Jump to content
Premed 101 Forums

Applying To US DO Med Schools - FAQs, Guidance & Canadian Friendly Schools


Recommended Posts

Get your application in, now. Looks fine, will depend on how well you put your app together.

 

I would add Burnell-COM in New Mexico, they seem to be Canadian friendly.

 

 

COMPLETE YOUR PRIMARY NOW. YOU DO NOT NEED LORS to submit a primary.

 

Thanks for a quick reply, very much appreciated!  I will complete my primary now lol and add Burrell to the list as well.  I only have to submit my PS and my primary should be complete.  Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for a quick reply, very much appreciated!  I will complete my primary now lol and add Burrell to the list as well.  I only have to submit my PS and my primary should be complete.  Thank you!

Make sure you take care to write solid descriptions of your non-academics, they are just as important as your GPA/MCAT. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Does anybody have any recent resources or information about applying for jobs in Canada as a DO? I think DO is a great route to go and I'd be fine if I got sponsored for an H1B, but of course I would like to keep opportunities open in Canada. From what I've seen it looks like there is no issue with being Licensed, but do enough people know about the DO in Canada for an application to not be at a disadvantage by the degree?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hi All,

 

Quick update (my posts from half a year ago are on this page, haha).  I've been accepted to MSUCOM and was wondering if anyone had suggestions for banks for LOC.  My biggest fear is setting up a student professional LOC appt with a bank advisor and have them tell me that they don't recognize my degree (based on their ignorance).  Or is this an unfounded fear?

 

For those with experience in BC, which banks/advisor did you go to get your full LOC?  Thank you so much!  I have an appt today so I'm hoping to get approved, but I'd like to shop around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Is it late to apply to DO schools?

Yes, but if you have rock star stats, and can gather all the materials necessary for application...and money to blow, you can throw a hail mary application in for August 2017 start. Pretty unlikely you'll have all the LORs and such necessary to throw an application in.

 

OR you can just wait, and apply first thing when the cycle opens in May, and go for August 2018 start.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Major update from the world of Canadian provincial licensure! Apparently, since 2016, US trained DOs are now eligible for full practice in the two remaining Canadian provinces - Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island. These two provinces were the last holdouts, and it looks like they have finally adapted and we now have full practice rights in all of Canada! We have been waiting for this update for a long time, I have been personally waiting for this change since 2010. It finally happened!
http://www.osteopathic.ca/Documents/Osteopathic%20Practice%20in%20Canada,%20Dec%202016.pdf
http://cpspei.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/REGULATIONS-FOR-PEI-Approved-Changes-as-of-May-12014.pdf
https://www.cps.sk.ca/imis/Documents/Legislation/Legislation/Regulatory%20Bylaws%20-%20August%202015.pdf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hello readers! It's been quite a journey! Over the last month, I updated a book I previously published in 2014 that documented all the experiences I have had on my journey as a premed, to medical student, to surviving in med school, to finally successfully matching back home in Canada. It became clear that by 2017, the 2014 publication was old and very out of date. Governmental policies kept changing, and my audience had to adapt to the times. So to get to the bottom of it all, I crafted a 2017 edition!
In this book, I discuss all of my experiences in 212 pages, including how to save time, effort, money and avoiding the most common pitfalls as premeds and medical students.

 

Have you ever wondered how you are going to make it out of medical school alive? How to stay in the US for residency? How to return to Canada after residency? Perhaps you are even interested to attempt the Canadian match? This is only a short list of your many questions, but don’t worry, I have been there, and I have done all of that. In this book, I give you the answers you are looking for. I discuss all of my experiences in 212 pages, including how to save time, effort, money and avoiding the most common pitfalls as premeds and medical students. I even included all of my personal statements included during my CaRMS and ERAS match. With the knowledge I share, I managed to interview at 21 family medicine programs in the US and 7 in Canada.

I hope this book will be a great guide for those considering medical school (inside or outside Canada). It will be an asset to those who are already med students, or are going to medical school in the coming year.

 

I wish you the best of luck this application cycle, and a great career in medicine!

The Canadian Guide to American DO Medical Schools & International Medical Education, 2017 Edition - now available on Amazon createspace.

Also on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca

PQM62LFM for a 10% discount - createspace only!

For the Kindle version, use Firefox or internet explorer. It doesn't show up on Chrome.

