Should I apply to Osteopathic Med Schools as a backup if I don't really want to go.

[dmitrinyr]

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Hey all,

I am waiting for my scores to come in and until that day, I am filling out both the AMCAS and the AACOMAS applications. I want nothing more than to become a doctor and as all applicants want some sort of a "safety" school. My grades are good (total/sci, 3.5/3.3). I would rather go to the Caribbean med schools (Ross or St. George's in Grenada) than to D.O. schools and so I am left with a dilemma. I definitly consider the caribbean schools my "safety schools" as unfortinate as that may sound and the fact that I really don't want to go to DO schools leaves me with a choice of whether to apply with AACOMAS at all. If I apply to DO, I will definitly get interviews which might give me some practice for my MD interviews which I expect to have 2-4 of.

I will think this issue over, but I wanted to know what all of you out there have to say.

Thanks and good luck 😀

 

[~EnnI~]

do you want to apply DO soley for the purpose of getting practice for interviews? you can get really good practice simply taking part in mock interviews at school, or have a friend interview you, etc...

it's going to cost you money to apply to DO schools and if your heart is certainly not set on it, then i wouldn't apply...unless you feel that as a backup, you'd attend DO school...

 

[weirdo700]

hmmm...Your grades are actually below average and thus I would not be out here talking about safety schools (that is unless you are from MIT or something). Unless your MCATs are at or above 33, or you are a special applicant with special qualities I would think that you should not be expecting anything. I have not said it often but I am a reapplicant that finally got in this year. First time I applied I interviewed at four places and was waitlisted and ultimately rejected (granted I did not aggressively pursue these waitlist). Second time around I interviewed at fourteen schools, and only got one straight acceptance so far. My numbers were very average: Californian with a 32Q and 3.65/3.60 both attempts. Its a very competitve and expensive process and I would definitely wait for your scores before making any decisions. As for your antipathy towards D.O. schools, if you don't want a D.O. then don't get it. Work hard for an M.D. if that is what you want. In regards to IMGs versus D.O., I actually think residency programs favor U.S. D.O. programs over foreign schools. Good luck.

 

[tBw]

Take Mock interviews if you just want practice. There is no point in applying DO if you don't want to do it. What will you do if you only get into a DO school. Turn it down? Then you may have to explain having turned down a US med school when reapplying next year...don't even apply to MD schools you know you wouldn't want to attend.

 

[Jason110]

In my opinion, a D.O. in the United States looks better than a graduate degree from the foreign medical school. If you go to the Caribbean (outside of AAMC medical schools), you will have to deal with the ECFMG their set of exams including the USMLE. www.ecfmg.org for more information. It's another hurdle later on. Residencies are harder to get for FMGs and that's a statistical fact because many residency programs prohibit or limit the number of FMGs in their programs.

Jason.

 

[Mike59]

DO is not a "backup" that any joe shmo premed can use for safety.

DO adcoms are pretty good at screening out these people through the personal statement. If you are insincere and somehow got an interview out of it, be prepared for the interviewers to systematically rip you apart (I know I would if I was the interviewer).

Don't spend the rest of your life doing something (or holding a title) you really don't feel deeply about. If you don't want a DO degree, don't apply to DO schools, simple as that.

 

[Wo1verine7DO]

Take it from someone who visited, Ross is no picnic, there are 300 students in their classes and its a weeder school. Plus its on a volcano, if that things blows over all your school records are gone...thats why AUC is on another island now. Also, ross is like living in an underdeveloped country. As for St. George, its a good Caribbean school, still not the easiest place to get into, but that's the place I'd go sicne they seem organized and the island is safer and looks more modern. After investingating the Caribbean, I'd go US DO. Once I learned about DO I got into it since they seem to take a more balanced outlook on things. Plus some DO's like MSUCOM and OSUCOM, KCOM are ranked higher for Primary Care than some MD schools. The interviewers are also a little more friendlier than MD interviews I had. If you really, really don't want to go to DO, you can always looks at Israel, Ireland, England, which have decent programs, anything else foreign is better than Caribbean cause a lot of MDs dislike foreign Carribbean trained graduates, they'll accept DOs more. But take my advice as a grain of salt, I'm just typing what I investigated with my year off. I'm not saying that one is better than the other. They are the same, just two groups of people who want to help people. Just becarful in DO interviews, they'll ask if you only applied to DO, what are your goals, other personality questions to see how much you like DO.

