Current OMS1, want to start over at MD school

[snowboardette19]

Ok, so before everyone freaks out, let me please explain my situation.

In undergrad, I was very much into the osteopathic philosophy. I was a four year member of Pre-SOMA, and held leadership positions for 3 of those 4 years. I applied only to DO schools and got into 4. I chose a DO school (I won't say which, to invite less criticism) that had a good name behind it and has put out a lot of graduates.

First year is going great, I love my clinical classes and the basic science curriculum. The issue I am having, however, is with OMM. I'm doing fine in the course (90% last semester) but I absolutely cannot stand it any longer. The lack of evidence is appalling (and yes, I'm even talking about articles published in JAOA). It seems as though a majority of my class (and several of my OMM faculty) absolutely refuse to employ critical thinking and evidence based medicine in this area of learning. I feel like I'm attending the Church of OMM, where all that matters is history, and what some guy did 130 years ago. I dread each time I have to study for OMM, as it takes away from learning clinical medicine and the basic sciences. It's really hard to convey my emotions on text, but I'm having a really huge change of heart about osteopathic school, and its scaring me to death. I've considered "sticking it out" of course, but that option seems less and less appealing, especially with how much more OMM I still have to learn. Also, I'm tired of defending and explaining what a DO is, and I'm not so sure that we are as "equal" to MDs as everyone says we are.

I'm considering finishing out this first year, and applying for MD schools for Fall 2013. Some of the MD schools in my home state (where I still maintain residency) have been less enthusiastic when I talk to them about re-applying. I just wondered if anyone here had advice. Please stay polite, I realize this will probably be an unpopular thread/discussion with some people. Thanks!

PS: In case anyone was curious, here are my stats:
Undergrad: BS in Physiology, MCAT 28, cGPA 3.45, sGPA 3.38 (worked 30-40 hours per week entire undergrad, maybe accounts for lower grades)
Graduate: Master in Public Health, cGPA 3.89
OMS1: We are graded in "blocks" since that is how our curriculum is laid out, my grades range anywhere from 77% to 95% in different blocks. Passing is 70%, average is always between 78-80%.

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[Catalystik]

Aside from the fact that MD schools in general will not be very friendly to an applicant who has already matriculated to another med school (this question is on the primary application), your current stats are not very competitive for MD intitutions (where average acceptee stats are 3.67/3.61/31.1). You might need to plan to retake the MCAT and do additional postbac work to raise your BCPM GPA prior to reapplying. MD schools unfortunately won't take your MPH GPA into account.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Stick it out. You are going to have a large uphill battle trying to get in and in the meantime you can shrug off the OMM like many MANY DO students do. Plus you are in a state that has a huge amount of DO residencies, so you are setting yourself up well there. I recommend just letting the stuff go in one ear and out the other. plus you are giving up two years to start over. It will be over soon enough. You basically have one more year to tough it out and then the OMM is basically done with.

 

[lobo.solo]

Learn it and forget it. You don't have to use it if you don't want to

 

[sylvanthus]

I think it is unlikely you would get accepted to an MD school at this point in time. As someone that also hates OMM, I suggest sticking it out and then forgetting about it after you graduate. Really, 2nd year is just using the exact same techniques anyhow, just applied "clinically."

Also, most students read Saverese for OMT review for the boards, you can get through this book in a day. It is cake. So, OMT wont eat up THAT much time in the future. Stick it out and hang in there!

 

[TallScrubs]

I find it very difficult to understand that someone so invested in pre-SOMA would be so naive as to what OMM really is.

I hate going to OMM lab, I haven't been to lecture since the first week. But guess what? I'm doing well (I mean, come on, OMM is pretty easy) and OMM really only takes 1.5 hours a week. I have roughly 52 hours of OMM lab/year! You're willing to waste two years and ~40k dollars for 52 hours?

Accept that you hate it, deal with it like a big boy, and move on. That sounded harsher than I intended but I think that is your best bet.

 

[Goro]

Have you thought about a transfer as opposed to just starting over? I have had students do that, even after year OMSI. I can't ascertain what other AdComs would be like, but my own two cents is that I don't like retreads from ther medical schools. However, if I were at an AdCom at an MD school, and looking critically at your situation, I'd be oblidged to give you a pass.

Suggest you do some detective work and talk to every Dean you can get a hold of and see if they'd be sympathetic to you.

