Take the DO acceptance or reapply MD?

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Tiran145

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Hi,

I have been accepted to DMU and am very grateful for that! I am currently on University of Colorado and Creighton’s waitlist and was wondering if I don’t come off those waitlist if it is better for my future career to reapply MD or run with the DO.
 
Tiran145 said:
Hi,

I have been accepted to DMU and am very grateful for that! I am currently on University of Colorado and Creighton’s waitlist and was wondering if I don’t come off those waitlist if it is better for my future career to reapply MD or run with the DO.
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Personal anecdote. I was accepted DO last cycle with 0 MD IIs, rejected it and reapplied this cycle (substantial app improvement) and have an MD acceptance. Do what you think is best for you!
 
Tiran145 said:
Hi,

I have been accepted to DMU and am very grateful for that! I am currently on University of Colorado and Creighton’s waitlist and was wondering if I don’t come off those waitlist if it is better for my future career to reapply MD or run with the DO.
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What are your stats? What do you think would make you a better applicant next cycle? If you don’t have any significant changes or new grades then there is no point unless if you can make a better school list. You will be known as a reaaolicant and will be asked by some schools what changes have been made to your application. And not a good idea to turn down an acceptance. This is why people who strongly prefer MD should apply only MD for their first cycle.
 
I have 3.9 and 516 MCAT. My volunteering and shadowing are what got my waitlisted, at least that’s what Creighton told me.
 
Tiran145 said:
I have 3.9 and 516 MCAT. My volunteering and shadowing are what got my waitlisted, at least that’s what Creighton told me.
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There's no reason with those stats that you can't get into an MD if you take a year or two to shore up your volunteering and I guess add a little bit of shadowing if that's low. The biggest question is how is next time going to be different? Well, in your case your stats definitely didn't keep you out. So there are things in your app that you can actively work to improve and reapply.

If you really want to go to med school NOW, then go to DMU. But yes, you will have an uphill battle in the matching process as a DO. If you can take a cycle off and spend that time doing a lot of volunteering and getting a little more shadowing in (you really don't need more than 50 hours as long as you have some primary care in there), you will have a great shot at getting in assume you don't have any other red flags on your app.

But it's early. It's not even April 30 yet. I would start lining up some volunteering to do just in case, but you still have plenty of time to get in.
 
I would work on your app and reapply in a year or two. You have the numbers to go MD and honestly, beyond the MD/DO stuff, who the hell wants to live in Iowa?
 
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Tiran145 said:
I have 3.9 and 516 MCAT. My volunteering and shadowing are what got my waitlisted, at least that’s what Creighton told me.
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With those stats, you should take some time to boost your ECs and re-apply (broadly) to MD programs, unless you're pretty confident that you want to do primary care. Going to DO school can close a lot of doors, and the prospects for DO graduates is looking more and more grim as the merger approaches and as brand-new schools send their inaugural classes into the match. The AOA match safety net is gone, and the outcome for DOs is very likely going to be unfavorable (at least in the short term).

DoctorSnow said:
DMU is a great school (especially for primary care specialties) and 84% of their 2017 class matched into their top choice residency. Just my 2 cents.
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That's probably just reflective of the fact that a lot of DMU students select community primary care programs in the Midwest as their top choices. Check the FM and IM sections of their match lists.
 
No red flags but low volunteer and shadowing. Only like 25 hrs shadowing and about 75 volunteering.
 
Have you been improving your shadowing and volunteering throughout this past year? How many hours would you be able to list on your application for this cycle? Your stats are good enough that you should land an acceptance if you have a reasonable number of volunteering/shadowing hours.
 
LukaDoncicLuk said:
Have you been improving your shadowing and volunteering throughout this past year? How many hours would you be able to list on your application for this cycle? Your stats are good enough that you should land an acceptance if you have a reasonable number of volunteering/shadowing hours.
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This. And I would hope you're regularly updating Colorado and Creighton about your adventures in volunteering.
 
mmaslyanko said:
Dude !!! Your scores are awesome . Do more volunteering , get some clinical , research, and you have a GREAT shot at very strong MD schools
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This.
/thread
 
Tiran145 said:
I have 3.9 and 516 MCAT. My volunteering and shadowing are what got my waitlisted, at least that’s what Creighton told me.
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How many hours of clinical, non clinical and shadowing hours you had.
 