 

 

2017 updates:

  • Avoid the most common pitfalls of medical education faced by Canadian pre-meds

  • A guide to help you save thousands of dollars from the pre-med years to “the match”

  • CaRMS update explained

  • How to maximize your chance of residency in the US

  • Best strategies to return to Canada

  • Updated list of Canadian friendly DO schools

  • Canadian exams: MCCEE, NAC OSCE updated
Edited by Mashmetoo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

I've been getting some feedback that resolves around forumites saying how the DO route is not inherently more advantageous than going an International IMG route. I completely disagree with that assessment. If no one route is better than the other, what you are saying then is that in the USA, an IMG will get it just as easily as an AMG.. This just isn't right. I've said this many times before, and I'll say it here again for the record.

 

As Canadians, the moment you set foot in the Caribbean/Australia/Ireland/Poland/Russia/China/Romania/England for medical school, you WILL be an international medical graduate. No matter what anyone tells you, or anecdotes you hear on forums such as these, currently, GETTING A RESIDENCY IN CANADA AFTER MED SCHOOL IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY OUTSIDE CANADA/US IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. Your only sure bet of ever recovering your 300,000+ DOLLARS of medical school tuition is land into a US residency. Now, have a look at this link here: the NRMP matchlist for 2010: http://www.nrmp.org/data/advancedatatables2010.pdf. Scroll down to the part where they mention the match rate for Osteopathic medical students to ACGME residencies compared to Canadian MDs, IMG MDs with US citizenship, and IMG MDs without US citizenship: if you don't believe what I say, at least believe in these numbers:

 

Students/Graduates of Osteopathic Medical Schools

- Active Applicants 2,045 applicants

- Matched PGY-1 1,444 (applicants) 70.6% successful match

- Unmatched PGY-1 601 (applicants) 29.4% unmatched

 

Students/Graduates of Canadian Medical Schools

- Active Applicants 24 applicants

- Matched PGY-1 18 applicants 75.0% successful match

- Unmatched PGY-1 6 applicants 25.0% unmatched

 

Notice how Osteopathic students have almost as good a chance of matching into ACGME (MD) residencies in the USA as Canadian MD students.

 

Now look at this:

 

U.S. Citizen Students/Graduates of International Medical Schools

- Active Applicants 3,695 applicants

- Matched PGY-1 1,749 applicants 47.3% successful match

- Unmatched PGY-1 1,946 applicants 52.7% unmatched

 

Non-U.S. Citizen Students/Graduates of International Medical Schools

- Active Applicants 7,246 applicants

- Matched PGY-1 2,881 applicants 39.8% successful match

- Unmatched PGY-1 4,365 applicants 60.2% unmatched

 

Soo, foreign IMGs, (read Canadians who went to the Caribbean/Ireland/Australia) had only a 40% chance of getting into an ACGME residency, where as 70% of DOs got into ACGME residencies, not to mention the AOA accredited DO residencies which will no doubt take up all or most of the DO stragglers who were not accepted into MD residencies.

 

So no, I absolutely disagree that "no route is better than the other", look at those numbers, and if you are realistic, you'd come to a similar conclusion as myself.

 

DOmatch.jpg

 

vs.

 

IMGmatchUSA.jpg

 

Hey Mashmetoo, are these data accurate presently?

 

Also can you please confirm for me that DO degrees are not given IMG as of today? Also is this likely to remain the same?

 

If I go to a DO program, what sort of visa would I have to obtain? Will the process be easy?

 

Thank you

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Mashmetoo, are these data accurate presently?

 

Also can you please confirm for me that DO degrees are not given IMG as of today? Also is this likely to remain the same?

 

If I go to a DO program, what sort of visa would I have to obtain? Will the process be easy?

 

Thank you

Visas are the same as USMD students. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Visas are the same as USMD students. 

 

 

 

Thanks for the response, John. So getting a visa shouldn't be a problem then correct? And that is I-20 visa, correct? Or is it the H1B and J1 visas, in which case getting good residencies will be more difficult? Still not sure what the deal is with the visas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

hey all, 

Can I apply for the AACOM without my MCAT and then when I get my score I just attached it?? 

Going into my Honours (4th) year of undergrad,

GPA around 3.67

100+ hrs Hospital volunteer

40+ hrs DO (shadowing) 

school Club president and lots of other volunteer activities

What are my chances? Still waiting for MCAT !! Is applying end of September late ??

