I think when a lot of people say, "Why did you even bother to apply to DO's if you didn't want to go", many people don't understand that a lot of people didn't really do their research until midway through the application cycle (including me) as applying to 25+ schools is pretty overwhelming in itself. It wasn't until I started reading more sdn and researching match lists and visions of schools while doing secondaries AFTER i submitted my primary application that I noticed how certain schools (both MD and DO) had certain emphases gor example, primary care, research, international focus... and that just gives you a different vibe if that school will provide you the flexibility and opportunities for your goals. When I shadowed DO and MD physicians, I literally saw no difference between them or in their competency, hence it made sense to apply to DO schools as well.
I can sort of see where the OP is coming from, in fact I shared a lot of his concerns. As an individual who applied to both MD and DO schools this cycle, my mentors began to tell me that though both paths will make you a doctor, going to a DO school will be a tad bit harder in gaining favor in specializing or landing a tough residency due to the stigma (though I understand no doors are obviously closed if you work hard for it). Now I very much appreciate the DO philosophy and the holistic treatment (in fact coming from working in a primary care office, I believe these are basic fundamentals to become any good physician, MD or DO), but coming from a big research institution and working in that primary care office during my gap year, I saw my vision for medicine shift (basically, my goals for pursuing medicine became much more ambitious....eg. instead of maintaining an individual's diabetes or heart disease as a PCP, I wanted to somehow advance medical research as I personally dealt with the deaths of patients I have grown close with) that I foresee that it may change drastically during medical school as well. I think it is a very valid concern for the OP to really analyze if going to a specific school may be more beneficial to one's goals and it may probably be smart to really research the school to see if it's worth trying for again (not necessarily MD vs DO, as there are certainly MD schools out there that have similar philosophies that prioritize being a great clinician, and MD schools that focus on more academic/research-oriented physicians). Then again it is a gamble to really pursue you think you want because then again, nothing's guaranteed, it's just up to you to sacrifice another year to reapply and risk starting your medical career a year late). If the OP really believes he might have an interest in many specialties (maybe a specialty with residency programs heavily biased toward MD's), then it'll probably be worth the gamble to perhaps consider go to a school that will offer greater flexibility.
....but I think for anyone who genuinely wants to be a doctor as badly as they say, then I'd say answer is clear when you look at the big picture:
When deciding between schools for me, its not necessarily MD vs DO that is important, but rather whether the school would be conducive toward being able to help me achieve my goals in medicine, regardless of the degree it offers, and it just happened that a lot of the schools I was interested in (in research and certain opportunities) happened to be MD. But in the end, these little preferences pale to the bigger picture, that any of these schools will make you a doctor. If there's any assurance for the OP, I have come to peace with whatever scenario I end up in, because I personally believe everything happens for a reason, and I want to be a physician. Like the above poster said, just because you have an interest in this specialty or a certain goal, does not mean you'll end up in achieving it--you may very well go to a top MD school, and do poorly on step 1 and bam that's it, and then you'll probably wish you took that DO acceptance instead of starting that MD school a year late. I'm sure there are many people out there that wanted to go to a certain specialty, but did poorly on their step 1....but you don't see them complain to the point it hinders their career. They just suck it up, and take what they get, even if it means going to a different specialty. Similarly, this MD vs DO struggle you have may represent that first obstacle in your medical career, maybe the first of many struggles you will face. Thus I think it's important to consider how far you've come, and maybe consider to just take what you have and move on with your career and not look back. For me personally, if I get accepted to one school over another, then I'll take it as a sign that my calling is to go to that school and see where it'll take me, and not complain no matter what my concerns were about the school before, because ultimately being a physician is more important than specializing, research, doing international work, etc (and remember, no doors are closed even though they may seem like it).If you enter medicine into the right reasons, then everything else will fall into place, and there is really nothing to worry about regardless of what school you go to. Remember the big picture!
Please excuse the grammar, I was a bit rushed in writing this.
