Why Apply to DO?

[supergirl09]

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Hi Everyone,

I am a rising junior and would like to know everyone's opinions on why to apply DO. Since this is a DO Forum, I guess the responses may be biased but still I would like to know.

Thanks 🙂

 

[kratosis]

Hi Everyone,

I am a rising junior and would like to know everyone's opinions on why to apply DO. Since this is a DO Forum, I guess the responses may be biased but still I would like to know.

Thanks 🙂

the flowery response would be "because DO get the same training as MD and are further trained in OMT, which is unique only do DOs and the osteopathic philosophy. Also DOs utilize the whole person approach that integrates the mind, body, and spirit considers all aspects of a patient's life before considering treatment. blah blah blah."

realistically, however the response is, "you apply to DO because you cannot get into an MD program and DO has a grade replacement policy that will help your GPA and make you competitive, regardless of how much you may have screwed up."

hope this answers your question. 🙂

 

[TriagePreMed]

Because you got rejected from janitorial school. This is the best alternative and sometimes the MD might treat you as an equal to the NP, although most often they know you're below that 🙁

 

[darklabel]

From the looks of your previous posts, seems like you were referred to DO since you seem to have GPA issues.

Anyways, with your GPA (2.9), retake the classes you got C's in, get a >3.3 GPA overall, MCAT score of >25-26 and you should be in decent shape for the next cycle.

This is sort of a ridiculous question to ask though.

 

[NontradCA]

From the looks of your previous posts, seems like you were referred to DO since you seem to have GPA issues.

Anyways, with your GPA (2.9), retake the classes you got C's in, get a >3.3 GPA overall, MCAT score of >25-26 and you should be in decent shape for the next cycle.

This is sort of a ridiculous question to ask though.

Maybe she's stuck on a secondary question 😉

 

[chiddler]

Depends on the individual. I'll tell you why I applied DO: why grades weren't good enough for MD. The reason I would prefer MD is because residency folk prefer MD docs.

 

[supergirl09]

Why is this a ridiculous question??? It's out of curiosity. I wanted opinions since I'm not familiar with DO information. It was a sincere question. Thanks to those who answered my original question 🙂

 

[darklabel]

Why is this a ridiculous question??? It's out of curiosity. I wanted opinions since I'm not familiar with DO information. It was a sincere question. Thanks to those who answered my original question 🙂

- Lurk around here, this question is mostly answered everywhere. This thread is basically a variant of MD vs. DO

- Most people apply DO due to low grades (such as yours), location (so that they can be close to a significant other(s)), they absolutely love one school or because they believe in the DO mantra (which has been said by DO students to be baloney).

 

[Nissan GTR]

cuz its fun

 

[Roxas]

I'm applying DO because I want to be a doctor

 

[Radon XP]

Hi Everyone,

I am a rising junior and would like to know everyone's opinions on why to apply DO. Since this is a DO Forum, I guess the responses may be biased but still I would like to know.

Thanks 🙂

The real question is: why not?

You get to be a doctor.

 

[circulus vitios]

Because my MCAT is probably too low for US MD schools. I'd rather go to an MD school, but I'd still be thrilled with a DO acceptance. A DO degree might close some doors for super competitive specialties, but I'm much more likely to be limited by my work ethic or mental capacity than I am by the letters after my name.

 

[ToKingdomCome]

I would prefer the MD route, but my MCAT isn't good enough. DO gives me an opportunity to be a physician to the same capacity as an MD.

 

[Skeeks]

Why apply D.O.? Because blue koolaid is the best flavor

 

[Pesquisador]

I'll chime in here. I'm a re-applicant. I've been through the ringer before and honestly I applied for different reasons last time. Last time I wanted to get into medical school. Now I want to practice medicine.

The experiences that got me into medicine were mostly underserved area stuff and primary care work. That's what I love, and while my stats are fairly competitive for MD schools, I've found a good environment in DO folks that seems like a sure route towards what I want.

For those who love lists, these are what crossed my mind:

PROS: mostly private schools, good locations (IMO), absolutely loved the DO docs I've met. Pick of lots of nice primary care or DO only residencies. different feel of students and physicians in practice.

CONS: More expensive schools (relative), fewer locations

TOSS UPS: Different acceptance criteria, additional tool of OMM, some folks take COMLEX AND the USMLE exams,

Perhaps this was more a half-dollar. Here's to your better-living fund OP!

 

[Mehd School]

I'm applying DO because I want to be a doctor

Bingo. If you want to be a dentist, apply to get your DDS/DMD. If you want to be a physician, apply to get your MD/DO.

 

[hallowmann]

Bingo. If you want to be a dentist, apply to get your DDS/DMD. If you want to be a physician, apply to get your MD/DO.

Bingo. I applied US MD, DO, and carib MD because I want to be a physician. The school I choose to attend is based on a few things like location, cost, environment, and future prospects.

