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

[Mashmetoo]

Hello everyone,

 

On October 17th, 2012, CaRMs updated that beginning with the 2013 CARMS R1 Match, applications from graduates of accredited Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine will be accepted at the University of Manitoba in the IMG stream for the first iteration and in the general stream for the second iteration. The official letter was received last night.

 

We know that this isn't the CMG 1st iteration, but it is a start!! This information will be forwarded to the remaining schools on the East Coast to get them to follow suit (hopefully).

 

http://www.carms.ca/eng/r1_eligibility_prov_e.shtml

[Slashsev]

Keep the good news comming!!

 

AOA, ACGME Move Toward Unified Accreditation for Graduate Medical Education Programs

Page Content

Posted Oct. 24, 2012

 

The AOA, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) have entered into an agreement to pursue a single, unified accreditation system for graduate medical education programs in the United States beginning in July 2015. During the coming months, the three organizations will work toward defining a process, format and timetable for ACGME to accredit all osteopathic graduate medical education programs currently accredited by the AOA. The AOA and AACOM would then become organizational members of ACGME.

 

By the Numbers

Currently, ACGME accredits over 9,000 programs in graduate medical education with about 116,000 resident physicians, including over 8,900 osteopathic physicians. The AOA accredits more than 1,000 osteopathic graduate medical education programs with about 6,900 resident physicians, all DOs.

 

The transition to a unified system would be seamless so that residents in or entering current AOA accredited residency programs will be eligible to complete residency and/or fellowhsip training in ACGME accredited residency and fellowship programs.

 

Looking Ahead

Among the topics of discussion for the three organizations will be:

 

•Modification of ACGME accreditation standards to accept AOA specialty board certification as meeting ACGME eligibility requirements for program directors and faculty;

 

•Programs in graduate medical education currently accredited solely by AOA will be recognized by ACGME as accredited by ACGME; and

 

•Participation by AOA and AACOM in accreditation of programs in graduate medical education accreditation to be solely through their membership and participation in ACGME.

 

"Americans deserve a health care system where continuously improving the quality of care and the health of our patients is the driving force," stresses AOA President Ray E. Stowers, DO. "A unified accreditation system creates an opportunity to set universal standards for demonstrating competency with a focus on positive outcomes and the ability to share information on best practices."

[Artier]

Hey guys, quick question

 

I went to WesternU's website to look at the tuition and on it, it shows the four MS years but then it also shows ISAC (12 months) and 3 years of OMM with separate tuition. Can someone please explain what this all means? I am quite unfamiliar with Osteopathic Colleges and would love to clear up my confusion. Does this mean there are 8 years total of osteopathic medical education? Does it also mean that I have to pay all of that extra tuition as well?

 

EDIT: Link - http://www.westernu.edu/financial-budgets-osteopathy

[boobiman]

D.O degrees are all 4 years. Not sure about the tuition for western though. It should be close to 50K per year

[Artier]

Ah I see, so what does the ISAC and 3 years of OMM mean?

[Mashmetoo]

Ah I see, so what does the ISAC and 3 years of OMM mean?

 

Don't worry about that. Apparantly, they have a OMM only program.

[Artier]

Awesome, it looks like I'm going to seriously have to consider this DO option in the future. By the way guys, is it true that most DO institutions require an MD/DO letter of recommendation? From what I hear it is challenging to find a physician to shadow in Canada. Does anyone have any tips? If it helps, I am close enough that I can probably visit any location in Toronto or the surrounding cities. Again, thank you so much for helping me understand more about this alternative, as I would not even have known about it had it not been for this forum.

[Slashsev]

MD or DO letters are ok

 

id send mass email...or find a research doctor to work with

 

 

if your grades are decent n decent mcat..those stuff come secondary

[dreamerman]

Does anyone know how hard it would be to match into rads as a DO? If you matched in rads in the states could you come back to canada and work as a radiologist?

 

thanks

[Mashmetoo]

Does anyone know how hard it would be to match into rads as a DO? If you matched in rads in the states could you come back to canada and work as a radiologist?

 

thanks

 

board scores, board scores, board scores, Letters of recommendation, strong core rotation grades, strong elective rotation grades, rotate at the right places, throw in some research.

 

I think radiology is one of those residencies where it's the same amount of residency years as Canada.. I can be wrong though. Do all your COMLEXs, USMLEs, MCCEE, MCCQEs, Canadian radiology licensing exams, and voila.

[marla_84]

hey,

 

so can anybody tell me how to get a letter from a D.O. in Toronto? I do not know any D.O.s working here. Thanks.

