D.O. identity crisis

[newyorkcougar]

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I am unreservedly, completely sold on osteopathy. My best friend is a D.O. and I have been very impressed by his experience as a physician. However, I am growing weary of having to convince everyone else that D.O.s are legitimate doctors. Last week some random person told my parents that D.O.'s were not allowed to do surgery (which is absurd) and my parents became convinced that I was not actually going to be a doctor. Although I resolved their concern, I am not sure I want to deal with that scenario for the remainder of my career. If I go into ostopathy, am I going to do this for the rest of my life? Should that matter to me? Have the rest of you had to do any D.O. justification? How do you respond?

 

[pjc199]

I still am a strong beleiver of the fact that adding an M to the DO, hence making the title MDO or MDo, or medical doctor of osteopathy, would have profound effects. In fact, I think app numbers would go through the roof. Unfortunately, the powers that be do not want to do anything to remove the stigma.

 

[Aaron Earles]

I am unreservedly, completely sold on osteopathy. My best friend is a D.O. and I have been very impressed by his experience as a physician. However, I am growing weary of having to convince everyone else that D.O.s are legitimate doctors. Last week some random person told my parents that D.O.'s were not allowed to do surgery (which is absurd) and my parents became convinced that I was not actually going to be a doctor. Although I resolved their concern, I am not sure I want to deal with that scenario for the remainder of my career. If I go into ostopathy, am I going to do this for the rest of my life? Should that matter to me? Have the rest of you had to do any D.O. justification? How do you respond?

What's Up Cougar,

I would like to tell you that you will never have to explain yourself ever again. The fact is, that most of the general population does not know about osteopathic medicine. Most people I talk with think that it is a "bone doctor" MD. In all honesty, most of the people that hassle and try to convince you of going MD are premeds. I would guess that most of them have no clue what Osteopathy is about.

Once you are practicing, patients wont stop you and ask, "gee, are you an MD or a DO?" They just want a doctor that is reliable and wanting to help take care of them. You get the same education, so the patients wont know that you are a DO unless you mention it to them.

If you are set on DO, then you need to persue it with all that you have. Osteopathy needs to have more advertisement for the general community. Where I am attending school, there are bulletin boards within a 50 mile radius of Pikeville advertising Osteopathic Medicine, with websites to visit for history and description. Dont let it hastle you that people ask you about being a DO. It is your chance to inform them of what we are. Good luck to you.

Aaron

 

[Sinnman]

Considering only ~ 10% of the population knows about osteopathy, this is a valid issue. However, when you're in the real world as a practicing physician I think it is rare that you would be questioned about your credentials.

Also, think about it like this. Every time somebody asks you what a D.O. is you have the opportunity to educate them. There are many people out there that selectively search out D.O.s for their doctors once they understand the difference.

You will definitely be the minority in medicine. I think that if you really like the philosophy and want to be a D.O. then don't let that stop you. I don't regret my choice at all and all of my friends at school feel the same way.

 

[Aaron Earles]

Considering only ~ 10% of the population knows about osteopathy, this is a valid issue. However, when you're in the real world as a practicing physician I think it is rare that you would be questioned about your credentials.

Also, think about it like this. Every time somebody asks you what a D.O. is you have the opportunity to educate them. There are many people out there that selectively search out D.O.s for their doctors once they understand the difference.

You will definitely be the minority in medicine. I think that if you really like the philosophy and want to be a D.O. then don't let that stop you. I don't regret my choice at all and all of my friends at school feel the same way.

Well said Sinnman

 

[DOctorJay]

Considering only ~ 10% of the population knows about osteopathy, this is a valid issue. However, when you're in the real world as a practicing physician I think it is rare that you would be questioned about your credentials.

Also, think about it like this. Every time somebody asks you what a D.O. is you have the opportunity to educate them. There are many people out there that selectively search out D.O.s for their doctors once they understand the difference.

You will definitely be the minority in medicine. I think that if you really like the philosophy and want to be a D.O. then don't let that stop you. I don't regret my choice at all and all of my friends at school feel the same way.

I agree 100%. Remember the literal translation of doctor is teacher, this is just one thing you will be teaching your patients. Many patients will come to you because you are a DO because of that little something extra you can offer. If you agree with the philosophy don't let the fear of explanation turn you away, it's just an opportunity to educate as said above.

