Is anyone else besides me just applying to DO schools?

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brookliner7

brookliner7

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I noticed a lot of recent threads where many people are not actually interested in being a DO, just a physcian, regardless of the school or training. (especially after the August MCAT scores.)
This kinda bums me out I guess...so I was wondering if they are actually other people out there like me that feel the osteopathic philosophy/OMT is essential in their medical training.
The only allopathic school I considered applying to is our state univeristy, since they are (obviously) in-state and have a great program.
 
Only osteopathic for me! OMM alone is enough of a draw in itself.
 
Tsh.. Me too man I feel the Osteopathic Philosophy all the way even though my name state's MD in front of it....😀 Im going Osteopathic all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Osteopathic Medicine=😍
 
5DO, 3 MD programs for me...

I applied regionally, with the exception of AZCOM. I have the luxury of living very near some great DO programs...and am able to essentially apply as a resident to 2 state u's.
 
me too..I only applied to osteopathic schools. It was frustrating though cause my parents and other people didn't understand it. I had to explain the whole philosophy, back it up...had to give a long explanation of why i'm interested in OMT. And still after that they were like so you should still apply to allopathic schools to see if you get in. Some people don't get it, but oh well.
 
I know one girl who applied only DO. I didn't want to, because I can't make a decision right away. I need a lot of options so I can have the oppurtunity to change my mind a few times. My top 2 choices are MD schools, the next 2 are DO schools. Well, that's my breakdown this week anyway. My top choices tend to fluctuate.
 
I applied to both, but the MD schools I applied to were because of their location and not their program. I definitely prefer DO and would choose that over MD anyday. The philosophy is more in keeping with my own. I also want to go into family medicine and DO is perfect for that.😀
 
I am an Ohioan, which means 7 in-state possibilities! I firmly believe i could have gotten in to a number of them. But, I ONLY want to be a DO so I didn't even apply elsewhere. Applied to 9 DO schools - interviewing at OU friday!
 
only do for me 🙂
 
I'm in Chicago and have MD schools all over, but I couldn't care less about MD. Hell, I'd turn down a complete scholarship if it were to an MD school. My chief interest is OMM, which is why I applied to only DO schools, and only 3 of those at that.
 
Both MD and DO for me. To me OMM is a perk of DO schools just like a better match list may be a perk of anotehr MD school. DO and MD schools are scattered throughout my personal rankings, and I don't think there is anything wrong with that. However, I seem to be getting only DO love anyway.
 
Xoynx said:
I'm in Chicago and have MD schools all over, but I couldn't care less about MD. Hell, I'd turn down a complete scholarship if it were to an MD school. My chief interest is OMM, which is why I applied to only DO schools, and only 3 of those at that.
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I totally agree. I wouldnt go MD if you paid me. (I DO NOT want to start a fight. If you have Qs about MY full opininion, I would be happy to share it with you via PM). I had to turn an MD/Professor down several times for his attempts to get me to apply to their in-state school and rural medicine track program (which is what I aim to do). I LOVE DO and the whole philosophy of openness to alternatives, not just because of OMM (but I love that too 😀 ) Im glad you started this thread. Im so passionate about DO that it really hurts my heart when I hear people trashing it or using it as their "good enough" second option for their "real" desire of MD. I think there are so many beautiful things about Osteopathic medicine, for both the physician AND the patient, its a shame that our country doesn't embrace it more.
 
only DO for me too. wouldn't have it any other way. 😀
 
Yes_I_DO said:
I totally agree. I wouldnt go MD if you paid me. (I DO NOT want to start a fight. If you have Qs about MY full opininion, I would be happy to share it with you via PM).

...

I LOVE DO and the whole philosophy of openness to alternatives, not just because of OMM (but I love that too 😀 ) Im glad you started this thread. Im so passionate about DO that it really hurts my heart when I hear people trashing it or using it as their "good enough" second option for their "real" desire of MD. I think there are so many beautiful things about Osteopathic medicine, for both the physician AND the patient, its a shame that our country doesn't embrace it more.
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👍 Exactly. Same here. It's more than just MD + OMM.
My uncle (a DO) summed it up like this:
He had a friend who was a Chiropractor. This DC went to med school (Mizzou) and got an MD. When he returned to practice in the town where my uncle was, my uncle told him he was almost a DO now.
 
jkhamlin said:
👍 Exactly. Same here. It's more than just MD + OMM.
My uncle (a DO) summed it up like this:
He had a friend who was a Chiropractor. This DC went to med school (Mizzou) and got an MD. When he returned to practice in the town where my uncle was, my uncle told him he was almost a DO now.
Click to expand...


haha..that's funny.

