Osteopathic Student confused about my future

[genelite]

Hello. I have recently been accepted to an osteopathic school. In honesty I was set on an allopathic school but just don't have the stats to get in due to an unfortunate year in undergrad. But now rather than wait another year to build up an app, I am going ahead with starting osteopathic school. I hear there is no difference, etc, etc. But I am very set on specializing and becoming a cardiovascular surgeon and I am still confused on how I can reach these goals as an osteopathic student. Can anyone provide any insight to what i need to do as an osteopathic student to achieve these goals? How different is my path and what is different than allopathic schools? I am really hoping to get a response from someone that has done these things as an osteopathic student. THANK YOU!

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[DantheManimal]

Hello. I have recently been accepted to an osteopathic school. In honesty I was set on an allopathic school but just don't have the stats to get in due to an unfortunate year in undergrad. But now rather than wait another year to build up an app, I am going ahead with starting osteopathic school. I hear there is no difference, etc, etc. But I am very set on specializing and becoming a cardiovascular surgeon and I am still confused on how I can reach these goals as an osteopathic student. Can anyone provide any insight to what i need to do as an osteopathic student to achieve these goals? How different is my path and what is different than allopathic schools? I am really hoping to get a response from someone that has done these things as an osteopathic student. THANK YOU!

Look into the surgery match list from TouroCOM CA. Be sure to build relationships, get good grades (especially in clinical rotations), and understand that with the merger you will be graduating in 2020 where all residencies will be attainable by DOs and MDs alike. Just do well and let your work and boards scores speak for themselves.

 

[Dustbowl12]

Hello. I have recently been accepted to an osteopathic school. In honesty I was set on an allopathic school but just don't have the stats to get in due to an unfortunate year in undergrad. But now rather than wait another year to build up an app, I am going ahead with starting osteopathic school. I hear there is no difference, etc, etc. But I am very set on specializing and becoming a cardiovascular surgeon and I am still confused on how I can reach these goals as an osteopathic student. Can anyone provide any insight to what i need to do as an osteopathic student to achieve these goals? How different is my path and what is different than allopathic schools? I am really hoping to get a response from someone that has done these things as an osteopathic student. THANK YOU!

This career goal would be hard regardless of allo or osteo.....just work hard and rank wisely

 

[mathnerd88]

Hello. I have recently been accepted to an osteopathic school. In honesty I was set on an allopathic school but just don't have the stats to get in due to an unfortunate year in undergrad. But now rather than wait another year to build up an app, I am going ahead with starting osteopathic school. I hear there is no difference, etc, etc. But I am very set on specializing and becoming a cardiovascular surgeon and I am still confused on how I can reach these goals as an osteopathic student. Can anyone provide any insight to what i need to do as an osteopathic student to achieve these goals? How different is my path and what is different than allopathic schools? I am really hoping to get a response from someone that has done these things as an osteopathic student. THANK YOU!

It would be easier to go allopathic if you want to specialize, but as a DO, if you are good enough, do research, and get a good board score, it isn't unobtainable.

The only thing I'm not looking forward to is that I have to take both the COMLEX and USMLE as a DO student.

 

[costales]

The only thing I'm not looking forward to is that I have to take both the COMLEX and USMLE as a DO student.

The difference in time of preparation is really minimal. If you concentrate on the USMLE - since everything will be ACGME anyway - then the COMLEX is just an additional expense plus a couple or three days reviewing OMM. (Having said that, I would never trivialize or downplay the difficulty/unpredictability/deviousness of the COMLEX - it is often opaquely written and deserves its reputation.)

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

The path is the same as allo, the difficulty is different. You will need to do one of two options for vascular surg, (or CT? cardiovascular could mean different things)

1. match into a solid gen surg program (difficult as a DO, but fairly do able if you work hard) followed by a fellowship in vascular (or CT)

2. Match directly into an integrated vascular or I6 CT program (much more difficult as a DO, you would need to be a rockstar) it has happened but don't bank on this route.

Bottom line you will need I make yourself the best candidate you possibly can either way. If you are so set in such a competative specialty and can not ever see yourself doing anything else in medicine then you should have waited the year and gone allopathic.

