Postbac-MD or DO this year

[ShiMD]

I don't know which is the right place to post my question, hope this is the right place.

I want to specialize and practice academic medicine in the future so I heard that an MD degree will give me much more options in what I wanted to do. I applied to 3 MD schools, 3 DO schools and 2 postbac programs this year. I didn't get into any of the MD schools, got in all of the DO schools and the 2 postbac programs. I am not sure what to do now. I have a choice to going to either KCUMB or VCOM or I can go for an MD degree a year later. The 2 postbac programs are Temple ACMS which has a guarantee acceptance if I can maintain a 3.5 GPA and the Drexel DPMS program also has a guarantee acceptance if I can maintain a 3.0 GPA. The dilemma is that I would like to go to an MD if I can be accepted to one but it is a risk to go to the postbac because even though I believe that I can maintain the required GPA, I have never taken medical/grad school classes so I really cannot say how I will do in them for sure. The DO schools on the other hand are a guarantee but from what I heard would limit my chances to top residency programs/specialize or practice academic medicine in the future.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Soccer171983]

You need to apply broad and wide to get a better shot at md. If you want academics I would recommend going allo or being amazing in a do school and take allo boards to do allo residency.

 

[NeuroLAX]

I don't know which is the right place to post my question, hope this is the right place.

I want to specialize and practice academic medicine in the future so I heard that an MD degree will give me much more options in what I wanted to do. I applied to 3 MD schools, 3 DO schools and 2 postbac programs this year. I didn't get into any of the MD schools, got in all of the DO schools and the 2 postbac programs. I am not sure what to do now. I have a choice to going to either KCUMB or VCOM or I can go for an MD degree a year later. The 2 postbac programs are Temple ACMS which has a guarantee acceptance if I can maintain a 3.5 GPA and the Drexel DPMS program also has a guarantee acceptance if I can maintain a 3.0 GPA. The dilemma is that I would like to go to an MD if I can be accepted to one but it is a risk to go to the postbac because even though I believe that I can maintain the required GPA, I have never taken medical/grad school classes so I really cannot say how I will do in them for sure. The DO schools on the other hand are a guarantee but from what I heard would limit my chances to top residency programs/specialize or practice academic medicine in the future.

For Temple ACMS, the 3.5 GPA is not the only requirement. You also need a 30 MCAT with no less than 8 on each section.

 

[drizzt3117]

Of the two postbacs, I would go with the Temple ACMS. I heard the vast majority (>90%) of the people in the program were able to get the 3.5 and MCAT they needed.

I don't know which is the right place to post my question, hope this is the right place.

I want to specialize and practice academic medicine in the future so I heard that an MD degree will give me much more options in what I wanted to do. I applied to 3 MD schools, 3 DO schools and 2 postbac programs this year. I didn't get into any of the MD schools, got in all of the DO schools and the 2 postbac programs. I am not sure what to do now. I have a choice to going to either KCUMB or VCOM or I can go for an MD degree a year later. The 2 postbac programs are Temple ACMS which has a guarantee acceptance if I can maintain a 3.5 GPA and the Drexel DPMS program also has a guarantee acceptance if I can maintain a 3.0 GPA. The dilemma is that I would like to go to an MD if I can be accepted to one but it is a risk to go to the postbac because even though I believe that I can maintain the required GPA, I have never taken medical/grad school classes so I really cannot say how I will do in them for sure. The DO schools on the other hand are a guarantee but from what I heard would limit my chances to top residency programs/specialize or practice academic medicine in the future.

 

[TriagePreMed]

You can get into osteopathic academic medicine, so you might want to consider that. If not, definitely go MD.

Sent from my SCH-R910 using Tapatalk

 

[Iliketoytles]

Your SDN username ends with MD, which means you have to go MD. It's the law.

Just kidding... but if you want to go MD, then do the post bac and go MD. I want to specialize as well, and have done enough research on SDN and throughout the interwebz to know that DO won't necessarily limit my options... there will just be some more resistance along the way.

