How to handle MD-related questions in a DO interview?

[dexter7788]

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I have an interview coming up at a DO school and I want to know how to best address questions like:

1. Did you apply to MD schools? How many MD interviews did you receive?
2. Did you get to see a DO in action?
3. Why DO over MD?

I don't want to lie during my interview, but at the same time, I don't want to say something that will put me in the reject pile.

1. I did apply MD and I have received a few interviews.
2. I have not shadowed a DO. The hospital I worked at had both DOs and MDs and they were...indistinguishable from one another in practice. I never saw/heard of anyone in the hospital performing OMT.
3. It's not that I would choose a DO degree over an MD one in all situations. This school is very close to my family and significant other so location is a big pull for me. I also value the tendency for DOs to prioritize preventative medicine. Stats-wise, I probably have a better chance with DO programs, hence why I applied.

Any tips on how to answer these questions honestly without reducing my chances? Thank you.

 

[AlteredScale]

I have an interview coming up at a DO school and I want to know how to best address questions like:

1. Did you apply to MD schools? How many MD interviews did you receive?
2. Did you get to see a DO in action?
3. Why DO over MD?

I don't want to lie during my interview, but at the same time, I don't want to say something that will put me in the reject pile.

1. I did apply MD and I have received a few interviews.
2. I have not shadowed a DO. The hospital I worked at had both DOs and MDs and they were...indistinguishable from one another in practice. I never saw/heard of anyone in the hospital performing OMT.
3. It's not that I would choose a DO degree over an MD one in all situations. This school is very close to my family and significant other so location is a big pull for me. I also value the tendency for DOs to prioritize preventative medicine. Stats-wise, I probably have a better chance with DO programs, hence why I applied.

Any tips on how to answer these questions honestly without reducing my chances? Thank you.

Honestly the answers you put down are perfectly fine. They wouldn't interview you if they didn't think they wanted you for their class. For number 2 I would just emphasis that you have an interesting in OMM training due to (inset some anecdote here) and you'll be on your way.
For number 3 I would def keep your answer and again, just insert that you want to learn OMM.

The hard question will be "why do you want to learn OMM when you've never seen it in action". So if you have time, look up OMM on you tube, ask a friend who goes to a DO school, or just do w/e you need to do to put in a few hours of shadowing time to watch a DO practice OMM.

 

[absie107]

I think emphasizing the location and the preventative medicine aspect of DO is important - your answers seem just fine and honest! I had a question like "Let's say you only got into MD schools and not DO, would you go?" That one threw me for a loop, because a) I virtually only applied DO this cycle and b) overall, I just want to be a doctor, and I don't care that much about the letters after my name. So on the one hand, of course I'd go, but on the other, I only applied DO for a reason... I think I got nervous/gave a way-too-long answer and said I ultimately wouldn't go the MD route at this point and would focus on DO (because, to be honest, at this point I am more interested in DO schools and working in either EM or a primary care specialty), but that part of the interview felt really weird... blech. You're gonna do just fine!!!

 

[Goro]

You look the interviewer right in the eye and answer them truthfully, especially #3. If you can't think of a good answer, withdraw your app and save everyone their time, and you your money.

I have an interview coming up at a DO school and I want to know how to best address questions like:

1. Did you apply to MD schools? How many MD interviews did you receive?
2. Did you get to see a DO in action?
3. Why DO over MD?

I don't want to lie during my interview, but at the same time, I don't want to say something that will put me in the reject pile.

1. I did apply MD and I have received a few interviews.
2. I have not shadowed a DO. The hospital I worked at had both DOs and MDs and they were...indistinguishable from one another in practice. I never saw/heard of anyone in the hospital performing OMT.
3. It's not that I would choose a DO degree over an MD one in all situations. This school is very close to my family and significant other so location is a big pull for me. I also value the tendency for DOs to prioritize preventative medicine. Stats-wise, I probably have a better chance with DO programs, hence why I applied.

Any tips on how to answer these questions honestly without reducing my chances? Thank you.

 

[Mavs88]

When mentioning MDs, try to be positive as well. Don't focus on what they may lack, but rather what DOs may bring to the table instead.

 

[Firegrove]

In regards to the first question, I had gotten a lot of advice on how to field an "illegal" question like this by answering you applied broadly to achieve the best odds of acceptance but then remind the interviewer that this school is my top choice. I'm not sure if this is great advice but it seems better than outright admitting you applied to other schools which prompts more questions.

