DO School: To go or not to go?

[JmacJax]

Hi All,
So I have the opportunity to attend a DO school this year that isn't at the top as far as pass rates for COMLEX goes, but had 100% match rate in 2016.

I have the opportunity to attend a DO School next year that has much higher pass rates and consistent 100% match rates.

I also may have the chance to attend MD schools with storied success.

My question is: Is it worth it to put off attending for a year in order to go to a school that may be of higher success rates for students? (I'm going to leave names out of this). Or is it worth it to start a year earlier, regardless?

My statistics. sGPA: 4.0 cGPA 3.85 MCAT: 513

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[wxman393]

With your stats, I am a bit confused why you are having this dilemma. More to the story?

What do you mean by "may have the chance to attend MD schools"? Did you apply this cycle to MD schools? Waitlisted?


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[JmacJax]

Correct. Currently waitlisted and still waiting to hear back from others. The dilemma is should I go this year to a school I feel less confident about, or wait for next year for a school that I feel more confident about?
As far as waitlist goes, I know nothing about what will happen there. I feel a stronger draw toward DO than MD but if I were accepted off the waitlist to a great MD school I would probably go.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

You really need to give us names for us to help you.

 

[wxman393]

When did you apply? I am surprised you are on the waitlist, excluding any red flags you aren't mentioning. How many schools did you apply to?

I am assuming most people on here will tell you to take the acceptance and start this year. There is absolutely no guarantee you will get in somewhere next year. In addition, are your GPAs adjusted for grade replacement for this past cycle? What will your GPAs come out to without grade replacement for DO schools?


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[sabsaf123]

When did you apply? I am surprised you are on the waitlist, excluding any red flags you aren't mentioning. How many schools did you apply to?

I am assuming most people on here will tell you to take the acceptance and start this year. There is absolutely no guarantee you will get in somewhere next year. In addition, are your GPAs adjusted for grade replacement for this past cycle? What will your GPAs come out to without grade replacement for DO schools?


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I think he's saying that he has already been accepted to the "better DO school" but they won't let him start till next year. I know schools that give people a deferred acceptance because the current years class is full.

 

[JmacJax]

I have no grade replacement.
I honestly have no idea why I was waitlisted. It's frustrating.

The DO school is Touro CA. I have an early acceptance for RVU next year.
I live in CO and the less than remarkable scores of Touro scare me. Whereas I have many connections and feel comfortable at RVU.

My waitlists are Indiana, Mayo and Wake.

I didn't apply early enough for RVU this cycle. But I applied in June for MD schools.

 

[holdthemayo]

I thought it was going to be a new DO school. RVU isn't going to give you any advantage over Touro CA that could be worth waiting a year (unless staying in CO is very important to you).

All three of your waitlist schools will give you a significant advantage over either Touro or RVU and you should take to one of them if you get accepted off of the waitlist.

 

[Gordon Gekko]

If RVU will definitely hold that seat for you despite having an acceptance to a school and you are younger than 30, I would wait, especially if there's still a shot for a MD seat off waitlist.


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[Bynumite17]

I don't see any legitimate reason to pass up on Touro-CA for RVU next year. Going to one or the other will not change your career. However, the MD schools can make a difference in your career path. Personally, I would go Touro unless you get into either of those 3 MD.

 

[sabsaf123]

I have no grade replacement.
I honestly have no idea why I was waitlisted. It's frustrating.

The DO school is Touro CA. I have an early acceptance for RVU next year.
I live in CO and the less than remarkable scores of Touro scare me. Whereas I have many connections and feel comfortable at RVU.

My waitlists are Indiana, Mayo and Wake.

I didn't apply early enough for RVU this cycle. But I applied in June for MD schools.

When did you apply for DOs?

 

[JmacJax]

When did you apply for DOs?

These are all valid points. I applied for DO schools a few weeks ago, due to the RVU connections urging me to. I didn't actually expect to hear back from any other school.

 

[Rekt]

This thread is mind boggling. Touro-CA outclasses RVU all day long.

Accept the Touro and wait to see if you get accepted to MD. If you do, dump the Touro acceptance and eat your losses, but the MD trumps all.

