What to do about deposit.

[sweepsingle33]

Hello everyone,

I recently was accepted to a DO school on my state and am very grateful. However, I was recently invited to interview at one of my state MD schools. The non-refundable deposit is pretty expensive to respond to my acceptance ($1,500) and is due December 15th. However, the earliest interview I could get at the MD school is December 12th. Any advice? Would it be distasteful to call the school and ask for an extension on the deposit deadline? Thanks.

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[aalamruad]

Hello everyone,

I recently was accepted to a DO school on my state and am very grateful. However, I was recently invited to interview at one of my state MD schools. The non-refundable deposit is pretty expensive to respond to my acceptance ($1,500) and is due December 15th. However, the earliest interview I could get at the MD school is December 12th. Any advice? Would it be distasteful to call the school and ask for an extension on the deposit deadline? Thanks.

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Are you sure it's non-refundable? I didn't even know that was a thing that some med schools required..

 

[LizzyM]

Are you sure it's non-refundable? I didn't even know that was a thing that some med schools required..

DO schools require non-refundable deposits. They tend to be low four figures.

MD schools may or may not require deposits and IIRC, they are refundable up through April 30 or whatever the deadline is for final decisions by admitted applicants.

If the only choice you had to attend your local MD school or to attend any medical school at all was an extra $1500 fee, would you pay? You are going to med school. It might be DO school and for the same deposit it might be MD school.

The DO school could give you an extension but they could also say "no". they have plenty of good applicants and you are just a name on a list. If you don't want to pay the deposit, they may just choose to move on to the next candidate. I guess it can't hurt to ask but keep in mind that the MD school could string you along for MONTHS before giving you a decision whereas the DO school wants to firm up its class or at least take your deposit as a consolation prize if you end up jilting them.

 

[Cytokine123]

As much as the sting hurts, I would drop the dough for the deposit. The fact that you're asking this question seems to me that you are weighing the MD school, and that decision has to be worth at least $1,500 in your books.

Drop.
The.
Cash.

 

[sweepsingle33]

Okay that was what I figured. I just wanted to see if there were any other options for me that might allow me to avoid putting down the "insurance" deposit. I guess my question was would it hurt my standing just to ask for maybe a 1 month extension. I realize there are many other qualified candidates who could fill my seat. It would just be nice to not have to shell out that kind of money if it is somehow avoidable.

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[Lawpy]

This is why DO schools should stop the practice of non-refundable deposits with a short deadline. Last I checked, they're implementing such a policy because they were getting rejected by accepted students who pursued MD instead.

I'm risk averse, so I would pay the $1500 deposit. But I wouldn't be happy about it at all.

 

[Lnsean]

pay the deposit. lock it in. 1500$ is not alot in the grand scheme of things.

 

[holdthemayo]

$1500 is a heck of a lot cheaper than the cost another application cycle. Pay the deposit.

 

[TheStallion16]

$1500 is a lot of money down the drain if you get into an MD school later on. Depends on what you think your MD chances are. If you're a borderline candidate, pay the deposit. If you're a strong candidate, I wouldn't pay it.

 

[NotYou20]

Pay it and join the rest of us who think COCA is scum for allowing this

 

[Transmuralmi]

Is it possible that they will grant an extension if you ask for another few weeks?

 

[ed*26]

Asking for an extension shouldn't unduly hurt your chances. I'd make a call to the office for the chance of saving $1500. But if they say no, I'd pay up.

 

[Lawpy]

Pay it and join the rest of us who think COCA is scum for allowing this

From a structural/political standpoint AAMC/LCME has a much more centralized or top-down relationship with their schools then the AACOM/COCA where it is a much looser bottom-up relationship

I've been noticing this, but briefly, could you explain why AACOM/AOA/COCA has such loose regulatory standards for DO schools?

 

[Lawpy]

power

the MD consortium of schools, AMA, LCME, AAMC, AMCAS, NRMP, ECFMG, (and MOUSE) has had significantly more size (in both doctors and #of schools), money, legitimacy, and political clout also mean governmental support via grants, medicare, etc. Thus, the centralized players listed above represent that power and clout and become more poweful than the schools that they represent. There are 225,000 doctors in the AMA and 140+ schools and thousand of hospitals mostly administered and staffed by MDs. Generally the power dynamic is top down.

The AOA, AACOM, ACCOMAS, COCA, etc is smaller (67,000 DOs in AOA, 35 or so schools, fewer and shrinking DO hospital, etc), historically seen as less legitimate, less funding, less clout. The schools maintain their independence and the central organization have to rely on them for funding. Therefore less rigorous control. Essentially a bottom up power dynamic

nice thanks! saved this for reference

and what is MOUSE?

 

[787593]

nice thanks! saved this for reference

and what is MOUSE?

Mouse is the fuzzy little thing that Tom is always trying to catch

 

[Lawpy]

Mouse is the fuzzy little thing that Tom is always trying to catch

who is tom

 

[sweepsingle33]

who is tom

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[NotYou20]

power

the MD consortium of schools, AMA, LCME, AAMC, AMCAS, NRMP, ECFMG, (and MOUSE) has had significantly more size (in both doctors and #of schools), money, legitimacy, and political clout also mean governmental support via grants, medicare, etc. Thus, the centralized players listed above represent that power and clout and become more poweful than the schools that they represent. There are 225,000 doctors in the AMA and 140+ schools and thousand of hospitals mostly administered and staffed by MDs. Generally the power dynamic is top down.

The AOA, AACOM, ACCOMAS, COCA, etc is smaller (67,000 DOs in AOA, 35 or so schools, fewer and shrinking DO hospital, etc), historically seen as less legitimate, less funding, less clout. The schools maintain their independence and the central organization have to rely on them for funding. Therefore less rigorous control. Essentially a bottom up power dynamic

And apparently their strategy to fixing perception is allowing anyone and everyone to open a do school regardless of their ability to create gme positions or secure good rotation sites. Strength in numbers rather than quality, i guess