I wouldn't let that be a factor. If anything, every year you delay having a doctorate/finishing residency, it's one year less of attending salary. Realistically this is all about $$$ and career opportunities.
Should I leave my BS/DO program and apply MD?
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I wouldn't let that be a factor. If anything, every year you delay having a doctorate/finishing residency, it's one year less of attending salary. Realistically this is all about $$$ and career opportunities.
I still don't understand you insisting your gender is an issue. Most schools have 50-50 split between two genders.
Because some people are confused about BS/DO! They are assuming that you are declining a DO acceptance for a chance at MD. My issue is being an ORM with 510 MCAT score not much clinical hours you most likely will end up with another DO. That's why I explicitly asked the tuition (for DO) and whether you have issues with current program. I am not an adcom, but I know enough about combined programs and Medical schools.
With all respect, all the doctors I've shadowed have been women and every single one has told me stories about not being taken seriously as a doctor. I am sure other female doctors have similar experiences and there are many op-eds online. It's a societal issue that I hope will be fixed.
Yes, it is for medical school. I'm instate. I don't have issues with my school, I have enjoyed my time here, but it is dull spending 7 years on the same small campus. Even if I go to another DO school, the change in scenery would be appreciated. I'd definitely apply to city osteopathic schools.
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How old are these physicians? May be it happened during that time. I still don't buy that and just now I asked my wife who is a physician and a department head and she doesn't agree with what you heard.
They are in their 40-50s. One is in primary care and the other is a trauma surgeon. My psychiatrist (who I did not shadow) also shared her stories. It's not fair for you to invalidate their experiences based on your wife's anecdotes. There are also numerous recent op-eds online, which I can link. Women absolutely face negative bias in medicine. Some may be lucky enough to never experience it, like your wife, but that does not mean it doesn't exist. This is mimicking the argument about racism not existing and diverging from my post topic.
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The other question is, how good is the residency match list for your current DO school ?
If you are in a top tier DO school such as PCOM, KCU-COM, DMU-COM or CCOM, they do have good residency placements.
If you are in a second or third tier DO school, and if majority of the graduates are matching into primary care/ less desired specialties, then you can reconsider your options.
If you are in a top tier DO school such as PCOM, KCU-COM, DMU-COM or CCOM, they do have good residency placements.
If you are in a second or third tier DO school, and if majority of the graduates are matching into primary care/ less desired specialties, then you can reconsider your options.
What was your thought process to join 7 year BS/DO program at age 17-18 after high school? And what is changed since then?
I'd assume pressured by parents. I know a lot of people in these programs whose parents essentially filled out their applications and pushed them into it (one even flunked out of a BS/MD)
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Oh, good question!
I think my school is second tier (?). I thought it ranked pretty well, but it was not in your list. We had a 98% match rate and there are a decent amount of surgery matches. Of course, vast majority go into primary care. No ultra competitive specialties like ortho, plastics, or dermatology. I'm just worried this trend won't hold out once the merge happens. So I'm still alright with attending my school based on the current match list.
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Haha, exactly as coolsands155 said. I originally was going to go to a T20 and pursue pre-med there, but my parents much preferred the safety of the BS/DO program. I also had extreme doubts in my academic abilities, which is why I allowed my parents to make the final decision. My program's minimums were relatively easy to make compared to the traditional averages.
I'm still absolutely certain I want to do medicine, nothing has changed. I just didn't have much of a choice in choosing the program versus doing traditional.
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Erm, I suppose I had? I honestly doubted I could keep a 3.7+ GPA and score even above average on the MCAT, but I'm far more confident in my abilities now. I do think had I had more time to prepare for the MCAT, I could score better.
Nothing wrong with choosing an "easier school" over a T20. I'd probably recommend that to high schoolers and to my children in the future. But when it comes to med school prestige does matter a lot more than college.
With COMLEX level 1 going P/F you can't just bank on killing level 2 or CK if you want to pursue a competitive specialty. You could have one bad day and all of your work/research goes down the drain. You'll do less damage to yourself if that happened as an MD student.
Anecdotal but 3/6 of my close friends from college regret not taking a gap year to beef up their app for MD (one even got many MD IIs but lacked interview skills), one is thriving, and the two that went MD have little to no complaints.
Yeah, I saved a ton of money. It was also a lot easier on my health to be near home and be the "big fish in a little pond". But I always wonder, 'what if...', you know? Especially since the T20 was my dream school. I guess that's what I'm trying to avoid right now.
The P/F thing was a big bummer, especially since it's happening for my year. I honestly don't know how it'll play out, especially without several classes before me. I understand why MD's may have an easier time.
I appreciate the anecdote. Gap years are good things, I think. They helped out my friends as well.
