Regret going into the DO route not sure what to do

[SadBoyHOURS888]

Fell in love with ortho and there is nothing I would rather do than that. Realized this a little too late now though lol. I am in the bottom 1/2 of my class because I didn't try as hard during my 1st and 2nd years.

Spoke with a couple friends regarding my level 1,2 and step 1,2 scores both saying that I will never match ortho no matter how hard I try. It was after step 1 that I truly found my love for ortho, did not like any of my other rotations either. Don't know what to do at this point. If I should consider a research year or just graduate and do something else entirely with my medical degree.

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[Darrow O'Lykos]

What is it about ortho that you find so critical to your future? You can find a lot of similar qualities in other arenas. Explore other options. Consider a research year. Can't say what your chances are without knowing the scores, but low scores are pretty detrimental to most competitive fields.

If you discovered after Step 1 that ortho might be something you'd want to consider, did you genuinely reflect on your study habits and make the appropriate changes to knock Step 2 out of the park? If not, why not?

And medical degrees don't have much value if you aren't going to be practicing medicine. It's hard to brand yourself to pharma companies as an asset without board certification and zero real-world experience. It'd be highly ill-advised to not at least pursue something.

 

[Dr Meow]

Fell in love with ortho and there is nothing I would rather do than that. Realized this a little too late now though lol. I am in the bottom 1/2 of my class because I didn't try as hard during my 1st and 2nd years.

Spoke with a couple friends regarding my level 1,2 and step 1,2 scores both saying that I will never match ortho no matter how hard I try. It was after step 1 that I truly found my love for ortho, did not like any of my other rotations either. Don't know what to do at this point. If I should consider a research year or just graduate and do something else entirely with my medical degree.

Being bottom 1/2 of the class, being MD wouldn't help much either for ortho if that is your only criteria. Especially if your Step 1 score aren't superior.
DO or MD, ortho isn't easy.

How about general surgery? There are plenty of subspecialties after that.

 

[Osminog]

PM&R? Sports med?

 

[Darrow O'Lykos]

This is true for every DO and non T20 school. One year stanford had something like 35% skip residency and go straight into tech making $300k+. Harvard consistently has things like "CEO" "Artist" etc on their match list

Exceptions to the rule, for sure. It boggles me that people would put themselves through med school just to ultimately not practice. There are easier ways to $250k+ salaries that don’t require forfeiting 4 years of salary and going into debt. I suppose those exceptions make those realizations later on.

 

[Lawpy]

This is true for every DO and non T20 school. One year stanford had something like 35% skip residency and go straight into tech making $300k+. Harvard consistently has things like "CEO" "Artist" etc on their match list

Exceptions to the rule, for sure. It boggles me that people would put themselves through med school just to ultimately not practice. There are easier ways to $250k+ salaries that don’t require forfeiting 4 years of salary and going into debt. I suppose those exceptions make those realizations later on.

Connections from top schools go a long way especially with very deep corporate ties. It’s likely less about salaries and more about the networking (although salaries will be massive when working at elite places) especially if they are aware of the problems of medicine and don’t want to waste anymore time.

But again… those are top schools so they can do anything they want.

 

[Alexandra22]

This is true for every DO and non T20 school. One year stanford had something like 35% skip residency and go straight into tech making $300k+. Harvard consistently has things like "CEO" "Artist" etc on their match list

Research years are also extremely common in top 20 schools.

 

[homunculusus]

Exceptions to the rule, for sure. It boggles me that people would put themselves through med school just to ultimately not practice. There are easier ways to $250k+ salaries that don’t require forfeiting 4 years of salary and going into debt. I suppose those exceptions make those realizations later on.

Connections matter more than anything else in some instances. Even my state school for undergrad could easily get anyone a $90k+ job first year out due to the huge alumni network and more than that if you meet the right people. We have MS1s that often take over and teach better than the second year TAs and even point out or correct lecturers during small group sessions. They still have to study but they're obviously very smart - so med school isn't as challenging for these people.

I did my SMP at a more rigorous med school and the MD/PhD director (one of my professors) showed me some applicants profiles. This wasn't even a T20 school but a lot of these students had their own companies (that sold for 6 or 7 figures) or were currently working on. Just simply amazing individuals. One student in particular came from nothing (raised by a single parent and lived on food stamps).

