Should I apply to MD or DO schools?

[Handsome88]

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Hello everyone,

I am taking a decision whether to apply to an MD or DO school. My first option is MD (since I have seen that it is more recognized internationally, no offense to DO's!), but I am not sure if my stats qualify. However I am well above average for DO schools. Also I am applying from Canada.

cGPA: 3.55
sGPA: My university does not calculate that for us, so I don't know yet.
MCAT: Will do in Aug., but confident in obtaining a 30+

I have shadowed an family doctor for one day (don't know whether he is an MD or DO), volunteered at a family doctor front desk for 1 year, volunteered at a pharmacy front desk 1 month, volunteered at a local blood bank for 6 months, member of ECSpert (a first aid organization).

What do you guys think?😕😕

 

[Brown8472]

I say both if title is not a big deal for you and If you can relate to the 'DO philosophy' (or whatever the adcoms want you to believe). I applied to both and got admitted to both. I called it double dipping!

It gives you more options anyway.

 

[Handsome88]

I say both if title is not a big deal for you and If you can relate to the 'DO philosophy' (or whatever the adcoms want you to believe). I applied to both and got admitted to both. I called it double dipping!

It gives you more options anyway.

Do I have a chance to both? Can you judge according to my stats please and relate them to yours?

 

[nlax30]

I really am not familiar with any difficulties that Canadians face when applying..... but why not both?

You want to be a physician, and if you have the time and money put together a list of schools that you could see yourself attending (MD and/or DO) and apply to those.

Are you planning on practicing in a different country? You can google "osteopathic international practice rights" and there's a wiki entry with a list of countries that recognize it.

And of course you know make sure you do well on the MCAT. That said, without having an MCAT score and a GPA of 3.55 you're not "well above average" for anything yet.

 

[Handsome88]

I really am not familiar with any difficulties that Canadians face when applying..... but why not both?

You want to be a physician, and if you have the time and money put together a list of schools that you could see yourself attending (MD and/or DO) and apply to those.

Are you planning on practicing in a different country? You can google "osteopathic international practice rights" and there's a wiki entry with a list of countries that recognize it.

And of course you know make sure you do well on the MCAT. That said, without having an MCAT score and a GPA of 3.55 you're not "well above average" for anything yet.

Sadly the Middle East does not recognize D.O's (with the exception of Saudi Arabia), and that is where I am planning to practice. So I am hoping for an MD, but looks like my chances are too low.

 

[ksmi117]

Moving to the What Are My Chances? forum.

 

[Forthegood]

Apply to both. Then, cross your fingers and toes and pray to superman that you don't get f***ed by the long dick of the MCAT.

 

[JeetKuneDo]

Just see it like this, apply both, get MD school, go to middle east, don't get in, and get DO, then stay in the US. Don't get into any, then stay in Canada?

 

[rc4ch]

You shouldn't say you can get a 30+ on the MCAT without actually taking it.


Seriously, it's harder than it sounds. Come back here after you have taken it, but from the looks of your gpa, you need a 28-31 on the MCAT to get a good shot at DO schools. M.D. you need a 35 I say. Your gpa is below most of the MD school's averages.

I know a student that I graduated with who has a 31 MCAT, 3.95 GPA, and no acceptances yet to any MD schools. We live in PA.

 

[Forthegood]

I know a student that I graduated with who has a 31 MCAT, 3.95 GPA, and no acceptances yet to any MD schools. We live in PA.

And I know a pig that flies in the Air Force.

Applying to Hopkins and Harvard does not count as just any old MD school. A 31/3.95 with OK ECs and warm-fuzzy personality should not have a terrible time getting in some MD school somewhere. Your friend is either socially inept, or has a record.

 

[DrDre2001]

You shouldn't say you can get a 30+ on the MCAT without actually taking it.


Seriously, it's harder than it sounds. Come back here after you have taken it, but from the looks of your gpa, you need a 28-31 on the MCAT to get a good shot at DO schools. M.D. you need a 35 I say. Your gpa is below most of the MD school's averages.

