Be honest, why did you choose a DO school?

[docdo2007]

I chose DO because in addition to private practice, I would like to do mission work overseas. I figured that being able to diagnose and treat some conditions with OMM would be handy in places where an MRI, CT scan or some medications are unavailable. I believe in the osteopathic philosophy, and the students and administration at my school are very kind and supportive. The nearby MD school seemed very cold and rigid, more "high and mighty" as it were. I'm not saying that's the way it is at all MD schools, just this one.

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[madscientist50]

Started with not being able to claim residency for app purposes in either state I had lived in during school so no state schools for me, and so I moved to look at private schools in the midwest and came upon a lot of highly regarded DO schools. Began to learn more about DOs and that my medical interests lay within IM and that DOs have a lot of options for IM residencies after medical school, so I applied all DO, and ended up picking the one school not in the midwest. I just really liked the atmosphere at the school and the students I met there.

 

[flymusician]

Be honest, why did you choose a DO school? Was it because you were an older student and it was more non-trad friendly? Was it because it was the only school(s) that will accept you? Was it a financial or location reason? Was it because you truely believe and wanted to study the osteopathic philosophy period with no consideration to MD schools? What exactly was it for you guys individually?

I actually believe in the osteopathic philosophy, but I did give MD schools consideration. My overall goal is to be a physician. I was accepted to two schools overall. One DO school, and one MD school. I chose the DO school, and I have no regrets.

 

[flymusician]

This is how I came to the conclusion that DO was the right choice for me--

I was having a long discussion with an allopathic physician (very close friend) about how he would treat a patient that complained of chronic back pain. Unbeknownst to him, I was talking about my mom.
No matter what patient scenario I set up for him, his answer never changed;
"I would send her for an MRI and manage her pain with meds"
I was not satisfied with his answer as I felt that he should have a more active role in the treatment/healing process. The bottom line was, as an allopathic physician, this approach was what he was taught.

OMM is that extra tool that enables you to be more involved. Not everything is meant be treated in such a hands-off manner. Although it is no secret that allopathic medicine is ahead of osteopathic medicine in the clinical research realm, I feel it lacks the necessary physical contact that a physician is meant to have with his/her patients.

I want to be able to do more without the sole reliance on machines or drugs. When I realized that this was what I wanted, becoming a DO was an easy choice. I discussed this with my interviewer and his feedback reassured me that I had made the right decision.

I will be starting at NYCOM in Aug '07.

 

[Northerner]

I actually believe in the osteopathic philosophy, but I did give MD schools consideration. My overall goal is to be a physician. I was accepted to two schools overall. One DO school, and one MD school. I chose the DO school, and I have no regrets.

Which MD school?

 

[cinciMegs]

victim of the good old boys network that is allopathic medicine and a crappy GPA because I was a student athlete. I refuse to waste money or time in a post-bach program
I am going to the school because they accepted me but looking at osteopathy I agree more with their principles at least based on the surface view that I have of them.

 

[SunshineNYC]

Like a few others on here, I want to learn medicine in a more hands-on way than what allopathic medicine has evolved into. I've seen family members and people close to me suffer from illness and I too have had my share of illnesses, and I always felt that the doctors in my life could have been more compassionate and ask more questions about their patient's lives and realize that many of the physical ailments their patients were suffering from were actually psychological in nature. Instead, they'd quickly write a perscription for some pain medication or some other seemingly "quick fix" and send the patient on his way.

I then met an osteopathic physician who was much more involved in his patient's care and factored in psychological and lifestyle elements into his assessment before coming to a final diagnosis, and then he'd tailor the treatment to the individual patient, and use OMM in addition to or in place of more traditional treatments (to avoid harmful side effects). I decided that I wanted my education to be more comprehensive and more hands on than what an allopathic school could offer.

I applied to many schools, allopathic and osteopathic, and got into both, and I am choosing osteopathic.

Also, I think as a physician you can choose to be more involved and in tune with your patients' psychological and lifestyle issues regardless of your degree, but I wanted my education to encourage that kind of practice of medicine and I wanted my fellow classmates to be of that same mindset. Ultimately, that is why I am going D.O.

 

[WestcoastMedicine]

To help the AOA in their main goal.............try to take over the world

 

[Northerner]

victim of the good old boys network that is allopathic medicine and a crappy GPA because I was a student athlete. I refuse to waste money or time in a post-bach program
I am going to the school because they accepted me but looking at osteopathy I agree more with their principles at least based on the surface view that I have of them.