 

[LaughingMan]

SO why in the hell did you even apply DO if you weren't planning to attend? What a waste of everyone's time and effort. What a slap in the face!! have you not been reading the other thread in the pre-osteo forums? I am totally saddened by this post. Please do us all a favor and withdraw your DO acceptances and let someone else in who appreciates this opportunity they have been give. I am saddened by your misinformation and totally disgusted. WOW. WOW. WOW.

I must agree with this post. You not only wasted the schools time but yours as well. Ultimately if you do attend the DO school, you correct this--but if not---

 

[jinobi]

SO why in the hell did you even apply DO if you weren't planning to attend? What a waste of everyone's time and effort. What a slap in the face!! have you not been reading the other thread in the pre-osteo forums? I am totally saddened by this post. Please do us all a favor and withdraw your DO acceptances and let someone else in who appreciates this opportunity they have been give. I am saddened by your misinformation and totally disgusted. WOW. WOW. WOW.

Why so hostile? Applying to medical school is a difficult process, filled with uncertainty. This person was doing a smart thing and hedging his bets by applying to as many programs as possible. You go on interviews, hope for good news, and evaluate which avaliable options fit your needs the best.

This is why every medical school has a waitlist. It's ingenuous to suggest that he was taking an opportunity away from a "more deserving" applicant - if he declines, someone else will take the acceptance, and everyone is satisfied. He's free to have preferences.

OP: Given your goals, I would take Temple ACMS. It'll give you the path of least resistance, though you are losing one year to prepwork. Study hard, and getting 3.5/30 will be no problem.

 

[bucks900]

I have to agree with jinobi. OP had to make sure that he had options available and by applying to both MD/DO and post-bac programs he would put himself in the best position to make the right choice for himself. Just out of curiosity, it would interesting to hear more from OP why he/she applied to so few schools with good scores. Temple's ACMS program takes a lot of qualified students that could get accepted to other MD schools if they would have applied broadly. Another thing to consider would be the cost of attending a post-bac program and tuition. Since you wouldn't be really saving any money by going to Temple/Drexel you would be paying 30,000+ in extra tuition and living expenses to get the MD title. If you really see yourself wanting an academic position at an allo school down the road then go to Temple and work your butt off to get that 3.5. That being said, going to a DO school will not hurt your chances of specializing or going into academic medicine. There are plenty of DO's who teach at all levels at both osteopathic and allopathic institutions.

 

[octupus]

Why so hostile? Applying to medical school is a difficult process, filled with uncertainty. This person was doing a smart thing and hedging his bets by applying to as many programs as possible. You go on interviews, hope for good news, and evaluate which avaliable options fit your needs the best.

This is why every medical school has a waitlist. It's ingenuous to suggest that he was taking an opportunity away from a "more deserving" applicant - if he declines, someone else will take the acceptance, and everyone is satisfied. He's free to have preferences.

I think you're missing the OP's intentions and Cabinbuilder's point. OP applied to DO schools, wasted people's time and energy, and now decides that he rather do SMP than DO. Yes, "he's free to have preferences", but that doesn't take away from the fact that he should have evaluated his needs first, prior to applying DO. But then again, seeing that OP only applied to such few schools, I doubt he/she did much evaluation of any sort prior to applying.

Next thing you know, OP gets into his state school, but only Harvard will fit his/her needs of becoming a neurorthoplastictrician, drops acceptance, save a few babies, and reapplies.

 

[rafl]

Who's time is he wasting? The schools he applied to make money off of the application, and as was previously pointed out applying doesn't limit other peoples opportunities.

Sent from my DROID3 using SDN Mobile

 

[Iliketoytles]

I think you're missing the OP's intentions and Cabinbuilder's point. OP applied to DO schools, wasted people's time and energy, and now decides that he rather do SMP than DO. Yes, "he's free to have preferences", but that doesn't take away from the fact that he should have evaluated his needs first, prior to applying DO. But then again, seeing that OP only applied to such few schools, I doubt he/she did much evaluation of any sort prior to applying.

Next thing you know, OP gets into his state school, but only Harvard will fit his/her needs of becoming a neurorthoplastictrician, drops acceptance, save a few babies, and reapplies.