-J

 

[uclabruin2003]

What's Up Cougar,

I would like to tell you that you will never have to explain yourself ever again. The fact is, that most of the general population does not know about osteopathic medicine. Most people I talk with think that it is a "bone doctor" MD. In all honesty, most of the people that hassle and try to convince you of going MD are premeds. I would guess that most of them have no clue what Osteopathy is about.

Once you are practicing, patients wont stop you and ask, "gee, are you an MD or a DO?" They just want a doctor that is reliable and wanting to help take care of them. You get the same education, so the patients wont know that you are a DO unless you mention it to them.

If you are set on DO, then you need to persue it with all that you have. Osteopathy needs to have more advertisement for the general community. Where I am attending school, there are bulletin boards within a 50 mile radius of Pikeville advertising Osteopathic Medicine, with websites to visit for history and description. Dont let it hastle you that people ask you about being a DO. It is your chance to inform them of what we are. Good luck to you.

Aaron

you are so right aaron. no one will stop you and ask you if you are a DO or MD. its just like how no one will really ask you...."so what school did you go to" i think perhaps patients will ask when their life is really on the line....ie complicated surgery, etc. however, for everyday illnesses and treatments....does it really matter? i think not. in any case, i do hate answering to people as to what a DO is. what do i say? I guess the simple answer is "A DO is a doctor. Its like how you can get two different types of bachelors for....a BS and a BA"

 

[drfeelgood]

I've never been discriminated for being a DO. People in my class have matched into radiology, radiation oncology, orthopedics in big name allopathic places.(UCLA,Yale,Loma Linda) I've also worked with some of the smartest internal med residents at my osteopathic internship. I'm now a PGY-3 resident at a major university teaching hospital in Boston. Trust me, people don,t care if you're a DO or MD. As long as you are competent, caring, adn resourceful, people WILL respect you. oh.. and you'll get paid the same too!! (which is all that matters)

Khanh Pham, D.O.
WesternU/COMP '02
and yes, I wear DO on my whitecoat with PRIDE!!! 👍

 

[DD214_DOC]

I had a conversation with my premed advisor during my LOR interview about this. I was actually quite surprised that the advisor at an institution with its own allopathic medical school actually digs the DO philosophy. I guess I was wrong about them in the past. She is very much in love with DOs.

At any rate, I wrote in my LOR package that I believe the majority of the descrimination against DOs in the premed, medical, and (rarely) the patient communities, comes from osteopathic physicians not being in the status quo. Since DOs are not the majority, many people equate this with not being equivelant to the standard of medicine -- the MD. This generalization is really just a natural mechanism humans use to sort information without making it too complicated.

Besides, it's really not a big deal. Once you start working who cares? If you go around trying to change things to make DOs to look more like MDs, you are only supporting the reasons why people descriminate against them.

 

[dulcinea]

i think it will always be something that you will have to deal with. i'm ready for it! my husband is an optometrist and he still always has to explain it. people always ask, so you do you have to go to college for that? um, yeah. four years and then four years more years of school so that I can be a doctor (OD). my mother-in-law actually told me last week, (when I mentioned that i wanted to be a DO) that she wouldn't go to one because she doesn't think they are "real" doctors or are as good. man, i had a hard time not saying what i really wanted to on that one. the ignorance abounds and it always will-unfortunately. but that can't stop you from being proud of your profession!

 

[PublicEnemy]

so between you, you're a DOOD.

haha, nice.

 

[DOSouthpaw]

Heck, I make a point to make people know I'm an Osteopath. I have my name with Student Osteopath under it on my white coat and that's the way I introduce myself when I enter the room. "Hello my name is DOSouthpaw, I am a student Osteopath. I will be handling your care today...yada yada."

When people ask, "What's an Osteopath?" I just let my hands do the talkin' baby! 😎 and then they ask an even better question..."so when will you be graduating so I can go to you!"


👍

 

[Su4n2]

i think calling yourself an osteopath furthers the notion that we are not physicians. i am not sure what a better alternative is.
to the OP, yes un will always have to explain it, it's just some that many of us have gotten used to, but i have to say it can get annoying.