Also, a lot of time when you read on the news "15 year old discovers X or invents Y" you'll see their parents are some top scientist/doctor. Now imagine these people going to med school - they're going to do unordinary things

 

[Darrow O'Lykos]

Connections matter more than anything else in some instances. Even my state school for undergrad could easily get anyone a $90k+ job first year out due to the huge alumni network and more than that if you meet the right people. We have MS1s that often take over and teach better than the second year TAs and even point out or correct lecturers during small group sessions. They still have to study but they're obviously very smart - so med school isn't as challenging for these people.

I did my SMP at a more rigorous med school and the MD/PhD director (one of my professors) showed me some applicants profiles. This wasn't even a T20 school but a lot of these students had their own companies (that sold for 6 or 7 figures) or were currently working on. Just simply amazing individuals. One student in particular came from nothing (raised by a single parent and lived on food stamps).

Also, a lot of time when you read on the news "15 year old discovers X or invents Y" you'll see their parents are some top scientist/doctor. Now imagine these people going to med school - they're going to do unordinary things

Oh I’m not doubting their capabilities. I’m just saying there are paths to similar earning potentials that don’t require the forfeiture of salary and time med school necessitates.

 

[Dr Meow]

Success in med school does not at all imply success in any other endeavor.
ex: I spent the past 7 years trying to succeed in independent projects, business, software, investing, and research.
Needless to say, I'm in med school because my other attempts failed.

So I feel the need to make a comment whenever someone complains like "I should have done X instead of med school" as they marvel with jealousy at their college friend making 500K at a FANG position. Like NO, med school skills doesn't imply skills in any other field.

 

[Lawpy]

Success in med school does not at all imply success in any other endeavor.
ex: I spent the past 7 years trying to succeed in independent projects, business, software, investing, and research.
Needless to say, I'm in med school because my other attempts failed.

So I feel the need to make a comment whenever someone complains like "I should have done X instead of med school" as they marvel with jealousy at their college friend making 500K at a FANG position. Like NO, med school skills doesn't imply skills in any other field.

They can in some scenarios: a successful Wall Street or tech or lawyer or scientist or athlete applicant choosing to go to medicine because that’s what they want to do. Although those guys are in a significant minority compared to the stereotypical cookie cutter biology major crowd

 

[Dr Meow]

They can in some scenarios: a successful Wall Street or tech or lawyer or scientist or athlete applicant choosing to go to medicine because that’s what they want to do. Although those guys are in a significant minority compared to the stereotypical cookie cutter biology major crowd

Yes, a minority. A person who is successful in one field typically gains a lot of money. And of course, if they have money, they have the freedom to not worry about the things most med student worry about. They have powerful connections from their past life. And they have enough money to say "Screw you" without fear. But it's probably that the cross-field advantages are more tangible stuff like money and connections rather than their raw mental capabilities.

Med school success is also different than FANG success. Med school is more memory than anything. Most people can do it if they work hard enough. However, when it comes to computer science logic, mathematics, or physics, I don't think most people can succeed no matter how hard they try. There's an mental limitation there. Innovation, logic, etc. Connections being also important everywhere.

 

[Goro]

Fell in love with ortho and there is nothing I would rather do than that. Realized this a little too late now though lol. I am in the bottom 1/2 of my class because I didn't try as hard during my 1st and 2nd years.

Spoke with a couple friends regarding my level 1,2 and step 1,2 scores both saying that I will never match ortho no matter how hard I try. It was after step 1 that I truly found my love for ortho, did not like any of my other rotations either. Don't know what to do at this point. If I should consider a research year or just graduate and do something else entirely with my medical degree.

Graduate and do something else.

 

[ortnakas]

I don’t know that being in the bottom of your class because you didn’t care enough MS1/2 and now only wanting ortho but would have been fixed by being a MD.
Applying broadly +/- research year + luck is an option.
PM&R is an option.
FM into sports med is an option (less commonly IM)
Graduating and doing something else is an option.

 

[MDMechEngr]

OP: if you can't bench 2 times your body weight you don't have a chance even with a research year.

