Deferment from DO school and considering applying to MD.

[Premedstudent2020]

Hi, I am sorry in advance for the long post. I would appreciate anyone's advice for my dilemma.

I am a senior who just graduated. I applied last cycle (2019-2020) and I ended up with a 497 MCAT score. My GPA was a 3.7. I applied to MD schools received several secondaries but no interview invites and eventually got rejected. I also applied to a few DO schools. I did not care as much about MD vs DO. However, by December I still didn't receive any word on acceptances so I decided to enroll in an MCAT class seeing that the cycle wasn't working out.

Towards the end of January I finally received an interview from a DO school that I was very excited about. I scheduled the interview for February and all was good. But I was still studying for MCAT in case this school didn't work out. A couple days before my interview date my father passed away in Egypt while he was on a short trip to visit family. I was forced to reschedule my interview and I was out of the country for a few weeks. I returned to the states and rescheduled my interview and got accepted. However, I made the difficult decision to defer due to my father's passing and my family's condition.

I cancelled my MCAT course and stopped studying after my father's passing in February. My father's passing made me realize I mainly chose the medical field due to my deep passion to serve my community back in Egypt. I realized that this may not be feasible as a DO because they are not accepted in Egypt as doctors. Hence, my dilemma.

I am now considering reapplying to MD schools and retaking my MCAT in July. However, I have not been able to change much in my application since the last cycle. I spoke to several schools that rejected me last cycle and many just stated it was due to my low MCAT score. They also stated that my extracurriculars and experiences were good. The only change I would make is my MCAT score, personal statement, and more hours as a Patient Care Technician.

So I guess my questions are:
1) Could I get in trouble for reapplying while having deferment to DO school? I did not sign any sort of contract.
2) Would I have any chance in getting in this cycle with the minor changes in application?
3) Will it look bad that much of my application has not changed even with the whole COVID-19 situation?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence ?

 

[Premedstudent2020]

Where is your state of residence ?

Tennessee

 

[gulli_97]

Why don't you go to med school in Egypt?

 

[Faha]

Tennessee

If you retake the MCAT and score at least 505 you could receive interviews at your 2 state public schools.

 

[Doggeronie]

I'm sorry for your loss, but I think this is really misadvised... Just take your DO acceptance and become a doctor. Your priorities will change with time and there's no telling what you'll feel like 4 years from now.

If you really want to practice in Egypt just sign up for a Doctors without Borders mission and go serve there for some time. But don't give up your guaranteed ticket to becoming a doctor in the US. I really really think you will regret this immensely.

 

[deleted859689]

Hi, I am sorry in advance for the long post. I would appreciate anyone's advice for my dilemma.

I am a senior who just graduated. I applied last cycle (2019-2020) and I ended up with a 497 MCAT score. My GPA was a 3.7. I applied to MD schools received several secondaries but no interview invites and eventually got rejected. I also applied to a few DO schools. I did not care as much about MD vs DO. However, by December I still didn't receive any word on acceptances so I decided to enroll in an MCAT class seeing that the cycle wasn't working out.

Towards the end of January I finally received an interview from a DO school that I was very excited about. I scheduled the interview for February and all was good. But I was still studying for MCAT in case this school didn't work out. A couple days before my interview date my father passed away in Egypt while he was on a short trip to visit family. I was forced to reschedule my interview and I was out of the country for a few weeks. I returned to the states and rescheduled my interview and got accepted. However, I made the difficult decision to defer due to my father's passing and my family's condition.

I cancelled my MCAT course and stopped studying after my father's passing in February. My father's passing made me realize I mainly chose the medical field due to my deep passion to serve my community back in Egypt. I realized that this may not be feasible as a DO because they are not accepted in Egypt as doctors. Hence, my dilemma.

I am now considering reapplying to MD schools and retaking my MCAT in July. However, I have not been able to change much in my application since the last cycle. I spoke to several schools that rejected me last cycle and many just stated it was due to my low MCAT score. They also stated that my extracurriculars and experiences were good. The only change I would make is my MCAT score, personal statement, and more hours as a Patient Care Technician.

So I guess my questions are:
1) Could I get in trouble for reapplying while having deferment to DO school? I did not sign any sort of contract.
2) Would I have any chance in getting in this cycle with the minor changes in application?
3) Will it look bad that much of my application has not changed even with the whole COVID-19 situation?

applying MD with a 497? Hope you used your own money and didn't borrow from anyone. Take the DO and run with it. If you want to practice in Egypt, go to medical school in Egypt.

 

[drstranger]

Without a significant change in your MCAT you won't see any change from the MD side, they send secondaries to lots of people who they will never interview it is free money for them. Maybe if you get 510+ you might have a decent shot at an in-state school but that is a very hard task to improve your MCAT by 13 especially with all that is going on with your family. It would not look great applying with the same application without much of a change. I agree with posters above if the main reason you want to apply for MD is to practice in Egypt I would say you have very little chance because no Adcom will give you a US spot if your passion is leaving the US

 

[zNoodlez]

Hi, I am sorry in advance for the long post. I would appreciate anyone's advice for my dilemma.

I am a senior who just graduated. I applied last cycle (2019-2020) and I ended up with a 497 MCAT score. My GPA was a 3.7. I applied to MD schools received several secondaries but no interview invites and eventually got rejected. I also applied to a few DO schools. I did not care as much about MD vs DO. However, by December I still didn't receive any word on acceptances so I decided to enroll in an MCAT class seeing that the cycle wasn't working out.

