Which DO schools should I be applying to?

[ChrisMack390]

So I am kind of a fringe candidate for MD schools (in my and my advisors opinions anyway - according to most on SDN I haven't a shot in hell). I was resistant to the idea of DO schools for a while and though I would rather apply MD and if I don't make the cut do an SMP and try again. After educating myself more on the philosophy of DOs and doing a better cost/risk analysis of the SMP idea, I am beginning to reconsider.

I have begun some research on potential DO schools. TuoroNYC, Michigan State, Rocky Vista, and WesternCOM have caught my eye. I am wondering what other schools people think I would be a competitive candidate at and are worth looking into. Here are some stats:

State of residence - New Jersey

Cumulative GPA - 3.495
Science GPA - 3.296


MCAT Scores - First take is September 12th. I know this is a big missing piece to the puzzle, but I also know without an excellent score I am hopeless, so lets assume I get a quality score for now (or I will be considering other career options anyway...)

Research – published 1 paper in undergrad; worked/working in industry and clinical research for about 5 years cumulatively

Volunteering – by time I apply I will have: 100 hours tutoring GED students in the rehabilitation program of a state run psychiatric hospital; 150 hours volunteering in a local homeless shelter; completed at least 1 if not 2 research projects on accessibility of cancer care in Malawi with a group called Global Oncology; worked in "Peer Health Exchange" something like 40 hours (taught health class in poor high schools)

Physician shadowing – Shadow an oncologist at my job for at least a few hours every week; by time I apply I will have ~100 hrs of dedicated shadowing (this does not include the 'incidental' shadowing related to clinical research job). I know I will need that DO letter so I will start looking into that.

Extracurricular activities - my biggest boon here is likely that I have produced a full length album of original music, performed live all over New England, and founded/ran a live music event production company for 4-5 years. In all honestly this was a large distraction from my collegiate performance, but I gained many networking and leadership skills. A large piece of my personal statement will be that I was successful in this area but did not feel fulfilled and am seeking a more wholesome career.

Employment history - currently employed at Dana-Farber; began as a clinical research coordinator and was promoted to regulatory coordinator about 1.5 years in; job offers direct patient contact and daily exposure to clinical and academic medicine; will have been here 3 years when I apply

Graduate degrees - currently working on a Masters degree in Biology (3.9 GPA; all science/math classes)

Thanks everyone!!

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[ERK123]

The first thing I would ask is what about the four schools you mentioned have "Caught your eye," have made you interested? Knowing what qualities you are looking for in a school will help people better advise you about your school list. Tree is no clear trend based on the 4 schools you mentioned.

 

[spenguin]

MCAT is key here.
With a good mcat, and the 3.9 bio masters = mid/low MDs and the best DOs

You have very impressive ECs

It's impossible to judge your chances without that score.
I would say 30+ try MD, 26+ good for most DOs

 

[Bones 2020]

Do not bother with Michigan State, unless you are from there (doesn't sound like it). Tuition for OOS is about $80,000 per year

 

[ChrisMack390]

To be honest, geographic area is a big factor for me, and I think its great that I would have a better chance of going to a DO school in an urban/coastal area. I know that is probably somewhat silly.

Tuoro stood out because they have a seemingly awesome anatomy lab (1 cadaver to 4 students) which I think is important. I am also very interested in high needs urban medicine, so the Bronx sounds great. UMDNJ made the list for similar reasons, and also because it is a top program in my home state.

Western and MSU look like excellent programs with a great range of clinical rotations sites and a solid match list with many MD sites and specialities listed.

Rocky Vista I need more info on, but I put it because I absolutely love Denver and have a good friend who goes there and really enjoys it.

