Why not DO?

[bugalow121]

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I'm very intersted in learning OMM, so I applied to DO schools.

please stop talking. all i can think about when I read your posts is how you got a 28 on the MCAT and how if you had gotten a 31+, you would have been a solely MD applicant. Now, you can say that I am full of **** and blah blah, but until you get a 31+, you cant argue with me or anyone else on this pre-allo board.

 

[RySerr21]

please stop talking. all i can think about when I read your posts is how you got a 28 on the MCAT and how if you had gotten a 31+, you would have been a solely MD applicant. Now, you can say that I am full of **** and blah blah, but until you get a 31+, you cant argue with me or anyone else on this pre-allo board.

you are an idiot. I applied to DO schools before I got my MCAT score back. I've been working with DOs for over a year now, I have always planned on applying. Furthermore, it is no guarantee I go to an MD school if i get into both. There are many factors that play in to my decision. I was originally planning on applying to only DO, but I decided to apply MD AFTER I got my MCAT score back. So really, you have no idea what the f*ck you are talking about. I absolutely despise people like you.

 

[Decicco]

Furthermore, it is no guarantee I go to an MD school if i get into both.

I'd bet my life savings on the contrary.

 

[RySerr21]

I'd bet my life savings on the contrary.

funny how well people think they know me based on an anonymous internet forum. I know this may be hard to believe for most pre allo people, but I don't care about my initials, i dont care about the prestige, i dont care about most things that 99% of neurotic pre allo peopel care about. I am going to go to a place where i am comfortable and a place i feel will provide me with a great eduaction (YES, you can get a great education at a DO school). If i do make the decision to go to DO school X over MD school Y (OMG IS HE SERIOUS??), I know i will take **** from everyone on this board and other people as well. it doesnt matter what anybody says, there will always be haters.

In the end, I am going to be a great physician, whether I go to UCSD or Western University.

I'm sick and tired of people thinking they know what is best for me and/or how I am going to make my decision

 

[Starbuck815]

Why don't you just lie and say that you did apply DO and avoid the question completely? Are MD adcoms really going to see your AACOMAS application?

I was just going to suggest this. If you honestly can't think of a reason why you didn't apply DO that you're comfortable will sound reasonable to an adcom, why not just say you did apply to some DO schools, even if you didn't (and then proceed to give reasons why you'd prefer MD- specifically the MD school you're currently interviewing at, even if that's not true either.) Now that its been mentioned, the primary care thing probably won't go over well since we need more primary care docs, so that's out I suppose. And research interest might not work if you haven't done any research in undergrad (I hadn't). I'd still say not believing in OMM is a decent example, as long as you can back it up and be respectful about it (in case one of your interviewers uses OMM).

I'm not trying to advocate lying, but its sort of a harmless lie that's rather common in interviews. I mean, is it really worse that stating reasons why the school you're currently interviewing at is one you really, really want to attend, even if its actually just a backup?

And good lord, what is with all the presumptuous posts about ryserr21?? How does anyone know what he is thinking or wants? I can't believe people actually have the gall to assume they know this person better than he knows himself.

 

[Saregamapadanis]

Never lie, it is a bad idea, and you will look very unprofessional (if they find out) and probably risk the admission if you lie, come up with a valid or logical answer, lying at an interview is always harmful .

 

[Starbuck815]

I don't know, I think it depends on the scope of the lie. Here in Canada we have something like 17 med schools in the entire country (and the only decent chance you really have is your home province- there are like, max of 5 or so per province).

So, I only applied to 4 schools. A couple were either not in a desirable location/ had a curriculum I didn't really care for (PBL). But in interviews and applications when asked what I liked about the school/ curriculum, I just made up some stuff that I "liked" about PBL and such, even though it wasn't true. I mean, I really did not want to go to those schools, but if they were my only option, I would have (thankfully I got the one I wanted). If I had just been honest, my answer would have been more like "well, I don't really like group work, and I don't think PBL is for me, but I still really want to be a doctor and am happy to do it if I have to!". I don't think they would have been impressed.

 

[TehDoc]

Why does this thread exist?

