Just decided to apply to DO schools. HELP!

[Rejuvenate]

---

Members do not see this ad.

After some research I have decided to apply to some DO schools, but I have some questions.

1. Do Osteopathic schools care if you also applied to MD schools?
2. For the AMCAS experience descriptions you are only supposed to say what you did, not what you learned. Is it the same case for AACOMAS or should it be more about what this experience taught you?
3. What are the top DO schools in the country? I have good DO credentials (28 MCAT, 3.98 cGPA, 3.97 sGPA, and many leadership and community service events and jobs.)
4. How do MD and DO personal statements differ? is there something extra that I have to add for the DO personal statement?
5. Do i need a DO doctor letter of recommendation?

You don't have to answer all the questions. If you can even answer one it would be great!
Thanks guys

 

[koan]

1. No
2. Pass
3. See any of the plethora of ranking threads on this forum. Program Directors for residency tend to lump all DO schools into one category, unless 1) they have matched a resident from that school in the past or 2) there is a regional preference. Some schools are older, some have better rotation sites, some have better location or research opportunities.
4. No need to change it unless you've shadowed a DO and want to mention that experience in your PS. I'd recommend against saying that DO's are more "holistic" or look at the "whole patient" or other false, tired cliches. The schools are more interested in hearing that you know something about osteopathic medicine.
5. Not always, but some schools require one. I didn't get a DO letter, only shadowed a DO radiation oncologist for 1 day, and got accepted to a few places. If you can get a DO letter it might get you more interviews.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

1. No
2. You have 750 characters to write what you want.
3. The schools you get accepted to > The ones you didn't
4. Your personal statement should be about why medicine in general. Your secondaries about why osteopathic medicine.
5. In this day and age you're doing yourself a disservice by not getting DO exposure and a LOR or two.

 

[Mad Jack]

1. Do Osteopathic schools care if you also applied to MD schools? If you applied to both some schools will want to know why, others won't care. Applying only DO can be viewed by some admission committee members as a commitment to the DO profession, but others just dgaf.

2. For the AMCAS experience descriptions you are only supposed to say what you did, not what you learned. Is it the same case for AACOMAS or should it be more about what this experience taught you? Same case for AACOMAS. Your experiences should read like a good resume. Anything you feel to be particularly influential should be worked into personal statements or secondaries.

3. What are the top DO schools in the country? I have good DO credentials (28 MCAT, 3.98 cGPA, 3.97 sGPA, and many leadership and community service events and jobs.) The ones that will provide you with the greatest OPTI access are probably CCOM, MSUCOM, PCOM, NYCOM, and some other school I'm forgetting. There aren't really any "top" DO programs, as they all tend to provide you with fairly similar opportunities for the most part, aside from their OPTI connections. Go to the place that suits you best.

4. How do MD and DO personal statements differ? is there something extra that I have to add for the DO personal statement? If you can fit in "Why DO?" That's really the only thing you would change in your PS.

5. Do i need a DO doctor letter of recommendation? For some schools, yes, others, no. Look up each school you plan on applying to individually and look at the chart in the DO LOR thread. I had a strong MD letter and a weak DO letter, the MD got me into a great number of schools, and the DO got me into a couple on its own.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

3. LUCOM

 

[radian313]

3. LUCOM

Lol

 

[ToKingdomCome]

After some research I have decided to apply to some DO schools, but I have some questions.

1. Do Osteopathic schools care if you also applied to MD schools?
2. For the AMCAS experience descriptions you are only supposed to say what you did, not what you learned. Is it the same case for AACOMAS or should it be more about what this experience taught you?
3. What are the top DO schools in the country? I have good DO credentials (28 MCAT, 3.98 cGPA, 3.97 sGPA, and many leadership and community service events and jobs.)
4. How do MD and DO personal statements differ? is there something extra that I have to add for the DO personal statement?
5. Do i need a DO doctor letter of recommendation?

You don't have to answer all the questions. If you can even answer one it would be great!
Thanks guys

You're money for essentially any DO school. Id first consider the state funded ones like Ohio university, rowan som (formerly umdnj), MSU (high oos tuition)), osu and Tcom if you wanna go to school in any of these states. All these schools have great research opportunities and opti's


Next I'd follow up with the older/established schools like kcumb, dmu, pcom, ccom and kcom.

Also, nsu and nycom too

Good luck. Feel free to PM me

 

[Goro]

No, but you better explain "why DO?" at any time
1. Do Osteopathic schools care if you also applied to MD schools?

I think there's space for you to say what you did. I think. It's been awhile since I've seen an interview file!
2. For the AMCAS experience descriptions you are only supposed to say what you did, not what you learned. Is it the same case for AACOMAS or should it be more about what this experience taught you?

Opinions may vary. Goro has a high opinion of his own school, and MUCOM, KCUMB, Western (my personal doc is a Western grad), CCOM, DMU, TUCOM-CA, VCOM, PCOM-GA, AT Still, OU-COM, VCOM, and TCOM. TCOM and TUCOM-CA are probably the top two in research. Mine's up there as well. I cannot recommend LUCOM.
3. What are the top DO schools in the country? I have good DO credentials (28 MCAT, 3.98 cGPA, 3.97 sGPA, and many leadership and community service events and jobs.)

Your PS is "why Medicine?" and "who am I?". Your secondary will be the spot to explain "why DO?"
4. How do MD and DO personal statements differ? is there something extra that I have to add for the DO personal statement?

For some schools, yes. For others, an MD letter will suffice, bu you'll be more highly regarded if you can get a DO LOR. I have a low opinion of people who live in DO-rich environments and don't bother to take the effort to find a DO.
5. Do i need a DO doctor letter of recommendation?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Opinions may vary. Goro has a high opinion of his own school, and MUCOM, KCUMB, Western (my personal doc is a Western grad), CCOM, DMU, TUCOM-CA, VCOM, PCOM-GA, AT Still, OU-COM, VCOM, and TCOM. TCOM and TUCOM-CA are probably the top two in research. Mine's up there as well. I cannot recommend LUCOM.
3. What are the top DO schools in the country? I have good DO credentials (28 MCAT, 3.98 cGPA, 3.97 sGPA, and many leadership and community service events and jobs.)

+Rowan and MSU. OSUCOM is really strong for someone interested in forensics research.

 

[GypsyHummus]

+Rowan and MSU. OSUCOM is really strong for someone interested in forensics research.

MSU is probably the best DO school in the country, constantly getting top PCP for MD and DO