That's why you hear repeatedly that you want to give MCAT only once with full preparation, not trial and error. You already used one chance. Giving MCAT second time and if you score + few points, not going to make meaningful difference, unless you jumped 10 points, risk is if you loose some points and now really defensive to even get a DO admission.
To be fair, my program forced all of us to take the MCAT early so I couldn't have been fully prepared. I hadn't even finished a biochemistry class at the time of my test. We really got pushed ahead.
agree with you the limitations you had, but it seems all your decisions driven by risk averse nature only, not by your own choice, which may lead to immature behavior. It is difficult to digest you have MD thoughts after MCAT score, you knew very well that you are not fully prepared for MCAT, yet you decide to give because you are forced by school requirements.
This reminds me the bird-in-hand argument by parents of high schooles and in doing so cut their own kids wings..
Sigh, you are spot on. I've always followed the safe route -- I have yet to experience true adversity. I posted about my concerns for the BS/DO program on here 3 years ago and received that exact saying: "bird-in-hand". Perhaps I did clip my own wings. Thank you for writing this.
OP, normally I'd agree with Goro and say you'd be silly not to take a guaranteed acceptance anywhere. Every cycle there are applicants with excellent records wondering why they didn't get any acceptances, or even interviews.
I know earlier posts on this thread have mentioned taking gap years as a way to "beef up" an application before applying, but honestly? I'm not sure why anyone would want to go straight through from BS to DO or MD with no break. There is so much to see and so much to do in the world, even in COVID times. Things that can better inform you as a person who plans to treat patients from all walks of life. I wouldn't underestimate the value of taking some time to pursue something non-academic that you truly enjoy. If you end up deciding to drop the DO spot, I'd take a couple of years and run with it. You have time.
I know earlier posts on this thread have mentioned taking gap years as a way to "beef up" an application before applying, but honestly? I'm not sure why anyone would want to go straight through from BS to DO or MD with no break. There is so much to see and so much to do in the world, even in COVID times. Things that can better inform you as a person who plans to treat patients from all walks of life. I wouldn't underestimate the value of taking some time to pursue something non-academic that you truly enjoy. If you end up deciding to drop the DO spot, I'd take a couple of years and run with it. You have time.
OP scored better than 80% of test-takers and a 510 is upper 15% of DO matriculants. I'm honestly impressed she managed to get that score at such a young age, it feels rushed. With more time and a good schedule getting a 514-516 would make a world of difference. Lots of MD schools look at the most recent score.
Like @caterwaiter said, there's so much to do and to see in the world, and no need to rush into arguably the most intensive career. Why women leave medicine | AAMC
Taking an extra year or two to relax a little bit and to further develop healthy study/life habits can't hurt.
I have to agree with Goro on this one. You have a guaranteed pathway to becoming a doctor. You might be interested in plastics now, but you will likely change your mind since most students do.
I'm sure everyone else on this forum has already drilled you on GPA, MCAT, and Clinical Experience (of which you're missing the latter two), but no one has yet discussed the mental stress of admissions cycle. When you took the MCAT, you had to wait a few weeks anxiously, right? Imagine that but twice as more intense and lasting almost a year. That is what 60% of students who apply every year experience. I already have an MD admission, but if our school offered me a BS/MD or DO pathway, then I would take it since I wouldn't have to be so anxious during the admissions cycle...
I'm sure everyone else on this forum has already drilled you on GPA, MCAT, and Clinical Experience (of which you're missing the latter two), but no one has yet discussed the mental stress of admissions cycle. When you took the MCAT, you had to wait a few weeks anxiously, right? Imagine that but twice as more intense and lasting almost a year. That is what 60% of students who apply every year experience. I already have an MD admission, but if our school offered me a BS/MD or DO pathway, then I would take it since I wouldn't have to be so anxious during the admissions cycle...
I can second this. I work in an ER where the majority of attending physicians are women, and I have heard every single one of them say "I am the doctor" many times. It's worse for the younger ones.
You'd trade the next 40-50 years of your career for a few months to a year of low stress? (there's good stress and bad stress - depends on how you manage it)
This is so valid, thank you. I've always been open to a gap year considering I'm already a year younger and the program just pushes me further ahead. The idea of BS --> DO --> Residency --> Fellowship with no breaks is terrifying, but it's what my classmates are doing and I guess I still feel obligated to do the same. More life experience would be great.
Thank you. I was honestly baffled that he continued to deny the existence of gender discrimination in medicine.
Yes. To me, I don't want to waste a year in my early 20's worrying about my future career. I'd rather make money, travel, and make memories in my 20's before I bury myself in books and start 40-50 years of stable career. Just my 2 cents.
Thank you, it's nice to hear that for once in this thread. I know it's below average for matriculant Asians, but still, it's a little hurtful when that's all everyone points out. The article you linked was an informative read, I never knew the stats were that high.
