Withdrawing/Declining Interviews

[smhogans]

I've been thinking for the last few days...and am seriously contemplating withdrawing or declining the three medical school interviews that I have at osteopathic medical schools.

My application is currently under review at several allopathic schools...but I know that my sci. GPA is not very competitive there...even though I have an upward trend this last year...

If I don't get selected for my top choice Florida School...I'll probably just graduate in the Spring or Summer....retake the MCAT in May, or June...and reapply Early Decision...while taking additional courses such as Embryology, Anatomy and etc...to raise my science GPA...and to help out with medical school.

So may ask....are you crazy? Why are you turning down interviews? I just feel like I am rushing...and that I should really try to get into my top choice medical school with the most favorable application...

It would be nice to stick around in this area for a while....

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[rpkall]

My two cents...

It sounds like you want to go to allopathic medical school. Go to allopathic medical school!

Take whatever time you need, reapply with better numbers, and don't compromise on your dreams.

That said, if the reasons you applied to osteopathic schools have to do with your believing in the osteo philosophy, wanting a more "anatomic pathologic" training with more hands on diagnostic skills and a little less biochemistry and molecular genetics, and the chance to learn medicine without jumping through 10 more hoops... then stick it out and go to the osteopathic interviews. You might just fall in love with a school that's right for you.

If you applied to osteos as a "backup," then don't go there. They wouldn't want you there almost as much as you would hate being there; let someone who genuinely cares about the philosophy (or who otherwise really wouldn't have the opportunity to get into allo programs--money, family, location, etc) have the seat. Schedule meetings with the dean of the allo school you love, talk about your application, your life situation, your experiences, and your love of medicine... and then keep reapplying until they realize you're not going away.

Good luck, in any case!

 

[smhogans]

I was genuinely interested in DO schools....in fact I have encouraged quite a few other students to apply DO as well. I like the holistic approach...and plus...they mostly center around primary care/preventive medicine...which I am mostly interested in....plus I believe that OMM/OMT will prove more beneficial than not....in patient care...as an advancement in patient care...

My concerns....I've read numerous posts on SDN...and other sites...

• My Concerns

Improper preparation for board examinations....(i.e. mediocre USMLE scores from some Do students)

So DO students have trashed the schools that they attended...and stated they felt improperly prepared for USMLE...or COMLEX...and have a poor shot at good residencies...

DO's around...here act like they don't give a crap...about a prospective premed student...that needs to shadow them...or get a DO letter for DO schools that REQUIRE it...

Some Do schools have a bad reputation...

Possible hard time matching or getting into a competitive residency....

Amount of MD vs. DO arguments and debates on SDN...(clearly since they are considered equivalent...this shouldn't be the case)

Idea that DO schools will accept even the worst applicant...

Articles regarding issues with AOA and DO residencies and etc....

It just seems like a hassle...

Why do DO students get the bad end of the stick...why do people look so poorly on them....

What are the means for the AOA verifying that each school is producing above par osteopathic graduates??????

Plus....I just love everything about my top choice school....it's mission is to serve the underserved and to be more patient centered....it's an allopathic tho...