PCOM vs allopathic gap year

[fw5tape6kq]

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I'm sure this question has been asked a million times, albeit in a more direct format. Here's my situation: I am a wait list candidate at a few allopathic schools. In all honesty, I don't think I have a significant chance of getting off the wait list at those schools this year, due to the weaknesses of my application (though never say never). Mainly, I suspect that my lack of clinical and volunteer experience put me at a disadvantage.

I recently interviewed at PCOM, and am friends with a faculty member who has much clout at the school. Given my academic record (3.9 GPA, 34 MCAT), he claims that he can get me in PCOM if I commit to going there next year. My other option is to wait out the allopathic game, and potentially take a gap year following graduation if I do not get accepted to any MD schools.

I am in no way "down" on the Osteopathic degree, but I wonder how it might impact my future residency search. As such, I am torn whether to take him up on his offer and go ahead with PCOM, or to wait and see what happens with the allopathic schools - pursuing a gap year if necessary. What are your thoughts on my situation. I am being too proud here by not jumping at the chance to go to PCOM? Should I scrap everything else and take him up on his offer? How is the DO degree detrimental, if at all?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

A 3.9/34?
Any red flags? Any major complications with your application? Any specific residency interests already?

I mean a bird in a hand, but without any issues you're in a solid position for admission to multiple MD schools.

 

[fw5tape6kq]

A 3.9/34?
Any red flags? Any major complications with your application? Any specific residency interests already?

I mean a bird in a hand, but without any issues you're in a solid position for admission to multiple MD schools.

I doubt it. I've been rejected from 90% of the allopathic schools I applied to...many of which were "lower tier." Like I said, I'm pretty sure my lack of clinical shadowing and volunteer experience really hurt me in that regard. My essay was also a little unconventional, and I don't have many EC activities. I did really unique research though.

As for residency, I'd be interested in Psychiatry, Neurology, Oncology, and Radiology

 

[ToKingdomCome]

pcom is a great school. however, if you're willing to take the time buff up your clinical experience and carve out a great ps, you'll be more than successful next cycle.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

This an easy decision. Go with PCOM.

By waiting another year you will be sacrificing a year's worth of physician's income (200K+).

 

[Elevencents]

Your EC's must be really subpar to not get any love with your stats assuming you applied broadly. I'd take the PCOM acceptance and run with it.

ETA: Unless you're young and have a year where you can do your EC's and have some fun while you're at it. Then MD all the way.

 

[darklabel]

Most of the DO residents on here usually say waiting a year or two for allopathic is worth it because it will open up more doors for strong residencies in competitive specialties, the Achilles heel of being a DO.

I'm going to say for a person with your stats, wait a year or two and get some clinical experience and volunteering in. However, I hope you've been doing this since you've first noticed it and are hopefully 6+ months into volunteering and anything clinically related. Also, rewrite all your secondaries, essays, and especially your personal statement.

Apply first day that the applications open and include both "low" and "mid" tier schools. Most of the low tier schools probably passed you for your lack of ECs and something in your application didn't fit with what they were looking for. I think you'll have more opportunities if you pad your resume.

 

[Bacchus]

I'm sure this question has been asked a million times, albeit in a more direct format. Here's my situation: I am a wait list candidate at a few allopathic schools. In all honesty, I don't think I have a significant chance of getting off the wait list at those schools this year, due to the weaknesses of my application (though never say never). Mainly, I suspect that my lack of clinical and volunteer experience put me at a disadvantage.

I recently interviewed at PCOM, and am friends with a faculty member who has much clout at the school. Given my academic record (3.9 GPA, 34 MCAT), he claims that he can get me in PCOM if I commit to going there next year. My other option is to wait out the allopathic game, and potentially take a gap year following graduation if I do not get accepted to any MD schools.

I am in no way "down" on the Osteopathic degree, but I wonder how it might impact my future residency search. As such, I am torn whether to take him up on his offer and go ahead with PCOM, or to wait and see what happens with the allopathic schools - pursuing a gap year if necessary. What are your thoughts on my situation. I am being too proud here by not jumping at the chance to go to PCOM? Should I scrap everything else and take him up on his offer? How is the DO degree detrimental, if at all?