 

please email me: maral_m@hotmail.com

[Slashsev]

MD letters are OK too

 

check out the comsa website and email them

[Artier]

Also, I'm curious to know as to how you guys were able to get loans for DO schools? Are the Canadian banks aware of the schools and the degree and of its equivalence to the MD degree? How much money were you guys able to get through loans as well, cause it seems like almost all the schools would require a 320k+ loan.

 

Thanks!

[Patrick1234]

Also, I'm curious to know as to how you guys were able to get loans for DO schools? Are the Canadian banks aware of the schools and the degree and of its equivalence to the MD degree? How much money were you guys able to get through loans as well, cause it seems like almost all the schools would require a 320k+ loan.

 

Thanks!

 

They treat it as equivalent to us md schools. I just got 225 k from cibc, the issue of do vs md never came up, they just care if you and ur consigned has good credit. I know people who got similar amount from bmo and td.

[abcdior123]

They treat it as equivalent to us md schools. I just got 225 k from cibc, the issue of do vs md never came up, they just care if you and ur consigned has good credit. I know people who got similar amount from bmo and td.

 

hey which school are going to next year?

 

can pm if u want

 

also, anyone here intending on going to AZCOM?

 

maybe we can work something out for housing, etc

[Patrick1234]

didn't apply to azcom

[beanbeans]

What do you think my chances are if I have a 3.86/4.5 gpa and a 26S MCAT if I apply early next cycle??

Thanks

[pepita]

Hello and thank you for the valuable information. I am wandering how is the applications process for Canadians without US citizenship, but with residency. Is US residency a requirement everywhere? I visited the websites of most of the schools, but I am still curious to hear experienced opinions. Thank you again

[OMGITWONTFI]

Wait I just realized something from reading the first few pages of this thread I didnt realize before... Mashmetoo only listed 9 schools that *may* accept canadians...and only 6/9 are deemed Canadian friendly. There are not that many opportunities for us Canadians applying to USDO schools than, is there?

[Mashmetoo]

Wait I just realized something from reading the first few pages of this thread I didnt realize before... Mashmetoo only listed 9 schools that *may* accept canadians...and only 6/9 are deemed Canadian friendly. There are not that many opportunities for us Canadians applying to USDO schools than, is there?

 

The point of that exercise was to get you started so you can start looking at the aacom website and research this yourself. I can't possibly list every single school. There's like 30 of them now.

[Mashmetoo]

Hello and thank you for the valuable information. I am wandering how is the applications process for Canadians without US citizenship, but with residency. Is US residency a requirement everywhere? I visited the websites of most of the schools, but I am still curious to hear experienced opinions. Thank you again

 

By "US residency", you mean US permanent resident status?

[OMGITWONTFI]

Would a DO school ever reject an applicant because their stats are too high? I've heard stories (don't know whether or not they're true) of applicants with stellar stats getting interviews at top tier MD schools but getting flat out rejected at low tier MD schools, apparently because the low tiers don't want to waste a spot on someone who is probably using them as a backup. By no means am I saying DO schools should be looked upon as a backup, but the reality is the vast majority of Canadians probably prefer MD schools if given the choice. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this happening?

[rmorelan]

Would a DO school ever reject an applicant because their stats are too high? I've heard stories (don't know whether or not they're true) of applicants with stellar stats getting interviews at top tier MD schools but getting flat out rejected at low tier MD schools, apparently because the low tiers don't want to waste a spot on someone who is probably using them as a backup. By no means am I saying DO schools should be looked upon as a backup, but the reality is the vast majority of Canadians probably prefer MD schools if given the choice. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this happening?

 

That sounds a bit odd to me - unlike business in medicine there no such thing as "over qualified".

[esus]

Would a DO school ever reject an applicant because their stats are too high? I've heard stories (don't know whether or not they're true) of applicants with stellar stats getting interviews at top tier MD schools but getting flat out rejected at low tier MD schools, apparently because the low tiers don't want to waste a spot on someone who is probably using them as a backup. By no means am I saying DO schools should be looked upon as a backup, but the reality is the vast majority of Canadians probably prefer MD schools if given the choice. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this happening?

 

I don't know about DO, but I applied to a bunch of low-high tier MD schools (all private) and have only gotten interview invites from the top tiers.

[UStoCanadaHopeful]

You guys are over analyzing it. Many of the top tier US MD schools happen to be private. Private schools want money, aren't reimbursed by the state, and dont have to match a certain in-state quota. As such, they are more likely to take Canadians than any instate public school which is funded by the state. Of course there are exceptions, but this is a general rule for US med schools.

 

You cannot be "over qualified" for US DO schools. I dont even know what that means? You think you are too good for them? Worry more about things such as location, tuition, teaching, rotation hospitals....instead of MD vs DO