reapplicant school list help

[absie107]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey all. I applied only MD last cycle mostly because I was too impatient to give myself an extra year to put myself in my best possible position. I didn't really get any in-person DO exposure til this past year during the application cycle. Likely going to have to reapply this year, kind of all depends on one interview I just had. 100% want to apply DO, probably will reapply to a few MD schools as well but am focusing on DO.

stats: music/anthropology double major + some post-bacc work; resident of Illinois
cGPA - 3.88, sGPA - 3.72, MCAT - 30 (P8/V13/B9 )
current work/ECs: chief medical scribe since June 2014 w/~1600 hours in ED staffed by even split of MD/DO; ACT tutor since January 2015 w/~64 hours; ED volunteer since August 2013 w/~250-300ish hours
past work/ECs: supplemental instructor for general chemistry x1 year ('13-'14); undergrad music TA x1 semester senior year; study abroad x2, 1 to Bali for music, 1 to Copenhagen for health policy; art therapy volunteer x1 semester junior year; camp counselor x2 summers at a fine arts camp; living learning community with volunteer work; sever at a dessert place for 5-6 months in 2013
research: no lab research, only an undergraduate fellows program w/independent anthro research project through my university senior year
shadowing: ~100 hours, includes pediatrics, OBGYN, primary care, pulmonary medicine

I think I didn't do so hot this cycle because: late-ish application (submitted primaries in late July due to MCAT date in June, secondaries Aug/Sept) PS could probably have been more creative/convincing, possibly not having research since I'm not a science major, unbalanced and kinda low MCAT score. I'm only going to retake the MCAT if I need to reapply a third time since I haven't yet taken biochem and haven't taken psych in like... five years.

Current school list:
MD (*=reapp)
*RFUMS if they don't take me this year...
*NYMC
*Rush
*Loyola
*Albany
*UIC
Temple
*Toledo
*Cincinnati (have some family/friends down there)
*Albert Einstein (a bit of a reach but I like the school)

DO
CCOM
LECOM
MSUCOM *maybe... I hear they don't love OOS applicants
NYIT-COM
OU-HCOM
all the Touros
UNECOM
DMU-COM
WUCOM

I'd appreciate any suggestions, whether for my application strategy this cycle or adding to/subtracting from my school list. Thank you all for your time!

 

[xBODOMx]

.

 

[absie107]

Thank you for the additions, will definitely expand the DO list. I'm strongly considering removing Toledo and I think you've convinced me with that reminder.

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

You want to 100% apply to DO programs after your MD cycle didn't work out? You know you could have applied to both right?
Be prepared to answer why you didn't apply to DO programs first time around.

I understand you're trying to be good on here, but you need to drop this you need to be 100% osteopathic or else gtfo thing you've been pushing for a while now. Plenty of people apply to DO schools after their 3rd MD cycle and that's ok. Furthermore since they're separate applications most DO schools will have no clue that you're a reapplicant unless you directly disclose that information.

I will agree though that you should have a good defense in case you do get asked this in an unlikely chance. Though even explaining that you didn't know much about osteopathic medicine until a while ago is fine.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Please do yourself a favor and shadow a DO or two and get a good strong LOR.

For MD your mcat is very lopsided and your BS and PS are really too low to be competitive for any programs other than your state school. Even for high tier DO your BS score may be a bit low enough to make people put your application to the side in considerations for the first few months.

Now on to schools, I genuinely recommend you try to apply to 12-15 ( I'm going to list more than that) schools. If you're not genuinely hell bent to stay in a particular area the following are a good mix of Mid to high tier selection: DMU, KCU/KCUMB, CCOM, LECOM-PA, NSU, PCOM, Western U, CUSOM, the 3 Touros, MUCOM, Rowan, AZCOM, ACOM. -{ Depending on where you live UNECOM, VCOM, and OUCOM may not be good places to add as they are relatively OOS-unfriendly. Also if you're interested in PBL then LECOM-B becomes an option}.

 

[absie107]

Totally fair question - I didn't apply DO first time around because, though I know there is little difference between the two in practice and researched the history of DO for an anthro class in undergrad, I didn't have any DO clinical experience until I started scribing in June '14. I figured it wasn't a great idea to apply without a DO LOR since so many schools require it, plus having clinical experience is so important to know this is what you want to do! I work with several DOs full time now, one of whom has a family medicine background on top of ED, and fortunately she already offered to write me an LOR. Thank you for re-emphasizing this point though.

Thank you so much for the school recommendations and MCAT recommendations, @serenade , I really appreciate it. I know my score is unbalanced... part of me is considering not even reapplying this cycle and just going for the new one since I'm taking biochem this fall.

 

[absie107]

You want to 100% apply to DO programs after your MD cycle didn't work out? You know you could have applied to both right?
Be prepared to answer why you didn't apply to DO programs first time around.

Not 100% by any means, I meant I am all for applying DO this cycle... I think that came across wrong in my original post, my bad. I think considering my MCAT score it's important to weigh DO programs more heavily. I have my reasons for not going the DO route this year that you can see in my other reply. Thank you for the input!

 

[JimmyB123]

I feel like your scribe experience will really help you on this particular cycle .

Don't worry too much about your applications on the DO side. Provided you do your essays well, present yourself well, interview early and well (which is all very possible)...you will get into most DO schools you apply to.

I can't really say much on the MD side but your stats are fine and with an early application, who knows. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[absie107]

Thank you for the feedback @JimmyB123 ! I think so too... it's certainly been the most influential of my recent experiences that confirms my strong interest in this field.