PLEASE HELP-Should i become a DO?

[ineedhelp85]

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ok, so i got a 25 on the april mcat. i will not take it in august bcs im mentally not ready plus working full time. I never considered becoming a DO, but with this score and my research(plus i only want to do family practice) it does not sound bad to become a DO.

1st question: if i take a year off and apply for the 09 year, qould my score be valid and im actlly kind of worried that the DO scores might go up too.

2nd question: ARe there any good DO schools in Ny(besides Nycom- i dont even know if its a good school though).

3rd Question: Are the tuitions the same as MD schools.


Thanks.

 

[rgerwin]

Hello!

Being a DO, especially for family practice, is a great way to go. The tuition is the same (higher for private, less for in-state). There should be another NY school opening for Fall 2007 in Harlem. THat's what the AOA said, anyways.

 

[Hardbody]

ok, so i got a 25 on the april mcat. i will not take it in august bcs im mentally not ready plus working full time. I never considered becoming a DO, but with this score and my research(plus i only want to do family practice) it does not sound bad to become a DO.

1st question: if i take a year off and apply for the 09 year, qould my score be valid and im actlly kind of worried that the DO scores might go up too.

2nd question: ARe there any good DO schools in Ny(besides Nycom- i dont even know if its a good school though).

3rd Question: Are the tuitions the same as MD schools.


Thanks.

If I was in your shoes I would definitely go DO. Gunning for uber competitive specialities is really the only problem with going DO, not that it can't be done because it is all the time (watch me get flamed for this last sentence). To answer your questions:

1. I have no idea if your scores will go up or not. I guess it depends on how hard you studied this time around, and how hard will you study for the next time around. Admission to medical school is always competitive, and current trends show competitivenes to increase with admssion slots remaining status quo. However, AMA (MD programs) want to dramatically increase enrollment, and there are at least 5 new DO schools set to open within the next few years. This should stabilize competition, but only time will tell.

2. IMO every DO school is a good scool since every school will allow you to pursue your dream. Currently there is only NYCOM, but apparently Touro-Harlem (branch campus of Touro) will be opening for first year students in 2007 (this years admission cycle). I am a NY guy myself so I am a little excited about this.

3. As far as tuition goes: http://www.aacom.org/colleges/tuition.asp

I think that you are under the conception that there is some type of weird stigma that is attached to the DO degree (you said, "it doesn't sound too bad to become a DO"). I used to believe this myself. I am currently shadowing a DO in a VERY competitive specialty (one of the ROAD to happiness specialties) and he has patients lined up like you wouldn't believe. On an office day the guy sees about 100 patients and he is dam good at what he does! Trust me, you will not have to explain to patients what the difference is between an MD and a DO like some people may tell you. Most people could care less what two letters are behind your name as long as you are good at what you do. I encourage you to find a DO to shadow for a few days. You will feel better about your decision to apply DO.

Use this website to help locate a DO:

http://www.osteopathic.org/directory.cfm

Good luck !

 

[ineedhelp85]

Thnx a lot for your responses. First of all i apologize for my questions regarding the tuition etc. bcs right after posting it i checked the school list and the tuition on the aamocas webpage. The only thing that is bothering me deeply is if i take a year off and apply for the 09 term, would my 25 still be valid for DO schools
I already did my AMCAS so do i need to send a transcript to Aamcos and go through the same process?
And all my letter of recs (including the committee letter) are for md schools, how can i cahnge that? Thanks

If I was in your shoes I would definitely go DO. Gunning for uber competitive specialities is really the only problem with going DO, not that it can't be done because it is all the time (watch me get flamed for this last sentence). To answer your questions:

1. I have no idea if your scores will go up or not. I guess it depends on how hard you studied this time around, and how hard will you study for the next time around. Admission to medical school is always competitive, and current trends show competitivenes to increase with admssion slots remaining status quo. However, AMA (MD programs) want to dramatically increase enrollment, and there are at least 5 new DO schools set to open within the next few years. This should stabilize competition, but only time will tell.

2. IMO every DO school is a good scool since every school will allow you to pursue your dream. Currently there is only NYCOM, but apparently Touro-Harlem (branch campus of Touro) will be opening for first year students in 2007 (this years admission cycle). I am a NY guy myself so I am a little excited about this.

3. As far as tuition goes: http://www.aacom.org/colleges/tuition.asp

I think that you are under the conception that there is some type of weird stigma that is attached to the DO degree (you said, "it doesn't sound too bad to become a DO"). I used to believe this myself. I am currently shadowing a DO in a VERY competitive specialty (one of the ROAD to happiness specialties) and he has patients lined up like you wouldn't believe. On an office day the guy sees about 100 patients and he is dam good at what he does! Trust me, you will not have to explain to patients what the difference is between an MD and a DO like some people may tell you. Most people could care less what two letters are behind your name as long as you are good at what you do. I encourage you to find a DO to shadow for a few days. You will feel better about your decision to apply DO.

Use this website to help locate a DO:

http://www.osteopathic.org/directory.cfm

Good luck !

 

[BradenDO]

Thnx a lot for your responses. First of all i apologize for my questions regarding the tuition etc. bcs right after posting it i checked the school list and the tuition on the aamocas webpage. The only thing that is bothering me deeply is if i take a year off and apply for the 09 term, would my 25 still be valid for DO schools
I already did my AMCAS so do i need to send a transcript to Aamcos and go through the same process?
And all my letter of recs (including the committee letter) are for md schools, how can i cahnge that? Thanks

Well, the scores are valid for 3 years but I'm not sure where they cut that off. I suggest calling the schools to make sure.

 

[jillibean]

3rd Question: Are the tuitions the same as MD schools.


Thanks.

I think private DO schools seem slightly cheaper than private MD schools... 30-32K for DO school vs. 35-38K for MD school (there are exceptions I am sure).

 

[ineedhelp85]

I checked the listthough and it says NYCOM is like 35 grand either for in state or out of state. CAn someone answer my question to LOR. I was not thinking of applying for DO so all my letters are for medical schools(i dont think it specifically says MD) - even my committee letter. What should i do?

Also is it the same process as AMCAS(do i need to send them a transcript then fill out online etc.)

thanks

I think private DO schools seem slightly cheaper than private MD schools... 30-32K for DO school vs. 35-38K for MD school (there are exceptions I am sure).

 

[jillibean]

I checked the listthough and it says NYCOM is like 35 grand either for in state or out of state. CAn someone answer my question to LOR. I was not thinking of applying for DO so all my letters are for medical schools(i dont think it specifically says MD) - even my committee letter. What should i do?

Also is it the same process as AMCAS(do i need to send them a transcript then fill out online etc.)

thanks

MD and DO schools are all medical schools. I think there are lots of people that apply to both (including me), so my letters are not directed towards a specific program. I think you are fine. You might want to look into shadowing a DO and get an extra letter from that person.

 

[Orthodoc40]

Thnx a lot for your responses. First of all i apologize for my questions regarding the tuition etc. bcs right after posting it i checked the school list and the tuition on the aamocas webpage. The only thing that is bothering me deeply is if i take a year off and apply for the 09 term, would my 25 still be valid for DO schools
I already did my AMCAS so do i need to send a transcript to Aamcos and go through the same process?
And all my letter of recs (including the committee letter) are for md schools, how can i cahnge that? Thanks

Why would you take a year off ?- you can still apply this fall, if that was your plan.

If you just visit the AACOM website, you can definitely get your questions answered, and then some! I think you should definitely go the DO route.

