which would you choose ?

[drabberbadge]

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Michigan OR UNLV (new school)

Which would you choose ?

 

[4Cheese]

As a Vegas resident I would 100% say UNLV > TUNCOM. Also most people tend to advise MD > DO as a general rule even if it is at a new school.

 

[Goro]

TUNCOM OR UNLV (new school)

Which would you choose ?

UNLV. The MD degree will open more doors, even for a brand new school.

 

[gyngyn]

TUNCOM has been around a lot longer and UNLV seems to be having issues regarding the funding etc
UNLV has virtual anatomy vs TUNCOM where there are actual cadeavers
Any opinions on that ?

1.The State of Nevada will not let them sink.
2. It doesn't matter much.

 

[Goro]

I interviewed at unlv and didn't get an acceptance but I got one at TUNCOM so feeling a bit bitter, any thoughts? mcat is 505, gpa is 3.7

Can't sugar coat this:

Do you want to be a doctor or not?????

Your MCAT is << the median for MD acceptees nationwide...what did you expect?

So get over yourself and go be a doctor.

If you're lusting after the MD degree, you go to the Carib...where, if you make it through the thresher, you'll most likely end up in Primary Care, Psych, Gas, Neuro, EM, Rads, Path......gee, just like a DO grad.

 

[Isoval]

except that ill have the MD degree?
do you feel DOs are limited to those career options?

Having a DO degree is basically equivalent to having a doctorate in flipping hamburgers. You won’t even match FM.

 

[drabberbadge]

H

 

[Med Ed]

I interviewed at unlv and didn't get an acceptance but I got one at TUNCOM so feeling a bit bitter, any thoughts? mcat is 505, gpa is 3.7

At first glance it seemed like are choosing between new MD school and established DO school. But you are actually deciding between an established DO school and reapplying. Most people will tell you that isn't much of a choice.

 

[drabberbadge]

At first glance it seemed like are choosing between new MD school and established DO school. But you are actually deciding between an established DO school and reapplying. Most people will tell you that isn't much of a choice.

Isn’t much of a choice meaning to stick to the do?

 

[Goro]

What do you think of tuncom ?

Fine school.

Reason being is that I worked hard to increase my gpa to a 3.7
However my mcat score being 505 latest hindered me from an MD acceptance
I did get a DO one
It would be wiser to take it than to reapply ?
Only 5 points away from the average acceptance to a MD

I'm not a fan of magic thinking. Do you want to be a doctor or not???

 

[drabberbadge]

Fine school.


I'm not a fan of magic thinking. Do you want to be a doctor or not???

I do

 

[candbgirl]

Why do you think you’d be accepted next cycle when you weren’t this cycle? Have you significantly improved your application? Why did you apply DO if you don’t want to go to a DO school?

 

[Goro]

I do

Then start packing for Henderson, NV. Just remember..it's a dry heat!

And enjoy the casino buffets.

Read this to see where DOs ARE looked at highly.

http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/NRMP-2018-Program-Director-Survey-for-WWW.pdf

 

[Hi_I'mPaul]

I think it’s more so the fact that I had a major upward trend to a 3.7 and a lot of research/clinical/extra curricular but that my low mcat messed everything up which prevented me from getting into a md school
I applied because I do want to be a doc and for some reason do s aren’t looked at highly

For reference, I was accepted into one DO last cycle and NO MD and my stats were similar to yours. However, I did NOT like the DO school one bit. I would have hated my 4 years there. If I had liked it, I would have matriculated. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Once you reject a DO acceptance, you better get your act together and grind to make your app significantly better. A 505 MCAT will not do. I'd accept the DO school if you enjoyed it there.

 

[drabberbadge]

For reference, I was accepted into one DO last cycle and NO MD and my stats were similar to yours. However, I did NOT like the DO school one bit. I would have hated my 4 years there. If I had liked it, I would have matriculated. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Once you reject a DO acceptance, you better get your act together and grind to make your app significantly better. A 505 MCAT will not do. I'd accept the DO school if you enjoyed it there.

I could retake the mcat and not go DO but It would be my fourth mcat (if I get a 510+) and I’ll be on my third md app

 

[femmegoblue]

I could retake the mcat and not go DO but It would be my fourth mcat (if I get a 510+) and I’ll be on my third md app

Oh my god literally WHY did you apply DO? You clearly do not want to be a doctor bad enough, and there are likely 15+ students who would love to have your seat so save us all the trouble and let one of them have it.

