Why do DO schools have a lower average MCAT than MD?

[TheConfused]

Just out of curiosity.....

Why are accepted MCAT scores for DO schools around 25-26 while MD schools are around 30-32?

This is a pretty significant difference IMO, it's going from 50th to 80th percentile

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[ortnakas]

 

[deleted407021]

Not all MD schools average 31+ -- some average 29 or so and some DO schools average 28-30. This has to do with the types of applicants that apply. When your pool of applicants has higher MCAT scores, then those with the high scores will be preferred and therefore be represented in the class.

Higher stat applicants tend to apply to MD programs whereas the pool of applicants for DO tends to be a few points lower, on average.

You don't apply to Harvard with a 27 because you'd probably be the only person with that score in that particular pool (maybe not, but for the sake of the argument). It's not that the school itself is selective so much as the applicants are self-selecting to that particular program and the school takes its pick of the best applicants.

 

[TheConfused]

Thank you for your useless reply and waste of my time.

edit: not the one directly above

 

[IslandStyle808]

If I recall correctly, the average score of DOs school altogether are 27 (I believe MD schools are at 31). The older schools, university schools, and schools in cities are hitting averages between 28-30 BTW. It is mainly a supply and demand issue.

 

[mathnerd88]

Just out of curiosity.....

Why are accepted MCAT scores for DO schools around 25-26 while MD schools are around 30-32?

This is a pretty significant difference IMO, it's going from 50th to 80th percentile

It honestly depends on the DO schools. The most established ones are scoring in 29-31 range for the averaged DO student (CCOM, Touro-CA, MSUCOM, NYIT, AZCOM, PCOM, Rowan, KCU etc.) It's the newer schools that are lowering the averages since they're accepting those with 25 MCAT, on average. Some are even taking even lower scores.

But yes, it is a supply and demand issue. More people prefer to go MD, thus making it more competitive.

 

[TheConfused]

Thanks! Supply and demand makes sense, after all, the adcoms don't decide the admissions difficulty, the applicants do

 

[surfguy84]

TouroCA hit 31 for their most recent incoming class. I believe AZCOM is at 30.5. The averages are definitely going up across the board.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Thank you for your useless reply and waste of my time.

edit: not the one directly above

Thank you for your useless question that wasted all of our time when it could have been answered by a simple search.

Man I'm cranky tonight, work was straight up nuts. I guess threads about topics that have been hammered to death get on my nerves after a long day.

 

[feeling-dizzy]

because no one want to deal with OMM, and have to constantly explain " What is DO?"

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

TouroCA hit 31 for their most recent incoming class. I believe AZCOM is at 30.5. The averages are definitely going up across the board.

Yep there is definitely a disparity in the rigor of MCAT score expectations across Osteopathic medical schools, but overall, I believe there is suggestion that DO matriculant statistics are trending upwards every cycle.

 

[GUH]

Going to a DO school is associated with less prestige in the eyes of pushy parents and can lead to an uphill battle to match to certain specialties. The degree is also just not well known or understood by some premeds. Therefore premeds with the highest scores are less likely to apply to osteopathic medical schools.

But yeah good luck getting into any of the older DO schools with a 25 or 26.

 

[MADD!!!]

People seriously need to stop correlating MCAT scores with reputation of schools and quality of med/pre-med students. There's so much more to medicine than just ranking the quality of future physicians to a gpa and MCAT score.

These numbers should soley be used to determine if someone is capable of the rigors of medical school. Yes, some people are smarter than others, but to think that those with better MCAT scores and gpas will make better physicians is completely false!

There are so many smart people out there who have wildly high gpas and MCAT scores, perform well academically, and yet they are socially awkward. They don't know how to properly handle patients. Many people's motives for medicine may be greed or other self-serving goals that may end up being detrimental to the patients they serve. It's called holistic admissions for a reason, and I really hope for the sake of future patients that this mentality remains.

I'd much rather have a competent physician who wasn't the smartest in their class, but is passionate about their work and cares for my well-being than a medical student who is top of their class and let's their ego get the best of them. Someone who I as a patient may feel afraid of approaching and speaking to for long because he's too busy and important for me. It happens.

People too often discuss applicants as if the ONLY thing distinguishing them from one another are their gpas and mcats. Not true. Sorry to say this, but not everyone applying for medical school is doing so for the right reasons. I really hope adcoms are doing their best to weed these people out of admissions, even if they have very high MCAT and/or gpas.

Sorry to rant but seriously people, focus on what matters. Remember why we want to pursue medicine. At least for me, it's not to say I'm the smartest or the best out there. There will always be someone who's smarter than you in some way. The important thing is to be passionate, be competent in your field, and truly to care for the patients you serve and to really help those in need who don't have access to adequate healthcare.

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

Who cares about MCAT?

A DO hospitalist will make just as much $$$ as the MD hospitalist.

Talkin' bout Msssss... Mssssssss.

 

[mathnerd88]

People seriously need to stop correlating MCAT scores with reputation of schools and quality of med/pre-med students. There's so much more to medicine than just ranking the quality of future physicians to a gpa and MCAT score.

These numbers should soley be used to determine if someone is capable of the rigors of medical school. Yes, some people are smarter than others, but to think that those with better MCAT scores and gpas will make better physicians is completely false!

There are so many smart people out there who have wildly high gpas and MCAT scores, perform well academically, and yet they are socially awkward. They don't know how to properly handle patients. Many people's motives for medicine may be greed or other self-serving goals that may end up being detrimental to the patients they serve. It's called holistic admissions for a reason, and I really hope for the sake of future patients that this mentality remains.

I'd much rather have a competent physician who wasn't the smartest in their class, but is passionate about their work and cares for my well-being than a medical student who is top of their class and let's their ego get the best of them. Someone who I as a patient may feel afraid of approaching and speaking to for long because he's too busy and important for me. It happens.

People too often discuss applicants as if the ONLY thing distinguishing them from one another are their gpas and mcats. Not true. Sorry to say this, but not everyone applying for medical school is doing so for the right reasons. I really hope adcoms are doing their best to weed these people out of admissions, even if they have very high MCAT and/or gpas.

Sorry to rant but seriously people, focus on what matters. Remember why we want to pursue medicine. At least for me, it's not to say I'm the smartest or the best out there. There will always be someone who's smarter than you in some way. The important thing is to be passionate, be competent in your field, and truly to care for the patients you serve and to really help those in need who don't have access to adequate healthcare.

You are correct, but there are more people with high GPA, high MCAT with good ECs who aren't socially awkward than the medical schools have seats for.

So yes, while the process is holistic, GPA and MCAT paint at least 70-80% of the picture. Schools don't just want students who would just pass classes and boards. They want students who could also get really good board scores who end up in better residencies. That way, the school can leverage for better candidates in the future- which translates to more $$$, etc.

It really is a two way street. Schools want the best candidates they can get. They pick the top candidates who they feel would contribute most to the school.