DO Disadvantages?

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UT2226

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I am deliberately posting this in the MD forum to get an opinion from this crowd.

Are there any disadvantages that you can see in going to an osteopathic medical school (that has excellent pass rates for USMLE Steps 1 & 2)?

There is a DO school in my home state and close to my family. I am very inclined toward surgery and being involved with medical research, if that makes a significant difference.

Thoughts?
 
efro1g.gif


spot for sale
 
And tbh I remember someone at some point on SDN saying something about how grant reviewers scoff at people who have DOs as opposed to MDs
 
Planes2Doc said:
I actually met quite a few people who see DO physicians as patients. They are satisfied and apparently they aren't dead.
Click to expand...

:laugh:

The reason I'm not applying DO is that fewer countries world-wide acknowledge them as full-blown physicians. France does, but Japan does not.

For surgery, I understand they can be quite successful.
 
CrimsonKing said:
It's more difficult to get into the extremely competitive specialties like Neurosurgery and Plastic Surgery. Beyond that, there aren't any real disadvantages imo.
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Wouldn't that be sure to change since residencies have or are changing all to ACGME accreditation?

Anyways.....OP you have the search function
 
Can't wait.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile
 
Dr. JGimpel should be well-versed in this subject. He should be arriving in this thread soon. :meanie:
 
UT2226 said:
I am deliberately posting this in the MD forum to get an opinion from this crowd.

Are there any disadvantages that you can see in going to an osteopathic medical school (that has excellent pass rates for USMLE Steps 1 & 2)?

There is a DO school in my home state and close to my family. I am very inclined toward surgery and being involved with medical research, if that makes a significant difference.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

If you can, just go to an MD school. You are interested in surgery and medical research and both of those sort of shy away from DO. The fact is, there is a sort of bias against DOs. If I were you, I would choose MD over DO just because of that. I don't know how important being close to your family is to you, but if its not very important, I would choose MD.
 
Xenops said:
:laugh:

The reason I'm not applying DO is that fewer countries world-wide acknowledge them as full-blown physicians. France does, but Japan does not.

For surgery, I understand they can be quite successful.
Click to expand...

Might change your mind once you get 25 MCAT.
 
Xenops said:
:laugh:

The reason I'm not applying DO is that fewer countries world-wide acknowledge them as full-blown physicians. France does, but Japan does not.

For surgery, I understand they can be quite successful.
Click to expand...

You must have ample international medicine experience to have already decided you're going to practice abroad.

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Medstart108 said:
If you can, just go to an MD school. You are interested in surgery and medical research and both of those sort of shy away from DO. The fact is, there is a sort of bias against DOs. If I were you, I would choose MD over DO just because of that. I don't know how important being close to your family is to you, but if its not very important, I would choose MD.
Click to expand...

If they had a choice, yes, go MD for those reasons (though it depends what kind of surgery you're interested in). But OP may have issues such as being married and spouse can't leave their job, family is sick etc etc. Now if they haven't even applied yet, lets wait until OP doesn't even get in to their state DO school since people seem to forget getting into A DO school is different than getting into their dream DO school.

Though seriously the looming residency crunch has me a little worried :scared:. There are quite a few seats opening up for both MD and DO schools but only a static amount of residency spots. Should be an interesting 2015 match...
 
Oh boy! What a refreshing thread. Phew, I was getting parched.
 
DOs are barely competitive for top specialties, like derm and plastics, and top residency programs, like JHU. Aside from those extreme cases, the only other real disadvantage is if you wanted to do research. I'm fairly certain that if you are not interested in any of the above, a DO will get you just as far as an MD would.

LizzyM said:
I think it is much harder for DOs to find suitable marriage partners in certain American subcultures that still engage in matchmaking.

I have DOs on the faculty of my med school.
Click to expand...

Hehehehe.
 
you should just go carib, no disadvantages there at all
 
MedPR said:
You must have ample international medicine experience to have already decided you're going to practice abroad.

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Click to expand...