 

[Orthodoc40]

I think that you are under the conception that there is some type of weird stigma that is attached to the DO degree (you said, "it doesn't sound too bad to become a DO"). I used to believe this myself. I am currently shadowing a DO in a VERY competitive specialty (one of the ROAD to happiness specialties) and he has patients lined up like you wouldn't believe. On an office day the guy sees about 100 patients and he is dam good at what he does! Trust me, you will not have to explain to patients what the difference is between an MD and a DO like some people may tell you. Most people could care less what two letters are behind your name as long as you are good at what you do. I encourage you to find a DO to shadow for a few days. You will feel better about your decision to apply DO.
Good luck !

Okay I have to ask - what on earth is a "ROAD to happiness specialty"??

 

[Orthodoc40]

I think private DO schools seem slightly cheaper than private MD schools... 30-32K for DO school vs. 35-38K for MD school (there are exceptions I am sure).

All I can say is that US News lists the average debt of graduates for schools and most of the DO schools are very high up on that list!

 

[ineedhelp85]

Im taking a year off because i need to get certain things under control in my life before i step into this "non-stop continuing" field. I asked some others on this board about deferring but that was regarding MEd schools, so i dont know if DO schools have the same option.

Ps. even if they do have the deferrment option i heard that you have to convince them saying you will do reasearch or get a 2nd degree, but unfortunately when i take a year off i wont be fdoing any of that stuff so please let em know if you know any schools which are more leanient. thanks

 

[Bluemirage]

ROAD to happiness =
Radiology
Ophthalmology
Anesthesiology
Dermatology
🙂

Okay I have to ask - what on earth is a "ROAD to happiness specialty"??

 

[jillibean]

All I can say is that US News lists the average debt of graduates for schools and most of the DO schools are very high up on that list!

Yeah, but there may be some confounding variables (i.e. the richest kids go to md school (?), do schools don't have as much grants/scholarships, etc).

 

[jillibean]

Im taking a year off because i need to get certain things under control in my life before i step into this "non-stop continuing" field. I asked some others on this board about deferring but that was regarding Med schools, so i dont know if DO schools have the same option.

Ps. even if they do have the deferrment option i heard that you have to convince them saying you will do reasearch or get a 2nd degree, but unfortunately when i take a year off i wont be fdoing any of that stuff so please let em know if you know any schools which are more leanient. thanks

DO schools are med schools!

 

[HunterGatherer]

If you are going to take so long to apply you might as retake the MCAT and apply to MD or MD/DO.

If you apply DO you should get a DO letter. You have a lot of time so you should be able to get a really good one especially if you live in a city with DO schools.

ok, so i got a 25 on the april mcat. i will not take it in august bcs im mentally not ready plus working full time. I never considered becoming a DO, but with this score and my research(plus i only want to do family practice) it does not sound bad to become a DO.

1st question: if i take a year off and apply for the 09 year, qould my score be valid and im actlly kind of worried that the DO scores might go up too.

2nd question: ARe there any good DO schools in Ny(besides Nycom- i dont even know if its a good school though).

3rd Question: Are the tuitions the same as MD schools.


Thanks.

 

[Oculus Sinistra]

ok, so i got a 25 on the april mcat. i will not take it in august bcs im mentally not ready plus working full time. I never considered becoming a DO, but with this score and my research(plus i only want to do family practice) it does not sound bad to become a DO.

1st question: if i take a year off and apply for the 09 year, qould my score be valid and im actlly kind of worried that the DO scores might go up too.

2nd question: ARe there any good DO schools in Ny(besides Nycom- i dont even know if its a good school though).

3rd Question: Are the tuitions the same as MD schools.

Thanks.

Hello! Just wanted to add a couple of things.

It seems like you're a little unknowledgeable about DO, which explains why you seem nervous about applying.