Honestly... I think some of you are being a bit too hard on him. Whose time was he wasting again? The adcoms? Not really... it's kind of like being on a waitlist, then declining the offer. Nothing wrong with that. There are tons more fish in the sea for each school... and the next person who is on the waitlist will get his spot. That's why schools offer more acceptances than there are seats available.

He should've thought more about it... but he didn't. That's his own problem. It's not insulting to anyone (or it shouldn't be), so let's not take this the wrong way. He has to do what's best for him. The schools, adcoms, students, and osteopathic medicine in general are not affected in any way.

 

[OhioG]

If you got into the Drexel DPMS, I would take that and run with it. Being MD does make the process somewhat easier. If nothing else, in the sense that you dont have to take two board exams to get an MD residency.

VCOM is a newer school so I would defintely choose the DPMS program over that. And if you are confident in making it through the Temple program, then obviously you'll make it through the Drexel one.

And for all of you complaining, just because you had to fight hard to get into medical school doesnt mean someone who did better than you and got multiple acceptances didnt work hard. The OP got into the DPMS program which is designed for kids coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. Stop being a bunch of babies and fighting for those kids who are looking to just get in. If those kids had better scores and stats, they wouldn't have been in the position in the first place.

EDIT: The reason is say DPMS over Temple is that its easier to matriculate into. Both schools have rigorous post-bacs but Temple requires higher GPA and another MCAT.

 

[willen101383]

Its really tough to advise you. I dont really like being a DO student...but an acceptance is better than possibly having no acceptances next year and being screwed in DO land. I went through the MFS program at drexel and its not like its an automatic gateway into med school. I made it in, another guy tried hard for THREE cycles to get into an MD school after drexel and never made it (now hes in my class funny enough). Another ended up in a carribbean school and failed out....another 2 are in MD schools now. So out of the 12or so that wanted to get in only 5 got in. Not that great odds if you ask me. Id honestly be saving my money and going to the DO school.

 

[willen101383]

If you got into the Drexel DPMS, I would take that and run with it. Being MD does make the process somewhat easier. If nothing else, in the sense that you dont have to take two board exams to get an MD residency.

VCOM is a newer school so I would defintely choose the DPMS program over that. And if you are confident in making it through the Temple program, then obviously you'll make it through the Drexel one.

And for all of you complaining, just because you had to fight hard to get into medical school doesnt mean someone who did better than you and got multiple acceptances didnt work hard. The OP got into the DPMS program which is designed for kids coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. Stop being a bunch of babies and fighting for those kids who are looking to just get in. If those kids had better scores and stats, they wouldn't have been in the position in the first place.

EDIT: The reason is say DPMS over Temple is that its easier to matriculate into. Both schools have rigorous post-bacs but Temple requires higher GPA and another MCAT.

You dont need to take two boards to get an MD residency.

 

[ChiDO]

Take the DO acceptance and go. How do you know if you will ever get an acceptance at a MD school in the future?

 

[OhioG]

You dont need to take two boards to get an MD residency.

You are correct. You don't need to take the USMLE as a D.O to get into an allopathic residency. However, most university programs wont look at you without a USMLE Step 1 score. Even some community programs wont.

As a D.O it is extremely beneficial for you to take the USMLE unless you want to do something extremely competitive like R.O.A.D. or Surg.

 

[willen101383]

You are correct. You don't need to take the USMLE as a D.O to get into an allopathic residency. However, most university programs wont look at you without a USMLE Step 1 score. Even some community programs wont.

As a D.O it is extremely beneficial for you to take the USMLE unless you want to do something extremely competitive like R.O.A.D. or Surg.

This still isnt true. Advantageous...but hardly necessary. That being said I am taking it....in 3 weeks.

 

[OhioG]

This still isnt true. Advantageous...but hardly necessary. That being said I am taking it....in 3 weeks.

Okay, I think we will have to disagree on this. I just had a sibling who went through the process this year and was flat out told by at least a dozen PDs that the lack of USMLE Step 1 (he had USMLE Step 2), was the main reason their allopathic program didnt consider the application.