 

[DOSouthpaw]

The reason that people don't know that Osteopaths (which is what we are) are physicians is because we don't use the term enough. I'm not about to hide my title because of other peoples' ignorance.

I think we spend way too much time talking about who we are and not enough time doing. I mean, you never hear a MD go, "Hello, I'm an Medical Doctor which means I am a complete physician just like Osteopaths who are also complete physicians and unlike Chiropractors who are not complete physicians, but rather, musculoskeletal practicioners only... MDs are like DOs except we don't learn to use OMT and we treat symptoms and not patients. We are the legal equivilent of DOs and have practice rights in all 50 states just like DOs. We have a 4 year cirriculum just like the DOs, have to pass three steps of board exams just like DOs, have to pass a clinical skills exam just like DO except without using OMT, and complete residency programs...just like DOs" MDs just walk in the room and say, "Hi, I'll be your doctor today." They just expect people will know what they are and once they are done with their exam, there shouldn't be any question. If we do our jobs properly, there will be no questions what an Osteopath is when we walk in and say, "Hi, I'll be your Osteopath today." All of this talk about making sure we are called Osteopathic Physicians just smacks of insecurity and "mine is bigger (or at least the same size) as yours..."

 

[DaveinDallas]

Wow, interesting conversation. Granted, I'm just now taking the MCAT and starting the applications process, but I've thought about this one. In the community where I live, there doesn't seem to be any problem. I mean, the on call orthopedic surgeon who pinned my kids arm together when he broke it falling off a slide was a D.O. It was really no big deal.

For my decision, I was helped by manual medicine when anti-inflammatories and pain killers didn't fix the problem and the next step was back surgery. Granted, it was done at the hands of a chiropractor, but their scope is limited for my tastes. I wanted to have manual medicine as another tool to help in the bottom line - making sick people well.

It's never really been an issue for me and in discussions with the family pediatrician (an MD), he was interested in some of the studies on otitis media coming out of Tulsa. His comment was that it had made it into his 'stack of stuff' to read and he wanted to know how it worked. If I recall correctly he was talking about the local D.O. school and made the statement that it had turned out some excellent physicians.

For me, I just want to be a Family Practice doc in a small/medium sized town.

 

[(nicedream)]

I hate the term "osteopath." It is very antiquated. MD's are not referred to as "allopaths". If they were, people would have no clue what they were.

 

[Assembler]

I hate the term "osteopath." It is very antiquated. MD's are not referred to as "allopaths". If they were, people would have no clue what they were.

I whole heartedly agree. I honestly doubt that most people know what an "allopath" is, let alone what an "osteopath" is. Albeit I am only an applicant, I still feel it would be better just to refer to yourself as a physician. That way there is no ambiguity; everyone knows what the common duties and responsibilities of a doctor are. It doesn't get any more clear cut than that.

 

[Amy B]

It is the terms osteopathic and allopathic that people have no idea what they mean. I have found when people question me, I use the allo vs osteo terms so they are confused about both the terms 😀

I say the following when people ask me. It seems to make sense to them.

"Well, there are allopathic doctors which are called MDs and there are osteopathic doctors which are called DO. Both are doctors, but they went to different schools."

 

[deltamed]

i think it will always be something that you will have to deal with. i'm ready for it! my husband is an optometrist and he still always has to explain it. people always ask, so you do you have to go to college for that? um, yeah. four years and then four years more years of school so that I can be a doctor (OD). my mother-in-law actually told me last week, (when I mentioned that i wanted to be a DO) that she wouldn't go to one because she doesn't think they are "real" doctors or are as good. man, i had a hard time not saying what i really wanted to on that one. the ignorance abounds and it always will-unfortunately. but that can't stop you from being proud of your profession!

I'm sorry but people should know the difference between an optometrist and an opthomologist but it doesn't matter between DO and MD, so the analogy doesn't hold. I personally think the term "doctor" has been cheapened over the years by everyone calling themselves doctors including chiropracters, naturopaths, dentists, optometrists, acupunturists, and even some NPs and PAs. That's why an MD should be taken as separate and I would be fine if all DOs got MDs of osteopathy instead.

