Current DO student in Michigan here. I noticed University of Michigan hasn’t taken any DO residents in recent years in my specialty of interest (moderately competitive specialty), which surprised me given the large number of DO grads in the state.
Is this just coincidence, self-selection, or is there still some stigma at play? Would love to hear any honest insight.
Hi all, I did not do so well on my MCAT retake last month and in a rough spot deciding what to do next.
For context, I took the MCAT for the first time in April of 2025 and got a 496 and I knew that I had to retake and study more and did not have my letters in hand so took another year off. Spent a lot more time studying for the MCAT and only got my score to a 499... Super super bummed out and I do want to retake it but I am worried that I will get the same score or less because I have been stuck around this 498-501 range on my practice tests since January of my prep time.
My cGPA is 3.84 and sGPA is around 3.7. Extra curriculars are very mental health themed and will be the basis of my primary essay. Some numbers and context:
volunteering:
work:
research:
activity:
what are my chances? I am thinking of submitting mid-June with the throwaway school method and potentially retaking the MCAT mid-June if I can figure out where I am stuck and then adding more schools but not sure on that... I really do not want to take another gap year :/
So I'm trying to submit my immunizations to Sentry MD, and I swear to god this is the most tedious service I've ever used to verify immunizations. They denied my Varicella and MMR Titer test documentation because there was no "draw date" on my documents, but I swear in the top right corner of the documents, the date and time are printed clear as day. On that same document was my Hep B titer test, and they accepted that, so I genuinely don't know what their problem is. Idk if anyone else has had trouble with them, but if you're waiting to submit immunization documents, don't do it last-minute because I've had to submit the same vaccines like 10 different times. I think I finally have all my documents now, though, after a week of fussing with the system.
I interviewed at a school early March and received very positive feedback during my interview. Earlier in the cycle, the Director of Admissions had also personally reached out after I submitted my primary, asking if I could complete my secondary within 2–3 days, which I did.
Since then, I’ve been following updates on SDN and noticed that applicants who interviewed on the same day or even after me have already received decisions, many of them being waitlists. I haven’t heard anything yet, and it’s starting to make me feel anxious.
I’m trying to understand what this might mean for my application and what my next steps should be.
Curious everyone’s thoughts on these newer mountain west schools, honestly I just really impressed with them all in different ways and wondering which one (I wish we could rank) is leading the way with outcomes, student morale, etc. Note- 1 A, 1 WL, 1 ghost, and learned about the other too late. I’ll share in the comments.
Hey everyone,
I have been accepted to both RVU Colorado and LECOM Erie as a Canadian. I was wondering if anyone has any advice on what school to choose. For context LECOM is only a 4 hour drive away from home. Both schools seem to get a decent amount of hate on this sub so that makes it more difficult lol
How IllinoisCOM is different than LECOM?
Lecom Erie or NSUKP COM Clearwater/tampa bay campus?
Please comment all/everything you know about either/both
California resident and want to match in California in the future for residency but want the best possible education and opportunity to match into competitive speciality such as IR or ortho. I understand these are difficult for DOs.
I think I already know the answer but if I want to go into a semi-competitive specialty which school would you pick ??
KansasCOM vs LECOM lake erie campus
I know each have their downsides but kansas just got 200mil donated honestly what do you guys think. also not drinking water in class is a crazy move by LECOM
3.5 GPA, sub 500 MCAT with mission fit & great ECs on the WL to a new school
Hey guys I just wanted some general opinions on this, would an independent study in philosophy be something I could put on my application and would it harm my application in any way? I understand that it might not help per se I was just wondering if it was something I could put on a med school application and if so what category would it fall under? I have a peripheral interest in philosophy even though I am a biology major and the professor that’s offered me the opportunity has also offered to write me a letter of recommendation. He is a scholar in a philosophical tradition I’ve been immersed for the past year or so. Thanks!
How did you feel about interview today?
Hello everyone,
I'm honestly lost on my school list and was wonder if anyone has any recommendations.
