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The difference here is that you want to use the initials/title "MD" for licensure purposes which is already taken/reserved by the allopathic licensing boards. Therefore, if you want to use their initials, you have go under their jurisdiction, which effectively abolishes Osteopathic Medicine as a separate entity which is in violation of the oath every DO takes.
The example you used, was the AOA changing their internal policy/definition. It didn't require loss of autonomy or approval from anyone else as it will be with this proposal.
The problem is that most people arguing on this thread fail to understand/appreciate the difference between DEGREE and LICENSE. You can name the DEGREE whatever you want. But to get LICENSED (irrespective of your degree) and advertise yourself as whatever, you need state licensing board's blessing which equals submitting to their jurisdiction.
BTW, that's a cool picture you posted!
not to be inflammatory, intentionally at least, but is there even a difference between an MD and a DO anymore that we 'need' separate entities to govern us? This is where it gets dicey because we as D.O.s try so hard to establish ourselves as equals to our M.D. counterparts, that it's counter-intuitive when we try and rationalize why we're different, a catch 22 of sorts. Like I said in a previous post, modern medicine has evolved to the point where you will see M.D.s treat the patient "as a whole" and not "prescribe harmful medications," and that you will see D.O.s infiltrate into virtually every specialty out there, ACGME world included. We're not different anymore.
Sparing me the history lessons, if this time tomorrow the AOA and AMA decided to merge and be unified under one collective M.D. degree (effective retroactively as well,) are there any practical reasons why you feel this wouldn't be a good idea for us as physicians? Outside of OMM (which I'm not sure how many grads even practice nowadays, no exact figures but if it's anything like what I anticipate, it can't be good,) what makes us "us" today is that we are clinging onto our history, which to me is not a good enough reason to lose sight of what we do in the bigger picture -- we are physicians.
This is not an issue I care about enough to whine for a degree change. It would be nice and convenient, though it will never happen. I couldn't get into a M.D. school and I just wanted to be a physician. Looking back at the alternatives I believe I made the right choice. If I wasn't here right now, I'd probably working a boring desk job for the man right now, and that would be no bueno. MD/DO, I don't really care what comes behind my name because at the end of the day, it's your work and dedication that will define you, especially to the people that matter.