 

[leftmid]

I've witnessed few answers to this question in real life:

Applicant A didn't know anything about osteopathic medicine at all. His stats and ECs were so good that he didn't need to look for alternatives. And he was right.

Applicants B. was distraught when he learned that he scored only 27 in the MCAT. It didn't take more than a second when osteopathic medicine was introduced to him. By the time he was interviewed at an allopathic school in mid December, he had already been accepted at an instate DO school. To everyone surprise, he subsequently declined the only other interview offer from another allo school for no obvious reason. He was taken off the waitlist at the first school in May and decided to go for it.

Applicant C's MCAT was only 29. He would apply to DO schools only in case he didn't get in an allo school the first try. By early June of the first cycle, he was so frustrated that he gave up his plan to retake the MCAT and decided to reapply to DO school along with the allo school as is.

None of the above applicants know anything about osteopathic medicine or school much. They would get to know them only after they have decided to apply to one. But they surely know that they can be a doctor just the same as going to allo school.

I am glad that I can talk some facts here.

 

[ButImLETired]

I dont see why you should be flamed for this. Its a perfectly reasonable thing to ask. I'm very intersted in learning OMM, so I applied to DO schools.

That being said, i think its unrealistic to expect people to give up on their dream (not apply DO even tho they have not been accpeted MD for multiple cycles) just b/c they dont like OMM. I know that if I had tried multiple times to get into MD, and i really didnt like OMM, but it was my only option, I would suck up the 2 years of OMM lecture so that I could beocme a physician. No doubt. You might feel the same way if you were in that situation, but its hard to say because you ARENT in that position, so its tough to comment on. You really think you would just give up on being a physician? Not apply DO?? I highly doubt it. If you want something badly enough, you will do anything to get it.

Oh, I absolutely agree with you, of course I'd apply DO if I couldn't get into MD (thanks for the vote of confidence in suggesting that wont happen by the way 🙂). I'm just saying that it annoys me when pre-osteos argue that OMM is the only difference between MD and DO (which I agree with), and that DO isn't just a "safety net" for people who can't do MD, but meanwhile don't believe in OMM and just intend on sucking it up and going through it. It strikes me as being a bit hypocritical.

I guess what it probably just comes down to is that when people get overly defensive about something, it just ends up furthering the stereotype that they have something to be defensive about.

 

[ButImLETired]

you are an idiot.

👍

 

[J1515]

please stop talking. all i can think about when I read your posts is how you got a 28 on the MCAT and how if you had gotten a 31+, you would have been a solely MD applicant. Now, you can say that I am full of **** and blah blah, but until you get a 31+, you cant argue with me or anyone else on this pre-allo board.

4th year DO student here. I chose DO and got into both DO and MD. I would be happy to scan acceptance letters for any "know it all" premeds.

I think if you have borderline stats (or even if you don't), the interviewer's question "Why not apply to DO schools?" is an excellent question and can really shine some light on your motivations for going into medicine. Isn't your main goal to become a doctor and treat patients? Or is your main goal to have specific letters behind your name?

I should advise you to be careful with this question as your interviewer may very well be a DO working at an allopathic institution. If you tell him some nonsense such as "I don't want to explain to every patient what a DO is" or "I want a competitive residency" he/she will laugh in your face and your ignorance will shine through. If you say something like you aren't interested in OMM or you are extremely interested in research (although a bunch of DO schools do have great research opportunities now), those seem like safe answers to me.

 

[Saregamapadanis]

If I had just been honest, my answer would have been more like "well, I don't really like group work, and I don't think PBL is for me, but I still really want to be a doctor and am happy to do it if I have to!". I don't think they would have been impressed.

haha, i see your point, well if you do intend to become a doctor and if those PBL schools are the only ones that let you in, then you will have no choice but to like them. So even if your's is a current dislike, it will turn into a future forceful "liking".
anyway, I am not sure whether organizations that handle amcas and accomas share information, but what I am saying is , do not lie when it comes to things that maybe objectively verified, for instance, if you say "oh yeah , I applied to DO schools" at an interview and if in a background check they find out that you really didn't apply, then that would lead to unfortunate consequences (i.e. bad impressions). So stay true to what you say, and ofcourse the school that you are currently interviewing in is always your top choice .

