- Joined
- Oct 11, 2006
- Messages
- 10,422
- Reaction score
- 14,662
I'm an IM program director, but I think I can help.
Your poor USMLE scores will be a big problem, as you have hinted in your question. Your application will be evaluated on multiple levels, your USMLE's being one of those. So, the answer depends on many factors -- what type of school you go to (i.e. an established DO school vs a "newbie"), rotations that you might have done in allopathic ED's, etc.
That being said, you may not get a spot in the NRMP match due to your USMLE score, especially in EM which is more competitive these days. You will likely have trouble in IM also. Last year 30+% of osteopathic applicants failed to match.
As an osteopath, you are allowed to participate in both the AOA and the NRMP matches. The AOA match occurs first, ROL's are due Jan 25th and AOA Match day is Feb 11, 2008. If you match in the AOA match, you must withdraw from the NRMP match.
My advice to you is straightforward: If a career in EM is important to you, then I would apply to EM programs in both matches. If you match in a DO EM program, then your career is set and away you go. I have no idea how competitive EM is in the AOA match. If not, then you fall back onto the NRMP match as a second try, but need to have a plan B.
If you get 10+ allopathic interviews, then your chances of getting an NRMP spot are much better, and you will need to decide whether to forgo the AOA match altogether and hope for an NRMP match. You can't have it both ways.
If you don't, then you will need to decide what you want to do if you fail to match in both matches for EM programs. Either 1) you scramble for a spot in the NRMP match [although it is highly unlikely that you will get an EM spot this way], 2) research / something else for a year then try again, or 3) choose a less competitive field such as IM or FM. Before you do the latter, be sure to search for posts by "Panda Bear" about what it's like matching into FM when you really wanted something else.
If IM/FM is an option for you, then you will need to decide whether you want to apply in the match for that also. The NRMP match will allow you to apply both for EM and IM/FM spots, and allow you to rank them any way you want. If you apply early to EM and IM/FM you can see what happens with interviews -- if you get lots of EM interviews you can cancel the rest.
If one of the EM mentors wants to add more specific advice, I'd love to see it also.
Good luck!
