Top 5 DO schools

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I'm not sure about any rankings and trust that there are great schools with great reputations (you all know much more than I) but I interviewed at a couple of schools so far and I will say that just based off atmosphere and facilities ARCOM blew AZCOM out of the water. I am not saying that AZCOM is not better than ARCOM but I do think that this shows that it is hard to rank on "prestige" or factors like that cause things are changing in massive ways because of how young osteopathy is compared to allopathy.

How pretty the building is, is like 1537834766278399th on the list of important things about a Medical school.

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I'm not sure about any rankings and trust that there are great schools with great reputations (you all know much more than I) but I interviewed at a couple of schools so far and I will say that just based off atmosphere and facilities ARCOM blew AZCOM out of the water. I am not saying that AZCOM is not better than ARCOM but I do think that this shows that it is hard to rank on "prestige" or factors like that cause things are changing in massive ways because of how young osteopathy is compared to allopathy.
You based the shiny building and interview day bells and whistles against board scores and match lists? And felt comfortable using that logic to blanket that all DO reputations are invalid? :/
 
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How pretty the building is, is like 1537834766278399th on the list of important things about a Medical school.

I only kind of agree.

If the campus and facilities factored into whether or not I felt I could succeed at a school, it suddenly gets moved towards the top of my list.

I would rather reject an acceptance from or not apply to a school where I feel I cannot succeed than attend and do either very poorly or drop out.
 
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I only kind of agree.

If the campus and facilities factored into whether or not I felt I could succeed at a school, it suddenly gets moved towards the top of my list.

I would rather reject an acceptance from or not apply to a school where I feel I cannot succeed than attend and do either very poorly or drop out.
We can use me as an example.
Born and raised So. FL 30 y/o non-trad married with a son. Accepted to NSU (10 mins from home) and DMU.
NSU has the $$$ UG complete with Walmart sized gym and salt water swimming pools. They have the current reputation I won’t get into...
DMU is in the Midwest, far from my home. I’m about to learn what winter truly is as I have never even seen snow.
 
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How pretty the building is, is like 1537834766278399th on the list of important things about a Medical school.
You based the shiny building and interview day bells and whistles against board scores and match lists? And felt comfortable using that logic to blanket that all DO reputations are invalid? :/
I think that you guys are confusing atmosphere (what I said) with architecture. I personally felt there was a better chance to succeed at ARCOM (not looking at the number, just the feel). I'm not saying AZCOM is worse than ARCOM. I understand the weight of board scores and match lists but I can confidently say that in 10 years the top 5 schools will definitely look different. There are schools, like ARCOM, heading in the right direction. Currently, the top 5 can really be a random choice of 10 schools as you can see from this thread. I'm saying that these choices are valid and the reputations are accurate. I wasn't trying to blankent anything or disprove any reputation. I am saying that I see a lot of change coming in the future.
 
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I think that you guys are confusing atmosphere (what I said) with architecture. I personally felt there was a better chance to succeed at ARCOM (not looking at the number, just the feel). I'm not saying AZCOM is worse than ARCOM. I understand the weight of board scores and match lists but I can confidently say that in 10 years the top 5 schools will definitely look different. There are schools, like ARCOM, heading in the right direction. Currently, the top 5 can really be a random choice of 10 schools as you can see from this thread. I'm saying that these choices are valid and the reputations are accurate. I wasn't trying to blankent anything or disprove any reputation. I am saying that I see a lot of change coming in the future.
How pretty the building is, is like 1537834766278399th on the list of important things about a Medical school.
You based the shiny building and interview day bells and whistles against board scores and match lists? And felt comfortable using that logic to blanket that all DO reputations are invalid? :/
I go to ARCOM, and I completely agree with @believeland. I know I might be a little bias, but I believe that ARCOM is really one of the new schools that is really moving in the right direction, and it's not just because of the brand new "shiny" building. I know it is a private school, but with all the support from the state, the city of Fort Smith, the surrounding hospitals and health systems, and other donors from the state dropping millions at a time into the development of the school, it's looking more and more like a state school. This is why we're the only non-profit new DO school, and why students had access to federal loans from the start. We have an entire floor dedicated to ongoing research, and we are encouraged to get involved early in first year. A $2000 stipend is awarded from the school in the summer if you are doing research. Professors here have received many grants already including an NIH grant. ARCOM is the only new school with 3 affiliated residency programs up and running already for this cycle in IM, FM, and gen surg, and another 3 seeking ACGME accreditation. Our curriculum (triple helix) is a more rigorous and innovative copy of Rochester's MD school (double helix), and I strongly believe in its effectiveness because of how it allows us to go over pre-clinical materials 3 times before boards. We are already offering a 1 year special masters degree in biomedicine for students interested in our school but have weak stats, which if you finish with a B overall, you are guaranteed an interview. In less then two years, we'll also offer OT, PT, and PA programs. How do you think we are able to move so fast? 3 words, lots of support, and because we are kinda like a private "state" school like I said earlier. We may not be the first choice DO school right now, but I do believe we're going to be a strong school going forward once we have a few graduate classes going into the match. Really the only thing that turns people off about ARCOM is dress code and mandatory attendance, but really it isn't that bad. The dress code is business casual, and I go to school more on the casual side everyday and no one cares. Mandatory attendance is only for our 12 week anatomy course, OMM, TBL and FOPC (clinical skills course). BECOM (Biomedical Essentials of Comprehensive Osteopathic Medicine) the course we have the most is not mandatory as long you keep 70% average in the class, so really only during the first semester when you have anatomy, you have to be at school everyday. Once you pass anatomy, the mandatory attendance is more lax.