I will probably be hanged, but with a 3.9 and 34 MCAT there is no reason you should be going to a DO school. Legacy at PCOM does run rampant (and becomes apparent 2nd year when all the specialty lecturers start calling out students in the audience because they know their parents, other relatives, etc.). I'd be interested to know who the faculty member is assuring you they can get you into the program. With your academic record, and assuming a non-faulty application, you should be granted admission on that alone.

There is nothing wrong with going to PCOM. I value my education from there and have had several attendings on rotations and during intern year commend me on my education and knowledge base. They also like the students in general PCOM produces (down to Earth, humble, etc. -- obviously not everyone 😉).

However, for your own sake, I'd try to go the allopathic route as the AOA is slowly destroying our profession.

Edit: I didn't see the lack of clinical/volunteer experience. I'd take the gap year, beef up your application and apply again next year if you don't get into an allopathic school.

 

[user3]

I will probably be hanged, but with a 3.9 and 34 MCAT there is no reason you should be going to a DO school. Legacy at PCOM does run rampant (and becomes apparent 2nd year when all the specialty lecturers start calling out students in the audience because they know their parents, other relatives, etc.). I'd be interested to know who the faculty member is assuring you they can get you into the program. With your academic record, and assuming a non-faulty application, you should be granted admission on that alone.

There is nothing wrong with going to PCOM. I value my education from there and have had several attendings on rotations and during intern year commend me on my education and knowledge base. They also like the students in general PCOM produces (down to Earth, humble, etc. -- obviously not everyone 😉).

However, for your own sake, I'd try to go the allopathic route as the AOA is slowly destroying our profession.

Edit: I didn't see the lack of clinical/volunteer experience. I'd take the gap year, beef up your application and apply again next year if you don't get into an allopathic school.

I mostly agree with this, but please realize that even 3.9/34 is nowhere near a guarantee of MD acceptance the same way a 3.7/30 (same distance above matriculant mean) would be for DO. There are lots of people with solid (3.6+/32+) stats that do not get in, some that even get no interviews, these days. Not only numerically, but also in terms of EC's MD is much more competitive.

But yea...with some slight improvements and not making any stupid moves, OP will probably be fine for MD next year.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

I'm actually surprised that you guys are actually serious about advising the OP to waste a year of his/her future career go to an MD school. Do you guys think that having a DO degree instead of an MD would hinder the OP from pursuing Psychiatry/Neurology/Radiology/Oncology?

OP, take it from me. Go with PCOM and be 200K+ richer. Also, in 2018 you will be called a doctor. To me that's priceless.

 

[HotHamH2O]

If you want MD, contact the schools you applied to and ask them what EC's they would like to see on your app. Take the year off and get those EC's and then apply. If you are OK with being a DO, don't want to specialize in something ridiculus, and want to get on with your career as quick as possible, just go to PCOM. For most residencies, according to DO's and MD's that I work with who have recently graduated, all they care about is your Step scores and LOR's.

 

[Elevencents]

I'm actually surprised that you guys are actually serious about advising the OP to waste a year of his/her future career go to an MD school. Do you guys think that having a DO degree instead of an MD would hinder the OP from pursuing Psychiatry/Neurology/Radiology/Oncology?

OP, take it from me. Go with PCOM and be 200K+ richer. Also, in 2018 you will be called a doctor. To me that's priceless.

But if he's a traditional student and in no hurry I think a gap year can be extremely beneficial for the opportunity to explore new things before the grind starts. No reason to rush things, IMO.

 

[Bacchus]

I'm actually surprised that you guys are actually serious about advising the OP to waste a year of his/her future career go to an MD school. Do you guys think that having a DO degree instead of an MD would hinder the OP from pursuing Psychiatry/Neurology/Radiology/Oncology?

OP, take it from me. Go with PCOM and be 200K+ richer. Also, in 2018 you will be called a doctor. To me that's priceless.

