Choosing DO with MD acceptance!

[brianjc]

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It's a very big deal whether or not you do an osteopathic or allopathic residency. I have seen first hand why this matters. If you are a D.O. specialist and are AMA board certified, the sky is the limit. However, I know of a local internest and local general surgeon who are AOA board certified and they had a hard time finding the practice they wanted, even though they are competent physicians. Not everyone is going to go out and set up shop on their own. Most will be looking for practices to join, and if you want the best chance to go where you want, it is VERY important that you are AMA board eligble or AMA board certified.

 

[daveyboy]

I can see your point on that, but I'm not so daunted by the idea of doing an osteopathic residency. I think it is still possible to get into a good fellowship or group. The groups that won't take a DO that is certified by an osteopathic board probably wouldn't take any DO to begin with.

In the interest of full disclosure, I admit that I am not an expert on the subtleties of this issue. From what I see, however, there are plenty of guys who did osteopathic residencies who are doing very well.

 

[doctorperez]

Originally posted by daveyboy
From what I see, however, there are plenty of guys who did osteopathic residencies who are doing very well.

That is precisely the point.

The case mentioned by brian may well be one of the many isolated cases of prejudism against osteopaths.

You would not want to work with such people anyway.

Once I met an advisor (of italian descent - no offense to that colony) and told me medicine has its mafias, I don't think he was too far from the truth, you know?!

 

[brianjc]

I do agree with the previous posts. If you do choose to complete an osteopathic residency, do your best and whether or not you'll be accepted is completey up to your abilities( whether or not your a d.o. or m.d. ). To those that do have prejudice, the hell with them! I've been told that it doesn't matter if your an osteopath or an allopath, where you went to school, or where you trained. The only important thing is that during that critical point in time when it's just you and your patient sitting face to face, did you learn what you needed to in order to provide your patient with the best care possible.

 

[daveyboy]

I have noticed that much of the reasoning in the MD vs. DO school debate centers around the belief that if you go to a DO school you won't be able to go to the "best" residencies, i.e. Hopkins, Stanford, etc. I always get a kick out of the typical pre-med "I wanna be a pediatic-neurosurgeon-oncologist" line. Not to discourage the next Ben Carson, but how many med school graduates actually become the academic medicine superstar. How many of these doctors are really needed? Arrggh, Im ranting aimlessly. Forgive me.

 

[Nater44]

Great point Daveboy

Can you really be sure you want to be a pediatic-neurosurgeon-oncologist without ever having completed a rotation or sat through a single class in medical school? It's like saying your favorite ice cream is chocolate chip without ever having tasted it. I'm applying this year and have no idea what I want to go into. My main goal is to be a good competent physician and will take whatever path I need to get there. If that takes me through Stanford or some obscure residency as long as I become a good doctor I'll be happy. I don't need an ivy league diploma to feel good about my abilities and who I am.

 

[Plinko]

docperez

I must defer to your judgement on the plastic surgery issue. I have to admit that my interest level in plastic surgery rates at about a -5 So you are probably much more informed about this particular issue than I, as it seems to be one you are somewhat passionate about. Like I said, my references were largely word of mouth, even though I must say that the sources were ones I respect immensely. And I agree with you that the glass ceiling at programs like the one over at Baylor (an elite 3/3 plastic surgery residency you spoke of) must break some day, but it will not be me that does it.

I'll just add that while I have to admit to myself that there are still more obstacles for DOs to overcome than the MDs should they want an "exclusive" residency program, that does not deter me in any way whatsoever. My ending thought whenever contemplating this issue inevitably leads me back to what a surgeon I used to work for once told me: "It's what you know and what you can do. You are in the business of saving human lives. At the end of the day that is all anyone really cares about. Your colleagues will notice you for your talents, not where you came from or the diplomas on your wall. There's too much at stake for it to be any other way." He was a MD from University of Michigan, for those of you that might see any weak points in his assertions.

 

[cptcaver]

Nanato - you are right on with your comments on research and publishing. It makes me feel good to know there are other DO's and DO students out there that actually have a little bit of sense and can see the problems the profession has and what needs to be done to improve it. I wish you went to my school.

 

[annushka]

That's what I thought when I was applying to med school during college. I got really good MCAT's, but my advisor suggested I do some research on DO schools as well--she said I looked more like a DO type to her. I did, and really liked this profession since I believe that allopathic schools' approach to medicine is way too academic.
I turned down an MD/PhD program to come here, and I'm really not regretting it much...I really enjoy hands-on learning more than hard-core academics.

And no, as someone pointed out before, I did not consume a 24-pack of Fosters. i don't even like beer 🙂


-A.
NYCOM '06