SMP-DO vs SMP-MD

[tabishis]

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Just wondering if SMP from DO school(obviosuly with good GPA) would ensure admission into an MD school?

 

[TheGoose]

no SMP ensures admission anywhere

 

[tabishis]

no SMP ensures admission anywhere

But isn't SMP like another chance for those with low gpa/mcat score? If one does super well in SMP and has strong LORs with solid volunteer experience, why wouldn't it ensure a spot for him in med school?

 

[drizzt3117]

But isn't SMP like another chance for those with low gpa/mcat score? If one does super well in SMP and has strong LORs with solid volunteer experience, why wouldn't it ensure a spot for him in med school?

Because there aren't any sure things in the med application process except BS/MDs.

 

[TheGoose]

Because there aren't any sure things in the med application process except BS/MDs.

Because there aren't any sure things in life

 

[DrMidlife]

Personally, I would absolutely not expect to get serious consideration at an MD school for an SMP done at a DO school.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Personally, I would absolutely not expect to get serious consideration at an MD school for an SMP done at a DO school.

I would second this

 

[IowaDoc2B]

To offer additional feedback, I spoke with the admissions directly at my state medical school and asked a question similar to this. From her answer, it depends on how reputable the SMP program is; if the school has hear little/nothing about the program, it won't matter if it was an MD SMP or a DO SMP.

To provide more for the OP, if you attend a DO SMP that is an established program, like PCOM, than this (scoring well in the SMP) will carry more weight than a DO SMP that nobody has heard of. But, keep in mind that its all relative based on what medical school you want to go to. The best advice i've gotten thus far about pursuit of an SMP has been: find the medical school you want to go to, and after applying and being rejected directly ask them what you can do to improve your chances at getting in after reapplying. I did this, and not only was it beneficial, but my proactive approach both impressed the adcoms, and she said that it would go into my record for reapplication (thus, calling to ask what I could do better will directly help my reapp.)

It does seem like there are more well-known SMP programs than SMP Do programs, but from what adcoms told me, if you have a 4.0 in an SMP and improve your mcat to around low-to-mid 30s, it didn't seem like they would care if it was from a less-known SMP program.

Just make sure that you're careful with your wording, because as many people have said, nothing is guaranteed. But, anything worth having is worth working for.

 

[SBK]

Personally, I would absolutely not expect to get serious consideration at an MD school for an SMP done at a DO school.

I did my SMP at a DO school and got into 2 MD schools so far with some interviews to go...then again, I'm the only one in its 9 yr history

 

[Perrotfish]

It seems like this thread is mostly speculation. We don't know. You know who does know? The SMP you're applying to. Shoot them a quick Email them how many of their program's matriculants got in to med school, and then ask them what schools. If you don't see any MD schools on the list, there's your answer.

If you have a few 'dream schools' (probably your state schools) you could probably also shoot their admissions office an Email asking how they would look at a good performance in the program you're considering. ADCOMs are often very friendly during this brief window in between acceptance letters going out and the release of the AMCAS primary.

 

[Instatewaiter]

It seems like this thread is mostly speculation. We don't know. You know who does know? The SMP you're applying to. Shoot them a quick Email them how many of their program's matriculants got in to med school, and then ask them what schools. If you don't see any MD schools on the list, there's your answer.

If you have a few 'dream schools' (probably your state schools) you could probably also shoot their admissions office an Email asking how they would look at a good performance in the program you're considering. ADCOMs are often very friendly during this brief window in between acceptance letters going out and the release of the AMCAS primary.

This sounds like great advice

 

[213965]

Personally, I would absolutely not expect to get serious consideration at an MD school for an SMP done at a DO school.

I disagree. I don't think it matters where you do your SMP, as long as you do well. I am completing mine at a DO school, had 3 MD interviews this season (resulting in 2 waitlists and 1 rejection) and my stats weren't all that stellar; point being, I think they focus more on the difficulty of your coursework and if you do well (in my case, I performed worse than undergrad during my first quarter here, which really hurt my application since that's when most interviews are). I also know of a few others in my program who've interviewed at MD schools and/or are planning on applying MD after finishing the program. So I think you should go where you'd feel the most comfortable with location/cost/etc. instead of worrying about "prestige" of the SMP -- just focus on doing really well!

 

[DrMidlife]

I disagree. I don't think it matters where you do your SMP, as long as you do well. I am completing mine at a DO school, had 3 MD interviews this season (resulting in 2 waitlists and 1 rejection) and my stats weren't all that stellar; point being, I think they focus more on the difficulty of your coursework and if you do well (in my case, I performed worse than undergrad during my first quarter here, which really hurt my application since that's when most interviews are). I also know of a few others in my program who've interviewed at MD schools and/or are planning on applying MD after finishing the program. So I think you should go where you'd feel the most comfortable with location/cost/etc. instead of worrying about "prestige" of the SMP -- just focus on doing really well!

With all due respect, you have a 3.7+ GPA, and pubs, and what looks to me like a strong app overall. I seriously doubt that your participation in a DO SMP during your app year is having an impact on your app year, particularly if you didn't do well first semester. In your case, imho, it certainly would have been cheaper, and more effective, to retake the MCAT than to do an SMP.