1) If he's young, this isn't an issue. He'll make up some of that lost salary in investments, retirement, etc.
2) As a premed you can't be dead set on a specialty. More than likely, it will change.
3) Opportunity cost at this point is negotiable.
4) We don't know what the residency situation will be like in 4 or 5 years. Spots remain relatively unchanged, but the amount of graduates is increasing.
5) The AOA may shoot itself in the foot at any moment. Granted, for those 3 specialties listed, he more than likely will be going to an allopathic program and get allopathic board certification.

 

[notbobtrustme]

This is one of the few times I'd eschew an acceptance. If you are competitive for MD, taking a year off and shoring up your application will pay bigger dividends than going straight DO, especially if one is set on doing a competitive residency or want to do residency in a desirable location (eg coasts/major cities).

 

[happypremed1]

I'm actually surprised that you guys are actually serious about advising the OP to waste a year of his/her future career go to an MD school. Do you guys think that having a DO degree instead of an MD would hinder the OP from pursuing Psychiatry/Neurology/Radiology/Oncology?

OP, take it from me. Go with PCOM and be 200K+ richer. Also, in 2018 you will be called a doctor. To me that's priceless.

OP is still young and is still in college. I would advice taking a year off anyway to have some free time to relax and pursue personal interests. The gap year can also allow you to beef up your ECs and clinical activities, which are very important for med school apps. You'll have your entire life to work.

I myself have taken 2 years off and will start med school this summer. I'm so glad that I did this. I do research full time, shadow doctors, and still have a lot of free time to go to the gym and get ripped. I have also learned how to trade and invest in stocks. Overall, the gap years really instill in me deep appreciation of medicine and reassure me that I picked the right career path.

PCOM is a great school and the DO degree will not hinder you from pursuing psychiatry, neurology, and radiology. In fact, DO graduates have been matching into great programs in these specialties. For hem/onco, you'll need to match into at least a mid-tier allopathic IM program. In this case, an MD degree will be an advantage.

 

[LaughingMan]

I'd hafta say the MD route. The fact you are on multiple lists shows schools had some interest in you but were a bit hesitant. Correct your weaknesses and you should be good for next year.

I myself will be going to a DO school this fall and acknowledge there are stellar DO students--but the MD route is the way to go here. The AOA does not have a strong vision for the future and will likely bring shame to the title.

Use the year to relax, earn cash, prep for the next cycle--and go MD. Though there is ALWAYS the chance that something can go wrong and you may find yourself out 2 years. I know plenty of people with amazing stats who just didn't get in (and they applied broadly and had no red flags to my knowledge). It really is the luck of the draw sometimes.

 

[NYCNative]

Most of the DO residents on here usually say waiting a year or two for allopathic is worth it because it will open up more doors for strong residencies in competitive specialties, the Achilles heel of being a DO.

I'm going to say for a person with your stats, wait a year or two and get some clinical experience and volunteering in. However, I hope you've been doing this since you've first noticed it and are hopefully 6+ months into volunteering and anything clinically related. Also, rewrite all your secondaries, essays, and especially your personal statement.

Apply first day that the applications open and include both "low" and "mid" tier schools. Most of the low tier schools probably passed you for your lack of ECs and something in your application didn't fit with what they were looking for. I think you'll have more opportunities if you pad your resume.

+1

This an easy decision. Go with PCOM.

By waiting another year you will be sacrificing a year's worth of physician's income (200K+).

The tyranny of the osteopaths strikes again! Stop listening when it becomes obvious that people are trying to convince you to do something simply to justify decisions that they were forced to make. Case in point: Ibn Alnafis MD ---- hype-man Ibn over here clearly wasn't dreaming about being a DO until he realized it was his only option..... and you can bet your bitcoins he didn't have to go DO because he had a 34 with 3.9 GPA.