 

[Ioannes Paulus]

RVU> TouroCA any day
BUT, starting medical school a year early means finishing a year early. Something to consider.

If the MD school you were waitlisted at is CNU, I would just stick with one of the DO schools and move on.

 

[rkmoto121]

Waiting a year to attend RVU over Touro CA seems crazy to me. The only difference that this would make is you would delay becoming a doctor by a year. No way you are going to fail your boards with your stats. They really aren't hard to pass and it's way more up to you than the school. If you want to match in CO then just do your auditions there in 4th year. Waiting a year to attend an MD school would absolutely be worth it to me though.


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[cryhavoc]

I would have gone MD if I had gotten in just because you can probably be the bottom student in your class and get the specialty I'm interested in. As a DO, I might have to be like average.

I would not have waited another year. I was being attacked like crazy from undergrad loans, and working two jobs, 60 hours a week, to pay the bills and afford all the million fees and deposits and tests you need to apply to medical school. It cost me so much overtime to get in and my family could barely help. No way I would have put up with that hell on earth working jobs I hate for another year just to have different initials at the end of my name. I just want to be a doctor so I took what I got.

And my first year of medical school was easy compared to that year slaving away to get in, in my opinion. Intellectually hard but a lot less emotionally stressful.

I'm not even sure I would have waited if my parents were rich and the extra year would have been fun. I was ready to get going. Training is a huge chunk of your life and no one is getting any younger.

 

[JmacJax]

I definitely have analyzed this from the perspectives of all of you posting above.
I need to keep considering my options and wait to hear back from the waitlists.

Thank you for your input!
I'm also not worried about not passing boards, I am moreso concerned about the teaching philosophies of schools An do how they gear their students for success on the boards. I don't want to just pass I want to keep my options open with high scores so I can re-evaluate which specialty I want to pursue.

Right now I'm leaning PMR.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

If you're young or don't care, just lose the year the to go to RVU. However, attending Touro is not like you will fail out or get horrible board scores. You just need to be ahead of the game. This is similar to what attending WesternU is. Want a good board score? Start preparing fall of 2nd year or at the latest January. Most good schools should normally be enough to review passively in february and kick into full gear during dedicated.

 

[JmacJax]

I'm young, just unsure about delaying. I realize boards are way more on me than the school, but I also want to make sure I'm set for success from day 1. I also am unsure how the California residency saturation will play out with the merger, etc.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

What was your MD list like?

 

[JmacJax]

What was your MD list like?

Scattered. I applied to 20 schools. West coast all the way out east. A few top fifteen schools. All top 50.

 

[MacMil]

Take the DO and run, it's not your stats holding you back, clearly. It's probably your interview skills. At the end of the day it's on YOU to prepare for boards. No one is going to hand you anything. There are students from the "worst" schools who routinely outperform students from the "better" schools both MD and DO. That information alone should be enough to tell you the results you get are directly proportional to the effort you put in. Good luck in the future!


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[Nikj]

Scattered. I applied to 20 schools. West coast all the way out east. A few top fifteen schools. All top 50.

Accept Touro-CA. Pretty sure there is a blacklist if you do not take acceptances and wait for another year. If you get off MD waitlist, drop everything and go to the MD school. Board scores at the end of the day are up to the student. Good luck

 

[starri]

Bird in the hand...

 

[JmacJax]

Accept Touro-CA. Pretty sure there is a blacklist if you do not take acceptances and wait for another year. If you get off MD waitlist, drop everything and go to the MD school. Board scores at the end of the day are up to the student. Good luck

Thank you for your responses!

 

[ortnakas]

Your spot at RVUCOM for Class of 2022 is really guaranteed? In writing?

I don't think your educational experience is going to be that different between RVUCOM and Touro-- both have solid pass rates and match lists, so your score is really about you. If you're open to moving to California, might as well start this year and take your Touro acceptance. If you feel really strongly about staying in Colorado, defer a year and take your RVUCOM acceptance.

 

[Ho0v-man]

I'd take the Rvu acceptance for next year if it is indeed guaranteed and use that time to reapply MD with a broader list. Best case scenario you get an MD acceptance. Worst case scenario, you get your top choice DO program. At least you wouldn't be left wondering.