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I go to ARCOM, and I completely agree with @believeland. I know I might be a little bias, but I believe that ARCOM is really one of the new schools that is really moving in the right direction, and it's not just because of the brand new "shiny" building. I know it is a private school, but with all the support from the state, the city of Fort Smith, the surrounding hospitals and health systems, and other donors from the state dropping millions at a time into the development of the school, it's looking more and more like a state school. This is why we're the only non-profit new school, and why students had access to federal loans from the start. We have an entire floor dedicated to ongoing research, and we are encouraged to get involved early in first year. A $2000 stipend is awarded from the school in the summer if you are doing research. Professors here have received many grants already including an NIH grant. ARCOM is the only new school with 3 affiliated residency programs up and running already for this cycle in IM, FM, and gen surg, and another 3 seeking ACGME accreditation. Our curriculum (triple helix) is a more rigorous and innovative copy of Rochester's MD school (double helix), and I strongly believe in its effectiveness because of how it allows us to go over pre-clinical materials 3 times before boards. We are already offering a 1 year special masters degree in biomedicine for students interested in our school but have weak stats, which if you finish with a B overall, you are guaranteed an interview. In less then two year, we'll also offer OT, PT, and PA programs. How do you think we are able to move so fast? 3 words, lots of support, and because we are kinda like private "state" school like I said earlier. We may not the first choice DO school right now, but I do believe we're going to be a strong school going forward once we have a few graduate classes going into the match. Really the only thing that turns people off about ARCOM is dress code and mandatory attendance, but really it isn't that bad. The dress code is business casual, and I go to school more on the casual side everyday and no one cares. Mandatory attendance is only for our 12 week anatomy course, OMM, TBL and FOPC (clinical skills course). BECOM (Biomedical Essentials of Comprehensive Osteopathic Medicine) the course we have the most is not mandatory as long you keep 70% average in the class, so really only during the first semester when you have anatomy, you have to be at school everyday. Once you pass anatomy, the mandatory attendance is more lax.

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I am sorry if I cam across as saying anything in the SLIGHTEST bad about ARCOM. I was just mentioning that the building should not be the attracting factor in decision of medical schools.
 
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I go to ARCOM, and I completely agree with @believeland. I know I might be a little bias, but I believe that ARCOM is really one of the new schools that is really moving in the right direction, and it's not just because of the brand new "shiny" building. I know it is a private school, but with all the support from the state, the city of Fort Smith, the surrounding hospitals and health systems, and other donors from the state dropping millions at a time into the development of the school, it's looking more and more like a state school. This is why we're the only non-profit new school, and why students had access to federal loans from the start. We have an entire floor dedicated to ongoing research, and we are encouraged to get involved early in first year. A $2000 stipend is awarded from the school in the summer if you are doing research. Professors here have received many grants already including an NIH grant. ARCOM is the only new school with 3 affiliated residency programs up and running already for this cycle in IM, FM, and gen surg, and another 3 seeking ACGME accreditation. Our curriculum (triple helix) is a more rigorous and innovative copy of Rochester's MD school (double helix), and I strongly believe in its effectiveness because of how it allows us to go over pre-clinical materials 3 times before boards. We are already offering a 1 year special masters degree in biomedicine for students interested in our school but have weak stats, which if you finish with a B overall, you are guaranteed an interview. In less then two year, we'll also offer OT, PT, and PA programs. How do you think we are able to move so fast? 3 words, lots of support, and because we are kinda like private "state" school like I said earlier. We may not be the first choice DO school right now, but I do believe we're going to be a strong school going forward once we have a few graduate classes going into the match. Really the only thing that turns people off about ARCOM is dress code and mandatory attendance, but really it isn't that bad. The dress code is business casual, and I go to school more on the casual side everyday and no one cares. Mandatory attendance is only for our 12 week anatomy course, OMM, TBL and FOPC (clinical skills course). BECOM (Biomedical Essentials of Comprehensive Osteopathic Medicine) the course we have the most is not mandatory as long you keep 70% average in the class, so really only during the first semester when you have anatomy, you have to be at school everyday. Once you pass anatomy, the mandatory attendance is more lax.