Things you NEED to do to be competative:

1. Get the highest step score you can
2. Get research in the field and try to publish
3. Rotate at some academic centers in these fields to get some letters and network for people to vouch for you.
4. Try to honor all your rotations, especially surgery.
5. Have a back up plan.

 

[Ioannes Paulus]

Medicine is constantly evolving and so is medical education. Many people believe that by the time you graduate med school or finish your surgery residency, the CT track will be obsolete/greately reduced because of the huge advances in Vascular surgery and the way heart surgeons are trained today (integrated programs are growing in number while fellowships shrinking). Don't set your heart on anything now. That's just general advice.
A decade ago, interventional cardiologists made as much as general surgeons and it was one of the most competitive fellowships to get into. It would have been impossible for a DO to get into a program. Now, well, the field is a lot less competitive and most applicants can snag a position. Medicine changes year to year. Don't set your heart on anything. Be more open to other fields.

Now, to your particular situation, do you like to gamble? If you turn down this acceptances, are you sure you can get an MD acceptance next year or even a DO one, in future cycles? Because of the increases in class sizes at DO schools, the later you start a DO program the harder it will be to match because the system is flooding with more stduents. I believe there is a 250 student increase in just the next year alone (i.e. ~250 more DO students will start Fall of 2017 than Fall of 2016). It's going to get crazy competitive very soon. I'd take the DO acceptances and go with it, but that's because I hate gambling.

 

[AlteredScale]

Moving to pre-osteo.

 

[MADD!!!]

Surprised why this got moved to pre-osteopathic. We wouldn't be able to give OP the best information since we're not there yet.

 

[AlteredScale]

Surprised why this got moved to pre-osteopathic. We wouldn't be able to give OP the best information since we're not there yet.

Because it does not pertain specifically about medical student topics but choosing the best pathway to get to where they want to go.

Also a large group of users from osteopathic med students (including I) consistently check pre-osteo in a timely manner.






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[Halcyon45]

Is the path to orthopedic surgery as a DO similar to this as well? Really thinking about orthopedic surgery, but shared some same concerns about getting there as well.

 

[SouthParkStudio]

Hello. I have recently been accepted to an osteopathic school. In honesty I was set on an allopathic school but just don't have the stats to get in due to an unfortunate year in undergrad. But now rather than wait another year to build up an app, I am going ahead with starting osteopathic school. I hear there is no difference, etc, etc. But I am very set on specializing and becoming a cardiovascular surgeon and I am still confused on how I can reach these goals as an osteopathic student. Can anyone provide any insight to what i need to do as an osteopathic student to achieve these goals? How different is my path and what is different than allopathic schools? I am really hoping to get a response from someone that has done these things as an osteopathic student. THANK YOU!

How do you know you want to do surg let alone CVTS? Ppl change their mind 10x a month in med school.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Is the path to orthopedic surgery as a DO similar to this as well? Really thinking about orthopedic surgery, but shared some same concerns about getting there as well.

What do you mean exactly?

 

[DrMikeP]

Is the path to orthopedic surgery as a DO similar to this as well? Really thinking about orthopedic surgery, but shared some same concerns about getting there as well.

Any surgery is competitive, specialty surgeries even more so. You have to make yourself best of the best of the best whether do or MD. It is easier to go the MD route but it's a risk to turn down an acceptance and wait, especially if you didn't get into MD on the first round. So you have to decide if the risk is worthwhile to reapply MD, expecting to not get into DO next time.

If you go DO do everything possible to look like or better than your MD residency competition. You might find, as many do, that your passion lies elsewhere in medicine as well.

Best of luck

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[Promethean]

If you weren't going to cut it as a future cardiothoracic surgeon (no pun) at an allopathic school, you won't in osteopathic either.

That is to say, if you don't achieve this goal, it isn't going to be certain that you would have gotten a different outcome at an allopathic school.

You have to do all the same things you would have had to do either way. You need to work hard, get great grades, phenomenal test scores, glowing letters of recommendation, interesting ECs including research, volunteering, and leadership positions. You will need to plan your audition rotations carefully so that you have as much opportunity as possible to demonstrate your work ethic and potential to the PDs of the programs you most want to end up at. All of that is possible as a DO, and it all would have been just as necessary for an MD.

