DO as a Intensivist?

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CCMedic

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To those of you who are in various ICU's how common is it to see a DO functioning in the role of a intensivist?

Are there DO specific residencies that allow one to be credentialed as a intensivist?
 
Bostonredsox said:
I am a DO. I will be an intensivist. Go to DO school. Complete IM/gas/EM/surg residency. Do corresponding fellowship. Done. You are now a DO intensivist..
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Thanks for the reply, perhaps I can get a straight answer from a DO.

How common is such a path for a DO? Are you always fighting an uphill battle to show that you do belong? Was the residency DO specific? Or did you take USMLE and apply to both MD/DO residencies and which one you actually complete?

I ask because it's a rare instance to actually see DO's in that role. That is the only role I see myself in.
 
I'm not sure there are any gas DO CC programs and I've heard one of my intern classmates who did DO gas and ME CC was having issues getting board certified. I don't know much about surg cc as a do. But pulm-cc, half my co-fellows were DOs
 
Go to MD school if you are sweatin this crap. Or better yet learn more about what DO's do. Our pulm htn and interventional pulm gurus are DO's. Those sneaky fukers are everywhere. Oozing into medicine.

Uphill battle? Go to MD school buddy. You have no idea what you are talkin about.
 
VentdependenT said:
Go to MD school if you are sweatin this crap. Or better yet learn more about what DO's do. Our pulm htn and interventional pulm gurus are DO's. Those sneaky fukers are everywhere. Oozing into medicine.

Uphill battle? Go to MD school buddy. You have no idea what you are talkin about.
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I don't have a good idea regarding DO as Intensivists, hence why I asked. The intent of my post was not to discredit anyone. I have encoutered many exeptional doctors who were DO trained however not in the ICU arena. I am just looking for honest feedback to the people who are actually in the ICU field and practice. The attending's that I had encounters with in the ICU none were DO trained. Hence why I ask.


Are you a DO? Perhaps you can provide a better feedback to the process.




Appreciate all the responses.
 
Plenty of DOs in CCM -- but why would you choose the more difficult path?

Are you already enrolled in a DO school?

If not -- choose the easier path -- the allopathic path. Then you don't have to worry about this stuff.

HH
 
It is simple why you havent seen many DOs in CC.

the ratio of MD to DO is huge (DOs are newer to the game)

The ratio of docs to specifically CC docs is huge (the CC field is very short staffed currently)

Now if you look at the % of CC docs, which is not alot, many small-medium sized hospitals have none, the hospitalists, surgeons and PCPs just take care of their pts in the unit because of the shortage, and then factor in the % difference in MD and DO, you will not meet alot of DO intensivists. But that goes the same for DO neurosurgeons, DO ENT's etc etc.

As the field grows, the number of programs grows, and the ACGME and AOA merge, you will see more.

Lastly, DO schools preach primary care. It is in the fundamentals of their teachings from day one of medical school (and it droe me crazy as I detest primary care) So the % of us that finished DO school and went on to become Intensivists, anesthesiologists, surgeons, etc, is a not a large % although it is changing.

Bottom line, DOs are docs and can do every residency and fellowship. How many you encounter in a particular field will vary alot on the area. in the NE where there are many DO schools (Penn, NY) there are lots of DOs in all fields. In the midwest it is similar. on the west coast and in the SE, excepting FL, there are fewer, because the schools there are fewer and newer and this the programs are fewer and newer. I worked with 4-5 DO intensivists in medical school in upstate NY. they are around 😛
 
I just wanted to say that our best intensivist who is an amazing doctor, who is the smartest guy I have ever met is a DO. This post adds nothing to the topic. I just had to say how awesome he is.

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Where I practice in California the DO physicians are practicing in virtually every specialty including ENT, Critical Care, Cardiology, Urology and are fully integrated into the practice.
 
I didn't realize that the DO vs MD question is still around. When I was a pre-med, I had heard arguments between other pre-meds regarding which is better and the advantages/disadvantages of each degree. I now realize how silly those debates were.

I am 6 yrs post residency and I have not noticed even an inkling of difference in competence, job opportunities, confidence, respect or prestige between the two degrees. I thought the debate was long over but maybe it's something pre-meds still ruminate over.
 
as you get older, the question is not about being an MD or DO, it's about being a great doctor. as others imply, doesn't really matter who you are, where you're from. If you work hard and work for it, you'll get it, whichever pathway you take
 
I say I'm an optometrist or chiropractor when asked what the DO stands for on my badge. Get some puzzled looks at first but the questions stop.

Once you enter residency, people spend their time bitchin about other specialties/fields of medicine and not fmg/img/md/do related verbal offal.
 
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