what are the REAL differnece b/w MD and DO?

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DOs have more training in primary care and often have training that encourages compassion. If we are talking about the average student, then that is most likely true. However, if a student is set on primary care or community outreach then it can definitely be done with the MD route too.

I think the main difference is the way that society views DOs. MDs have a much larger amount of social and political authority in the US. Abroad, as we know, DOs are not licensed. This stems from a historical context of less than biomedical practitioners of alternative therapies such as osteopathy.
 
OMM is the main difference.. Other than that, it's that they place more primary care docs then the rest of the schools.. On average.. Both can practice in any field and there "suppose" to be no discrimination agianst DO's in any job. (mid 70s law)
 
gapotts2003 said:
DOs have more training in primary care and often have training that encourages compassion. If we are talking about the average student, then that is most likely true. However, if a student is set on primary care or community outreach then it can definitely be done with the MD route too.

I think the main difference is the way that society views DOs. MDs have a much larger amount of social and political authority in the US. Abroad, as we know, DOs are not licensed. This stems from a historical context of less than biomedical practitioners of alternative therapies such as osteopathy.
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just an fyi .....here is the list of countries where DO's can practice http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=107627
 
in case you're new here...just watch....no good ever comes from threads on this topic......if you're not sure what I mean just sit back and enjoy the slopfest that ensues....popcorn might be a good idea
 
In real life the only real differences are that on average DO's more often go into primary care, are older upon acceptance to medical school, and use OMM.

On the internet, however, they have bigger e-peens and will pwnz0rs you in all things that are not for n00bs.
 
Taus said:
just an fyi .....here is the list of countries where DO's can practice http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=107627
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No. That's a list of countries where DOs can and cannot practice. If you read through the list you can tell that DOs are definitely discriminated against in a majority of those countries. Many times they are limited to short term activities. They have to jump through many more hoops than a MD would under the same circumstances.
 
gapotts2003 said:
No. That's a list of countries where DOs can and cannot practice. If you read through the list you can tell that DOs are definitely discriminated against in a majority of those countries. Many times they are limited to short term activities. They have to jump through many more hoops than a MD would under the same circumstances.
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Foreign MD's have to jump through hoops if they want to stay for more than a few months as well.

The biggest impediment to DO's gaining rights is that outside of the U.S. "osteopaths" are typically only taught manipulation. Being an American D.O. gives one much more credibility as a complete physician.
 
gapotts2003 said:
No. That's a list of countries where DOs can and cannot practice. If you read through the list you can tell that DOs are definitely discriminated against in a majority of those countries. Many times they are limited to short term activities. They have to jump through many more hoops than a MD would under the same circumstances.
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hmm...I said "this is where they can practice"

you replied w/ the above in bold.... I'm confused......
 
supernareg said:
just thought i'd make myself clear. .
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The difference is simple.

When you graduate from osteopathic school they give you a degree and a tie-dye t-shirt.

When you graduate from allopathic school they give you a degree and some stool softener.

The upside is that the stool softener can be returned to the store for cash or store credit whereas the t-shirt cannot. Consequently, people tend to favor allopathic institutions.

But some people like the tie-dye shirt and are fine with keeping it. It's really up to you.
 
supernareg said:
just thought i'd make myself clear. .
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They are the same as someone that went offshore to get an MD then were able to come back and practice in the US. They had lower grades and MCATS but then pulled it together and got a medical degree and are now able to practice in the US. More of them practive family medicine because it is less competative and they are less competative residency applicants. Thats the rule, but there are exceptions to the rule. Anybody that tells you anything else (they like the "holistic" approach of DO's) is full of it. Its like me telling you I didnt go to Harvard medical school because I liked MY schools philosophy better...I just didn't get in and Im not to proud or embarassed to admit it. Thats all, end of story.
 
I have to say, and this might be kicking off the oh so common MD vs. DO flame war, but it's been my experience that DOs pre-emptively attack me as an MD student.

