Aprehensions about being a DO?

[redwings54]

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Now that you are in med school, do you have any reservations about choosing to be a DO? As a pre-med student, we hear of a stigma against DO's, a feeling of settling for DO because one didnt make an allo school, being thought of as a lesser doctor. Are any of these feelings/fears relaized in your education? Is the philosophy osteopathic education prides itself on -whole patient care - actually taught?Are you happy you choose osteopathic medicine? If you can include your school and maybe why you went DO it would be very much appreciated. On a personal note, I completely agree with the philosophy of care osteopathic medicine allows for and am hoping to join the ranks of a osteopathic college soon. Just wanted to find out a little from the horses mouth first. Thanks in advance and good luck as you continue on.

 

[docbill]

I have a few questions as well.

Do you believe in someone deserves a second chance to becoming a Doctor?

Say that person was distracted/ had to work (lived in poverty), was too concerned with getting food/ had kids to take care off/ had to deal with difficult times, death, depression etc... during Undergrad study... could not devote full time to studying but still managed to get 3.25 to 3.5 GPA/and 24-30 MCAT.

Say that person.. during or after his/her graduating from Undergrad S/he devoted his/her life to working with people, participating on social boards/committees and groups of various types, played sports etc...

Would you not agree that this person, for the reason above, could not gain that extra .1 to .5 GPA to get into an allo program. If S/he did not have to use up time on the activities above, would they have been able to get those higher stats.

Most likely YES. The differences between 3.5 and 3.7 are not that great.

It appears that most DO and MD programs are the same (since both can pass the same exams). Does this person, who got accepted to a DO school and did well, equal the person who got into an Allo program?

Hopefuly that makes some sence.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Now that you are in med school, do you have any reservations about choosing to be a DO? As a pre-med student, we hear of a stigma against DO's, a feeling of settling for DO because one didnt make an allo school, being thought of as a lesser doctor. Are any of these feelings/fears relaized in your education? Is the philosophy osteopathic education prides itself on -whole patient care - actually taught?Are you happy you choose osteopathic medicine? If you can include your school and maybe why you went DO it would be very much appreciated. On a personal note, I completely agree with the philosophy of care osteopathic medicine allows for and am hoping to join the ranks of a osteopathic college soon. Just wanted to find out a little from the horses mouth first. Thanks in advance and good luck as you continue on.

After observation of MD and DO students, as well as their physician counterparts on a first-hand basis, I am VERY glad I chose to go into osteopathic medicine.

As far as the education is concerned, I know I am getting one of the best.

 

[bobg504]

I am very happy with my choice to persue an osteopathic medicine degree. It has not held me back in the least. I have recieve summer research offers at Washington University, Mayo Clinic, National Institute of Health, and John Hopkins University. So as you can see being a DO is not a hinderance. I am truely happy. KCUMB is the place to be!

 

[rhinosp_33]

I have a few questions as well.

Do you believe in someone deserves a second chance to becoming a Doctor?

Say that person was distracted/ had to work (lived in poverty), was too concerned with getting food/ had kids to take care off/ had to deal with difficult times, death, depression etc... during Undergrad study... could not devote full time to studying but still managed to get 3.25 to 3.5 GPA/and 24-30 MCAT.

Say that person.. during or after his/her graduating from Undergrad S/he devoted his/her life to working with people, participating on social boards/committees and groups of various types, played sports etc...

Would you not agree that this person, for the reason above, could not gain that extra .1 to .5 GPA to get into an allo program. If S/he did not have to use up time on the activities above, would they have been able to get those higher stats.

Most likely YES. The differences between 3.5 and 3.7 are not that great.

It appears that most DO and MD programs are the same (since both can pass the same exams). Does this person, who got accepted to a DO school and did well, equal the person who got into an Allo program?

Hopefuly that makes some sence.

i see what point you are making, and i do agree that objective scores do not always predict the type of doctor one will become.

however, a few points:

the generalization you presented falsely portrays the impression that 1.) those who went to osteopathic schools with low scores came from such a background and 2.) such backgrounds are nonexistent in allopathic schools. those in my class (allopathic), and in my sisters class (another allopathic) have included peace corp members, 2nd career students, single moms, national prize winners, and individuals with disabilities. 3.) such background preclude a high gpa or mcat.

note, i am not debating DO vs MD... just wanted to point out what i precieved to be a misleading argument.

 

[dignan]

I have a few questions as well.

Do you believe in someone deserves a second chance to becoming a Doctor?

Say that person was distracted/ had to work (lived in poverty), was too concerned with getting food/ had kids to take care off/ had to deal with difficult times, death, depression etc... during Undergrad study... could not devote full time to studying but still managed to get 3.25 to 3.5 GPA/and 24-30 MCAT.