 

[DOSouthpaw]

nicedream said "I hate the term "osteopath." It is very antiquated. MD's are not referred to as "allopaths". If they were, people would have no clue what they were."

That's because you don't know your history. MD's have never called themselves Allopaths because MDs did not come up with the name. The term Allopath was coined by the founder of the Homeopathy because of the manner in which each of the traditions treated diesease. Allo with opposite and Homeo with same. Pretty much no one calls MD allopaths except for non MDs.

Osteopath, on the other hand, was coined by the founder of Osteopathy, AT Still. If you would have actually read any of his works (this will be answered with "No I don't read Still because I'm spending all of my time reading important things like Harrison's so I can give the best care possible when I get to the wards.")you would have found out that many wanted him to change the name because it confused people back then too. He refused because he is the inventor of this system of care (actually Still said God was the inventor of Osteopathy, he just discovered it, but anyway). If we wish to study Still's complete system of healthcare, should we not continue to call it what he called it? I do not think we should change our name because of the ignorace of others who do not know what we are.

 

[skypilot]

If we wish to study Still's complete system of healthcare, should we not continue to call it what he called it? I do not think we should change our name because of the ignorace of others who do not know what we are.

Sheesh you sound like a true believer. Most DOs are busy learning and practicing allopathic medicine and most do allopathic residencies. That is why the differences are mostly moot. The differences were relevant when allopaths were working with mercury and arsenic.

🙂

 

[OSUdoc08]

I am unreservedly, completely sold on osteopathy. My best friend is a D.O. and I have been very impressed by his experience as a physician. However, I am growing weary of having to convince everyone else that D.O.s are legitimate doctors. Last week some random person told my parents that D.O.'s were not allowed to do surgery (which is absurd) and my parents became convinced that I was not actually going to be a doctor. Although I resolved their concern, I am not sure I want to deal with that scenario for the remainder of my career. If I go into ostopathy, am I going to do this for the rest of my life? Should that matter to me? Have the rest of you had to do any D.O. justification? How do you respond?

I always base my career choices on "some random person"

as long as the person paying you knows the difference, who cares? you are doing what you always wanted to do

 

[newyorkcougar]

Let me begin by saying that I have spent a lot of time these past months thinking about this question. So far my conclusion is this: all things being equal, why would anyone choose MD over DO? DO's have all the tools of an MD PLUS the extra tools of osteopathy. We're talking about MORE options to maintain health, which sounds rewarding both to the care provider and the care receiver. Although my MCAT is a 33R and my stats are competative for MD, so far I have applied only to DO schools. I just think osteopathy is a better option. I have completed my AMCAS for allo schools, but I am pretty sure I am not going to submit it. Why would I limit my range of tools as a physician? Why not get ALL the availible tools?

The only reasons I can come up with for not going osteo are that 1) certain residencies prefer allo and that 2) certain people may look at my credentials a little askance. My immediate responses are that 1) there are enough residencies to go around and 2) that I don't really need the approval of those people to be able to practice medicine. At the moment I don't feel that these are sufficiently compelling reasons to go allo. Any thoughts?

 

[newyorkcougar]

Incidentally, my prior posting was not intended to pick a fight with supporters of allopathic medicine...I was just voicing my personal bias. The last thing we need around here is more allo vs osteo tension. 🙂

 

[VPDcurt]

The fact of the matter is that a very strong and well-defined heirarchy exists within the walls of a hospital. As you might have guessed, MDs are on top. DOs fall in second. Among the medical community, DOs are not regarded as highly as MDs and this can be seen in casual hospital conversation as well as residency admissions. I am not ignorant when it comes to the differences between MDs and DOs. However, I definitely prefer an MD to a DO any day when I need medical care.

 

[Sharky]

The fact of the matter is that a very strong and well-defined heirarchy exists within the walls of a hospital. As you might have guessed, MDs are on top. DOs fall in second. Among the medical community, DOs are not regarded as highly as MDs and this can be seen in casual hospital conversation as well as residency admissions. I am not ignorant when it comes to the differences between MDs and DOs.

I believe most of what you said is incorrect. The last thing we need in this conversation is for someone like you to spit out ignorant trash like the above and to state it as if it were fact.

