I need help, please read.

[docmd2010]

to the fellow pre-med genius,

I have a proposition for you and need your advice. Please be honest and tell me what you think.


So here's the deal...

I'm graduating from school this year( a good mid-tier school) with a 3.5 overall gpa and a 3.45 science gpa and a 25 mcat (10P, 9P, 6V) with great lor's, plenty of volunteer, blah blah blah.

I didn't apply to any md schools because i feel that my application isn't competitive and didn't want to waste money. however i applied to do schools and so far have received 2 acceptances. now i understand that d.o. schools give a good education, but i would prefer the m.d.

i'm an ohio resident and the medical college of ohio has this "special status" program in which you get admitted, and basically take a couple courses with med students and you basically prove yourself to the admissions com to show them you can handle med school. last year about 60% of people who did the program get in. the good thing about this program is that i wouldn't have to retake the mcat, ( i took the test twice) and that if you pass the 2 med courses with high pass or honors, you have an extremely high chance of getting in (not a guarantee however). With this in mind, do you think it is worth that I take the risk of turning down a d.o. acceptance and do the year program and pursue the md at this school? or should i let go of the md dream and go to do school? I feel that i will work hard in the program it, but I feel that I may be making a serious mistake by turning down an acceptance to osteopathic school. I would greatly appreciate your guys' input on this matter as I know all of you are very knowledgeable or if you guys did or know anyone that did this program?


thanks so much.
please help, i need your advice

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[PreMedDrMom]

Can you defer for a year to DO school while trying the MD program?

 

[RDickerson]

to the fellow pre-med genius,

I have a proposition for you and need your advice. Please be honest and tell me what you think.


So here's the deal...

I'm graduating from school this year( a good mid-tier school) with a 3.5 overall gpa and a 3.45 science gpa and a 25 mcat (10P, 9P, 6V) with great lor's, plenty of volunteer, blah blah blah.

I didn't apply to any md schools because i feel that my application isn't competitive and didn't want to waste money. however i applied to do schools and so far have received 2 acceptances. now i understand that d.o. schools give a good education, but i would prefer the m.d.

i'm an ohio resident and the medical college of ohio has this "special status" program in which you get admitted, and basically take a couple courses with med students and you basically prove yourself to the admissions com to show them you can handle med school. last year about 60% of people who did the program get in. the good thing about this program is that i wouldn't have to retake the mcat, ( i took the test twice) and that if you pass the 2 med courses with high pass or honors, you have an extremely high chance of getting in (not a guarantee however). With this in mind, do you think it is worth that I take the risk of turning down a d.o. acceptance and do the year program and pursue the md at this school? or should i let go of the md dream and go to do school? I feel that i will work hard in the program it, but I feel that I may be making a serious mistake by turning down an acceptance to osteopathic school. I would greatly appreciate your guys' input on this matter as I know all of you are very knowledgeable or if you guys did or know anyone that did this program?


thanks so much.
please help, i need your advice

The MD dream is an interesting one indeed. Do you mean that you've dreamed of having those two letters next to your name? Or do you mean that you've always dreamed of becoming a doctor? I think sometimes this site can be discouraging in the fact that in the 'real world' that is to say once you have finished your residency and work in your practice (sounds weird huh?) that DO vs MD is nonexistant. You will be respect for what you do and who you are as a DOCTOR, not who you are as an MD or who you are as a DO.

Honestly, the two are identical, and depending on how well you do in your medical school determines the kind of residencies you will get. This is however my own opinion, and when the time comes, I will be applying to both MD and DO schools in my area and go to the one which I feel suits me best as a person.

Find out which school you like better, find out how you think you will fit in and go from there, not from the title.

 

[robotsonic]

I think sometimes this site can be discouraging in the fact that in the 'real world' that is to say once you have finished your residency and work in your practice (sounds weird huh?) that DO vs MD is nonexistant.

