I plan on applying to DO med school this cycle but have also looked into AA.
GPA: 3.63 sGPA: 3.54 GPA last 60 semester hours: 3.8 (4.0 last 3 semesters: Immuno, histo, pharm) March MCAT: 499 (125,124,125,125) Summer '16 GRE: 311 (156/155) + 4.0 June MCAT: pending
Have EC's, research, and LOR's Need to shadow tho.
Ohio Resident AA schools I'm looking at: - Case - Nova - Indy - Emory - South
I like AA school because the time to completion is definitely significant when compared to med school, salary is pretty good, and 40 hrs per week would definitely allow a nice work/life balance.
I'd prefer to become a DO but I'm 65/35 at this point.
Was just wondering why some of you have picked this path over med school and if you're happy with it.
Re: AA or DO
Posted by tk23 on June 5, 2017, 8:07 pm, in reply to "AA or DO"
Competitive grades. Nicely done.
My advice: if you want to be a doctor, go to DO school. At the end of the day, some people can't live without being called a doctor. So far I'm happy with my choice. I enjoy having that umbrella over my head if feces were to hit the fan. AA is definitely a sweet spot if you're considering anesthesia. There's always the possibility to go back to med school post-AA if you wanted. Not exactly that easy to do the other way around... I for one don't see myself going back anytime soon.
Also: there's no guarantee that you'll only be working 40 hours/ week. It is possible, but not all hospitals have shift-work. But the upside is that if you do work call and overtime, you'll be making an exceptional amount of money.
Hope this helps. Cheers.
Re: AA or DO
Posted by GasBun on June 19, 2017, 11:34 pm, in reply to "Re: AA or DO"
Agree with tk23. If you want to be a physician then go for medical school (MD or DO). Like any medical procedure, you have to be aware of the risks, benefits, and alternatives before you make the decision. Healthcare is changing. You can always go back to school in the future (I know CAA's and CRNA's who have gone to medical school).
Re: AA or DO
Posted by PBateman on June 20, 2017, 12:03 am, in reply to "Re: AA or DO"
Thanks for both of your inputs. I'm definitely weighing the pros and cons of both fields and will be making calls to the admissions offices within the next few days.
Out of curiosity, is any AA school considered better than the other? Just comparing tuition prices like Case and Emory.
Re: AA or DO
Posted by tk23 on June 21, 2017, 2:10 pm, in reply to "Re: AA or DO"
AA school is expensive wherever you go. You're gonna have loans out the wazoo no matter what (unless you have $200k lying around)
As for schools being better or not... Some schools claim that they're better, but it's all subjective in my opinion. Location plays a big role. Depending on where you see yourself living after school, then I'd recommend you going to one of those schools close by.
If you put in the work and study your butt off, you'll be a great anesthetist regardless of the school you attend.
on May 31, 2017, 3:12 pm