 

[VPDcurt]

The last thing we need around here is more allo vs osteo tension. 🙂

There is a reason why this is an issue on the osteo board and not on the allo board. The allo board does not feel the need to create tension because the issue is non-existent to them. Why are DOs so defensive about this issue? Just curious.

 

[VPDcurt]

Are you denying that a heirarchy exists in hospitals? It is pretty obvious that it exists. There is ignorance in denying reality, not accepting it.

 

[DOSouthpaw]

I would say because everyone on the MD board are there because they want to be MDs as opposed to a lot of people on here who are here because they want to be MDs...or MDOs....or "I'm a physician, please don't ask my degree"...

 

[Sharky]

Are you denying that a heirarchy exists in hospitals? It is pretty obvious that it exists. There is ignorance in denying reality, not accepting it.

So in your mind, is a Caribbean MD above a DO even though he or she graduated with an MD.

Many would say it was below a DO. I for one think it's all equal. Yes I deny your heirarchy especially since you are just a premed.

 

[DOSouthpaw]

Of course there is heirarchy in a hospital, but not based on MD/DO lines. Usually, the administration is at the top, then the docs are next, then the residents, then nurses (Nurse Prac., RNs, then LPNs, then CNAs) then the janitors, and finally at the bottom...the interns!!!!


lol. As far as doctors heirarchy, it is not a heirarchy, but more a tension, and not MD/DO but rather between specialties. That is anywhere though. In most places it's 1st shift verses 2nd verses 3rd. In the hospital it is medicine vs surgery and generalists vs specialists.

I'm in the hospital everyday and I'm always treated with respect from everyone except for a rude nurse every now and then. When someone comes in with a musculoskeletal problem usually it's me they call in with no eye rolling at all.

 

[Aaron Earles]

The fact of the matter is that a very strong and well-defined heirarchy exists within the walls of a hospital. As you might have guessed, MDs are on top. DOs fall in second.

Interesting...... I just looked at my organizational flow chart for the Hospital that I used to work. You are right, there is a hierarchy.....

Board of Trustees --> Hospital CEO -->Vice Presidents of Operations --> Department Directors --> Physicians -->and so on.

No mention of distinguishing MDs and DOs... just says physicians.

ACE

 

[Sharky]

I agree with DOSouthpaw and Aaron. There definitely is a heirarchy in terms of specialities of doctors regardless of MD, DO, or Caribbean MD. It is disconcerting to see ignorant premeds to state falsehoods when they really do not know what they are talking about.

 

[(nicedream)]

nicedream said "I hate the term "osteopath." It is very antiquated. MD's are not referred to as "allopaths". If they were, people would have no clue what they were."

That's because you don't know your history. MD's have never called themselves Allopaths because MDs did not come up with the name. The term Allopath was coined by the founder of the Homeopathy because of the manner in which each of the traditions treated diesease. Allo with opposite and Homeo with same. Pretty much no one calls MD allopaths except for non MDs.

Osteopath, on the other hand, was coined by the founder of Osteopathy, AT Still. If you would have actually read any of his works (this will be answered with "No I don't read Still because I'm spending all of my time reading important things like Harrison's so I can give the best care possible when I get to the wards.")you would have found out that many wanted him to change the name because it confused people back then too. He refused because he is the inventor of this system of care (actually Still said God was the inventor of Osteopathy, he just discovered it, but anyway). If we wish to study Still's complete system of healthcare, should we not continue to call it what he called it? I do not think we should change our name because of the ignorace of others who do not know what we are.

Does attending osteopathic medical school require the student to embrace the teachings of Dr. Still? I don't think it does, you would probably disagree. Fact is, the majority of osteopathic students, and physicians, do not embrace the teachings of Dr. Still and practice the same medicine our allopathic colleagues do. So I guess "osteopaths" such as me cringe at the title, and believe it shouldn't be used when only a minority of those it describes approve of the name and feel it accurately describes what they do and what they are.

