<p>I don't see how MD's the "harder" route. You don't need to do anything extra to apply for MD schools. Just like DO's, you have to do 4-years of med school and then residency to become a full-licensed doctor. It's a very similar route. If I don't get into a MD school, I'd do DO in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>Isn't MD the harder route because DO school's requirement is generally less demanding than that of the MD school? (eg. lower average GPA of matriculants, etc.)</p>
<p>
[quote]
DO's ARE physicians and make the amount for the same job as MD's.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Also, I think I heard some time ago that DO's can ONLY become assistants of physicians (MD), like nurses. But is this wrong? Can DO's really become physicians, too, and make as much money as MD's?</p>
<p>No, DO's do the same work as MD's. They ARE physicians as stated above. DO's and MD's earn the same wages. DO's also work in all specialties of medicine. Yes, even surgery.</p>
<p>"Isn't MD the harder route because DO school's requirement is generally less demanding than that of the MD school? (eg. lower average GPA of matriculants, etc.)"</p>
<p>If you want to be a doctor, you have to strive to top grades, MCAT score, EC's, recs, etc. Whether you end up at DO or MD schools is irrelevant. DO schools and MD schools consider the same stuff. </p>
<p>As I have already said, DO's are physicians.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for your helpful postings. I will take in all your suggestions to advise my D when asked. Have wonderful Holidays!!!</p>
<p>Hey Dogonmoon,</p>
<p>I'm really surprised that I haven't come across a reply with a mention of a special masters program, like the one at Georgetown. I think your daughter has the perfect stats for that. These are programs that help determined pre-meds, with grades below the average applicant, get into a medical school.</p>
<p>They are 1-2 years long, and are not post-bac programs. Therefore, her undergrad GPA will unfortunately stay the same. However, now she has a clean slate to do well and achieve a high graduate level GPA. One of the biggest perks is that some programs allow you to take courses with Medical school students, thus enabling you to show how well you can handle an academically rigorous setting despite what you've done during your undergrad years (it doesn't mean med schools wont hold your UG record against you though, but it certainly helps!).</p>
<p>Georgetown's Masters of Physiology is the oldest and well known, but there are tons out there. There's one at BU, Tufts, Loyola in Chicago, EVMS, Drexel, and much more.</p>
<p>I think it would be a shame for your daughter to just give up, especially if being a doctor is something she is truly passionate about.</p>
<p>
[quote]
her undergrad GPA
[/quote]
Actually, SSM, the program is even better than you describe, since undergrad GPA isn't important to medical schools -- only GPA across all years. (This is unlike, for example, law school.)</p>
<p>
[quote]
...undergrad GPA isn't important to medical schools -- only GPA across all years.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Aren't they the same thing?:confused:</p>
<p>The point is that graduate GPA is included by AMCAS. LSAC, for example, will not include graduate work.</p>
<p>But AMCAS does calculate undergrad and graduate GPA's separately and undergrad GPA's will be weighed more heavily (since graduate course grades are VERY inflated). Even so, it is to your advantage to start over (for example, at a SMP as Spikedsoymilk suggested) at a grad program than to stay for extra years at your undergrad since by the end of your third year, your undergrad GPA will be next to impossible to change.</p>
<p>SMP's aren't easy. The only thing worse than taking courses w/ premeds is taking courses with desperate premeds. In SMP classes, you'll be fighting for those precious A's along with the rest of the premeds in the same position as you.</p>
<p>My memory (from a couple years ago) was that you simply have an AMCAS GPA: Overall, BCPM, and AO. There was a grad/undergrad separation made elsewhere, but that it was a relative detail compared to the "summary" numbers.</p>
<p>(I wish CC would let us see previous posts while we make new ones)</p>
<p>A few things:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Yes, it's pretty awesome of AMCAS to allow us to report graduate level coursework. Hoooooowever...</p></li>
<li><p>Your undergraduate GPA will still be held against you greatly because they report those to publications such as US News or "Best Medical School" books. They don't report Graduate GPAs since those programs are diverse.</p></li>
<li><p>The reason why "special masters programs" are so "special" is because the grades are not nearly as inflated, if at all. Students are taking legitimately hard science courses, and some of them will be with medical students.</p></li>
<li><p>While in a SMP, those in the program generally do NOT compete against one another to get the grades. Rather, the individuals in the program compete against the medical students' curve in courses, which doesn't take into account the scores of those in the SMP program. Everyone can get an A, if they put in the right amount of effort. Moreover, everyone is HIGHLY encouraged to collaborate.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Spikedsoymilk, thank you for sharing that information. My heart is warming up a bit. Now since I know that there is still an option or two left for her, I can research those special masters programs and present them to her when asked. Although she was so set with her med-school goal, she was not ready to entertain any other ideas as far as I could see, I managed to mention that DO option to her the other day and she seemed to be a bit open to that, which is good.</p>
<p>Norcalguy and Bluedevilmike, thank you for your helpful postings. I am learning something new everyday.</p>
<p>Do any of you personally know someone with a low undergrad science GPA accepted to a med-school after some type of program? If so, what was their undergrad science GPA? </p>
<p>Thanks again to everyone who took the time to offer your thoughts.</p>