DO and proud of it

[emeddo]

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I just want the world to know that I am an osteopathic medical school and I am proud of it. I do not walk day to day wishing I could have become an MD. I do not disrespect MDs, I disrespect those students who cannot accept the profession they are going into and still feel that they have to defend their choice. There is nothing to defend. Osteopathy is more than I ever could have hoped it would be and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn it.

Just thought I would throw this out there after getting sick of listening to all the fence sitters who feel like their being in osteopathic schools is equivalent to them being rejects.

Feel free to add your osteopathic pride to this post. I don't want any premeds to get the wrong impression of who we are and that we are ashamed of it.

 

[czanetti]

Osteopathic medcine is where I belong. For me it was its acknowledgment of chaos theory in it's OMM technique, it's philosophical approach that leads the way on the least invasive treatment with the greatest possible results, the concentration on preventive medicine and its utilization of primary care medicine as a stronghold because of its great access to a diverse array people on a consistent basis. The fact that it's leading the way in the reformation of our healthcare system by acknowledging the importance of maintaing a strong patient/doctor relationship and it's consistent support for preventive care. I like the fact that DO's are considered different by taking the whole person approach, not only in medical practice but also when deciding who they are going to admit into there medical colleges. I not only look foward to being a DO but look foward to every time someone asks me why I choose to be one. Describe Osteopathic medicine with pride because Dr. AT Still was on the right path when he realized that change needed to take place. I respect all those in the healthcare system becuase I realize what we all are trying to do for society and for that reason alone we all should be pround of our service.

 

[Dr JPH]

I like the fact that DO's are considered different by taking the whole person approach, not only in medical practice but also when deciding who they are going to admit into there medical colleges.

I applaud your enthusiasm but the whole "DOs are different because they look at the whole person" line is untrue and quite frankly its ridiculous. Our education doesnt hold any secrets on how to evaluate a patient any differently, except for a more complete view of the musculoskeletal system. We dont have a better way of interacting with a patient nor do we act differently towards our patients. Compassion, understanding, empathy, sympathy...whatever you want to look at is not gained by attending classes but by using your own intelligence when meeting a patient. You cant get that from any school. You either have it or you dont. 4 years in a DO school wont give you that personal touch, just like 4 years in an MD school wont beat it out of you.

I think we are doing a disservice to premeds by preaching this type of "DOs are nicer to their patients" rhetoric. We need to be explaining the concrete differences.

DOs have more education in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal complaints
DOs have education in osteopathic manipulative therapy

DOs are NOT taught to avoid surgery
DOs are NOT taught to avoid prescibing medication
DOs are NOT taught to avoid necessary invasive medical procedures

I once had a premed tell me that he wanted to be a DO because he believed that "medications cause more problems that they cure." How is THAT an osteopathic approach?

I am proud to be a future DO. I am proud to have spent additional time in school learning more about osteopathic manipulation. But I roll my eyes every time I hear a premed or an interviewee say "holistic" or "whole person" or "without prescribing medication" when describing why they want to be a DO. Thats not what osteopathic medicine is all about.

You must remember that when AT Still began to develop his craft the reason for avoiding pills and surgery was because they were dangerous at the time. This is no longer the case.

If we want to ever be accepted as equals IN OUR OWN MINDS (the final frontier) we need to stop thinking in those terms and begin looking at the reality. We are equally trained in every facet of medicine as our MD brethren with additional education in certain aspects of diagnosis and treatment. Our pharmacology lectures are just as long, our surgery clerkship is just as hard and our clinical skills courses are just as hands-on. We just get to see eachother in gym shorts for 2 years.

 

[It'sElectric]

Compassion, understanding, empathy, sympathy...whatever you want to look at is not gained by attending classes but by using your own intelligence when meeting a patient. You cant get that from any school. You either have it or you dont. 4 years in a DO school wont give you that personal touch,

I agreed w/ so much of what you said in regards to the whole "we're holistic" cop out. In this day and age, that's just not the case. MDs and DOs alike are both smart enough to take such an approach.

That being said, I couldn't disagree more with your above excerpt. I honestly believe that compassion, understanding, empathy, all of these wonderful traits can be instilled in people over the course of interactions with other students, faculty, and mentors. It is NOT something that "you either have or you don't". I think it's good to have the building blocks (some sort of foundation in kindness), but it can certainly be instilled and developed over time.