Who told you that it is nonexistant? I won't write too much, as this has been discussed many many times, but having a DO instead of MD makes it much more difficult for you to get into competitive fields or programs for residency. And if you can't get into those programs, then there is a difference in the "real world."

You aren't even a med student yet, how can you claim to know about the difficulties DOs have in getting residency spots?

To the OP, I say try to go for the MD program, as long as you know you can do well in these courses.

 

[silas2642]

Who told you that it is nonexistant? I won't write too much, as this has been discussed many many times, but having a DO instead of MD makes it much more difficult for you to get into competitive fields or programs for residency. And if you can't get into those programs, then there is a difference in the "real world."

You aren't even a med student yet, how can you claim to know about the difficulties DOs have in getting residency spots?

To the OP, I say try to go for the MD program, as long as you know you can do well in these courses.

I guess he's going on the word of people like this fourth year medical school student who has done his rotations and performed well during clinicals, by watching DO's and MD's work side by side without contempt for each other, by actually talking with real doctors out in the real world of medicine. I think he's going by the fact that DO's learn the exact same stuff MD's do during medical school with the addition of OMM. Look, if you want to be a doctor, then don't worry about the frickin initials at the end of your name because in the end they don't matter. Go with one of the DO schools if they feel right for you. By this I mean ask yourself if you like the school's atmosphere, the students, philosophy, etc. I know DO's who are cardiologists, psychiatrists, anesthesiologists, and so on. It's not a limiting factor unless you let schmucks on sdn tell you that it is.

 

[RDickerson]

Who told you that it is nonexistant? I won't write too much, as this has been discussed many many times, but having a DO instead of MD makes it much more difficult for you to get into competitive fields or programs for residency. And if you can't get into those programs, then there is a difference in the "real world."

You aren't even a med student yet, how can you claim to know about the difficulties DOs have in getting residency spots?

To the OP, I say try to go for the MD program, as long as you know you can do well in these courses.

We'll try as best to get clear without starting a flame war as possible. I will address your comments.

"You aren't even a med student yet, how can you claim to know about the difficulties DOs have in getting residency spots?"

Thank you for stating the obvious, however the OP's question was directed towards premeds, which I am. I know about residency spots by shadowing different doctors, DO's and MD's (some of which are in practice TOGETHER *gasps*) and after having all said the same thing, I decided they weren't lying. Or maybe they all got together and decided to mess with my head, it's hard for doctors to find any humor by themselves....

"but having a DO instead of MD makes it much more difficult for you to get into competitive fields or programs for residency."

Depends on what you mean by "much more difficult" if having an MD by your name causes hubris, then you are going to have a hard time landing a residency spot anywhere. It's all in how you look at it, and as I remember correctly I stated to the OP that if he does well in his school regardless if he is a DO or not he will land a residency spot, and to that I regard as being true.

 

[omgwtfbbq?]

I have friends in both DO and MD schools, here are some of their experiences

All of them are getting the same basic education. Both have to pass the same boards. THe time they spend it labs and classes are different, but it varies from md school to md school as well

MD schools are connected with hospitals, so you do your 3rd and 4th year rotations at affiliated hospitals.

DO schools, 99% , do not have affiliated hospitals. which means the school has to get permission from hospitals for their students to do rotations, often schools associated with MD school. My friends say that this can feel like a hassle, and they find themselves really having to fight for rotation options

MD students, if you do very well, have an easier time getting into difficult residencies then DO students. There is a stigma out there, it is not to say you cant' get a good residency, my best friend is going to ENT residency, however, his residency is with a DO who started a program and if trying to help more DO's get involved with ENT> So you have to do a lot more hunting and looking

Expect a little more of a fight in DO for what you want. The schools being unaffiliated, the stigma, however ridiculous, is an issue

I personally see a DO as my family practitioner. I see no problem. he is a doctor. period. but on your journey to whatever you want to do in medicine you may just have to do a little more fighting. Both my friends are getting great educations. they're both near the tops of their class. but still, the do student is frustrated, and has been since he started, with the school being unaffiliated with hospitals, and less research (the research thing may just have to do with his school, i don't know much about specific do schools)

good luck. do what you feel is right. also, keep in mind what residency you'd like. is it super competitive? maybe md is a better option. howeve,r there are do's and md's in every specialty. the question is, how much of a fight are you wiling ot put up. neither will be a smooth ride, but md has some more options, i think

 

[RDickerson]

*nods* I agree with most of what was said, however once again that comes back to what was said about school, choose your school wisely not just because of the MD or DO factor.

