Is anyone applying to both DO and MD schools? And, is there a thread that covers why some are considering DO schools? There are a few over in SDN, but I hate to read them because there is so much negativity. (I usually post here to get “grown-up” answers!)
Thanks!
I will be applying to both MD and DO schools. As far as I’m concerned, there is no difference between the two.
Granted, this answer is about 5 years out-dated but I applied to both MD and DO schools. I was accepted to my state MD school and several out of state private DO schools. I went where the tuition was cheapest.
My attitude at the time (and still, BTW) was that I could care less about the initials…I just wanted to be a doctor.
Now that I’m a resident, I find many, if not most, feel the same way.
Take care,
Jeff
Megboo,
I am applying to both DO schools and MD schools simply because I want to be a physician–the initials don’t matter to me.
This summer, I completed my final practicum for my family nurse practitioner program at a family practice residency clinic. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with both DO and MD residents and attending physicians. There was absolutely no difference between the two–except for the fact that the DO’s were in demand for their OMT procedures!
Lu
Thanks for your responses! I have a feeling I will be applying to both MD and DO schools in the future, and today I was trying to think why, and unfortunately the main reason is that it gives me more options than applying to MD schools alone (being a non-trad with less than 4.0 and yet-to-be-determined MCAT scores). I don’t live too far from CCOM, nor UofI-Rockford, UIC, Loyola, Rush, UC, Northwestern, or RF for that matter. (All within 1-1.5 hours)
The initials nor the education for either are a concern for me, but I worry that I don’t have the right motivation that a DO adcom will want to hear! So, I’m just curious what it is about DO schools that appeals to someone applying to both MD and DO (besides more options 
!)
Do I sound shallow for writing this about DO schools 
? No harm intended!
I don’t think you or anyone should be considered to be shallow for voicing their opinions. It’s just a matter of your preference and no one should be judging you for that. As far as I or a majority of OPMs here concern, we just want to be physicians and that’s all that matters. However, in our realistic world, people tend to look down on what they have yet understood. Good luck to all!
I applied to both MD and DO schools. I did this because I wanted to maximize my chances of admission in a single application cycle. I see no drawback to this strategy; however I would not advertise the fact that you applied to osteopathic schools in allopathic interviews (and vice versa).
For ALL your interviews, allo and osteo, I’d recommend that you stress what you have here - that you are really committed to staying in Illinois. I did this with my apps in Washington, D.C. and it seemed to resonate OK. And I can tell you as a former interviewer that it was always nice to hear people say they wanted to live where I was living, along with some Chamber-of-Commerce style enthusiasm about why. I don’t know that you have to say anything about allo OR osteo. Just location.
Mary