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Tiran145 said:
I have 3.9 and 516 MCAT. My volunteering and shadowing are what got my waitlisted, at least that’s what Creighton told me.
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Your stats are damn good for many MD programs. Just shadow/volunteer more and reapply. You already did the hard part. would be extremely surprised if you didn't get accepted next cycle
 
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yeah, i have 3.65 GPA and 511 MCAT.... you are in a WAY better position, if you build yourself up. Now, if you do want to be a DO physician, and this is honestly your choice, - go for it. There is nothing wrong with that. But if you are "settling" for DO school, but this is not really where your heart is - do not do it. You will regret it.
 
Tiran145 said:
I have 3.9 and 516 MCAT. My volunteering and shadowing are what got my waitlisted, at least that’s what Creighton told me.
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When did you take the MCAT? After 3 years it is expired. So depending on when you took it and how many gap years you are taking until reapplying you might need to take it again. Have you been getting more shadowing and volunteer hours? Hopefully you’ve been getting these hours over the application cycle and not just starting on them now....

You got great stats and the changes that need to be made aren’t difficult to make so I think you can turn down the acceptance and reapply MD. Volunteering isn’t hard to do but it takes a lot of time. Might need to wait an application cycle before reapplying.
 
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Peter Pan. said:
When did you take the MCAT? After 3 years it is expired. So depending on when you took it and how many gap years you are taking until reapplying you might need to take it again. Have you been getting more shadowing and volunteer hours? Hopefully you’ve been getting these hours over the application cycle and not just starting on them now....

You got great stats and the changes that need to be made aren’t difficult to make so I think you can turn down the acceptance and reapply MD. Volunteering isn’t hard to do but it takes a lot of time. Might need to wait an application cycle before reapplying.
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This is another thing to consider. If your MCAT turns 3 years old next year, you might need to retake it again before applying, and you also gotta make sure you don't score lower than what you have now otherwise it will look bad to adcom. So taking your DO acceptance might be the safest choice if that's the case.
 
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DrStephenStrange said:
This is another thing to consider. If your MCAT turns 3 years old next year, you might need to retake it again before applying, and you also gotta make you don't score lower than what you have now otherwise it will look bad to adcom. So taking your DO acceptance might be the safest choice if that's the case.
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I took the MCAT in May 2018
 
Do you not like volunteering? Why did you apply with such little hours with helping others, when the rest of your career will involve service? Based on your application, schools probs don't think your a good/better human being than the boatload of other applicants (not saying that's true), id do what everyone else is saying
 
chlorocruorin said:
Do you not like volunteering? Why did you apply with such little hours with helping others, when the rest of your career will involve service? Based on your application, schools probs don't think your a good/better human being than the boatload of other applicants (not saying that's true), id do what everyone else is saying
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I have a wife and kid and work. I don’t have a trust fund like some pre meds that can spend a summer volunteering or don’t have family responsibilities or a wife with health issues.
 
Tiran145 said:
I have a wife and kid and work. I don’t have a trust fund like some pre meds that can spend a summer volunteering or don’t have family responsibilities or a wife with health issues.
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That's not a good excuse. I have a wife, no trust fund, had a full time job, and was going to school full time. I still walked out of undergrad with 300+ hours of volunteering and 150+ hours of shadowing. All I did for volunteering was just put in about 3 to 4 hours a week for about two years, and since it was teaching hospital I was able to get contacts for shadowing as well. And I did all that while also being involved with research.
 
Tiran145 said:
I have a wife and kid and work. I don’t have a trust fund like some pre meds that can spend a summer volunteering or don’t have family responsibilities or a wife with health issues.
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DrStephenStrange said:
That's not a good excuse. I have a wife, no trust fund, had a full time job, and was going to school full time. I still walked out of undergrad with 300+ hours of volunteering and 150+ hours of shadowing. All I did for volunteering was just put in about 3 to 4 hours a week for about two years, and since it was teaching hospital I was able to get contacts for shadowing as well. And I did all that while also being involved with research.
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well I am happy for you...haha I love the judgement and comparing situations that you have no idea about...gotta love it.
 
Tiran145 said:
well I am happy for you...haha I love the judgement and comparing situations that you have no idea about...gotta love it.
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dawg, I'm sympathetic to the idea that it can be hard to wrack up volunteer hours with a family and all, but you're the one that started with the judgments about people you have no idea about. Most of us overwhelmingly did not have trust funds and did have other responsibilities.
 
