MA/DO Degree

[thev3lv3tunderground]

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Hi everyone!

OMS-1 here. My school offers a DO/MA program, and I am considering it as the topic interests me. I was wondering what kind of edge (if any) a MA gives for residency? It will take up time that I otherwise would probably be involved in clubs or research. I do not think I will end up in academia/teaching after I graduate (but who knows). I am interested in psych, neuro, and maybe anesthesia. Any insight on this would be super helpful. Thanks!

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

No it doesn’t make you more competitive

 

[Doctoscope]

Zero benefit from the degree itself. If the degree involves some form of research and an opportunity to present/get published, then it's a different story.

 

[WhereMyLiberalsAt]

If you can’t turn an MA degree into a strength/edge, especially one you earned while congruently obtaining your terminal DO… you’re screwed as an applicant.

Core Memory on application:
I exercised mental discipline in philosophical ethics regarding the utility of economic distribution to acquire and supply nutritional stimulus to my personal cohort, with whom I collaborated with frequently. Although I failed at economic distribution, I was successful at acquiring nutrition for personal growth.

*I almost bought my friends Starbucks once, but actually just bought some for myself.

Imagine what I could write if I obtained something of questionable value!

 

[group_theory]

No. The time (and energy) that you will spend doing the MA can be better directed at other activities that will have greater impact on your application. If the MA is something directly relates to your career interest - it might help (ie neurobiology of sleep research if you're applying for sleep medicine fellowship, sociology or public health research if you are applying for preventive medicine or occupational medicine residency, etc., )

 

[thev3lv3tunderground]

If you can’t turn an MA degree into a strength/edge, especially one you earned while congruently obtaining your terminal DO… you’re screwed as an applicant.

Core Memory on application:
I exercised mental discipline in philosophical ethics regarding the utility of economic distribution to acquire and supply nutritional stimulus to my personal cohort, with whom I collaborated with frequently. Although I failed at economic distribution, I was successful at acquiring nutrition for personal growth.

*I almost bought my friends Starbucks once, but actually just bought some for myself.

Imagine what I could write if I obtained something of questionable value!

I definitely get that it would be a strength overall—at the bare minimum, it would give me more tools to approach ethical issues and a deeper understanding of how medicine impacts society and vice versa! And that would be useful in an interview and on an application. However, I am more concerned about the time commitment and whether it would be the best way to maximize the little time I have (like if my time would be better spent doing research or something else).

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Hi everyone!

OMS-1 here. My school offers a DO/MA program, and I am considering it as the topic interests me. I was wondering what kind of edge (if any) a MA gives for residency? It will take up time that I otherwise would probably be involved in clubs or research. I do not think I will end up in academia/teaching after I graduate (but who knows). I am interested in psych, neuro, and maybe anesthesia. Any insight on this would be super helpful. Thanks!

It is a waste of time and money even if it interests you. No edge for residency or anything in the future. By the time you finish residency/fellowship, most of that knowledge will have decayed anyway.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I always answer "should I get this extra degree" questions with another question: "what are you going to DO with that degree?" Chances are, if you don't know what you're going to do with the degree, it isn't worth your time and money to get. "I'm going to get this degree because it'll be a nice talking point on my interview trail and maybe I'll use it some day" tends to not work out well in practice.

You know what else would be a cool talking point on the interview trail? If you took an LOA to go backpacking around the world for a year. But at least then you probably spend less money and get some awesome memories for your troubles, maybe you can even bang out some case reports while you're drinking in some foreign bars, etc.

 

[Just D.O. it]

I definitely get that it would be a strength overall —at the bare minimum

No, it really wouldn’t. As others have mentioned, you don’t have an infinite amount of time and energy. As I have told plenty of students time and time again, many ECs are actually net negative because that time would have been better spent studying for boards or publishing relevant research.

at the bare minimum, it would give me more tools to approach ethical issues and a deeper understanding of how medicine impacts society and vice versa!

We aren’t some sort of admissions committee. No need for the flowery BS with us. Most neurotypical medical students do just fine with the ethics of clinical practice and their place in society, and they pull it off without the extra work of a whole Master of Arts degree. You won’t gain anything of substance there.

It is a waste of time and money even if it interests you. No edge for residency or anything in the future.

This is the reality. Convincing yourself about how impressive the degree is or how you can “spin” it, will not actually change the minds of the the people you need to impress. Bright eyed med students try all sorts of cute things to stand out. They don’t catch on because…. Spoiler : they don’t work. You want to beef up your residency chances: score higher on boards, publish publish publish, and make sure you don’t get in trouble and/or fail something. Outside of that whatever you do, do it for your own amusement because it won’t move the needle on your residency app.

 

[DOFOSHO]

sounds like a waste of time for you and a money grab for the school.

 

[MusicDOc124]

I definitely get that it would be a strength overall—at the bare minimum, it would give me more tools to approach ethical issues and a deeper understanding of how medicine impacts society and vice versa! And that would be useful in an interview and on an application. However, I am more concerned about the time commitment and whether it would be the best way to maximize the little time I have (like if my time would be better spent doing research or something else).

You dont need a whole degree for this.

Would only consider if all of the following were true:
- it's of interest
- would still graduate on time
- higher performer where the extra time won't significantly take away from primary studies (esp because it would need to be concurrent)
- free (or minimal cost - specifically and only if I would have gotten the degree separate at some point)

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I probably am mis-remembering, but I thought the latest Charting Outcomes suggests that those with additional degrees had slightly worse outcomes matching (depending on the field)... someone can correct me.