Wait, you're a victim of the "good old boys network"?!

You realize that 50% of medical students are female? How is it possible you are a victim of sexism?

...a crappy GPA

Ah. There we go.

I want to make it clear I am not picking on osteopathic medicine in the slightest, rather flushing out inconsistencies in individuals' stories. And if you're wondering, yes, I'm doing it because I'm a dick.

 

[Jack Daniel]

victim of the good old boys network that is allopathic medicine and a crappy GPA because I was a student athlete. I refuse to waste money or time in a post-bach program
I am going to the school because they accepted me but looking at osteopathy I agree more with their principles at least based on the surface view that I have of them.

I'm not picking on you, either.

But you might want to nix the "I did poorly because I was a student athlete" approach. There's decent research out there showing that student athletes do better than non student athletes.

Something about the whole "mind-body-spirit" connection--physical exercise with discipline, yada yada yada....

 

[Jack Daniel]

I chose DO because in addition to private practice, I would like to do mission work overseas. I figured that being able to diagnose and treat some conditions with OMM would be handy in places where an MRI, CT scan or some medications are unavailable. I believe in the osteopathic philosophy, and the students and administration at my school are very kind and supportive. The nearby MD school seemed very cold and rigid, more "high and mighty" as it were. I'm not saying that's the way it is at all MD schools, just this one.

Interesting comment. Since the MD is considered a "universal medical degree", a lot of students shy away from DO programs because they want to work internationally.

One of UNECOM's OPP professors is very active in international committees sorting through the whole US-trained osteopathic physician/foreign-trained osteopath mess. She said that some of the foreign-trained osteopaths (who only learn manual medicine, not full-scope stuff) have been able to provide significant medical care to the people of some of these countries where bringing in the equipment of conventional medicine isn't feasible. Obviously, a statement like that deserves some poking around with, but she didn't elaborate. Regardless, I thought it was an interesting comment.

 

[tkim]

Interesting comment. Since the MD is considered a "universal medical degree", a lot of students shy away from DO programs because they want to work internationally.

There are two presumptions here that need exploring:

1) The whole premise that an MD - particularly the USMD, is some universal ticket to practice medicine anywhere. It isn't, though I'm sure it's more accepted than the USDO simply because of the USMD being more established. I've asked several times for people who tout this USMD=universal physician to point me to some definitive webpage that lists the reciprocity and restrictions that the USMD holds - like the DO practice rights documents does. No one can point to such a site.

2) The inability to work internationally, and by this I'm guessing you mean relief or mission work? If you are talking about working abroad for some period of time and getting paid, then I have no idea. But if you're talking about mission or relief work, such as Doctors Without Borders-type stuff, all relief workers are granted temporary reciprocity while performing a mission in the host country. This is includes DOs.

 

[Jack Daniel]

There are two presumptions here that need exploring:

1) The whole premise that an MD - particularly the USMD, is some universal ticket to practice medicine anywhere. It isn't, though I'm sure it's more accepted than the USDO simply because of the USMD being more established. I've asked several times for people who tout this USMD=universal physician to point me to some definitive webpage that lists the reciprocity and restrictions that the USMD holds - like the DO practice rights documents does. No one can point to such a site.

2) The inability to work internationally, and by this I'm guessing you mean relief or mission work? If you are talking about working abroad for some period of time and getting paid, then I have no idea. But if you're talking about mission or relief work, such as Doctors Without Borders-type stuff, all relief workers are granted temporary reciprocity while performing a mission in the host country. This is includes DOs.

I agree completely, on both accounts. I was merely stating a general perception, not my position.

I've even read that Singapore will only accept USMDs from 30 or so institutions: http://www.smc.gov.sg/html/1153709442948.html

That's a cold glass of water over the USMD-opens-all-doors argument.

 

[Jack Daniel]

I was actually impressed that someone argued for osteopathic medicine as a medical degree for international work.

 

[Taus]

I was actually impressed that someone argued for osteopathic medicine as a medical degree for international work.

My classmates on the the armed forces scholarships who went through basic training this past summer did say they were the only ones who had something useful to offer for treating each others aches and pains.....the learning about pain-killers for that prescription pad that we'll have in a few years wasn't doing the allo students any good.

 

[Dr JPH]

Why is DO school great?

