Any problems with DO's matching into surgical subspecialties?

[gmacpac]

Hi,

I apologize in advance if my question is not exactly topic specific. I have an acceptance into a DO med school and a UK (allopathic med school).

I am very happy with both choices, but I want to base my final decision based on the type of residency match each route offers/limits.

I was pretty much confirmed to go to the DO program because of its reputatioon and its proximity to my social support system, but one of my co-workers told me to consider foreign MD only because DO's dont usually match into surgical specialties. I know this sounds a bit stretched, but given the situation, I just wanted to see what some other folks on SDN had to say about this considering most of you have already been though this process.

Any help and guidance will be greatly appreciated.

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[apass]

really i am crabby and not in the mood for this - but that is probably one of the most stupid questions I have seen. really.

 

[NuMD97]

Hi,

I apologize in advance if my question is not exactly topic specific. I have an acceptance into a DO med school and a UK (allopathic med school).

I am very happy with both choices, but I want to base my final decision based on the type of residency match each route offers/limits.

I was pretty much confirmed to go to the DO program because of its reputatioon and its proximity to my social support system, but one of my co-workers told me to consider foreign MD only because DO's dont usually match into surgical specialties. I know this sounds a bit stretched, but given the situation, I just wanted to see what some other folks on SDN had to say about this considering most of you have already been though this process.

Any help and guidance will be greatly appreciated.

For whatever it's worth, here goes:

In the past the rank order of preference USED to be as follows:

(1) AMG
(2) American IMG
(3) American DO
(4) Foreign IMG

These days it goes:

(1) AMG
(2) DO
(3) American IMG
(4) Foreign IMG

Some time ago a friend and I were discussing this situation. We both agreed that the climate is no longer what it once was for Americans going to study abroad if there were an alternative. In good conscience, neither he nor I could recommend that route anymore for an American-born national, if there is an alternative.

Check around by calling some surgery programs and inquire what their admitting policies are. You'll have a better idea then.

Good luck!

Nu

 

[bkpa2med]

Don't forget that DOs have their own residencies as well. American IMGs have to compete with the AMGs.

 

[Winged Scapula]

This forum is for the posting of available residency positions, not for general questions. Moving to Osteopathic forum...

 

[DrWBD]

The short answer to the originally posted question: yes, a DO will have some problems matching into 'surgical subspecialties'.

I put that last part in quotes because I'm not sure what is being referred to here - fellowships after a General Surgery residency (Burn, Trauma, Hand, some Plastics, CT, Vascular, etc.) or residencies like Ortho, ENT, and Urology. My anecdotal experience - take it for what it's worth - is that if you are a DO or an FMG that somehow gets into a categorical ACGME General Surgery residency and do well, you will be able to obtain most of the surgical fellowships without as much difficulty. The hard part, of course, is getting the residency, which will be a challenge for both the DO and the FMG.

On the other hand, matching to ACGME residencies like GU, ENT, or Ortho is difficult even for US MD students. As mentioned above, the DO has the advantage of applying to both AOA-accredited residencies as well as to ACGME programs, an option that the FMG does not have. My opinion: if you can deal with not being an MD, go to the DO program. If the stigma of not being an MD is too great for you to deal with, just go foreign.

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

The short answer to the originally posted question: yes, a DO will have some problems matching into 'surgical subspecialties'.

I put that last part in quotes because I'm not sure what is being referred to here - fellowships after a General Surgery residency (Burn, Trauma, Hand, some Plastics, CT, Vascular, etc.) or residencies like Ortho, ENT, and Urology. My anecdotal experience - take it for what it's worth - is that if you are a DO or an FMG that somehow gets into a categorical ACGME General Surgery residency and do well, you will be able to obtain most of the surgical fellowships without as much difficulty. The hard part, of course, is getting the residency, which will be a challenge for both the DO and the FMG.

On the other hand, matching to ACGME residencies like GU, ENT, or Ortho is difficult even for US MD students. As mentioned above, the DO has the advantage of applying to both AOA-accredited residencies as well as to ACGME programs, an option that the FMG does not have. My opinion: if you can deal with not being an MD, go to the DO program. If the stigma of not being an MD is too great for you to deal with, just go foreign.

Agree 100%.

OP, please learn how to use the SEARCH function on SDN.

 

[amyl]

just having gone through the match i strongly agree:
1 - AMG
2 - DO
3 - fmgs/american imgs
even for surgical subspecialties. is UK a caribbean school, I was thinking you meant U if Kentucky, kansas, etc? DOs do match into surgical subspecialties...i know a DO who did a vascular fellowship at duke... there are osteopathic plastics fellowships as well. if your choice is DO or caribbean, go DO....you will have more options.

 

[DocJulez]

just having gone through the match i strongly agree:
1 - AMG
2 - DO
3 - fmgs/american imgs
even for surgical subspecialties. is UK a caribbean school, I was thinking you meant U if Kentucky, kansas, etc? DOs do match into surgical subspecialties...i know a DO who did a vascular fellowship at duke... there are osteopathic plastics fellowships as well. if your choice is DO or caribbean, go DO....you will have more options.

I dare say the OP meant United Kingdom.....

 

[OHMAN0125]

I dare say the OP meant United Kingdom.....

I think it depends on which UK school. But in general I see alot of DOs who are subspecialty surgeons. And I see alot of FMGs who are also. So in general, it may be harder, but there are plenty of opportunities if u're a hardworker. If ur a slacker then regardless ur not gonna become that neurosurgeon.

 

[Lamborghini1315]

One has to remember that DO's are growing and our population will be significant enough in the next few decades to be more familiar among the general population. A lot of trends in terms of residencies are also bound to change..just do your work, take USMLE's and apply widely.