 

[Runtita]

No.

 

[bholden]

Dmitri,

You're over-confident and from the sounds of your post very immature... what an insult to those who pursue osteopathic medical school. You have a few things to learn before you enter the world of providing medical care. Safety schools? I understand your ambitions, but get a grip on reality Einstein.

b.

 

[group_theory]

Based on what you wrote - I would recommend that you do not apply to osteopathic school.

Why apply osteopathic if you are willing to go to a caribbean over osteopathic?

However, ultimately it is up to you whether or not you want to apply to DO schools (and go if accepted).

Also, please be aware that your stats are around average at most DO schools so you shouldn't be "I'm sure I'll get an interview at DO schools" Also, most DO schools only interview 10-15% of their applicants so an interview is certainly not assured. (however, if your only source about DO schools is from the pre-MD board of SDN, it would seem that DO schools take everyone w/ open arm)

Good luck with the process. However, based on what you wrote, it seems you do not want a DO education and a DO after your name. That's perfectly fine. However, if you don't get into any MD schools, reapplying is always a valid option (instead of going overseas).

 

[DrInW8ing]

dmitrinyr,

Don't assume that you will definitely get interviews. If going DO is really not for you, don't apply. There are several people who want to become doctors and apply to both MD and DO schools in order to get in somewhere. This is fine.

However, if you are completely against the practice of OMT/OMM, then apply to MD and Carribean med schools. You don't want to be miserable studying something you don't believe in.

This would also be more respectful to the DO schools. Using these schools as practice interviews(assuming that you received interviews to DO schools) is completely disrespectful.

Just my two cents.

Good luck to you in making the right decisions. 🙂

 

[DrMom]

Originally posted by Mike59
If you don't want a DO degree, don't apply to DO schools, simple as that.

Precisely.

 

[Echinoidea]

Please don't apply. I want nothing more in life than to be a DO, and it's a goal I have been working towards for 4 years now. I just submitted my application to 11 DO schools. Imagine if I submitted an MD app for 'practice interviews' and ended up taking your interview slot.

That would suck for you, because you'd get a later interview date and probably get waitlisted, it would suck for the school, because they would be wasting their time and energy on a dead-end applicant, and for me, because I'd get bad karma.

 

[Allygator89]

Originally posted by Echinoidea
Please don't apply. I want nothing more in life than to be a DO, and it's a goal I have been working towards for 4 years now. I just submitted my application to 11 DO schools. Imagine if I submitted an MD app for 'practice interviews' and ended up taking your interview slot.

That would suck for you, because you'd get a later interview date and probably get waitlisted, it would suck for the school, because they would be wasting their time and energy on a dead-end applicant, and for me, because I'd get bad karma.

Right on...

It amazes me that people use DO as "safety schools." If the DO philosophy is what you believe, then follow that school of thought. If MD/Allopathic contains the beliefs you hold true, then go MD. Only apply to both if you are really unsure of which path to take. It isn't fair to take spots from MD students or from DO students that really believe in their cause and applying to a school that they really would like to attend.

 

[MD2b06]

Originally posted by Allygator89
Right on...

It amazes me that people use DO as "safety schools." If the DO philosophy is what you believe, then follow that school of thought. If MD/Allopathic contains the beliefs you hold true, then go MD. Only apply to both if you are really unsure of which path to take. It isn't fair to take spots from MD students or from DO students that really believe in their cause and applying to a school that they really would like to attend.

I don't see what the big deal is. Lots of people apply to both MD and DO schools at the same time. My friend applied solely to MD schools the first time around and was waitlisted and ultimately rejected from the one school he interviewed at. He wasn't sure what to do and was considering going to the Carribean. I told him to apply once more and this time around to add a few DO schools to his list. He took my advice and applied to both MD and 7 D.O. schools. He got 6 D.O. acceptances, 0 MD acceptances despite 3 interviews, and is currently a first year D.O. student. I often hear DO applicants talk about how D.O. schools look at the entire applicant and how MD schools are just about numbers. I don't see how that's possible if this guy can get into 6 DO schools, b/c he admittedly had crap for EC's. No research, 1 semester of volunteer work, no clubs, no leadership positions. Not really a damn thing to put under the activities section of his AMCAS application. Essentially, all he had going for him was a decent GPA and MCAT. And that's pretty much all you need to get into some DO schools apparently. Let's face it. Some people just want to practice medicine. They don't care what the initials after their name are. And they would rather go the DO route than go to the Carribean or have to deal with all the BS associated with obtaining an MD spot in the US.