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I am sorry if I cam across as saying anything in the SLIGHTEST bad about ARCOM. I was just mentioning that the building should not be the attracting factor in decision of medical schools.

Same. I was only responding to the building factor. Everything else you mentioned are legitimate considerations.
 
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@AnatomyGrey12 Could you help me? I am the minority that applied to DO schools without doing enough research. I read that your opinion is that all state schools are superior in a way. Sorry to ask the dumb questions but aren’t all DO schools private? What’s considered state schools? I also read youd place newer schools at the bottom, but I was wondering with a newer school like ACOM which is the only DO school in Alabama and looks to have established clerkships in many areas and 99% match rate what’s your opinion?

Basically I’m asking either for a link or list of examples of states schools and your opinion in ACOM.
 
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@AnatomyGrey12 Could you help me? I am the minority that applied to DO schools without doing enough research. I read that your opinion is that all state schools are superior in a way. Sorry to ask the dumb questions but aren’t all DO schools private? What’s considered state schools? I also read youd place newer schools at the bottom, but I was wondering with a newer school like ACOM which is the only DO school in Alabama and looks to have established clerkships in many areas and 99% match rate what’s your opinion?

Basically I’m asking either for a link or list of examples of states schools and your opinion in ACOM.

There are state funded schools that are true state schools like many MD schools. Michigan State, Ohio University, OK State, University of North Texas are all DO schools.
 
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@AnatomyGrey12 Could you help me? I am the minority that applied to DO schools without doing enough research. I read that your opinion is that all state schools are superior in a way. Sorry to ask the dumb questions but aren’t all DO schools private? What’s considered state schools? I also read youd place newer schools at the bottom, but I was wondering with a newer school like ACOM which is the only DO school in Alabama and looks to have established clerkships in many areas and 99% match rate what’s your opinion?

Basically I’m asking either for a link or list of examples of states schools and your opinion in ACOM.

Depends what your aspirations are with Acom. I do believe it’s one of the better new schools being built.
 
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There are state funded schools that are true state schools like many MD schools. Michigan State, Ohio University, OK State, University of North Texas are all DO schools.
If a new school is your only option is there anything you would suggest? Like just preparing as early as possible for the uphill battles?
 
What are your aspirations
Open to everything but most likely thoracic based off my experiences thus far (IM, FM, EM, Anesthesia, surgery and some radiology). By far the coolest procedures I’ve observed are the congenital cases.

I know I-6 is next to impossible but the 5 + 2-3 pathway seems doable at this point if you do all the right things. I don’t know how competitive 4+3 is to be honest but sounds pretty enticing as well.
 
@AnatomyGrey12 Could you help me? I am the minority that applied to DO schools without doing enough research. I read that your opinion is that all state schools are superior in a way. Sorry to ask the dumb questions but aren’t all DO schools private? What’s considered state schools? I also read youd place newer schools at the bottom, but I was wondering with a newer school like ACOM which is the only DO school in Alabama and looks to have established clerkships in many areas and 99% match rate what’s your opinion?

Basically I’m asking either for a link or list of examples of states schools and your opinion in ACOM.
Keep in mind that ACOM might have a high match rate, but they have a 20% attrition rate as well. I read that something like 130 out of the 162 starting students graduated.
 
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Keep in mind that ACOM might have a high match rate, but they have a 20% attrition rate as well. I read that something like 130 out of the 162 starting students graduated.
Won’t know the true 6 year attrition rate until this year. That was also for the first class. Class of 2018 was not nearly as high as 130/162
 
Open to everything but most likely thoracic based off my experiences thus far (IM, FM, EM, Anesthesia, surgery and some radiology). By far the coolest procedures I’ve observed are the congenital cases.

I know I-6 is next to impossible but the 5 + 2-3 pathway seems doable at this point if you do all the right things. I don’t know how competitive 4+3 is to be honest but sounds pretty enticing as well.

