pre DO questions

[meagain716]

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I've just recently starting thinking about applying to a DO program, but I have a couple of concerns, namely prerequisites, which seems to be deterring me from going forward with anything.

I have a BA in psychology and neuroscience, though I managed to never take any college chemistry or physics. I have plenty of biology and math. I'm currently working in the clinical psychology/social work field, and I work close to 60 hours a week. I attempted taking a class this past semester, but because of my work schedule, it just ended up as a lot of wasted money, as I had to withdraw.

So...my questions:
1. Are there any "feeder" programs out there for people in my shoes that would prepare me for a D.O. program?
2. I know one can specialize in subareas as a DO, and clearly, my interests would be neuropsychological, but I'm concerned that none of the colleges of osteopathy would have this specialization. Am I just better off getting a PhD in neuropsych than going through the hassle of getting the prereqs for a D.O.?
3. Any advice on which schools to look at?

I'd appreciate any help/feedback I can get. As I said, this is one of the newer thoughts about my future plans, and I've only done minimal research on it at this point.

Thanks!
~MC

 

[Redneck]

Assuming you finished the right basic biology year long sequence, you'll need to take the full year of General Chemistry, Algebra based Physics, and Organic Chemistry at any institution. This will take you two years to do, because it is difficult to nearly impossible to take gen chem and ochem simultaneously. The ochem can have the second semester substituted with biochemistry for some schools. So your looking at a minimum of 1.5 years, realistically 2 years before you'd have the prequisites to matriculate. You'd be ably to apply after one year though while you finish up the ochem last. I don't believe there are any special feeder programs to help you, except a post bacc? Someone else jump in...

 

[NUKid]

I thought I read a post on here earlier by OSUDoc that there is a feeder program at OSUCOM so you might want to look into that!

 

[OSUdoc08]

I've just recently starting thinking about applying to a DO program, but I have a couple of concerns, namely prerequisites, which seems to be deterring me from going forward with anything.

I have a BA in psychology and neuroscience, though I managed to never take any college chemistry or physics. I have plenty of biology and math. I'm currently working in the clinical psychology/social work field, and I work close to 60 hours a week. I attempted taking a class this past semester, but because of my work schedule, it just ended up as a lot of wasted money, as I had to withdraw.

So...my questions:
1. Are there any "feeder" programs out there for people in my shoes that would prepare me for a D.O. program?
2. I know one can specialize in subareas as a DO, and clearly, my interests would be neuropsychological, but I'm concerned that none of the colleges of osteopathy would have this specialization. Am I just better off getting a PhD in neuropsych than going through the hassle of getting the prereqs for a D.O.?
3. Any advice on which schools to look at?

I'd appreciate any help/feedback I can get. As I said, this is one of the newer thoughts about my future plans, and I've only done minimal research on it at this point.

Thanks!
~MC

1. There are post-bachelor's programs that allow you to take classes to prepare you for medical school (UNT-TCOM) or take a couple of actual classes for credit in medical school (OSU-COM). Both of these require you to take all of the required classes for admission to medical school.

2. A D.O. can do all of the residencies and specialties that an M.D. does, and they commonly train in the same programs. You can do into neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, or research (if you do a DO/PhD program.) If you do not wish to be a physician, and prefer to just be a PhD, then there is no reason to take the prerequisites. If you do, however, then take then.

3. Any school that you can get accepted to will provide adequate training.

 

[scpod]

Assumi This will take you two years to do, because it is difficult to nearly impossible to take gen chem and ochem simultaneously. The ochem can have the second semester substituted with biochemistry for some schools. So your looking at a minimum of 1.5 years, realistically 2 years.

Actually, you can do it in just less than a year. Start the 1st summer session in June with Gen. Chem I. Do the second Gen. Chem in the second summer session. In the Fall take Orgo I and Physics I; in the spring take the second part of each. Start in June of 2006; end in May of 2007-- 11 months. You can actually take the MCAT in mid April of 2007 since you only have about another month of classes left anyway. You really have covered about as much as you'll need for the MCAT. If you don't do as well as you want, you can still take the August MCAT, but by then you can already have filled out your application and you LOR's can be on the way as well.

See...simple, don't you think?

 

[theraball]

I've just recently starting thinking about applying to a DO program, but I have a couple of concerns, namely prerequisites, which seems to be deterring me from going forward with anything.

I have a BA in psychology and neuroscience, though I managed to never take any college chemistry or physics. I have plenty of biology and math. I'm currently working in the clinical psychology/social work field, and I work close to 60 hours a week. I attempted taking a class this past semester, but because of my work schedule, it just ended up as a lot of wasted money, as I had to withdraw.

So...my questions:
1. Are there any "feeder" programs out there for people in my shoes that would prepare me for a D.O. program?
2. I know one can specialize in subareas as a DO, and clearly, my interests would be neuropsychological, but I'm concerned that none of the colleges of osteopathy would have this specialization. Am I just better off getting a PhD in neuropsych than going through the hassle of getting the prereqs for a D.O.?
3. Any advice on which schools to look at?

I'd appreciate any help/feedback I can get. As I said, this is one of the newer thoughts about my future plans, and I've only done minimal research on it at this point.

Thanks!
~MC

Do you mean you want to complete a PhD before entering medical school, or instead of medical school? Obviously the PhD would be an asset if you want to practice or do research in that field as a physician, but if you're not sure about the medical career path you probably should decide what you want before plunging into the prerequisites.

OTOH I would have thought a neuropsychology PhD would assume the basic sciences as prerequisites, at least gen chem, bio, and orgo with labs. Even masters programs in biology that I've looked into require all four (including physics) as prerequisites.