How much extra would you pay for an MD?

[GimpGenius]

Those two match lists aren't even close. I'm not sure why it would matter to look at the exact same year. If anything, the match is more competitive each year, so KCUMB would have an edge with it's 2010 list compared to a 2012 list from another school. The USC list has matches in Ortho at Hopkins, ENT at Duke, Neurosurgery x 2, Med-Derm, etc. You won't see matches like that from KCUMB or any other osteopathic school for that matter.

I imagine the OP realizes that the chances of getting into Ortho at Hopkins, or any other absurdly competitive specialty, is going to be approaching zero at KCUMB (nothing's impossible, but extremely unlikely) and still bloody small at USC. It can be done, sure... but that doesn't mean it will.

USC absolutely would open more doors, so I'm not arguing that. What I'm saying is that the extent to which those doors are open is questionable. For ROAD residencies, I'd say go USC. I'd lean toward KCUMB on the Primary Care side, because $80K is nothing to sneeze at (esp. at 7% interest). Moderately competitive... eh. That's a toss up, IMO.

That's all without looking at intangibles (quality of life, family, etc.). Being miserable at a school because it's an MD or becuase they gave you more scholarships is pretty foolish, as far as I see it.

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[link2swim06]

I imagine the OP realizes that the chances of getting into Ortho at Hopkins, or any other absurdly competitive specialty, is going to be approaching zero at KCUMB (nothing's impossible, but extremely unlikely) and still bloody small at USC. It can be done, sure... but that doesn't mean it will.

USC absolutely would open more doors, so I'm not arguing that. What I'm saying is that the extent to which those doors are open is questionable. For ROAD residencies, I'd say go USC. I'd lean toward KCUMB on the Primary Care side, because $80K is nothing to sneeze at (esp. at 7% interest). Moderately competitive... eh. That's a toss up, IMO.

That's all without looking at intangibles (quality of life, family, etc.). Being miserable at a school because it's an MD or becuase they gave you more scholarships is pretty foolish, as far as I see it.

Valid point...but also remember that the number of residency spots is not going to change in the next decade (due to medicare cuts). DO students dont have enough osteopathic residency spots, hence the substantial number of DO student matching to allopathic residencies.

Meanwhile, the enrollment of allopathic med students has been greatly increasing in the past 3 years (and will continues to). For everyone who still "pre-med" is going to experience much fiercer competition than those who matched in 2012. OP unless you are 100% sure you want to do primary care, I think an MD school would make you more competitive in anything.

 

[rad0nc]

I imagine the OP realizes that the chances of getting into Ortho at Hopkins, or any other absurdly competitive specialty, is going to be approaching zero at KCUMB (nothing's impossible, but extremely unlikely) and still bloody small at USC. It can be done, sure... but that doesn't mean it will.

USC absolutely would open more doors, so I'm not arguing that. What I'm saying is that the extent to which those doors are open is questionable. For ROAD residencies, I'd say go USC. I'd lean toward KCUMB on the Primary Care side, because $80K is nothing to sneeze at (esp. at 7% interest). Moderately competitive... eh. That's a toss up, IMO.

That's all without looking at intangibles (quality of life, family, etc.). Being miserable at a school because it's an MD or becuase they gave you more scholarships is pretty foolish, as far as I see it.

I definitely agree that if the OP wants to do family medicine than KCUMB is the way to go. However, I would argue that a pre-med has a very small chance of knowing exactly what they want to go into. $80,000 is a ton of cash, but I think the opportunities afforded by going to the better school make it worth it.

Since the rising tide lifts all ships, your chances of matching will be better at each statistical data point (Step 1) for the MD school. As an MD, you might not match at Hopkins for Ortho, but you don't need to be an outstanding applicant numbers wise to match ortho at your run of the mill ACGME ortho program. If you are a DO you need to have a ridiculous resume just to get the bottom tier ACGME ortho spots. There are also some residencies that simply won't look at you if you are a DO. In my specialty the door will be closed the minute you matriculate into a DO school (based on this year's match)

 

[Gut Shot]

[I made another account to protect my privacy.]

I'm in a pickle right now. I am a KS resident and was not accepted at my only state school. I have been accepted at both the University of South Carolina, as an OOS student, and also to KCUMB. Great news, right? Maybe not. Here are my choices:

U. of South Carolina: allopathic, $60,500 per year (tuition and fees)

KCUMB: osteopathic (well-known as far as DO schools are concerned), $44,000 per year

Cost of living will be comparable. That ~$15,000 difference works out to $60,000 over four years, and to God knows what after interest. My question for SDN is this: Is the MD degree worth an extra $60,000 or more?

P.S. I told my interviewers I want to go into primary care, and that's what my PS was about. And, honestly, I am interested in IM or OB/GYN. But gastroenterology also really interests me, as does EM. So it's not necessarily a "If you're going into primary care, go with the cheapest school" kind of deal. Thanks.

If your parents were both Family Medicine docs, and your grandparents, and your siblings, and you wanted to be a primary care physician since the day you emerged from the womb, I would say go to KUCMB.

HOWEVER, since you don't seem to have a clear idea of what you want to do, and since you will have to live with the repercussions of this decision for some time, I submit that your priority should be to keep your options as open as possible for as long as possible.