Yes, technically its not necessary, but realistically if you want a good allo residency, you better have that USMLE Step 1. Note: there are schools that are D.O friendly which convert your score and correlate with USMLE. However, they are not all that common in the good university programs.

Either way best of luck on your boards. Go show the test who's boss!

 

[willen101383]

Okay, I think we will have to disagree on this. I just had a sibling who went through the process this year and was flat out told by at least a dozen PDs that the lack of USMLE Step 1 (he had USMLE Step 2), was the main reason their allopathic program didnt consider the application.

Yes, technically its not necessary, but realistically if you want a good allo residency, you better have that USMLE Step 1. Note: there are schools that are D.O friendly which convert your score and correlate with USMLE. However, they are not all that common in the good university programs.

Either way best of luck on your boards. Go show the test who's boss!

We still agree. I am just nitpicking ur argument bc I am in a rotten mood bc rather than letting me study for boards, PCOM decided to hit us with 5 POINTLESS finals this week. I just wouldnt say that MOST programs wont take you based on your lack of USMLE. There are still plenty of programs out there that will take you with just a comlex. Either way, I dont know why in the hell you wouldnt take it. You are studying the exact same material (save for OMM) when you take comlex. You take enough exams in med school what is one more? Id say about 30-40% of my class is taking it...and the others come up with some strange excuse like "eh I dont have enough money." You dont have enough money..its 550 bucks and could potentially mean a ton for you if you really are gunnin for an MD program (as I am)....tuition is orders and orders of magnitude greater than 550 bucks.

Thanks for the good luck...I am going to take an NBME next week and see how I do, and if i suck I am going to push back my test a week. Ugh!

 

[cliquesh]

We still agree. I am just nitpicking ur argument bc I am in a rotten mood bc rather than letting me study for boards, PCOM decided to hit us with 5 POINTLESS finals this week. I just wouldnt say that MOST programs wont take you based on your lack of USMLE. There are still plenty of programs out there that will take you with just a comlex. Either way, I dont know why in the hell you wouldnt take it. You are studying the exact same material (save for OMM) when you take comlex.You take enough exams in med school what is one more? Id say about 30-40% of my class is taking it...and the others come up with some strange excuse like "eh I dont have enough money." You dont have enough money..its 550 bucks and could potentially mean a ton for you if you really are gunnin for an MD program (as I am)....tuition is orders and orders of magnitude greater than 550 bucks.

Thanks for the good luck...I am going to take an NBME next week and see how I do, and if i suck I am going to push back my test a week. Ugh!

Fewer than that will actually take it. A lot will back out.

 

[411309]

I don't know which is the right place to post my question, hope this is the right place.

I want to specialize and practice academic medicine in the future so I heard that an MD degree will give me much more options in what I wanted to do. I applied to 3 MD schools, 3 DO schools and 2 postbac programs this year. I didn't get into any of the MD schools, got in all of the DO schools and the 2 postbac programs. I am not sure what to do now. I have a choice to going to either KCUMB or VCOM or I can go for an MD degree a year later. The 2 postbac programs are Temple ACMS which has a guarantee acceptance if I can maintain a 3.5 GPA and the Drexel DPMS program also has a guarantee acceptance if I can maintain a 3.0 GPA. The dilemma is that I would like to go to an MD if I can be accepted to one but it is a risk to go to the postbac because even though I believe that I can maintain the required GPA, I have never taken medical/grad school classes so I really cannot say how I will do in them for sure. The DO schools on the other hand are a guarantee but from what I heard would limit my chances to top residency programs/specialize or practice academic medicine in the future.

What stats did you apply with? Gpa/mcat?

 

[donkeykong1]

Fewer than that will actually take it. A lot will back out.

why? correct this if its wrong but worst case scenario even if you fail the USMLE and pass the COMLEX, you shouldn't have a need to disclose it through the AOA match right.

 

[donkeykong1]

also to the OP. your reason for doing postbaccMD is really meaningless. you can get academic posts whether its under ACGME or AOA programs through DO. instead of spending an extra year+tuition doing post-bacc, go DO, get some good research published, rock the USMLE/COMLEX, and you'll get into an academic residency program.

