Is there any truth in the statement that DO applicants can't match into most specialties ? - Nerve Racking Convo I had

[2026PreMed]

Hello all,

I'll try to keep this as short as possible but currently I am a pre-med student taking various science classes and building a strong application. My neighbor/family-friend who is a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) offered to allow me to shadow him on certain days of the week after he learned I was pre-med. I did not even have to ask since my parents have known him and his wife for upwards of a decade. I was going to take him up on his offer but a friend I know from a bio lab I intern at told me it wasnt worth doing as he was a DO and that the only reason one should shadow a DO doctor is if they want to go to a DO school. Additionally he told me that most specialties are extremely difficult to get accepted to as a DO and that certain surgical specialties like CT-Neuro-Vascular and Ortho surgery are completely off the table for all DO applicants. He told me that if I apply DO I am wasting my time and jokingly said even going to a PA school is a better option. Most of the pre-meds in the lab also agreed with this sentiment.

I am kind of scared after hearing this as I was planning to apply to a few DO schools as well during my applicaiton year (2027). I dont want to go through the hard work of applying and going through med school only to have no options at the end. I did not know DOs were treated this bad. I don't know how I was the only one that wasnt aware of this.

Is it worth applying DO for my applicaiton or is it better to just keep reapplying MD until I get accepted somewhere. Additionally I looked at Carribean med schools and they offer MD degrees as well. Will these be looked at favorably by residency programs since they are MD ? It feels highly illogical that international medical degrees would have more weight than American ones, even if they are Osteopathic.

Lastly will Allopathic schools in the USA still count it as shadowing if the doctor is a DO ? Or does the bias apply to shadowing hours as well.

Thank you to all who respond !

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[chilly_md]

but a friend I know from a bio lab I intern at told me it wasnt worth doing as he was a DO and that the only reason one should shadow a DO doctor is if they want to go to a DO school

You may want to stop listening to this friend. That was very nice of your family friend who is a DO to let you shadow him. There is no difference in the office between DO and MD and you wouldn't ever know unless the physician happened to tell you or had those credentials listed on their white coat. They are paid the same in whatever specialty they are in. If you do not want to be a physician, then you can consider being a PA.

Caribbean school is what your rather odd lab coworkers should have said to avoid as that is very expensive, predatory, and often ends up as useless since those who do graduate at the end struggle to match. It is foolish to think of an MD there as being more valuable simply because of those 2 letters, as if the residency directors can't see what school it came from. Those schools do not have LCME accreditation in spite of offering an "MD" degree.

There are DO's that match Ortho and neurosurgery. That is difficult to do at an MD school as well and many of those initially interested may end up having to pivot because there is very little that a school name can do to make up for much lower board scores or other issues with how competitive you are as an individual applicant.

 

[DO2015CA]

Wouldn’t listen to anything anyone that hasn’t undergone the match before, much less a premed, has to say on the subject.

Is it all rosy? No. Is it less attractive than MD? Yes. Look at match results to show that the friend is presenting alternative facts. Yes it is harder but no there are still DOs in every specialty under the sun.

If you are competitive specialty or bust then you should not go to a DO program. But if you want to be a good doctor and are open to multiple specialties then it is worth it.

 

[Goro]

Answer: NO

 

[dial1010usa]

Show this thread to your buddy because he is an idiot. Don't listen to him. What is your GPA so far?

 

[2026PreMed]

Answer: NO

No it is not worth applying DO ? Or are you saying no that shadowing a DO does not count for allopathic schools ?

 

[Goro]

No it is not worth applying DO ? Or are you saying no that shadowing a DO does not count for allopathic schools ?

That NO is my answer to the title of this thread.

Shadowing a DO is not required for most DO schools, but it always helps.

And find better friends.

 

[Ellesandra319]

Hello all,

I'll try to keep this as short as possible but currently I am a pre-med student taking various science classes and building a strong application. My neighbor/family-friend who is a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) offered to allow me to shadow him on certain days of the week after he learned I was pre-med. I did not even have to ask since my parents have known him and his wife for upwards of a decade. I was going to take him up on his offer but a friend I know from a bio lab I intern at told me it wasnt worth doing as he was a DO and that the only reason one should shadow a DO doctor is if they want to go to a DO school. Additionally he told me that most specialties are extremely difficult to get accepted to as a DO and that certain surgical specialties like CT-Neuro-Vascular and Ortho surgery are completely off the table for all DO applicants. He told me that if I apply DO I am wasting my time and jokingly said even going to a PA school is a better option. Most of the pre-meds in the lab also agreed with this sentiment.

