allopaths in osteopath residencies?

[augmel]

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is this allowed? does it ever happen? i'd imagine if it does it is only in the competitive specialties like ENT. anyone know?

 

[womansurg]

Strictly for-BO-dden, from what I understand. Have to be a DO to apply for osteopathic residencies. Anyone heard anything different?

 

[augmel]

that would seem kind of against the trend towards fraternity that the two fields have been working towards. or maybe that trend has simply been unidirectional. come to think of it, iv'e heard a lot of "just as good as" from allopaths towards osteopaths, but only "a little better than" from osteopaths about themselves.

 

[stuDOc]

It's true. Only graduates from AOA approved colleges of osteo med can apply to D.O. residencies, or D.O. internships.

 

[MacGyver]

What the hell?

DOs can enter MD residencies but MDs cant do the converse? What a bunch of BS.

 

[Purifyer]

It makes sense doesn't it? If allopathic students were allowed to apply to Osteopath residencies, it doesn't take a wizard to see that certain osteopathic residencies might become impossible for osteopaths to get into. Disenfranchised or something 🙂

 

[Castro Viejo]

In 1996 I read an article in American Medical News of an MD doing an OMT/OMM residency at KCOM. I believe that for OMM/OMT, an MD would be able to enroll as a resident, but for things like Osteopathic Orthopedic Surgery or Osteopathic Neurosurgery, I doubt the same would apply.

I haven't looked into the actual rules regarding this, but who knows? It may be possible to get into an osteopathic residency if you really, really want to. But if 2/3 of DOs don't even want them, why would any MD?

 

[mountaindoc]

For the MD's out there, let me clear this up for you, as most DO's looking at programs of this type probably, or better yet should, know this already. There are very few "good" specialty residencies that are DO. And for those of us that are considering some of the more competitive fields like rads, ortho, or plastics, there are some major problems. First, there are very few programs period. Rads has approx. 17 spots in 10 programs, ortho has about 61 in approx 16 programs, and general surgery has about 65 in approx. 20 programs. These are the total numbers in the country. Second, most of these programs are in the midwest in new england states. Third, and worst of all, the DO match is 1 month before the MD match, and both matches are done by the same service. So, if you match in the DO pool, you automatically get kicked out of the MD pool! And generally speaking, if you are competitive enough for osteopathic programs, you are competitive enough for allopathic programs. There are just as many DO gunners! This year there was about 98% match for every competitive speciality. So, most students don't even waste their time, especially if they want to live anywhere other than the above mentioned regions. Most students don't want to take the chance on the DO match and if they do it is only their top 1 or 2 choices. Because maybe you would rather get your 3rd choice in the MD match vs. your 3rd choice in the DO match. So why take your chances! Also many of the specialty residencies aren't linked to the inernship year, so even if they take you as a PGY1, you aren't guarenteed the slot as a PGY2. And when they take 15 interns, and there is only one Rads slot, the outlook is grim. Trust me, you guys don't want anything to do with our match, unless you want to practive OMM, then they would be glad to take you I'm sure. Because then they can brag about how they were able to turn you over the "good" side of the force!

 

[ESU_MD]

Why would an MD WANT to go to an osteo residency anyway? There are plenty more allopathic residencies to go around. The only reason I could think of is if you want to be in a specific hospital or something like that.

From what I've seen, the vast majority of osteo students would've preferred to go to allopathic schools had they gained acceptance. Of course there are always a few dyed-in-the-wool types who are into the osteo concepts.

Just like all the students at carib schools would much have preferred to go to US schools but couldnt get in, or didnt want to retake the MCAT, etc..

 

[mountaindoc]

ESU_MD - Let's try and keep osteopathic student's motivations separate from this thread, since I represent those "dyed-in-the-wool" types, and I know from first hand experience that there are alot more of us than you think. Not that this is anything to brag about, but I scored 31 on my MCAT's and had a 3.7 GPA. I was accepted to some MD programs, but turned them down, because I have no interest in research, only clinical medicine, and the atmosphere at the DO schools was generally more relaxed and seemingly sincere. Another thing is that there is more interest here in patient care. I read so many threads on here where MD students are saying "yuck, patient care, I don't want anything to do with that." The DO programs really embrace patient care, and I can say that I am proud of the choice I made, regardless of where I choose to do my residency. Granted, there are alot of students who are here because they couldn't get into MD programs, but generally speaking, they aren't shooting for Ortho or Rads. Most of them are in the Peds, FM, or EM groups.

 

[16846]

I spoke with one of the directors of residency accreditation at the AOA a few months ago and she said that an MD can do a DO residency, but they must be a US MD, are approved on an individual basis by the AOA, must apply, be accepted to and complete an osteopathic internship, and apply competitively with other DO's for residency positions.

I don't know how accurate this information is because she didn?t sound 100% lucid. I would recommend that if you are a US MD and are thinking about a DO residency, give the AOA a call and find out.

My 100/50 cents...