Because you will do OMT on a patient who will go home and tell her husband how great it was. He will come to the next appointment to "check it out". Husband becomes interested in what you are doing and is impressed with your knowledge of anatomy and ability to explain it to his wife. Wife and husband are thoroughly please with the medical result (she felt better) and enjoyed spending time in the office. On the way out the husband hands me his business card. It reads (edited for privacy):

"Joe Schmo, MD"
"Owner of a big ass plastic surgery practice"

Husband says "If you ever need a letter, a place to rotate or someone to make a phone call on your behalf you call me."

True story. The end.

 

[Dr.Inviz]

Why is DO school great?

Because you will do OMT on a patient who will go home and tell her husband how great it was. He will come to the next appointment to "check it out". Husband becomes interested in what you are doing and is impressed with your knowledge of anatomy and ability to explain it to his wife. Wife and husband are thoroughly please with the medical result (she felt better) and enjoyed spending time in the office. On the way out the husband hands me his business card. It reads (edited for privacy):

"Joe Schmo, MD"
"Owner of a big ass plastic surgery practice"

Husband says "If you ever need a letter, a place to rotate or someone to make a phone call on your behalf you call me."

True story. The end.

A great resource, especially if considering plastic sub-specialty.

 

[Dr JPH]

A great resource, especially if considering plastic sub-specialty.

Damn right.

And his business card was one of those shiny laminated ones.

You can never know too many people.

 

[SquidDoc]

Be honest, why did you choose a DO school? Was it because you were an older student and it was more non-trad friendly? Was it because it was the only school(s) that will accept you? Was it a financial or location reason? Was it because you truely believe and wanted to study the osteopathic philosophy period with no consideration to MD schools? What exactly was it for you guys individually?

Are you considering going the DO route to becoming a physician or just curious? You should have posted a poll in this thread to get more responses.

For me, I applied to all the schools in CA and OHSU in Oregon. WesternU/COMP was the first to give me an interview and accept me, so I put down my deposit, and was done with it. I guess I did not have the MCAT scores for CA MD schools. One school (either UCLA or OHSU, I do not remember) told me that an average MCAT score was a predictor for having trouble passing the USMLE... I now wonder where this sort of thought comes from, since I know of at least 100 people in my class that took the USMLE and COMLEX in last year's class passed both. Several in my class scored in the 250-260+ range, despite our typical MCAT scores in the 25-30 range, and I doubt many people will find it difficult to get in to whatever specialty they set their hearts on.

Maybe if some most of us waited another year, studied harder for the MCAT and got higher scores, then we would have a chance at the Univ. of CA schools, Stanford, Loma Linda, etc... In the end, who cares? We still get an adequate medical education and are able to go in to any specialty available.

 

[jpro]

forgive me

 

[Jack Daniel]

Why is DO school great?

Because you will do OMT on a patient who will go home and tell her husband how great it was. He will come to the next appointment to "check it out". Husband becomes interested in what you are doing and is impressed with your knowledge of anatomy and ability to explain it to his wife. Wife and husband are thoroughly please with the medical result (she felt better) and enjoyed spending time in the office. On the way out the husband hands me his business card. It reads (edited for privacy):

"Joe Schmo, MD"
"Owner of a big ass plastic surgery practice"

Husband says "If you ever need a letter, a place to rotate or someone to make a phone call on your behalf you call me."

True story. The end.

That's a great story.

 

[madscientist50]

Why is DO school great?

Because you will do OMT on a patient who will go home and tell her husband how great it was. He will come to the next appointment to "check it out". Husband becomes interested in what you are doing and is impressed with your knowledge of anatomy and ability to explain it to his wife. Wife and husband are thoroughly please with the medical result (she felt better) and enjoyed spending time in the office. On the way out the husband hands me his business card. It reads (edited for privacy):

"Joe Schmo, MD"
"Owner of a big ass plastic surgery practice"

Husband says "If you ever need a letter, a place to rotate or someone to make a phone call on your behalf you call me."

True story. The end.

As my dad always says "I'd rather be lucky than good anyday". Glad to see that all your hard work was able to give you the opportunity to show it off, and even luckier that it was shown off to whom it was. Great story JP.

 

[Jack Daniel]

As my dad always says "I'd rather be lucky than good anyday". Glad to see that all your hard work was able to give you the opportunity to show it off, and even luckier that it was shown off to whom it was. Great story JP.