I would say he's still not even close to a DO though. Chiropracting and OMM are two wholly different species as far as diagnosis, application, and philosophy. Amongst many things, OMM is used to TREAT a patient...not a technique that is applied so the patient has to keep coming back for more "adjustments."
 
brookliner7 said:
haha..that's funny.

I would say he's still not even close to a DO though. Chiropracting and OMM are two wholly different species as far as diagnosis, application, and philosophy. Amongst many things, OMM is used to TREAT a patient...not a technique that is applied so the patient has to keep coming back for more "adjustments."
Click to expand...

Correct. I think my uncle was being generous to his friend while ribbing him about going MD instead of DO. Of course, you do realize that Chiro is an illegitimate offshoot of Osteopathy don't you?
 
I only applied to DO schools even though I am from OH. I want to be in rural medicine so I feel DO is a better fit for that. I am really pumped becasue I just got into OUCOM a great DO school!! OUCOM CLASS OF 2011!!!!!!
 
I think its great that so many people are all about going only DO, but I don't understand the "heartbreak", "dissapointment", etc that people express when they see people like myself applying to both MD and DO programs. There are distinct advantages to both types of degrees.
 
DRKUBA said:
I think its great that so many people are all about going only DO, but I don't understand the "heartbreak", "dissapointment", etc that people express when they see people like myself applying to both MD and DO programs. There are distinct advantages to both types of degrees.
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Now now, to be fair, (and Im assuming I'm one of the ppl you are referring to), please re-read my post. I am heartbroken when ppl dismiss DO as rubbish or 2nd rate and/or when ppl apply as a "good enough" Option B path to physician. To me it's like saying, "I'd really like to be Christian to get to Heaven, but if I can't be good enough for that, I guess I can always try being Catholic. Whatever gets me there. I'll just disregard the parts I don't like and use it for what it can do for me." (i.e. I've heard too many disgruntled MD wannabes who went DO b/c "that's what was available" but didnt "buy into" the whole "DOs are different" philosophy; they literally scoffed at and ignored what makes the DO curriculum different from MD)

I know these are age-old debates. I really dont want to start a war. I just wanted to express sadness (that I am legitimately entitled to feel) for the disrespect of my future career and passion.
 
I sold out, I am applying to a few MD programs, mainly for tuition and price. Don't really care either way, DO is definitely not a "back up" plan for me. If it wasn't for osteopathic schools, I doubt I would have had the motivation to nail all the pre reqs and study for the MCAT.
 
DoctorMom78 said:
I applied to both, but the MD schools I applied to were because of their location and not their program. I definitely prefer DO and would choose that over MD anyday. The philosophy is more in keeping with my own. I also want to go into family medicine and DO is perfect for that.😀
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All of my programs (DO and MD) are based on location and avg GPA. Other than that, I think pretty much everything is bull**** until you actually get an interview and can get a feel for the place. The "differences" between DO and MD are sketchy at best (beyond OMM).
 
Yes_I_DO said:
"I'd really like to be Christian to get to Heaven, but if I can't be good enough for that, I guess I can always try being Catholic. Whatever gets me there. I'll just disregard the parts I don't like and use it for what it can do for me."
Click to expand...


Umm... just so you know, Catholics are Christians.
 
All DO schools for me too
 
Yes_I_DO said:
Now now, to be fair, (and Im assuming I'm one of the ppl you are referring to), please re-read my post. I am heartbroken when ppl dismiss DO as rubbish or 2nd rate and/or when ppl apply as a "good enough" Option B path to physician. To me it's like saying, "I'd really like to be Christian to get to Heaven, but if I can't be good enough for that, I guess I can always try being Catholic. Whatever gets me there. I'll just disregard the parts I don't like and use it for what it can do for me." (i.e. I've heard too many disgruntled MD wannabes who went DO b/c "that's what was available" but didnt "buy into" the whole "DOs are different" philosophy; they literally scoffed at and ignored what makes the DO curriculum different from MD)

I know these are age-old debates. I really dont want to start a war. I just wanted to express sadness (that I am legitimately entitled to feel) for the disrespect of my future career and passion.
Click to expand...
Riddle me this, since you're so damn sure that there is some seemingly significant difference between the two degrees: What is the osteopathic approach for acute cranial-rectal impaction?
 