This is of course assuming you financial situation allows for this.

 

[235009]

I'd take the Rvu acceptance for next year if it is indeed guaranteed and use that time to reapply MD with a broader list. Best case scenario you get an MD acceptance. Worst case scenario, you get your top choice DO program. At least you wouldn't be left wondering.

This is of course assuming you financial situation allows for this.

I generally agree with this advice. Waiting a year isn't a big deal. What doesn't add up from your story is that you deliberately applied to only top 50 US MD schools but now you're saying you prefer DO and want to do PM&R. That's fishy and feels like you aren't being honest with yourself. Now's the time to be real. If you're going to forever regret not taking another crack at US MD then you're in a much better position than those who don't have a guaranteed backup. The fact that you made thus post makes me think you would have that regret.


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[JmacJax]

I generally agree with this advice. Waiting a year isn't a big deal. What doesn't add up from your story is that you deliberately applied to only top 50 US MD schools but now you're saying you prefer DO and want to do PM&R. That's fishy and feels like you aren't being honest with yourself. Now's the time to be real. If you're going to forever regret not taking another crack at US MD then you're in a much better position than those who don't have a guaranteed backup. The fact that you made thus post makes me think you would have that regret.

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It is not fishy. I believe that PMR would be better suited to a DO. And I believe in OMM. However I know that having an MD degree could potentially open doors for me as it is a more common degree, be it residencies or location. And this is much more important in the long run.
My biggest fear is limiting myself before even stepping foot in medical school. I feel stuck in this regard.

 

[LongDucDong]

It is not fishy. I believe that PMR would be better suited to a DO. And I believe in OMM. However I know that having an MD degree could potentially open doors for me as it is a more common degree, be it residencies or location. And this is much more important in the long run.
My biggest fear is limiting myself before even stepping foot in medical school. I feel stuck in this regard.

PM&R is not better suited for a DO, it is equally suited for MD or DO.
OMM is not worth going DO instead of MD.
MD doesn't "potentially open doors", it absolutely opens doors; although, DO does not necessarily close doors..
A year is nothing. Either way, you are going to be a physician. You have quality stats. Whether you start at Touro in a few months, RVU next year, or an MD school next year, you are in a much better position than most others. Don't over think this, make a decision and commit to it. There isn't an objectively terrible choice here, just great and less-great outcomes.

 

[JmacJax]

PM&R is not better suited for a DO, it is equally suited for MD or DO.
OMM is not worth going DO instead of MD.
MD doesn't "potentially open doors", it absolutely opens doors; although, DO does not necessarily close doors..
A year is nothing. Either way, you are going to be a physician. You have quality stats. Whether you start at Touro in a few months, RVU next year, or an MD school next year, you are in a much better position than most others. Don't over think this, make a decision and commit to it. There isn't an objectively terrible choice here, just great and less-great outcomes.

Thank you for your input!

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Honestly I have a sneaking suspicion your MD list was poorly constructed. Your stats should have gotten you in somewhere, and your waitlists show the rest of your app was fine. Did you even interview at CU?

Wth your stats you will absolutely get another DO acceptance if you were to turn down the acceptances and reapply broadly again to MD and DO.

I think your best option would be to do what the above poster said, take the RVU acceptance and during the year reapply to MD schools.

 

[JmacJax]

Very possibly. I applied to CU and received no interview. I did not apply to any state schools that were public, all were private. I also am a good interviewer and have a background in business and management, with many interviews performed and done under my belt.

I possibly could have had a better selection of schools. I'm not sure. It seemed rather random as far as successes went: interviewed at higher ranked schools, immediate no's at schools slightly below.

 

[Geraltofrivia]

"Believing" in OMM is like believing in ghosts. Don't waste your time. PM&R is not better suited to DOs, it's better suited to MD and DO. Why also MD? Because they are the ones pumping out research in better techniques, not DOs.

Take the year, figure out wtf happened and go MD. Trust everybody on this.

 

[hallowmann]

There's nothing wrong with a lot of OMM for MSK complaints. PT is already using a bunch of it as is, so let's not pretend its all magic and fairytales, when the same people who write "consult PT/OT" are saying OMM is all fake.

