Initial disappointment

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DopaDO said:
I'll be honest. While I wasn't as bad as the OP, I had some doubts about DO school when I started. I was worried about there being bias because of the letters.

Fast Foward to now: I stuck it out and busted my butt. I now realize that outside of a small portion of the elderly generation of physicians, there is virtually no bias against DOs. I matched into a US news top 30 MD surgical subspecialty residency program. I would not have been this successful if I would have chosen my local MD school.

Message: Be grateful and happy to have been wanted somewhere. Work hard and be as good as your fellow MD applicants for residency and you can be whatever you want, where ever you want.
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Yeah, but I bet when you rotated at academic hospitals and told attendings that you are a DO student, they judged you. Isn't that true?
 
Yeah, this thread is getting more ridiculous by the minute. Good luck to everyone who has the patience to put up with OP.
 
MattSmith45 said:
Yeah, but I bet when you rotated at academic hospitals and told attendings that you are a DO student, they judged you. Isn't that true?
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I highly doubt an attending physician who is responsible for the management of all patients and their service, the guidance of their resident team, as well as the any other duties they may have as professor has time to sit there and belittle a rotating student for being a DO. They have other things to judge a med student on...like say their clinical performance on that service.

If you are so worried then drop your DO acceptance and apply MD. I'm sure when you earn that MD acceptance you'll be grateful and relieved...oh wait thats right:

"I don't need to be grateful for an acceptance. I earned it on my own." - @MattSmith45
 
Threads like this should be ignored. We should post a sticky explaining that those who have DO at the end of their name are part of the top money earners in the US. I would also gather that you'd be in the top 1% of money earners world wide. There are literally billions of people who do not have the opportunity and would consider this as some sort of life lottery.
 
Sesom said:
Threads like this should be ignored. We should post a sticky explaining that those who have DO at the end of their name are part of the top money earners in the US. I would also gather that you'd be in the top 1% of money earners world wide. There are literally billions of people who do not have the opportunity and would consider this as some sort of life lottery.
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I don't know... I think it's better if those with DO acceptances who don't want to be DOs spend another year or two or however long to become MDs or choose a different career. That way, more spots will be open for those who would actually be happy at a DO school 😉
 
DopaDO said:
Really 3 reasons. 1) I had lived in the same area my whole life and needed to get away to grow up. 2) I would have been too distracted by family and friends in my hometown much like I was throughout college. 3) The driving force to succeed was so strong. I felt like I had a chip on my shoulder because I was a DO. I wanted to show everyone that I was as good as any other med student. I realize now that there was no reason to have a chip on my shoulder, but none-the-less it was there and it really motivated me to match at a program that would make me feel "successful" (aka well respected academic residency). Granted, I realize now how stupid and immature I was at the time. My definition of success was very short sighted. Because I had my eyes on the prize (residency) the whole time, I overlooked a lot of my accomplishments along the way. Getting into any US medical school is a major accomplishment, getting through Step 1 is another huge accomplishment, and matching is another - honestly the greatest thing I've ever done in my life. Anyone who graduates and matches from any US med school to deserves an epic high five because it is not easy no matter how smart or prepared you think you are. I have no doubt that I would not have matched to as great a program (maybe not matched period) if I had went to my local MD school.

PS: Sorry for bragging, but screw it I worked hard. This is my time lol.
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You give me hope for the future of all of the immature and shortsighted premeds and med students I come across. Dat personal growth, so impressive.
 
Sesom said:
Threads like this should be ignored. We should post a sticky explaining that those who have DO at the end of their name are part of the top money earners in the US. I would also gather that you'd be in the top 1% of money earners world wide. There are literally billions of people who do not have the opportunity and would consider this as some sort of life lottery.
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You only need to make $45,700 to be in the top 1% of income earners worldwide. It's really not that high of a bar when the average income globally is $7,000/year.

http://dailycaller.com/2011/11/09/the-top-1-percent-of-the-world/
 
Awesome Sauceome said:
Lets just put that bow on the package that makes you sound like a complete jerk:

Come from dual MD parent stock - check
Not happy with DO because of your parents - check
Not being grateful for an acceptance - check

There are plenty of people who have worked harder than you and have persevered more and still have no acceptance in hand. You actually should have some semblance of gratitude and appreciation for how your life has turned out. I think it is disingenuous to the reality of your fortunate situation if you say otherwise.
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record number of AACOMAS applications this year. Yes you should be excited and appreciative that you have an acceptance. You're going to be a doctor. You're going to get to take part in a very honorable career that is about taking care of people and making your community a healthier and more successful place. Going into medicine isn't about you....at least it shouldn't be. just my opinion. And yes I'm still waiting for my acceptance.