Towards the end of January I finally received an interview from a DO school that I was very excited about. I scheduled the interview for February and all was good. But I was still studying for MCAT in case this school didn't work out. A couple days before my interview date my father passed away in Egypt while he was on a short trip to visit family. I was forced to reschedule my interview and I was out of the country for a few weeks. I returned to the states and rescheduled my interview and got accepted. However, I made the difficult decision to defer due to my father's passing and my family's condition.

I cancelled my MCAT course and stopped studying after my father's passing in February. My father's passing made me realize I mainly chose the medical field due to my deep passion to serve my community back in Egypt. I realized that this may not be feasible as a DO because they are not accepted in Egypt as doctors. Hence, my dilemma.

I am now considering reapplying to MD schools and retaking my MCAT in July. However, I have not been able to change much in my application since the last cycle. I spoke to several schools that rejected me last cycle and many just stated it was due to my low MCAT score. They also stated that my extracurriculars and experiences were good. The only change I would make is my MCAT score, personal statement, and more hours as a Patient Care Technician.

So I guess my questions are:
1) Could I get in trouble for reapplying while having deferment to DO school? I did not sign any sort of contract.
2) Would I have any chance in getting in this cycle with the minor changes in application?
3) Will it look bad that much of my application has not changed even with the whole COVID-19 situation?

Try to contact your DO school and ask for deferment first, you will not know what to do next until they have accepted your request. In the case that they refused your request and you still want to go MD, you will have to drop the DO acceptance and potentially get blacklisted by DO schools.

 

[drstranger]

Try to contact your DO school and ask for deferment first, you will not know what to do next until they have accepted your request. In the case that they refused your request and you still want to go MD, you will have to drop the DO acceptance and potentially get blacklisted by DO schools.

I was going to say the same thing but it appears that OP has received his deferment due to family circumstances

"I was forced to reschedule my interview and I was out of the country for a few weeks. I returned to the states and rescheduled my interview and got accepted. However, I made the difficult decision to defer due to my father's passing and my family's condition. "

 

[zNoodlez]

I was going to say the same thing but it appears that OP has received his deferment due to family circumstances

"I was forced to reschedule my interview and I was out of the country for a few weeks. I returned to the states and rescheduled my interview and got accepted. However, I made the difficult decision to defer due to my father's passing and my family's condition. "

If so then OP should study hard for the MCAT, if you miss the mark for MD then there is a DO acceptance waiting for you.

 

[tran708]

I would take the acceptance to a DO school and move on with your life. An MD will not make you any better of a doctor. I have met plenty of MD's and DO's that are extremely bright and extremely dangerous. Its not the kind of degree but the person who is becoming a doctor. I am an Internist/MD and been practicing for about 20 years. I see my colleagues from MD and DO as the same. When I need a specialist consultant, I DON'T CARE IF HE IS AN MD OR DO. Trust me. You will be glad to start your career. Don't let the MD/DO cloud your judgement.

 

[Hematochezia666]

medicine is medicine. salary is 100X+ of what you'd make there.

 

[deleted480308]

You had a 497 and got into med school. Hug them and thank them

 

[Osteosaur]

I'm sorry for your loss.

The MCAT isn't like the SAT. That 497 is there forever and not erased by a better score. MD is very competitive for people with spotless records. This might be your one shot -- if you want to practice, at all, in the US.

 

[MusicDOc124]

Practicing in another country isn't as simple as having an MD. Before deciding if you want to drop the opportunity of becoming a doctor in the US, find out the process for getting your MD and then moving there. It's not as simple or easy as many think. Also, if you want to practice there, why don't you go to school there and get your MBBCh?

 

[Isoval]

You had a 497 and got into med school. Hug them and thank them

Basically this. 497 is damn near dead on arrival at almost all DO schools. You got lucky to get what you got.

Unless you retake the MCAT and a miracle happens, it’s not going to happen.

 

[BTR41]

Go to the DO school, a 497 will haunt you in the MD process unless you can get above a 510 on your new MCAT. Also sorry for your loss, as someone who has lost 5 family memebers in the past 6 months it really sucks starting medical school with all that baggage. Maybe try going to therapy and do some introspection before starting medical school since it will be stressful. Good luck

 

[FutureInternist]

I'm sorry for your loss, but I think this is really misadvised... Just take your DO acceptance and become a doctor. Your priorities will change with time and there's no telling what you'll feel like 4 years from now.

If you really want to practice in Egypt just sign up for a Doctors without Borders mission and go serve there for some time. But don't give up your guaranteed ticket to becoming a doctor in the US. I really really think you will regret this immensely.

I always give the same example in these scenarios.

Would you rather have a for sure shot at Jessica Alba or a maybe shot at Megan Fox?

Bird in hand and all that

 

[Dantes]

Sorry about your dad. If you have the time and motivation, study and take a couple (predictive) practice tests and see if you can hit over 510. Otherwise run with your acceptance. I also don't know anything about their system, but if it's anything like other countries, if you really want to practice in Egypt it may be easier to train there instead.

 

[FutureInternist]

Sorry about your dad. If you have the time and motivation, study and take a couple (predictive) practice tests and see if you can hit over 510. Otherwise run with your acceptance. I also don't know anything about their system, but if it's anything like other countries, if you really want to practice in Egypt it may be easier to train there instead.

No guarantee that even a 517 or whatever the 99%-ile is an admission.
Waste all that time prepping, taking exam, going on all the interviews, having to explain a retake.... too much hassle, and waste of time