any D.O.''s here?

[kas baby]

Hello everyone!

I''m in my 3rd year of undergrad as a biomedical science major and I''m looking to take the MCAT in May then apply to med school for D.O''s asap... so I was just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to tackle the last bit of undergrad and get ready for grad school. any advice/stories/other options/anything would be helpful. How many schools did you apply to? What did you do to make yourself ''stand out'' in your app/interview?
To be honest, I''m not sure how strong of an applicant I''ll be since I didn''t really decide that I wanted to go on to med school until the beginning of this semester (yikes!

I know), but I''m going for it anyway

anything would help

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I am not a DO, but since no one else has answered, I will tell you what I know.

The degree is equivalent to an MD. The only difference is that you learn some manipulation techniques. Many DO's never use those techniques unless they go into primary care.

I have seen the course list. It is basically all the courses MD's have (anatomy, pharm, ect) plus some classes on different types of complementary/alternative medicine and the courses specific to a DO. During medical school you are able to take both the MD and DO standardized test (i.e. the USMLE and COMPLEX)

I am sure that the DO schools are looking for similar features as an MD program. They may be focused on the clinical aspect more than the research aspect of medicine. To stand out, have a good explanation as to why to wanted to go into medicine. That answer can be very generic. If you don't have the best grades, the MCAT score can help you. Also, most people who get into these kind of schools have more than academics. I had a little research and a lot of community service projects to discuss, as I did a lot in college. Drawing on your past experiences to talk about what you want to do in the future is also something that will help you stand out. Of course, be up to date on any hot topics in medicine such as health care reform. You may get asked about your opinion on that. If you get a loaded question about a topic for which people have differing positions on, stay calm, and explain your reasoning without attacking the other side. The person interviewing may take the other side just to see how you handle pressure.

Is there any reason you are only looking at DO programs? If you want to learn the program specific techniques, than I say go for it. But if you want to be a doctor, you would be best off applying to both.

Do realize that some specialities still favor MD's over DO's when it comes time to apply for residency. This will not be an issue if you are considering primary care.

ETA: There are specific forms that could probably better address this. One that comes to mind is studentdoctor.net.

 

[kas baby]

thank you LtlFirecracker for your response. I will have to go check out that forum you suggested. I just knew there were some MD students here, so I thought I would ask anyway.

I realize that the degrees are pretty much equivalent, but I am really interested in the manipulative therapy, so I''ve been trying to find someone who specializes in that so I can shadow. I''m really interested in alternative/complimentary therapies, but ones that actually work and are legit, so I figured DO would be more open to that. maybe I''m wrong

I fell in love with the human body the first time I took anatomy/physio in HS. loved it. all the intricacies, the balance, the sophistication.... ahh, it really is amazing. So far in undergrad, my favorite classes have been anatomy, physiology, biochem, any of my several psych classes... really just amazes me. I actually have fun taking those exams, so yeah

really looking forward to the rest of my schedule (except for physics 2

)

My grades, well I''m not happy with them. I have a 3.4 GPA right now

orgo kicked my butt, C+ both semesters- gah! and right now physics is messing everyone up. on our last exam the raw average was a 40%. the girl who was taking the test next to me starting balling her eyes out halfway into it. scary stuff. I''m so over it. I study hard for that class. I have no life, just studying and hw. right now I have a 78.9 in that class and I''m hoping by the end of it to come out with a B- if I''m lucky.

Right now I''m doing pre-med club (worthless if you ask me,) last year I worked Dance Marathon (raise money for Children''s Miracle Network), and I''m hoping to volunteer or at least attend this years event and most likely next years as well. It was an amazing experience. Applying for a job at the local urgent care center''s ''Healing Arts'' facility- thought it might be a good idea. I''m shadowing a chiropractor, ND, and a DO, all hopefully over the semester break, to see a variety.

Will definitely look up some hot topics. I''m also going to be taking bioethics, think that would be good prep?

I am considering Primary care, so that''s good to hear

at the moment, I''m kind of at a loss as to what to do. I feel like my app would be really weak, but I can''t do anything about my lack of volunteering/shadowing in the past, so I''m trying to focus on what I can do in the coming months... gah!

back to studying...

 

[kas baby]

another question: looking back, do you (MD''s or DO''s) ever wish you had done something else? Do you enjoy what you do or did you end up loathing every second of it? What do you wish you had done instead?

I''m asking, because I still feel like I have some time to figure things out, and I don''t want to waste my time and energy working towards something that is going to leave me empty...

 

[jstarfireb]

LFC's post covers most of what I would also say (as an MD, not a DO, so keep that in mind). Keep in mind also that while the MD and DO degrees are equivalent - and in fact DOs learn manipulative therapy so they actually have more training than MDs, not less - some people still look down on DOs assuming they couldn't get into an MD program. Not saying that's right or justified, but just that you should be aware of the prejudice.

Also second SDN as a good forum to check out for more information. Google it, as I think we can't post a link to another forum.

I think I only applied to something like 10 med schools and went on 6 interviews (most offered but I declined a couple). I had the fortunate situation of coming from a very strong pre-med program at a prestigious institution with great grades and test scores, some undergrad research, and lots of extracurriculars, so I didn't have to work as hard as some to get in.