Tiran145 said:
I have a wife and kid and work. I don’t have a trust fund like some pre meds that can spend a summer volunteering or don’t have family responsibilities or a wife with health issues.
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Hey! you do what YOU can, when YOU can. Everyone has a different route to medicine. I had only 37 hours of volunteering for the same reason. (no wife with health issue, but i WAS busy. I worked full time, i have NO ONE to rely on, and i did nt have a single day off for MONTHS at a time). The only reason i have NIH research experience, for example, is because it was paid for. SO do not let people get under your skin. THere are a lot of different ways to show that you are committed to medicine. please PM ME. i really want to help.
 
Tiran145 said:
well I am happy for you...haha I love the judgement and comparing situations that you have no idea about...gotta love it.
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I don’t think anyone is being judgemental. You have strong stats but your ECs are weak. With some work you’d be competitive for many MD schools. Since you don’t seem to have the time to fix what’s fixable hope for an acceptance off a waitlist or run with the DO acceptance. Medical school is tough and time consuming-way more than 3-4 hours a week. Are you sure your home life is stable enough for you to be successful? Anyway, good luck in what ever you choose to do.
 
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Tiran145 said:
well I am happy for you...haha I love the judgement and comparing situations that you have no idea about...gotta love it.
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I wasn't being judgmental at all. I was just telling you what I did with close to the same life situation (except having a wife with health issues). But you know who's gonna be judgmental, the adcoms, when they see your app, they don't even think about your life situation. All they will see is someone that's not motivated to help others and therefore not ready for the commitments that comes with Medicine. Anyways, I wish you luck and hope you get what you want. Whether you go DO or MD either way you gonna be a doctor.
 
Do you want to become a doctor? Take the DO acceptance

Do you want to make more money (by having an additional year you'll be an attending) over your lifetime? Take the DO acceptance

Are you gunning for a competitive specialty? Take the DO acceptance and be a rockstar applicant

Do you fantasize having the MD by your name? Get some volunteering and shadowing, and reapply this year

Do you want to practice across the world? Get some volunteering and shadowing, and reapply this year
 
Seeing this post makes me want to tell future applicants again: If you don't plan to matriculate to DO, please don't apply DO. It wastes your time by preparing a DO-oriented app, and it wastes interview spots on the school's side.
 
Tiran145 said:
I have a wife and kid and work. I don’t have a trust fund like some pre meds that can spend a summer volunteering or don’t have family responsibilities or a wife with health issues.
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Do not use that excuse. I have a wife and two kids (and my wife has had a string of health issues), and I am active duty military who was working 80 hours a week, finishing school, and doing other ECs, and I managed to get over 300 hours of volunteering by spreading it out over a couple years. If you just don’t like it or just didn’t feel you wanted to put the extra time in, that’s fine. Now you know you have to suck it up and do it. But don’t make excuses (and med schools will see it as an excuse because plenty of people in your situation or more difficult situations will somehow still have volunteering).

Ps, and I’m not judging you because I’ve been there and know that when your family is dealing with health issues it’s difficult to take time away from them to help other people.
 
premeddestiny said:
Are you gunning for a competitive specialty? Take the DO acceptance and be a rockstar applicant
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Talk to some of the DO applicants with great grades, >250 Step 1s, and strong letters who had to SOAP into FM/IM after failing to match into their dream specialty because ACGME programs ranked them lower than a bunch of US MDs with worse credentials. These DO applicants excelled and overcame the extra burdens of OMM and the COMLEX, only to be screwed over on the basis of the degree they received.

The AOA match safety net is gone, and a DO student can't just count on being a "rockstar" anymore. In my opinion, your advice was maybe valid five years ago; now it's not.
 
Sorry guys I got offended. That’s on me. Haha heat of the moment type of thing. Ya I rushed submitting my application...I was originally planning to submit in 2019 but then saw my friends submitting and they convinced me to apply. Not my best idea.
 
gonnif said:
So now that you made that mistake, do you gamble and make another? And this isnt just your decision; you have a wife and kid and having them settled for the next 4 years, instead of everything up in the air again, is something to consider
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Absolutely, I agree
 
My wife applied to DMU and we accepted. I sold my business, packed and ready to, then 3 days before we were supposed to move half way across the country she got pulled off the wait list at the local MD school (Wayne State). That worked out because she got pregnant in 2nd and then in 3rd year and it would've been a lot tougher without local family support. She's a private practice general surgeon, bread and butter, acute, and trauma. She teaches for Michigan State (ER/DO) and Wayne State (GenSurg/MD) and says there is no discernible difference between the quality of the residents. According to her It all depends on the individuals talent and the effort they put forth.