Also can you please give me an updated list of VERY friendly Canadian DO school since 2015 

Lastly, I am gonna be taking my 2 English next year in school, I have done sociology and linguistics, but I am not planning to rely on these for English credits, that ok with DO schools, like I don't need to have all my pre-quest ready before my application? This will not affect my chances right?

Thanks for your help.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...
  • 6 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...

So I don't know if you have discussed this on this thread before, but I just came across a video of "esoteric healing" by a D.O. who's apparently a professor at the Michigan State osteopathic program as well, and I found it really weird! Does osteopathic medicine commonly involve energy feeling, healing people's chakras and that sort of thing??!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Arztin unpinned and pinned this topic
  • 3 months later...

I am currently in my fifth year (completing a minor I recently added), mainly to increase my GPA.. I was wondering if the DO schools basically just look at your cGPA vs sGPA? do they bother dropping lowest year, etc ??

my GPA isn't very good, around 3.67 or so cumulatively. My first MCAT score was 502 (I am planning on retaking), and I have research experience working for an ecology lab. I also have brief research experience in a molecular biology lab. Extracurricular wise, I have been volunteering at the hospital for 3 years, Vice president for a club, volunteered previously at other various roles, and have participated in an exchange through my country. I am a Canadian citizen, but an immigrant from early childhood. 

I am super interested in applying to these DO schools but I feel very unqualified compared to other applicants and to be honest, feeling very down about what to do after my biological sciences degree. 

thanks in advance 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, marriat said:

I am currently in my fifth year (completing a minor I recently added), mainly to increase my GPA.. I was wondering if the DO schools basically just look at your cGPA vs sGPA? do they bother dropping lowest year, etc ??

my GPA isn't very good, around 3.67 or so cumulatively. My first MCAT score was 502 (I am planning on retaking), and I have research experience working for an ecology lab. I also have brief research experience in a molecular biology lab. Extracurricular wise, I have been volunteering at the hospital for 3 years, Vice president for a club, volunteered previously at other various roles, and have participated in an exchange through my country. I am a Canadian citizen, but an immigrant from early childhood. 

I am super interested in applying to these DO schools but I feel very unqualified compared to other applicants and to be honest, feeling very down about what to do after my biological sciences degree. 

thanks in advance 

Hey don't feel down about your stats. Your GPA is fine for DO so don't fret on that. If you can do better on your MCAT that would be great. Aim for something around 510 or better and you'll be golden. Unfortunately, DO's do not drop any courses out of your GPA, however they will look at your grade trends over the years. If you've got a positive trend, you will be looked at more favorably. They also do like to see you excelling in senior level science courses. What's important when it comes to American apps is how you write you applications and personal statement. They give you a significant amount of space to portray yourself so do so in a strong manner and you will get in. Note, however, you will have a more difficult time gaining admission compared to an american, simply because of bias but it's nothing you can't overcome. If you want to get a better idea of the competitiveness of your stats, I suggest straying away from the forums and checking out AACOMAS. They provide an excellent annual document outlining stats for applicants and matriculates to DO schools.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

just a quick question i dont know its right place to ask....

 

if American Born , also Canadian Citizen too, currently studing in Ontario university for health sciences , if he wants to apply in USA after graduation  , for medical school admission, in USA....

what will be his chances to get admission...,

plz give some comments for his path to medical school admission???...will he get some leverage as American citizenship, but study in Canada university.make any difference???..but wants admission in American medical school, ???any ease for him???

let me know, PLz

 

Really appreciate that...

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, ihsan said:

just a quick question i dont know its right place to ask....

 

if American Born , also Canadian Citizen too, currently studing in Ontario university for health sciences , if he wants to apply in USA after graduation  , for medical school admission, in USA....

what will be his chances to get admission...,

plz give some comments for his path to medical school admission???...will he get some leverage as American citizenship, but study in Canada university.make any difference???..but wants admission in American medical school, ???any ease for him???

let me know, PLz

 

Really appreciate that...

 

Thanks

Hello likely parent,

Relax.

Chances will be much more dependent on grades and life experience.  Being an american citizen will help tremendously as to open up more schools to apply too, but wont make a difference if the application isn't strong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...