Anyway...

Scattered. I applied to 20 schools. West coast all the way out east. A few top fifteen schools. All top 50.

This was a mistake. You should have applied broadly. Given how poorly you constructed your list (why exactly did you not include a single public school?), and given that RVU gave you a seat for next year (get that in writing), I'd hold off on starting if you're young. Wait a year, enjoy yourself a bit, go on a roadtrip, fall in love, etc. and reapply to a good range of MD schools with reaches, mid-range, and "safeties" as opposed to reaches only.

Very possibly. I applied to CU and received no interview. I did not apply to any state schools that were public, all were private. I also am a good interviewer and have a background in business and management, with many interviews performed and done under my belt.

I possibly could have had a better selection of schools. I'm not sure. It seemed rather random as far as successes went: interviewed at higher ranked schools, immediate no's at schools slightly below.

Welcome to the application process. You didn't apply properly. Your school list was way too top heavy. You should also apply to more schools next round. Consider the next app cycle your last and go all out.

There is no appreciable difference between RVU and Touro-CA. They're both mid to upper mid range DO schools and in all honestly they'll afford you the same opportunities, which obviously are less than a US MD school would.

Now the one situation where I see this all being a problem is, what if that contract you sign with RVU bars you from reapplying next cycle to other (i.e. MD) medical schools? If that's the case, you really have a tough decision to make. Either way, I'd try and find out before you have to turn down that Touro acceptance.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Your stats are pristine, friend. Let's put together a little algorithm:

Like others have said I think you should completely ignore pass rates & match rates at Touro vs. RVU; you're obviously going to be successful wherever you attend.

With pass/match rates out of the question, would you want to attend school this year in CA? Would you be happy? If yes, take the acceptance, and if you get pulled of an MD wait list, head that route.

If you wouldn't be happy in CA, and don't get pulled of an MD wait list, wait a year and get your guaranteed spot at RVU next year in writing while you apply to MD schools again, this time with a better strategy.

Boom. That's all you have to think about.

Also, if you end up going into PM&R as an MD, I'm sure you can pick up OMM on the side if you are that interested in it.

 

[Mr Roboto]

Our school has MDs on the faculty for OMM. If you want to learn it you can do that as an MD later on.

 

[JmacJax]

There's nothing wrong with a lot of OMM for MSK complaints. PT is already using a bunch of it as is, so let's not pretend its all magic and fairytales, when the same people who write "consult PT/OT" are saying OMM is all fake.

Anyway...



This was a mistake. You should have applied broadly. Given how poorly you constructed your list (why exactly did you not include a single public school?), and given that RVU gave you a seat for next year (get that in writing), I'd hold off on starting if you're young. Wait a year, enjoy yourself a bit, go on a roadtrip, fall in love, etc. and reapply to a good range of MD schools with reaches, mid-range, and "safeties" as opposed to reaches only.



Welcome to the application process. You didn't apply properly. Your school list was way too top heavy. You should also apply to more schools next round. Consider the next app cycle your last and go all out.

There is no appreciable difference between RVU and Touro-CA. They're both mid to upper mid range DO schools and in all honestly they'll afford you the same opportunities, which obviously are less than a US MD school would.

Now the one situation where I see this all being a problem is, what if that contract you sign with RVU bars you from reapplying next cycle to other (i.e. MD) medical schools? If that's the case, you really have a tough decision to make. Either way, I'd try and find out before you have to turn down that Touro acceptance.

Thank you for this response. It sits well with me. After interviewing I agree that my list was too top heavy. It was mostly based on OOS matriculates and stats. Although I did feel that I was doing the reach, in range and safety style for my list.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Thank you for this response. It sits well with me. After interviewing I agree that my list was too top heavy. It was mostly based on OOS matriculates and stats. Although I did feel that I was doing the reach, in range and safety style for my list.

Honestly I feel that someone who was qualified enough to interview at Mayo should give MD another go. Some people can get blackballed from DO by turning down a DO acceptance, but not people with your application. You could reject the DO acceptance, apply to the more established and state schools (yes apply to these) next cycle along with your MDs and still snag a DO acceptance as a back up. I feel confident saying that.