What are your stats? Going to a new school will be career suicide if thoracic surgery is your goal.
 
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What are your stats? Going to a new school will be career suicide if thoracic surgery is your goal.
About average for DO. Have an interview coming up at the “oldest DO school” (hint hint). Have a waitlist at one DO school (not a new school) and one acceptance at a new school. Waiting to hear from a few other schools still.
 
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About average for DO. Have an interview coming up at the “oldest DO school” (hint hint). Have a waitlist at one DO school (not a new school) and one acceptance at a new school. Waiting to hear from a few other schools still.

KCOM is a good school. Truth is any DO school I’ll hamper your ability to do surgery so have a good list of back ups.

@AnatomyGrey12 Im looking to EM. I hope a new school like ACOM will be okay for that.

Absolutely.
 
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Keep in mind that ACOM might have a high match rate, but they have a 20% attrition rate as well. I read that something like 130 out of the 162 starting students graduated.
Here's how to avoid: don't be an idiot and remediate
 
No list (even if that was a thing in the DO world) should have KCU at the top. And UNECOM? Wut?

There is only a rough outline and it generally goes: State schools/PCOM > the oldest most established > RVU/LECOM type schools >>> LMU/KYCOM types>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> any new school.

I wanted to come back to this after I came across some new information. KCU has the highest board scores for DO's and from what I've seen they have matched more students into specialties in ACGME than any other schools. If I had that wrong, feel free to show me some information, but this is what I have seen. Based on this why wouldn't you put KCU in the top spot? what would your number 1 be?
 
I wanted to come back to this after I came across some new information. KCU has the highest board scores for DO's and from what I've seen they have matched more students into specialties in ACGME than any other schools. If I had that wrong, feel free to show me some information, but this is what I have seen. Based on this why wouldn't you put KCU in the top spot? what would your number 1 be?

While KCU has very good COMLEX 1 scores, I don't believe they are consistently #1 each year. I believe last year it might have been Lecom-B? I also know that DMU and CCOM are among the top 2 or 3 each year. They flip-flop.

For ACGME matches, I can't speak for other schools but I believe DMU had a higher % of their students match ACGME than KCU (~84% excluding military).
 
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While KCU has very good COMLEX 1 scores, I don't believe they are consistently #1 each year. I believe last year it might have been Lecom-B? I also know that DMU and CCOM are among the top 2 or 3 each year. They flip-flop.

For ACGME matches, I can't speak for other schools but I believe DMU had a higher % of their students match ACGME than KCU (~84% excluding military).

Okay ill do a little more research between those schools
 
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Okay ill do a little more research between those schools
I think KCU recent has a high 500 Comlex and DMUs most recent is over 600.
I think that once you are in the xyz% or whatever is top then other factors begin to rise in importance instead of a 1.5% Comlex average you should consider things like rotations, research, affiliated residencies etc...
I also doubt it’s ideal to split hairs with specialties as different classes are going to match different due to preference and not always forced into FM Peds etc...
Again I would recommend KCU as a great school, I applied there and interviewed and was accepted and I didn’t feel like my money and time was being wasted...
 
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Here at TCOM we were sent an email by our dean that said that at least for class of 2019 we had the highest COMLEX average among all DO schools.
 
Here at TCOM we were sent an email by our dean that said that at least for class of 2019 we had the highest COMLEX average among all DO schools.

I could believe that although I didn’t know one school can see what other schools averages are...
 
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I wanted to come back to this after I came across some new information. KCU has the highest board scores for DO's and from what I've seen they have matched more students into specialties in ACGME than any other schools. If I had that wrong, feel free to show me some information, but this is what I have seen. Based on this why wouldn't you put KCU in the top spot? what would your number 1 be?

1. DMU matches the most to ACGME, at least recently.
2. They used to have the highest board scores for DOs. From my contacts at KCU (n of about 6) all say that the KCU board score heyday is over now that Dubin left.
3. Matching and board scores are largely personal and doesn't necessarily reflect on the school so much as the students that go there.

I don't believe in a hard ranking for DO schools but some have more opportunities for their students than others. State schools/PCOM>> older, established private schools (KCU, KCOM, DMU)> RVU/LECOM class >>>> rural, established schools>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> any new school.
 
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I could believe that although I didn’t know one school can see what other schools averages are...

We were shown a histogram that showed our average compared to other schools but it did not reveal which schools the other data points signified.
 
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We were shown a histogram that showed our average compared to other schools but it did not reveal which schools the other data points signified.
What does that mean other than someone showed you a histogram?
 