@MattSmith45
 
PlasticBag said:
I don't know... I think it's better if those with DO acceptances who don't want to be DOs spend another year or two or however long to become MDs or choose a different career. That way, more spots will be open for those who would actually be happy at a DO school 😉
Click to expand...
Amen. Not joking - I've seen people with my stats get into Texas MD schools and yet I'm totally stoked on applying DO.
 
Sesom said:
Threads like this should be ignored. We should post a sticky explaining that those who have DO at the end of their name are part of the top money earners in the US. I would also gather that you'd be in the top 1% of money earners world wide. There are literally billions of people who do not have the opportunity and would consider this as some sort of life lottery.
Click to expand...
Your perspective is refreshing.
 
So am I the only one to feel that initial sting of disappointment then? Lets be honest, I wanted to go MD as did 99% of you. I think it's perfectly acceptable to feel disappointed about not achieving that feat.

My specific questions were if anyone else felt disappointed in themselves about not being able to get into an MD school, how they coped with that initial stage, and how their mentality changed. If I haven't made myself clear, I am trying to get over this stage which is why I am asking these questions. If this resonates with any of you, do share.
 
You will never get over it. Drop your acceptance and give it to someone who actually wants to go DO. You want the MD.. so reapply this next cycle and go get it. Nobody is stopping you.
 
I didn't apply to MD schools so I can't comment on the disappointment you are you feeling. Instead of focusing on being so self conscious about your potential social status why don't you focus on what you'll be able to do now that you've been accepted? which is to do exactly what you'd be doing if you were going into an MD program; help others and save lives. The transition you speak of is called maturity. I'm not trying to be malicious with you, but being honest with yourself is going to go a long way for your happiness.
 
Whether you're talking your first choice school, or MD vs DO, you can feel initially disappointed. (This applies to a lot in life too...)

If I applied to Harvard, it was my first choice, and didn't get in, I could and would feel disappointed. Especially if I thought I deserved to go to Harvard. You could have told yourself that the only way you'd be the best you could be was to attend Harvard. And you'd be wrong. As the initial disappointment subsides, you (hopefully) grow to appreciate that you were wrong, and that "not Harvard" will still allow you to be a great physician. What you DO won't change.

It doesn't matter if Fred0192 felt anxious initially about not getting a MD acceptance, what counts is the mass response trying to convince you to be proud of what you got and understand what it will allow you to do. How they cope doesn't matter. You have the data and passionate responses to prove peoples commitment.
 
MattSmith45 said:
So am I the only one to feel that initial sting of disappointment then? Lets be honest, I wanted to go MD as did 99% of you. I think it's perfectly acceptable to feel disappointed about not achieving that feat.

My specific questions were if anyone else felt disappointed in themselves about not being able to get into an MD school, how they coped with that initial stage, and how their mentality changed. If I haven't made myself clear, I am trying to get over this stage which is why I am asking these questions. If this resonates with any of you, do share.
Click to expand...

I'm just a pre-med so no acceptances yet! And I'll probably get excoriated for this, but I empathize with you. There seems to be a contradiction on SDN of on the one hand suggesting that people with more potential than their stats indicate should apply DO, and on the other suggesting that only people who actually have a draw to osteopathic medicine should go to DO schools.

I don't personally have any draw to osteopathic medicine or OMM, so while I have absolutely nothing against DO schools, by default this makes allopathic the more natural choice for me. That said, I have lower stats (well low GPA). So when it comes to applying, I'll likely find more DO love than MD. I'll be disappointed with this, because it's just not as good a fit for me. And so *for me* the DO initials would/will be a constant reminder of the low GPA that held me back from allopathic school, because I'd go allopathic if I had the choice. This comes not from any sort of prejudice against DOs, or any sort of supposition that DOs are inferior, but because of my personal path to becoming a doctor. I wouldn't look at anyone else's initials with that mentality, but I would for myself, because of what it meant for me.

But I also think as I grow as a person and as a doctor, my undergrad GPA will become a tinier and tinier percentage of my self-worth. DO won't mean "couldn't hack MD" as it would to me in the heat of the applications, where our self-worth is pretty much our LizzyM score! DO will be where I went to med school, where I lived and studied for four years, where my med school friends were, where I learned how to do my first procedures, where I launched my career as a doctor, and where I celebrated and struggled and everything in between. And *that* will be what DO will mean to me by the time I become a doctor; the association with a poor undergraduate performance will be ancient history by then. I'll be proud, then, to hold that title, because of the meaning I've given it through my years of medical school.

So I can certainly empathize with you and if you want to have a temporary pity party, I'll likely join you when my time comes next year. But after about 15 minutes of the pity party, we'll take a deep breath, be grateful that we're going to become physicians and make the most of the opportunity we've been given. I don't think there's a magic solution that will make the initial disappointment go away. But I think it will dissipate naturally as you imbue the degree with meaning of your own, and that surely will overshadow whatever inadequacy you're feeling now.
 
