Question about D.O. Family Practitioners..

[Doctor_Strange]

Hi,

I have a quick question: I know that within the medical community DOs and MDs are--for all intents and purposes--viewed equal and indistinguishable in almost every objective way, but I was curious about patient perception.

I have been told time and time again that "patient's don't care" whether their physician is a DO or MD. Well, I am just having a hard time accepting this (and I want to go to a DO school mind you). I am in college, and many of my friends have no idea what a DO is.

I am thinking really in terms of private practice and being a DO as a potential inhibiting factor for one's own business, income, and patient pool...

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post, and I would appreciate any insight at all!!!

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[VA Hopeful Dr]

As with everything, some patients will care. The vast majority will not. Its no different than same patients judging your ethnicity (no matter what it is), gender, or whatever. Hell, I had a patient complain to my manager when I was still employed that I was too tall.

 

[simpler2]

It sounds like you already understand some of the basics of the MD vs DO professional title difference. Hopefully, prior to starting medical school, you have some idea of what you want to someday do with your medical degree. I am not referring to specialty but more what kind of lifestyle and professional life you want to have (i.e. free time vs work time, salary, work setting). Once you can envision the life you want to have, deciding what letters you want behind your name (or if it even matters) should become a relatively simple decision.

 

[el_duderino]

Hi,

I have a quick question: I know that within the medical community DOs and MDs are--for all intensive purposes--viewed equal and indistinguishable in almost every objective way, but I was curious about patient perception.

I have been told time and time again that "patient's don't care" whether their physician is a DO or MD. Well, I am just having a hard time accepting this (and I want to go to a DO school mind you). I am in college, and many of my friends have no idea what a DO is.

I am thinking really in terms of private practice and being a DO as a potential inhibiting factor for one's own business, income, and patient pool...

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post, and I would appreciate any insight at all!!!

Oh the pain.

Anyway, no, patients don't really care. That said, in most cases you'll want to go MD if it's an option.

Also, I don't think many PCPs are having trouble keeping busy.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Most patient's don't know what DO means generally. Some think you are the hero when you fix their back, etc and the MD only threw pills at them instead of fixing the problem. I have never had a patient refuse to see me as a DO (as a woman, yes) as a DO, no.

 

[Doctor_Strange]

Thanks for the responses!

Generally, from my understanding, if DO worked as a hospitalist, in the ED, or OR, it would be non-issue. I was curious really from a business perspectives, i.e. private practice.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

Thanks for the responses!

Generally, from my understanding, if DO worked as a hospitalist, in the ED, or OR, it would be non-issue. I was curious really from a business perspectives, i.e. private practice.

It doesn't matter.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Thanks for the responses!

Generally, from my understanding, if DO worked as a hospitalist, in the ED, or OR, it would be non-issue. I was curious really from a business perspectives, i.e. private practice.

Now I am really confused. There a few who don't like DO's, they will never be your patients. There is such a shortage of primary care right now, people are desperate for ANY DOCTOR to take care of them.

 

[Promethean]

You don't need every single patient to choose you. You only need to fill your schedule. There will be plenty of people happy to come see you. The others will go someplace else.

People don't pay that much attention to the letters, unless they are premeds.

(And please... "intents and purposes." It is a wordy cliche to begin with, but if you are going to use it, you deserve to know the real phrase.)

 

[SLC]

In my experience, there are about as many people who seek out DO's as there are that try to avoid them.

There are plenty of people out there who prefer having a DO as their PCP.

Neither of these camps has their opinion based in anything other than personal preference I might add.

 

[primadonna22274]

I've had patients seek me out because I'm a DO and they've had a prior positive experience with a DO. Haven't had anybody refuse to see me as a physician and only twice in more than a decade of work as a PA. Confidence and personability go a long way.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

 

[Doctor_Strange]

Thanks for the all responses! I felt that it was a non-issue to begin with--I suppose I needed to hear it from the professionals themselves. I plan on shadowing a DO Family doc soon as well.

 

[Bacchus]

Thanks for the all responses! I felt that it was a non-issue to begin with--I suppose I needed to hear it from the professionals themselves. I plan on shadowing a DO Family doc soon as well.

I wish some of my patients would refuse to see me because I'm a DO. It'd make my day easier.

 

[Shinken]

In my practice, I have too many patients that want to see me, my schedule is always packed. The vast majority do not care about DO or MD. Some come to me because I'm a DO and not an MD. Nobody has left my practice because I'm a DO.

Don't worry, as a primary care physician you'll be busy, whether DO or MD.