Stats:
ORM; NJ Resident 1st Generation (if this even makes a difference)
PharmD graduating in 2026 from RU.
cGPA: 3.46 (Slight upward trend) (I know it's pretty low lol)
sGPA: 3.3 (Slight upward trend)
Graduate GPA: ~3.6-3.7
MCAT: 512 (127/128/129/128) 1 attempt.
Clinical Hours: 1000 hour as a pharmacy intern (consultations and vaccinations) and 1000 hours across different rotations during pharmacy school.
Non-Clinical Hours: ~800 hours as a Walgreens cashier. 400-500 hours of misc. rotations that shouldn't count as clinical since I was mostly filling medication with no patient encounters.
Non-Clinical volunteering: 40 hours NJ Special Olympics working with special needs athletes. Currently only 8 hours at a food bank but I'll probably have ~60-80 hours by application.
Research: 80 hours with a poster presentation.
LORs: 3 PharmD professors (should be quite strong on all of them).
Shadowing: 20 hours IM
I haven't done my research so I'm in dire need of help in formulating my school list so any recommendations is appreciated. Currently have no budget limit for my application so as many school as possible. Preferably want to stay in the north east but not a for sure requirement. Do not care if it's DO or MD, I want family med and I'm dead set on the specialty. Thanks for all the help!
Just a note that I have submitted everything extra. Intent letter, all of that.
Hey all, I was wondering if anyone is a Certified Simulation Healthcare Educator (CHSE’s) or think that might help boost an application to DO school?
Just give it to me straight up (will literally go anywhere)
Gpa 3.34c 3.4s
3.92 MS Nutrition & Metabolism
504 mcat
Research: 2000hr graduate (basic science immunology)
150hr undergraduate
500hr orthopedics research internship (Johnson and Johnson)
Clinical
2000 dietary aide at nursing home
Full time as endo tech currently (projected much over 2000hrs if I were to guess) *very hands on job
Volunteer
Food pantry 150hrs
ER volunteer 50hrs
Biology Tutor 50hrs
Shadowing
GI & Infectious disease
(Still need to shadow a DO)
Plz read very lost should I do masters link programs
Chance Me
GPA: 3.96
MCAT: Not taken yet please don’t comment oh useless with no mcat I’m planing to taking it in July and apply in July as well
⸻
Experience (~2100+ hrs)
• Pharmacy Tech — 1000 hrs
• Certified Dental Assistant — 1000 hrs
• Oral Surgery Assistant — 50 hrs
• Medical Assistant — 50 hrs
Volunteering (~310 hrs)
• Youth Coordinator at community (leadership role) — 200 hrs
• Hospital Volunteer — 40 hrs (ongoing)
• Nursing Home Volunteer — 60 hrs
• Dental Mission Trip back when I was pre dental — 20 hrs
Shadowing (80 hrs)
• Urgent Care, Family Medicine, Pediatrics
No DO which scares and worries me
Research (600 hrs)
• Orgo research (no publications, posters only)
⸻
Teaching / Leadership
• Chem TA — 200 hrs
• Anatomy TA — 100 hrs
• elementary school Tutor — 30 hrs
• VP Pre-med Club — 30 hrs
Other clubs and awards as well
Other than these experiences I desperately need someone to help me make a schedule for mcat as well as application cycle I’m aiming for a 506 mcat
Thank u in advance
Hello DOs! First, I want to say I come with the utmost respect for DOs etc. I know MDs and DOs are trained side by side, etc. so I am not going to say one is better than the other, I don’t believe in any of that. I believe qualified is qualified, period.
Question is, I got scheduled to see a DO as a geneticist instead of an MD, and I’m wondering if it means the approach will be any different. Maybe it will work to my advantage, maybe not as it is a skeletal dysplasia I am dealing with (confirmed molecularly etc) and DOs historically are more interested in the msk and the bone aspect of people. I normally see a different geneticist but it’s a bit far and now they’re saying my insurance requires pre authorization, and also never followed up to set an appt when I asked for one. So, I thought I’d give a closer clinic a try instead of schlepping all the way to the city where the parking is also horrible.