 

[BooneDoc]

I believe the hospital and community would depend on the reception of D.O. Since the advent of WVSOM, a large amount of the doctors coming into my community have been D.O.s and have been very well recieved. I have a D.O. as my internist, orthopedic surgeon, and dermetologist. We have D.O. and MDs on the board at our hospital. To say an MD would inherently be better than a DO is merely reinforcing a stereotype. A good doctor is a good doctor regardless of the letters after his/her name, the same can be said for the a bad doctor as well. My interest is in rural medicine and WVSOM is a school with a great reputation for rural medicine, thus a natural fit for me.

 

[VPDcurt]

To simply deny and shrug off the fact that there is a difference is ludicrous in my opinion. Different schools with different requirements? Different titles? Different degrees? Hmm...interesting. The curricula differ and so do the doctors.

 

[Green912]

It's funny that someone a few posts ago mentioned OD's. I was getting an eye exam last week and when the guy asked what I do for a living I told him I was going to a D.O. med-school. Next thing I know he's talking about how Flax Seed Oil is a popular natural remedy. Flax seed oil? Why not ask me about Yak Loin. I tried to give him a more modern appreciation for D.O.'s when he said something about an Ophthomologist buddy of his. I wonder if he uses flax seed oil drops to treat glaucoma. Funny stuff.

 

[bobo]

I don't usually surf this forum, nor do I post here much. I read through part of this thread and it is pretty ridiculous. As a DO you will definitely have a very difficult road ahead of you if you want an ultra-competitve allopathic residency. That being said I am an intern at an allopathic large hospital for almost a couple of months now. The "DO issue" has not come up a SINGLE time. I work my ass off just like all the MD's I work with and we all get along great. My best buddy thus far is an MD superstar headed for a high powered residency next year. We play golf and drink beer all the time. I am the only DO in my class. Noone has EVER questioned me. I write orders all day long and make many independent patient care decisions ALL THE TIME. Don't sweat it.

Later,

bobo, DO

 

[newyorkcougar]

Although I maintain my former bias toward osteopathy, I have to say that there is an element of truth to the whole idea of DO defensiveness. People hear the word "holistic" and suddenly they are asking me about magic crystals and herbs so naturally I feel a little defensive. So, I think it is important for me to confront this insecurity and resolve it at the beginning of my training rather than at the end of it.

When push comes to shove, allopaths and osteopaths work together in the same hospitals and make the same salaries. I am not insecure about my role as a health care provider. I am, however, a little nervous about facing prejudice in residency applications (which is in truth not that big an issue for a variety of reasons), not to mention warding off magic crystals.

It is true that most of the people in positions of power in medicine are MDs, but that is not simply because they are MDs...it is a function of the fact that they are the vast majority of physicians. Prominant DOs include a former surgeon general of the US army, and the highest ranking physician in the US department of defense. Clearly DOs can go as far as anyone.

Yet there does remain this subtle level of insecurity in many premeds which, importantly, is not very common among actual DOs. I myself (as a premed who is fully competative for MD schools) am in the growing pains of resolving my DO insecurities. That is where this forum comes in so handy...I have been able to bounce ideas off of kids all over the country to try to resolve my own concerns. Hopefully it is helpful to y'all as well. 🙂

I just hope that we can discuss this stuff without it turning into a war. Either path--DO or MD--leads to the same hospitals and the same patients. There are enough sick people to go around. We just all need to figure out which path is best for us personally.

Whatever you may personally choose...BE NICE! There are enough sick people to go around! There is room for everyone...MD or DO.

 

[DOctorJay]

Let me begin by saying that I have spent a lot of time these past months thinking about this question. So far my conclusion is this: all things being equal, why would anyone choose MD over DO? DO's have all the tools of an MD PLUS the extra tools of osteopathy. We're talking about MORE options to maintain health, which sounds rewarding both to the care provider and the care receiver. Although my MCAT is a 33R and my stats are competative for MD, so far I have applied only to DO schools. I just think osteopathy is a better option. I have completed my AMCAS for allo schools, but I am pretty sure I am not going to submit it. Why would I limit my range of tools as a physician? Why not get ALL the availible tools?

The only reasons I can come up with for not going osteo are that 1) certain residencies prefer allo and that 2) certain people may look at my credentials a little askance. My immediate responses are that 1) there are enough residencies to go around and 2) that I don't really need the approval of those people to be able to practice medicine. At the moment I don't feel that these are sufficiently compelling reasons to go allo. Any thoughts?

