Rejected from KCOM.....I'm disappointed, but I think I know why.

[Inquiringmind24]

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Today I just got my first official med school rejection which was from KCOM. Funny 'cause this is the day after my 1st acceptance which was from AZCOM. I think I was rejected because first, I mentioned in my interview that I was applying to allopathic schools as well, second, I had no DO letter of recommendation, and third, I had not shadowed a DO. My hunch is that the interviewers and adcom didn't think I was gung ho DO and possibly thought that I was using it as a backup. Which isn't true, but my app may have made it look that way. I mean I had an overall and science GPA of 3.6 and VR 7 BS 10 PS 10 WS R and good LOR's and EC's. It seems that the "birthplace of osteopathy" really looks for those applicants who are die hard DO. Let me know if anyone agrees with me on this or was also rejected post interview from KCOM.

 

[Ypo.]

Well, I admitted to having applied to several MD schools as well as DO schools. I also did not have a letter from a DO (KCOM doesn't require one, right?) I was, however, able to clearly articulate what it is about osteopathic medicine that attracts me. One of their questions was "can you name the four tenets of osteopathic medicine?" and I could.

I got accepted-found out three days after my interview-so I don't think that not having a DO letter and applying to allopathic schools automatically rules you out.

Anyways, congrats on your AZCOM acceptance. 👍 on warm weather climates.

 

[Inquiringmind24]

Thanks for the quick reply. Have you decided on a school yet? I'll be interviewing at CCOM next Friday, so maybe I'll see you there.

 

[DrMom]

If the DO LOR & shadowing were going to make a difference, they'd require that info in the secondary so that they could interview only the ones they wanted.

Also, a huge percentage of those who apply DO also apply MD. I can't see how that'd make or break your chances.

 

[Inquiringmind24]

Thanks for the feed Drmom. It must be that I need to improve my interviewing skills. Maybe they thought I was indecisive. I guess I should stop pondering and concentrate on my next interview.

 

[Ypo.]

Thanks for the quick reply. Have you decided on a school yet? I'll be interviewing at CCOM next Friday, so maybe I'll see you there.

Hi, no I didn't apply to CCOM yet only because it didn't cross my mind. I hear they have great rotations, good luck.

I haven't made a decision yet. I really liked both MSUCOM and DMUCOM and will probably end up attending MSU. But I also have an upcoming interview at MSU College of Human Medicine-MD program (Oct. 28th)-and I'm going to wait to see how I like that school as compared to MSUCOM before I make any final decision.

 

[DrMom]

Thanks for the feed Drmom. It must be that I need to improve my interviewing skills. Maybe they thought I was indecisive. I guess I should stop pondering and concentrate on my next interview.

I certainly wouldn't fret over it. You already have an acceptance & you have more interviews coming up. You're in a good place.

 

[dr.z]

I had no DO letters. I have never shadowed DOs. I told the interviewers that I applied to MD schools as well. I still got accepted at one DO school so I think it is still possible.

 

[docbill]

Don't worry... be happy. They have to refuse people for the sake of numbers.
YOu got AZCOM ... and you don't have to deal with Hard core history of Osteopathy for the next 4 years.

 

[newyorkcougar]

Hey inquiring...Dr Bekoff has some great advice on interviewing. She would be a great resource (although I imagine you have already talked to her). In fact, she is largely why I am so gung ho DO.

Were you EPOB or MCDB? (I did EPOB.)

 

[redsox24]

I was accepted at KCOM this past Wednesday--best phone call ever! I had not shadowed a DO, had an MD recommendation, and it was the only DO school I applied to (and so far the best school, MD or DO, of all the interviews I have been on). Tough break, Inquiring, but I am sure you are gonna have success elsewhere. I wanted to post this, however, because I do not want people to think that it is impossible without shadowing. Also, I feel that my insight into why I wanted to become a doctor in general, and not necessarily a DO over an MD, was far more important in the interviewing process than having to articulate a cogent reasoning for DO over MD.

 

[dkwyler94]

I'm a MSIV at KCOM. I was sure when I interviewed I wasn't going to get in as when they found out I had applied to MD schools, they ask me outright, "Why should we accept you if we are just a backup for you." I guess it just depends who you interview with. Many basic faculty couldn't care less about the DO MD thing. Many of the DOs there would just assume there was no such thing as an MD.

