A pathologist's remark....should I be concerned?

[Inquiringmind24]

The other day at work, one of the pathologists that I work with asked me how med school application stuff was going and I told him that I applied to half MD programs and half DO programs. I asked him if he had worked with many DO's and he said that he hadn't but he suggested that if I get accepted to both programs to go with "medical school" since I would earn "a better name for myself." He said that if I practice as a DO people would assume that I just did it because I couldn't get accepted to "medical school." This is a guy I respect and it made me doubt going DO for a second. But I should keep in mind that this pathologist is over sixty and hasn't worked with many DO's. Do anybody think I'm overreacting here?

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[Nate]

Yes

 

[DrRichardKimble]

Actually I was glad to see a post like this. It was a Pathologist (MD) whom I very much respected, over the age of 60, who ENCOURAGED me to ONLY apply to osteopathic school. He explained his high regard for them and how if he had it to do over again, it is what he would do. I was in the opposite position at the time and doubted it was for me. I am now in my first year, survived my first semester and I am very much happy with the decision I made in only applying to osteopathic schools. All of the OMM/OMT aside ("believe it or not" mentality, I'm still a skeptic), the culture of professors and students just seems to be more relaxed and helpful than what I hear from my friends who are currently enrolled in allopathic medical school. To be honest, I doubt there is any real differences you could find between curricula (osteopathic vs. allopathic), and the only people who feel that DO's are inferior usually have some kind of superiority complex themselves (pompous pre-meds or megalomaniac high end MD specialists).

I wish you luck on your decision.

 

[Static Line]

The other day at work, one of the pathologists that I work with asked me how med school application stuff was going and I told him that I applied to half MD programs and half DO programs. I asked him if he had worked with many DO's and he said that he hadn't but he suggested that if I get accepted to both programs to go with "medical school" since I would earn "a better name for myself." He said that if I practice as a DO people would assume that I just did it because I couldn't get accepted to "medical school." This is a guy I respect and it made me doubt going DO for a second. But I should keep in mind that this pathologist is over sixty and hasn't worked with many DO's. Do anybody think I'm overreacting here?

In the ED setting we have a mixture of DO & MD docs. After talking with both persuasions, they don't care what your medical degree is in, as long as you are competent in what you do, and have half a personality that they can associate with. All that nit-picky stuff comes from docs who have too much time on their hands. My two biggest supporters are MD's.

 

[raptor5]

Unless you have your heart set on Pathology go wherever you seem to fit in. There are no Osteopathic Path residencies and I am willing to bet that some of the best Allopathic Path Residencies are partial to Allopaths and probably would prefer you have a PhD. as well.

I say if and this is my opinion that if you want to learn OMT go DO otherwise go MD. There are so many in my class that could care less about OMT and even mock it.

 

[mrm1682]

i've worked in the ED for the past 2 years and not ONCE has a patient/nurse/staff/etc ever mentioned about a DO being inferior to an MD. heck, the 2 assisstant chairs of the ED are DOs!! my dad jokes about it with me all the time (he's an MD) but he's even had a DO partner before and said that it was the same thing. basically, the older generation MDs grew up knewing DOs as "inferior" and still continue to believe so. the new MDs, the ones that we will be working with, know that DOs are the same.

 

[dr.z]

I was speaking with one of faculty members at school who is MD/Ph.D. He said for most part it doesn't make a difference, but if I got into both programs to goto allopathic school. He said it is for prestiege and same reason as OP.

 

[Ypo.]

Yes

Yes, he should be concerned? Or yes, he is overreacting?


Actually, OP, I agree w/ what has already been said. It is a prestige thing. Some people are worried about the lack of recognition of the DO letters. But if you are one of those who have plenty of self-confidence and don't have an overwhelming need for justification from outside sources, this won't bother you one bit.

The only reasons I would advise against going DO is if

1. You hate OMM and think it is bullcrap.
2. You want to go into a highly specialized field that no osteopathic residency represents (and the allopathic residencies that represent this field are closed to DOs entering them)
3. you want to do a combined PhD program and really be on the cutting edge of research (still possible with a DO program-but the path is better paved going the MD route)
4. you get accepted into an MD school that is closer to home and cheaper than the DO school you were accepted into.

Otherwise, just go to the school where you will fit in best. I agree that DOs and students often seem to be more relaxed (maybe its the OMM classes-and maybe its the type of people that go there-less of type A's??)-but this is my limited perception from having interviewed at both MD and DO schools, and talked to the students there, as well as from shadowing MDs and DOs.

 

[xanthines]

I work in a pathology lab at a large, fairly well respected academic medical center and trust me, there's nothing an MD can do that a DO can't. We have DO's in some of the most competitive path sub-specialties like derm-path and they do great work. Besides, by the time you get in, graduate, and start looking for residencies, the medical field should be much more amenable to DO's. The old fogies will start retiring/dying off.