If I were you I'd at least apply to my state allo school/s to see if I could get in there. You can always get the osteopathic training if you really want it but you may not be able to save the amount of money you could by going to your state school. Now if you're applying to UMDNJ-SOM then I'd nix my above comment because you can get in state residency as a first year and be a part of an amazing school!!!

good luck to you
-J

 

[DOSouthpaw]

You just made a great point in the beginning of your post and I don't even think you know it. You said Health Care Provider!!!! Talk about heirarchy, what about the insurance companies??? Pretty soon there will be no patients...just Health Care Consumers...no Medical Doctors and Osteopaths just Health Care Providers...yuck!

This is one of the reasons I believe that MDs and DOs are working together better in areas where they once did not. Both see that they are being taken advantage of by the Insurance Companies, and both are fighting together.

As for residency, yeah, it's hard to get into a competitive Allopathic program...that's why it's called competitive. lol It's also hard to get into a competitive Osteopathic program as well. Heck, it was hard getting into Osteopathic school too!!! 🙁 I hope one day there will be enough Osteopathic residency programs where and Osteopath can go and have a quality program doing the specialty he/she wants but in the special holistic (plus or minus crystals lol) manner that Osteopaths do it.

And as far as the post about how most students don't follow Still's principles, I would say humbug to that. Most every student at my school follows Still's principles. Some don't do OMT, but the princples aren't about OMT entirely; OMT grows out of the principles so those people are mearly stuck in their growth as a complete Osteopath. Most students at my school do follow the principles and way more than half do OMT and about 10-20 percent do it on all most all patients when allowed by the preceptor during rotations. Considering we rotate with all MD (only a couple of DOs in the area), that's pretty good!

 

[skypilot]

Most students at my school do follow the principles and way more than half do OMT and about 10-20 percent do it on all most all patients when allowed by the preceptor during rotations. Considering we rotate with all MD (only a couple of DOs in the area), that's pretty good!

But will they hang onto OMM after they graduate and begin practicing? It seems like most DOs drop OMM to focus on other things.

 

[Miss Roxie]

I think most people have no idea that there is a difference in DO's and MD's because they don't know that DO's exist! Education is the key. Promotion and education is the key to making the DO degree accepted and respected. 🙂

 

[kahoo99]

Let me begin by saying that I have spent a lot of time these past months thinking about this question. So far my conclusion is this: all things being equal, why would anyone choose MD over DO? DO's have all the tools of an MD PLUS the extra tools of osteopathy. We're talking about MORE options to maintain health, which sounds rewarding both to the care provider and the care receiver. Although my MCAT is a 33R and my stats are competative for MD, so far I have applied only to DO schools. I just think osteopathy is a better option. I have completed my AMCAS for allo schools, but I am pretty sure I am not going to submit it. Why would I limit my range of tools as a physician? Why not get ALL the availible tools?

The only reasons I can come up with for not going osteo are that 1) certain residencies prefer allo and that 2) certain people may look at my credentials a little askance. My immediate responses are that 1) there are enough residencies to go around and 2) that I don't really need the approval of those people to be able to practice medicine. At the moment I don't feel that these are sufficiently compelling reasons to go allo. Any thoughts?

Newyorkcougar,
I've read your posts on this stickie, and am in a similar position as you. Strong MCAT and GPA, experience, blah blah blah, and even though i know no one likes to hear it, those of my friends who are doctos have warned me a bit about some of the extra hurdles DOs face in residency.
The compelling things for me though entail a different aspect of residency, i.e. not the difficulty of getting in or being accepted as a colleague, but the fact that most residencies don't have time for DOs to be any different than MDs. And i know that that's what a lot of DOs hope for, but for me the pull to DO rather than MD is that it can be different, rather than it's really the same.
The DO i shadowed, who now only does OMM, did her inernal med rotation with almost all MDs and it was fine. She recieved little or no guff, but also learned very little about the kind of medicine she was actually drawn to.

So after thinking, like you, that i would only apply to DO schools earlier this year I've decided to apply to both with the committment to myself that I will go to the school that seems to fit me the best, without regard for which initials it gives.

But all in all i feel where you're coming from
good luck

ps which DO schools are you interested in?