Well I guess I'm in the 1%......I truly prefer DO over MD. I want the OMT training and enjoy the support and noncompetitive camaraderie I get from DO institutions. Not trying to start a war. I realize you can get support from MD institutions as well. I just prefer DO
 
Yep! There are people who do prefer DO over MD. But the people who are going to experience an initial jolt of disappointment are the ones who wanted allopathic but could only get into osteopathic. It would be like telling you that you had to go to an MD school and couldn't go DO. You'd do it, and you'd be grateful for the opportunity, but you'd be disappointed you couldn't study osteopathic medicine. Either way, it's okay to be disappointed in something that you wanted but can't have.

You just have to be able to get over that disappointment!
 
jamcat said:
I'm just a pre-med so no acceptances yet! And I'll probably get excoriated for this, but I empathize with you. There seems to be a contradiction on SDN of on the one hand suggesting that people with more potential than their stats indicate should apply DO, and on the other suggesting that only people who actually have a draw to osteopathic medicine should go to DO schools.

I don't personally have any draw to osteopathic medicine or OMM, so while I have absolutely nothing against DO schools, by default this makes allopathic the more natural choice for me. That said, I have lower stats (well low GPA). So when it comes to applying, I'll likely find more DO love than MD. I'll be disappointed with this, because it's just not as good a fit for me. And so *for me* the DO initials would/will be a constant reminder of the low GPA that held me back from allopathic school, because I'd go allopathic if I had the choice. This comes not from any sort of prejudice against DOs, or any sort of supposition that DOs are inferior, but because of my personal path to becoming a doctor. I wouldn't look at anyone else's initials with that mentality, but I would for myself, because of what it meant for me.

But I also think as I grow as a person and as a doctor, my undergrad GPA will become a tinier and tinier percentage of my self-worth. DO won't mean "couldn't hack MD" as it would to me in the heat of the applications, where our self-worth is pretty much our LizzyM score! DO will be where I went to med school, where I lived and studied for four years, where my med school friends were, where I learned how to do my first procedures, where I launched my career as a doctor, and where I celebrated and struggled and everything in between. And *that* will be what DO will mean to me by the time I become a doctor; the association with a poor undergraduate performance will be ancient history by then. I'll be proud, then, to hold that title, because of the meaning I've given it through my years of medical school.

So I can certainly empathize with you and if you want to have a temporary pity party, I'll likely join you when my time comes next year. But after about 15 minutes of the pity party, we'll take a deep breath, be grateful that we're going to become physicians and make the most of the opportunity we've been given. I don't think there's a magic solution that will make the initial disappointment go away. But I think it will dissipate naturally as you imbue the degree with meaning of your own, and that surely will overshadow whatever inadequacy you're feeling now.
Click to expand...

While I agree somewhat with what you're saying, I feel that many are passionate about medicine and are pursuing it for all the right reasons. They may have low MCAT or Low GPA and have a harder time getting into MD schools. BUT ultimately they just wanna be a physician. That is when we say go DO. Even if they aren't necessarily passionate about OMT, they wanna be doctors and care for people. That is why we advise people to consider DO options. If someone is hung up on the idea of prestige and credentials that is when we say go MD. It all depends on the individual. YES, I think people going into DO should appreciate the unique advantages of osteopathic medicine, but at the end of the day we all just wanna be docs.
 
jamcat said:
Yep! There are people who do prefer DO over MD. But the people who are going to experience an initial jolt of disappointment are the ones who wanted allopathic but could only get into osteopathic. It would be like telling you that you had to go to an MD school and couldn't go DO. You'd do it, and you'd be grateful for the opportunity, but you'd be disappointed you couldn't study osteopathic medicine. Either way, it's okay to be disappointed in something that you wanted but can't have.

You just have to be able to get over that disappointment!
Click to expand...
I agree! But, if the dude is passionate about becoming an MD, then he should be an MD. If you can get into a DO program, then with a LITTLE more effort and time he can go MD

*the difference in competitiveness is not that vast
 
OsteopathicHopeful said:
Well I guess I'm in the 1%......I truly prefer DO over MD. I want the OMT training and enjoy the support and noncompetitive camaraderie I get from DO institutions. Not trying to start a war. I realize you can get support from MD institutions as well. I just prefer DO
Click to expand...
would you still be aiming for DO had your MCAT score been 40? In all seriousness?

No offense, but a "preference" for DO over MD school has zero credibility unless one either has an MD acceptance or reasonable credentials for MD (3.6/30+).
 
user3 said:
would you still be aiming for DO had your MCAT score been 40? In all seriousness?