In practical terms your residency placement is going to depend most heavily on your Step 1 (or COMLEX) score, certain clerkship grades, and your LORs. Those last two cannot be overstated. If you have easy access to established rotations, in all specialties, in or near your home campus, you are in good shape. Look through USC's departments, look at their residency programs, look at their faculty and the research opportunities available.

Compare this to KCUMB's departments and faculty. Realize that, come M3, you will apparently be put through a match and assigned to an affiliated core site, and few of them appear to have an academic leaning.

If you ponder this and decide to attend KCUMB, congrats on your decision and I wish you well. You will also have made someone on the USC waitlist very happy, indeed.

 

[Jamie561]

And all you prestige ****** need to grow the fuck up and accomplish some shit so you dont get all butthurt over some trivial crap like what someone else thinks of you.

What someone else thinks of you is very important when you're joining a profession based on reputation and trust.

 

[Planets]

Get the MD. You'll have less trouble matching into a well paid specialty

This is the last reason you should choose to go MD. You can match into well paid specialties that are open only to DOs, including the high paying dermatology, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, etc.

 

[Gut Shot]

This is the last reason you should choose to go MD. You can match into well paid specialties that are open only to DOs, including the high paying dermatology, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, etc.

I assume you meant well paying specialties through residency programs that are open only to DOs. Indeed there are osteopathic residency programs in competitive fields.

I would invite any interested parties to research the AOA options using their website, as well as the ACGME options using FREIDA. I believe most reasonable people will conclude that ACGME residencies offer a prospective applicant many more choices in terms of program type (academic vs. community), size, and location.

So yes, it's absolutely a valid consideration.

 

[Brachyury]

I assume you meant well paying specialties through residency programs that are open only to DOs. Indeed there are osteopathic residency programs in competitive fields.

I would invite any interested parties to research the AOA options using their website, as well as the ACGME options using FREIDA. I believe most reasonable people will conclude that ACGME residencies offer a prospective applicant many more choices in terms of program type (academic vs. community), size, and location.

So yes, it's absolutely a valid consideration.

Don't forget quality: the reviews on SDN of osteopathic radiology and derm residencies are downright scary

 

[Santorum Surge]

Don't forget quality: the reviews on SDN of osteopathic radiology and derm residencies are downright scary

Care to elaborate? I've been doing some post-acceptance shadowing and now I'm leaning toward a specialty...maybe...I'm not sure. Like I said previously, for some reason gastroenterology really interests me. Dammit why is this so hard?? Why am I not independently wealthy??

 

[willen101383]

What someone else thinks of you is very important when you're joining a profession based on reputation and trust.

Thanks for letting me know. However we are talking about completely different things here. Yes, what your patients and colleagues think of you is important. However, if a colleague wants to look down upon me solely based on my degree and not take into account the quality of my work that is fine. Keep it movin...means nothing to me.

 

[notbobtrustme]

Thanks for letting me know. However we are talking about completely different things here. Yes, what your patients and colleagues think of you is important. However, if a colleague wants to look down upon me solely based on my degree and not take into account the quality of my work that is fine. Keep it movin...means nothing to me.

It's not about colleagues but people in high places. The gulf between the two degrees, while smaller than before, is still enough that many residency program directors still prefer taking MDs over DOs. Where you do your residency training has far more of an impact on your ability to practice than any other factor in a person's medical training.

Bottom-line, you don't want to be pigeon-holed if you can avoid it. It's one thing if you are capped at a 27 MCAT and a 3.3 GPA. Then you have no choice but a DO school, but if you have the option between a DO and an MD degree, then always go for the MD.

 

[Konye618]

Question...Wouldn't you just be OOS for one year at University of South Carolina if you live off their campus? Wouldn't you qualify for In-State tuition after your first year? That is the case for out of state students at SUNY Downstate that is why I am asking.

Find out about that because then I think this would affect your decision.

 

[bassvp]

Never been to South Carolina, but believe me when I say that both the summers and the winters in KC are bad. 90-100% humidity makes the cold really cold and the hot really hot.

 

[Missamoora]

Yes I would say the MD is definetely worth it!

But I have one question: Haven`t you applied for financial aid? Are there any scholarships available at the schools you got into? Maybe you could try applying to some if that is possible.

I do not think you can afford $40,000 without taking out loans right? But that`s what financial aid is for lol. Medical school is expensive!!!!!!

 

[willen101383]

It's not about colleagues but people in high places. The gulf between the two degrees, while smaller than before, is still enough that many residency program directors still prefer taking MDs over DOs. Where you do your residency training has far more of an impact on your ability to practice than any other factor in a person's medical training.

Bottom-line, you don't want to be pigeon-holed if you can avoid it. It's one thing if you are capped at a 27 MCAT and a 3.3 GPA. Then you have no choice but a DO school, but if you have the option between a DO and an MD degree, then always go for the MD.

Again, I am actually in med school and actually had another career in healthcare before I started med school so what you are telling me I already know and have experienced first hand while in med school and in the workplace. Read through the whole thread and you will see my advice to the OP. I highly recommended he not go to a DO school if he had the chance to go to an MD school. I still stand by my statement that I couldnt care less if someone didnt like me/didnt hire me/looked down upon me because of the sole fact that I am a DO. There are plenty of other reasons to not go to a DO school....and "wahhhh people might think less of me" isnt one of them. I think you might be mistaking me for a DO supporter....which I am far from.