 

[Dr. Death]

In regards to the first question, I had gotten a lot of advice on how to field an "illegal" question like this by answering you applied broadly to achieve the best odds of acceptance but then remind the interviewer that this school is my top choice. I'm not sure if this is great advice but it seems better than outright admitting you applied to other schools which prompts more questions.

I would say "A top choice" instead of "my top choice"

 

[DoctorSynthesis]

I have an interview coming up at a DO school and I want to know how to best address questions like:

1. Did you apply to MD schools? How many MD interviews did you receive?
2. Did you get to see a DO in action?
3. Why DO over MD?

I don't want to lie during my interview, but at the same time, I don't want to say something that will put me in the reject pile.

1. I did apply MD and I have received a few interviews.
2. I have not shadowed a DO. The hospital I worked at had both DOs and MDs and they were...indistinguishable from one another in practice. I never saw/heard of anyone in the hospital performing OMT.
3. It's not that I would choose a DO degree over an MD one in all situations. This school is very close to my family and significant other so location is a big pull for me. I also value the tendency for DOs to prioritize preventative medicine. Stats-wise, I probably have a better chance with DO programs, hence why I applied.

Any tips on how to answer these questions honestly without reducing my chances? Thank you.

Even if you don't specifically care about DO/MD I think the extra training we get with regard to how we look at a patient is something anyone should want to practice and anyone could talk who wants to be a doctor.


Where osteopathy really shines though is for pmr in helping understand the biomechanics of the body from a structural standpoint. If you have any interest in biomechanics talk about that!

 

[Firegrove]

I would say "A top choice" instead of "my top choice"

I fell that would leave room for a follow up, "what are your other top choices," which could quickly get messy.

 

[Arden_28]

arent they not allowed to ask you these questions?

 

[Seth Joo]

I have an interview coming up at a DO school and I want to know how to best address questions like:

1. Did you apply to MD schools? How many MD interviews did you receive?
2. Did you get to see a DO in action?
3. Why DO over MD?

I don't want to lie during my interview, but at the same time, I don't want to say something that will put me in the reject pile.

1. I did apply MD and I have received a few interviews.
2. I have not shadowed a DO. The hospital I worked at had both DOs and MDs and they were...indistinguishable from one another in practice. I never saw/heard of anyone in the hospital performing OMT.
3. It's not that I would choose a DO degree over an MD one in all situations. This school is very close to my family and significant other so location is a big pull for me. I also value the tendency for DOs to prioritize preventative medicine. Stats-wise, I probably have a better chance with DO programs, hence why I applied.

Any tips on how to answer these questions honestly without reducing my chances? Thank you.

It really depends on the school and the interviewer, at my school, they already realize that most students were already turned down by MD schools, so they do not try to ask some kind of insulting question like why you wanted to pick DO over MD or if you applied to MD schools, given the stats of many students, its already assumed many tried and failed. A fair question at my school though would be is if you ever shadowed a DO and why Osteopathic Medicine?

Of course some students might get unlucky and get an old guard DO who will stump them with these kinds of questions.

 

[asdf123g]

You look the interviewer right in the eye and answer them truthfully, especially #3. If you can't think of a good answer, withdraw your app and save everyone their time, and you your money.

After a good interview, is it detrimental to one's chances if asked about the # of interviews one had and mentioning you had several along with a few acceptances?

 

[Goro]

No. We refuse to engage in the "S/he won't come here" mindset.

After a good interview, is it detrimental to one's chances if asked about the # of interviews one had and mentioning you had several along with a few acceptances?

 

[ortnakas]

Do what @Goro says. Tell the truth.

Do consider finding some DO shadowing, though; mine was limited, and while it worked out okay for me (I'm a second year DO student now) it was something I was asked about in multiple interviews, and didn't have a great answer for.

It really depends on the school and the interviewer, at my school, they already realize that most students were already turned down by MD schools, so they do not try to ask some kind of insulting question like why you wanted to pick DO over MD or if you applied to MD schools, given the stats of many students, its already assumed many tried and failed.

Ironically, yours is actually the only school that asked me that question! I have a feeling that generalization is probably right more often than it isn't, but I wouldn't advertise it as a guarantee.

 

[whatever5]

I was straight up in telling my interviewers I had never shadowed a DO or worked with one, but I discussed my goals and how I thought the DO philosophy would help me achieve them. I got in, so I don't think it was that much of an issue.