MD>DO but DO> not being a doctor at all.

 

[Hi_I'mPaul]

Interesting take
Appreciate you sharing your story
Are you reapplying for MD? Are you concerned over not performing well in the mcat and potentially ending up with neither a md or do ? Are you considering foreign

Of course! Anything to help out an informed decision 🙂. Yes, this cycle I am only applying MD. My MCAT retake of 515 was my third one. First two were taken in undergrad when i was a lazy noob. This is my second application. I don't think it would look poorly for you to take it a fourth time (as long as there is somewhat of an upward trend). I was nervous about rejecting DO, but I recognized the severity of my situation and reevaluated my dream and the steps I had to take to reach it. I also contemplated if I would have been happy at the DO school, and the interview was shotty and they didn't seem to put in an effort, the med students that talked to us were severely unprofessional and not the crowd I wanted to do PBL with. So, I put it into high-gear during my master's program, studied my ass off for MCAT, and I am just hoping everything will work out now! I hope the same for you! Good luck

 

[Goro]

Of course! Anything to help out an informed decision 🙂. Yes, this cycle I am only applying MD. My MCAT retake of 515 was my third one. 501->504->515. First two were taken in undergrad when i was a lazy noob. This is my second application. I don't think it would look poorly for you to take it a fourth time (as long as there is somewhat of an upward trend). I was nervous about rejecting DO, but I recognized the severity of my situation and reevaluated my dream and the steps I had to take to reach it. I also contemplated if I would have been happy at the DO school, and the interview was shotty and they didn't seem to put in an effort, the med students that talked to us were severely unprofessional and not the crowd I wanted to do PBL with. So, I put it into high-gear during my master's program, studied my ass off for MCAT, and I am just hoping everything will work out now! I hope the same for you! Good luck

Quoting the wise Homeskool: Taking the MCAT is like getting married: ideally you only do it once, and the more times you do it the worse you start looking to suitors with good judgment.

 

[Goro]

I could retake the mcat and not go DO but It would be my fourth mcat (if I get a 510+) and I’ll be on my third md app

Do NOT engage in magic thinking that your 4th retake will miraculously produce a higher, more competitive score. Keep in mind that many med schools average scores.

 

[Hi_I'mPaul]

Quoting the wise Homeskool: Taking the MCAT is like getting married: ideally you only do it once, and the more times you do it the worse you start looking to suitors with good judgment.

Actually, very few MD average scores from my experiences--most either look at the top score or most recent score. I've applied to 30 schools and only 1 averages, the rest are equal or below my MCAT. And I do not necessarily agree with the quote. It is catchy though. If you're willing to take the MCAT multiple times, that's determination, especially if you realized you effed up in undergrad and are actively trying to improve. I do not think the MCAT is impossible, and anyone that puts in the proper time and effort can get that competitive score. I didn't think I could EVER reach anywhere near a 515, look at me now.. Just my opinion, of course.

 

[Goro]

Actually, very few MD average scores from my experiences--most either look at the top score or most recent score. I've applied to 30 schools and only 1 averages, the rest are equal or below my MCAT. And I do not necessarily agree with the quote. It is catchy though. If you're willing to take the MCAT multiple times, that's determination, especially if you realized you effed up in undergrad and are actively trying to improve. I do not think the MCAT is impossible, and anyone that puts in the proper time and effort can get that competitive score. I didn't think I could EVER reach anywhere near a 515, look at me now.. Just my opinion, of course.

Many pre-meds confuse determination with competence.

While schools may say the take the latest or best score, there is no accounting for the likes of screeners.

Lastly, I congratulate you for your success, but you're an outlier. Most people retake either go down, stay the same, or only marginally move the needle.

 

[Isoval]

So let’s be clear: you don’t want to go to a DO school because you “worked hard for your 3.7”?

 

[Goro]

So let’s be clear: you don’t want to go to a DO school because you “worked hard for your 3.7”?

That;'s the malignant thinking I'm getting. Sounds like a sunk cost fallacy, almost.

 

[Med Ed]

I could retake the mcat and not go DO but It would be my fourth mcat (if I get a 510+) and I’ll be on my third md app

Perhaps you don't want to go to prom with the pimply-faced clarinetist, but after two cycles of "no" it may be time to acquire some peach schnapps and just have some fun.

