Too high of an mcat for DO?

[kob3z]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Is it possible that having too high of an mcat will be a detriment to getting accepted to DO school? I've heard there is a study that the higher the mcat, the more likely an individual is to go into a sub specialty.. and since DO schools really like applicants who want to be family practice in underserved areas...

jw if anyone has any thoughts on this

 

[angldrps]

Is it possible that having too high of an mcat will be a detriment to getting accepted to DO school? I've heard there is a study that the higher the mcat, the more likely an individual is to go into a sub specialty.. and since DO schools really like applicants who want to be family practice in underserved areas...

jw if anyone has any thoughts on this

This was mainly true when DO profession first started out. Now graduates go on to practice in a variety of specialties.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Is it possible that having too high of an mcat will be a detriment to getting accepted to DO school? I've heard there is a study that the higher the mcat, the more likely an individual is to go into a sub specialty.. and since DO schools really like applicants who want to be family practice in underserved areas...

jw if anyone has any thoughts on this

1) No, a high mcat will not get you not accepted.
2) I don't think your mcat is going to be strongly correlated to what specialty you pursue.
3) A non-issue, you're still going to probably spew the same bull that you want to become a FM practitioner or serve poor communities to impress interviewers.

 

[kob3z]

ok, thanks for quick reply! hope I get in this cycle, love the osteopathic principles

 

[kob3z]

so saying i want to specialize during an interview would be a bad idea, yeah?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I think generally it isn't a good idea because the interviewer may start asking questions that you may potentially not be able to answer if you don't have extensive experience in this field. Either way your job right now is to communicate the urge to go into medicine, save the urge to talk about your field for your residency interviews.

 

[Cinclus]

A high MCAT score will be nothing but helpful to you.

 

[kob3z]

good points, I appreciate the thoughts

 

[tenndoc]

As long as you stress that do isn't a backup plan it wont hurt

 

[byuhusker]

I saw in another post you have an mcat of 30. Do don't worry about having too high of a score, a 30 isn't a 'high' mcat. It's a good score, and there are LOTS of DO students with 30+. If you were 35+ this would possibly be a concern, still not really.

 

[NeuroLAX]

I saw in another post you have an mcat of 30. Do don't worry about having too high of a score, a 30 isn't a 'high' mcat. It's a good score, and there are LOTS of DO students with 30+. If you were 35+ this would possibly be a concern, still not really.

Good work, detective 😉

ok, thanks for quick reply! hope I get in this cycle, love the osteopathic principles

If the rest of your application is decent, you'll do fine. Good luck!

 

[kob3z]

haha i was actually planning on retaking it.. i got a 30 last year and ive been getting 38-39 on the cbt practice test. my mcat is scheduled for july 6. do i have to tell them i am planning on retaking it?

 

[kob3z]

i would rather not tell them because
1. it might delay my app a little bit
2. my 30 is good enough for DO
I am only retaking it because I am and ID resident and I want to atleast give myself at decent shot at applying to U of Wash MD program because of WWAMI. its the only MD program I am applying to

 

[NeuroLAX]

OP, either you're seriously trolling me now, or you're just nuts for retaking a 30 MCAT. Or your grades are extremely low, because that's the only thing IMO that would justify chasing a 38-39.

 

[thecgrblue]

I scored a 27S. I asked PNWU admissions dean if I should retake it and he seriously told me not to. He said that when you start getting 30+ they wonder why you are applying to a DO school.

I BS you not...I thought it was the weirdest thing. He went on to say that they feel that people with higher MCAT may be happier at a research institution. 😕

 

[kob3z]

im not chasing a 39.. id be happy with a 35.. but my amcas scgpa: 3.5 cpga:3.45 and those are below average for UW.... my aacomas sc:3.7 cu:3.6.. maybe i should just forget UW and go with DO since it's what I'm leaning towards at the moment anyways. I just wanted to keep my options open since WWAMI is such a great deal, but I don't want it to be at the detriment of my aacomas applications

 

[kob3z]

would save some $$ cancelling my mcat, but i've studied a few hours a week for close to a year now

 

[NeuroLAX]

im not chasing a 39.. id be happy with a 35.. but my amcas scgpa: 3.5 cpga:3.45 and those are below average for UW.... my aacomas sc:3.7 cu:3.6.. maybe i should just forget UW and go with DO since it's what I'm leaning towards at the moment anyways. I just wanted to keep my options open since WWAMI is such a great deal, but I don't want it to be at the detriment of my aacomas applications

Do you have any idea how many MD schools you could apply to with your stats and a 35 (even a 30)? But if you really have your heart set on DO, then go for it. You're bound to get in somewhere. Do what you want.

 

[Napoletana1007]

It is possible to have a higher MCAT hurt your chances at certain schools for the very reason that you stated. I have a 34 MCAT and I have heard this from both advisors and admissions people. But there isn't a D.O./ M.D. distinction. For example Florida State is one of the MD programs that often turns away students with higher MCAT scores because they are like 7th in the nation for Family Medicine and want to attract students that are less likely to specialize. You just need to research the schools that you plan on applying too. A good clue is looking at the average MCATs of accepted students which vary greatly among all of the DO schools

 

[Temperature101]

ok, thanks for quick reply! hope I get in this cycle, love the osteopathic principles

Are there such things?

 

[EgyptianDoc]

is it possible that having too high of an mcat will be a detriment to getting accepted to do school? I've heard there is a study that the higher the mcat, the more likely an individual is to go into a sub specialty.. And since do schools really like applicants who want to be family practice in underserved areas...

Jw if anyone has any thoughts on this

LOL is this real life?

 

[VespaDO4life]

Is it possible that having too high of an mcat will be a detriment to getting accepted to DO school? I've heard there is a study that the higher the mcat, the more likely an individual is to go into a sub specialty.. and since DO schools really like applicants who want to be family practice in underserved areas...

jw if anyone has any thoughts on this

 

[NeuroLAX]

LOL is this real life?

+1 that was a good laugh. Dave wearing a Gators Football shirt is also a +1 in my book.

 

[lobo.solo]

NO, it will definitely help you. It shows that you have good critical thinking skills and a solid science background, both crucial to your success in med school.

 

[gatorfann14]

Are there such things?

Ya, if you go to a DO school you will learn them in OMM

 

[tenndoc]

Are there such things?

Seriously?

 

[SpecterGT260]

1) No, a high mcat will not get you not accepted.
2) I don't think your mcat is going to be strongly correlated to what specialty you pursue.
3) A non-issue, you're still going to probably spew the same bull that you want to become a FM practitioner or serve poor communities to impress interviewers.

I was waitlisted at a DO school with my mcat which was 7pts higher than their average because the interviewers felt that they were a backup. Accepted outright to MD. if you have an exceptionally high MCAT to the point that they wonder "well why arent you applying MD?" you need to display a little extra pro-DO mentality in other areas.

 

[SpecterGT260]

I think generally it isn't a good idea because the interviewer may start asking questions that you may potentially not be able to answer if you don't have extensive experience in this field. Either way your job right now is to communicate the urge to go into medicine, save the urge to talk about your field for your residency interviews.

THIS!

one of the first things you learn in medical school will be that you dont know jack about any of the specialties 😉
Just show you want to be a doctor for now. If asked about specialties be vague and broad.