Take DO acceptance or reapply MD

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Hi Everyone,

I know this is a frequently asked question on SDN, and I have pored over the internet looking for advice as to my own situation. Please be patient with me, as I want to ensure I make the best decision for my future career.

In late 2021, I was distraught about the extended gap between my undergrad and medical school and became impatient (the pandemic complicated my path to medicine considerably). I decided I would apply late to AACOMAS, and see how I fare. I figured that if it meant starting school in 2022, it would be worth forgoing applying to MD programs altogether. I submitted my primary application in mid-December (late as heck). My stats at a glance are a 510 MCAT, and a 3.597cgpa 3.513sgpa. I am 26 and from Ohio.

I am glad to say that I have been accepted to a DO program, and currently have 3 more interviews lined up. However, while I like many of the aspects of the school I was accepted to, I recently learned that they lost some of the faculty that helped them distinguish themselves a few years ago. They also have had some issues with their clinical rotation sites (apparently there are some lackluster sites)- they are also assigned via lottery, which I don't like. One of my top choices offered me an interview at their brand new campus. I loved the interview, but I know attending a brand new medical school is nary advisable. At the same time, I have yet to hear back from any of my other top choices. I am hoping to score an interview with at least one of them, but the cycle is nearing its end and I am getting a little nervous. I reckon applying so late hurt my application quite a bit.

Assuming that I don't earn an acceptance at any other schools, should I attend the singular school and move on? Based on what I've read on this forum and Reddit, refusing any acceptance and reapplying would be a red flag to schools. I would be content practicing in primary care, but don't want to potentially close doors down the road... do I just need some sense talked into me?

Thank you for your feedback!
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There's no guarantee you'd be able to net an MD acceptance next cycle, so if you want to be a doctor I'd say take the DO acceptance and run. Also, going to a DO school doesn't mean you have to do primary care, just as going to an MD school doesn't mean you'll definitely end up in a competitive specialty.
 
ethereal_fae said:
There's no guarantee you'd be able to net an MD acceptance next cycle, so if you want to be a doctor I'd say take the DO acceptance and run. Also, going to a DO school doesn't mean you have to do primary care, just as going to an MD school doesn't mean you'll definitely end up in a competitive specialty.
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Not quite that simple. He/she describes the school with several red flags, what is the reason for losing a "good deal" of the faculty, that would worry me as would the clinical rotation issues. I think the typical "you want to be a doctor, take the DO acceptance and run" does not apply to every DO acceptance, especially like the one the OP mentions.

I would do a little more research on the school you were accepted at, provided you do not receive any more acceptances. Sit down with your med advisor(s), mentors, etc and think this out before making a final decision. Pros/cons to accepting current DO offer vs reapplying to MD schools in the next cycle, again, all predicated on decisions from the other schools you applied to.

Best of luck.
 
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resetti513 said:
Assuming that I don't earn an acceptance at any other schools, should I attend the singular school and move on? Based on what I've read on this forum and Reddit, refusing any acceptance and reapplying would be a red flag to schools. I would be content practicing in primary care, but don't want to potentially close doors down the road... do I just need some sense talked into me?
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Yes, you need to have some sense talked into you! 🙂

Having cold feet is normal, and we all second guess whatever choices we make, but the time for your epiphany about all of the shortcomings of your A school was before submitting the application, not after having it be your only acceptance.

Do whatever you think you have to, but all the advice about setting off bells is true, and you will probably be foreclosing becoming a DO forever if you don't take the A. Then, it's all or nothing with MD, which will either work out, with you patting yourself on the back for your patience and belief in yourself, or leaving you second guessing yourself on a scale unimaginable now, as you contemplate what could have been while pursuing Plan B, after becoming a doctor is no longer in your future. Good luck!!
 
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What’s done is done, but it’s never wise to rush in an application. Medical schools are always there. If you are comfortable sharing, it would be help to know what school you are referring to and where else you had interviews. Many DO schools have a lottery for rotations and they might be scattered around, particularly if the school is not near a large metro.