First and foremost, MD schools and DO schools are BOTH medical schools. Whereas MD schools are called allopathic medical schools, DO schools are called osteopathic medical schools. That's it. You'll learn the same material in the same fashion, do the same rotations, and take similar board exams along the way (DO boards are called COMLEX and MD are USMLE... but many DO students take the USMLE as well). When you're in your fourth year, you can apply to the MD match and/or the DO match, potentially increasing your chances at landing a desired residency. Since you want to do family practice, it really wouldn't matter if you went MD or DO because I've heard they can't find enough people to be family medicine docs as it is.

The entrance scores for DO schools shouldn't go up too much and your scores will be good for three years. However, if you're going to apply to DO schools, you're most likely going to need to shadow a DO first and get an LOR... just in case you need one later on (some schools require a DO letter).

Good luck!

 

[ineedhelp85]

Thnx a lot to all of you guys for being so helpful, i finally see that becoming a DO is the right choice for me. However, there is one thing that i need to solve before entering a 4 year school so i think i will take a yera off. MAybe ill take the mcat this winter just to protect my score(hopefully ill get the same score). LAst Question: I volunteered at the hospital etc. but this is the first time im hearing shadowing a doc. Sorry for my naiveness but please can some1 explain to me what shadowing a doctor means and how can i get that position. thanks

Hello! Just wanted to add a couple of things.

It seems like you're a little unknowledgeable about DO, which explains why you seem nervous about applying.

First and foremost, MD schools and DO schools are BOTH medical schools. Whereas MD schools are called allopathic medical schools, DO schools are called osteopathic medical schools. That's it. You'll learn the same material in the same fashion, do the same rotations, and take similar board exams along the way (DO boards are called COMLEX and MD are USMLE... but many DO students take the USMLE as well). When you're in your fourth year, you can apply to the MD match and/or the DO match, potentially increasing your chances at landing a desired residency. Since you want to do family practice, it really wouldn't matter if you went MD or DO because I've heard they can't find enough people to be family medicine docs as it is.

The entrance scores for DO schools shouldn't go up too much and your scores will be good for three years. However, if you're going to apply to DO schools, you're most likely going to need to shadow a DO first and get an LOR... just in case you need one later on (some schools require a DO letter).

Good luck!

 

[tucomnvms1]

Thnx a lot to all of you guys for being so helpful, i finally see that becoming a DO is the right choice for me. However, there is one thing that i need to solve before entering a 4 year school so i think i will take a yera off. MAybe ill take the mcat this winter just to protect my score(hopefully ill get the same score). LAst Question: I volunteered at the hospital etc. but this is the first time im hearing shadowing a doc. Sorry for my naiveness but please can some1 explain to me what shadowing a doctor means and how can i get that position. thanks

Dude don't become a DO because you think its easier to get in. While the MCAT scores are slightly lower on average, you have to have knowledge of Osteopathic Medicine and a good personality. You won't be happy if you go DO because you think your score will get you in. Save your money because they will see right through you.

 

[tucomnvms1]

Thnx a lot to all of you guys for being so helpful, i finally see that becoming a DO is the right choice for me. However, there is one thing that i need to solve before entering a 4 year school so i think i will take a yera off. MAybe ill take the mcat this winter just to protect my score(hopefully ill get the same score). LAst Question: I volunteered at the hospital etc. but this is the first time im hearing shadowing a doc. Sorry for my naiveness but please can some1 explain to me what shadowing a doctor means and how can i get that position. thanks

Dude don't become a DO because you think its easier to get in. While the MCAT scores are slightly lower on average, you have to have knowledge of Osteopathic Medicine and a good personality. You won't be happy if you go DO because you think your score will get you in. Save your money because they will see right through you.

 

[PlasticMan]

Thnx a lot to all of you guys for being so helpful, i finally see that becoming a DO is the right choice for me. However, there is one thing that i need to solve before entering a 4 year school so i think i will take a yera off. MAybe ill take the mcat this winter just to protect my score(hopefully ill get the same score). LAst Question: I volunteered at the hospital etc. but this is the first time im hearing shadowing a doc. Sorry for my naiveness but please can some1 explain to me what shadowing a doctor means and how can i get that position. thanks

If you apply now, you will be applying for the fall of 2007 and will still be taking a year off even if you are accepted. I suggest you apply to NYCOM. I was accepted there with a 25. Mentioning that you're interested in primary care in your application would be a good idea as well, since you genuinely are.

