do vs md...does it really matter?

[mommy2three]

hello all,
i am considering a career as either a neonatologist or maternal fetal medicine specialist. i have found that there are currently practicing do's in both fields.
however, i wanted to get some input to those who were currently in residencies/fellowships as to if the do or md degree made a difference in residency or fellowship placement.
tia

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[radonc]

hello all,
i am considering a career as either a neonatologist or maternal fetal medicine specialist. i have found that there are currently practicing do's in both fields.
however, i wanted to get some input to those who were currently in residencies/fellowships as to if the do or md degree made a difference in residency or fellowship placement.
tia

yes
it is 'easier' for an md to place in an allopathic residency than a do. especially if it is something competitive. going into a do program may limit your choices, depending on how well you perform.

 

[jennyboo]

It is definitely easier for an MD to have their choice of MD residencies than for a DO to do the same. It's not an even playing field. As a DO, you do have your choice of the DO residencies, by when competing against MDs for an MD residency, the DO is a disadvantage.

But not impossible to overcome.

Neonatology is a subspecialty of pediatrics. MFM is a subspecialty of OB/GYN. Neither pediatrics nor OB/GYN are highly competitive specialties to get into; a DO with an average record (no fails) and who has an average USMLE score (yes, you should take this exam to help even out the playing field) should have no problem getting either a peds or an ob/gyn MD residency. Beyond that, it's what residency you get that determines what fellowships you have a good chance of landing.

An ob residency at Harvard/BWH or a peds residency at CHOP will both be very difficult for a DO to obtain. But as a DO you should have no trouble landing middle-of-the-road -- it's only the "elite" residencies that will be difficult to obtain.

 

[docmd2010]

does this apply to internal medicine too? as a d.o. would it be difficult for me to match at a place like say university of texas or ohio state?

 

[skypilot]

does this apply to internal medicine too? as a d.o. would it be difficult for me to match at a place like say university of texas or ohio state?

I don't know about those schools but University of Massachusetts loves DOs for internal medicine. They even have a rotating osteopathic internship that is dually accredited for osteo and allopathic.

 

[OSUdoc08]

does this apply to internal medicine too? as a d.o. would it be difficult for me to match at a place like say university of texas or ohio state?

No. There DO's in ACGME IM programs all over Texas and Ohio.

 

[docmd2010]

osudoc i like u even more because u like the mavs

 

[OSUdoc08]

osudoc i like u even more because u like the mavs

Big game tomorrow.

Go MAVS!

 

[docmd2010]

what are some other do friendly acgme medicine residencies?

 

[skypilot]

what are some other do friendly acgme medicine residencies?

Most residencies. Just take a look at these Residency match lists to see all the places that DOs are matching to internal med.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=175626

 

[southerndoc]

I think all ACGME residencies prefer MD's. Many won't even interview DO applicants. I don't think we interviewed any DO applicants this year, but that may be due to the competition we had this year. We do have 2 DO's in our program.

Isn't it odd how the DO's get all flustered when a program doesn't accept DO's, yet not a single DO residency will accept an MD applicant.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I think all ACGME residencies prefer MD's. Many won't even interview DO applicants. I don't think we interviewed any DO applicants this year, but that may be due to the competition we had this year. We do have 2 DO's in our program.

Isn't it odd how the DO's get all flustered when a program doesn't accept DO's, yet not a single DO residency will accept an MD applicant.

This is variable based on specialty. Some of the more specialized areas are less apt to interview DO's.

The primary care specialties (FP, IM, Peds) and EM are the specialties that most commonly accept DO's. Only a few programs in these specialties won't admit DO's.

 

[huskyrepresent]

what are some other do friendly acgme medicine residencies?

At my school three of the chief residents in medicine I know of are DOs and there is an osteopathic compliant PGY 1 year available for DOs. I believe one or more of our DO chief residents is pursuing cards with a DO chief resident last year securing a cards fellowship somewhere in Philadelphia. Our program is DO/IMG friendly/dependent (~0-2 medical school graduates will stay on in the area for IM in a given year).