Now if someone could be so lucky to have Oprah as a patient. Shoot. The AOA would have to buy a new building just to have room for people to answer the phones.

 

[The_Sensei]

4 reasons: Chicks, money, power and chicks.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Wait, you're a victim of the "good old boys network"?!

You realize that 50% of medical students are female? How is it possible you are a victim of sexism?

Actually, I don't think it's quite 50%. At my school, it's actually 40%. Nationwide, women are accepted in slightly lower percentages than men to allopathic schools, so I think there might actually be something concerning going on. I don't know the data on osteopathic schools. I can say that in my state, our osteopathic school has a greater percentage of female students.

Here's the latest aamc data.

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2006/2006summary.htm

 

[the1doc]

Be honest, why did you choose a DO school? Was it because you were an older student and it was more non-trad friendly? Was it because it was the only school(s) that will accept you? Was it a financial or location reason? Was it because you truely believe and wanted to study the osteopathic philosophy period with no consideration to MD schools? What exactly was it for you guys individually?

I was right in the middle of a three week bender and I was too drunk to notice that I had acceptance letters from Harvard and Yale.

 

[Jack Daniel]

I was right in the middle of a three week bender and I was too drunk to notice that I had acceptance letters from Harvard and Yale.

Well, I hear those folks from Harvard and Yale don't have much time for drinking, and it seems that you have your priorities in order.

Cheers.

 

[Inquiringmind24]

Actually, I don't think it's quite 50%. At my school, it's actually 40%. Nationwide, women are accepted in slightly lower percentages than men to allopathic schools, so I think there might actually be something concerning going on. I don't know the data on osteopathic schools. I can say that in my state, our osteopathic school has a greater percentage of female students.

Here's the latest aamc data.

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2006/2006summary.htm

I do have an unrelated question for you. How in the world have you had time to post 3800 times on SDN? I post everyonce in a while and have been a member for almost three years now. I only have like 280ish....just curious.

 

[Inquiringmind24]

I mean 208 posts for me

 

[Jack Daniel]

Maybe she's a good multitasker?

 

[Northerner]

Actually, I don't think it's quite 50%. At my school, it's actually 40%. Nationwide, women are accepted in slightly lower percentages than men to allopathic schools, so I think there might actually be something concerning going on. I don't know the data on osteopathic schools. I can say that in my state, our osteopathic school has a greater percentage of female students.

Here's the latest aamc data.

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2006/2006summary.htm

I think you're off there. According to the site you listed, women get 48.6% of all acceptances and men get 51.4%. I hardly think that's a difference anyone should be concerned about.

 

[cinciMegs]

Wow people around here jump right to the sexism issue
when I said "good old boys" I wasn't trying to exclude the female doctors beleive me. What I mean is that where I from the entire health care system is WHO you know not WHAT you know.
The female doctors who sit on the boards at the hospitals are just as guilty as the male doctors. Hell talk to any nurse you know from cincinnati and they will tell you exactly how it works around hear (the Health alliance hospitals in particular)

 

[Northerner]

Wow people around here jump right to the sexism issue
when I said "good old boys" I wasn't trying to exclude the female doctors beleive me. What I mean is that where I from the entire health care system is WHO you know not WHAT you know.
The female doctors who sit on the boards at the hospitals are just as guilty as the male doctors. Hell talk to any nurse you know from cincinnati and they will tell you exactly how it works around hear (the Health alliance hospitals in particular)

So illuminate us, how were you a victim? Everyone at every school you applied to beat you out not because they were better applicants, but because they pulled strings?

 

[Dr.Inviz]

Wow people around here jump right to the sexism issue
when I said "good old boys" I wasn't trying to exclude the female doctors beleive me. What I mean is that where I from the entire health care system is WHO you know not WHAT you know.
The female doctors who sit on the boards at the hospitals are just as guilty as the male doctors. Hell talk to any nurse you know from cincinnati and they will tell you exactly how it works around hear (the Health alliance hospitals in particular)

I don't get you at all. Initially, I thought you were being sarcastic, but now, I realise you are being serious. I hope you are not as diluted as your posts suggest. Plenty of females get into an MD school as do plenty of males. As has been shown, it's pretty close to 50/50. Just because you were a female, doesn't mean you were rejected b/c of it. Nor were you rejected for not personally knowing members of the adcom. Face it, you were rejected because your academic and profile merits did not stand up well to the competition and demands of the MD schools and what they want out of their admitted students. It could also be that you may have applied to too many upper-tier "reach" schools and not many safety schools. Whatever the case, you did not get in most likely due to your applicant profile. So please, quit carrying on your incessant rant about why you chose DO over MD, because quite frankly, it's old.