Would not advise LMU, ARCOM, RVU, Nova, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM.

Ohio Heritage is a strong DO school traditionally. If you are waiting on them, hopefully you hear back. If they are the school you were accepted to, I would give them the benefit of the doubt but contact current students to learn more.
 
Firstly, congrats on the acceptance! I think with 3 more interviews lined up and several already under your belt, you have a good chance at being accepted at another school (hopefully one of your top choices).

If you want to be a doctor, and you want to/are fine with being a DO, take the acceptance and run. This is unfortunately one of those situations where you reap what you sow for being impatient and rushing an application. Your stats are average for MD schools, and while they don't tell the whole story, betting on yourself to get into an MD school next cycle is risky.

Lastly, DO =/= Primary care.
 
Thank you everyone for the thoughtful replies! I agree that refusing the acceptance to apply MD would be quite a miscalculation. It was probably a mistake to apply just to DO programs and not wait to apply to both at the same time. I didn't realize there were so many unspoken rules about the application process, but you live and you learn. 😊 Ultimately I would be thrilled to be a DO, and at the end of the day I will be a physician!
 
Unless it’s really sketchy (ex. Cal Northstate), take the acceptance. In order to make yourself competitive, you may very well need another gap, due to the fact that amcas apps open in May.

What was your score breakdown? Would you be happy in primary care? (You can still shoot for competitive specialties but this is an important consideration that I think many MD hopefuls should ask themselves as well given the rate at which those who enter wanting to match x speciality end up going into IM/FM/peds)
 
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Look at this logically and responsibly. Every person’s plans have been complicated by the pandemic no matter what we had planned. You panicked, applied very late and somehow you received several interviews and even an acceptance. Well done. You can be a doctor if you want to be a doctor.
Frankly, your stats are below average for matriculated MD students so there is a big chance you won’t be successful as a MD applicant. Each year only around 40 percent of all MD applicants are accepted to any school and of that group about half receive one acceptance. You have your acceptance. Now isn’t the time to be researching schools, rotations and faculty longevity. There is a forum called Confidential Forum( part of SDN). Maybe post the specifics of your issues and one of the DO faculty will respond. Good luck as you decide.
 
chilly_md said:
What’s done is done, but it’s never wise to rush in an application. Medical schools are always there. If you are comfortable sharing, it would be help to know what school you are referring to and where else you had interviews. Many DO schools have a lottery for rotations and they might be scattered around, particularly if the school is not near a large metro.

Would not advise LMU, ARCOM, RVU, Nova, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM.

Ohio Heritage is a strong DO school traditionally. If you are waiting on them, hopefully you hear back. If they are the school you were accepted to, I would give them the benefit of the doubt but contact current students to learn more.
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Sure, chilly_md.. I was accepted to KYCOM! I really love the Appalachian community and wilderness, and their mission statement resonates with me strongly. I didn't realize most DO schools have lottery systems, so that is comforting to know KYCOM isn't the only school doing clinical rotations this way.

I just interview at VCOM-LA and I loved the vibe of the interview, and the faculty made an amazing impression. I have interviews coming up with LECOM-Elmira and CCOM-Illinois.

I did apply to OU-HCOM, DMU, Rowan, and WVSOM. OU-HCOM is my top pick by far- I want to go there so badly!
 
voxveritatisetlucis said:
Unless it’s really sketchy (ex. Cal Northstate), take the acceptance. In order to make yourself competitive, you may very well need another gap, due to the fact that amcas apps open in May.

What was your score breakdown? Would you be happy in primary care? (You can still shoot for competitive specialties but this is an important consideration that I think many MD hopefuls should ask themselves as well given the rate at which those who enter wanting to match x speciality end up going into IM/FM/peds)
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My MCAT breakdown was 125/131/127/127. I thought I was going to do better, but I was going through a terrible break up at the time.