On the flip side...you want to be a doctor...how bad do you want it? Is OMM big enough a barrier to prevent you from doing so?

I'm considering finishing out this first year, and applying for MD schools for Fall 2013. Some of the MD schools in my home state (where I still maintain residency) have been less enthusiastic when I talk to them about re-applying. I just wondered if anyone here had advice. Please stay polite, I realize this will probably be an unpopular thread/discussion with some people. Thanks!

PS: In case anyone was curious, here are my stats:
Undergrad: BS in Physiology, MCAT 28, cGPA 3.45, sGPA 3.38 (worked 30-40 hours per week entire undergrad, maybe accounts for lower grades)
Graduate: Master in Public Health, cGPA 3.89
OMS1: We are graded in "blocks" since that is how our curriculum is laid out, my grades range anywhere from 77% to 95% in different blocks. Passing is 70%, average is always between 78-80%.

 

[snowboardette19]

I find it very difficult to understand that someone so invested in pre-SOMA would be so naive as to what OMM really is.

I hate going to OMM lab, I haven't been to lecture since the first week. But guess what? I'm doing well (I mean, come on, OMM is pretty easy) and OMM really only takes 1.5 hours a week. I have roughly 52 hours of OMM lab/year! You're willing to waste two years and ~40k dollars for 52 hours?

Accept that you hate it, deal with it like a big boy, and move on. That sounded harsher than I intended but I think that is your best bet.

I wasn't naive so much about OMM I guess, but I think that I didn't really learn to think critically until my MPH, and to really understand journal articles, and what quality evidence is, etc. The more I learn about OMM, the more skeptical I become. And honestly maybe it isn't so much about the OMM itself, but the faculty at my school. They are at odds with the rest of the traditional clinical faculty (especially the anatomy department) and the strain tends to wear on students. Also, the OMM faculty seems very adverse to any criticism or questioning of techniques, and it gets easier to just shut up and tell them what they want to hear, rather than actually learn a technique.

Additionally, my program has us in 4 hours of OMM per week (1 hour lecture, 3 hours of lab, all of which are required otherwise you lose points), so that adds up to more than 52 hours for me.

My final point is that I am a girl, so I guess I'll deal with it like a "big girl" Just wanted to get a general consensus with how difficult this transition would be. Thanks for your advice!

 

[snowboardette19]

Have you thought about a transfer as opposed to just starting over? I have had students do that, even after year OMSI. I can't ascertain what other AdComs would be like, but my own two cents is that I don't like retreads from ther medical schools. However, if I were at an AdCom at an MD school, and looking critically at your situation, I'd be oblidged to give you a pass.

Suggest you do some detective work and talk to every Dean you can get a hold of and see if they'd be sympathetic to you.

On the flip side...you want to be a doctor...how bad do you want it? Is OMM big enough a barrier to prevent you from doing so?

I had a hard enough time finding schools that would transfer MD --> MD, and I'm very skeptical that I could transfer from DO --> MD, especially since my schedule is a "block" schedule and isn't a "traditional" program. What students are you referring to, or may I ask your occupation?

 

[snowboardette19]

I think it is unlikely you would get accepted to an MD school at this point in time. As someone that also hates OMM, I suggest sticking it out and then forgetting about it after you graduate. Really, 2nd year is just using the exact same techniques anyhow, just applied "clinically."

Also, most students read Saverese for OMT review for the boards, you can get through this book in a day. It is cake. So, OMT wont eat up THAT much time in the future. Stick it out and hang in there!

I bought Savarese the first week of class - I wish I could just use it and not go to class Thanks for the advice, I'm glad to hear that others feel that way. Pretty much 70% of my class is in love with OMM, and its hard to relate sometimes.

 

[snowboardette19]

Aside from the fact that MD schools in general will not be very friendly to an applicant who has already matriculated to another med school (this question is on the primary application), your current stats are not very competitive for MD intitutions (where average acceptee stats are 3.67/3.61/31.1). You might need to plan to retake the MCAT and do additional postbac work to raise your BCPM GPA prior to reapplying. MD schools unfortunately won't take your MPH GPA into account.

I was worried about my stats as well. Thank you for the advice!

 

[buccsmf1]

There is a borderline 0% chance that you could drop out, reapply to a MD school, and get accepted. I hate to be harsh, but your stats were WELL below even an average matriculant, and that was before you accepted an invitation to your current medical school. I'm also going to assume that you're rich.... because if you have student loans and you're even thinking about this, that's pretty scary.