As a US grad, the USMLE score you'll need to get into those ACGME academic programs does not depend on your school or your physician initials, it depends on your efforts.

 

[JeetKuneDo]

You know, I normally would say take the DO acceptance and go on with life, but you're in a real intriguing situation. If you're pretty much guaranteed acceptance at Drexel with a 3.0, that might be a really good choice. Not sure how hard a 3.0 is in that program though. I'd say go for Drexel and work like your life depends on it (which it does.)

 

[willen101383]

You know, I normally would say take the DO acceptance and go on with life, but you're in a real intriguing situation. If you're pretty much guaranteed acceptance at Drexel with a 3.0, that might be a really good choice. Not sure how hard a 3.0 is in that program though. I'd say go for Drexel and work like your life depends on it (which it does.)

I think the OP better really check into this "guarantee." Maybe things have changed since I was there but the only program that had any sort of guarantee was the IMS program....and that guarantee was a guaranteed INTERVIEW not acceptance. They werent required to take any sort of number from the program. This may very well have changed but is definitely worth looking into.

 

[willen101383]

Fewer than that will actually take it. A lot will back out.

My game plan is to back out if my NBMEs arent over 220 with a few weeks left to go. Which they very well may not be with PCOMs asinine schedule we are dealing with right now.

 

[jinobi]

I think the OP better really check into this "guarantee." Maybe things have changed since I was there but the only program that had any sort of guarantee was the IMS program....and that guarantee was a guaranteed INTERVIEW not acceptance. They werent required to take any sort of number from the program. This may very well have changed but is definitely worth looking into.

Temple ACMS is a guaranteed acceptance as long as he keeps his GPA up and gets that MCAT score. Hard, but doable.

 

[411309]

I honestly dont see the point of going further into debt if you dont have to before you even start medical school, just so you can do MD over DO but to each his own I guess.

 

[ruiner]

I think you're missing the OP's intentions and Cabinbuilder's point. OP applied to DO schools, wasted people's time and energy, and now decides that he rather do SMP than DO. Yes, "he's free to have preferences", but that doesn't take away from the fact that he should have evaluated his needs first, prior to applying DO. But then again, seeing that OP only applied to such few schools, I doubt he/she did much evaluation of any sort prior to applying.

Next thing you know, OP gets into his state school, but only Harvard will fit his/her needs of becoming a neurorthoplastictrician, drops acceptance, save a few babies, and reapplies.

 

[DeucesHigh3]

I think the OP better really check into this "guarantee." Maybe things have changed since I was there but the only program that had any sort of guarantee was the IMS program....and that guarantee was a guaranteed INTERVIEW not acceptance. They werent required to take any sort of number from the program. This may very well have changed but is definitely worth looking into.

No, it's true -- DPMS is the only Drexel program that has provisional early acceptance contingent on success in the program. It's similar to the IMS curriculum with some variations, but it's designed for URM and the socioeconomically-disadvantaged applicants.

 

[willen101383]

No, it's true -- DPMS is the only Drexel program that has provisional early acceptance contingent on success in the program. It's similar to the IMS curriculum with some variations, but it's designed for URM and the socioeconomically-disadvantaged applicants.

Neat I think the dpms program was just starting out when i was there. So you maintain x GPA and you are golden? Thats pretty sick actually.

 

[donkeykong1]

Neat I think the dpms program was just starting out when i was there. So you maintain x GPA and you are golden? Thats pretty sick actually.

dpms is only for minorities/econ disadvantaged. you need a C average and you're in. keep in mind that you're "competing" against med students who are included in the curve. again no guarantee you'll pass all the courses.

 

[weezynation]

Between the two postbac programs, how is it possible that a lot of people here think OP should do Temple's? Let's see...30 MCAT and a 3.5. For DPMS you need to get a 23 mcat (8,8,7 distribution) and a C average compared to the 1st year Drexel med students. If you enter the program with that 23 MCAT and the proper distribution, you don't have to retake it. Plus, you take a few of the med school classes in the summer and then retake them in the fall with the med students so you've already seen quite a bit of the material already. If you do all of this, you have guaranteed acceptance for the following year. OP, do DPMS, work your butt off, and be a Drexel med student in 2013.

