When is it TOO late to apply DO?

[Senor.Frog]

So, I've currently applied only to allo schools, but after reading this and the osteo forum I'm getting the sense that osteo might not be too bad. I know I would be a very competitive candidate but still can't decide. I'm gonna do a bit more research into it, but in the meantime....

I was wondering what would be considered too late to apply DO for 2005 cycle.

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[DrB]

I don't think it is too late, but we have already started to recieve interviews and mass rejections. The schools accept on a rolling basis therefore you have less chance as time goes on... If you are thinking about it... do it!

But if not... save the space for us...

 

[group_theory]

Don't forget the additional time it takes to release your MCAT score to AACOM, submitting transcript(s) to AACOM, waiting for verification, waiting for secondaries, etc.

Oh yeah - and getting that DO LOR (required by some schools, LECOM and NSUCOM comes to mind), and proving that you have a general understanding of what DOs do and don't do. (for some, this may take longer than expected)

 

[OnMyWayThere]

If you are a "very competitive candadate" as you state, I don't think you'd have a problem applying in December or January. They have plenty of spots for competitive students. Some DO shadowing would be helpful too.

 

[natureboy503]

When is it TOO late to apply DO? the day after the deadline. i am not being a smarta$$, but I literally sent in my application ON the "application must be postmarked by this date" date. i am beginning my third year in one week, so the moral is " It is never too late."

 

[Ypo.]

I wonder about this... Would DOs tend to accept all the top MCAT scores? If so , then that would mean that not many people with high MCAT scores bother to apply to DO schools as the average is around 24. All I know is that with a score of 28-all the DO schools I applied to responded promptly with secondaries and interview invites-whereas I'm still waitin' around for an interview invite from MD schools and haven't recieved secondaries from three MD schools, even though I submitted my primary app for AMCAS two weeks before the AACOMAS.

I am inclined to believe that they place much less emphasis on MCAT scores than MD programs, which would mean that the OP may not be as competetive for DO as he/she thinks unless the OP has amazing ECs and shows a genuine interest in osteopathic medicine thru his/her activities...

What does everyone else think?

 

[bigbassinbob]

I wonder about this... Would DOs tend to accept all the top MCAT scores? If so , then that would mean that not many people with high MCAT scores bother to apply to DO schools as the average is around 24. All I know is that with a score of 28-all the DO schools I applied to responded promptly with secondaries and interview invites-whereas I'm still waitin' around for an interview invite from MD schools and haven't recieved secondaries from three MD schools, even though I submitted my primary app for AMCAS two weeks before the AACOMAS.

I am inclined to believe that they place much less emphasis on MCAT scores than MD programs, which would mean that the OP may not be as competetive for DO as he/she thinks unless the OP has amazing ECs and shows a genuine interest in osteopathic medicine thru his/her activities...

What does everyone else think?

I've been wondering about the MCAT scores and GPA averages for DO schools myself. Do they look at a high MCAT score/GPA as basically a "shoe-in" applicant or do they place very little weight on it? It seems that they would have to do either one or the other, judging by the averages. Anyone know of anybody with high GPA's and MCAT's that was rejected by DO schools???

 

[InductionAgent]

First of all: if you are thinking about DO programs, go ahead and apply fairly early in the process. If you wait until February, it will be harder to convince the interviewers that you are truly interested in going to a D.O. school, and not simply applying there because you didn't get into an M.D. program. Or put more positively, it will be easier to convince the interviewers that you would prefer to go to an osteopathic school over an allopathic school.

Secondly: (some) D.O. programs would probably be more selective regarding MCAT scores if they could afford that luxury, and might be interested in raising their average MCAT scores. But of course a well-rounded application is still essential.

 

[OnMyWayThere]

Just as DO's don't only mask symptoms, but look at the whole person...

DO adcomms don't look at just numbers, but the whole person...

Well rounded > no personality, no experience bookworm with good #'s.

 

[kaikai128]

I'm getting the sense that osteo might not be too bad.

If you decide that you want to go to a DO school, by all means apply.

Reading the above quote makes me cringe...I hope that those who apply want to be DOs, rather than just thinking that it wouldn't be too bad. I don't think that being an MD would be too bad; however, it is not what I want to do so I did not apply.

I guess, go ahead and apply...but don't settle. Do research, and only GO to a DO school if it IS what you really want to do. In the end, the one extra year it may take to get into an allopathic school wouldn't seem like much if you would be happier with your career.

 

[Ypo.]

If you decide that you want to go to a DO school, by all means apply.

Reading the above quote makes me cringe...I hope that those who apply want to be DOs, rather than just thinking that it wouldn't be too bad. I don't think that being an MD would be too bad; however, it is not what I want to do so I did not apply.

I guess, go ahead and apply...but don't settle. Do research, and only GO to a DO school if it IS what you really want to do. In the end, the one extra year it may take to get into an allopathic school wouldn't seem like much if you would be happier with your career.

Good advice, KaiKai.
Personally, I'm still at the stage of trying to figure out if I'll make things harder for myself by going to a DO school-or if I'll limit my options (residencies, geographical locations, specialties, good jobs). If I felt like that, I know I would feel kind of disappointed by it.
I need to talk to people who graduated from DO schools and who are now out working in the real world. I can't seem to get enough answers from pre-DO and DO students.

 

[kaikai128]

Good advice, KaiKai.
Personally, I'm still at the stage of trying to figure out if I'll make things harder for myself by going to a DO school-or if I'll limit my options (residencies, geographical locations, specialties, good jobs). If I felt like that, I know I would feel kind of disappointed by it.
I need to talk to people who graduated from DO schools and who are now out working in the real world. I can't seem to get enough answers from pre-DO and DO students.

I was going to reply with something long and boring that most of you didn't wonat to read...so yposhelley--I PMd you. Hope I don't bore you.

 

[Ypo.]

I wonder about this... Would DOs tend to accept all the top MCAT scores? If so , then that would mean that not many people with high MCAT scores bother to apply to DO schools as the average is around 24. All I know is that with a score of 28-all the DO schools I applied to responded promptly with secondaries and interview invites-whereas I'm still waitin' around for an interview invite from MD schools and haven't recieved secondaries from three MD schools, even though I submitted my primary app for AMCAS two weeks before the AACOMAS.

I am inclined to believe that they place much less emphasis on MCAT scores than MD programs, which would mean that the OP may not be as competetive for DO as he/she thinks unless the OP has amazing ECs and shows a genuine interest in osteopathic medicine thru his/her activities...

What does everyone else think?

In case anyone else is curious, I learned that high gpa and MCAT scores (above average at that school) apparently do get you an automatic interview invite at many DO schools. Whether or not that really helps get you in, I do not know. A director from this one school I applied to told me today that based on my grades, I got an interview invite w/out my application needing to first be reviewed by the adcom. Presumably that means it will only get reviewed once, after the interview.

 

[Doctor Peloncito]

I have a friend who was planning on applying to dental schools, but changed his mind very late in the cycle. He haphazardly applied to several schools DO and MD in February. He interviewed at UHS er KCUMB in late May and was offered a spot. He is now a MSII with me. If you are a competitive candidate, it is never too late.