Attention DO Residents

[toogood1]

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Can you please comment on your experience with the allopathic/osteopathic match--like where you matched, was it one of your top choices, do you feel that there was any bias being a DO student? Any comment would be appreciated.

toogood1

 

[gas-x]

No DO bias that I could tell. Except getting into California is hard enough for even out-of-state MDs. Probably much tougher for DOs.

Got my #2 choice at a predomiately "DO unfriendly" place (UTSW). Opening up though. Very happy. would of loved Cal more though.

I think if your board scores (USMLE) are high enough, you won't get much crap from people.

DIdn't go through the DO anesth match. I'm not too fond of doing high-risk OB, trauma, transplant, and hearts at a COMMUNITY hospital...DO hospitals are mainly community hospitals. It's your ass on the line when you finish residency. Don't short change yourself. Get the right training at the right program with high volume.

 

[Chris_Topher]

I looked at a single DO EM program, and it was definitely substandard compared to the allopthic programs. I too (as Gas-boy mentioned) was looking for volume. During my interview the PD said that volume is not important as long as you have a patient to see. But when I asked about peds patients, they said "umm, we don't really see very many." Same for OB. If the program doesn't get volume they either don't get the sick zebras or when they do there is not a recognition/familiarity with them.

Don't get me wrong; there are some osteopathic gems out there, but they may be geographically limited.

As an osteopathic applicant you are competetive on virtually any level. Shoot for the best for you. I found no bias from any program, and usually suport.

During my interviews I did make it a routine to say something like "I am an osteopathic applicant, do you have any questions about my educational process or interpertation of my board scores?" Most said no, but a few asked about my COMLEX scores and were happy to jot down percentiles (it is a nice way to present a good score).

I matched with a great program in a part of the country where I will be very happy. I have specific posts regarding my grades/board scores/ROL/where I matched in the EM forum.

 

[Neurogirl]

I didn't consider any DO programs because there are only a handful of neuro programs and none in my region of choice. I did however, do an osteo internship and it was an excellant experience. Regarding allo programs, my experiences were about the same as those above. I Matched to my #1 with no problem. Don't worry, if you have the numbers you'll do fine. 😀

 

[mountaindoc]

That is all well and good, but what if you don't have the numbers? What if you are somewhere in the middle of the pack? I am looking at radiology programs in the west, and I have seem lots of programs that have no DO's for the past 4 years.

 

[Neurogirl]

If you don't have the numbers then why are we even having this conversation? I'm not trying to be mean, but if you're truly "middle of the pack", you should probably forget about radiology altogether, much less restricting yourself to an ultra competitive region. FYI, from a PDs' perspecitve, it's a buyers market. BTW, U. of Utah is completely out of your league as it is a top tier program, not to mention the home of Dr. Anne Osborn...the goddess of neurorads!

It's a cold, hard fact that radiology is EXTREMELY competitive right now and even MD applicants with mediocre numbers won't get any interviews. If your heart is set on rads, you should contact some of the DO programs and discuss your application realistically. They may or may not be willing to interview you as they also get many more applicants than they can actually hire.

My class had several wanna be radiologists. Some made it and some didn't. I can't tell you the stats of all of them, but the ones who got in had kick ass numbers. There was also at least one with great numbers who didn't match and had to scramble. He ended up in anesthesia.

I know I've been very blunt, but it's crucial that you realize what you're up against. If you don't have the stats you're wasting your time. Sorry to be so discouraging, but reality bites!😡

 

[DrQuinn]

The above posters are, as usual, correct.

I am a 4th year DO student (last day of school is MONDAY!) who matched into an MD Emergency Medicine residency. To get into a competitive specialty (you can define what that is), you definately need the numbers. Even if you were an "average" MD student, you need the numbers to get into a competitive specialty... remember that for those specialties, you are the underdog.

For radiology, I strongly suggest contacting the DO residencies. You may not get tons of ultra-cool high-tech procedures (as it will be in a community hospital), but you will get enough experience, and WILL get board certified...

I chose to go MD because (as Chris said) the decent DO EM residencies are geographically limited to me.
Q

 

[nanato]

.....depends on the residency...
FP, if you have one leg you get in allopathic.
IM, if you have two legs and walk with a limp you get in... not at MGH, JH, DUKE, UPENN but ok programs like USC, UCLA-Drew, UC Davis, Kern, MCP, TJ, Temple, ...lots of DO's get medicine...lots.
I have a few friends at UCI, Cleveland Clinic, Uof Kentucky..Georgetown . in anesthesia... Radiology at U of Louisville, Thomas Jeff, .... you need decent scores though.
Neuro, PMNR, Psych, you need one working leg, one lung, one kidney, and half a liver... they will take you... good places like UCI, NYU, Yale,.....
Plastics... quit now and go to law school.
Peds... quit and go do vet. med..... wait same thing..oops!😳
........