Bottom line -- get a job in a hospital or in research for a year, and accumulate a variety of experiences that you can write about on your secondaries and talk about in your interviews. As people are always saying on here, medicine is a marathon, not a race. $200,000 won't mean anything to you the next year or even 2 years later when you start making $200,000.... By that point as a DO, you'd probably eat a poop hot dog not to have to defend yourself to skeptical non-hospital personnel that you are in fact a "real doctor"!


Editing just to say that you will be accepted to 90% of DO schools whether you apply this year, next year, or the year after.

 

[cliquesh]

Take a year off and reapply MD.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

+1



The tyranny of the osteopaths strikes again! Stop listening when it becomes obvious that people are trying to convince you to do something simply to justify decisions that they were forced to make. Case in point: Ibn Alnafis MD ---- hype-man Ibn over here clearly wasn't dreaming about being a DO until he realized it was his only option..... and you can bet your bitcoins he didn't have to go DO because he had a 34 with 3.9 GPA.

Bottom line -- get a job in a hospital or in research for a year, and accumulate a variety of experiences that you can write about on your secondaries and talk about in your interviews. As people are always saying on here, medicine is a marathon, not a race. $200,000 won't mean anything to you the next year or even 2 years later when you start making $200,000.... By that point as a DO, you'd probably pay a million dollars not to have to defend yourself to skeptical non-hospital personnel that you are in fact a "real doctor"!


Editing just to say that you will be accepted to 90% of DO schools whether you apply this year, next year, or the year after.

Lol...

 

[MDforMee]

5) The AOA may shoot itself in the foot at any moment. Granted, for those 3 specialties listed, he more than likely will be going to an allopathic program and get allopathic board certification.

This is the second time in this thread that you've mentioned the AOA.

What is going on at the moment that they may screw up, and why will that effect future DOs?

 

[Bacchus]

This is the second time in this thread that you've mentioned the AOA.

What is going on at the moment that they may screw up, and why will that effect future DOs?

1) The merger: Graduate medical education (residency) was at the point of a merger, with very many mixed opinions, but it was turned down by the AOA.
2) They're not putting any pressure on COCA to stop opening 5 bajillion schools.
3) (Not anything new) - They require you to maintain yearly membership in order to stay board certified.
4) They self select the fresh blood coming into the leadership of the organization.

Its all politics and they're not adequately siding or recognizing the needs of young DOs.

 

[Mehd School]

With those numbers you'll be swimming in allo invites if you round out your application. Good luck man.

 

[Mehd School]

1) The merger: Graduate medical education (residency) was at the point of a merger, with very many mixed opinions, but it was turned down by the AOA.
2) They're not putting any pressure on COCA to stop opening 5 bajillion schools.
3) (Not anything new) - They require you to maintain yearly membership in order to stay board certified.
4) They self select the fresh blood coming into the leadership of the organization.

Its all politics and they're not adequately siding or recognizing the needs of young DOs.

In other words: do an MD residency and Dobby, D.O. will be free?

 

[Back 5]

Only on SDN is a DO not good enough. All of the physicians I have worked with or spoken to have told me they are equal and not to worry about going to a DO school.

In 2 years are we going to have a round of posts asking if they should apply FM with a 250 step 1? Or will that be matching below your potential, same as going DO with a 3.9/30+?

 

[MDforMee]

1) The merger: Graduate medical education (residency) was at the point of a merger, with very many mixed opinions, but it was turned down by the AOA.
2) They're not putting any pressure on COCA to stop opening 5 bajillion schools.
3) (Not anything new) - They require you to maintain yearly membership in order to stay board certified.
4) They self select the fresh blood coming into the leadership of the organization.

Its all politics and they're not adequately siding or recognizing the needs of young DOs.

I see. #1. bothers me the most. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

+1



The tyranny of the osteopaths strikes again! Stop listening when it becomes obvious that people are trying to convince you to do something simply to justify decisions that they were forced to make. Case in point: Ibn Alnafis MD ---- hype-man Ibn over here clearly wasn't dreaming about being a DO until he realized it was his only option..... and you can bet your bitcoins he didn't have to go DO because he had a 34 with 3.9 GPA.

