transferring DO schools

[mcatisthedevil]

Has anyone ever transferred DO school as an OMSII?
I have some questions about the application process..and if your experience was good or bad with the change in curriculums. I would be transferring back to my home state for financial reasons.

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[rddoms]

As far as I know, transferring after you finish 2nd year/COMLEX Step 1 is the only way to do it.

Some schools may allow you to transfer earlier, but you will most likely have to start from the beginning. The coursework differs at each school, so giving credit for completed coursework is difficult.

I would call the ADCOM of the school you want to transfer to, they will be able to help.

 

[HoboCommander]

To transfer, what kind of application do u have to fill out?

 

[hanky1982]

Probably your best bet is to contact the school you are planning to transfer to to find out their procedures and policies. There was a student in my first year who transfered out to another DO school, but she had to start as OMS I all over again. It should be noted, that the dean at your home school must sign off on it (good luck with that).

 

[IandIatrogenic]

I transferred going into my second year so the repeating the entire first year probably has more to do with curriculum than anything else...the school I left had a near identical curriculum with one I transferred to. Personally I never would have done it had the case been otherwise (my god I can't imagine repeating 1st year over).

As for the transferring process, all I did was contact the head of admissions at the school I transferred to. Luckily, I had interviewed and had been accepted at my new school the prior year so once the wheels were in motion it was painless process.

Even so the academic transition was turbulent and not because of a change in the degree of difficulty of material...the stylistic differences inherent to each COM forces you to change your methods after you already sank into a (relative) comfort zone where you were. I found this vexing and so it's an onus you don't want to place on yourself unless you absolutely have to.

 

[ChiDO]

I feel like transferring between years 1 and 2 would be pretty hectic, as the poster mentioned aboved, different teachers, different schedules, different test question writers.

I would guess that transferring after your 2nd year is probably an easier transition as everyone is going into clinical rotations and shelf exams without every experiencing them before.

 

[basupran]

Two of my classmates transferred from their DO schools into our allopathic medical school. Here is a list of LCME schools that consider DO transfers:

Year 2 (8 Total Institutions)
IN Indiana U School of Medicine
LA LSU School of Med-New Orleans
NE U of Nebraska Coll of Medicine
NM Univ of New Mexico Schl of Med
OH Wright State U School of Med
PA Drexel University College of Medicine
PR U Central Caribe School of Med
WI Univ of Wisconsin Medical Schl


Year 3 (6 Total Institutions)
CA Loma Linda Univ School of Med
IL U of Illinois College of Med
NY SUNY Upstate Medical Univ.
PA Drexel University College of Medicine
PR U Central Caribe School of Med
TX Baylor College of Medicine

Source:
http://services.aamc.org/tsp_reports/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.policy_results





If you want to transfer to specific programs, you can go to the school's application website. For example, looking at nycom: http://iris.nyit.edu/nycom/Admissions_Apply.htm

Transfer Student Application
Applications for transfer to NYCOM will be for entrance into the third year. Students must have successfully completed the equivalent of all NYCOM first and second year courses. All third and fourth
year requirements must be completed at NYCOM. Transfer must occur from other medical schools
which are accredited by the American Osteopathic Association.

Please contact the Office of Admissions for application materials. The following is required:
1. Application Form
2. Official transcripts from all colleges attended, including undergraduate, graduate
and medical school
3. Record of MCAT results
4. A letter from the College of Osteopathic Medicine Dean verifying that the student is good
standing or explanation of leave of absence, withdrawal or dismissal
5. Personal interview
6. Successfully passed COMLEX Step I



Please submit your application and all required documentation to the NYCOM Office of Admissions
after February 1st but not later than March 15. Application for transfer will be reviewed by the
Admissions Committee and the Associate Dean for Clinical Education. Decisions will be made after all
currently enrolled NYCOM students are placed in clinical rotations (typically the month of April).





Finally, if you are considering transferring to an LCME school, check out my website- it provides useful information for those transferring from osteopathic and caribbean med schools.
caribbeantransfer.blogspot.com

 

[ChiDO]

There are a lot more MD schools accepting DO transfer then just that list. There was a thread not too long ago about a guy who called individual schools (he had a list going) and they said they do accept DO transfer students.

Basically, if you are in a situation that you need to xfer, your best bet is to call all schools within the area and speak with the admissions office.

 

[FutureSurg]

My classmate did at the end of 2nd year because our school was giving him a hard time scheduling rotations near his hometown (something they had promised when interviewing). I think it's best to do it at the end of 2nd year so that you can start fresh with rotations as opposed to the middle of a non-corresponding curriculum.