Regarding my career choice...hmm, this is a tough one. Honestly, if I had to do it over again, I probably would have done something easier and less expensive than med school. I tell people to think really, really hard about why they really want to go into medicine, because the training is harder than almost anyone can imagine. I like what I do, and it certainly is fulfilling and doesn't leave me feeling empty, but I think I could have found something else that I liked as much but wasn't quite so brutal. I go back and forth depending on how bad things are during any given month. But you get used to the workload and time commitment. It helps to have a supportive significant other.

If you're not 100% sure, but you like things like osteopathic manipulative therapy, definitely look into physical/occupational therapy as an alternative. Physicians' Assistant programs are another option, although PA school is ridiculously difficult (basically 4 years of med school squished into 2).

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Unlike Lt and Jstar, I'm still just a student, so their guidance is much wiser than mine I'm sure.

But I guess I'm closer to where you currently are, haha. I accidentally graduated early (it wasn't planned, just kind of came together that way), so took a year off since I wasn't ready to apply yet. And in hindsight it was a great decision for me. I ended up working as a research assistant in a hospital and really got to know the doctors AND the rest of the health care team. I spend a lot of time hanging out with nurses, physical therapists, social workers, psychologists, physicians (both MD and DO)...pretty much the whole health care team. And after 6 months, I had a much better understanding of the pros and cons of the various careers, and knew I still wanted to go the MD route. Not to mention, it was nice to be making a salary of my own!

So if you're feeling unsure, taking a year off after graduation to explore career options and pad your application isn't a bad thing. In fact, half of my classmates took at least a year off, and I go to a "top 10" med school, so taking a worthwhile year off doesn't really seem to work against you! And is totally worth it on a personal level if you aren't sure what you want to do.

So far school hasn't been so bad, mostly like college at 1.5x speed. But I'm starting in clinics in 2 months, and from what I hear, THAT is the hard part of med school. Haha, so maybe my view is still that of a rosy MS2.

I'll also add that more and more students are worried about the finances of med school, so if that's an area you'd be concerned with, state schools can be a really great deal. I've heard that DO schools can actually be pricier than private MD schools, and without as many scholarships to offer.

 

[kas baby]

thank you jstarfireb. We''ve heard a lot about the whole ''DO''s are looked down upon'' thing, but where I''m from a DO is just as common as an MD. I don''t even think twice about which I''m seeing, because in my eyes they''re pretty much the same, just a different philosophy I guess.

I''m worried about my competitiveness because I know I''d be weak on paper. My grades worry me because I feel like my weak spots are in huge areas- orgo and physics. Those are 4 and 5 credit classes, and since I had to take two semesters of each, it adds up. I''ve aced almost everything else, and my GPA has seen improvement in each semester, so I don''t know what to think about that. I have an appointment with my advisor to talk about my options and see what I can do.

FI is 100% behind me on whatever I do, so no worries there. He knows it just gets harder and more intense as you work through, and the guy is still marrying me, so I think I''m in good shape. He''d follow me anywhere.

MTG, I''m actually going to be graduating a semester early. I cannot wait to get out of here! Mainly because I want to be with FI. If he were here I might have taken the full four years, but I decided to load up. We''ll see how it goes. I''m trying to figure out the best way to find a job or get connected in some way that will allow me to see a variety of different options. The kicker is that I''m in MI. worst job market ever. no one wants you if you have no experience but you can''t get experience if no one will hire you.

I was supposed to be a temp for a woman going on maternity leave at an assisted living center last summer break. Her leave was going to be right during my break so it would''ve worked out perfectly for both. I had filled out all the paper work and they said I would get a call for my testing and training in about two weeks. Instead of that, I got a call that the owner''s niece had complained about not being able to find a job, so I got passed over for her. yeah. so I guess it''s all about who you know, and I don''t know anybody.

well, thanks for responding everyone. I still have a lot of thinking to do, big decision and all....

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Kas,

They will look at your overall GPA and your science GPA when determining your grades. If your numbers are not good, you need to apply to more programs. I had a poor MCAT score (27) and applied to 22 schools and got 2 interviews. I did not apply to any DO programs, but looking back, that would have been a very smart move, especially now that I do primary care.

I don''t have time to discuss the pro''s and con''s of being a physician. I would look into every other option. To be honest right now I can''t do what I want to do. To be effective, I need to have time to talk to my patients, but medicine pay is not based on that. So a primary care doctor sees lots of patients in a short amount of time and often feels like they are not doing all they can. On top of that, doctors are no long respected the way they used to be. The immunizations thread is a good example of my real life. While some people respect the degree and profession, others are willing to take an opinion not based on good science and go with it despite your recommendations.

The hours a long, residency is hard, and honestly, an NP can pretty much do everything I can do and may be getting more rights under the heath care reform act. It is kind of weird to spend three years having the dogma stuffed down our throughout about 80 hours a week not being enough training, and than to see an NP with no residency doing the same thing I am doing.

On the flip side, it can be very rewarding. Recently I moved, and a mother from my former location just gave me an engraved clock to thank me for everything I have done for our kids, she has written letters to people talking about the impact I made in her life. That is the kind of stuff that makes me still want to do this despite the insults, verbal abuse, long hours and everything else.

Just my honest opinion. I knew all of this going into it, and I could not find anything else I wanted to do more. I chose not to be an NP because I know I have trouble with people telling me what to do. Right now, I would still do it again. The real test is my answer to that question in 5 years.