Interview advice for why I want to be a DO.

[cedricw]

Okay, I applied to MD schools last year but it looks like i'm not going to get in (couple of waitlists etc.). I really wanted to apply to DO schools, but I started feeling a little too bogged down with all the MD secondaries and decided to not apply DO.

Now, I'm applying both MD and DO in this upcoming cycle. I am sure I will get several DO interviews, but I am worried about if they ask me why I didn't apply to DO schools last year if I really want to be a DO. In all honesty, I would go to a DO school in a heartbeat and I really feel I would be happy as a DO, but I am afraid they are not going to take me seriously because I only applied to MD schools last year.

I know some of you will say "they have no idea you applied last year," but I'm not going to take my chances. If one of my DO interviewers asks me I want to be prepared, and I don't want to lie about it. Any advice? Thanks

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[DoctorFeelGood]

What are your stats.? Thanks...

 

[cedricw]

3.88 GPA, 32 MCAT.

 

[wannabe_doctor]

Quick question,

Where the heck did you apply? You didn't get in with a 3.88 and a 32 MCAT. You don't have two heads do you?...just kidding.

I am just curious because those are excellent scores to have (very close to mine actually) and I would like to know my chances.

Thanks a bunch,
wannabe_doctor

 

[cedricw]

Applied to 25 schools...CA resident. 7 interviews, 2 waitlists, 1 hold list. It's weird because I know I am not a bad interviewee, it has always been a strength. Just one of those things that works in mysterious ways. Good luck to you.

 

[RollTide]

cedric,

You titled this post "Interview advice for why I want to be D.O.", which for starters indicates that you don't know why and want others to help justfy your previous application cycle. It seems like you want to be a physician( not specifically a M.D. or D.O.), and that becoming an osteopathic physician is somewhat less important to you (afterall you sent in 17 applications in last year's cycle without applying to one single D.O. program). I find it somewhat admirable that you are at least considering being honest about last year's application cycle when you apply this year. They will ask, not only in the interview, but on the primary(I think), and many of the secondary applications ask if you have ever applied to a health proffessional school.

Another of your comments I found somewhat disturbing: "In all honesty, I would go to a DO school in a heartbeat and I really feel I would be happy as a DO". I would hope so, why would you apply if not? It sounds like you are trying to reassure yourself a bit that things will be OK. From what I gathered from your post it sounds like you are not truely interested in D.O. schools( or else you would have applied to the two in CA last year), but just interested in getting in somewhere. You should seriously consider only applying to schools that grant the M.D. if my assumptions are correct. You will get multiple acceptances with your numbers, just don't expect them to be in cali. Now if you do have some genuine interest in OMT, your best option would be to have some interaction with a D.O. who uses OMT a good bit, and then use this in your application cycle as something that changed between last year and this year, making you more aware of your options and driving you in the direction of osteopathic medicine.

 

[PimplePopperMD]

I agree; as I wanted to be a physician, I applied to both MD and DO schools on my first shot. When asked that question, I answered that I would love to practice medicine, and any opportunity that would allow me to do so would be fantastic. That got me DO acceptances, which I declined once I received my 1st choice acceptance.

Better luck this time 'round!