Bottom line -- get a job in a hospital or in research for a year, and accumulate a variety of experiences that you can write about on your secondaries and talk about in your interviews. As people are always saying on here, medicine is a marathon, not a race. $200,000 won't mean anything to you the next year or even 2 years later when you start making $200,000.... By that point as a DO, you'd probably eat a poop hot dog not to have to defend yourself to skeptical non-hospital personnel that you are in fact a "real doctor"!


Editing just to say that you will be accepted to 90% of DO schools whether you apply this year, next year, or the year after.

Seems to me that you are the one who is being forced to go DO despite your obvious discontent with the DO route. I chose to attend a DO school because I want to be a physician regardless of what initials I will bear after my name. If I had your attitude toward the DO degree, I would have taken couple years off, improved my application and applied to MD schools.

P.s. My sdn account name bears the MD initials simply because I didn't know about Osteopathic Medicine when I created the account.

 

[Wipeout416]

Couple waitlists? Youll probably get pulled off of one come May, fingers crossed

 

[IslandStyle808]

I'm actually surprised that you guys are actually serious about advising the OP to waste a year of his/her future career go to an MD school. Do you guys think that having a DO degree instead of an MD would hinder the OP from pursuing Psychiatry/Neurology/Radiology/Oncology?

OP, take it from me. Go with PCOM and be 200K+ richer. Also, in 2018 you will be called a doctor. To me that's priceless.

It may not prevent him from matching into these specialities, but the road will be harder. Look at the NRMP data for Radiation Oncology, you may see 1 to 2 people matching into this field per year. Even fellowships are limited on the DO side, and this leads to a large portion of DO graduates going to ACGME residencies instead of AOA residencies, and thusly entering ACGME fellowships (thank you failed merger).

Sometimes having a better chance to be able to practice in a field "you want" is worth that lost 200+K.

 

[HotHamH2O]

Only on SDN is a DO not good enough. All of the physicians I have worked with or spoken to have told me they are equal and not to worry about going to a DO school.

In 2 years are we going to have a round of posts asking if they should apply FM with a 250 step 1? Or will that be matching below your potential, same as going DO with a 3.9/30+?

That's me. 3.97 with a 30 MCAT and....future DO. The naysayers in this convo are so SDN cliche. OP do what feels best to you. If MD is what you want and that makes you more comfortable, then go for it. Ultimately do what all REAL and GRADUATED doctors say (not premed idiots like all of us) go where the tuition is cheapest and feels the best In your gut when you interview. Being happy will result in a more sane and joyful experience in med school which will result in higher steps which will result in better match. And once you graduate all that's going to concern you regarding what school you went to is how much in loans they caused you to rack up (the words of every Doctor I work with).

 

[wjs010]

+1



The tyranny of the osteopaths strikes again! Stop listening when it becomes obvious that people are trying to convince you to do something simply to justify decisions that they were forced to make. Case in point: Ibn Alnafis MD ---- hype-man Ibn over here clearly wasn't dreaming about being a DO until he realized it was his only option..... and you can bet your bitcoins he didn't have to go DO because he had a 34 with 3.9 GPA.

Bottom line -- get a job in a hospital or in research for a year, and accumulate a variety of experiences that you can write about on your secondaries and talk about in your interviews. As people are always saying on here, medicine is a marathon, not a race. $200,000 won't mean anything to you the next year or even 2 years later when you start making $200,000.... By that point as a DO, you'd probably eat a poop hot dog not to have to defend yourself to skeptical non-hospital personnel that you are in fact a "real doctor"!


Editing just to say that you will be accepted to 90% of DO schools whether you apply this year, next year, or the year after.

I don't know where you heard this. There actually isn't hardly any "defending" going on. It isn't necessary...that's just something pre-meds make up to feel superior....if only these people ( and you) would actually talk to a physician, or go read around there boards, there is NO hostility between MD/DO in the real world..only in SDN fantasy world does it exist. You will see more hostility toward mid-level care providers in the physician/resident boards...absolutely no negativity with respect to DO/MD..they are colleagues, so there's really no point. Both went to medical school/residency and make around the same money..so there's no real reason to argue.