I would be content in primary care! My dream specialty right now is Gastroenterology, but I know it is quite competitive in the world of IM. I also like the idea of Psych and Anes/PM&R. I know these things tend to change quite a bit through med school though.
 
candbgirl said:
Look at this logically and responsibly. Every person’s plans have been complicated by the pandemic no matter what we had planned. You panicked, applied very late and somehow you received several interviews and even an acceptance. Well done. You can be a doctor if you want to be a doctor.
Frankly, your stats are below average for matriculated MD students so there is a big chance you won’t be successful as a MD applicant. Each year only around 40 percent of all MD applicants are accepted to any school and of that group about half receive one acceptance. You have your acceptance. Now isn’t the time to be researching schools, rotations and faculty longevity. There is a forum called Confidential Forum( part of SDN). Maybe post the specifics of your issues and one of the DO faculty will respond. Good luck as you decide.
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Thank you for your insight and complements, candbgirl! You're completely right. Should I edit my earlier post regarding my school list?
 
resetti513 said:
Sure, chilly_md.. I was accepted to KYCOM! I really love the Appalachian community and wilderness, and their mission statement resonates with me strongly. I didn't realize most DO schools have lottery systems, so that is comforting to know KYCOM isn't the only school doing clinical rotations this way.

I just interview at VCOM-LA and I loved the vibe of the interview, and the faculty made an amazing impression. I have interviews coming up with LECOM-Elmira and CCOM-Illinois.

I did apply to OU-HCOM, DMU, Rowan, and WVSOM. OU-HCOM is my top pick by far- I want to go there so badly!
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KYCOM is a good school for those who really fit their mission. As you can imagine, a lot of students might not like the rural location, but you are one of their target students who would love that area. LECOM-Elmira has cheaper tuition, with the main drawback being the formal attire requirements and the location, the latter I don't think you'd mind. CCOM's only problem is the high tuition.

Hope you do get into OU-HCOM though!
 
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resetti513 said:
Sure, chilly_md.. I was accepted to KYCOM! I really love the Appalachian community and wilderness, and their mission statement resonates with me strongly. I didn't realize most DO schools have lottery systems, so that is comforting to know KYCOM isn't the only school doing clinical rotations this way.

I just interview at VCOM-LA and I loved the vibe of the interview, and the faculty made an amazing impression. I have interviews coming up with LECOM-Elmira and CCOM-Illinois.

I did apply to OU-HCOM, DMU, Rowan, and WVSOM. OU-HCOM is my top pick by far- I want to go there so badly!
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From your OP, I thought that you were dealing with one of the schools on my Bad Boy list. KYCOM is fine. If it's the only school you get into, go and don't look back, and in four years, you'll be getting ready for residency.
 
resetti513 said:
Thank you everyone for the thoughtful replies! I agree that refusing the acceptance to apply MD would be quite a miscalculation. It was probably a mistake to apply just to DO programs and not wait to apply to both at the same time. I didn't realize there were so many unspoken rules about the application process, but you live and you learn. 😊 Ultimately I would be thrilled to be a DO, and at the end of the day I will be a physician!
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Looks like you came to your conclusion 🙂.
 
At Kansas City Do school you have to find your own rotation sites for fourth year. You still pay for fourth year on top of that!
 
go to DO. with ur below avg grades relative to MD standards, u might not even get into an MD school
 
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. I'd take the DO acceptance and run with it.
 
Heist said:
But why?
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No clue, I’m only a 2nd year. I’ve been told by my 3rd year site that we will have priority in 4th year rotations though, so there’s that. I think most of 4th year is spent doing away rotations and interviews.

So how it works for us is we let the school know where we’re rotating 4th year, and they help us with organizing any paperwork to establish an affiliation with that site, whatever that means. They also publish a list of current site affiliations that haven taken 4th year students from our school in the past.
 
