Did I overkill by applying to 38 DO schools?

[DOstudent20]

Hello,

So I just discovered SDN recently and kind of panicked when submitting my primaries. I am looking for some assurance that my panicking would be worth it or not.

I am a Texas Resident and applied to 38 DO schools, not knowing if I would be able to get in or not. I really like the DO approach because it aligns well with Public Health values, which was my major during undergrad, and want to do a DO/MPH if possible. I did qualify for the AACOMAS fee waiver that help cut the cost of both primary and secondaries.

I have over 800 hours working at a clinic for an MD, 700 hours as a pharmacy tech, over 200 hours volunteering at a hospital, 800 non-healthcare volunteer hours, and 500 research hours. I pretty much worked throughout all of undergrad.

My MCAT was 500 (C/P: 127, C: 123, B: 125, P/S: 125), cGPA: 3.6, csGPA: 3.5. I did not have any DO shadowing experience due to COVID, but do have MD shadowing. I wanted to know, from previous applicants, how important is that DO expereince and if applying to 38 school was a bad idea?

Thanks!

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[Isoval]

You probably didn't need to apply to basically all of them, but can't hurt (except your wallet, which I can hear crying all the way in Fort Worth from wherever you are).

 

[DOstudent20]

You probably didn't need to apply to basically all of them, but can't hurt (except your wallet, which I can hear crying all the way in Fort Worth from wherever you are).

Haha I live in Plano, TX so you will be hearing the crying loud and clear!

 

[Sky138]

Applying to that many schools isn’t actually that bad. It’s the secondaries that will kill you. I’m pretty sure you applied to enough where you’ll have to choose between writing the secondary or flat out skipping them in bunches.

 

[DOstudent20]

Applying to that many schools isn’t actually that bad. It’s the secondaries that will kill you. I’m pretty sure you applied to enough where you’ll have to choose between writing the secondary or flat out skipping them in bunches.

I have received and finished most of them at this point, about 35 total. It took forever and was pure torture!

 

[BlueLion]

Probably overkill, but if it gives you peace of mind, I say it's worth it. I did 23 schools and got 11 interviews with similar stats. Be prepared for the second wave of not just covid, but bs secondary essays and fees

 

[DOstudent20]

Probably overkill, but if it gives you peace of mind, I say it's worth it. I did 23 schools and got 11 interviews with similar stats. Be prepared for the second wave of not just covid, but bs secondary essays and fees

Did you have DO shadowing as well? I know some schools require it and some do not.

 

[BlueLion]

Formally no, but most of them accepted my scribing hours as shadowing I believe.

 

[deleted859689]

Some DO schools are really specific to what kind of applicant they’re looking for. 38 overkill imo. Should target select schools where you fit their mission. I bet my bananas you’ll get in somewhere though.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Can’t put a price on peace of mind. You already spent the money anyway so it doesn’t matter.

 

[PersonBehindAScreen]

Better to go overkill than have to apply again in my eyes. Have you applied to all TMDSAS schools? I don't want to derail from your primary question or put another degree down but as a Texas Resident too (live in fort worth, works in Plano), you could be giving up a pretty sweet deal with the low Texas tuition that all those TMDSAS schools have. Additionally the "DO approach" is advertised more at those schools but you can still do that at MD schools and programs.

 

[Goro]

Hello,

So I just discovered SDN recently and kind of panicked when submitting my primaries. I am looking for some assurance that my panicking would be worth it or not.

I am a Texas Resident and applied to 38 DO schools, not knowing if I would be able to get in or not. I really like the DO approach because it aligns well with Public Health values, which was my major during undergrad, and want to do a DO/MPH if possible. I did qualify for the AACOMAS fee waiver that help cut the cost of both primary and secondaries.

I have over 800 hours working at a clinic for an MD, 700 hours as a pharmacy tech, over 200 hours volunteering at a hospital, 800 non-healthcare volunteer hours, and 500 research hours. I pretty much worked throughout all of undergrad.

My MCAT was 500 (C/P: 127, C: 123, B: 125, P/S: 125), cGPA: 3.6, csGPA: 3.5. I did not have any DO shadowing experience due to COVID, but do have MD shadowing. I wanted to know, from previous applicants, how important is that DO expereince and if applying to 38 school was a bad idea?