TCOM (Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine) has 22 teaching clinics and affiliated hospitals stretched all across central and north Texas and is ranked among the top because of what it has to compete against.

 

[tigress]

I think the issue of whether there is a "real world" difference between MD and DO depends very much on region. In some regions of the country DOs seem to be more accepted than in others. I know that I have personally seen and heard MDs make negative comments about DOs. However, I've also seen MDs and DOs work very well side by side. To a large part I think it depends on the individual; a good doctor is usually respected as such. However, it seems that when a DO makes a mistake (or somehow performs sub-par in the eyes of somebody), it's blamed on their degree, and when an MD makes a mistake it's either because it was a mistake or because of the person himself. All of this comes from working in a clinic in the Northeast where both DOs and MDs practice.

To the OP, don't get the DO if you won't be happy with it. The program you are talking about sounds like a good option. I also agree that you should look into the possibility of deferring a year while you try that program. If you go straight to DO you may just regret it. This is really independent of whether MDs and DOs get the same education. What matters is how you're going to feel in the long run about your own degree.

 

[USArmyDoc]

I am sorry I see one fundamental problem. If you have a problem with being a DO, why did you apply? So basically, you applied to no MD schools knowing that you want to be a MD.

 

[docmd2010]

I think the issue of whether there is a "real world" difference between MD and DO depends very much on region. In some regions of the country DOs seem to be more accepted than in others. I know that I have personally seen and heard MDs make negative comments about DOs. However, I've also seen MDs and DOs work very well side by side. To a large part I think it depends on the individual; a good doctor is usually respected as such. However, it seems that when a DO makes a mistake (or somehow performs sub-par in the eyes of somebody), it's blamed on their degree, and when an MD makes a mistake it's either because it was a mistake or because of the person himself. All of this comes from working in a clinic in the Northeast where both DOs and MDs practice.

To the OP, don't get the DO if you won't be happy with it. The program you are talking about sounds like a good option. I also agree that you should look into the possibility of deferring a year while you try that program. If you go straight to DO you may just regret it. This is really independent of whether MDs and DOs get the same education. What matters is how you're going to feel in the long run about your own degree.

you guys are unbelievable. thanks for all the advice. i've looked into the option of deferring, and may very well do that. to answer all of the previous questions, of course, deciding what specialty i'd like to do now isn't very wise in my opinion because chances are, in med school my desires will change. for example if i choose family medicine as my specialty, then the d.o. option will be the right way to go, but if i choose to do dermatology than d.o. (although attainable) wouldn't be the most wise way to go. hence, i think if i go the md route, i'll have more options. i def. agree with the above statement that if a do makes a mistake people will blame his degree. another aspect that i don't wish to have deal with it is "so what are d.o.'s", the explaining would certainly get annoying.

On another note, i feel if i don't get the md i will always think about it, and might have second thoughts. This is probably the most difficult decision i'll ever have to make. Keep the posts comin guys!

 

[docmd2010]

I am sorry I see one fundamental problem. If you have a problem with being a DO, why did you apply? So basically, you applied to no MD schools knowing that you want to be a MD.

because at the time, i knew i wouldn't get into allopathic schools, but thought that maybe at the end of the process i'd change my mind and go d.o, that way i have at least something to compare it to.

 

[USArmyDoc]

because at the time, i knew i wouldn't get into allopathic schools, but thought that maybe at the end of the process i'd change my mind and go d.o, that way i have at least something to compare it to.

Okay