OP has gotten solid advice and I'll chime in too.I always ask the same question to students who put themselves in this situation. Why apply to a school you dont want to attend if accepted? ....Moving forward, with the proliferation of Med Schools ,MD and DO, and all existing schools expanding their class size, clinical sites are becoming a choke point. University hospitals are not popping up everywhere, so where to place students on clinical? Teaching services at uni hospitals are growing in size. IM rounds include Attending, poss a Fellow, Chief resident, a Pgy2, a Pgy1, a sub Intern, and a 3rd yr student, maybe more. Bedside teaching is good, journal club teaches you how to critically read a Journal Article, you give presentations, etc.. You often dont get much hands on experience. Preceptor rotations have value too as you get more hands on experiences, but maybe not as much didactic teaching. All medical schools are having challenges finding adequate clinical sites. I agree with our colleagues, dig a little deeper at your accepted school. Good luck and best wishes going forward.!
 
I am 10 years out and the school I went to was a 'competitive' one, and I don't think it made much of a difference. I took the dental route and we do not have mandated residency, so everything you learn clinically is in school. Wife went the MD route and went through Ivy League, she still says residency and fellowship are what really shaped her. IMHO go to the DO program, dominate it, set your self up for the residency you want and don't look back.
 
I go to a respectable DO school - Goro himself has said it’s a fine school, and honestly I thought you were describing my school with your “red flags”. We have faculty turnover and the rotation assignments are basically done by lottery and there are always sites that are more popular and those that are lackluster. Clinical education, as I understand it, is a major challenge for any school without their own hospital (and even for some with their own hospital). I think the standard reasoning still applies here: you don’t turn down the offer you have unless you have a better one. Take the admission and be grateful you don’t have to go through the nerve wracking process of waiting for interviews for months after applying in June! Meanwhile, go on your other interviews knowing you have a spot and you can pick the best offer you get!
 
Dame_Maggie said:
No clue, I’m only a 2nd year. I’ve been told by my 3rd year site that we will have priority in 4th year rotations though, so there’s that. I think most of 4th year is spent doing away rotations and interviews.

So how it works for us is we let the school know where we’re rotating 4th year, and they help us with organizing any paperwork to establish an affiliation with that site, whatever that means. They also publish a list of current site affiliations that haven taken 4th year students from our school in the past.
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Unfortunately, students have little knowledge of how their tuition funds the schools functions. Your first THREE years tuition is needed to cover the on campus salaries and facilities for most schools because DO schools receive little to no outside funding like state schools do. Fourth year covers clinical rotation expenses and provides the small margin of “profit” that private non-profit schools put back into building resources and growing the institution. Look up the difference in tuition dependency for private vs public schools and it will start to make more sense.

Regarding fourth year rotations. Setting then up on your own is actually very adventitious in some ways. It gives you the freedom to explore different areas of the country, do away/audition rotations in different health care systems so you can get a better idea of where you truly want to do residency, you can tailor you schedule to your life (when else could you schedule January near a beach or near ski slopes to use your time away from rotations to have fun), etc?
 
GDTBATH16 said:
What do you have against LMU?
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Here's my own complaints on LMU:
granted continuing Accreditation with Heightened Monitoring. This indicates that fewer than three standards are non-compliant and ongoing monitoring will occur via progress reporting. For schools with this status, accreditation will be granted for four years.”

This is only one of three COMs that has this level of accreditation status right now.

Accreditation decisions for colleges of osteopathic medicine - American Osteopathic Association

On top of this, the administration of the parent body fired a dean for supporting social justice and racial equality.

Their position is: On August 14th (2020), an Associate Dean of Students emailed new student policy that stated “You are not allowed to be involved in any form of public statement about social justice and racial inequities in medicine in any prominent location on the LMU campus”."
 
TruthInMedEd said:
Unfortunately, students have little knowledge of how their tuition funds the schools functions. Your first THREE years tuition is needed to cover the on campus salaries and facilities for most schools because DO schools receive little to no outside funding like state schools do. Fourth year covers clinical rotation expenses and provides the small margin of “profit” that private non-profit schools put back into building resources and growing the institution. Look up the difference in tuition dependency for private vs public schools and it will start to make more sense.

