Tough decision

[The REAL Doc McStuffins]

Hey everyone. So I need help making a tough decision. I recently got accepted into a masters program with an unofficial linkage with an MD program in my home state. With this 2-year program, I would be taking med school classes as well as a Kaplan course to improve my MCAT score. As long as I do well in the program, I would get an interview and hopefully start med school. But I’m torn because I just got an interview invite for a DO school that ghosted me for months lol so idk what to do. If everything goes well and I end up getting into the DO school, should I do that instead of the MD linkage? I’m already 26 and I don’t really want to keep pushing this back.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[strawberry_icecream11]

Go to that DO school

 

[HMad123]

There are a lot of If's in the first and the later you will know after your interview.
You don't want to push back, and also you will be paying a lot of money for the masters.
Make the decision based on what's best for you.

 

[Dwight_Halpert]

Go to the DO school

 

[Calizboosted76]

Hey everyone. So I need help making a tough decision. I recently got accepted into a masters program with an unofficial linkage with an MD program in my home state. With this 2-year program, I would be taking med school classes as well as a Kaplan course to improve my MCAT score. As long as I do well in the program, I would get an interview and hopefully start med school. But I’m torn because I just got an interview invite for a DO school that ghosted me for months lol so idk what to do. If everything goes well and I end up getting into the DO school, should I do that instead of the MD linkage? I’m already 26 and I don’t really want to keep pushing this back.

Do you want to be a doctor or do you want to potentially be a doctor? If you turn down the DO offer then youre showing poor decision making skills.

I get the temptation of "Oh well maybe I could get into this MD school after my linkage" but what is the matriculation of this linkage program? If it isnt 100% then you need to take what is with the DO route.

 

[WildWing]

Unless I misread your post, you have an interview at the DO school, not an actual acceptance, correct? In that case, you've created a false choice between the options. I would do the following:

1. Attend the DO interview and do your best
2. Wait until the last minute to accept the seat/pay the deposit at the master's program - but if you don't have an acceptance to the DO school in hand, assume you'll be moving forward with the master's

If you get accepted to the DO school, go with that, but if not, then you have the master's program.

Edit: Accept that this might mean losing the deposit at the master's program.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You have no decision until you get an A from the DO program. Then we tell you go to the DO school.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

You might pay for a useless masters if you don't matriculate to the MD school. I recommended a student from our local Pre Med mill, star lacrosse player,3.7 Chem major to our post back and they didn't make rhe cut for admission. Go to the interview, take the A if it comes. It it doesn't go to masters and make it happen.

 

[The REAL Doc McStuffins]

You have no decision until you get an A from the DO program. Then we tell you go to the DO school.

Well I’m waitlisted for now. I think my main concern is that I’m interested in anesthesia and I’m not sure how difficult it would be for me to successfully match if I go the DO route

 

[The REAL Doc McStuffins]

Do you want to be a doctor or do you want to potentially be a doctor? If you turn down the DO offer then youre showing poor decision making skills.

I get the temptation of "Oh well maybe I could get into this MD school after my linkage" but what is the matriculation of this linkage program? If it isnt 100% then you need to take what is with the DO route.

I agree. I’m on the waitlist for the DO school now. My concern is that I’m interested in anesthesia and I’m not sure how difficult that would be to match as a DO

 

[RoamingTexan]

I agree. I’m on the waitlist for the DO school now. My concern is that I’m interested in anesthesia and I’m not sure how difficult that would be to match as a DO

Matching into anesthesia as a DO is more difficult, but to be frank, it's difficult as an MD as well. Do you want to be a doctor or do you just want to do anesthesia? If you wouldn't be happy in another area of medicine, don't go to medical school. Look into becoming an AA or a CRNA if that's your interest. You mentioned in a post last year that you were fine with either MD or DO, has something changed?

I hope this comes off with the level of respect that is intended, but from what I can gather about your stat range (~3.5, ~500), it will be very challenging for you to match into anesthesia without some significant improvements to your academic ability and skill on standardized exams. Do some reflection and really think about whether this is right for you.

 

[Med Ed]

I agree. I’m on the waitlist for the DO school now. My concern is that I’m interested in anesthesia and I’m not sure how difficult that would be to match as a DO

I will echo @RoamingTexan a bit, if you want to match into a reasonably competitive field then you need to up your academic game. Staggering off a DO school waitlist at the eleventh hour is not a prime way to start. To that end, a Masters program where you take medical school classes and Kaplan could be a good move. Under the best of circumstances you will practice medicine for a long time. I the grand scheme of things a 2-year investment up front is quite modest.

 

[dial1010usa]

First of all you just got an interview not an acceptance. I don't like to sugarcoat. Go for your interview and kill it and if you get an acceptance take it. 2 year master and tons of loans. Every year the medical school will be competitive not easier. First get into med school then think about speciality. Without your GPA and MCAt it's hard to tell. For DO students it's not that hard if you kill steps and level exams with GPA, rotations, EC etc. All the best!!!