 

[Temperature101]

I honestly dont see the point of going further into debt if you dont have to before you even start medical school, just so you can do MD over DO but to each his own I guess.

I could not agree more with you.

 

[Spurg]

I honestly dont see the point of going further into debt if you dont have to before you even start medical school, just so you can do MD over DO but to each his own I guess.

ColeSmalls said it best. Medical school is going to run up the debt and adding to it before you even go sounds silly. Unless you felt certain you could get into your state school which can be significantly less than many DO schools. If you are young than another year shouldn't be a big deal. As for me, I am starting out on this journey as an older NON-TRAD so to me adding an extra year just seems unnecessary.

 

[user3]

I would do the program at drexel. Think about it. It will be much easier to get the extra work out of the way NOW through DPMS to enter an LCME school, compared to the effort required as a DO student to make yourself competitive for the ACGME field you desire. No debate on this one.

 

[cabinbuilder]

This thread just gets more and more unbelievable by the hour. WOW!!!!

 

[necronomicon]

1) You don't know for sure that you will be able to maintain the grades/MCAT needed to get into the linked allopathic program
2) It's unlikely you will be getting into top allopathic residencies (as you mentioned), whether you are an MD or not (easier as an MD, but still not a walk in the park)--so this should really not influence your decision
3) You are turning down a year of physician income and are instead prepared to add another year of debt (plus accumulating interest on any loans you may already have)
4) Months ago, I struggled with this same scenario...except the points I have made above were too glaringly overwhelming for me to ignore

Good luck with your decision, either way...and congrats on a successful application cycle (even if you don't necessarily consider it so).

 

[Whiskeypunch]

You are giving up a year of attending salary plus the cost of the post-bac for a chance at an MD program over a DO. Doesn't seem worth it really. There are plenty of opportunities at both MD and DO schools to teach as a DO.

If you really want to do hardcore research, I'm sorry but it's probably not going to happen. It's hard to get a research based job as a physician that pays enough to cover your loans. And the competition is fierce. You'd be competing against md/phd harvard types for jobs.

 

[donkeykong1]

I would do the program at drexel. Think about it. It will be much easier to get the extra work out of the way NOW through DPMS to enter an LCME school, compared to the effort required as a DO student to make yourself competitive for the ACGME field you desire. No debate on this one.

if the OP here is trying to use a "backdoor" post-bacc to get into an MD school, chances are he won't be able to get into a "top-tier" residency academic powerhouse anyways MD or DO. This is true whether he ends up in Temple or Drexel==both low tier MDs. Check their match-lists for how many grads actually got into harvard, yale, stanford, hopkins.....Going to an LCME school is not a blank check for said programs.

If you're seriously interested in getting an academic post. Go check out and see where some of the PDs at Drexel graduated form. Hint some are DOs--check the anesthesiology dept among others.

 

[ruiner]

if the OP here is trying to use a "backdoor" post-bacc to get into an MD school, chances are he won't be able to get into a "top-tier" residency academic powerhouse anyways MD or DO. This is true whether he ends up in Temple or Drexel==both low tier MDs. Check their match-lists for how many grads actually got into harvard, yale, stanford, hopkins.....Going to an LCME school is not a blank check for said programs.

If you're seriously interested in getting an academic post. Go check out and see where some of the PDs at Drexel graduated form. Hint some are DOs--check the anesthesiology dept among others.

sour grapes?

 

[namiie]

In 2011, Drexel pumped out over 30 anesthesiology matches, including multiple matches at UCLA, UCSD, UC Davis, NYP and NYU. Internal med also saw multiple matches at UChicago, Yale, Penn, and UC Irvine. It's a good school that definitely can send you to academic medical centers.

OP, go with DPMS. It's a GUARANTEE into a US allopathic program with just a 3.0 in only a few classes. The support for the DPMS program is great too. I wasn't in that particular program but another (which was harder than DPMS and didn't even have a guaranteed acceptance) and I see how students in it are treated and all the students seem to be doing very well/are very happy. I think everyone can agree that MD opens more doors than DO down the road, academic medicine-wise....if you can get a leg-up in this crapshoot of an admissions process, take it.