i think the question should be re-phrased to pple who are actually competitive for MD schools (ie 30+ MCAT) who are only applying to DO schools. otherwise, u are not gauging pple's true feelings in a sense. not trying to start anything b/c i believe in the osteopathic philosophy and am applying to both MD and DO schools, but i did not grow up around DOs or DO schools and thus only recently became acquainted w/the philosophy. take this as u will, but when i was faced w/DO vs caribbean, i decided to pursue DO. however now that i have improved my mcat and may have a chance at MD schools, i think no less of DO but would have to pick MD b/c it means i have a greater chance of coming back to my hometown area (no DO residencies around here). certainly there are DOs who chose DO over U.S. allo schools (eg the DO i shadowed this summer). however, more often than not, pple apply and matriculate to DO schools b/c they weren't as competitive for MD programs and felt that DO and OMM were a better fit for them than going abroad. And most of these pple end up really liking their profession. however, don't act all noble high and mighty better than thou that u ONLY applied to DO schools when u know perfectly well that u would not be very competitive at most US allo schools...
 
slb said:
Umm... just so you know, Catholics are Christians.
Click to expand...

EWWW my bad. Really, I really am a "religion" imbecile. I should have stayed away from religion altogether; but that was kind of my point. Would you really want someone to boil something as precious as your religion down to "who cares; there are no important differences anyway"? Thanks for catching my idiotic mistake. I didn't mean to offend.
 
DropkickMurphy said:
Riddle me this, since you're so damn sure that there is some seemingly significant difference between the two degrees: What is the osteopathic approach for acute cranial-rectal impaction?
Click to expand...

Well, let's compare approaches. What did your MD do for you?
 
redsoxfan said:
i think the question should be re-phrased to pple who are actually competitive for MD schools (ie 30+ MCAT) who are only applying to DO schools. otherwise, u are not gauging pple's true feelings in a sense. not trying to start anything b/c i believe in the osteopathic philosophy and am applying to both MD and DO schools, but i did not grow up around DOs or DO schools and thus only recently became acquainted w/the philosophy. take this as u will, but when i was faced w/DO vs caribbean, i decided to pursue DO. however now that i have improved my mcat and may have a chance at MD schools, i think no less of DO but would have to pick MD b/c it means i have a greater chance of coming back to my hometown area (no DO residencies around here). certainly there are DOs who chose DO over U.S. allo schools (eg the DO i shadowed this summer). however, more often than not, pple apply and matriculate to DO schools b/c they weren't as competitive for MD programs and felt that DO and OMM were a better fit for them than going abroad. And most of these pple end up really liking their profession. however, don't act all noble high and mighty better than thou that u ONLY applied to DO schools when u know perfectly well that u would not be very competitive at most US allo schools...
Click to expand...
Actually I would consider Carribean over US MD school any day just to get away from the AMA's political mumbo jumbo.

This has been covered ad nauseum, but it is worth repeating here: There are plenty of MD schools that an MCAT of less than 30 and a GPA less than 3.5 are competitive. My state school for example, Mizzou Med. They'll take anyone with a pulse that can cast a shadow if they're a Missouri resident. It's the prestigious names like Harvard and Wash U that have the higher MCAT and GPA averages.
 
redsoxfan makes a good point. Who here would make a competitive MD applicant (3.5+ 30+)?
boner is definitely one of those who applied only DO.
 
jkhamlin said:
Actually I would consider Carribean over US MD school any day just to get away from the AMA's political mumbo jumbo.

This has been covered ad nauseum, but it is worth repeating here: There are plenty of MD schools that an MCAT of less than 30 and a GPA less than 3.5 are competitive. My state school for example, Mizzou Med. They'll take anyone with a pulse that can cast a shadow if they're a Missouri resident. It's the prestigious names like Harvard and Wash U that have the higher MCAT and GPA averages.
Click to expand...

1. the carib comment is ridiculous.

2. yes, many many pre-MD students will get in with less than those stats, but it will be interesting to see if anyone saying these things here has those stats.
 