 

[spenguin]

1 cadaver to 4 students is not that uncommon. Many do 4/5

urban areas
CCOM is chicago
PCOM is philadelphia

 

[ChrisMack390]

MCAT is key here.
With a good mcat, and the 3.9 bio masters = mid/low MDs and the best DOs

You have very impressive ECs

It's impossible to judge your chances without that score.
I would say 30+ try MD, 26+ good for most DOs

I am going to apply to both MD and DO. I personally feel that with a good MCAT I will be able to get into an MD school. However, I am been receiving a lot of very negative feedback on that idea. I should note that the GPAs I listed at how the DO app would calculate them - in AMCAS they are closer to 3.34 cum / 3.2 s since I retook orgo and DO schools have a broader definition of science.

 

[spenguin]

What do you mean negative feedback?

 

[ChrisMack390]

What do you mean negative feedback?

People, primarily on this website, telling me I don't have a prayer of getting into a MD school. My advisor was also somewhat down on me there. She did say I have an OK chance at NJ state schools, but I couldn't get her to stop talking about osteopathic medicine.

EDIT: I am the first to admit that my college transcript is weak. However, I feel that I can sell myself as a "reinvention" type of case and discuss how I really cracked down about a year after college and crushed my grad school classes while shadowing and doing relevant/leadership ECs. I find it hard to believe that at least ONE school won't look beyond my crappy undergrad grades.

 

[spenguin]

So the reason I think you have a chance in MD is the 3.9 grad gpa + ECs
But if you take the MCAT in sept, the scores won't be out til october. That will delay your app, lowering your MD chances
If you really want MD and are willing to wait, I'd apply really early next cycle for the best shot
If you can't/don't want to wait, your chances will be less but its still a possibility

 

[ChrisMack390]

So the reason I think you have a chance in MD is the 3.9 grad gpa + ECs
But if you take the MCAT in sept, the scores won't be out til october. That will delay your app, lowering your MD chances
If you really want MD and are willing to wait, I'd apply really early next cycle for the best shot
If you can't/don't want to wait, your chances will be less but its still a possibility

I am applying next year regardless

 

[spenguin]

Oh ok. Then I would ask about which schools to apply to then You have plenty of time

 

[ERK123]

To be honest, geographic area is a big factor for me, and I think its great that I would have a better chance of going to a DO school in an urban/coastal area. I know that is probably somewhat silly.

Tuoro stood out because they have a seemingly awesome anatomy lab (1 cadaver to 4 students) which I think is important. I am also very interested in high needs urban medicine, so the Bronx sounds great. UMDNJ made the list for similar reasons, and also because it is a top program in my home state.

Western and MSU look like excellent programs with a great range of clinical rotations sites and a solid match list with many MD sites and specialities listed.

Rocky Vista I need more info on, but I put it because I absolutely love Denver and have a good friend who goes there and really enjoys it.

I would not apply to Rocky Vista only for the reasons that they are the first for-profit medical school in the U.S. in like 80 years. I am strongly ideologically opposed to this, but I know some do not care one way or the other.

I know people are always down on the tuition at MSU, but I am pretty sure they give significant scholarships to OOS. They do have quite a long secondary, and applying OOS is a crapshoot in regards to your application even being considered. I had above average stats and ties to the school and never heard a word from the admissions office. Of course, I am only one person.

I would check out Touro CA (the oldest of the Touro schools). It is certainly near an underserved urban area. I would also apply to Philadelphia (PCOM) and Chicago (CCOM) as they are two of the original DO schools and near big urban environments.

As far as MD, I would take what you hear on this site with a grain of salt. I am sure there are some highly qualified posters, but it is still an anonymous blog, and I doubt very many people have a monopoly of knowledge about what it exactly takes to get into medical school. With a strong MCAT, I am sure that you would have some chance of an MD acceptance. I would still definitely apply DO in order to maximize your chances, however.

 

[ChrisMack390]

Oh ok. Then I would ask about which schools to apply to then You have plenty of time

I'm sure you are familar with the mind of the neurotic pre-med/med student

 

[ChrisMack390]

I would not apply to Rocky Vista only for the reasons that they are the first for-profit medical school in the U.S. in like 80 years. I am strongly ideologically opposed to this, but I know some do not care one way or the other.