 

[Leggomyeggo128]

Unless you get pulled off a waitlist at the MD schools (which I kind of expect you will), go to Touro CA and move on with your life.

Passing boards is an individual thing. If you study and try, you'll pass. If you slack around, even if you were at Mayo, you won't pass.

 

[JmacJax]

Honestly I feel that someone who was qualified enough to interview at Mayo should give MD another go. Some people can get blackballed from DO by turning down a DO acceptance, but not people with your application. You could reject the DO acceptance, apply to the more established and state schools (yes apply to these) next cycle along with your MDs and still snag a DO acceptance as a back up. I feel confident saying that.

Here is another problem. If not match and pass rates, how does one decipher between DO schools and their quality of education?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Here is another problem. If not match and pass rates, how does one decipher between DO schools and their quality of education?

The ones with the best clinical rotations and access to research. Honestly boards is on you, and the pre-clinical material will be the same everywhere but clinical education is highly variable. In that regard the state schools take the cake followed by the older more established programs.

 

[JmacJax]

The ones with the best clinical rotations and access to research. Honestly boards is on you, and the pre-clinical material will be the same everywhere but clinical education is highly variable. In that regard the state schools take the cake followed by the older more established programs.

This seemed difficult to find at first glance. Is this information easy to find? I am very interested in the schools with the best possible clinical rotations.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

This seemed difficult to find at first glance. Is this information easy to find? I am very interested in the schools with the best possible clinical rotations.

Not necessarily easy to find but not super difficult. A good way is to talk to a few current students on SDN or email them in real life. On a lot of websites you can find the affiliate institutions where rotations are held. Like I said the state schools have the better, more consistent clinical education followed by the older schools generally.

 

[Ioannes Paulus]

The ones with the best clinical rotations and access to research. Honestly boards is on you, and the pre-clinical material will be the same everywhere but clinical education is highly variable. In that regard the state schools take the cake followed by the older more established programs.

Boards is NOT "on you." Why do we pay for medical education if you are planning on self-learning everything. Different schools have different curriculums that prepare students differently for boards.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Boards is NOT "on you." Why do we pay for medical education if you are planning on self-learning everything. Different schools have different curriculums that prepare students differently for boards.

Lol, yes they are.

 

[Ho0v-man]

This seemed difficult to find at first glance. Is this information easy to find? I am very interested in the schools with the best possible clinical rotations.

If RVU is the best DO program for you geographically, then don't bother trying to go for a "higher tier" school. Even if you go to the "best" DO school, you'll still be lumped into the same category as the "worst" by program directors. No one's falling all over themselves to take DOs from one school versus another.

I wouldn't reapply DO if you got into RVU.

 

[acapnial]

Not necessarily easy to find but not super difficult. A good way is to talk to a few current students on SDN or email them in real life. On a lot of websites you can find the affiliate institutions where rotations are held. Like I said the state schools have the better, more consistent clinical education followed by the older schools generally.

Disagree. If you asked me what my clinical rotations were like, you'd get a very different answer than what some of my classmates would say who were at different rotation sites, so you really shouldn't paint broad strokes of a school's clinical education based on some random SDNer. I also don't believe in the idea that state schools and older schools have better clinical education, but that's a different topic. It's not easy to predict what quality of clinical education you will get when you enter any DO school. Sad, but true. Big part of why PD's can be hesitant about taking us.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I also don't believe in the idea that state schools and older schools have better clinical education

Oh I agree that you shouldn't just go off of what one person says. Multiple people can give a somewhat more accurate picture though. As to the above I completely disagree. You don't think that the students at OSU (who do all but their rural rotations at their teaching hospital) or MSU (who do all their rotations at their plethora of teaching hospitals) have better overall clinical education than all the private schools who farm their students out to a large number of spots over a number of states?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Accept Touro-CA. Pretty sure there is a blacklist if you do not take acceptances and wait for another year. If you get off MD waitlist, drop everything and go to the MD school. Board scores at the end of the day are up to the student. Good luck

This mythical blacklist doesn't exist, unless you mean for that specific school.