Eh. I'm applying to both. A large chunk of my interests are surgical or procedure based for one, but really I have yet to meet a DO (I've shadowed a ton) that has really wowed me with some superior philosphy. I've met MDs that have recommended alternative medicine too...hell my dad is an md and does yoga, meditation, tried accupuncture and everything else....I think it is a little naive to have this suppossed philosophy be the main selling point...especially since odds are you will use it once in a blue moon just because you felt like it. I am picking based on the schools I like that I believe will give me the best chance to reach my goals. Saying you will only be one way or the other seems to me like those college rivalries like UF/FSU, IU/Purdue, OSU/Michigan, etc where you may have met one person from the other school and disliked them or had a bad experience once and so you base your entire devotion on that. It is fine that one applies to all DO schools, but doing it out of some suppossed philosphy is just being ignorant. Yea, they learn OMM big woop. After school, depending on your speciality you may never use that again. I've met DOs that have "MD" philosphy after 20 years of practicing, and MDs that have "DO" philosphy....**** happens..apply broadly...god forbid a person likes an MD campus more than a DO (the reverse can be true as well)
 
redsoxfan said:
i think the question should be re-phrased to pple who are actually competitive for MD schools (ie 30+ MCAT) who are only applying to DO schools. otherwise, u are not gauging pple's true feelings in a sense. not trying to start anything b/c i believe in the osteopathic philosophy and am applying to both MD and DO schools, but i did not grow up around DOs or DO schools and thus only recently became acquainted w/the philosophy. take this as u will, but when i was faced w/DO vs caribbean, i decided to pursue DO. however now that i have improved my mcat and may have a chance at MD schools, i think no less of DO but would have to pick MD b/c it means i have a greater chance of coming back to my hometown area (no DO residencies around here). certainly there are DOs who chose DO over U.S. allo schools (eg the DO i shadowed this summer). however, more often than not, pple apply and matriculate to DO schools b/c they weren't as competitive for MD programs and felt that DO and OMM were a better fit for them than going abroad. And most of these pple end up really liking their profession. however, don't act all noble high and mighty better than thou that u ONLY applied to DO schools when u know perfectly well that u would not be very competitive at most US allo schools...
Click to expand...


just becuase people have 30+ and 3.5+ doens't always mean that they are "competitive" in ANY medical school, regardless DO or MD.


The point of this thread was to actually aknowledge that there ARE in fact people who are invested to learn and practice the osteopathic approach.
And to point out the fact that some people did not apply DO because they are MD rejects.
 
I guess I have a slightly different perspective on this issue. I personally am definately a MD reject, having applied last year to 15 MD schools and receiving only 1 interview and no acceptances. Although I'm still not sure why i received so little attention last year (33L, 3.47) but it probably had something to do with my extracurriculars or perhaps a kinda low gpa.

Anyways to be honest, on this day last year I couldnt tell you the difference between a DO and an MD (a fact I'm not exactly proud of). After speaking with my advisor about my options I decided to research osteopathic medicine to see if this was an option for me. At the time I was truly afraid that osteopathic medical schools would provide me a lower level of education with fewer opportunities after med school. These fears were quickly put aside after researching and talking with some osteopathic physicians and allopathic physicians. I really do love the osteopathic philosophy of medicine but when it comes down to it, I could use either an allopathic or osteopathic education to practice medicine by MY philosophy and goals. I have no desire to be defined as a physician by the type of medical school I go to, I want to be defined by the type and quality of doctor and person that I am.
I guess I've kinda rambled but anyways, this year I am applying to both MD and DO schools. I am hoping for as many acceptances as possible so I can make the decision based on how I liked each specific school. I understand the thought process when people say you should only apply DO or MD. However, as long as I exit medical school the best possible physician that I can be, did I really insult myself or osteopathic medicine by not choosing it initially?

BTW, my father is a chiropractor and a large portion of his patients are sent to him by DO's and MD's in the region who realize that he simply has more experience with manipulation than they can ever have. Chiropractic is not an illegitmate offshoot of osteopathic medicine. There are practicioners out there who are invaluable to their patients, but unfortunately the whole profession is diluted by a large number of practicioners with only dollar signs in their eyes. Pretty much the same as law nowadays (no offense to any lawyers!)

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=6672
 
Only DO for me, but not for purely idealistic reasons like most others. I simply don't have a good enough GPA to apply to MD programs; I'm not even gonna bother to waste the money applying, otherwise I would try.
 
redsoxfan said:
i think the question should be re-phrased to pple who are actually competitive for MD schools (ie 30+ MCAT) who are only applying to DO schools. otherwise, u are not gauging pple's true feelings in a sense. not trying to start anything b/c i believe in the osteopathic philosophy and am applying to both MD and DO schools, but i did not grow up around DOs or DO schools and thus only recently became acquainted w/the philosophy. take this as u will, but when i was faced w/DO vs caribbean, i decided to pursue DO. however now that i have improved my mcat and may have a chance at MD schools, i think no less of DO but would have to pick MD b/c it means i have a greater chance of coming back to my hometown area (no DO residencies around here). certainly there are DOs who chose DO over U.S. allo schools (eg the DO i shadowed this summer). however, more often than not, pple apply and matriculate to DO schools b/c they weren't as competitive for MD programs and felt that DO and OMM were a better fit for them than going abroad. And most of these pple end up really liking their profession. however, don't act all noble high and mighty better than thou that u ONLY applied to DO schools when u know perfectly well that u would not be very competitive at most US allo schools...
Click to expand...

I applied to both MD and DO schools from the beginning. Truthfully, the reason I began to look at osteopathic medicine was because of my MCAT score. However, after researching it extensively I fell in love with the philosophy. I spent some time talking with DOs and decided that this is what I wanted to do with my life. For years I have wanted to go into neurology and follow in my father's footsteps, but over the last year or so of my life I have decided that my true calling is rural family medicine. I am happy that I got the MCAT score I did because I honestly don't know that I would have looked in osteopathic medicine if I had not. I feel that it was fate. I am not trying to offend anyone by this statement, but the truth is that I had not looked at osteopathic medicine because I had not been educated about what it has to offer. My whole life I have been surrounded by MDs and knew very little about osteopathy. That said, I did apply to some MD schools based on their location. But, I truly would choose osteopathic medicine over allopathic anyday and will definitely take DCOM over everything else! (I love that school and I want to practice in Appalachia because I was born there, my mother is from there, I still have family there, and I know that I will make a difference to the people there.) I have no doubt in my mind that I could retake the MCAT and get at least a 30. There were a lot of things going on in my life that affected my academic and MCAT performance. I have four children and at the time I took the MCAT I had a 3 month old baby and was sleep deprived and nursing her while trying to study, go to classes, and take care of the rest of my family. I had not taken organic chemistry before taking the MCAT. I also had chronic Lyme disease with neurocognitive involvement to the point I was almost disabled. (Seriously, it was REALLY bad! I could't remember what side of the car my gas tank was on, etc.) Anyway, I believe that things happen for a reason and I believe that everything that has occured over the last few years has been to direct me towards becoming a DO and practicing rural family medicine. I hope this does not offend anyone who has been hardcore DO from the start. It is not meant to. It is only meant to reply to the above comment. I wish everyone the best of luck and truthfully believe that it does not matter whether a person is an MD or a DO or where they went to medical school. Those are not the things that make people a great doctor, but only a difference of opinion and individual preferences. What makes someone a great doctor is what is in their heart and how they treat their patients. If someone attends a medical school and does well and gets into a decent residency program, then they can be the doctor they want to be in the end. I wish everyone the best of luck in whatever path they choose to follow!:luck: :luck: :luck:
 
I'm applying to both. If I were brave, I would just apply to DO schools, though because I feel very comfortable with the DO approach. Unfortunately I have been given a good amount of warnings from enough of my MD friends (not ALL of them, and they aren't old, they are in their late 20's, late 30's, early 40's) that going the DO route will pose some limitations for where I want to do residency training, and there would be SOME stigma for not going MD. Especially around the NE. So even though I feel like DO is probably a better fit for me, I have applied to both. If I can start off without worrying about possible limitations I'll face later, I'd feel better about that. Plus, my state school would be a much kinder debt to take on!

Don't kill me for this - this is just what they've warned me about, enough to leave me with some questions in my mind about it - not a lot, but some...
 
Orthodoc40 said:
I'm applying to both. If I were brave, I would just apply to DO schools, though because I feel very comfortable with the DO approach. Unfortunately I have been given a good amount of warnings from enough of my MD friends (not ALL of them, and they aren't old, they are in their late 20's, late 30's, early 40's) that going the DO route will pose some limitations for where I want to do residency training, and there would be SOME stigma for not going MD. Especially around the NE. So even though I feel like DO is probably a better fit for me, I have applied to both. If I can start off without worrying about possible limitations I'll face later, I'd feel better about that. Plus, my state school would be a much kinder debt to take on!

Don't kill me for this - this is just what they've warned me about, enough to leave me with some questions in my mind about it - not a lot, but some...
Click to expand...



👍 don't be ashamed of that. I also like OMM (i would say "philosophy", but thats kind of bogus) but there are more factors in a med school than that, and each school has to be evaluated individually. People here get really defensive, but don't let that influence you.
 
jkhamlin said:
My state school for example, Mizzou Med. They'll take anyone with a pulse that can cast a shadow if they're a Missouri resident. It's the prestigious names like Harvard and Wash U that have the higher MCAT and GPA averages.
Click to expand...


Interesting..we'll have to test that theory....I tend to not believe it.

🙂
 
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