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Your not matching ortho from the bottom of the class at even prbly a top tier MD institution bud, hate to break it to you. Has nothing to do with being a DO...
Kill Step 2... do research year(before your graduate so you can apply as a US DO senior)and produce high quality research, make connections in the field by presenting said research.. it will be a long and hard path but can be done...
Or do general surgery or do anything else haha

 

[Isoval]

If your Step 1 was like a 205 and it was after that point you decided to pursue ortho, I hate to break it to you, but that score basically precludes you from ortho even as an MD without massive connections. If you had a 237-odd score, we could have the discussion about how much DO would or wouldn’t hamper you, but it sounds to me like you’re not even in the ballpark.

It’s a hard to match specialty regardless of which path you chose.

 

[LongRoad2potential]

Keep searching and exploring different corners of medicine. You'll very likely stumble across something you didn't know that you liked the same way you came across ortho.

 

[FrederickFlores]

First of all…don’t give up on ortho. Do as many away rotations at DO Ortho programs as you can. The minute you count yourself out then you are done! Maybe you do a transitional year. Maybe you have to do the match twice. If you meet the right people, do the right research and show how much you want it then you can do it!

 

[deleted1100659]

I don’t know that being in the bottom of your class because you didn’t care enough MS1/2 and now only wanting ortho but would have been fixed by being a MD.
Applying broadly +/- research year + luck is an option.
PM&R is an option.
FM into sports med is an option (less commonly IM)
Graduating and doing something else is an option.

this- im confused with how you going the DO route ruined your ortho chances...

if anything in MD you would have possibly been ranked lower, because the average matriculant stats are higher.

 

[DOVinciRobot]

What are your scores?

 

[Tragal Pointer]

"fell in love with ortho" and "there is nothing I would rather do"??? You are what - a third year? And what does any of this have to do with being DO? Sounds like you need to do some honest self assessment because you are in for a rough ride with this mind set.

Disclaimer: I only read the top post and title.

 

[0ncogene]

People who match into ortho are usually academic superstars, for both MDs and DOs. It's just super competitive. We have a 240 step1 cut off at our program. We are traditionally an MD program, but we now interview and rank both MDs and DOs since we've been getting more DO rotators and applicants due to the merger. We got 4 spots and we ranked a DO to match this year.

 

[Browns99]

^^^This, whether you are MD/DO, you have to have great stats as Ortho is moderately competitive. I don't think anyone would argue that there is always going to be a DO bias, so a lot of programs who rank DOs, typically will rank the "Superstars," which still reinforces the fact that DOs match in Ortho. Bottom line is that, you know what you application will look like (Scores, grades, etc.) and only you know if you will be competitive. Regardless of how you apply, you must have a back-up plan and apply broadly if applying ortho.

While you should always follow your dreams and not be discouraged, you have to be a realist as well.

 

[calivianya]

I learned that one of my friends matched ortho today - this person only applied to ortho with no backup. They had a 230s step 1 and not much better on step 2. This person worked their butt off, did five aways, did heavy research, and made personal connections. The hustle can overcome a lot.

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

I learned that one of my friends matched ortho today - this person only applied to ortho with no backup. They had a 230s step 1 and not much better on step 2. This person worked their butt off, did five aways, did heavy research, and made personal connections. The hustle can overcome a lot.

This right here^ but alas very few are motivated enough to put in that level of hustle needed to land a spot like that...

 

[DNC127]

Look, there was 1600~ applicants for 900~ spots in ortho this year.

MD or DO it’s super tough.

Not for the faint of heart, or those not willing to hustle for it. which to this point… you haven’t.

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

I learned that one of my friends matched ortho today - this person only applied to ortho with no backup. They had a 230s step 1 and not much better on step 2. This person worked their butt off, did five aways, did heavy research, and made personal connections. The hustle can overcome a lot.

Were they a DO? Just curious

 

[calivianya]

Were they a DO? Just curious

Yep! One of my classmates.

 

[Mass Effect]

I'm curious what companies these Harvard grads are CEO's of and "artist"? What does that even mean?

 

[0ncogene]

The match this year was very competitive for ortho btw. All spots were filled after the match. This is first year ever where no open ortho spots were available after the match for the SOAP.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

I see that OP has fled the thread like a scalded dog. What makes them think they would have been in at least the upper half of an MD school class?. I'm sorry they put themselves in this position, but it was their opportunity to squander.

 

[gyngyn]

Your degree is not the most penetrant factor keeping you out of ortho, so there is no need for regret.