-X

The other day at work, one of the pathologists that I work with asked me how med school application stuff was going and I told him that I applied to half MD programs and half DO programs. I asked him if he had worked with many DO's and he said that he hadn't but he suggested that if I get accepted to both programs to go with "medical school" since I would earn "a better name for myself." He said that if I practice as a DO people would assume that I just did it because I couldn't get accepted to "medical school." This is a guy I respect and it made me doubt going DO for a second. But I should keep in mind that this pathologist is over sixty and hasn't worked with many DO's. Do anybody think I'm overreacting here?

 

[dr.z]

I work in a pathology lab at a large, fairly well respected academic medical center and trust me, there's nothing an MD can do that a DO can't. We have DO's in some of the most competitive path sub-specialties like derm-path and they do great work. Besides, by the time you get in, graduate, and start looking for residencies, the medical field should be much more amenable to DO's. The old fogies will start retiring/dying off.

-X

 

[hotlikebutter]

The other day at work, one of the pathologists that I work with asked me how med school application stuff was going and I told him that I applied to half MD programs and half DO programs. I asked him if he had worked with many DO's and he said that he hadn't but he suggested that if I get accepted to both programs to go with "medical school" since I would earn "a better name for myself." He said that if I practice as a DO people would assume that I just did it because I couldn't get accepted to "medical school." This is a guy I respect and it made me doubt going DO for a second. But I should keep in mind that this pathologist is over sixty and hasn't worked with many DO's. Do anybody think I'm overreacting here?

there are people out there that think a non ivy league medical school is not a "real medical school" there are people out that think family practice and primary care are for specialty rejects. there will always be haters. do what will get you what you want in life. if you want certain initials after your name then get them. if you want a medical education capable of preparing you to care for people and dont care about initials, then go to either.

 

[Dr JPH]

There is a lot of OMT you can do in the path lab. HVLA to the spleen, etc.

kidding

Go to the school with the cheapest tuition, hottest girls and nicest facilities.

If you want to become a pathologist no one will ever see you to question your title.

Or, you can go into academics and make a boat-load of money...and at that point, who cares?

 

[OSUdoc08]

The other day at work, one of the pathologists that I work with asked me how med school application stuff was going and I told him that I applied to half MD programs and half DO programs. I asked him if he had worked with many DO's and he said that he hadn't but he suggested that if I get accepted to both programs to go with "medical school" since I would earn "a better name for myself." He said that if I practice as a DO people would assume that I just did it because I couldn't get accepted to "medical school." This is a guy I respect and it made me doubt going DO for a second. But I should keep in mind that this pathologist is over sixty and hasn't worked with many DO's. Do anybody think I'm overreacting here?

The Deputy Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Oklahoma is a D.O.

He resides over M.D. pathologists.

 

[dr.z]

Go to the school with the cheapest tuition, hottest girls and nicest facilities.

Is PCOM full of hot girls then? Unfortunately I haven't heard anything from them.

 

[no-see-um]

Actually I was glad to see a post like this. It was a Pathologist (MD) whom I very much respected, over the age of 60, who ENCOURAGED me to ONLY apply to osteopathic school. He explained his high regard for them and how if he had it to do over again, it is what he would do. I was in the opposite position at the time and doubted it was for me. I am now in my first year, survived my first semester and I am very much happy with the decision I made in only applying to osteopathic schools. All of the OMM/OMT aside ("believe it or not" mentality, I'm still a skeptic), the culture of professors and students just seems to be more relaxed and helpful than what I hear from my friends who are currently enrolled in allopathic medical school. To be honest, I doubt there is any real differences you could find between curricula (osteopathic vs. allopathic), and the only people who feel that DO's are inferior usually have some kind of superiority complex themselves (pompous pre-meds or megalomaniac high end MD specialists).

I wish you luck on your decision.

THE! Dr. Richard Kimble?! Great nickname.

 

[Marianne11]

I got into several MD programs, but am waiting to hear about a DO school that I will accept over the MD schools if I get in. Do what feels right. Regardless of what MDs think, I "know" my stats are higher than the average MD student. I didn't settle for DO, I chose it.

 

[UNE2009LMD]

I got into several MD programs, but am waiting to hear about a DO school that I will accept over the MD schools if I get in. Do what feels right. Regardless of what MDs think, I "know" my stats are higher than the average MD student. I didn't settle for DO, I chose it.

EXACTLY. Do what feels right. I chose MD over DO..I applied 1/2 MD, 1/2 DO and am very happy with my decision. I actively chose to become a DO because of the patient-centered philosophy and the fact that my personality seemed to fit with the profession. They are on the same ground anyway with MDs and have exactly the same privileges.

 

[UNE2009LMD]

EXACTLY. Do what feels right. I chose DO over MD..I applied 1/2 MD, 1/2 DO and am very happy with my decision. I actively chose to become a DO because of the patient-centered philosophy and the fact that my personality seemed to fit with the profession. They are on the same ground anyway with MDs and have exactly the same privileges.

MISTAKE

 

[UNE2009LMD]

DO over MD. Typo.