TLDR
If I remember correctly we got pulled off the wait list just weeks before classes started. It'd take the spot you have.
 
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You wanna be a doctor, or nah? There's no guarantee that you'll get an acceptance next year. Are you willing to gamble that?
 
ArmCandy said:
My wife applied to DMU and we accepted. I sold my business, packed and ready to, then 3 days before we were supposed to move half way across the country she got pulled off the wait list at the local MD school (Wayne State). That worked out because she got pregnant in 2nd and then in 3rd year and it would've been a lot tougher without local family support. She's a private practice general surgeon, bread and butter, acute, and trauma. She teaches for Michigan State (ER/DO) and Wayne State (GenSurg/MD) and says there is no discernible difference between the quality of the residents. According to her It all depends on the individuals talent and the effort they put forth.

TLDR
If I remember correctly we got pulled off the wait list just weeks before classes started. It'd take the spot you have.
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In 2018, the general surgery match rate for DOs was 54%, while for US MDs, it was 85%. Had your wife gone to the DO program, she might've had a different outcome. For people who are interested in (or even open to) surgical specialties, it's generally better to retry for MD than to settle for DO.

AsianPersuasion said:
You wanna be a doctor, or nah? There's no guarantee that you'll get an acceptance next year. Are you willing to gamble that?
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Sure, there's no guarantee... but once OP's ECs are up to par, there's a high chance. For those with a 514-517 MCAT and a >3.79 GPA, the odds are 83.2% — probably higher for OP, with his 3.9 GPA.
 
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Osminog said:
In 2018, the general surgery match rate for DOs was 54%, while for US MDs, it was 85%. Had your wife gone to the DO program, she might've had a different outcome. For people who are interested in (or even open to) surgical specialties, it's generally better to retry for MD than to settle for DO.



Sure, there's no guarantee... but once OP's ECs are up to par, there's a high chance. For those with a 514-517 MCAT and a >3.79 GPA, the odds are 83.2% — probably higher for OP, with his 3.9 GPA.
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I think the DO/MD match mixing is still pretty new and it will start to equalize as time goes on. The match year makes a difference as well, first year my wife didn't match, after the prelim year she received 3 letters saying she was top ranked and wanted to know why she didn't pick them.

You can have an idea what you want specialty wise, but that may change drastically during your clinical rotations. My wife was SURE she wanted to go OB until she delivered her first baby. As a pre-med I would keep an open mind as to what specialty you want to go into, something is going to grab you 3rd year. If you rule out a DO school because you think you might want to do a certain specialty, you may miss out on them all. Plus there is no guarantee that specialty is the one you will love
 
Tiran145 said:
I have a wife and kid and work. I don’t have a trust fund like some pre meds that can spend a summer volunteering or don’t have family responsibilities or a wife with health issues.
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Did you not explain this in your application? Also there are people who work, go to school, and volunteer myself included. Granted I don’t have a family of my own. But you can set aside even 5 hours a month and do some extra time over winter break and summer and can get 80-100 hours a year. Should have started on it a while ago. It’s harder for some people like you who work and have a family but you’re still expected to do it. But given your situation you probably don’t need as many hours as most students. Definitely should have more than what you have though. Talk about your situation in your application next time you apply.
 
Peter Pan. said:
Did you not explain this in your application? Also there are people who work, go to school, and volunteer myself included. Granted I don’t have a family of my own. But you can set aside even 5 hours a month and do some extra time over winter break and summer and can get 80-100 hours a year. Should have started on it a while ago. It’s harder for some people like you who work and have a family but you’re still expected to do it. But given your situation you probably don’t need as many hours as most students. Definitely should have more than what you have though. Talk about your situation in your application next time you apply.
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He mea culpa’d a few posts up.
 
lol The haters of the internet strike again.
 
Haha Perhaps my phrasing was off. I did not actually plan to reapply again and was going to attend DMU, grateful and happy to have a spot to become a doctor. I secured an apt. And paid the deposit etc. house hunted in Iowa and tours the place with my parents again. But when you have the chance to be closer to family and attend a school that may make it easier for you to pursue more competitive specialties it makes sense.
 
Hey, congratulations to you OP!
And dont sweat it. Haters gonna hate.
 
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