The "real doctor" scenario you provided is actually more targeted towards nurse anesthetists and practitioners...the people who didn't go to medical school and want to/get to practice medicine independently.

 

[mcloaf]

This an easy decision. Go with PCOM.

Only on SDN is a DO not good enough. All of the physicians I have worked with or spoken to have told me they are equal and not to worry about going to a DO school.

That's me. 3.97 with a 30 MCAT and....future DO. The naysayers in this convo are so SDN cliche.

And yet...

I will probably be hanged, but with a 3.9 and 34 MCAT there is no reason you should be going to a DO school.

Take a year off and reapply MD.

Personally, OP, I'd go with the advice of residents over pre-meds.

 

[Bacchus]

I just want to say, this isn't anything against PCOM. Like I said, I value my education from there. However, the medical environment is becoming so much more competitive in terms of postgrad education that when you have a relatively easier shot at the less tumultuous path with not a lot more investment, you should take it.

I don't hate my degree, but I don't agree with our leadership on everything either. I do OMM because I learned it and have seen it help people. But it would be a failure on my behalf to act as a mentor and make someone take the path whoh could potentially make their future harder.

 

[Dreamstoo]

I don't know where you heard this. There actually isn't hardly any "defending" going on. It isn't necessary...that's just something pre-meds make up to feel superior....if only these people ( and you) would actually talk to a physician, or go read around there boards, there is NO hostility between MD/DO in the real world..only in SDN fantasy world does it exist. You will see more hostility toward mid-level care providers in the physician/resident boards...absolutely no negativity with respect to DO/MD..they are colleagues, so there's really no point. Both went to medical school/residency and make around the same money..so there's no real reason to argue.

The "real doctor" scenario you provided is actually more targeted towards nurse anesthetists and practitioners...the people who didn't go to medical school and want to/get to practice medicine independently.

My father is a MD and said he has met incompetent MDs and incompetent DOs. He has met very well qualified MDs and very well qualified DOs. He has encouraged me to think about the DO, his colleague's son is one and is a very successful specialist. The only thing I have heard from him though which is statistically proven is that some specialty fields are hard to land as a DO.

 

[Mehd School]

I just want to say, this isn't anything against PCOM. Like I said, I value my education from there. However, the medical environment is becoming so much more competitive in terms of postgrad education that when you have a relatively easier shot at the less tumultuous path with not a lot more investment, you should take it.

I don't hate my degree, but I don't agree with our leadership on everything either. I do OMM because I learned it and have seen it help people. But it would be a failure on my behalf to act as a mentor and make someone take the path whoh could potentially make their future harder.

I'm assuming, because you do OMM, that you're in an AOA residency? You don't have to answer that.

 

[Bacchus]

I'm assuming, because you do OMM, that you're in an AOA residency? You don't have to answer that.

Dually accredited, entered through the AOA match because I applied to an AOA-only residency that I wanted to end up at if #1 or #2 didn't rank me.

I'll also add that OMT clinic can be frustrating. 1) I don't get all OMT appointments, because there aren't enough referals to OMT so I also see acute patients and 2) Some of the patients I see I know won't benefit from OMT, no matter what technique I do and 3) We as a residency should educate our allopathic counterparts what an appropriate referral is.

AKA: The patient with a BMI of 40+, subcutaneous tissue 3-4" thick, and lumbar pain and radiculopathy is probably not a good candidate. They should see physical therapy (which the often are) and should be referred to either bariatric medicine or pain management.

I had a patient like this ^ towards the beginning of this year and I told them I didn't think OMT was going to help them and they needed to lose weight, plain and simple.

 

[HotHamH2O]

And yet...




Personally, OP, I'd go with the advice of residents over pre-meds.

For every DO resident who says "go MD" I can find an attending or resident who says "it doesn't really matter" so let's just consider the fact that it really boils down to what OP wants. I have even heard DO residents say that DO has an advantage because they have MD and DO residencies to choose from which gives them a bigger pool to apply to.

