The usual dilemma?

[Max Power]

Reading thru many of the topics on this site, i got much needed info. Like many other before me, i too am in a dilemma regarding these choices.

I am senior grad this may, Human Biology major w/ 3.7 overall GPA. I recently got into a DO school and i know the issue of DO vs. Carribean has been raised many times before. My dilemma is this, should i just go to the DO school or carribean (i havent applied yet). This is mainly due to the fact that as a DO, in general they tend to go in to primary care. I am hoping to get into either Radiology or Neurology. I understand that as a carribean MD, i will also have a hard time get into those fields. My understanding is that as an MD you are put in a bigger pool of applicants vs. a smaller DO pool. I have also heard that as a DO, they could take the USMLE's and apply in the MD pool? i am not sure if that is true, i have just heard that? Also another option i was thinking was to take a year off and take the MCAT's again, i got a 26 and i figured that was the reason i didnt get into any of the MD schools here. This forum has been very helpful and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.[/quote]

[wolfvgang22]

Go to the DO school, or retake the MCAT and reapply. Go carribean as a last resort.
Have you considered doing the Atlantic Bridge Program?

[Max Power]

googling Atlantic Bridge Program, it states that it is a med school prog in ireland which is 5 yrs. why would that be any different from carribean and it seems the carribean is better... seeing that one would come bak to US for clinicals.

[ResearchingGuy]

Conventional wisdom says you should go to school in the US before considering the Caribbean. With the rest of your stats it sounds tempting to try for a higher MCAT and apply to Allopathic schools again, but, in the meantime, you would be missing out on a sure thing.

While it's true that DO's have traditonally entered Primary Care, more are opting for specialties. DO's who take the USMLE can apply for Allopathic residencies through the Match, but they also have a reasonably large pool of DO residencies including things like Neurology and Radiology. It's kinda like you get the best of both worlds. Take a look at Scutwok.com here: http://www.scutwork.com/cgi-bin/links/page.cgi?g=Osteopathic%2FResidencies%2Findex.html& d=1

Some people just can't seem to get their heads around the whole DO thing. It seems like you might want to look further into opportunites for DO's. Take a look here: http://do-online.osteotech.org/index.cfm

More and more DO schools are opening around the country, so DO's are bound to get more commonplace and some of the mystery will wear off. I have noticed in my hometown that there are some single specialty practices which are mixed MD/DO. In fact, my mother's Hematologist is a DO. Never would have know except that it is listed on the business cards at the front desk. The only manipulation he has offered my mother is to shake her hand when he comes in the examing room.

I think you will find that you can do whatever you want as a DO. You'll just sign your scrips Dr. Max Power, DO instead of Dr. Max Power, MD. Of course, who can read a Doctor's writing?


Best of Luck!

(P.S. While I am honored you chose to post on the Saba Forum, I'm going to move your post to a more appropriate location in the Pre-med Forum. Thanks again!)

[Max Power]

Thank you for the very prompt and an informative reply.

[wolfvgang22]

googling Atlantic Bridge Program, it states that it is a med school prog in ireland which is 5 yrs. why would that be any different from carribean and it seems the carribean is better... seeing that one would come bak to US for clinicals.
The Irish schools don't carry the stigma caribbean schools carry. That's the big deal.
In general, residency program directors know what the more competitive programs are, and The Atlantic Bridge program is more competitive than all the caribbean schools except St. Georges (it may be more competitive than SGU these days, now that I think on it.)

The Irish programs are 5 years because that's just the way they do thing in europe...I think many of their students come in from high school and do six years.
You would get more hands on experience than you will in most caribbean schools, from what others have told me.
Also, you would have the opportunity to do all your rotations in the U.K., and that's a big deal because all the rotations would automatically ACGME greenbook rotations, which is important for licensure in many states.
Students at caribbean schools have to work hard to make sure they get all greenbook rotations and sometimes have to wait months to get a certain rotation. Irish rotations are said to be very hands on, and it is said there is less call.
The drawback to the Irish programs is that they don't specifically train students for the USMLE, though they teach the same material. For instance, Saba offers a Kaplan course in 5th semester, which is a big bonus and saves you some money.
The bottom line is, it comes down to office politics and Irish schools are looked upon better than caribbean grads. This is one reason why an off-shore for-profit semi-shady African school like St. Chris operates in the UK, instead of Senegal, where it is chartered, you see?

If I could have gotten into an Irish school, or a U.S. DO school, or U.S. allopathic school, I would have done it. Just something to think about.