What if I only want to apply DO for my stats?

[Cornfed101]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I have a 3.31 cGPA, 3.44 sGPA (waiting on my MCAT score, but my last 4 practice exams were 512+). I am planning on applying to 20 MD schools and I'm also planning on applying to 5 DO schools as a backup. Unfortunately, I really only want to go to DO school as a backup. I am working on the questions attached to DMU and I can't give an honest answer to "how has your exposure to osteopathic medicine influenced your decision to be a DO?" because every DO I've met doesn't actually treat it any differently or complains that they had to take twice the exams. I have nothing against DOs. My wife had a DO treat her once for emergency pregnancy stuff, but I am interested in ophthalmology and I know it is harder to do that via the DO route... if any of you are/were in a similar situation where you didn't really have a good reason other than having low stats, what did you tell schools?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

You don't have to talk about OMM. You don't even really have to talk about "holistic" or any of that nonsense. I literally was like, "I spent time with Dr. X who is a DO and he was great with his patients and staff and you could tell was a fantastic physician. They motivated me to want to be the kind of doctor that they are." I mean not in those exact words but that was pretty much it.

 

[Schwifty]

You don't have to talk about OMM. You don't even really have to talk about "holistic" or any of that nonsense. I literally was like, "I spent time with Dr. X who is a DO and he was great with his patients and staff and you could tell was a fantastic physician. They motivated me to want to be the kind of doctor that they are." I mean not in those exact words but that was pretty much it.

I said almost the same exact things in my interviews, never mentioned or was asked about OMM

 

[DOgdad23]

With your GPA, DO should not be a backup. Unless you have extensive post-bacc work or successfully completed a SMP with a 3.7+, it is likely it will be your only option. A high MCAT will not always compensate for a low GPA. They know why you’re applying. They just want to see that you’ve at least put in the effort to shadow a DO understand what a DO is. However, I promise if you go in with the attitude of “I’m only here because you’re a backup”, you will be empty handed at the end of the cycle. At least on the DO side you will be. For what’s its worth, I interviewed at 4 DO schools and was accepted to all 4. Only 1 asked me what a DO was and asked me specifics about OMM, the tenets of Osteopathic medicine, etc. and that was my first interview.

As a side note, I worked in an office with 4 vitreoretinal surgeons. 2 of them were DO’s.

 

[Cornfed101]

However, I promise if you go in with the attitude of “I’m only here because you’re a backup”, you will be empty handed at the end of the cycle.

That’s why I asked. I am trying to avoid sounding like a jerk. I did do a post bacc and got a 4.0, and I still realize that DO is a great option. At the end of the day a doctor is a doctor. That is more important to me than any speciality if I’m honest. Thanks for the replies everyone!

 

[hellosnd]

I talked about how I saw DO = MD for that prompt. It worked out for me.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

With your GPA, DO should not be a backup. Unless you have extensive post-bacc work or successfully completed a SMP with a 3.7+, it is likely it will be your only option. A high MCAT will not always compensate for a low GPA. They know why you’re applying. They just want to see that you’ve at least put in the effort to shadow a DO understand what a DO is. However, I promise if you go in with the attitude of “I’m only here because you’re a backup”, you will be empty handed at the end of the cycle. At least on the DO side you will be. For what’s its worth, I interviewed at 4 DO schools and was accepted to all 4. Only 1 asked me what a DO was and asked me specifics about OMM, the tenets of Osteopathic medicine, etc. and that was my first interview.

As a side note, I worked in an office with 4 vitreoretinal surgeons. 2 of them were DO’s.

I would strongly disagree with the GPA aspects of this post. If you get a 512 on the MCAT there will be D.O. schools lined up to take you. See the data on pages 2 & 3 here:

https://www.aacom.org/docs/default-source/data-and-trends/2017-aacomas-applicant-matriculant-profile-summary-report.pdf?sfvrsn=4f072597_12

The mean undergraduate GPA for DO 2017 matriculants was a 3.53. However, the mean MCAT score was merely 503. D.O. schools keep expanding and they are going to need to put butts in seats. If you get anything approaching a 512 you will get in someplace.

 

[Cornfed101]

I talked about how I saw DO = MD for that prompt. It worked out for me.

Yeah I really wish it would be optional to answer “why DO?” I mean there are no allopathic schools that ask “why MD?”

 

[el_duderino]

All else being equal, OP should have about a 40-50% chance of an MD acceptance. DO should be a backup, but (s)he still has a very good chance at MD.

Apply to more than 5 DO schools.

 

[DOgdad23]

I would strongly disagree with the GPA aspects of this post. If you get a 512 on the MCAT there will be D.O. schools lined up to take you. See the data on pages 2 & 3 here:

https://www.aacom.org/docs/default-source/data-and-trends/2017-aacomas-applicant-matriculant-profile-summary-report.pdf?sfvrsn=4f072597_12

The mean undergraduate GPA for DO 2017 matriculants was a 3.53. However, the mean MCAT score was merely 503. D.O. schools keep expanding and they are going to need to put butts in seats. If you get anything approaching a 512 you will get in someplace.

I think there’s a misunderstanding here. I wasn’t saying he’s not competitive for DO with that GPA. I was saying he’s not competitive for MD and a high mcat won’t necessarily make up for a low GPA when applying to MD schools. If OP gets a 505+, they will be a very solid DO applicant, but they can’t carry the attitude of “you’re a backup” and expect them not to notice. Given their post-bacc with a 4.0, a 513+ may land them some interviews at MD schools.

 

[Cornfed101]

Also, this is not a WAMC post... I am really not interested in my chances according to my stats because my application is a lot more than my GPA and MCAT. First off, I am from Wyoming so my chances of being interviewed for WWAMI are 90+% (I asked them for applicant and matriculant data from Wyoming for the last 3 years), and my chances of being accepted to WWAMI are 33% (~60 applied for 20 spots).

I really just wanted to know how to respond to "why DO?" in an appropriate way so that I don't sound like a fool.

 

[Osminog]

I am interested in ophthalmology and I know it is harder to do that via the DO route...

"Harder" is quite an understatement. In 2018, the match rate for DOs in the opthalmology match was 26% (5 out of 19 participants). For MDs, it was 89% (418 out of 472). If you're seriously thinking about ophthalmology (or any other surgical sub-specialty), apply solely to MD programs. If you don't get in, do a year-long MD SMP and re-apply to MD programs.

Setting the above aside, the "Why DO?" question is an easy one if you've had exposure to DOs. Talk about the physicians' qualities that you admire and about how their attitudes and approaches align with the osteopathic philosophy. Then say that you want to be a physician like them one day, and that it would be useful to have OMM as a part of your skill set one day.

 

[hellosnd]

Yeah I really wish it would be optional to answer “why DO?” I mean there are no allopathic schools that ask “why MD?”

Well, that’s just the personal statement

 

[Hippocrates II]

I told my interviewer I wasn't convinced about the efficacy of OMM and needed to see more research. My interviewer agreed with me and I now go to that school. Risky move but you should just be honest - you don't have to pretend to love omm, but you can certainly play up the great care you've received from a do in the past.

 

[rajp98]

If you dont have a good reason for the essays, then talking about it at the interview will be even more challenging. I'd take time to think it through before applying.