 

[SLC]

sour grapes?

No, Realism!

That being said, I recommend the post-bacc. Nobody should do DO unless they're absolutely comfortable with it. It's a great pathway to medicine, and I prefer it; but there are too many "prestige ******" out there who can't get over having different initials on their name-tag.

The fact that the OP is even considering forgoing a medical school acceptance to pay big $$$ for a gamble at another school tells me he/she is probably part of that group.

 

[donkeykong1]

In 2011, Drexel pumped out over 30 anesthesiology matches, including multiple matches at UCLA, UCSD, UC Davis, NYP and NYU. Internal med also saw multiple matches at UChicago, Yale, Penn, and UC Irvine. It's a good school that definitely can send you to academic medical centers.

OP, go with DPMS. It's a GUARANTEE into a US allopathic program with just a 3.0 in only a few classes. The support for the DPMS program is great too. I wasn't in that particular program but another (which was harder than DPMS and didn't even have a guaranteed acceptance) and I see how students in it are treated and all the students seem to be doing very well/are very happy. I think everyone can agree that MD opens more doors than DO down the road, academic medicine-wise....if you can get a leg-up in this crapshoot of an admissions process, take it.

DO schools on a whole had a higher percentage of graduates matching into ACGME anesthesiology in 2010 than MD schools:

Anes MD (4.3%) DO (4.6%)

http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2011.pdf

and there is no guarantee the OP will get a 3.0 in med school classes. besides for the fact that he/she is possibly looking at wasting 40k in tuition+housing

 

[donkeykong1]

sour grapes?

no, my grapes are quite sweet thank you.

 

[namiie]

DO schools on a whole had a higher percentage of graduates matching into ACGME anesthesiology in 2010 than MD schools:

Anes MD (4.3%) DO (4.6%)

http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2011.pdf

and there is no guarantee you will get a 3.0 in med school classes. besides for the fact that you're possibly looking at wasting 40k in tuition+housing

Post-bacc tuition is not even roughly half the MD tuition. DPMS is also a program for disadvantaged and/or underrepresented students who had to overcome some unique difficulties growing up. As such, there's more aid for those students. I have a few DPMS friends who are attending courtesy of some nice grants. It's hardly a "waste". Also, DPMS doesn't take all of the med school classes--in fact, to my knowledge they take fewer than five (biochem, physio, immuno, neuro, and something else)....the rest is science to reinforce pre-req knowledge + MCAT prep (if you're on the track that requires you to retake). They also have an extra six-week summer session designed to get them used to graduate-level course work--almost like a tutoring/prep session for the coming year. Like I said, it's a lot of support. Not a shabby deal to me.

I also brought up Drexel's match results to refute an earlier contention that the school seemingly can't match students into academic medical centers/isn't competitive. The OP seems to favor MD, so I'm just advocating the route that would best get him/her to achieve that goal.

 

[donkeykong1]

Post-bacc tuition is not even roughly half the MD tuition. DPMS is also a program for disadvantaged and/or underrepresented students who had to overcome some unique difficulties growing up. As such, there's more aid for those students. I have a few DPMS friends who are attending courtesy of some nice grants. It's hardly a "waste". Also, DPMS doesn't take all of the med school classes--in fact, to my knowledge they take fewer than five (biochem, physio, immuno, neuro, and something else)....the rest is science to reinforce pre-req knowledge + MCAT prep. They also have an extra six-week summer session designed to get them used to graduate-level course week--almost like a tutoring/prep session for the coming year. Like I said, it's a lot of support. Not a shabby deal to me.

I also brought up Drexel's match results to refute an earlier contention that the school seemingly can't match students into academic medical centers/isn't competitive. The OP seems to favor MD, so I'm just advocating the route that would best get him/her to achieve that goal.

last time i checked tuition for dpms was 24k. so add onto that the expensive philly housing cost over a year...and you're looking at high 30s to low 40k in cost. No one said drexel students cannot match into academic programs. What I said was "Going to an LCME school is not a blank check for said programs" and this is absolutely true. The OP should not think that by going through the dpms, and managing a 3.0 and then start med school at Drexel that he/she will get automatically matched into an academic program. That's not how things work. Whether you go to an MD or a DO school, the OP will have to take the USMLE, get a great score and hope to match.