 

[Jack Daniel]

... I hope you are not as diluted as your posts suggest...

Please pardon my question,
but are you saying she's deluded (as in deceived) or do you really mean to call her diluted, as in, I guess, diminished or vapid?

Just trying to understand...

 

[Dr.Inviz]

Please pardon my question,
but are you saying she's deluded (as in deceived) or do you really mean to call her diluted, as in, I guess, diminished or vapid?

Just trying to understand...

Her brain being diluted, aka, just about empty (and any other harsh synonyms you can think of ...)

 

[DeLaughterDO]

Jeebus, is this thread still limping along?

 

[Doctorman]

To be completely honest, I went DO simply because I believed I stood a good chance of being accepted into a DO school, than an allo school. As well, after learning that DOs do everything that MD's do, including applying for allo residencies, the downsides of attending a DO school seemed relatively minor, especially since I am interested in doing an IM residency. I was also intrigued by OMM, and the philosophy of osteopathy, but those were secondary considerations.

this exactly my reason too.

a bit lower MCAT. I love knowing OMM. perfect school location. no real side effects being a DO.

 

[Fermata]

Honestly, because I felt like it.

 

[medhacker]

4 reasons: Chicks, money, power and chicks.

Wrong sir, wrong!

First you get the money, then you get the power, THEN you get the women!

 

[bth7]

Location is pretty huge. That was the main thing. I didn't know anything about Osteopathy before I began the application process, but I educated myself and realized DO's are 100% the same as MD's in terms of practice rights. Then I realized that OMM is sort of cool and Osteopathy attracts some interesting non-trad types, which definitely is me (non-traditional that is).

I don't regret the decision. It's proven to be just fine going this route.

For the record, I'm a research minded type with an interest in doing a residency at a competitive hospital. I don't feel like my options are diminished by attending an Osteopathic school. I don't like that I have to take USMLE and COMLEX, but . . . that was the trade off, and its actually not that big a deal.

 

[mitawa]

Wrong sir, wrong!

First you get the money, then you get the power, THEN you get the women!

Then you lose the power to the women!

 

[DropkickMurphy]

good old boys network that is allopathic medicine

As opposed to osteopathic medicine which was founded by someone (possibly A. a good ol' boy B. a bumpkin C. a redneck D. all of the the above) from the middle of nowhere in Missouri. Short of southeastern Kentucky it doesn't get much more "good ol' boy" than that area (I should now...I used to work just south of Kirksville).

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Damn right.

And his business card was one of those shiny laminated ones.

You can never know too many people.

If I ever have my gallbladder out, I'm having you do it JP.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

But you might want to nix the "I did poorly because I was a student athlete" approach. There's decent research out there showing that student athletes do better than non student athletes.

Something about the whole "mind-body-spirit" connection--physical exercise with discipline, yada yada yada....

Or something about the whole "coach-school administration" connection-- scholarship with grade fixing, yada yada yada......

 

[Dr JPH]

If I ever have my gallbladder out, I'm having you do it JP.

I hope so

Your coming out with a Whipple

 

[Taty]

If I ever have my gallbladder out, I'm having you do it JP.

Me too but I think it looks like I will have it out before JP finishes his residency Always have gallbladder issues

 

[Dr JPH]

Me too but I think it looks like I will have it out before JP finishes his residency Always have gallbladder issues

I can do that as an R2 man

Remember...PCOM is the only DO school in the country to have a laparascopic simulator.

 

[Nate]

Hmm I am pretty sure DMU has a lap sim, I used it when I was there for the SOSA conference last year. We also have a few towers to play with at UMDNJ. Too bad I missed the lap sim at PCOM at this years SOSA conf., I left early 'cause I was feeling sick. I also missed JPH's OMM demo. The NS lecture was awesome though

 

[Dr JPH]

Hmm I am pretty sure DMU has a lap sim, I used it when I was there for the SOSA conference last year. We also have a few towers to play with at UMDNJ. Too bad I missed the lap sim at PCOM at this years SOSA conf., I left early 'cause I was feeling sick. I also missed JPH's OMM demo. The NS lecture was awesome though

from what I heard DMUs lap sim was on loan from the company

My OMM talk was the shiznit