Just stick it out, yeah Omm is dumb, but after your second year you barely ever have to think about it again. Many DO med students get accepted into MD residencies (close to 50% at my school), so you always have that option.

 

[Goblue89]

I believe George Washington take transfers from DO schools

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Goro is a DO adcom.

 

[Goro]

Somewhere west of St Louis, too.
I have had DO students transfer to MD schools, after years 1 and 2. Very rare, but it has happened. I think one went to LSU.

Goro is a DO adcom.

 

[kautionwirez]

Your GPA/MCAT is very low. From MY experience (look at my MDapps) I only received 1 acceptance after applying to 40+ schools. My GPA/MCAT is higher than yours.

I suggest using Goro's advice. He is a DO adcom.

Two year pre-soma member here with leadership. I gotta say that in pre-soma you learn very little about the evidence based quality of OMM, so I can see the OP being naive about its greater implications.

That's something I would have thought Pre SOMAs would have more insight in...

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Ok, so before everyone freaks out, let me please explain my situation.

In undergrad, I was very much into the osteopathic philosophy. I was a four year member of Pre-SOMA, and held leadership positions for 3 of those 4 years. I applied only to DO schools and got into 4. I chose a DO school (I won't say which, to invite less criticism) that had a good name behind it and has put out a lot of graduates.

First year is going great, I love my clinical classes and the basic science curriculum. The issue I am having, however, is with OMM. I'm doing fine in the course (90% last semester) but I absolutely cannot stand it any longer. The lack of evidence is appalling (and yes, I'm even talking about articles published in JAOA). It seems as though a majority of my class (and several of my OMM faculty) absolutely refuse to employ critical thinking and evidence based medicine in this area of learning. I feel like I'm attending the Church of OMM, where all that matters is history, and what some guy did 130 years ago. I dread each time I have to study for OMM, as it takes away from learning clinical medicine and the basic sciences. It's really hard to convey my emotions on text, but I'm having a really huge change of heart about osteopathic school, and its scaring me to death. I've considered "sticking it out" of course, but that option seems less and less appealing, especially with how much more OMM I still have to learn. Also, I'm tired of defending and explaining what a DO is, and I'm not so sure that we are as "equal" to MDs as everyone says we are.

I'm considering finishing out this first year, and applying for MD schools for Fall 2013. Some of the MD schools in my home state (where I still maintain residency) have been less enthusiastic when I talk to them about re-applying. I just wondered if anyone here had advice. Please stay polite, I realize this will probably be an unpopular thread/discussion with some people. Thanks!

PS: In case anyone was curious, here are my stats:
Undergrad: BS in Physiology, MCAT 28, cGPA 3.45, sGPA 3.38 (worked 30-40 hours per week entire undergrad, maybe accounts for lower grades)
Graduate: Master in Public Health, cGPA 3.89
OMS1: We are graded in "blocks" since that is how our curriculum is laid out, my grades range anywhere from 77% to 95% in different blocks. Passing is 70%, average is always between 78-80%.

Have you ever had a course in undergrad, which you hated and couldn't stand, but had to take it in order to graduate?

I have taken a bio course "Dev. Bio", where I had to study the embryonic development of flies and frogs. I absolutely hated that course, but I had to tolerate it because it was a requirement for my concentration.

Bottom line, this won't be the last and only time when you need to endure things that you dislike. C'esta la vie.

 

[PhiPhenomenon]

First year is going great, I love my clinical classes and the basic science curriculum. The issue I am having, however, is with OMM. I'm doing fine in the course (90% last semester) but I absolutely cannot stand it any longer. The lack of evidence is appalling (and yes, I'm even talking about articles published in JAOA). It seems as though a majority of my class (and several of my OMM faculty) absolutely refuse to employ critical thinking and evidence based medicine in this area of learning. I feel like I'm attending the Church of OMM, where all that matters is history, and what some guy did 130 years ago. I dread each time I have to study for OMM, as it takes away from learning clinical medicine and the basic sciences. It's really hard to convey my emotions on text, but I'm having a really huge change of heart about osteopathic school, and its scaring me to death. I've considered "sticking it out" of course, but that option seems less and less appealing, especially with how much more OMM I still have to learn. Also, I'm tired of defending and explaining what a DO is, and I'm not so sure that we are as "equal" to MDs as everyone says we are.
.

... Goddammit.