Sincerely,
A 2nd year med student who's dealt with all that BS

 

[mkmk]

i think you should reconsider DO schools.

but in the end if you are unwilling to go to DO school, don't apply.

good luck.

 

[phar]

Originally posted by dmitrinyr
If I apply to DO, I will definitly get interviews which might give me some practice for my MD interviews which I expect to have 2-4 of.

🙄

You are very ignorant. Wanna practice for your MD interviews(which i doubt you will get one based on your ignorance/stupidity)......go do some high-pitched yoga practice.....like.

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaant toooooooooooooo beeeeeeeeeee aaaa dooooooctoooooooooooorrr beeeeeeeecaaaaaaas......................

 

[dmitrinyr]

To all who read my post and commented,

I am very sorry if I came off ignorant and immature, it was really not my intention. I don't want to diminish anybody's achievements who is a DO or is finishing a DO education. I also didn't mean to make it sound like DO schools take anybody off the streets and I would have no problems getting interviews and getting in. That was not my intention.

Honestly, I believe that a DO education is nothing different from an MD education just without the MD after your name. I have friends who are going to apply to DO and have no problems with the education and I know that they will make great doctors and someday we will be fighting for the same residencies (assuming I get into an MD school).

It isn't the problem of the education at DO schools, it's ultimately my problem that I have to deal with.

I appreciate all of your comments and I will take all of your comments to heart, in order to make my decision.

I was just trying to get my thoughts out of my head and into a thread and somewhere in between I didn't say the right things and some people when reading it might have not liked it. I apologize.

Thanks to all

 

[phar]

Originally posted by dmitrinyr
To all who read my post and commented,

I am very sorry if I came off ignorant and immature, it was really not my intention. I don't want to diminish anybody's achievements who is a DO or is finishing a DO education. I also didn't mean to make it sound like DO schools take anybody off the streets and I would have no problems getting interviews and getting in. That was not my intention.

Honestly, I believe that a DO education is nothing different from an MD education just without the MD after your name. I have friends who are going to apply to DO and have no problems with the education and I know that they will make great doctors and someday we will be fighting for the same residencies (assuming I get into an MD school).

It isn't the problem of the education at DO schools, it's ultimately my problem that I have to deal with.

I appreciate all of your comments and I will take all of your comments to heart, in order to make my decision.

I was just trying to get my thoughts out of my head and into a thread and somewhere in between I didn't say the right things and some people when reading it might have not liked it. I apologize.

Thanks to all

I must say that you are the first SDNer to admit your mistakes. Well done.

I personally have nothing against your wishes in applying to both.

I just couldn't understand (my last post-your quote) why you would say something like that when you seem to know everything.

A doctor = A doctor.

 

[DrMom]

Originally posted by MD2b06
I don't see what the big deal is. Lots of people apply to both MD and DO schools at the same time.

Very true. The difference I see here is that the dmitrinyr stated that he doesn't want to go to a DO school & is only looking at the DO interviews as practice. This is very different than simply applying to both MD and DO to improve your chances.


BTW, dmitrinyr: I appreciate your last post. Maybe you could spend some time with some DOs and/or go visit one of the schools.

 

[zinjanthropus]

I wish people wouldn't react so negatively to questions like this (while the original poster did, admittedly, sound a little over-confident). It seems like a logical alternative to consider and leads to something that I am also curious about; If you have trouble gaining admission to an allopathic program in the US, but you really want to pursue medicine, what is the next best step? Assuming your goal is to gain residency in the US and ultimately practice medicine in the US, Would it be better to

1. Goto a Carribean medical school
2. Goto a foreign medical school in England, Ireland, or Israel
3. Enter a DO program

just curious