MD Alternatives

[Potentia Virtus]

First, stats:
3.4x C/S GPA. 519 MCAT. Lots of paid healthcare experience. 250+ nonmedical volunteer. 150+ medical volunteer. 1+ year research, no pubs.

I applied everywhere early, most of my secondaries complete mid July. I am aware that it's early still, but I haven't received the love from M.D. schools that I would have hoped for (1 II). I am still hopefully, but am starting to think of back up plans.

Whats the viability of applying to D.O. schools this late in the year? What about Podiatry schools? I would much rather start D.O. school in 2018 than be a re-applicant next year for M.D. However, I just am not very familiar with the D.O. process. I don't have very much money left after 30 M.D. apps, so if it's getting late for D.O., I probably would just save what little money I have left for next year. Thoughts/Advice? Thanks.


TL;DR: Whats the viability of applying to D.O. schools this late in the year? What about Podiatry schools?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[jm192]

I applied in like October and got 2 acceptances.
I then got accepted into an MD program even later.
Keep hope alive!

 

[Goro]

First, stats:
3.4x C/S GPA. 519 MCAT. Lots of paid healthcare experience. 250+ nonmedical volunteer. 150+ medical volunteer. 1+ year research, no pubs.

I applied everywhere early, most of my secondaries complete mid July. I am aware that it's early still, but I haven't received the love from M.D. schools that I would have hoped for (1 II). I am still hopefully, but am starting to think of back up plans.

Whats the viability of applying to D.O. schools this late in the year? What about Podiatry schools? I would much rather start D.O. school in 2018 than be a re-applicant next year for M.D. However, I just am not very familiar with the D.O. process. I don't have very much money left after 30 M.D. apps, so if it's getting late for D.O., I probably would just save what little money I have left for next year. Thoughts/Advice? Thanks.


TL;DR: Whats the viability of applying to D.O. schools this late in the year? What about Podiatry schools?

The DO cycle is longer, but you really should start applying now through T-giving. By the end of the year, given the turn around time for apps, I fear that by the time that you interview, you'll be competing for a spot on a wait list. We start getting picky with interviewees around March.

 

[USERX]

It's still WAY early in the cycle, don't lose hope. Also, you need to look over your list of schools because with your stats you should be getting interviews. The only possible issue is the GPA but that is workable. Wait until this cycle is over, I think you will get a couple of interviews. If you don't, do some heavy reflecting on your app and rework it for next year and apply again. You can include DO schools then if you want.

 

[ReapPremed]

A lot of D.O. schools also want letters from an osteopathic physician. You will need to account for time to shadow one, and get a LOR into your timeframe. That might be tricky on short notice.

 

[workaholic181]

OP, calm down! It is literally september 13th. You have okay GPA and an elite MCAT. Look at the charts; most people with your stats tend to get in somewhere.

Add DO schools if you want. I'm a big fan of DO and will happily matriculate to one if this is how my cycle ends up. But dont come on here trying to look for alternative careers this early in the cycle. You're gonna be fine.

 

[LizzyM]

Looking at your post history, you appear to have applied to the wrong schools, or too many of the wrong schools. For example, applying to Washington as an OOS applicant is a donation, pure and simple. Applying to top 20 schools with a GPA < 3.5 is not wise either, regardless of MCAT. You have one interview before Thanksgiving and we are still 2 months away from that holiday so you shouldn't be too concerned, yet, about needing to reapply. With any luck, 15 of your applications were well targeted and the other 15 were a waste of everyone's time and an expensive lesson in the danger of approaching admissions with a YOLO attitude.

 

[Potentia Virtus]

Looking at your post history, you appear to have applied to the wrong schools, or too many of the wrong schools. For example, applying to Washington as an OOS applicant is a donation, pure and simple. Applying to top 20 schools with a GPA < 3.5 is not wise either, regardless of MCAT. You have one interview before Thanksgiving and we are still 2 months away from that holiday so you shouldn't be too concerned, yet, about needing to reapply. With any luck, 15 of your applications were well targeted and the other 15 were a waste of everyone's time and an expensive lesson in the danger of approaching admissions with a YOLO attitude.

No, just applied to a couple extra schools that either screened secondaries or had no/low secondary fee. I figured it was worth $39, even if it was basically "a waste of everyone's time." Most of my list is focused on the schools with the lowest cGPA's where I'm above the 10th percentile.

Albany
Albert Einstein
Boston University
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Geisel/Dartmouth
George Washington
Georgetown
Hofstra
Indiana
New York Medical College
Quinnipiac
Rosalind Franklin
The Ohio State
Tufts
Uniformed Services
University of Rochester
University of Utah
USF Morsani
Virginia Commonwealth
UCSD
UCSF
University of Washington
Drexel
Wayne State
Tulane
Keck
SUNY Downstate
Wake Forrest
Virginia Tech Carilion
Rutgers RWJ

 

[MilaKunisDoe]

 

[Potentia Virtus]

View attachment 223555

Seen the remake? Somewhat cheesy, but watchable. Can't beat Tim Curry.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply to this thread with advice and input. It seems like maybe waiting and applying DO next year may be the best move, if it comes to that. I know it's early in the cycle to be worrying, but I just want to be prepared and realistic. Thanks again!

 

[kubyx]

DO school is still on the table. Between MD and DO, you have about as solid of a guarantee of getting into medical school as anyone does (that is, there is no guarantee, but if you can write well and articulate your reasons for becoming a doctor in a genuine way, you have a fantastic shot). I would not apply pods as a backup unless you want to be a pod.. but don't settle for that if it isn't what you want. MD or DO is definitely in the cards for you pending the rest of your app is up solid.

 

[bobtheweazel]

Some pod schools will be accepting students well into Spring. So there's always time to switch to that later.

Enviado desde mi Pixel mediante Tapatalk

 

[infectiousdisease101]

Looking at your post history, you appear to have applied to the wrong schools, or too many of the wrong schools. For example, applying to Washington as an OOS applicant is a donation, pure and simple. Applying to top 20 schools with a GPA < 3.5 is not wise either, regardless of MCAT. You have one interview before Thanksgiving and we are still 2 months away from that holiday so you shouldn't be too concerned, yet, about needing to reapply. With any luck, 15 of your applications were well targeted and the other 15 were a waste of everyone's time and an expensive lesson in the danger of approaching admissions with a YOLO attitude.

Just out of curiosity, what if an applicant's last 60 units are >3.5, but their overall is <3.5? Do you recommend top 20 schools if they have a high MCAT to bring their LizzyM score to be within that school's LizzyM range?

 

[LizzyM]

Just out of curiosity, what if an applicant's last 60 units are >3.5, but their overall is <3.5? Do you recommend top 20 schools if they have a high MCAT to bring their LizzyM score to be within that school's LizzyM range?

If the school uses a hard screen of 3.5 (with only rare and non-transparent exceptions such as legacies and big donors), an upward trend that averages to <3.5 will not help you pass the screen.

It makes me think that if either GPA or MCAT are <10th percentile for that school, that one should proceed with extreme caution in applying to that school (consider it a reach, regardless of LizzyM score).

 

[Goro]

Just out of curiosity, what if an applicant's last 60 units are >3.5, but their overall is <3.5? Do you recommend top 20 schools if they have a high MCAT to bring their LizzyM score to be within that school's LizzyM range?

There are only a handful of Top Schools that appear to reward reinvention, based upon limited reports from SDNers. These include UCSF, Columbia, Duke, Pitt and Mayo. You will also need exceptional ECs.