worried about carreer

[DJmunster]

Do you even know what you're asking about? The CPT codes are not specific to anybody. The oral surgeon (DMD) that I used to work for used them for the medical procedures that he did, and physical therapists use them for their billing, as well as tons of other allied health professionals.

Are you having yourr PMS? If you don't want to answer the uqestions simply don't reply with anything. Why involve self in that case.

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[GatorsWearJorts]

That's the best you could come up with?!? You suck as a troll.

You see, you have to disguise the post a bit better. For example, don't make it too obvious. It's silly to say that you got into a DO school and are now worried. Anyone that attends interviews at DO schools would realize the schools are the same as MD schools.

You have to write something to the effect of "I was thinking about going DO..." Don't forget to sound innocent and interested so people don't flame you too much.

Also, get the schools right. What's T-COM? You mean TU-COM? Obviously you didn't interview there since you can't even get it right.

Here's an example of a decent trolling post:

"I'm a pre-med who's very interested in primary care. My primary care physician is a DO and I think he's great. However, after reading posts in this forum, I'm concerned that my career options might be limited after all those years of training. As a DO, could I do more than just family medicine?"

See? Simple, somewhat convincing, troll-worthy message.

Now, try again.

TCOM is Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

 

[WantsThisBad]

Thanks you to everybody so far whose responsed in this topic. Please keep in mind many of MD to DO folk have not been around DO enough to know their billings procedures et al. Therefore the ignorance. When AOA'S sites say [[most]] insurances take DO i twill worry folk like me who are still learning.

How do you plan to write a prescription?

 

[Auraraptor]

I think DJmunster is from South Asia, as he phonetically spelled career the way it is pronounced by many South Asians. DJmunster, are you South Asian? Oh and, DO be ah-cha heh.

 

[Kateb4]

Are you having yourr PMS? If you don't want to answer the uqestions simply don't reply with anything. Why involve self in that case.

If you read my reply, I did answer your question. I said that CPT codes are used by all allied health fields, and providers. But if you're going to be accusatory, I won't waste my time answering any more of your questions, or trying to decipher your broken English.

 

[DJmunster]

If you read my reply, I did answer your question. I said that CPT codes are used by all allied health fields, and providers. But if you're going to be accusatory, I won't waste my time answering any more of your questions, or trying to decipher your broken English.

you are welcome to answer when you become corteous, let me know when your PMS is over.

TCOM is Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

yes you are right, it is called that by all I met there and same after beingg accepted.

 

[NDESTRUKT]

In defense of the OP, I know plenty of people who have insecurity issues about becoming a DO at the beginning of their education solely because they don't fully understand or are confident of what they are going into yet. Before I get flamed, I will say that I know plenty of DO's who are competent and very well qualified. In addition, I myself applied to DO schools when I was applying to med schools to. To me, I honestly didn't give a crap about OMT or the whole "treat the body not the disease" thing - I just wanted a be a doctor and either way worked for me.

That being said, and being from CA, I was told by a nurse that a physician she worked for dissed DO's and she told me not to be a DO. Now whether or not it was wise of me to even take that into consideration wasn't the issues - it was more that it made me think about things more deeply and worry about the future for myself.

There are some states that are very DO friendly and some that aren't as much. Applying for residency programs which are allopathic ones...sometimes you get into obstacles too. Very competitive programs can sometimes be biased against DOs (with no good reason, but perhaps just personal bias from the top) - I didn't say ALL (you can always find the DO in a great program if you look hard enough) but many times people will wrongly think differently.

I personally would prefer to see more DO's in the future as they're a much more welcome sight than the PA/NP's trying to be MD's...when the DO is essentially the same.

When I was applying to med school years ago, there was a sticky from a DO radiologist that one SDN member posted - I think he gave great advice for those who worry as well as the reality of the situation in which some places are somewhat wrongly biased (mostly the old conservative people who don't like change).

So to the OP, I was where you were once, and you have nothing to worry about as long as you work hard, and score the same or higher on the USMLE than the MD students (which is easily possible).

Good luck, all of you. Welcome to medicine =)

 

[Dr.Inviz]

In defense of the OP, I know plenty of people who have insecurity issues about becoming a DO at the beginning of their education solely because they don't fully understand or are confident of what they are going into yet. Before I get flamed, I will say that I know plenty of DO's who are competent and very well qualified. In addition, I myself applied to DO schools when I was applying to med schools to. To me, I honestly didn't give a crap about OMT or the whole "treat the body not the disease" thing - I just wanted a be a doctor and either way worked for me.

That being said, and being from CA, I was told by a nurse that a physician she worked for dissed DO's and she told me not to be a DO. Now whether or not it was wise of me to even take that into consideration wasn't the issues - it was more that it made me think about things more deeply and worry about the future for myself.

There are some states that are very DO friendly and some that aren't as much. Applying for residency programs which are allopathic ones...sometimes you get into obstacles too. Very competitive programs can sometimes be biased against DOs (with no good reason, but perhaps just personal bias from the top) - I didn't say ALL (you can always find the DO in a great program if you look hard enough) but many times people will wrongly think differently.

I personally would prefer to see more DO's in the future as they're a much more welcome sight than the PA/NP's trying to be MD's...when the DO is essentially the same.

When I was applying to med school years ago, there was a sticky from a DO radiologist that one SDN member posted - I think he gave great advice for those who worry as well as the reality of the situation in which some places are somewhat wrongly biased (mostly the old conservative people who don't like change).