I am kind of scared after hearing this as I was planning to apply to a few DO schools as well during my applicaiton year (2027). I dont want to go through the hard work of applying and going through med school only to have no options at the end. I did not know DOs were treated this bad. I don't know how I was the only one that wasnt aware of this.

Is it worth applying DO for my applicaiton or is it better to just keep reapplying MD until I get accepted somewhere. Additionally I looked at Carribean med schools and they offer MD degrees as well. Will these be looked at favorably by residency programs since they are MD ? It feels highly illogical that international medical degrees would have more weight than American ones, even if they are Osteopathic.

Lastly will Allopathic schools in the USA still count it as shadowing if the doctor is a DO ? Or does the bias apply to shadowing hours as well.

Thank you to all who respond !

google historically osteopathic ortho programs and find out how many ortho programs there are that MD's *can't* apply to lol

 

[TwoDogMed]

LOL. I don't think the statement that MD can't apply to DO ortho program is correct, but I think I know what you are trying to say. DO ortho programs do not consider you unless you do a sub-i with them. Here is the rub. MDs dont rotate to DO programs typically.

 

[thumbz]

Luckily I just gave a talk on this to some MS1's and 2's. Rather than spout opinions, here's the facts, strait from the NRMP. You can find this by googling "NRMP Charting Outcomes of the Match". Literally no specialty is off limits. Are some harder than others? Absolutely.

 

[TwoDogMed]

Luckily I just gave a talk on this to some MS1's and 2's. Rather than spout opinions, here's the facts, strait from the NRMP. You can find this by googling "NRMP Charting Outcomes of the Match". Literally no specialty is off limits. Are some harder than others? Absolutely.

View attachment 402915

I dont see plastic surgery

 

[CBass2288]

I dont see plastic surgery

page 4 of the 2024 main match results

3/16 DO seniors

page 8 of the 2025 main match results

2/14 DO seniors

in the most respectful way, all of this is accessible online. took me 60 seconds to find.

 

[TwoDogMed]

page 4 of the 2024 main match results

3/16 DO seniors

page 8 of the 2025 main match results

2/14 DO seniors

in the most respectful way, all of this is accessible online. took me 60 seconds to find.

Why was it not included in Chart 3 above?

 

[2026PreMed]

Luckily I just gave a talk on this to some MS1's and 2's. Rather than spout opinions, here's the facts, strait from the NRMP. You can find this by googling "NRMP Charting Outcomes of the Match". Literally no specialty is off limits. Are some harder than others? Absolutely.

View attachment 402915

Interesting data. RIP any DO who wants to be any kind of surgeon. I dont see Plastics but i'm gonna assume its pretty low. Out of curiosity I looked up the value for CT surgery and it was about where Neurosurgery was. 4 DO applicants 1 Match. 25%

 

[CBass2288]

Interesting data. RIP any DO who wants to be any kind of surgeon. I dont see Plastics but i'm gonna assume its pretty low. Out of curiosity I looked up the value for CT surgery and it was about where Neurosurgery was. 4 DO applicants 1 Match. 25%

categorical surgery matches this year were 59%. 261/445. yes, not great. but possible. MD was only 74% so yes 15% difference but much less difference than some of the other uber competitive specialties. surgery is not out of the realm for a DO, just more difficult.

neuro, thoracic, vascular, plastics? different story

 

[thumbz]

Here's the MD data for easy comparison and transparency. I'll never say it won't be harder as a DO, but the days of "you can't do X as a DO it's impossible" are over.

 

[2026PreMed]

View attachment 402997

Here's the MD data for easy comparison and transparency. I'll never say it won't be harder as a DO, but the days of "you can't do X as a DO it's impossible" are over.

Ngl some of those differences are straight brutal. Especially Derm

 

[DO2015CA]

Ngl some of those differences are straight brutal. Especially Derm

Yes but it is what it is. If you’re competitive only for DO only and ok with a dream that can happen then go for it. But just be aware that one could do everything right and still have it not pan out. If those are willing to land in a less competitive fields then it’s still worth going. But the data also shows that those saying that it’s impossible don’t know what they’re saying.

 

[chilly_md]

Ngl some of those differences are straight brutal. Especially Derm

Derm ends up unrealistic for a large number of students from many MD schools and they pivot to something else

 

[Ho0v-man]

OP, your friends who are also premeds have as much authority on these matters as you.