Not really; still researching how medicine works in other countries. But I did spend some time in Japan, and I loved it. 😍 I just have to get fluent in Japanese 😉

Here is my role model: http://www.internationalclinic.org/dr_schlemper.html
 
drshark said:
you should just go carib, no disadvantages there at all
Click to expand...

Lol I saw an ad today on TV (Indian channels) for a Caribbean med school and they showed a coupon code for $25 off your application fee!

What an awesome deal!

Sent from my Galaxy S2
 
would a DO have more difficulties acquiring an average general surgery residency than an MD would?

i understand that general surgery isn't as competitive as ROAD specialties.
 
Ravizzle said:
Lol I saw an ad today on TV (Indian channels) for a Caribbean med school and they showed a coupon code for $25 off your application fee!

What an awesome deal!

Sent from my Galaxy S2
Click to expand...

Wow epic deal. Think I'll send my app in now!!
 
aspiring20 said:
would a DO have more difficulties acquiring an average general surgery residency than an MD would?

i understand that general surgery isn't as competitive as ROAD specialties.
Click to expand...

It's still relatively competitive. My guess would be yes.
 
Medstart108 said:
If you can, just go to an MD school. You are interested in surgery and medical research and both of those sort of shy away from DO. The fact is, there is a sort of bias against DOs. If I were you, I would choose MD over DO just because of that. I don't know how important being close to your family is to you, but if its not very important, I would choose MD.
Click to expand...

I don't know anything about medical research, but I think that you are wrong about surgery. From what I've heard (so of course, possibly inaccurate) only a few elite specialties and residencies avoid DOs. The biggest difference is that MDs tend to do better on their USMLEs, which means they're more competitive for residency.

I have a hard time believing that if, as a DO student, you elect to take the USMLEs and do tremendously on them, and do well in medical school, that you will not be able to get into the specialty that you want.

I currently prefer MD, but that is ONLY because I am fairly interested in neurosurgery, which is one of those aforementioned extreme specialties that appears to hold onto its bias against DOs.

But do look into the trends with medical research, because I have no idea. I'd guess it wouldn't be much different either, as the degrees mean the same thing.
 
LaCroix09 said:
I don't know anything about medical research, but I think that you are wrong about surgery. From what I've heard (so of course, possibly inaccurate) only a few elite specialties and residencies avoid DOs. The biggest difference is that MDs tend to do better on their USMLEs, which means they're more competitive for residency.

I have a hard time believing that if, as a DO student, you elect to take the USMLEs and do tremendously on them, and do well in medical school, that you will not be able to get into the specialty that you want.

I currently prefer MD, but that is ONLY because I am fairly interested in neurosurgery, which is one of those aforementioned extreme specialties that appears to hold onto its bias against DOs.

But do look into the trends with medical research, because I have no idea. I'd guess it wouldn't be much different either, as the degrees mean the same thing.
Click to expand...

Residency PDs discriminate against a lot of things, some of which you can control and others you can't. It's best to control as many of those variables as possible, including graduating from an MD school as opposed to a DO school.
 
aspiring20 said:
would a DO have more difficulties acquiring an average general surgery residency than an MD would?

i understand that general surgery isn't as competitive as ROAD specialties.
Click to expand...

Not really. GenSurge is very low on the "competitive specialty" list. They may have troubles getting fellowships like Cardiothoracic or Vascular surgery, but not for the general residency.
 
CrimsonKing said:
Not really. GenSurge is very low on the "competitive specialty" list. They may have troubles getting fellowships like Cardiothoracic or Vascular surgery, but not for the general residency.
Click to expand...
What? This is totally backwards.
Gen surg is average competitiveness, CT fellowships are very low competitiveness.
 
CrimsonKing said:
Not really. GenSurge is very low on the "competitive specialty" list. They may have troubles getting fellowships like Cardiothoracic or Vascular surgery, but not for the general residency.
Click to expand...

CT and Vascular residencies are extremely competitive. The fellowships are not. Pedi surg and surg onc are the most competitive fellowships.
 