I could give a rat's fanny about SMP prestige. I have a 3.1, for crying out loud - prestige left the station 20 years ago without me on board. What I care about is maximizing my odds of getting into an MD school. With a dozen SMPs at MD schools that are designed, and in some cases proven, to maximize MD school chances, I fail to see why anybody would choose to go to a DO SMP with the intent of applying to MD schools, unless they're just looking for app padding.

I don't mean to be picking a fight here - I'm just concerned that folks with 3.0-ish GPAs are going to get all excited about the anecdotes here.

 

[213965]

With all due respect, you have a 3.7+ GPA, and pubs, and what looks to me like a strong app overall. I seriously doubt that your participation in a DO SMP during your app year is having an impact on your app year, particularly if you didn't do well first semester. In your case, imho, it certainly would have been cheaper, and more effective, to retake the MCAT than to do an SMP.

I could give a rat's fanny about SMP prestige. I have a 3.1, for crying out loud - prestige left the station 20 years ago without me on board. What I care about is maximizing my odds of getting into an MD school. With a dozen SMPs at MD schools that are designed, and in some cases proven, to maximize MD school chances, I fail to see why anybody would choose to go to a DO SMP with the intent of applying to MD schools, unless they're just looking for app padding.

I don't mean to be picking a fight here - I'm just concerned that folks with 3.0-ish GPAs are going to get all excited about the anecdotes here.

This is true. I completely agree with your assessment regarding how my time/money could have been better spent, and had I known this master's I am currently in was actually an SMP I probably wouldn't be here. But since I did manage to get myself into this situation, I guess I was just trying to offer some advice to people who may want to apply broadly (DO and MD) in considering a DO SMP over the numerous MD ones for whatever reason and offer anecdotal evidence that attending a DO SMP does not necessarily harm your chances at an MD acceptance (unless you screw up like me).

Also one thing I wanted to say that no one else pointed out is the major advantage of doing an SMP at an MD school if you want an MD admissions is that there is a degree of linkage with many MD schools.

EVMS interviews the students that do the EVMS BMS, so those who do well have a huge chance at their own medical school if no where else.

50% of the Gtown SMP students get interviewed at Gtown itself. That means if there are 180 students in the program 90 get interviewed and roughly 29 got in this past year. that's almost 1/3 of the interviewees getting in their own school and 1/6 of the students in the program getting in the school. Still to some degree a significant amount.

At USF IMS, traditionally roughly 5 out of every 7 students got in. That's roughly 2/3 of the students judging from the past records.

I believe a certain percentage of Tufts MBS students get into Tufts and a certain percentage of Drexel IMS kids are taken directly into Drexel and a certain percentage of BU MAMS kids are taken directly into BU MAMS too.

Same with RFU BMS. A certain % of RFU BMS students get interviewed and if they meet certain GPA requirements get accepted.

My point is that SMPs have a degree of linkage to their own schools if not elesewhere. The more reputable ones will also be recognized and well known at most schools including several top 50 schools.

So that's the real advantage of going to an MD SMP over a DO one. each SMP will have a degree of linkage with the school it is most directly affiliated with, so it is better to try to go to one in an MD school if you want an MD acceptance.

I agree with this assessment as well. I think attending the SMP here defnitely increased my chances of acceptance at the affiliated DO school since, if nothing else, it gave me something convincing to talk about when asked, "Why this school?"

 

[Instatewaiter]

many md schools still don't consider DO schools on the same level. For instance, when asked about DO schools by a group of high schoolers, the dean at an unnamed medical school replied, "those schools are just for people who can't get into medical school." my post is not meant to cut down DO schools, it is meant to illustrate the point that if going to an md schoolis your goal, to an md smp.

 

[Perrotfish]

With all due respect, you have a 3.7+ GPA, and pubs, and what looks to me like a strong app overall. I seriously doubt that your participation in a DO SMP during your app year is having an impact on your app year, particularly if you didn't do well first semester. In your case, imho, it certainly would have been cheaper, and more effective, to retake the MCAT than to do an SMP.

I could give a rat's fanny about SMP prestige. I have a 3.1, for crying out loud - prestige left the station 20 years ago without me on board. What I care about is maximizing my odds of getting into an MD school. With a dozen SMPs at MD schools that are designed, and in some cases proven, to maximize MD school chances, I fail to see why anybody would choose to go to a DO SMP with the intent of applying to MD schools, unless they're just looking for app padding.

I don't mean to be picking a fight here - I'm just concerned that folks with 3.0-ish GPAs are going to get all excited about the anecdotes here.

Yeah, but, as I said earlier, I think you're pretty much speculating here, which the OP is perfectly capable of doing him/herself. I have heard almost no stories supporting (or denying) the idea that a DO SMP won't help MD admissions, let alone enough stories to give me a basis to advise someone on their selection of graduate programs. If you have and just haven't mentioned it, that's fine, but telling people rather authoritatively that you would

absolutely not expect to get serious consideration at an MD school for an SMP done at a DO school.

because you once heard a guy in an MD school that said DO schools weren't very good... well that's not something that needs to be said at all. If you don't have any evidence based advice to give there's no reason to give a 'best guess' instead. IMHO