Don't waste any time wishing you'd gotten a different start than you did. You have been given an opportunity to make yourself the kind of applicant that you need to be to get the residency you want, despite your unfortunate performance in undergrad. Embrace that opportunity, and the school that has provided it to you, and pour all your heart into making the best of the chance you've been fortunate enough to be given.

 

[SouthParkStudio]

Are you trying to do a 5+2 or a 0+5?

Very different in terms of the match.

 

[SouthParkStudio]

Are you trying to do a 5+2 or a 0+5?

Very different in terms of the match.

You don't have to tell us, but if you don't know what I mean, then I would suggest you stick with your DO acceptance. No offense intended. It just means you may not have thought everything through.

Rem - a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush.

 

[Medschoolornah]

The path is the same as allo, the difficulty is different. You will need to do one of two options for vascular surg, (or CT? cardiovascular could mean different things)

1. match into a solid gen surg program (difficult as a DO, but fairly do able if you work hard) followed by a fellowship in vascular (or CT)

2. Match directly into an integrated vascular or I6 CT program (much more difficult as a DO, you would need to be a rockstar) it has happened but don't bank on this route.

Bottom line you will need I make yourself the best candidate you possibly can either way. If you are so set in such a competative specialty and can not ever see yourself doing anything else in medicine then you should have waited the year and gone allopathic.

Things you NEED to do to be competative:

1. Get the highest step score you can
2. Get research in the field and try to publish
3. Rotate at some academic centers in these fields to get some letters and network for people to vouch for you.
4. Try to honor all your rotations, especially surgery.
5. Have a back up plan.

Can u expand on network to get people to vouch for u. How would you go about this.

 

[SurgeDO]

Cardiovascular surgery is a specialty that is gradually losing its turf wars with cardiologists day by day. It is easily achievable as a DO especially if you go the fellowship route.

With that said, I can almost promise you that you will change your specialty desires in medical school.

 

[Mbeas]

1. You aren't an osteopathic student yet.
2. What is cardiovascular surgery?


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[Goro]

I suggest that you give up your seat and reapply.

Let someone who really wants to be a doctor have your seat.

I'm appalled that you would even ask the bolded, given the search function on this site, and that thing called google.

Hello. I have recently been accepted to an osteopathic school. In honesty I was set on an allopathic school but just don't have the stats to get in due to an unfortunate year in undergrad. But now rather than wait another year to build up an app, I am going ahead with starting osteopathic school. I hear there is no difference, etc, etc. But I am very set on specializing and becoming a cardiovascular surgeon and I am still confused on how I can reach these goals as an osteopathic student. Can anyone provide any insight to what i need to do as an osteopathic student to achieve these goals? How different is my path and what is different than allopathic schools? I am really hoping to get a response from someone that has done these things as an osteopathic student. THANK YOU!

 

[JoeUSA]

Hello. I have recently been accepted to an osteopathic school. In honesty I was set on an allopathic school but just don't have the stats to get in due to an unfortunate year in undergrad. But now rather than wait another year to build up an app, I am going ahead with starting osteopathic school. I hear there is no difference, etc, etc. But I am very set on specializing and becoming a cardiovascular surgeon and I am still confused on how I can reach these goals as an osteopathic student. Can anyone provide any insight to what i need to do as an osteopathic student to achieve these goals? How different is my path and what is different than allopathic schools? I am really hoping to get a response from someone that has done these things as an osteopathic student. THANK YOU!

Clinical rotations in CV surgery (and probably cardiology and general surgery) are essential. Aside from a good transcript, successfull applicants are known to the program, have an excellent reputation and an excellent business relationship with the desired training team. The short answer is that personal connections are invaluable.

 

[genelite]

I suggest that you give up your seat and reapply.

Let someone who really wants to be a doctor have your seat.

I'm appalled that you would even ask the bolded, given the search function on this site, and that thing called google.

I do not understand why DOs have to get so pissy whenever a comparison to MD shows up. how about you relax and stop being insecure. I specifically wanted someone that has gone through the DO path to give some insight and I received some helpful info. Many people on other posts just have general statements to say about how DO is "just the same as MD in every way". This is not true and there are in fact differences that I wanted to be prepared for. That's what this site is for. To ask questions and get answers. How does anything I posted indicate that I do not want to be a doctor? I suggest you take your negativity and insecurity along with the DO degree that you have stuck up your ass and get off this thread.