Say that person.. during or after his/her graduating from Undergrad S/he devoted his/her life to working with people, participating on social boards/committees and groups of various types, played sports etc...

Would you not agree that this person, for the reason above, could not gain that extra .1 to .5 GPA to get into an allo program. If S/he did not have to use up time on the activities above, would they have been able to get those higher stats.

Most likely YES. The differences between 3.5 and 3.7 are not that great.

It appears that most DO and MD programs are the same (since both can pass the same exams). Does this person, who got accepted to a DO school and did well, equal the person who got into an Allo program?

Hopefuly that makes some sence.

You are making it seem as though osteopathic medical schools exist to give remedial college students a chance to make up for past indiscretions. The (usually slightly, sometimes significantly) lower average stats for matriculating osteopathic students as opposed to allopathic students is simply the result of supply and demand... not due to the altruistic designs of osteopathic schools to give sob-stories second chances to become doctors.
HOPEFULLY that makes some SENSE.

 

[docbill]

the generalization you presented falsely portrays the impression that 1.) those who went to osteopathic schools with low scores came from such a background and 2.) such backgrounds are nonexistent in allopathic schools. those in my class (allopathic), and in my sisters class (another allopathic) have included peace corp members, 2nd career students, single moms, national prize winners, and individuals with disabilities. 3.) such background preclude a high gpa or mcat.

You are 100% right. I actually thought about that coming out that way as well.

I should add... some corrections to my initial statement. SOME people come from such a background. I myself come from this kind of background.

This is no means excluding allopathic schools from accepting people with this kind of background. Many more are starting to take these variable into great considerations. However, for the time bieng, from my understanding, DO schools seem to accept more applicants in this catagory. Older and more experience with slightly lower stats. As myself.

 

[docbill]

You are making it seem as though osteopathic medical schools exist to give remedial college students a chance to make up for past indiscretions. The (usually slightly, sometimes significantly) lower average stats for matriculating osteopathic students as opposed to allopathic students is simply the result of supply and demand... not due to the altruistic designs of osteopathic schools to give sob-stories second chances to become doctors.
HOPEFULLY that makes some SENSE.

No one mentioned anything about sob-stories. I used an average of 3.5 as an example and not an average of 2.9.

I don't understand the point about remedial college students. A lot of the DO students I met, actually went to good Universities and have good stats. I go to one of the best Univesities in North America.

I used examples as working/family/ health reasons. But I see your point and can understand how it can be understood that way.

Your answer re: supply and demand. Do you mean to say that DO stats are lower because there is less demand for people who want to be DOs for the number of positions available. That would make sence for everything.. the greater the demand the higher the stats required.

I would really take the whole allop and Osteop applicant pool into one catagory and consider the supply and demand that way. Most of the people that apply to DO schools will have no trouble attending an MD school. Hence a great overlap in the applicant pool. And if it wasn't for the lower stats/ or being looked down on by traditional allopathic doctors, vise versa.

I stated this before and I will say it again. These two fields are interchangable. The two training programs are slightly different... but very much alike. They are both means of becoming a physician. Few people will enter the field of Osteopathy and refuse to consider Allopathic programs.

This is not like.. hmmm should I go into dentistry or Medicine. It is closer than that. Since both will become physicians. Work in identical settings and be insured and guided by the same regulations.

All of this is my opinion. Unless I reference some publications or meetings, these views could change as I continue my studies.

 

[1viking]

One thing I wish were different. We spend about 10 hours a week in OTM lab. I feel that the first quarter should be like that, but during the 2nd quarter I feel as though my palpatory skills are much improved and I don't need the extra time to get the techniques "down". That is really my only reservation.

 

[OSUdoc08]

One thing I wish were different. We spend about 10 hours a week in OTM lab. I feel that the first quarter should be like that, but during the 2nd quarter I feel as though my palpatory skills are much improved and I don't need the extra time to get the techniques "down". That is really my only reservation.

geez where do you go to school?

we are in the lab 2 hours a week.....

 

[OSUdoc08]

I have a few questions as well.

Do you believe in someone deserves a second chance to becoming a Doctor?

Say that person was distracted/ had to work (lived in poverty), was too concerned with getting food/ had kids to take care off/ had to deal with difficult times, death, depression etc... during Undergrad study... could not devote full time to studying but still managed to get 3.25 to 3.5 GPA/and 24-30 MCAT.

Say that person.. during or after his/her graduating from Undergrad S/he devoted his/her life to working with people, participating on social boards/committees and groups of various types, played sports etc...

Would you not agree that this person, for the reason above, could not gain that extra .1 to .5 GPA to get into an allo program. If S/he did not have to use up time on the activities above, would they have been able to get those higher stats.

Most likely YES. The differences between 3.5 and 3.7 are not that great.