I've experienced it many times and it really has begun to turn me off to DOs. I'll give a couple of examples:

1) My classmate, who was trying to get into DO schools long before I wanted to be a doctor, told me that DOs are caring, loving, people and that MDs are soul-less pill-pushers. She used those words.

2) I was at a friend's house with my friend and his ex who goes to PCOM. This is how the introductions went:
My friend: thesauce is at NJMS
My friend's ex: turns to me and says "we do everything you guys do plus OMM."
Without me even saying anything!

Why the complex? I shy away from DOs because it's always just a matter of time before I'm going to get attacked.
 
dynx said:
They are the same as someone that went offshore to get an MD then were able to come back and practice in the US. They had lower grades and MCATS but then pulled it together and got a medical degree and are now able to practice in the US. More of them practive family medicine because it is less competative and they are less competative residency applicants. Thats the rule, but there are exceptions to the rule. Anybody that tells you anything else (they like the "holistic" approach of DO's) is full of it. Its like me telling you I didnt go to Harvard medical school because I liked MY schools philosophy better...I just didn't get in and Im not to proud or embarassed to admit it. Thats all, end of story.
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I think you are completely wrong....there are plenty of DO's who got accepted to both DO and MD programs but choose DO because they like the philosophy...there are several on SDN itself...I personally like the philosophy better and after I got accepted to my top DO school I withdrew almost all of my MD applications and kept only four (mainly because of geographic reasons in case I decided to stay really close to home)...I remember reading somewhere that "Osteopathic physicians treat patients like patients and not like a disease"...and in some sense I found some truth to that statement...but it is to each individual person and its up to them to decide, If I personally hated the DO philosophy and didnt get into an allopathic program I could easily go Carribbean get my MD and moved on...i think it is ignorant for you state that because someone choose a DO school it is because they couldnt get in anywhere else...👎

PS...they are not the same as someone that went overseas to get an MD...foreign medical students have a lot more obstacles in obtaining residencies than DO's who have a choice of their own osteopathic residencies and those of allopathic residencies....I've been told that as a general rule...it is always better to go to medical school in the US than outside of it....
 
UIC Killa said:
I think you are completely wrong....there are plenty of DO's who got accepted to both DO and MD programs but choose DO because they like the philosophy...there are several on SDN itself...I personally like the philosophy better and after I got accepted to my top DO school I withdrew almost all of my MD applications and kept only four (mainly because of geographic reasons in case I decided to stay really close to home)...I remember reading somewhere that "Osteopathic physicians treat patients like patients and not like a disease"...and in some sense I found some truth to that statement...but it is to each individual person and its up to them to decide, If I personally hated the DO philosophy and didnt get into an allopathic program I could easily go Carribbean get my MD and moved on...i think it is ignorant for you state that because someone choose a DO school it is because they couldnt get in anywhere else...👎

PS...they are not the same as someone that went overseas to get an MD...foreign medical students have a lot more obstacles in obtaining residencies than DO's who have a choice of their own osteopathic residencies and those of allopathic residencies....I've been told that as a general rule...it is always better to go to medical school in the US than outside of it....
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Well yes, it is one step above offshore medical schools.
There are some people that got accepted to both but they are a minority.
The philosophy is BS. Look again at my harvard analogy above. 28 MCAT probably a good idea to pull those other MD apps.
Listen, you're going to be able to practice medicine. DOs make great docs, ive worked with many. A lot are better than MDs when they come out. But to pretend that people go to a DO school because they like the philosophy rather than out of necessity is *****ic. Its like saying "I went to ROSS because the weather is better and the humidity is good for my skin...I could have gotten into a real school but I didnt want to REALLY BELIEVE ME!" Its pathetic and it degrades what you are doing. You're taking a harder road, be proud of it.
 