What I can say though after going through medical school and now doing many out-rotations at University hospitals with MD students. It doesn't really matter what medical school you go to. I always tell people to just go to the least expensive US school you can get into. Residencies don't care all that much where you went. Your career is more about your residency (or fellowship) then it is about your medical school, and no one care about the letters after your name as long as you are a competent doctor.
Just my soap box before I go to bed.

 

[hotlikebutter]

uh, sorry for asking but what are the four "tenets" of osteopathic medicine. i have read lots on osteopathy and never have i read about only four or the four as you mention. my take home message from my readings is that osteopathic medicine holds that all things are connected/influence each other and a person's adaptiveness to resume balance in the complete system defines disease and illness.

 

[Shinken]

uh, sorry for asking but what are the four "tenets" of osteopathic medicine. i have read lots on osteopathy and never have i read about only four or the four as you mention. my take home message from my readings is that osteopathic medicine holds that all things are connected/influence each other and a person's adaptiveness to resume balance in the complete system defines disease and illness.

You're close...The four (modern & revised) osteopathic tenets are:

1- The person is a unit of body, mind and spirit.
2- The body is capable of self-regulation, self-healing, and health maintenance.
3- Structure and function are reciprocally interrelated.
4- Rational treatment is based upon the previous three principles.

 

[DocRadak]

Good job Skinken,

I was going to write those out if you didnt. They are very important for any osteopathic applicant or osteopathic med student to know, as there were a few questions about each tenet on my first OMM exam last week... knew them all and aced it!

To Inquiring, be happy with where you have gotten accepted and move on with the cycle. Dont dwell on KCOM, they are a great school, but just think about how much nicer its going to be living in Arizona than it would've been in Kirksville, MO!!! Congrats on the acceptance and good luck in the rest of the application cycle.

Ryan

 

[UNE2009LMD]

Today I just got my first official med school rejection which was from KCOM. Funny 'cause this is the day after my 1st acceptance which was from AZCOM. I think I was rejected because first, I mentioned in my interview that I was applying to allopathic schools as well, second, I had no DO letter of recommendation, and third, I had not shadowed a DO. My hunch is that the interviewers and adcom didn't think I was gung ho DO and possibly thought that I was using it as a backup. Which isn't true, but my app may have made it look that way. I mean I had an overall and science GPA of 3.6 and VR 7 BS 10 PS 10 WS R and good LOR's and EC's. It seems that the "birthplace of osteopathy" really looks for those applicants who are die hard DO. Let me know if anyone agrees with me on this or was also rejected post interview from KCOM.

I was accepted without a letter from a DO or MD. If you're all about the osteopathic philosophy, and can prove it w/ your experiences, then that's all you need. Congratulations on your acceptance to AZCOM and good luck to you!

 

[Inquiringmind24]

I gotta thank all of you for the great feedback. I'm excited about AZCOM and am looking forward to my CCOM interview. Newyorkcougar, I was EPOB and did the committee letter and mock interview with Anne Bekoff. I may go talk to her again about what I may have done wrong in a couple of my interviews. Are you committing to DMU for next year? Bottom line is that I was waitlisted at DMU, on hold until a decision in January at COMP, accepted at AZCOM, and rejected by KCOM. My AZCOM interview definately stood out since I was able to take past experiences and turn them into ethical discussions which I think impressed the interviewers. Anyhow, I'll try to improve my skills at CCOM and future interviews. But I really liked AZCOM and just might attend. Good luck to everyone. Peace out. 😎

 

[DO it right]

i just got my acceptance today...but i was not even asked anything about osteopathy

 

[Ypo.]

Wow, really? Thats incredible. I was the first interview of the season, and they definitely emphasized it in their questions

 

[JohnDO]

At KCOM my first interviewer(PhD) didn't ask me anything about osteopathic medicine. He said he'd leave that to the osteopathic physician. My second interviewer asked me "How did you learn about it?" I told him, and he said, "What did you learn about it?". Then he asked why osteopathic medicine. Pretty much things you can expect. One thing that sort of threw me off guard was when he asked, "Let's say you've got your clinic set up and you're a primary care physician. Describe how you would incorporate osteopathic principles into your practice. Give me a specific example."

Then he proceeded to absolutely own me with medical related questions. I was drenched in sweat when I finished. Hope that doesn't frighten any applicants, both my interviewers were extremely nice people, but the second one was a tough interviewer!

 

[Peace&Health]

At KCOM, my first interviewer(a PhD) didn't ask me anything about osteopathic medicine. He said he'd leave that to the osteopathic physician. My second interviewer asked me "How did you learn about it?" I told him, and he said, "What did you learn about it?". Then he asked why osteopathic medicine. Pretty much things you can expect. One thing that sort of threw me off guard was when he asked, "Let's say you've got your clinic set up and you're a primary care physician. Describe how you would incorporate osteopathic principles into your practice. Give me a specific example."

Then he proceeded to absolutely own me with medical related questions. I was drenched in sweat when I finished. Hope that doesn't frighten any applicants, both my interviewers were extremely nice people, but the second one was a tough interviewer!

My experience was entirely different. I interviewed with a PhD first. I was a bit nervous because it was my FIRST interview and my FIRST interviewer. But he told me to not be nervous and after the question of "tell me about yourself". It was more of a conversation from there. No questions about principles, but about why osteopathy. My second interviewer was a clinician, and we started off talking about his interest in planes first because I couldn't help but notice these model planes on his desk. Then it was a conversation from there to get to know who I was. No sweating at all. I'd have to say this was one those interviews in my life where I walked out feeling like I put my best foot foward.

 

[JohnDO]

I'd have to say this was one those interviews in my life where I walked out feeling like I put my best foot foward.

Good for you!!! 🙂 Where else are you interviewing?

 

[Peace&Health]

Good for you!!! 🙂 Where else are you interviewing?

I PMed you.

 

[DO it right]

My second interviewer was a clinician, and we started off talking about his interest in planes first because I couldn't help but notice these model planes on his desk.

hehe...i think we had the same doc...dr. sxxxx. he's cool, he's a surgeon and a pilot, but he actually has a plane and flies all over the country with his family. by the way congrats on your acceptance again! 🙂

 

[DireWolf]

Today I just got my first official med school rejection which was from KCOM. Funny 'cause this is the day after my 1st acceptance which was from AZCOM. I think I was rejected because first, I mentioned in my interview that I was applying to allopathic schools as well, second, I had no DO letter of recommendation, and third, I had not shadowed a DO. My hunch is that the interviewers and adcom didn't think I was gung ho DO and possibly thought that I was using it as a backup. Which isn't true, but my app may have made it look that way. I mean I had an overall and science GPA of 3.6 and VR 7 BS 10 PS 10 WS R and good LOR's and EC's. It seems that the "birthplace of osteopathy" really looks for those applicants who are die hard DO. Let me know if anyone agrees with me on this or was also rejected post interview from KCOM.

Some bonejob there asked me about the four tenets in my interview. I had no clue. I also applied to MD schools and still got accepted at KCOM. Of course I declined.

 

[Ypo.]

Some bonejob there asked me about the four tenets in my interview. I had no clue. I also applied to MD schools and still got accepted at KCOM. Of course I declined.

I got asked that, too. I didn't consider him a bonehead for asking me that. In fact I think I would have felt like a bonehead for not knowing the answer to that question at an osteopathic medical school interview 🙄

 

[berrytart]

Well, I admitted to having applied to several MD schools as well as DO schools. I also did not have a letter from a DO (KCOM doesn't require one, right?) I was, however, able to clearly articulate what it is about osteopathic medicine that attracts me. One of their questions was "can you name the four tenets of osteopathic medicine?" and I could.

I got accepted-found out three days after my interview-so I don't think that not having a DO letter and applying to allopathic schools automatically rules you out.

Anyways, congrats on your AZCOM acceptance. 👍 on warm weather climates.

Wat r the 4 four tenets of OD????

 

[Ypo.]

Wat r the 4 four tenets of OD????

You mean DO? www.aacom.org