Texas - TCOM Application

[Texas Sam]

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Hey Everyone,

I am currently filling out my TCOM application. This year, they are trying something new. They have merged their application process with the Texas Med School Application system. This presents students with a little dilemma. How does one go about tailoring an essay towards osteopathic medicine when all the other schools that will be reading the essay are Allopathic? I have written my first draft with the focus on primary care. I would definitely prefer to be an osteopath although I would not frown at an acceptance letter from a Texas allopathic school either. Any advice?

Texas Sam

 

[reed99]

Originally posted by Texas Sam:
Hey Everyone,

How does one go about tailoring an essay towards osteopathic medicine when all the other schools that will be reading the essay are Allopathic?

Sam,
I would save the "all-out" DO approach for your secondary. You can always integrate the importance of a holistic approach to health etc...in the portion of the essay where you address your philosophy. I would think that if your interest is primarily in osteopathy than your outlook on medicine will reflect that. Volunteering with a DO wouldn't hurt either and you can include it in your chronology. Best of wishes to you!

Ruth
TCOM 2004

 

[drusso]

Agreed. Emphasize in your application essay your general interest in medicine, etc. You can specify your interest in osteopathic medicine in your secondaries...

I will tell you a funny story: A classmate of mine, in a frantic rush to get his applications in on time, mixed up his essays and sent the osteopathically-oriented essays to all the MD schools and the "regular essay" to DO schools he was applying to that year. He ended up with 4 MD interviews and 3 DO interviews. At one of his MD interviews, the interviewer said, "Oh, so I see you want to be an osteopath...that's great! Tell me about your interest in osteopathic medicine." At his DO interviews, the interviewer didn't ask a single specific question about being an MD or a DO. He was accepted at both...so maybe they really don't read those essays TOO closely...

--dave

UNTHSC-TCOM, MS-3

 

[Texas Sam]

Thanks for the suggestions!!
Ruth, I have been shadowing / working for free for an osteopath in Fort Worth. Very cool. Learning a ton. I put in about 20 hours a week. Osteopathic medicine is definitely where I want to be.

 

[DO Boy]

My essay never even mentioned DO's -- just medicine in general (in my own unique way

).

In my TCOM interviews, I was never asked "why DO"?

Just food for thought.

DO Boy
TCOM 04

 

[Texas Sam]

DO Boy,

Who did you interview with at TCOM? The Ph.D. that I interviewed with this year never asked me the "why DO" question but the DO that I interviewed with did ask. Interesting.

 

[DO Boy]

My interviews were with Dr. Atkinson of ID and Dr. Lurie, a community health professor.

My interview experience at TCOM was just like the other medical schools in TX (i.e. why medicine?; What would you do if...; What do u see yourself doing?; etc.)

I did mention my experience shadowing DO's before though, so it wasn't like osteopathy was never mentioned at all. Still, I only mentioned it once.

Sorta strange if u ask me.
DO Boy