Yes, I fully anticipate the possibility of me changing my mind. However, I don't have the same experience with the admission cycle as you have, I guess. Maybe that's why I haven't considered stress yet. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I'll keep the stress in mind. I don't do well with it lol. However, I felt pretty comfortable with waiting for my MCAT test as well, since all I needed was slightly above average.
We are going in circles about this and since you strongly feel about it let’s not discuss further.
So it appears you joined combined program under parental pressure and took MCAT due to program requirements. You also don’t have enough clinical hours due to COVID and you have questions about age. Given all that my new recommendation is you probably take one or two gap years, get required ECs, prepare for MCAP well and score above 515 and apply broadly. However will your parents support this?
This is been discussed to death in other forms, and the answer is no it is not. Program directors was simply use Step 2
But now DOs have one shot at getting it "right". My DO friends were scoring 230-235s on NBMEs but got low 210s high 210s. They did slightly better on Step 2 but not much. With only CK/level 2 now, students only get one shot and messing up is a death sentence for DOs while MDs are cut some slack.
I'd have to agree with this -- the admissions cycle can bring about an anxiety and neuroticism that can get intense if you don't have good distractions. This is where there the "exploring things you love" really comes in handy. I've found that having a couple of weekly volunteer gigs is both really fulfilling and cool to talk about in secondary essays. In addition to my reasons listed above, benefits to a gap year include having the time and mental space to put together an application that you can submit as early as humanly possible.
If you choose to stick with the BS/DO, I assume LORs are built in and guaranteed, which is a big sigh of relief. Finding new LORs (particularly if the MD programs you apply to require a certain number from faculty) may be challenging. If you choose to drop the DO spot in favor of applying MD, I'd make sure you have the time to put together a well-rounded application and secure your letters well ahead of time.
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You’ll get that with an MD as well. If you go either route you need to develop a thicker skin if you’re still worried about what people think. I’m a nationally known orthopaedic surgeon, director level position, and I still get mistaken for something other than what I am. Politely correct and move on. Also the age thing is infinitely more of an issue than gender when it comes to patients questioning you. Luckily, age changes with time.
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We need to show tough love, going thru an application cycle by withdrawing a guaranteed admission is a highly risky move.
@EdgeTrimmer stated his opinion based on the feedback he got from his wife, who is a woman. He didn't arrive at his opinion alone.
You were exposed more than once to the feedback YOU got from the community you happened to be in contact with, which convinced you this must be the case for the rest of the USA. It could be true. But your outrage at someone disagreeing with you doesn't mean = the outraged person must be right. Using someone's (@EdgeTrimmer 's) gender to undermine their position is problematic as well.
As for whether or not you should drop the DO acceptance, there's no right answer because values differ. Some peeps may value getting through schooling asap, get into the workforce and make money. Some want to take it a little slower. But there is the added uncertainty of being in the general applicant pool; will you score above 510 on the next MCAT form? will you interview well if you get invited?
Over Represented in Medicine (Caucasian and most Asians ). With average ECs I would say 3.7 GPA and 90th percentile MCAT.
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Yes about the first part if you want to go into academics. No about the last part. The weariness of sending their family members to a DO lol. You may get that on a very small amount (maybe hundreds out of the US population) but you will also get patients that won’t see an MD because they think DOs are more holistic/not pill pushers. I don’t want either one of those in my practice. Also, with today’s climate people are just happy to be seen by a residency trained and board certified physician. People are tired of having the same copay cost to see a midlevel (different discussion and really not trying to go down that rabbit hole).
I’m in one of the most female dominated specialties, peds. Both the MD and DO physicians get called nurse equally. They just correct them and go on their way. It’s really not worth letting those thoughts take real estate in your brain.
Degree won’t matter. It won’t play into it. If people distrust you over your degree then being a white male won’t change that. But like I’ve said that will be hundreds of patients in the entire US population and believe me you don’t want those people in your practice. You will have plenty of patients regardless. If it’s over your gender then being a MD won’t fix that. And for age... residency will fix that. The bags under your eyes and graying hair will fix that lol
ORM does not include Caucasians.
You do no need a 513-514 MCAT to be competitive as a Caucasian female with average ECs.
Agree, race, gender and age are not deterring factors to choose between DO and MD, the core issue for OP.
Agreed. The only good reason I can think of for OP to decline an invitation to a position of strength is that he/she is interested in surgery.
OP has a good chance of being readmitted to DO if MD apps don't work out, but at the possible loss of an invested of 1-2 years of time without returns. If I were the OP, I would just move forward and enter the medical school system.
true. although in this case the opportunity held can confer OP the same outcome - matching surgery - granted he/she will have to work harder (COMLEX, OMM, score higher on both boards)
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