MD SMP vs. DO med school

[mk88]

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I'll preface this by saying, I did a search and didn't find anything.

The title explains it all - which is a better option - doing an SMP at an MD school, or going to DO school (no SMP).

I've got a 3.2 sgpa, and a 31 MCAT which seems like it would be fine for many MD SMPs but also, from what I've read it would work for DO schools.

Obviously SMPs are a risk and often cost a lot, so you would think the obvious choice would then be to go DO instead.

So which would be the better option??

Thanks for the input.

 

[DrMidlife]

This is no different than any other DO vs. MD question. It's highly subjective, and nobody it can answer it for you. Similar to choosing a cell phone carrier.

That said, the decision to pursue med school vs. other careers is similarly subjective. There are about 100,000 people on SDN who are convinced they understand the decision to pursue med school without actually knowing what it means. *I* don't know what it means, after doing almost 10 years of exhaustive investigation into what I'd be in for if I go after medicine, and I'm as old as your parents, most likely.

As with choosing to pursue medicine, choosing to pursue DO instead of MD is a leap of faith. You can collect the factoids that describe the points of difference. You can agonize. You can get a DO to tell you it'll be okay. You can get an MD to tell you it won't be okay. Or vice versa.

What you need, and can't get, is somebody who can look into your future and tell you if you're happy or not. Are you burdened by being a DO instead of an MD. Does it make any difference. Does it grate on you daily. Do you want to leave medicine entirely. Would you be making $350,000/yr instead of $300,000/yr. Would the love of your life love you more if you were an MD instead of a DO, or something other than a doctor.

I chose SMP/MD over DO. If I'm going to be totally honest, it's 99% about ego. It's completely ridiculous for me to have taken on SMP debt in addition to OOS tuition for med school. I fully expect my future self to roll her eyes at me for not being able to swallow DO. Nevertheless, an MD I'll be. There's no verdict here.

My suggestion to you, if you want to do the best you can with this decision, is to spend several weeks shadowing MDs and DOs. Not just in your hometown, if possible - go to a DO mecca like Michigan. Shadow multiple specialties. Ask a million questions and actually listen to the answers. Agonize hard, on a schedule, and then make a decision & don't look back.

Best of luck to you.

 

[rdanny]

Hi,
I'm new to SDN (in terms of posting) and I am facing the same predicament. I have pretty similar stats to you. I just got off the waitlist at a DO school and I am choosing to go there as opposed to doing the SMP in order to get the MD degree. In my case, my school AZCOM, is very expensive so I don't think that doing the SMP (RFU) as opposed to going to AZCOM ($85K/year in living expenses) would be substantially more expensive. However, its the 1 year of time that is wasted in addition to the stress involved with being in a position where you have to prove yourself (to the adcom's-by getting grades higher than med students....it's not fun and not for the faint of heart).

Honestly, DO=MD in every respect, pretty much being a Physician matters so little these days that these minute differences don't make a big difference. If you like OMT, great if not, that's also great, you don't have to practice it. In life, time is very valuable, from my VERY extensive experience in talking to DO's, there is NO WAY a DO degree will hinder you from achieving any goal in Medicine. It all depends on you.

With that said, I'm dreading the loans associated with AZCOM 🙁

Good luck to you all!

 

[leggo]

umm,

DO = physician, MD = physician....... I think you see what I'm saying. Since you are already accepted into a DO school, I think your good. If you have your heart set on MD, then I guess you can try the SMP. The MCAT is only slightly below average, so you may need to retake it, especially if your other stats aren't strong enough. It's really your choice though.

 

[patel2]

I'll preface this by saying, I did a search and didn't find anything.

The title explains it all - which is a better option - doing an SMP at an MD school, or going to DO school (no SMP).

I've got a 3.2 sgpa, and a 31 MCAT which seems like it would be fine for many MD SMPs but also, from what I've read it would work for DO schools.

Obviously SMPs are a risk and often cost a lot, so you would think the obvious choice would then be to go DO instead.

So which would be the better option??

Thanks for the input.

Personally, I would just D.O. it. Time = money, and you may need 2+ years to get into an MD, since many SMP deadlines have passed coupled with the fact that schools may want to see your SMP final grades before offering you an interview. That's a potentially 250-500K+ loss in earnings/new SMP debt. Having less recognized initials and having to be subjected to some pseudo-scientific OMM for 200 hours over 4 years is a small price to pay for being a licensed physician and enjoying all the perks associated with it!

That said you still have to go with your gut: Dr. Midlife's advice is really good and shadow both and see what you think. If the famous MD title and/or desire for an ultra competitive field (ENT, plastics, derm have less DO residency spots proportionately and it is very difficult for a DO to match MD in those fields) is something you place a high value on, it's perfectly reasonable to reapply and do a SMP/MD, but make sure to consider the pros/cons of each pathway.

personally, I am on 3 MD waitlists and wishing i applied to more DO programs

 

[peppy]

I'm a DO. I always think of the difference between MD and DO as being equivalent to some dentists being DDS and some being DMD. There are some folks out there who try to make it a big deal (acting like OMM is a panacea or that DOs are more personable or whatever), but in the real world, most people don't really notice or care about any differences.
Even though I ended up doing residency in an area where DOs are not *especially* common, pretty much nobody notices or cares that I am a DO. I introduce myself as "Dr." and most patients call me "Doc". If any of them notice my white coat says DO, none of them say anything (but I am pretty sure few if any notice). At one of the hospitals where I rotate, they label me an MD by default in their electronic records system and on my ID badge.
Point being, DO vs. MD becomes less and less important the farther away you get from pre-med status. If you have a DO acceptance in hand, I wouldn't waste another year of life trying to get in an MD school. Life is short and medical education is a long enough road as it is.

 

[rdanny]

What specialty are you in, if you don't mind my asking?

Yes, patel2, you are correct in that there are less AOA residencies than there are for ACGME ones in those fields. However, please do take into account the number of DO's versus the number of MD's in the country. Furthermore, you are only competing against DO's for those spots.

I stand by my original remarks after a detailed discussion with two MD physicians this evening.

 

[yamaraja808]

What specialty are you in, if you don't mind my asking?

Yes, patel2, you are correct in that there are less AOA residencies than there are for ACGME ones in those fields. However, please do take into account the number of DO's versus the number of MD's in the country. Furthermore, you are only competing against DO's for those spots.

I stand by my original remarks after a detailed discussion with two MD physicians this evening.

If I recall correctly, there are residency spots specifically for D.O.s. However, D.O. medical students can also apply for M.D. residency spots as well.

Unless you mean certain M.D. spots are reserved exclusively for D.O.s, which is kind of a surprise to me.

 

[deleted248403]

If I recall correctly, there are residency spots specifically for D.O.s. However, D.O. medical students can also apply for M.D. residency spots as well.

Unless you mean certain M.D. spots are reserved exclusively for D.O.s, which is kind of a surprise to me.

There is a whole separate DO matching system to the MD match.

But DOs can enter the MD match if they take the USMLEs etc