 

[gtleeee]

Since my graduation in 1985 few days have gone by that I have not felt blessed to have been accepted to (and than a graduate of) what was then UHS-COM). It has enriched my life beyond any expectations. Without it I fear my life could well have been a step by step plod through the years doing work I barely tolerated "just for the dough" and at the question "Have you tried to put as much or more into this world than you have taken out", perhaps the answer would not be the positive one it is today. My family roots in Osteopathy go back a long way (87 years), but in all honesty, it took about 6 months into my first year to figure out that some of the "party line" the AOA put out was ridiculous. They were doing it then and in essence some of it's the same old nonsense. I believe D.Os. are unique and always have strongly felt (empiracally) that D.O.s had a derved excellent reputation for "bed side manner" whcih as you go on through Medicine you realize is such an important part of being a competent physician. D.O.s are different (or at least most are) but I believe the AOA shoots itself in the foot when it declares that it is the superior of M.D. education and with the old saw about "Looking at the whole patient and not just the disease." This often stirs up deserved disbelief and hostility among our M.D. "team mates" and I personally don't believe that most D.Os on medical school graduation believe it themselves.
Probably because it isn't true. For D.O.s to infer they have a corner on this "holistic" approach to disease is patently ridiculous.

Osteopathic Medicine has infrastructure flaws that are every bit as pronounced as when I graduated 21 years ago. Flaws that are beyond the intended scope of this post but which are apparent to all save the most "clue less" graduate of an Osteopathic Medical School. In some places an almost untenable post graduate (beyond Pgy1) educational model . An appalling lack of outstanding or even acceptable clinical oppurtunities in the 3rd and 4th year in some colleges. Fortunately it appears to be much better than when I was in school and traveled to 12 different cities to complete my clinical rotations.

The AOA still maintains it's "head in the sand" approach to the ongoing reality that the majority of D.O. grads head into ACGME programs after graduation or after a year of Internship. This fact of life is never going to change (and should not) and the AOA never seems to approach this reality "head on".


I wish the AOA would stop repeating some of the PR mantras of the past. I never really saw the good it did. I guess eventually the AOA will "wise up" but it will be a while. Most D.O students are savy enough after a year or so in school to separate "fact from fiction". Osteopathic Medicine has a glorious history and so much to be proud of. As an institution it can and should aim for the stars.

 

[sweet2th]

Yikes. All these secondaries ask, "why do you want to go into osteopatheic medicine". The gist of my reply was that I want to consider a patient beyond his/her symptoms. I certainly wouldn't say to admissions..."hey, you are same as every other school but you teach OMM. haven't done it before, but it sounds fun." I can't write that. Now I'm freaking out about my secondaries that I turned osteopathy into something it isn't. Oh brother.

 

[Dr JPH]

That being said, I couldn't disagree more with your above excerpt. I honestly believe that compassion, understanding, empathy, all of these wonderful traits can be instilled in people over the course of interactions with other students, faculty, and mentors. It is NOT something that "you either have or you don't". I think it's good to have the building blocks (some sort of foundation in kindness), but it can certainly be instilled and developed over time.

I think you can BUILD on traits that are already present. But if you are an a-hole to begin with, DO school wont change that. I guess the "you have it or you dont" doesnt include the gray area that most people are probably in.

 

[ChymeChancellor]

Yikes. All these secondaries ask, "why do you want to go into osteopatheic medicine". The gist of my reply was that I want to consider a patient beyond his/her symptoms. I certainly wouldn't say to admissions..."hey, you are same as every other school but you teach OMM. haven't done it before, but it sounds fun." I can't write that. Now I'm freaking out about my secondaries that I turned osteopathy into something it isn't. Oh brother.

Ummm... what are you going to consider beyond their symptoms that is special to osteopathic medicine?

 

[Dr JPH]

I want to consider a patient beyond his/her symptoms.

I agree with the above poster.

What else is there?

Social issues? MDs would ask about social history, stress, lifestyle, etc.

Personal issues? Anxiety over recent divorce = chest pain. Doesnt take an osteopathic education to think to ask that question.

Now, if you tell me you want to have the ABILITY to treat a patient with manual medicine in conjunction with appropriate surgical and pharmacologic treatments, now I will know you have an idea of what youre talking about.

If you tell me you want to cure people without medication, then I would question you in much more detail...and hopefully you would be able to support your statement.