Since everyone gets touchy and wont answer the question, I will as though it weren't a troll post:
Entrance stats:
MD schools tend to have higher entrance stats including MCAT and GPA. However, as the years pass the gap between the 2 seems to be closing. I think there are some DO schools that have higher average stats than some MD schools but on the average, MD schools have a bit higher stats.
Education:
Both have very similar preclincal years. Both types of school are structured very similarly and test very similar subjects. The major difference is that DO schools learn a manipulation modality called OMM. MD schools do not teach this. Some say this is a good modality, others disagree. Regardless, DO students spend a few hours a week learning this.
Minor differences include more research opportunities/requirements in MD curriculum and a higher focus on biochemistry (not universal).
Both schools have to take step 1 of their boards. MD students take USMLE. DO students take COMLEX (and some choose to take USMLE as well if they want allopathic residencies)
Clinical years is where you are going to see the most difference. Almost universally, MD schools have a central hospital where almost all rotations are done. This leads to very uniform rotations. Most MD schools own or have their own hospital. This is rarely the case in the DO world. While there are some schools that have central hospitals where all rotations are done, many (most?) have different sites where you will rotate through, often in different states. Thus clinical rotations can range from very good to mediocre to poor based on the DO school and the hospitals you get in the lottery. Research before you go.
Prestige: MD schools carry more prestige.
After medical school: There are 2 systems of match: the AOA (DO) and the ACGME (MD). MDs can only do ACGME. DOs can do either. Most DOs (60%) choose to do ACGME because these programs are generally in better locations, are large academic centers as opposed to community programs, have more spots for specailaties, and offer better opportunities for fellowship. It is easier to match into a competitive program as an MD, hands down.
Pay: essentially the same, provided in the same field.
Yeah, I think the post got an especially cold reception because it started in pre-allo too. Good post, but I wanted to add a few things:
1. Entrance stats ... closing quickly. Actually much quicker than I would have imagined. On the whole though ... MD schools are still a bit higher, but - again - I've been really surprised how quickly DO schools are closing the gap between the two.
2. Research ... definitely stressed more in MD world because of NIH funding. However, I have been pleasantly surprised at the response I've seen during interviews at DO schools with concern to pushing research. At one school I interviewed at, the dean was able to pull 25 million very recently to vamp up research, at another the school had just established a lot more research and recruited some impressive Ph.Ds to research there. Finally, I was at another school very recently where the school was expanding and adding a lot more facilities for research, so it definitely does exist in the DO world if you want it. I really think research should be dedicated to some through OMM studies at some of these DO schools.
3. Rotations ... it's not hard to find a DO school with great rotations if you do a little bit of research. It is a bit of a hassle to need to look into this so closely while applying, but I've personally been impressed with a lot of the rotations at the schools I looked at. Interviewed at one school where a student ambassador turned down an MD acceptance because of the quality of rotations at this DO school, one that had its 'home hospital' - where it had established residencies - at a Level I Trauma Center, and two that had/owned their own hospitals (one attached to the University). So again, your generalizations are fair ... but exceptions exist, and aren't terribly difficult to find.
4. Prestige ... ehh, blanket statement. The MD title is more 'well known,' withOUT a doubt ... but with multiple DO schools established 100+ years ago, the prestige exists in the DO world. Plus, if prestige is the only factor you are looking for in a medical school ... you really run a high risk of not finding a good match for yourself personally. Irrelevant ... but w/e.
5. Residencies ... good post. I think it's actually currently 54% of DOs in ACGME, but that's nitpicking. It's also fairly important to note in a simple 'can DO do surgery' thread, that there are AOA residencies in all fields (ie ROAD) that are only open to DO applicants.
6. Pay ... misleading response. For the purposes of the OP's question ... DOs and MDs are paid identical. Of course if one's in private practice and the other works for a hospital in the same field then that is different pay, or if one is a PD or head of a department there is a difference, etc. However, this is just analyzing different physician salaries, not a degree issue.
wow this post is funny. Whats really funny is that you say "without making generalizations..."
