DO benefits vs MD

[Aladin]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I am real interested in Osteopathic Medicine, but what are some of the benefits of a DO degree that are not offered by an MD degree? Also vice versa, what is it that MD has that DO does not? I am interested in medicine, and I believe in delivering the best quality care to a patient, but I would also like to have lateral with my degree. Such as maybe going into administration, or international health care.

 

[JaggerPlate]

I am real interested in Osteopathic Medicine, but what are some of the benefits of a DO degree that are not offered by an MD degree? Also vice versa, what is it that MD has that DO does not? I am interested in medicine, and I believe in delivering the best quality care to a patient, but I would also like to have lateral with my degree. Such as maybe going into administration, or international health care.

I'm sure you already know mainly what the MD degree offers, so I'll throw in a few things about the DO.

-First and foremost it is important to understand that in all aspects in the US, MD is = to DO. DOs can do everything that MDs can, but there are a few additional things that osteopathic medical school offers that allopathic does not.

- DO schools obviously teach OMM, which is osteopathic manipulation, a valuable tool for patient diagnosis and healing.

- There are also an entire set of AOA residencies that only DO students can apply to.

I'm sure there are more, but those are the obvious ones.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

What an MD adds for a good number of Doctors is an ego boost!🙄, and more gunner classmates

 

[Instatewaiter]

If you're going to do "international _____ " MD will provide the path of least resistance.

 

[MossPoh]

If you're going to do "international _____ " MD will provide the path of least resistance.

Generally yes, but it just depends on the country with regards to practice rights. If you want to do mission work then you aren't going to have much in the way of problems either way from what I hear.

 

[fisko82]

First and foremost it is important to understand that in all aspects in the US, MD is = to DO. DOs can do everything that MDs can, but there are a few additional things that osteopathic medical school offers that allopathic does not.

Honest question, how do DO schools manage to fit OMM into their curriculum, in addition to everything else MD schools teach, in the same time frame (4 years to graduate)? Is the course load just more rigorous? Are the semesters and/or classes longer to incorporate the additional material? Or are certain courses covered in lighter detail than what would be covered in allopathic schools, in favor of teaching OMM? Are certain rotations not done to allow for an OMM rotation (I'm not sure all DO schools have or even require an OMM rotation. I thought a few might have though, no?)

 

[ShyRem]

Fisco, that's a bone of contention. Some folks will tell you that DO schools lighten the load to make room for OMM. Others will tell you that the DO load is heavier because the schools do everything AND OMM. I know for a fact that classroom hours vary from school to school whether MD or DO, so the question is not a simple one to answer. Toss in the already volatile mix PBL, and you've got a real problem answering your question.

Bottom line: All accredited schools must show they cover the basic medical school curriculum. So they all cover the basics. DO schools cover the basics plus OMM (which is usually about 4 extra hours a week). The actual hours spent teaching those subjects can vary a LARGE amount, as does the focus and integration each school decides to build into their curriculum and the professor's teaching styles. I can't answer whether all DO schools have an OMM rotation - I know UNECOM does, as well as OMM preceptorships in your first two years.

So I guess the final answer to your question is that no one can really give you a straight answer to that question.

 

[Beau Geste]

No matter what path you pick, MD or DO, you're going to be busy.

 

[Aladin]

Is it true that DO's are at a disadvantage when applying to Allopathic Residency, or is this a myth? I am interested in specialization, and interested in allopathic residency, but I have heard that applying to allopathic residency with a DO degree is a disadvantage, is this really true? When applying for residency does it really mater what school you went to, or what degree you received?

 

[Aladin]

Just for more clarification on my interest in practicing medicine internationally, I meant Doctors beyond border, mission type of work. If I have a DO degree will I be able to pursue humanitarian work beyond borders?

 

[DrMidlife]

Is it true that DO's are at a disadvantage when applying to Allopathic Residency, or is this a myth? I am interested in specialization, and interested in allopathic residency, but I have heard that applying to allopathic residency with a DO degree is a disadvantage, is this really true? When applying for residency does it really mater what school you went to, or what degree you received?

There's no simple answer to this. It depends on what specialty you're after, where you want to train, how qualified you are, and the mood of the allo residency program director, among other things. I suggest you browse this forum and the osteo forum for long, long, long, long discussions about residency acquisition.

But I'll start you with this: 60% of DOs do allopathic residencies.

 

[Soca]

MSF-Doctors Without Borders considers MD=DO. You can volunteer regardless of which degree you have.

Check out the eighth question/answer on this link:

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/volunteer/field/faq.cfm#criteria

 

[Colbert]

Is it true that DO's are at a disadvantage when applying to Allopathic Residency, or is this a myth? I am interested in specialization, and interested in allopathic residency, but I have heard that applying to allopathic residency with a DO degree is a disadvantage, is this really true? When applying for residency does it really mater what school you went to, or what degree you received?

It matters more what you're board scores are, your third and fourth year grades, and who you know. For some of the ubber-competitive residencies, it may be a slight disadvantage, but if you have out preformed your MD counterpart you'll get it.