They listed the most competitive specialties and Tbf, it is harder than being at a USMD school. It’s also harder to be at a low tier MD compared to an Ivy League school.

But my lowly DO school matched students to ortho, derm, neurosurgery, and CT surgery in my class alone and that’s just what I remember. Despite what sdn would have you believe, most people at DO schools aren’t trying for these specialties. They’re at a DO school because it aligns with their goal of being an internist or a pediatrician, etc. Those I’m familiar with who came in wanting those Uber competitive specialties wouldn’t have gotten it if the initials after their name were any different.

TLDR; yes those specialties are harder as a DO but far from impossible.

 

[Goro]

categorical surgery matches this year were 59%. 261/445. yes, not great. but possible. MD was only 74% so yes 15% difference but much less difference than some of the other uber competitive specialties. surgery is not out of the realm for a DO, just more difficult.

neuro, thoracic, vascular, plastics? different story

In addition, one shouldn't look at this data in a vacuum. Every year the numbers for DOs increase in terms of success in getting into particular specialties.

 

[DOVinciRobot]

Interesting data. RIP any DO who wants to be any kind of surgeon. I dont see Plastics but i'm gonna assume its pretty low. Out of curiosity I looked up the value for CT surgery and it was about where Neurosurgery was. 4 DO applicants 1 Match. 25%

Ngl some of those differences are straight brutal. Especially Derm

As a DO in an academic surgery program I like to think I know what I’m talking about on this topic.

Yes it’s harder as a DO, but people match surgery, and surgery specialties, every year. No it’s not easy and will an uphill climb. But you know who has a 0% match rate to any surgical field? People who never start medical school.

If you get into an MD school then go there. However, if you don’t then a good DO school will give you the opportunity to be a doctor and even a surgeon if you hustle.

I matched very well and have gotten excellent training, if I were an MD I would have ended up at the same type of program. Looking back, I honestly believe my DO school gave me far better training than what the MD students get at my current institution. The job I will be doing when I graduate is the job I was always going to be heading to whether I were an MD or a DO and I have no regrets.

 

[MDMechEngr]

As a DO in an academic surgery program I like to think I know what I’m talking about on this topic.

Yes it’s harder as a DO, but people match surgery, and surgery specialties, every year. No it’s not easy and will an uphill climb. But you know who has a 0% match rate to any surgical field? People who never start medical school.

If you get into an MD school then go there. However, if you don’t then a good DO school will give you the opportunity to be a doctor and even a surgeon if you hustle.

I matched very well and have gotten excellent training, if I were an MD I would have ended up at the same type of program. Looking back, I honestly believe my DO school gave me far better training than what the MD students get at my current institution. The job I will be doing when I graduate is the job I was always going to be heading to whether I were an MD or a DO and I have no regrets.

I am not a DO, but I have followed your posts since I was a premed. You have always given sound advice and input to the DO community.

Ironically, the med school of your residency program matched surgery quite well this year (2 derm, 3 ENT, 2 nuerological surgery, 1 vascular surgery, 2 ophtho, 5 ortho, 6 surger, 1 urology. Their training may not be as good as your med school home program, but they match very well regardless is the bottom line condsiderinhg they are a pretty low ranked MD program with not so stellar training. Home program and connections is a huge advantage in any field and that is what the MD programs give you.

I think had you attended an MD school, you would have ended up at programs like Utah, Colorado, UW, etc.. Not to say that these programs are better than your program.

 

[DOVinciRobot]

I am not a DO, but I have followed your posts since I was a premed. You have always given sound advice and input to the DO community.

Ironically, the med school of your residency program matched surgery quite well this year (2 derm, 3 ENT, 2 nuerological surgery, 1 vascular surgery, 2 ophtho, 5 ortho, 6 surger, 1 urology. Their training may not be as good as your med school home program, but they match very well regardless is the bottom line condsiderinhg they are a pretty low ranked MD program with not so stellar training. Home program and connections is a huge advantage in any field and that is what the MD programs give you.

I think had you attended an MD school, you would have ended up at programs like Utah, Colorado, UW, etc.. Not to say that these programs are better than your program.

Probably. I’d agree with that assessment. Which is why I always say go MD if you get in and then if you don’t go to the best DO school you can. My clinical training has been excellent, however the location would probably be different if I were an MD.

As with any match list there are always aspects you don’t see. The home students this year were actually a pretty weak class, and for all of those people who matched those specialties there were many who didn’t. About a 50% match rate to each of those specialties.