1. DMU matches the most to ACGME, at least recently.
2. They used to have the highest board scores for DOs. From my contacts at KCU (n of about 6) all say that the KCU board score heyday is over now that Dubin left.
3. Matching and board scores are largely personal and doesn't necessarily reflect on the school so much as the students that go there.

I don't believe in a hard ranking for DO schools but some have more opportunities for their students than others. State schools/PCOM>> older, established private schools (KCU, KCOM, DMU)> RVU/LECOM class >>>> rural, established schools>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> any new school.

Yes
 
We were shown a histogram that showed our average compared to other schools but it did not reveal which schools the other data points signified.

image001.png


Our dean sent this out after receiving it from the national board.
 
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Super shty, im being over worked, just got off finals week and my baby is sleeping only moderately. Is it coming off that bad?

It’s palpable... But I understand the struggle! Let’s pray for anbien quality sleep for the upcoming week!
 
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While KCU has very good COMLEX 1 scores, I don't believe they are consistently #1 each year. I believe last year it might have been Lecom-B? I also know that DMU and CCOM are among the top 2 or 3 each year. They flip-flop.

For ACGME matches, I can't speak for other schools but I believe DMU had a higher % of their students match ACGME than KCU (~84% excluding military).

To add on to what Rusrus and Pilot have already said:

TCOM has had either the highest or almost the highest COMLEX Level 1 score for the past couple of years running. Additionally, our Step 1 average was, officially, something like a 229 two years ago. I heard a 231/232 number thrown around this past year by some people in the upper classes with over 80% of our classes sitting for the exam year over year. To my knowledge, the only DO schools outperforming us on Step 1 are schools having significantly fewer students sitting for the exam (e.g. 50-60% of class).

Also, see TCOM average COMLEX approaches 600 (594)
 
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That said, MSU probably has the best name due to being a well known public school

Yea, because people will think you went to the MD school, lol.

People who say DO is DO so it doesn’t matter are only right in a small sense. The quality of education and research as well as 3/4 year clinical sites varies by school and does matter to applicants.

Maybe, but none of that matters to PDs (other than potentially research), just like which DO school you went to. At the end of the day, they're the only ones who matter in terms of where you go for residency, which will play an infinitely more important role in your career than where you went to med school.

Exactly, MD schools do it so why shouldn't DO schools do it... It allows a school to build its resources by recruiting the most qualified candidates. DO schools can begin to obtain research grants in the same manner that MDs do.

Because it legitimately doesn't matter. Prestige holds very little value once you're outside of the T20 MD schools, beyond that PDs care far more about geographic than prestige. I can guarantee you that no DO school will get close to touching even T50 overall anytime soon (if ever), so if you're going to go to a DO school, pick one in a geographic region you're hoping to end up in (if you can) over prestige all day long.

I am in the majority that applied to DO schools without doing enough research

Ftfy.

What are your stats? Going to a DO school will be career suicide if thoracic surgery is your goal.

Ftfy, too.
 
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To add on to what Rusrus and Pilot have already said:

TCOM has had either the highest or almost the highest COMLEX Level 1 score for the past couple of years running. Additionally, our Step 1 average was, officially, something like a 229 two years ago. I heard a 231/232 number thrown around this past year by some people in the upper classes with over 80% of our classes sitting for the exam year over year. To my knowledge, the only DO schools outperforming us on Step 1 are schools having significantly fewer students sitting for the exam (e.g. 50-60% of class).

Also, see TCOM average COMLEX approaches 600 (594)

I stand corrected - TCOM appears to be killing it.

During my LECOM-B interview they tried selling us on the “highest COMLEX 1 scores in the country. Just checked the packet they gave us... they averaged 592 that year - respectable, but no cigar.

I believe DMU was slightly below in regards to COMLEX and had around a 231USMLE. It’s unclear how many students actually took the USMLE for them.
 
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Yea, because people will think you went to the MD school, lol.
Maybe, but just in general the school has a good name on sports and research. Oklahoma is probably another school people would think you got an MD, but it's not as name popular as MSU
 
Maybe, but just in general the school has a good name on sports and research. Oklahoma is probably another school people would think you got an MD, but it's not as name popular as MSU

It's certainly a very good school. Just saying that the general public and even physicians are idiots when it comes to osteopathic education and schools.
 
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Princeton University School of Osteopathic Medicine is up there

PUSOM
 
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If you go to DO school.. Getting a residency is on YOU not the school. Step matters, not the school (unless its a brand new school)
 
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