There is talk brewing that DO and MDs might have a unified residency program in the near future. If this is the case, then going the DO route really won't be significant different than MD. However, I think residency programs will become more competitive since there is a larger pool of applicants. Here is an article: http://www.aacom.org/news/latest/Pages/gme.aspx
 
It's not just with competitive specialties that DO"s will have issues at, but generally competitive work locations. My dad is an primary care physician in the boston area and says he knows of just one DO practitioner at the more competitive hospitals.

I'd actually be curious about how competitive the job market is for DO's AFTER residency as per my example. I just really have this one anecdote but would be interested to hear from people who have more info.
 
alerk323 said:
It's not just with competitive specialties that DO"s will have issues at, but generally competitive work locations. My dad is an primary care physician in the boston area and says he knows of just one DO practitioner at the more competitive hospitals.

I'd actually be curious about how competitive the job market is for DO's AFTER residency as per my example. I just really have this one anecdote but would be interested to hear from people who have more info.
Click to expand...

In depends on which state. Michigan has a strong DO presence, so it appears to be a better place to be a DO.
 
All jokes aside, I'm glad this is not your typical MD vs DO thread, since this is actually discussing useful things like residencies/fellowships and such. I hate it when it turns into

DO: "We're better"
MD: "No, we're better!"

Thanks to all who are actually providing good information regarding the issue
 
Present!

DOs have many options in the DO world and around the world, very few in the MD world beyond the same basic ones that a DO student could have applied for there (Primary Care)...in the first place. Do well on your USMLE and COMLEX and only a few doors will be absolutely shut to you. Consider that many of those research institutions are deep in 'da hood,' and SDN can't protect you there.

For those with Tiger parents, go Carribean over DO and have only the choices that the USMD and DO students left behind in an attempt to please your parents and the spouse they have chosen for you.

General surgery: Morning rounds, Lap chole, lap chole, hernia repair, lap chole, lyse adhesion, then:
office hours denying Percocet and Morphine pumps to half your patients while pulling staples and stiches, then:
evening rounds where you poke the belly, do a DRE, insert NG tube and order a stool osmolarity just for fun with the 3 x C. diff. toxin assay that makes the nurses hate you.
Back the next 6 days for more of this. Enjoy.

DO: "Tastes great!"
MD: Less feeling.
That sucked, I need more coffee.

For all the rest, please use the search button.

Peace out.
 
LizzyM said:
I think it is much harder for DOs to find suitable marriage partners in certain American subcultures that still engage in matchmaking.

I have DOs on the faculty of my med school.
Click to expand...

Yea but that's more because DOs are more likely to go into "low-prestige" fields like FP, which these cultures see as undesirable. If a DO matched into Rads, he would have no problem with finding attractive partners. I don't think people in these cultures care if you're a MD, DO, MBBS, or whatever, it's more about money and prestige.
 
Last edited:
HughMyron said:
Yea but that's more because DOs are more likely to go into "low-prestige" fields like FP, which these cultures see as undesirable. If a DO matched into Rads, he would have no problem with finding attractive partners. I don't think people in these cultures care if you're a MD, DO, MBBS, or whatever, it's more about money and prestige.
Click to expand...

My understanding is that in Indian culture DO is not considered a "real" doctor.

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touchpause13 said:
My understanding is that in Indian culture DO is not considered a "real" doctor.

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Click to expand...

My experience with Indian friends supports this.

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touchpause13 said:
My understanding is that in Indian culture DO is not considered a "real" doctor.

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Click to expand...

First of all, "India" itself is a modern political construct, and there is no such thing as a unified "Indian culture." Indeed, Indian groups are so varied that its impossible to make generalizations about them. Yes, some Indians may have issues with DOs. Personally, I don't, and I would have been happy to attend a DO school.
 
HughMyron said:
First of all, "India" itself is a modern political construct, and there is no such thing as a unified "Indian culture." Indeed, Indian groups are so varied that its impossible to make generalizations about them. Yes, some Indians may have issues with DOs. Personally, I don't, and I would have been happy to attend a DO school.
Click to expand...

And by Indian I mean people that are brown skinned, but not obviously of a different origin... Many of my "indian" friends are from Pakistan.

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