 

[ineedhelp85]

Did you start to NYCOm yet? And can you pls share some info- your undergrad college, you gpa, ec . And i still have my senior year in college so applying now means starting to another 4 year school right after college. thanks.

If you apply now, you will be applying for the fall of 2007 and will still be taking a year off even if you are accepted. I suggest you apply to NYCOM. I was accepted there with a 25. Mentioning that you're interested in primary care in your application would be a good idea as well, since you genuinely are.

 

[PlasticMan]

Did you start to NYCOm yet? And can you pls share some info- your undergrad college, you gpa, ec . And i still have my senior year in college so applying now means starting to another 4 year school right after college. thanks.

Oh, ok, I understand now. I thought you were done with school already. The info you requested is NJIT and 3.48(for AACOMAS, 3.31 for AMCAS) respectively. Like I said before, since you are interested in Primary Care, you should include that in your personal statement. And as many of the above mentioned a LOR from a D.O. will help as well; however neither are required. I wrote my PS about why I want to be a surgeon and only had a letter from an MD and I was accepted.

 

[Dr. Aibolit]

Ok...perhaps this is a stupid question, but I am still very confused on the difference between a DO and MD. I've been to different meetings, talk to numerous med-students, yet everyone keep saying how they are "both medical schools, and you learn the same information." Then, I ask, what is the difference? Why are they separate schools, and what is it that separates them...can someone please explain this to me? I've heard some stuff about the hands, etc., but I still do not understand what the difference will be in pursuing one vs. the other. Thank you, hope someone can clear this up for me!

 

[MikeyLu2010]

The difference is simple..DO learns OMM and MDs dont....unless they take special electives or what not...

 

[ineedhelp85]

Correct me if im wrong, but i thought a surgeon with a DO degree wont have the same opportunities becasue DOs cannot go into specialties. Also, i checked NYCOm and it says 35k for in and out of states but that does not make sense to me shouldnt it be cheaper for in state. Thanks.

Oh, ok, I understand now. I thought you were done with school already. The info you requested is NJIT and 3.48(for AACOMAS, 3.31 for AMCAS) respectively. Like I said before, since you are interested in Primary Care, you should include that in your personal statement. And as many of the above mentioned a LOR from a D.O. will help as well; however neither are required. I wrote my PS about why I want to be a surgeon and only had a letter from an MD and I was accepted.

 

[Taus]

Correct me if im wrong, but i thought a surgeon with a DO degree wont have the same opportunities becasue DOs cannot go into specialties. Also, i checked NYCOm and it says 35k for in and out of states but that does not make sense to me shouldnt it be cheaper for in state. Thanks.

1. private schools don't usually have different prices for in vs. out of state
2. DO's can, and do, specialize in whatever they want...check out a match list from a DO school or open up the yellow pages

 

[mzztiffany]

There has been many threads about this and also, if u researched there are even neurosurgeons that are DOs, though not as many. It is MORE competitive for a DO to do a specialty like that but its not impossible or even rare.

 

[Hardbody]

Correct me if im wrong, but i thought a surgeon with a DO degree wont have the same opportunities becasue DOs cannot go into specialties. Also, i checked NYCOm and it says 35k for in and out of states but that does not make sense to me shouldnt it be cheaper for in state. Thanks.

You will find D.O.'s in EVERY specialty and subspecialty. Percentage wise more D.O.'s go into primary care (general internal medicine and family practice) than M.D.'s, but if you really want to specialize it is FAR from impossible.

Here is a link to some recent Match Lists of D.O. schools (some of the links no longer exist):

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=175626