If you just can't stomach the thought of going DO, withdraw and spend two years doing nothing but taking MCAT practice exams and otherwise buffing up your application.

 

[gyngyn]

Actually, very few MD average scores from my experiences--most either look at the top score or most recent score. I've applied to 30 schools and only 1 averages, the rest are equal or below my MCAT. And I do not necessarily agree with the quote. It is catchy though. If you're willing to take the MCAT multiple times, that's determination, especially if you realized you effed up in undergrad and are actively trying to improve. I do not think the MCAT is impossible, and anyone that puts in the proper time and effort can get that competitive score. I didn't think I could EVER reach anywhere near a 515, look at me now.. Just my opinion, of course.

Actually, the evaluation of multiple scores is entirely idiosyncratic.
No one can make individual committee members do anything! I know, I've tried.
There are at least as many members that think the first MCAT score is more indicative of Step 1 performance (you can't re-take a passing score).
A significant subset of the committee could not tell you what the stated "policy" is at any given school (with a few notable exceptions, e.g. Jefferson, GT...).

 

[Med Ed]

If you're willing to take the MCAT multiple times, that's determination, especially if you realized you effed up in undergrad and are actively trying to improve. I do not think the MCAT is impossible, and anyone that puts in the proper time and effort can get that competitive score. I didn't think I could EVER reach anywhere near a 515, look at me now.. Just my opinion, of course.

Taking the MCAT multiple times can indicate determination, but it's often determination to overcome wounds that were self-inflicted. Taking four years to pass two years of medical school, or three attempts to pass USMLE, shows determination, but it also strongly suggests that one is on the wrong path. Your story is a good one, you grew up a bit and methodically made yourself a better candidate, but in the grand scheme of reapplicants you are the exception, not the rule.

Also, it is absolutely false that anyone who puts in the proper time and effort can get a competitive score. I have seen individuals try for years to break above the 25th percentile and not make it. It doesn't mean they are stupid, the MCAT just isn't their cup of tea.

 

[Hi_I'mPaul]

Actually, the evaluation of multiple scores is entirely idiosyncratic.
No one can make individual committee members do anything! I know, I've tried.
There are at least as many members that think the first MCAT score is more indicative of Step 1 performance (you can't re-take a passing score).

I only said what I said about multiple MCATs from the school's website and their explicit words. Of course, what they put on their website and what they actually do are not mutually exclusive, totally agreed.

 

[Hi_I'mPaul]

Taking the MCAT multiple times can indicate determination, but it's often determination to overcome wounds that were self-inflicted. Taking four years to pass two years of medical school, or three attempts to pass USMLE, shows determination, but it also strongly suggests that one is on the wrong path. Your story is a good one, you grew up a bit and methodically made yourself a better candidate, but in the grand scheme of reapplicants you are the exception, not the rule.

Also, it is absolutely false that anyone who puts in the proper time and effort can get a competitive score. I have seen individuals try for years to break above the 25th percentile and not make it. It doesn't mean they are stupid, the MCAT just isn't their cup of tea.

Oh, this is 100% accurate. As I said, I was lazy in undergrad (had personal problems-- self-inflicted) so I had (still have) a fair amount of catching up to do. Of course, I believe there is a limit to when "determination" becomes "find another profession." And as for OP, I also stated that they should most certainly accept DO, unless they have fundamental problems with the school. Also, the only reason I said anyone can get a competitive score is because, if I can, I think anyone can. *this was slight hyperbole, though... more dramatic*

 

[ciestar]

Go DO. If you turn down that acceptance you’re pursuing medical school for the wrong reason.

PS; I have a friend with is at a DO school with a 3.9 and a >30 MCAT. Near the top of their class currently. You make your situation work for you. Either you want to be a doctor or you don’t.

 

[Isoval]

Go DO. If you turn down that acceptance you’re pursuing medical school for the wrong reason.

PS; I have a friend with is at a DO school with a 3.9 and a >30 MCAT. Near the top of their class currently. You make your situation work for you. Either you want to be a doctor or you don’t.

I have almost the same stats. Our school's GPA average for acceptees is something like a 3.7, and the MCAT average either is or is approaching that marker.

OP should get off that high horse.