No offense, but a "preference" for DO over MD school has zero credibility unless one either has an MD acceptance or reasonable credentials for MD (3.6/30+).
Click to expand...
Yes! You are absolutely right. What I've said really doesn't hold much weight since I haven't even been accepted to any school yet. I will be completely honest with you. This cycle I applied both MD and DO. If I have to apply next cycle, even if my MCAT is a 40 (haha), I will only be applying DO. Take that for whatever it is worth 🙂
 
user3 said:
would you still be aiming for DO had your MCAT score been 40? In all seriousness?

No offense, but a "preference" for DO over MD school has zero credibility unless one either has an MD acceptance or reasonable credentials for MD (3.6/30+).
Click to expand...

I know this isn't directed toward me, but I am one of those people who has a preference for DO. My stats are 3.6 cGPA/3.9 sGPA/34 MCAT. Didn't apply to any MD schools.
 
user3 said:
would you still be aiming for DO had your MCAT score been 40? In all seriousness?

No offense, but a "preference" for DO over MD school has zero credibility unless one either has an MD acceptance or reasonable credentials for MD (3.6/30+).
Click to expand...
Before applying this cycle, I wasn't as educated on the differences as I am now. Even before I applied all I wanted, and still want, is to be a rural/community doctor somewhere where I am needed. I have never been interested in research or big metro hospitals. I'm simply just a country boy that loves medicine. After working in the OR in both big Academic metro hospitals and community hospitals, I have realized that the quality of care and education CAN be the same. It all depends on what you want. I am a non traditional student that has just become biased to DO.
 
That's awesome! You're underscoring the point that it's possible to have a preference for MD or DO unrelated to prestige or initials. They lead to identical finish lines, but they have slightly different ways of getting there, and it's okay to prefer one way over another.
 
jamcat said:
That's awesome! You're underscoring the point that it's possible to have a preference for MD or DO unrelated to prestige or initials. They lead to identical finish lines, but they have slightly different ways of getting there, and it's okay to prefer one way over another.
Click to expand...
I completely agree!! It is up to the individual. It should not however be based on what other people expect or say. I feel like a lot of what people get hung up on is whether people are going to see them as a fully licensed, board certified, legit, etc, etc physician. When in all reality, they both are all those things, whether someone sees it or not.
 
That's also a very important point. The preference should be based on your personal interests, not the external factors you mentioned. Agree 100%!
 
DopaDO said:
Really 3 reasons. 1) I had lived in the same area my whole life and needed to get away to grow up. 2) I would have been too distracted by family and friends in my hometown much like I was throughout college. 3) The driving force to succeed was so strong. I felt like I had a chip on my shoulder because I was a DO. I wanted to show everyone that I was as good as any other med student. I realize now that there was no reason to have a chip on my shoulder, but none-the-less it was there and it really motivated me to match at a program that would make me feel "successful" (aka well respected academic residency). Granted, I realize now how stupid and immature I was at the time. My definition of success was very short sighted. Because I had my eyes on the prize (residency) the whole time, I overlooked a lot of my accomplishments along the way. Getting into any US medical school is a major accomplishment, getting through Step 1 is another huge accomplishment, and matching is another - honestly the greatest thing I've ever done in my life. Anyone who graduates and matches from any US med school to deserves an epic high five because it is not easy no matter how smart or prepared you think you are. I have no doubt that I would not have matched to as great a program (maybe not matched period) if I had went to my local MD school.

PS: Sorry for bragging, but screw it I worked hard. This is my time lol.
Click to expand...
This post is so so so awesome. Congratulations to you, I hope to have the same success in 4 years!
 
MattSmith45 said:
So am I the only one to feel that initial sting of disappointment then? Lets be honest, I wanted to go MD as did 99% of you. I think it's perfectly acceptable to feel disappointed about not achieving that feat.

My specific questions were if anyone else felt disappointed in themselves about not being able to get into an MD school, how they coped with that initial stage, and how their mentality changed. If I haven't made myself clear, I am trying to get over this stage which is why I am asking these questions. If this resonates with any of you, do share.
Click to expand...

It is probably because I have no MD/DO in my family, but was raised around both due to my mother being in the medical field. I didn't/don't distinguish between the degrees. So when I didn't get into my state MD program I wasn't disappointed at all because I got multiple interest from DO schools. Due to my strong rural interest I found that the interested DO schools' mindset were more along the lines of mine than the vast majority of MD schools in my region.
 
MattSmith45 said:
I'm going to match something competitive and come back in 4 years to laugh at myself for being like this.
Click to expand...

Thats the spirit? haha I'd match into whatever makes you happiest not necessarily most competitive, but I'm glad you're starting to see how green your grass really is. With enough hard work your grass will be greener than the Jones'
 
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