If your goal is IM, FM, Peds, PM&R, pathology, Ob/Gyn, neurology, psych, etc., chances are going to a DO school vs. MD school won't really affect your residency prospects, provided you take the USMLE. If you know for sure you want derm or ophtho, or surgical subspecialties, and you don't want to do an AOA residency, you might want to try harder in undergrad or on your MCAT so you can actually go to a US MD school.

If your GPA is really <3.0, it would take >2 years of post-bac/extra classes before you'd truly have a shot at a US MD school. Alternatively, with AACOMAS grade replacement, you could probably go to a DO school in 1yr. Saving 2 years of your life, getting a shot at your dream to be a physician, and 2 extra years of attending salary seems much better than spending that time taking undergrad classes and paying for them just to have a chance at having MD behind your name instead of DO.

 

[Escape_Goat]

Hi Everyone,

I am a rising junior and would like to know everyone's opinions on why to apply DO.

So I can be a doctor?😕 Seems crazy, I know.

 

[Back 5]

Bingo. If you want to be a dentist, apply to get your DDS/DMD. If you want to be a physician, apply to get your MD/DO.

Close the thread. We are done here.

 

[razor]

I'm applying DO because I want to be a doctor

Exactly. When asked "why DO" in interviews, I said I didn't care, I'm applying both DO and MD--I just want to be a doctor. I got accepted. Sometimes honesty is the best policy.

 

[as1212559]

I applied DO because I'm a masochist and really wanted to have a career chock full of self-loathing over my inferior degree and lousy quality of life as a GP in rural North Dakota.

 

[GUH]

Because I've always wanted to be an optometrist

 

[scarecrow90]

Because it's either DO or janitorial school... and most of us just don't have what it takes to get into janitorial school.

 

[gmcguitar4]

Because it's either DO or janitorial school... and most of us just don't have what it takes to get into janitorial school.

this is what you did to the joke

 

[Superman DO]

 

[abolt18]

Personally, I only applied DO, because 1) I initially bought into the whole holistic yaba daba; 2) I felt that DO was much more family friendly (and me being a family man...); and 3) I was trying to be realistic with my given GPA and life situation and get into med school as fast as possible.

Could I have taken the time to improve my GPA or actually put serious study into the MCAT? Sure I could have. But why start med school when I could start a week ago (I did start a week ago). I have three friends who applied MD only last year, not one of them got accept in spite of having what I'd consider a pretty great application.

 

[HoboCommander]

You can apply DO and start your medical career right away or you can apply MD and stay home. If you're in a competitive state like California, it doesn't matter how competitive you think your application is, there are no guarantees of acceptance for anyone. OOS schools don't really like us, even if our MCAT and GPA are way better than their averages.

 

[Silent Cool]

Hi Everyone,

I am a rising junior and would like to know everyone's opinions on why to apply DO. Since this is a DO Forum, I guess the responses may be biased but still I would like to know.

Thanks 🙂

Because you don't have the stats for an MD program and/or couldn't get into an MD program after multiple attempts.

done.

 

[scarecrow90]

this is what you did to the joke

Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaappppppppp

 

[coolingglasses]

Real answer: insufficient stats for MD, which is how I then found out about the DO branch. But I wouldn't have bothered applying to a DO school if I wasn't willing to buy into their philosophy at least in part, or if I thought it would kill my chances at my desired specialty. But given that my top two of three are FM and IM, I think I'm gonna be alright.

Plus I'm older, I didn't want to pluck around for another few years trying to improve my app.

 

[moches]

Since everyone is admitting that they apply to DO because of insufficient stats or simply as backup, schools must also know this as well. Can someone applying to DO as backup with decent stats (assume: 3.7+ 30+MCAT) but minimal to no osteo experience get in?

I applied MD a little bit late so now I'm worried. I ended up applying to a bunch of DO schools, but when I got the secondaries, I could only provide generic responses like holistic approach, OMT, enjoy primary care etc. I've spoken to DO's in the ER and shadowed one for a day, and honestly I couldn't tell a flipping difference between MDs. I didn't even know they were DOs until a friends had pointed it out to me...

 

[fearlessendurer]

http://www.survivinggrays.com/ask-survivor-do-what-is-omt-and-does-it-work/

Sold me...especially because I'm interested in general surgery...for now.

 

[verynice]

Well, I pretty much decided that being DO is better than nothing. I know it is like a PAA (physician assistant assistant) but I figured if I couldn't do MD.....

 

[coolingglasses]

Well, I pretty much decided that being DO is better than nothing. I know it is like a PAA (physician assistant assistant) but I figured if I couldn't do MD.....

dude what

 

[coolingglasses]

I guess we've collectively given up on google and wikipedia and just draw our own conclusions

 

[kelminak]

Well, I pretty much decided that being DO is better than nothing. I know it is like a PAA (physician assistant assistant) but I figured if I couldn't do MD.....

Haha are you high as a kite? Made my night