why osteopathic?

[Eyecon82]

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Hey i have a general dumb question regarding secondaries....

When schools ask you ....why do you think you'd make a good osteopathic physician? or what would make you a good osteopathic physician.....what did you guys write about?

I know about the whole osteopathic philisophy....but it seems weird writing an essay about it......

please give me some ideas.....im stumped

 

[HKDO08]

If you can't answer this....you may want to examine what you want to do with your life....

 

[LukeWhite]

Wst,

I wouldn't worry too much about those who suggest you have to have some overriding passion for osteopathy to go into the profession.

I chose D.O. because I was certain of going into primary care, and wanted as practical a training as possible. I wasn't interested in any training that didn't somehow prepare me to be a competent primary care doc. I look at osteopathic schools as a little closer to trade schools than their MD counterparts: while many allopathic schools anticipate that their graduates will need a strong theoretical background for the more involved specialties, I think osteopathic schools understand that most of their graduates will be going into primary care, and so tend to focus more on practicalities.

So, to sum, that's why I like DO: Practice over abstraction. This reason may or may not work for you; I know plenty of other DO students who have completely different reasons. Hope this helped a little, though!

 

[Eyecon82]

Thanks Lari29.....with your compassionate answer....

I'm stumped because there is too much I knwo about osteopathy and don't know what is relevant in an essay to make an adcom select you as their ideal student

Luealfredwhite,

thanks for your answer...it gives me something to start on..

 

[SM-UCLA tech]

i would focus on why you want to be an osteopathic "physician".......physician being the keyword

so just state as best as you can why. i remember that question was the most difficult for me to try and put into words.

the key words or buzz words are mind, body, spirit.....and the philosophy of approaching the patient as a whole. remembering that they persons entire health is important. not just their current complaint. but if you write that exactly, then it will probably sound artificial.

also remember.....admissions commitees know that a lot of applicants are applying both d.o. and m.d. I didn't write about wanting to go into primary care, etc......in fact, during my interview I was asked what field of medicine I was interested in. I did the unthinkable and said I wanted to be a surgeon. So, as you can see, that was an acceptable answer. 😀

 

[scubadiva]

I sort of agree with Lari29. No offense. But the harsh reality of it is that this was the EXACT same answer my brother (who is an osteopath) pretty much threw in my face for the honest brutal truth.

However, I was in your shoes and I remember feeling the same way. Where to start?

Here is what I would recommend as to how to start these. You need to have an exact reason as to why you want to be a physician in general, and then I would incorporate the osteopathic principles as to why that approach fits in with your ideas of what a physicians is.

Another thing that I did before I began any essay, I actually brainstormed and just did a stream of consciousness essay that generally addressed my reasons for wanting to become a physician. I did not focus on any particular essay, I just wrote down whatever I was feeling about myself and the profession. Another thing that I did was I listed my strengths and weaknesses in an essay format and if this is difficult, because it was for me. I suggest that youlist your extracurricular activities first, and then look at the strengths that wer required to do those activities.

I apologize if I sounded harsh, but the reality is that (and this also applies to me!!!) if you have difficulty expressing yourself when you are given a piece of paper with an unlimited amount of time to think and research a good answer to a question, just think what can or may happen when you are in a face to face interview being grilled about similar questions. Just something to think about. Good luck!!!

Another recommendation that I found extremely useful was a book called "Essays that will get you into medical school." i read through this, it gave me ideas, but in all honesty, I did not use any of their formats with the supplemental applicaitons. it was only useful for the primary AACOMAS, and that I am sure you already finished

 

[Tbonez]

The only "HONEST" answer for most premeds about why they want to be a DO is that DO's consistently focus on primary care HOT and HEAVY, and make excellent PCP's. No matter what specialty if any, a person chooses, the DO is usually a better PCP and has a great foundation to stand on.
UNHONEST answers include:
1. A true interest in OMT. Almost no premed has enough idea about what it is, how its done, if it works, etc. Although, many will express a interest in it to impress an adcom.

2. A interest in treating the patient as whole. BS. As I have stated in other posts, EVERYONE(DO's and MD's), take pathogenesis as well as implication of lifestyle factors etc into consideration.

This is not to say that you should only consider osteopathic if you want to be a PCP. I am pre-DO, have been accepted to a DO school for 2004, and want to be a ortho surgeon. It is saying that you should consider osteopathic medicine if you want a strong PCP foundation vs. a strong research, specialty foundation more traditionally found in allo schools.

 

[Tbonez]

Originally posted by SM-UCLA tech

also remember.....admissions commitees know that a lot of applicants are applying both d.o. and m.d. I didn't write about wanting to go into primary care, etc......in fact, during my interview I was asked what field of medicine I was interested in. I did the unthinkable and said I wanted to be a surgeon. So, as you can see, that was an acceptable answer. 😀

I did the same BTW and got accepted.