I know a student that I graduated with who has a 31 MCAT, 3.95 GPA, and no acceptances yet to any MD schools. We live in PA.

He does not need a 28-31 on the MCAT to have a good shot at DO schools.

The average MCAT for DO students is a 25.4 according to the CIB. According to US News issue right in front of me, most schools DO have averages of 25-26.

The average GPA for a DO student is a 3.45 according to the CIB. And looking at the US News issue right in front of me, most DO schools average around a 3.4 - 3.5 . The OP is already above this.

Im sure the OP could get into a few DO school with a 25 on the MCAT.

 

[rc4ch]

And I know a pig that flies in the Air Force.

Applying to Hopkins and Harvard does not count as just any old MD school. A 31/3.95 with OK ECs and warm-fuzzy personality should not have a terrible time getting in some MD school somewhere. Your friend is either socially inept, or has a record.

Nope, applied to Pitt, Pennstate, Jefferson, Maryland.

Pigs do fly. 🙂

 

[ACGator09]

being handsome wont hurt either... well handsome according to OP 😛

you can calculate your sGPA yourself. i dont think US schools calculate sGPA for you either... at least mine didnt.

get us the mcat score first so we can help you out better.

 

[ACGator09]

You shouldn't say you can get a 30+ on the MCAT without actually taking it.


Seriously, it's harder than it sounds. Come back here after you have taken it, but from the looks of your gpa, you need a 28-31 on the MCAT to get a good shot at DO schools. M.D. you need a 35 I say. Your gpa is below most of the MD school's averages.

I know a student that I graduated with who has a 31 MCAT, 3.95 GPA, and no acceptances yet to any MD schools. We live in PA.

having a gpa and mcat that dont match each other, i believe, has a more negative effect than most of us think.
i suspect that in the adcom's minds, however dark and scary, high gpa + low mcat = you went to an easy school/took a bunch of easy classes, and low gpa + high mcat = you had a good day/were lucky you were tested on the subjects you knew the best.
i guess the remedy for both is to retake the mcat... former to raise your mcat, latter to prove that it wasnt a fluke?

 

[NeuroChaos]

having a gpa and mcat that dont match each other, i believe, has a more negative effect than most of us think.
i suspect that in the adcom's minds, however dark and scary, high gpa + low mcat = you went to an easy school/took a bunch of easy classes, and low gpa + high mcat = you had a good day/were lucky you were tested on the subjects you knew the best.
i guess the remedy for both is to retake the mcat... former to raise your mcat, latter to prove that it wasnt a fluke?

I primarily agree with you and I fall into the former category (but I took the hardest coures possible at my UG (a fairly easy school, IMO))

But to put a +ive spin on both.

Low MCAT + high GPA = the dude was having a terrible day
High MCAT + low GPA = the dude can think well, reason well, and he is intelligent;but may be made some stupid mistakes in UG

 

[DoctorDermis]

Hello everyone,

I am taking a decision whether to apply to an MD or DO school. My first option is MD (since I have seen that it is more recognized internationally, no offense to DO's!), but I am not sure if my stats qualify. However I am well above average for DO schools. Also I am applying from Canada.

cGPA: 3.55
sGPA: My university does not calculate that for us, so I don't know yet.
MCAT: Will do in Aug., but confident in obtaining a 30+

I have shadowed an family doctor for one day (don't know whether he is an MD or DO), volunteered at a family doctor front desk for 1 year, volunteered at a pharmacy front desk 1 month, volunteered at a local blood bank for 6 months, member of ECSpert (a first aid organization).

What do you guys think?😕😕

I am a Non-Trad, and was lucky enough to gain acceptance this year to an md school.

My stats: 3.95 gpa, 3.97 science gpa.
Business major, and only took the basic pre-med courses.
Worked as a pharmacy tech (cpht certified), and as an HIV Counselor / Test Admin. I also speak Korean, and Spanish. Countless shadowing and volunteering.
MCAT - 32Q.

You should definitely apply to BOTH D.O. and M.D.
Go for the 30+ - you can do it!