 

[Doctor_Strange]

Slightly off topic, could anyone care to comment on whether they are a hospitalist or own their own practice? Do you perceive a difference, loss, or gain in your salary depending on your specific circumstances?

 

[W19]

I've had patients seek me out because I'm a DO and they've had a prior positive experience with a DO. Haven't had anybody refuse to see me as a physician and only twice in more than a decade of work as a PA. Confidence and personability go a long way.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

I worked as a RN in a upper middle class suburb in south FL and it was common occurrence for patients to refuse to be seen by NP/PA...

I even saw a couple of PCP write in their consults 'to be seen only by physician--not PA/NP'... These PCP were known to be hot heads anyway...

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

I worked as a RN in a upper middle class suburb in south FL and it was common occurrence for patients to refuse to be seen by NP/PA...

I even saw a couple of PCP write in their consults 'to be seen only by physician--not PA/NP'... These PCP were known to be hot heads anyway...

If that became an issue, I would absolutely write that on a consult request.

 

[JustPlainBill]

And so, after really thinking the bias was gone -- it happened today ---

I was seeing a new patient in clinic and introduced myself as Dr. JustPlainBill -- no big deal -- and during the course of the interview, patient alluded that they had a previous surgery and I asked how the procedure went as I knew of others who had a similar procedure with mixed results -- patient indicated their satisfaction with the outcome and stated that it was likely because they went to a "real M.D. doctor, not a D.O or other doctor" -- I bit my tongue and let them continue -- turns out the "real M.D. doctor" worked out of a hospital known in town as "The D.O. hospital" ---

I said nothing about being a D.O. and just let them ramble....

Whatever.

 

[el_duderino]

And so, after really thinking the bias was gone -- it happened today ---

I was seeing a new patient in clinic and introduced myself as Dr. JustPlainBill -- no big deal -- and during the course of the interview, patient alluded that they had a previous surgery and I asked how the procedure went as I knew of others who had a similar procedure with mixed results -- patient indicated their satisfaction with the outcome and stated that it was likely because they went to a "real M.D. doctor, not a D.O or other doctor" -- I bit my tongue and let them continue -- turns out the "real M.D. doctor" worked out of a hospital known in town as "The D.O. hospital" ---

I said nothing about being a D.O. and just let them ramble....

Whatever.

Avoiding that situation is really the sole reason I hoped I got into an MD program instead of a DO program. Nothing to do with training quality or anything like that. I just didn't want to have to deal with people who didn't know what a DO actually was.

This is also the reason I think DO degrees should be turned into MD degrees.

 

[LLCoolK]

Degree should be changed to MD(O). no doubt about it.

 

[deleted87716]

Degree should be changed to MD(O). no doubt about it.

How would that be any less confusing...?

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

Degree should be changed to MD(O). no doubt about it.

That just sounds dumb.

Leave it as a DO. Enough know about DOs these days. Nobody cares about me being a DO. I still have plenty of patients seeing me and telling me they much rather be with me than other doctors because I care and take the time to work with them. It's great to hear that, but I'm also jaded enough to think they may be splitting.

 

[el_duderino]

Degree should be changed to MD(O). no doubt about it.

So you'd have Bob Bobson, MD and John Johnson, MD(O)? Or make everyone MD(O)?

 

[Ericslv]

Hi,

I have a quick question: I know that within the medical community DOs and MDs are--for all intents and purposes--viewed equal and indistinguishable in almost every objective way, but I was curious about patient perception.

I have been told time and time again that "patient's don't care" whether their physician is a DO or MD. Well, I am just having a hard time accepting this (and I want to go to a DO school mind you). I am in college, and many of my friends have no idea what a DO is.

I am thinking really in terms of private practice and being a DO as a potential inhibiting factor for one's own business, income, and patient pool...

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post, and I would appreciate any insight at all!!!

I know DOs who have some of the busiest practices I've even known. In all specialties. Your still in undergrad so this type of thing is an issue. In the real workforce some may care but it does not matter because who cares what they care. You will have a license to practice medicine and have passed all the exam to do it. The rest is academic BS that some people can't get over.

If you get into a DO program and like it there you should go and not look back.

Just an example: I know of one DO who had several occupational clinic and was extremely successful. People didn't care or even ask. They just like him and his skills.

 

[Ericslv]

I worked as a RN in a upper middle class suburb in south FL and it was common occurrence for patients to refuse to be seen by NP/PA...

I even saw a couple of PCP write in their consults 'to be seen only by physician--not PA/NP'... These PCP were known to be hot heads anyway...

I don't see anything wrong with a patient wanting to see by and MD/DO. A doctor.