Medical School: My Path to Become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine

What to do to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine? When asked where I see myself after graduation, it hasn’t always been easy for me to give a concrete answer. Something I do know for certain is that I am excited by the idea of helping others and want the ability to improve the lives of others. There are diversity of different field to attend, however my aim is to attend a medical school. Also I sometimes ask myself 'where do you see yourself in 10 years?' and my answer is simple: studying at medical school to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.

Coming into college, I had an image in my mind that I would get through my G.E.s and take the necessary classes before going on to apply to medical school and ultimately, become an M.D. (Doctor of Medicine). After completing a couple of quarters, absorbing and understanding the lessons taught, and learning about the many different pathways available to me, I have realized that I am interested in becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) and the greatest challenge for me is attending the medical school.

Growing up, all I had on my mind for a future occupation was something involved in helping people and like many, I was inspired to become an Doctor of Medicine. Volunteering at a hospital has helped me realize that although it is noble to pursue medicine as a means of helping people, it is also a naive, misguided approach to the field. Seeing Doctors weave in and out of patients’ rooms, spending more time on charts and symptoms rather than the patient themselves has made me realize that medicine is a business-driven field. As an individual who looked up to Doctors of Medicine as selfless heroes, it was rather disheartening to see the way Doctors of Medicine were treating many of their patients: acting as if medicine was a race to the finish to maximize profit. However, I was given the opportunity to interact with Doctor of Osteopathic Medicines and they took the time to examine and explain to the patient everything they were doing, eliminating both the fear the patient had while removing the appearance of apathy many individuals get when interacting with an Doctor of Medicine.

While medicine is still a field I am very much interested in, I realized that I am not interested in the approach of an M.D. but am very much drawn to the practices of a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, treating the whole person and listening to the patient to truly and fully understand their needs. From the presentation given about Western University and additional research, I was able to learn more about what it means to be a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine means participating in a hands-on, overall process and taking a more personal approach with every patient. For this more holistic, overall approach to medicine, I believe that the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine pathway is more suited for me. Physicians can fall into two main categories, M.D. and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. They both have similar education and certification but there are some differences regarding the training and philosophy behind patient care. While both types treat patients, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicines also practice preventive medicine and holistic care methods while M.D.s tend to focus on the symptoms and treatment of patients. The pathway of pursuing a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine is very similar to that of an M.D. but there are some differences in the training needed to obtain the necessary licensure.

One of the major steps in the process of becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine is to attend medical school. In order to attend medical school, much has to be done prior to obtaining admission. To be admitted, the first step is to obtain a bachelor’s degree while graduating with credentials and credits that fulfill the prerequisites for medical school admission. Such credentials and credits would include having a high GPA and taking the necessary prerequisite classes that include biological sciences, organic chemistry, physics, and much more. Having a high GPA shows medical schools that not only can you excel in science classes but also shows that you could handle the stress and workload of medical school.

Medical school is known to be especially grueling and since numerous resources go into training medical students, it is important for medical schools to select individuals who they believe can withstand the demanding lifestyle of medical students as well as the life of a physician. Most importantly having high test scores should reflect a true understanding of the material taught in class which will benefit greatly in not only doing well in medical school but also when practicing medicine in the real world. For countless other reasons, doing well in classes is a major key component in gaining admittance to medical schools.

By taking advantage of resources on campus such as the ARC, T.A.s, and supplemental instruction, I plan on learning and fully understanding the concepts taught in lectures in order to score well and gain the most from my lectures. These resources will teach me how to study smarter and more efficiently as well as allow me the opportunity to ask questions in order to fully comprehend the material. In addition to fulfilling prerequisite classes and maintaining a high GPA, it is also necessary to take the MCAT and score well. The MCAT (the Medical College Admittance Test) is a standardized test required by almost all medical schools across the nation and topics regarding biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics are tested. Regardless of whether someone wishes to become an M.D. or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, taking the MCAT is a necessity as it is crucial to the medical school application process. Scoring well on the MCAT is one of the more important components on admittance to medical schools as it is a mean to compare students from all across the world and levels the playing field for many students.

To score well on the MCAT, I plan on studying and doing practice tests as well as potentially partaking in some tutoring sessions before taking the MCAT. Practice tests can be very useful in terms of providing a general idea of what type of questions will be asked as well as an idea of the timing and speed of the test. Besides scoring well and doing well during my undergraduate experience, I plan on devoting more time to research and garnering both experience and valuable lab skills. By dedicating more time to research, I will be able to hone in on my problem-solving skills and improve my ability to think on my feet which is an important trait to have as a physician. Physicians often have to make the best decisions by analyzing the information they have in front of them and have to diagnose rather quickly so as to improve the lives of their patients.

Through these steps, I plan on gaining admission into medical and surpassing the first hurdle of becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. My advice for anyone who also dreaming about medicine is to think why do you want to go to medical school. Besides medical school, there is much to do before one is able to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. While there are many steps needed to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, I believe that there is great reward in being able to be a contributing factor in helping people feel better and potentially save lives. Having the opportunity to interact directly with patients and having a hands-on, personal approach at improving the lives of patients would make all the education, training, and long hours a small price to pay. As of right now, my number one priority is to attain good grades, score well on tests, and devote more time into certain extracurricular activities in order to maximize my chances of becoming a prime candidate for the medical school.