 

[MsKrispyKreme]

I didn't even know what a D.O. was before I began lurking on SDN.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

please stop talking. all i can think about when I read your posts is how you got a 28 on the MCAT and how if you had gotten a 31+, you would have been a solely MD applicant. Now, you can say that I am full of **** and blah blah, but until you get a 31+, you cant argue with me or anyone else on this pre-allo board.

Wow you got a 31+ on your MCAT bugalow121??? You'll be a fine doctor one day.

Btw, the average MCAT for matriculants is 30 I believe, so I guess all those sub-31's suck and should not even bother arguing with you or anyone else on pre-allo.

 

[coldweatherblue]

I would be really careful answering this question at an interview. It is a strange thing for an allopathic interviewer to ask and there's a good chance he's baiting you to see how you respond. Like others have said, list only objective reasons and not, "Because I want to match integrated plastics..."

For those of you who have only considered Allo, why not DO?

I chose the MD route because it increases the chances of getting an allopathic residency. I have no idea what I want to do and want to keep my options open. Applying to MD residencies as a DO is just one more hurdle to get over; you can match and be a great physician but ultimately it's easier if you went to an allopathic school.

 

[bugalow121]

Wow you got a 31+ on your MCAT bugalow121??? You'll be a fine doctor one day.

Btw, the average MCAT for matriculants is 30 I believe, so I guess all those sub-31's suck and should not even bother arguing with you or anyone else on pre-allo.

I did actually, but a 28 is laughable. . ryser is ridiculous. i'm not sure why he is so defensive, unless he really knows this to be the case.

and ryser, you will not get into UCSD, give me a break.

 

[TehDoc]

Wow you got a 31+ on your MCAT bugalow121??? You'll be a fine doctor one day.

Btw, the average MCAT for matriculants is 30 I believe, so I guess all those sub-31's suck and should not even bother arguing with you or anyone else on pre-allo.

Fine post sir. A+

 

[Lukkie]

I did actually, but a 28 is laughable. . ryser is ridiculous. i'm not sure why he is so defensive, unless he really knows this to be the case.

and ryser, you will not get into UCSD, give me a break.

just leave this forum and don't come back. 👎

 

[bugalow121]

just leave this forum and don't come back. 👎

so if ryser loves DO so much, why is he ever bothering applying MD? valid question, no? is he worried he might not get into DO because of the competitiveness?

 

[RySerr21]

I did actually, but a 28 is laughable. . ryser is ridiculous. i'm not sure why he is so defensive, unless he really knows this to be the case.

and ryser, you will not get into UCSD, give me a break.

are you trying to impress your girfriend or something??

"hey baby, check this out, see this? I'm going to talk **** to this person on an anonymous internet forum. Its totally going to ruin his self esteem...HAHA aren't I funny baby? He didn't even get a 30 on his MCAT, isn't he a loser??"

seriously dude, get over yourself. You are a f*ckin douchebag.

And about UCSD, I know the chances of me getting an acceptance aren't very high. Hell, they aren't very high for anybody. But I havent been rejected yet. In fact, I was granted a secondary, something that most applicants to UCSD can not say. I have worked my ass off to do well in school, stay active in sports, and do every other thing I love, and I think I have a pretty good application because of it. If I get rejected from UCSD, it IS NOT because I am not qualified, and it won't be the end of the world and I will happily go attend another school. In the mean time, lets leave the rejecting/accepting applicants to the adcoms, because you sure as hell aren't qualified to tell me, or anybody else anything.

If you'd like to continue to harass me for no other reason but to inflate your own ego, then be my guest, but I am no longer responding to your asinine comments.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

so if ryser loves DO so much, why is he ever bothering applying MD? valid question, no? is he worried he might not get into DO because of the competitiveness?

double post

 

[hopefuldoc87]

so if ryser loves DO so much, why is he ever bothering applying MD? valid question, no? is he worried he might not get into DO because of the competitiveness?

wow...just wow.


your extremely superior 31+ will get you far in life.

 

[ButImLETired]

Mods: can you please ban that waste of space? It's upsetting my saturday.

 

[hopefuldoc87]

Mods: can you please ban that waste of space? It's upsetting my saturday.

i second the motion. 👍