I know people are always down on the tuition at MSU, but I am pretty sure they give significant scholarships to OOS. They do have quite a long secondary, and applying OOS is a crapshoot in regards to your application even being considered. I had above average stats and ties to the school and never heard a word from the admissions office. Of course, I am only one person.

I would check out Touro CA (the oldest of the Touro schools). It is certainly near an underserved urban area. I would also apply to Philadelphia (PCOM) and Chicago (CCOM) as they are two of the original DO schools and near big urban environments.

As far as MD, I would take what you hear on this site with a grain of salt. I am sure there are some highly qualified posters, but it is still an anonymous blog, and I doubt very many people have a monopoly of knowledge about what it exactly takes to get into medical school. With a strong MCAT, I am sure that you would have some chance of an MD acceptance. I would still definitely apply DO in order to maximize your chances, however.

Thanks for your reassuring words. I am aware that its just not statistically possible for everyone on this website to have 3.9/38 stats. I also have a slight theory that some people on this website think it is to their advantage to actively discourage people from applying to schools they want to apply to.


What is up with all of the schools named Tuoro? Their relationship was not immediately obvious based on a couple of quick google searches.

 

[ERK123]

I also have a slight theory that some people on this website think it is to their advantage to actively discourage people from applying to schools they want to apply to.

This would be the most pathetic thing ever. I think it is more that some premeds are quite arrogant with limited viewpoints, and the ones that blog about medical school acceptances chances are probably even so. Pre-medical education does not exactly provide a broad education with a focus on critical thinking.

What is up with all of the schools named Tuoro? Their relationship was not immediately obvious based on a couple of quick google searches.

There are four Touro DO schools. The first was Touro Ca, established in the late 1990s; the second was Touro Nevada (mid 2000's), the third Touro New York Harlem (mid 2000s), and the fourth Touro New York Middleton (just opening). The parent school is Touro University, which was established in the 1960's. I have no idea why there are so many school, but I imagine the answer is money. I have only been to Touro Ca, and I did like a lot of things about the school, but in the end I have decided on PCOM. I was turned off by the rapid expansion of the Touro system.

 

[ChrisMack390]

It is definitely a strange thing that they are essentially a chain of medical schools...

 

[kenjixshadow]

Are you applying to this cycle (2015-2016)? Or next cycle (2016-2017)? I'm asking because you're taking MCAT in Sept. and you won't get your score back until October. You can forget about MD schools if you're applying this cycle. They'll already be started interviewing and accepting applicants and it will be too late for you by then. I have a friend that got accepted to MD schools with your undergraduate GPA, but his MCAT was amazing however, so if you're serious about MD, you may want to put off until the next cycle to apply OR you can take the MCAT earlier.

 

[ChrisMack390]

Are you applying to this cycle (2015-2016)? Or next cycle (2016-2017)? I'm asking because you're taking MCAT in Sept. and you won't get your score back until October. You can forget about MD schools if you're applying this cycle. They'll already be started interviewing and accepting applicants and it will be too late for you by then. I have a friend that got accepted to MD schools with your undergraduate GPA, but his MCAT was amazing however, so if you're serious about MD, you may want to put off until the next cycle to apply OR you can take the MCAT earlier.

Next year. Won't be done with grad school until May 2017.

 

[ortnakas]

It's hard to give you very good recommendations without an MCAT score. Your current job and graduate work should help. Definitely shadow a DO and learn to answer "why osteopathic medicine."

My school, LECOM-SH has several students from the NY/NJ area. I won't lie-- we are most definitely not urban, but we're not all that far from Pittsburgh, and there's opportunities to work with the underserved.

 

[songl4a]

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[ChrisMack390]

If you're applying next year, then there is absolutely no reason why you wouldn't be able to get a DO letter, especially if you're out of undergrad. I think it would also be more appropriate to post once you get your MCAT score, you have plenty of time.

Living in Boston makes it a little tough to come by doctors to shadow who aren't already inundated with requests from students. I agree though, I will find someone.