Regarding fourth year rotations. Setting then up on your own is actually very adventitious in some ways. It gives you the freedom to explore different areas of the country, do away/audition rotations in different health care systems so you can get a better idea of where you truly want to do residency, you can tailor you schedule to your life (when else could you schedule January near a beach or near ski slopes to use your time away from rotations to have fun), etc?
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I think this should have been in response to Heist’s question about why we still have to pay for 4th year rotations. I simply stated that setting up your own rotations is the norm in the DO world, and when asked why I replied. I do know how the money works. Good info for others though, thanks.
 
TruthInMedEd said:
Regarding fourth year rotations. Setting then up on your own is actually very adventitious in some ways. It gives you the freedom to explore different areas of the country, do away/audition rotations in different health care systems so you can get a better idea of where you truly want to do residency, you can tailor you schedule to your life (when else could you schedule January near a beach or near ski slopes to use your time away from rotations to have fun), etc?
Click to expand...
66lu6y.jpg
 
MDFUTURE123 said:
I am a second year DO student and I regret going to a DO school for a multitude of reasons. I would reapply and try for the MD
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But given the OPs stats, it is possible that he/she would not be accepted MD. do you think It’s worth that?
 
voxveritatisetlucis said:
But given the OPs stats, it is possible that he/she would not be accepted MD. do you think It’s worth that?
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Given that the OP's GPA are some 0.2-0.3 basis points below the median for MD acceptees, and the MCAT is right around median, a re-app to MD schools is not without significant risk for getting shut out.
 
resetti513 said:
Hi Everyone,

I know this is a frequently asked question on SDN, and I have pored over the internet looking for advice as to my own situation. Please be patient with me, as I want to ensure I make the best decision for my future career.

In late 2021, I was distraught about the extended gap between my undergrad and medical school and became impatient (the pandemic complicated my path to medicine considerably). I decided I would apply late to AACOMAS, and see how I fare. I figured that if it meant starting school in 2022, it would be worth forgoing applying to MD programs altogether. I submitted my primary application in mid-December (late as heck). My stats at a glance are a 510 MCAT, and a 3.597cgpa 3.513sgpa. I am 26 and from Ohio.

I am glad to say that I have been accepted to a DO program, and currently have 3 more interviews lined up. However, while I like many of the aspects of the school I was accepted to, I recently learned that they lost some of the faculty that helped them distinguish themselves a few years ago. They also have had some issues with their clinical rotation sites (apparently there are some lackluster sites)- they are also assigned via lottery, which I don't like. One of my top choices offered me an interview at their brand new campus. I loved the interview, but I know attending a brand new medical school is nary advisable. At the same time, I have yet to hear back from any of my other top choices. I am hoping to score an interview with at least one of them, but the cycle is nearing its end and I am getting a little nervous. I reckon applying so late hurt my application quite a bit.

Assuming that I don't earn an acceptance at any other schools, should I attend the singular school and move on? Based on what I've read on this forum and Reddit, refusing any acceptance and reapplying would be a red flag to schools. I would be content practicing in primary care, but don't want to potentially close doors down the road... do I just need some sense talked into me?

Thank you for your feedback!
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I wasn't going to respond to this but...

There are soooo many other threads on this forum about D.O. vs. M.D. You should do your homework a little better.

I did read this thread, and I think that you're making a mountain out of a molehill. Faculty are going to be qualified, no matter which way you look at it. "Lackluster" sites assigned via lottery is also nothing new. I would take the acceptance and run with it. Run, run, run all the way to the bank and never look back.

You are being quite picky, and a lot of people envy your position. Beware of bad advice on this forum by gunner pre-meds who DON'T have an acceptance yet and want your spot.

My $.02.
 