 

[cliquesh]

In 2016, 3 DOs got an acgme thoracic surgery fellowship. 8 DOs got an acgme vascular surgery fellowship. There were 90 thoracic spots and 121 vascular spots.

 

[Goro]

I should have read your OP more carefully, and apologize for not paying attention.

I do not understand why DOs have to get so pissy whenever a comparison to MD shows up. how about you relax and stop being insecure. I specifically wanted someone that has gone through the DO path to give some insight and I received some helpful info. Many people on other posts just have general statements to say about how DO is "just the same as MD in every way". This is not true and there are in fact differences that I wanted to be prepared for. That's what this site is for. To ask questions and get answers. How does anything I posted indicate that I do not want to be a doctor? I suggest you take your negativity and insecurity along with the DO degree that you have stuck up your ass and get off this thread.

 

[uworldrelay]

Hello. I have recently been accepted to an osteopathic school. In honesty I was set on an allopathic school but just don't have the stats to get in due to an unfortunate year in undergrad. But now rather than wait another year to build up an app, I am going ahead with starting osteopathic school. I hear there is no difference, etc, etc. But I am very set on specializing and becoming a cardiovascular surgeon and I am still confused on how I can reach these goals as an osteopathic student. Can anyone provide any insight to what i need to do as an osteopathic student to achieve these goals? How different is my path and what is different than allopathic schools? I am really hoping to get a response from someone that has done these things as an osteopathic student. THANK YOU!

I've attached a good article to clarify your chances of getting the specialty you want. Unfortunately your path will be very different. I think if at all possible you could stay out for a year and improve your medical school application; that would by far be your best life decision. The game of osteopathic schools is to scoop up the students that are in a panic that didn't get accepted to allopathic schools. 66% of all DO's apply to allopathic schools as their primary. Your chances of specializing by the time you get to that point will be far decreased from what they are now due to the merger. If you have goals that extend beyond "i want to be "a doctor" when i grow up" you should pull out of what ever school you got accepted to and go allo again next year, and the year after, and the year after.

-Imagine if you go all 4 years of schooling with your goal in mind and at the very end you end up having to go with FM or IM. Happens all the time. Read the article.

 

[uworldrelay]

If you weren't going to cut it as a future cardiothoracic surgeon (no pun) at an allopathic school, you won't in osteopathic either.

That is to say, if you don't achieve this goal, it isn't going to be certain that you would have gotten a different outcome at an allopathic school.

You have to do all the same things you would have had to do either way. You need to work hard, get great grades, phenomenal test scores, glowing letters of recommendation, interesting ECs including research, volunteering, and leadership positions. You will need to plan your audition rotations carefully so that you have as much opportunity as possible to demonstrate your work ethic and potential to the PDs of the programs you most want to end up at. All of that is possible as a DO, and it all would have been just as necessary for an MD.

Don't waste any time wishing you'd gotten a different start than you did. You have been given an opportunity to make yourself the kind of applicant that you need to be to get the residency you want, despite your unfortunate performance in undergrad. Embrace that opportunity, and the school that has provided it to you, and pour all your heart into making the best of the chance you've been fortunate enough to be given.

Sad reality is even if you are by far the best applicant to an allo residency, you most likely will not even be granted an interview. Remember this.

 

[MightBeACylon439]

I've attached a good article to clarify your chances of getting the specialty you want. Unfortunately your path will be very different. I think if at all possible you could stay out for a year and improve your medical school application; that would by far be your best life decision. The game of osteopathic schools is to scoop up the students that are in a panic that didn't get accepted to allopathic schools. 66% of all DO's apply to allopathic schools as their primary. Your chances of specializing by the time you get to that point will be far decreased from what they are now due to the merger. If you have goals that extend beyond "i want to be "a doctor" when i grow up" you should pull out of what ever school you got accepted to and go allo again next year, and the year after, and the year after.

-Imagine if you go all 4 years of schooling with your goal in mind and at the very end you end up having to go with FM or IM. Happens all the time. Read the article.