 

[namiie]

last time i checked tuition for dpms was 24k. so add onto that the expensive philly housing cost over a year...and you're looking at high 30s to low 40k in cost. No one said drexel students cannot match into academic programs. What I said was "Going to an LCME school is not a blank check for said programs" and this is absolutely true. The OP should not think that by going through the dpms, and managing a 3.0 and then start med school at Drexel that he/she will get automatically matched into an academic program. That's not how things work. Whether you go to an MD or a DO school, the OP will have to take the USMLE, get a great score and hope to match.

1) Then why did you feel the need to bring up the "low-tier" part and beseech people to look up match lists to see how many people got into top academic programs? Sounds like an insinuation that despite their MD classifications, those schools do a poor job matching into academic programs anyway, which clearly isn't the case. I also think that implying that a person accepted from a post-bacc (especially one for URM/disadvantaged students) is somehow a lower caliber student whose future prospects are limited by virtue of their earlier years is rather presumptuous.

2) No one was trying to say that either and I'm pretty sure the OP wouldn't assume that as well, since he/she is intelligent and informed enough to be accepted to medical school. Of course it's not a "blank check" to get into an LCME school but it still stands that it is easier (notice I didn't say easy; everything is relative) to match into a LCME program from an allopathic school. That's it.

General talk aside, looking at this from a school-specific standpoint, Drexel DPMS is a good, established program with outstanding support and near 100% linkage to a school with known great matches and opportunities, and I can speak for this because I'm familiar with it. OP, if you'd rather not take another (worthwhile, imo) year outside of med school, go with the places that have already accepted you. But given your description of what you would like to do eventually, if I were in the same position and knowing what I do about the specific post-bacc/school, that is what I'd go with. [I'd also rather just have to take one licensing exam (on top of not having to learn OMM), but that's just me, as is the preference for Philly over Missouri or Blacksburg.] Either way, you'll be a physician. Good luck.

 

[donkeykong1]

1) Then why did you feel the need to bring up the "low-tier" part and beseech people to look up match lists to see how many people got into top academic programs? Sounds like an insinuation that despite their MD classifications, those schools do a poor job matching into academic programs anyway, which clearly isn't the case. I also think that implying that a person accepted from a post-bacc (especially one for URM/disadvantaged students) is somehow a lower caliber student whose future prospects are limited by virtue of their earlier years is rather presumptuous.

2) No one was trying to say that either and I'm pretty sure the OP wouldn't assume that as well, since he/she is intelligent and informed enough to be accepted to medical school. Of course it's not a "blank check" to get into an LCME school but it still stands that it is easier (notice I didn't say easy; everything is relative) to match into a LCME program from an allopathic school. That's it.

General talk aside, looking at this from a school-specific standpoint, Drexel DPMS is a good, established program with outstanding support and near 100% linkage to a school with known great matches and opportunities, and I can speak for this because I'm familiar with it. OP, if you'd rather not take another (worthwhile, imo) year outside of med school, go with the places that have already accepted you. But given your description of what you would like to do eventually, if I were in the same position and knowing what I do about the specific post-bacc/school, that is what I'd go with. [I'd also rather just have to take one licensing exam (on top of not having to learn OMM), but that's just me, as is the preference for Philly over Missouri or Blacksburg.] Either way, you'll be a physician. Good luck.

1) The top 10% of any US med school MD or DO, can get into amazing ACGME programs. Its the bottom half that will have a hard time matching into those top tier programs. Coming from a low tier school like Drexel will not be that big of a help. No one said he/she is low caliber, the fact is that the MCAT's are the single greatest predictor of success on the USMLE. look it up. will there be exceptions. absolutely.

2) There is no such thing as matching into an LCME program. The ACGME sponsors those residencies. The fact is that the OP has a chance to become a US trained physician yet he/she is looking to risk a shot at replacing one consonant in their initials as the price.