO other than the fact it has generally lower entrance requirements than MD schools? You are going to need a LOR from a DO physician at almost all DO schools, and either AACOMAS or the school specific secondaries will have a question related to "Why osteopathic medicine?" and how you found out about it

 

[ZedsDed]

Your GPA is very competitive, even if your MCAT is slightly below average for DO matriculants. I would apply broadly, you should be fine. I will second what ndafife says however, you might want to show an interest in osteopathic medicine. Maybe our resident DO ADCOM @Goro can give you more salient advice.

 

[Goro]

OP, the mission trips won't impress anyone. You'll have some success if you apply broadly, especially targeting the newest schools. Skip CCOM, AZCOM, the NY and CA Touros, Western, and KCUMB.

Strongly suggest shadowing a DO and getting LOR from same.

Your GPA is very competitive, even if your MCAT is slightly below average for DO matriculants. I would apply broadly, you should be fine. I will second what ndafife says however, you might want to show an interest in osteopathic medicine. Maybe our resident DO ADCOM @Goro can give you more salient advice.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Thanks for all the replies. I wasn't sure if the mission trips would help show compassion to help others in need. We spent time building houses and churches. With the DO that I am currently shadowing, I plan to ask him for a letter of recommendation.

I think your mission trips will look good, especially if you can talk about your experience passionately! I also think you have a decent chance at DO. Even if the cycle doesn't pan out you can always just bite the bullet and retake the new MCAT (awful I know, but it will be worth it in the end)

 

[ziggyt]

I've heard the mission trips have a negative impact these days :./

 

[Vain Brother]

it depends on the nature of the trip, and depends on the person reviewing your file

 

[House D.O.]

Dont think those trips would be looked down upon at all. If you have no other altruistic volunteering then maybe. But I plan on going to a medical mission trip and im not just going to go and take vitals, I will have actually raised thousands of dollars for the materials and medicine that I will be bringing to that area and thennnn taking vitals and other small tedious tasks. So if any adcom sees bringing medicine to a poor country to be looked down upon then I guess i wont be going to that school.

(note this is different than just travelling to an established clinic and calling it a memorable/humanitarian experience)