MDFUTURE123 said:
I am a second year DO student and I regret going to a DO school for a multitude of reasons. I would reapply and try for the MD
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I will ask the same question. Why would you apply to a school you didn't want to go to? The challenges presenting to DO students are not hidden. You will feel better about your choice as time goes by. Pre clinical is a real meat grinder and makes many students question why they went into medicine. Preclinical is very similiar at any school. Anatomy, Biochem, H&P, Micro, Embryo, Immunology, Genetics, etc.. The basics within these topics don't change and they are still basic science, which students at every med school must learn. Things will get better when you are on clinical rotations.
 
MDFUTURE123 said:
I am a second year DO student and I regret going to a DO school for a multitude of reasons. I would reapply and try for the MD
Click to expand...
This has to be one of the worse pieces of advice I have seen in a long time. One person’s experiences DO NOT translate to someone else. The OP has an acceptance, there is no guarantee that history will repeat itself. If you regret something, giving the advice that they will regret it too is nonsense. You need to determine why YOU regret going to a DO school. I went to a DO school and had an excellent education and the addition of the added Osteopathic component is something I use constantly, especially the whole person approach.

You need to rethink your own decisions before giving people absolutes.
 
Some MD schools start clinical rotaions during the 2nd semester of the 2nd year and it is so nice to be able to do that as a MS2. The preclinical semesters, however, were like clinbing Mount Everest. You will want to do everything in your power to get a good mountaineer guide and sherpa for this climb because too much is at stake here.
 
MDMechEngr said:
Some MD schools start clinical rotaions during the 2nd semester of the 2nd year and it is so nice to be able to do that as a MS2. The preclinical semesters, however, were like clinbing Mount Everest. You will want to do everything in your power to get a good mountaineer guide and sherpa for this climb because too much is at stake here.
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How does it compare to a tough course load at a “rigourous” undergraduate
 
resetti513 said:
Sure, chilly_md.. I was accepted to KYCOM! I really love the Appalachian community and wilderness, and their mission statement resonates with me strongly. I didn't realize most DO schools have lottery systems, so that is comforting to know KYCOM isn't the only school doing clinical rotations this way.

I just interview at VCOM-LA and I loved the vibe of the interview, and the faculty made an amazing impression. I have interviews coming up with LECOM-Elmira and CCOM-Illinois.

I did apply to OU-HCOM, DMU, Rowan, and WVSOM. OU-HCOM is my top pick by far- I want to go there so badly!
Click to expand...
I would not go to KYCOM or VCOM-LA. If you get into OUHCOM then go there. Of the schools you’re interviewing at I’d go to LECOM-Elmira or CCOM before going to KYCOM or VCOM-LA
 
voxveritatisetlucis said:
How does it compare to a tough course load at a “rigourous” undergraduate
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From what I have heard, similar to the comparison between drinking from a water fountain and a fire hose.

"Rigorous" UG really doesn't mean squat, because bio is bio and chem is chem. Prestigious schools might have more "better" students, which might impact grades and curves, depending on whether or not the school is known for grade inflation, but the quantity and difficulty of the material really doesn't vary from school to school, based on so-called rigor.

People can take a tough course load at any school. My understanding is nothing at a UG level really prepares you for the intensity of med school, which is why adcoms try to be careful in screening for signs of inability to handle it academically.
 
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DOVinciRobot said:
I would not go to KYCOM or VCOM-LA. If you get into OUHCOM then go there. Of the schools you’re interviewing at I’d go to LECOM-Elmira or CCOM before going to KYCOM or VCOM-LA
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Would you be willing to elaborate further on why you wouldn’t go to either school?
 
resetti513 said:
Would you be willing to elaborate further on why you wouldn’t go to either school?
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KYCOM has very similar issues to LMU.

VCOM-LA isn’t wanted and none of the big health systems in LA want them there.
 
DOVinciRobot said:
KYCOM has very similar issues to LMU.

VCOM-LA isn’t wanted and none of the big health systems in LA want them there.
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Does this mean kycom has accreditation problems? Or it has controversial views on protesting for social justice movements like @Goro said about LMU?
 
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