 

[Dreamstoo]

For every DO resident who says "go MD" I can find an attending or resident who says "it doesn't really matter" so let's just consider the fact that it really boils down to what OP wants. I have even heard DO residents say that DO has an advantage because they have MD and DO residencies to choose from which gives them a bigger pool to apply to.

I have heard this from a family friend's son who is a very successful DO in his late 30s.

 

[cliquesh]

I try to be as objective as possible in my posts. When I say go MD I'm being 100% sincere. I do not, however, think being a DO is a huge deal

 

[user3]

I try to be as objective as possible in my posts. When I say go MD I'm being 100% sincere. I do not, however, think being a DO is a huge deal

What specialty do you think you would have gone into if you only scored 200 usmle?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

I don't know why there isn't any more discussion on happiness. You should attend the school that makes you happiest. If it takes a year to get ready, it's not a bad wait. Besides, money is only worth as much as you need it or use it. If you can survive next year without economic problems, the 200k salary of one year won't be missed.

 

[TreadLightly]

Editing just to say that you will be accepted to 90% of DO schools whether you apply this year, next year, or the year after.

You realize he was rejected from 90% of the MD schools he applied to, right? We don't know enough about his application to have an idea of where he will fall during next year's cycle. That said, this dilemma is a lot less complicated since he didn't already apply DO this cycle (?).

I would suggest that OP improve his app in the meantime and apply MD/DO next year and decide when he's holding acceptances. That would give him another shot at MD (which is clearly what he really wants, if he's asking this question), and still have a place at PCOM if needed. Provided that your friend is still down if you wait a year.

 

[cliquesh]

I personally would only do anesthesia, radiology or pathology. If I couldn't do any of those I would do something other than medicine. I'm being 100% serious.

 

[HotHamH2O]

I personally would only do anesthesia, radiology or pathology. If I couldn't do any of those I would do something other than medicine. I'm being 100% serious.

I think this says everything about why you are so adamant about MD. These are competitive residencies that are mostly MD friendly. You aren't really interested with clinical work and interacting with patients. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you want. Point is, DO's are much more clinicians than specialists and academics...I like that about them.

 

[cliquesh]

I agree. I was never the typical DO student. None of them are particularly competitive, though.

 

[HotHamH2O]

I agree. I was never the typical DO student. None of them are particularly competitive, though.

Really? I heard D.R. was crazy competitive.

 

[user3]

Really? I heard D.R. was crazy competitive.

not right now. both the job markets in radiology and pathology are pretty poor from what I have read

 

[Postictal Raiden]

A quick glance at the pathology forum will show how badly the field has been suffering lately. The thought of having to complete multiple fellowships after a long residency in order to land a decent job that is not in BFE will turn many potential applicants away from the field.

Personally, pathology, along with many other "lifestyle" fields don't appeal to me. I am a person who enjoys interacting with people, listening to their problems, and offering them advice. Looks like I will be the "ultimate" DO student 😎.

 

[HotHamH2O]

Yup. I'm the same. I want to practice medicine, not just ponder on it.

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[deleted480308]

OP....you called your essay unconventional, which just might mean it's killing you. Have you had an adcom or prehealth advisor look at it? Have you used the volunteer personal statement readers on SDN?

Sometimes what we call innovative in our own heads is insane in the minds of others. Also, it's january...plenty of time for waitlist movement

 

[Bacchus]

For every DO resident who says "go MD" I can find an attending or resident who says "it doesn't really matter" so let's just consider the fact that it really boils down to what OP wants. I have even heard DO residents say that DO has an advantage because they have MD and DO residencies to choose from which gives them a bigger pool to apply to.

There's no problem going to an osteopathic school for most people. However, since crystal balls don't actually exist, there is no way to tell what one's future residency preference will be. Hence, you go to a school that will give you the most options.

I'm not a bitter DO graduate. I applauded PCOM above. I didn't get into any allopathic schools. That said, I picked the best of my options. Everyone should do this.