So to the OP, I was where you were once, and you have nothing to worry about as long as you work hard, and score the same or higher on the USMLE than the MD students (which is easily possible).

Good luck, all of you. Welcome to medicine =)

Provide as many detailed tips as possible. Thanks.

 

[DeLaughterDO]

Provide as many detailed tips as possible. Thanks.

1) Spend the first 2 years of medical school studying like you want to actually LEARN the material, not just memorize it for the test at the end of the week (or the next day, whichever the case may be)

2) Before you begin actually studying for Step I (COMLEX or USMLE), don't even start looking at any review source before you come up with a solid plan of attack - this means I will study Biochem on this half-day/day, anatomy this day, etc, etc. Write down this plan and STICK TO IT!!

3) Schedule your tests no more than 1-2 days apart. Study for both tests concomitantly - don't study for the COMLEX, then the USMLE the week after. You will lose your motivation after you expend all of your emotional energy on the first test (whichever you choose to do first).

4) Study with a partner. A partner you can stand to spend 8 hours a day with and who you know will challenge you and will be willing to be challenged by you.

5) Be intellectually honest with yourself. Not everyone can score insanely high on the COMLEX or the USMLE. Remember, just like in medical school, you are being graded against some of the most intelligent students in the country. You should do the best you can, and realize that even the "mean" is quite good when measured against some of these intellectual juggernauts.

6) Take frequent breaks - even if only for a few minutes - and walk around outside and get some fresh air. This will help rejuvenate your mind and break up the monotony of looking at your KAPLAN books, your FIRST AID books, or your BOARD REVIEW SERIES books. BTW, I HIGHLY recommend FIRST AID and BRS for step 1 review. For step 2, I would proffer CRUSH STEP 2, BOARDS AND WARDS, and review some of the BRS series.

ok, that's it for now, I guess.

jd

 

[DeLaughterDO]

Oh, yeah. I guess you might want results for the above game plan:

STEP I COMLEX: > 730 (99th percentile)
STEP I USMLE: > 240 (~ 94th percentile)
STEP II COMLEX: > 745 (99th percentile)
STEP II USMLE: > 250 (~ 95th or 96th percentile - don't exactly remember)

I'm not going to put exact numbers because the numbers don't really matter that much, aside from being more than adequate to prove my point.

It works, folks. Just apply yourself.

And yes, I went to a DO school (obviously, given I took the COMLEX) and I will start an Allopathic EM residency in July.

 

[Dr.Inviz]

Oh, yeah. I guess you might want results for the above game plan:

STEP I COMLEX: > 730 (99th percentile)
STEP I USMLE: > 240 (~ 94th percentile)
STEP II COMLEX: > 745 (99th percentile)
STEP II USMLE: > 250 (~ 95th or 96th percentile - don't exactly remember)

I'm not going to put exact numbers because the numbers don't really matter that much, aside from being more than adequate to prove my point.

It works, folks. Just apply yourself.

And yes, I went to a DO school (obviously, given I took the COMLEX) and I will start an Allopathic EM residency in July.

Congratulations! Also, Thanks for the tips. We do need some real advice every now and then ...

 

[Northerner]

As for me, a DO is as good, if not better than MD.

Careful....

 

[seismicCHICK]

I think I may be able to believe DJ in that there are people in the health profession that talk down about DOs...

I am currently in a VERY DO friendly environment and even my gyno asked me "Just outta curiosity, why do you want to do DO?"... in a pretty questionable tone. Since there is a DO's office a building or two over from where she is, I'm assuming she's had to have interacted with at least one DO throughout her career. In addition to that, a doctor I was seeing straight up told me, "Just between you and me...you don't want to do DO.. wait another year and go MD."

I guess the difference between us and DJ is just that we are more knowledgeable about DOs so we don't have to feel intimidated when professionals make comments such as the ones I described above. I'll have to say though, it was a bit discouraging to hear that from doctors.

 

[DeLaughterDO]

I think I may be able to believe DJ in that there are people in the health profession that talk down about DOs...

snip...

I'll have to say though, it was a bit discouraging to hear that from doctors.

No matter where you go, what you do, there will always be people who question your motives. There is still a stigma (small though it may be) that is associated with DOs, for whatever reason. My own personal feeling is because we are the smaller group, and the majority will always "pick on" the majority, no matter how little difference there really is between the two groups.

Regardless of what road you take, the trip ends in the same place - graduation and the ability to practice medicine.

Do what makes you happy, and allows you to meet your life goals. Your opinion is all that matters.

jd

 

[Steve203]

DJ is freaking awesome...his posts made me laugh my ass off...I was at work and I was laughing out loud.

 

[Taty]

Those scores look very good!!!!

Oh, yeah. I guess you might want results for the above game plan:

STEP I COMLEX: > 730 (99th percentile)
STEP I USMLE: > 240 (~ 94th percentile)
STEP II COMLEX: > 745 (99th percentile)
STEP II USMLE: > 250 (~ 95th or 96th percentile - don't exactly remember)

I'm not going to put exact numbers because the numbers don't really matter that much, aside from being more than adequate to prove my point.

It works, folks. Just apply yourself.

And yes, I went to a DO school (obviously, given I took the COMLEX) and I will start an Allopathic EM residency in July.

 

[NDESTRUKT]

I second one of the above posts in how to study...those seem fairly correct.

I'm not the smartest student or the most hard working on in my class but scoring around 240 is very easily done. Do well your first two years so that step I is just a review exam. Study First Aid and do all the questions in Kaplan Qbank. That's all I did.

Good luck to ya'll.