I got into both schools with low stats, my link at the bottom can attest to that. My father, uncle, and grandfather all went to DO school, and frankly, even though my Dad says he doesnt care, I still feel a little guilty about going to MD school. My Dad is an FP, but he is damn good at what he does. In my community he is considered the best diagnostician, hands down. When cases cant be solved MD or DO, they get his opinion and he usually takes over the admitted case. I am not trying to brag on my Dad, but I can remember countless times as a kid where he was consulted on many a case he had nothing to do with prior.
So this all leaves me to believe that no matter what the letters, you are as good a doctor as how much you put into it. I choose MD school because it was close to my hometown and was much cheaper. I am from Texas and so most schools recruited me for my political expertise (see my MD Applicant profile). If you truly want to be a doctor in the US that makes a difference in peoples lives both routes will suffice. As a DO it may be more difficult to get some specialties, but as MD's those specialties are also very hard to get so for the most part dont let that discourage you from DO. My father is well respected by all of his peers and the community, and he graduated from kirksville in 1973.
All of you take this statement to heart, I was hanging out in the ER once watching cases recently while my Dad was making rounds and an old ER nurse came up to me and said "I just wanted to tell you that your Dad saved my daughters life, she came into the ER when she was 16 and was in a coma, the attending thought she had a drug overdose without a tox screen, but I called your Dad late that night and he came to the hospital on a moments notice (my Dad delivered this Girl many a moon ago) he didnt buy the overdose bit and got her an ambulance to the hospital in Austin, he rode with her up to Austin in the Ambulance" (the closest neurology facility, this was the eighties) they did some tests and found a hematoma putting pressure on her brain and he oversaw all of the procedures that followed. "If your Dad had not come in and really cared about her I would not be a Grandmother today because my daughter would not have made it through the night with treatment for a drug overdose. Everyday I still thank your father for being such a caring and great doctor."
If your concerned about MD or DO I hope this story sheds a little light. I have many more with the same impact on others lives my father has had. He delivered over 1000 babies and has saved countless lives as a DO, people have grandchildren as a result of his care. This is the main reason I have to be a doctor. I cant imagine not doing these sort of good deeds for the people in my community with or without pay (my dad has never sent anyone to collections and he has a private practice). So if your getting into medicine to make a lasting impact with the people in your community it does matter MD or DO. I hope this helps shed some light on the matter.