Think about it this way, when you applied to medical school they may have looked at a guy from Harvard and a guy from X-Community College. Sure, that Harvard name sounds great, but if the guy from XCC got a 3.9 and a 35 MCAT while the guy at Harvard got a 3.0 and a 28 MCAT, who do you think they're going to pick? (Yes, I realize it's an extreme example, just trying to make a point)

 

[DrMidlife]

Just for more clarification on my interest in practicing medicine internationally, I meant Doctors beyond border, mission type of work. If I have a DO degree will I be able to pursue humanitarian work beyond borders?

I'm interested in this as well. As above, there is no simple answer. It depends on the type of work you'd be doing, the length of the assignment, the history of the aid organization within a given specific country, the relationship of the local medical organizations to the aid organization, and much more.

In general, MSF, PIH, CARE and other medical aid organizations are happy to take DO's. Just look at their website recruiting pages. But you need to familiarize yourself with which countries have granted full practice rights to DOs, and expect that if the host country isn't DO-savvy yet, you can't do aid work there.

All this said, my ability to work for MSF et al was a critical factor for me in pursuing the DO degree. I'm satisfied that (a) there will always be plenty of international medical aid work to do and that (b) which medical degree I earn is not going to be in the top ten list of considerations for an organization that wants to put me to work.

 

[DrMidlife]

MSF-Doctors Without Borders considers MD=DO. You can volunteer regardless of which degree you have.

Check out the eighth question/answer on this link:

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/volunteer/field/faq.cfm#criteria

But just so we're not blowing smoke up anybody's fanny, let's be clear: you cannot practice medicine with MSF or any other aid organization in a country which does not recognize the DO degree, such as Brazil. This is an exception to the rule that DOs can practice freely with aid organizations. Over the next 5-10 years, it's only going to get easier for DOs, because demand for aid physicians will continue to exceed supply.

 

[MaximusD]

If you're going to do "international _____ " MD will provide the path of least resistance.

Thanks for the misinformation. Your posts are always insurpassably negligible in value. 👍

 

[fireflygirl]

Thanks for the misinformation. Your posts are always of insurpassably negligible in value. 👍

Nice.

 

[JaggerPlate]

It matters more what you're board scores are, your third and fourth year grades, and who you know. For some of the ubber-competitive residencies, it may be a slight disadvantage, but if you have out preformed your MD counterpart you'll get it.

Think about it this way, when you applied to medical school they may have looked at a guy from Harvard and a guy from X-Community College. Sure, that Harvard name sounds great, but if the guy from XCC got a 3.9 and a 35 MCAT while the guy at Harvard got a 3.0 and a 28 MCAT, who do you think they're going to pick? (Yes, I realize it's an extreme example, just trying to make a point)

Actually ... I hope the guy from Harvard because I go to an uber competitive, very prestigious undergrad and I know I could have a perfect gpa at a community college but I chose to go here so I hope that is taken into account somewhere.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Actually ... I hope the guy from Harvard because I go to an uber competitive, very prestigious undergrad and I know I could have a perfect gpa at a community college but I chose to go here so I hope that is taken into account somewhere.

That may be your case, but the MCAT scores tell a different scenario in this hypothetical situation.

 

[JaggerPlate]

That may be your case, but the MCAT scores tell a different scenario in this hypothetical situation.

I actually just came back to the boards because I realized he took into account the differing MCAT scores into the equation. My mistake ... the analogy is good 👍

 

[Lshapley]

Honest question, how do DO schools manage to fit OMM into their curriculum, in addition to everything else MD schools teach, in the same time frame (4 years to graduate)? Is the course load just more rigorous? Are the semesters and/or classes longer to incorporate the additional material? Or are certain courses covered in lighter detail than what would be covered in allopathic schools, in favor of teaching OMM? Are certain rotations not done to allow for an OMM rotation (I'm not sure all DO schools have or even require an OMM rotation. I thought a few might have though, no?)

Keep in mind that every school, MD and DO, teaches a slightly different curriculum. Some schools will have you studying day and night, other schools will have a curriculum where you don't need to work nearly as hard and yet have similar success on the boards. An extreme example is Duke which has managed to take the two pre-clinical years and condense them into one year!

Looking at the Duke example, in particular, it should be possible to fit the 300 hours into the pre-clinical years and still have good pass rates on the boards. The question is whether the curriculum is designed well enough to allow students to do this. Knowing the pass rates at your school as well as the students' study habits would go along way to answer this questioning at whichever school you are interested in.

 

[Willh]

Much like McDonald's, the AOA has an annual Monopoly game. You literally donate anything from a quarter and up...and you get a game piece. Play the game, you can win anything from Stethoscopes and scalpels, all the way up to higher end items like 20 something year old female nurses. There are many ways to win, and you can even get free game pieces through the website and mail (so that it isn't gambling). It's unique. It sets us apart from the whole allopathic crowd. I'm pretty sure they have a Sudoku game or something, but you don't win anything other than bragging rights.