Thanks!

You made a fair number of donations

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Gpa and MCAT are right in the middle of the road. I would have said to apply broadly, but about half of where you applied. Better too many than too few i guess. Good luck and best wishes.

 

[paradoxic_toxic]

I applied to every campus

 

[DOstudent20]

Better to go overkill than have to apply again in my eyes. Have you applied to all TMDSAS schools? I don't want to derail from your primary question or put another degree down but as a Texas Resident too (live in fort worth, works in Plano), you could be giving up a pretty sweet deal with the low Texas tuition that all those TMDSAS schools have. Additionally the "DO approach" is advertised more at those schools but you can still do that at MD schools and programs.

Yes I have applied to all TMDSAS schools as well and do not mind going to MD but my stats were kinda low for that.

 

[El-Rami]

You had the right idea to apply broadly. There's no such thing as overkill when you really want something. Just be sure that you can afford the interviews.

I do agree with you on the MD. With that MCAT score, it wouldn't be worth your time to apply to MD programs. If you are URM, then maybe you could try a school like Meharry.

If I were in your shoes, I would just focus on DO only.

 

[futureapppsy2]

I applied to every campus

View attachment 312593

Not even one letter?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Hello,

So I just discovered SDN recently and kind of panicked when submitting my primaries. I am looking for some assurance that my panicking would be worth it or not.

I am a Texas Resident and applied to 38 DO schools, not knowing if I would be able to get in or not. I really like the DO approach because it aligns well with Public Health values, which was my major during undergrad, and want to do a DO/MPH if possible. I did qualify for the AACOMAS fee waiver that help cut the cost of both primary and secondaries.

I have over 800 hours working at a clinic for an MD, 700 hours as a pharmacy tech, over 200 hours volunteering at a hospital, 800 non-healthcare volunteer hours, and 500 research hours. I pretty much worked throughout all of undergrad.

My MCAT was 500 (C/P: 127, C: 123, B: 125, P/S: 125), cGPA: 3.6, csGPA: 3.5. I did not have any DO shadowing experience due to COVID, but do have MD shadowing. I wanted to know, from previous applicants, how important is that DO expereince and if applying to 38 school was a bad idea?

Thanks!

With your stats and you being a TX resident I can almost guarantee you won't get interviews from:
PCOM-PA
DMU
TCOM (since you're a TX resident, I might be wrong on this one, but I know their MCAT avg is like 510 or something)
KCU
UNE
RVU-CO
LECOM-PA
CUSOM
NOVA
TUNCOM
CCOM
PNWU (They accept very few students from out of the NW area)
Any of the California or NY schools
Any of the states schools: OSU, OUHCOM, MSU, WVSOM, and Rowan (slim chance since you're from texas --> Out of state)

Edit: Didn't notice you got qualified for the fee waiver, but either way still overkill.

So yeah like @Goro said, there were many donations. You could have saved some money for secondary apps and interviews.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Can’t put a price on peace of mind. You already spent the money anyway so it doesn’t matter.

And what's a few thousand dollars when you've got a quarter mill yet to spend ‍♀️

But seriously, like others have said, it's all good as long as you're happy with it.

David D MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[smhmd]

Whoa that's actually nuts lmao I haven't heard of anyone applying to over 20 DO schools personally. Its generally in the 10-15 zone.

 

[medrednoct]

To make you feel better, I also applied to ~33 schools with a 3.4/3.3/510 and pubs.
Just to keep my thoughts of "WHAT IF I DON'T GET IN ANYWHERE?" at bay.

 

[Calizboosted76]

To build off of everyone else, I applied to 49 schools. Super low GPA and weak MCAT. Gotta apply broadly if we want to become a physician! Goodluck!

 

[DOstudent20]

To build off of everyone else, I applied to 49 schools. Super low GPA and weak MCAT. Gotta apply broadly if we want to become a physician! Goodluck!

DId you apply mostly DO or mix of MD and DO?

 

[Calizboosted76]

DId you apply mostly DO or mix of MD and DO?

Both.

 

[DOstudent20]

Both.

Yeah I pretty much did the same with a few in-state MD schools. Goodluck!

 

[Calizboosted76]

Yeah I pretty much did the same with a few in-state MD schools. Goodluck!

You as well!