A recent AMCAS study has found that MDs, on average, are bigger where it counts. 😉
 
dynx said:
Well yes, it is one step above offshore medical schools.
There are some people that got accepted to both but they are a minority.
The philosophy is BS. Look again at my harvard analogy above. 28 MCAT probably a good idea to pull those other MD apps.
Listen, you're going to be able to practice medicine. DOs make great docs, ive worked with many. A lot are better than MDs when they come out. But to pretend that people go to a DO school because they like the philosophy rather than out of necessity is *****ic. Its like saying "I went to ROSS because the weather is better and the humidity is good for my skin...I could have gotten into a real school but I didnt want to REALLY BELIEVE ME!" Its pathetic and it degrades what you are doing. You're taking a harder road, be proud of it.
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This is what makes these threads so useless to me..i completely agree with you that we are all going to be practicing medicine!!...probably a long held dream for many of us, be happy everybody!!!...why we argue about MD this and DO that...i dunno...oh...and thanks for the snipe about my mcat which was why the MD schools that I applied to were the more low tiered ones so I think I have a decent shot....anyway MD, DO, FMG...watever..if you are going to be a physician be happy...support your colleagues instead of the negativity... I do agree that DO's do use that as an excuse...but just letting you know that I personally would not do that and not everyone does...I guess we agree there? Maybe a minority but still....

P.S. (I seem to like post scripts...lol) I dont think the philosophy is BS....you are entitled to your own opinion but I will have to disagree with you there.
 
UIC Killa said:
...and thanks for the snipe about my mcat...I guess we agree there? Maybe a minority but still....
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I guess that was a low blow, just making my point about the numbers though. Bottom line is that we agree on the outcome. I didnt (really i didnt) take the most prestigious route to medical school, who cares? Im proud of what I did and what Im doing. Some other kid didn't take the most prestigious route to a medical degree...who cares? they should be proud of what they did and are doing. You try some BS justification though and it denegrates people going through the process. Just STFU and say, "well look at me now" Im doing what I want and judge me on my performance NOW.
 
UIC Killa said:
P.S. (I seem to like post scripts...lol) I dont think the philosophy is BS....you are entitled to your own opinion but I will have to disagree with you there.
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I dunno. I have heard a lot of DO's saying OMM is BS. But I'll let it go.😀
 
dynx said:
I dunno. I have heard a lot of DO's saying OMM is BS. But I'll let it go.😀
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Havent started yet so I cant comment about OMM and it's curing abilities (although I did get to talk to a student doing a fellowship on OMM and he told some crazy stories about curing chronic pain...etc)...but just the more patient-centered approach and the whole body as one over individual parts approach is what appeals to me...plus the more non-traditional students make for a less cut-throat type environment like what I experienced during pre-meds at my undergrad which I didnt like...its really up to each person...you might like this over that etc...and no prob on the mcat snipe...I understand what you were saying...anyway...good luck on everything...have fun studying away the next two years of your life, as I will do the same...
 
I'll start out by saying that I personally know more than a handful of DOs who are all fantastic clinicians.

That said, I didn't apply for DO programs. They're expensive and a handful of the schools are relatively young. I like the philosophy, but I knew that going to a DO program might not help my chances of getting into a more academic/competitive field. Also, I'm not sure if I want to go into primary care, just yet. I think DO is great for those applicants who are sure that they want to go to a school that's more primary care oriented. But its also true that there is some difference in prestige, how big a difference depends on what kind of residency director you talk to and how far their head is shoved up... well...

Bottom Line: DOs and MDs pretty much do the same thing. DOs are more primary care oriented and have a cool body manipulation skill set. MDs tend to be more research oriented and like to specialize. MDs have a slight to large advantage in prestige.
 
MirrorTodd said:
DO chicks are hotter. It's a statistical fact.😉
p.s. no offense to any MD chicks here.
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Is this off of the pre-DO forum...lol...and don't forget about OMM labs...lol
 
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