We have at least 1 DO in every class of our EM program.

http://www.uconnem.org/pgyI.htm

however, i wanted to get some input to those who were currently in residencies/fellowships as to if the do or md degree made a difference in residency or fellowship placement.
tia

As stated it makes a difference for big name places, e.g. Seattle Children's or Children's Hospital, Philadelphia. The peds program associated with my school takes a lot of DOs (but few foreign grads) as you can see if you were to click here. As you can see one of our chiefs is a DO. But all in all an allopathic degree will in general be more helpful (the better the rep the school the more helpful) than an osteopathic one if everything else is equal. For fellowship, this depends on your residency (i.e. Boston Children's vs. Podunk U SOM, your performance, letters, connections, research/pubs, inservice exams) and not your medical degree.

 

[bigtimesmally]

Surgery and subspecialties are going to be very difficult to land in ACGME residencies as a DO.

However, many people in our class matched to good IM ACGME programs in a very competitive state. No one matched into a surgical field in ACGME programs.

 

[L8DYV]

do = less prestige
md = more prestige

 

[cfdavid]

do = less prestige
md = more prestige

Funny that a dental student should comment like that.

 

[JohnUC33]

do = less prestige
md = more prestige

do=medical doctor/paid well
md=medical doctor/paid wel
dentist=probably should stick to teeth

 

[OSUdoc08]

do = less prestige
md = more prestige

What is this "prestige" that you speak of?

Does it include free sex?

 

[docmd2010]

i think a lot of the above is true, however there are some notable exceptions. For example, I looked at Oklahoma State's Match list (2005 i believe, refer to the thread that gives the match list links above), and someone matched johns hopkins internal medicine. Just goes to show, that even though a d.o. may face an uphill battle getting those "elite" residencies, it can be done by a stellar medical school performance.

 

[docmd2010]

here's the link that i talked about in the previous post that shows the girl who matched hopkins

http://centernet.okstate.edu/commencement2005/graduates-mn.cfm

 

[fomites]

hello all,
i am considering a career as either a neonatologist or maternal fetal medicine specialist. i have found that there are currently practicing do's in both fields.
however, i wanted to get some input to those who were currently in residencies/fellowships as to if the do or md degree made a difference in residency or fellowship placement.
tia

YES, YES, YES, YES, YES. IT MATTERS.

this question is tired and past its expiration date

 

[quidnunc]

here's the link that i talked about in the previous post that shows the girl who matched hopkins

http://centernet.okstate.edu/commencement2005/graduates-mn.cfm

Just a friendly FYI, she matched into Johns Hopkins- Bayview, not Olser's Johns Hopkins. But hey, she can still say she trained at Hopkins.

-Q

 

[CatsandCradles]

do = less prestige
md = more prestige

Or how about ..

MD = Lexus
DO = Toyota

 

[tylerdo]

hi, i am a D.O. graduated from LECOM, did clinicals in Ohio, matched into an ACGME radiology program in FL with 1st year surgery. It is definately not impossible...and M.D. is not better than D.O. by any means.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Or how about ..

MD = Lexus
DO = Toyota

It would be the reverse, since Toyotas are more common.

 

[DrBowtie]

It would be the reverse, since Toyotas are more common.

Lexus is essentially a Toyota sold under a different name.

 

[DOctorJay]

MD = Porsche Carrera S
DO = Porsche Carrera 4S

wonder if anyone will pick up on this

 

[Faraaz23]

MD = Porsche Carrera S
DO = Porsche Carrera 4S

wonder if anyone will pick up on this

ummm... that DO's have a better "grip" on things?

 

[docmd2010]

do = less prestige
md = more prestige

and dds=no prestige, go take your easya$$ DAT and shove it up ure a$$

 

[OUsooner]

Copying my post from previous DO vs MD discussion - one of the hundreds that have been seen here on SDN.

Basically want to reiterate that the top dogs in osteopathic institutions have little discrimination against them for the most part . The MAJORITY of osteopathic students go into allopathic residencies. This includes many avg and below avg students. Your education is what you make of it anywhere you go. That being said, you will be better off going to an allopathic school to land top residences (PM&R is the only exception I can think of where DO's are equal if not preferred). Guess what? If you want plastics or derm, you'll also be better off going allopathic. Personally I think its easier to land ortho spots as a DO - due to the many osteopathic residencies. Lets hope this boring topic doesn't get out of hand.

 

[OUsooner]

Oh and if I wanted a life full of prestige I would have attended an IVY in undergrad and hit up a top notch MBA program - instead I partied my balls off at a state school. I have NO regrets.