It appears that most DO and MD programs are the same (since both can pass the same exams). Does this person, who got accepted to a DO school and did well, equal the person who got into an Allo program?

Hopefuly that makes some sence.

No, not really. Quite frankly, I don't know who you are arguing with either.

 

[1viking]

geez where do you go to school?

we are in the lab 2 hours a week.....

KCOM. 2nd year, though, is much less. The second years right now had like 7 hours total for the quarter, so, that is closer to what I expected (by the way, I love OMT, I just think 10 hours a week is overkill for something that I can learn in 2 hours).

 

[robkoller]

Now that you are in med school, do you have any reservations about choosing to be a DO? As a pre-med student, we hear of a stigma against DO's, a feeling of settling for DO because one didnt make an allo school, being thought of as a lesser doctor. Are any of these feelings/fears relaized in your education? Is the philosophy osteopathic education prides itself on -whole patient care - actually taught?Are you happy you choose osteopathic medicine? If you can include your school and maybe why you went DO it would be very much appreciated. On a personal note, I completely agree with the philosophy of care osteopathic medicine allows for and am hoping to join the ranks of a osteopathic college soon. Just wanted to find out a little from the horses mouth first. Thanks in advance and good luck as you continue on.

This is getting really old! There is no difference between what a DO can do as opossed to what a MD can do. I am a RN in an emergency room in which I work along side MD/DO emergency docs, cadiology docs, cardio/thoracic docs, peds docs, family practice, internal med. and OB/GYN docs. There is NO difference between them (other then the DOs have a better bedside manner). Get with the times and stop letting a few elitist make you feel that there way is the only way. Use your mind!

 

[LadyDoc]

This is getting really old! There is no difference between what a DO can do as opossed to what a MD can do. I am a RN in an emergency room in which I work along side MD/DO emergency docs, cadiology docs, cardio/thoracic docs, peds docs, family practice, internal med. and OB/GYN docs. There is NO difference between them (other then the DOs have a better bedside manner). Get with the times and stop letting a few elitist make you feel that there way is the only way. Use your mind!

I too am very happy I chose the DO route. It seems to me that DO schools are more willing to look at the entire applicant, just as they look at the entire patient, when choosing who to accept. Since there are more MD schools and more total MD applicants, it seems that MD schools just look at the MCAT score and maybe GPA. Their biggest concern seems to be "will these applicant pass the boards so we don't waste a slot on them?"

In my experience with DO students, the DO philosophy is "will these applicants make good doctors, and if so, will we be able to train them well enough to pass their boards?"

After medical school, a DO is just as qualified to practice medicine as an MD and in many cases, you will never know the difference. There are MDs who should be in health care, and there are DOs who shouldn't be either (probably a lot fewer 😀 ), but I really believe that any MD who works with a DO will respect the DO as a peer. At least that is what all the MDs I know have told me.

I know my school, KCUMB, does a great job preparing us for the boards and they even pay for tutoring for all students who want it (tutoring is from upperclassmen), which I thought was a really nice program.

 

[redwings54]

Thank you to everyone for answering. I didnt want this to be a discussion of whether MD's are better than DO's and I fear it might have become that a little. Rather, I hoped to find out whether the fears some premeds have about becoming a DO are realized once in school or during rotations. Also, there is argument that DO's and MD's are equivalent doctors and do the same thing once in the field. Why than do osteopathic schools pride themselves on whole person care? Do you actually practice it? Do you practice preventative medicine as well? Any help here would be appreciated.

 

[LadyDoc]

Thank you to everyone for answering. I didnt want this to be a discussion of whether MD's are better than DO's and I fear it might have become that a little. Rather, I hoped to find out whether the fears some premeds have about becoming a DO are realized once in school or during rotations. Also, there is argument that DO's and MD's are equivalent doctors and do the same thing once in the field. Why than do osteopathic schools pride themselves on whole person care? Do you actually practice it? Do you practice preventative medicine as well? Any help here would be appreciated.

It's been my experience that MDs are coming around to the same way of thinking as DOs as far as treating the whole patient. I would say that DOs and MDs are NOT the same in the field in all fields. The area where a DO will shine is when it's time to do OMM. An MD will most likely give NSAIDS and refer to physical therapy, whereas a DO will treat the problem right there in the office.

And yes, DOs really do practice whole patient care and preventive medicine, but I think a lot of MDs do as well. You probably won't be able to tell an MD surgeon from a DO one, but you will definitely tell a DO family practice doc from an MD. The DO will do a lot more feeling and listening, and will fix that stiff neck in about 45 seconds for ya!

For what it's worth, probably the best doc at my DO school is an MD -- Dr. Friedlander (a.k.a ERF). He is the one all the other faculty will go to first if they have a question.

DOs hate that MDs looked down on them for so many years, so I try really hard to not look down at MDs 🙂

edit - fixed a typo