ACGME res. vs. AOA internship

[PCSOM2002]

Can anyone tell me what my limitations would be if I did an ACGME residency and did not do an AOA internship. I would like to do one, but there is not an AOA internship opportunity in my home state, but a few ACGME family practice programs in which I am interested. Some have said that the only thing that I would not be able to do is serve as a Dean of an AOA school, be a DME of an osteopathic program, or serve on the AOA Board of Directors. YET, I heard that I can still be a member of the AOA and can get certified by the American Board of Family Practice. I also know the 5 states that will not give a license to practice w/out the AOA internship, but I have absolutely no plans on practicing there. Is there anything I have missed? I would also appreciate any advice on the situation.

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[rtk]

PCSOM2002;

Sounds like you're right on about the limitations of not doing an AOA Internship. As far a sitting for the Specialty Board Examinations: you can write the American Board of Family Practice examination after completing a Family Practice residency offered through the ACGME (AKA: MD program). The American Board of Osteopathic Family Physicians (or something like that...) examination is available for physicians completing residency in an AOA family practice program.

Also, any DO who trained in an ACGME (MD) program who did an AOA internship before starting residency could sit for both specialty examinations (AMA and AOA). Now with the changes that have come about with the "Unity Program", the AOA is allowing DO's who didn't do an internship to sit for the AOA specialty examinations as well.

What about the limitations of doing an AOA internship? If you plan to do an allopathic residency, there may be poblems with funding for all years of the ACGME program if you do an AOA Internship year before "MD" reidency. These are real problems facing a few of my classmates who did an Internship and wanted to do an ACGME OB/Gyn residency. This is something to consider that you may not get a clear answer on by your school... (I think there's real pressure from the AOA on schools to keep students in the AOA fold.)

Maybe I'm paranoid, but seems like the AOA has had a policy that isn't in the best interest of DO grads. The AOA internship is a good idea in theory, but it isn't for everyone and although there are some excellent AOA programs out there, there are not enough slots at these good programs for all DO grads. I didn't do an internship because I wanted to go to the best program I could. That argument doesn't bode well with the AOA when I petitioned to get my first year of ACGME residency counted towards the AOA internship requirement.

If the AOA wants to "Unify" DO's, they need to amend policies that divide DO's at the beginning of their training.

 

[PCSOM2002]

RTK,

Thanks for the information. Did the AOA ever give you approval of your first year? I also heard that they had tightened restrictions on approval of ACGME 1st year.

 

[tslick]

Thanks for all the information, but does anyone know the limitations for those states who require the AOA internship? I was under the impression that it is possible for the AOA to approve your MD residency in those states, and then it would be ok to practice there. For example, I hope to do an OB residency in Maryland. Without the internship I cannot practice in that state, right?

 

[RBorhani]

Maryland is not one of those five states so you should not have a problem. The five states are FL, OK, PA, MI, and WV.

if you decide not to do an aoa internship do that knowing that YOU WILL NOT be able to practice in those five states. There are always exceptions to the rule and there are ways to get around this restriction (some states are easier i.e. FLthan others i.e. MI)... If you want to be able to practice in any of these five states then you should do an internship.....

 

[tslick]

RBorhani,
Just wondering where you got the information on which states require internship. I found my info from the book called "How DO's Eat Their Young, A Guide to getting into a MD residency".
If you are right about Maryland then you have made my day!

 

[prefontaine]

That book is filled with errors, use it to line your birdcage. The AOA website lists the 5 states requiring an AOA internship.

 

[RBorhani]

check out: http://www.aoa-net.org/PostDoc/ogme1.htm

From AOA's web page: "Osteopathic physicians are required to have completed an AOA-approved internship in order to be licensed in Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia."