MD at SGU or DO in USA?

[kernb]

Which is better, getting an MD at SGU or a DO at a US school? I've been accepted to the Aug '04 class but I'm considering if I should try for the DO school instead, or if I should reapply to US MD schools. Is it easier to get licensed from one or the other, and what differences are there in getting residencies--does one offer an advantage? What have other people chosen? Thanks!

[seagoddess]

The never ending question... Look for old posts. There is actually a pretty recent one on here and on the Main Medical School Forum.

Good luck deciding!!!

[mzjigglypuff]

It really depends on your career expectations. I have close friends that are MDs and DOs. If we are talking strictly MD and DO program within the US, there is a little bit of stigma with getting a DO. The stats for getting into a DO program is lower than for MD. I'm not saying it's easier or what not, you draw your own conclusions.

However, your situation is a little different. You are comparing MD (foreign) and DO (US). There is a stigma with getting an MD from a foreign country too. So you are kind of in the same boat. I think it really depends on what residency you have your heart set on. My interviewer told me that if you want primary care, peds, internal med or something comparable, then you'll be fine coming out of SGU. If you insist on getting into really competitive residencies, then you have a potential problem. A lot of the US MD grads won't even get a shot at those so it's even less likely with SGU grads. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's not probable. Although, if you look at the SGU match list for this year, it's impressive.

I'm sure you've already heard that a high percentage of DOs go into primary care so you should keep that in mind. And if that is what you want, then it's attainable with DO (US) or MD (Foreign). This is just my opinion, you should really do your research and know what you are getting into and be comfortable with your decision. Good luck!

[stephew]

there are MULTIPLE threads on this. kindly search the topic. Here's a recent one. http://www.valuemd.com/viewtopic.php?t=20515&highlight=img