DO, MD or MDO - what would you prefer?

[Static Line]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Dunno if I was clear about this since you only quoted part of what I said, but I'm fine with MD's changing to something else too. I'm not claiming that DO's should switch to MD. It doesn't matter to me.

I'd probably prefer it if everybody was just licensed as a medical provider ("MP") with a level that designates what the license entails. A PA or an NP can be MP-I, primary care doc MP-2, specialist MP-3, etc. Make it a simple step-ladder system like nursing does. I don't think that doctors need to be treated as godly or greedy as the lay public seems to like to treat them.

Worse idea than MDO.

 

[Critical Mass]

Ahh...Im sure the primary care docs would love being designated as an MP-1 while their colleagues with an additional year of training are an MP-2!



Maybe we should implement government set financial packages as well.

Personally I think I would automatically be at least an MP-3 because I know OMM and an MD family doc doesnt.

So how about this...

PAs and NPs = MP-1
MD primary care = MP-2
DO primary care and MD specialist = MP-3
DO specialist = MP-4

We could all wear different color belts based on our rank and abilities.

The insurance companies already bill based on what you can and can't do, so I'm fine with it. Primary care docs already agree that they have less training than specialists. That's why they refer out to the person who gets paid more.

Medicare = "government-set financial package"

Really as far as what people call everyone, MP, care provider, etc. is fine. I promote the burning of the white coat and banning the use of out-dated titles. Lay people already see a surgeon as "higher" than a family doctor so a number distinction would be irrelevant.

 

[nvshelat]

You people doin all this explaing are doing it to yourself. First, the lay public didn't know there was a difference. Then Mr Public came to see you, and YOU told him there was a difference. Then you tried to explain it. Of course it's gonna peak his curiosity but it's your fault to begin with. Someone asked me onetime what DO was, I said, "it's a medical degree." They said, "oh." That was it my friend.

Explaining a simple viral infection to someone and telling them they don't need an antibiotic is worth explaining but at the end of the day if you gave them an antibiotic they would be happier because you did something for them. They don't know better. You are the doc, not them.

You also just overloaded them with info, and they forgot everything you said. Unless you are dumb enough to use the word "hollistically" somewhere in your little speech. Then they remember you are the doc who treats people naturally which is BS. Explaining the DO degree to them is worthless, useless and makes no sense. WHY do you do it?????

I think most of you are just SOUR GRAPES because you were too stupid to get into an MD institution, and you want to do everything you can to get MD behind your name. Quite frankly, you don't deserve MD behind your names because you weren't smart enough to earn it. You bunch of ingrates also don't deserve the DO behind your name either because you are not smart enough to realize something good when it slaps you in the face.

I can't belive some of you may be a colleague of mine. I will go find a bunch of MD's to work with so I don't have to work around a bunch of whinny, cry-baby DO's.

Moderator--Close this thread.

Wow! I can't find an icon for this one... Seriously I think you overdid it here. First of all, I consider it an honor and priveledge (sp?) to be a doctor. To embrace such an intimate relationship with another human being is a special thing, and I do not for one second take it lightly. I would use caution before assuming that all of us are "sour grapes" that did not get into an allopathic institution. For me, I think the merits of OMM (and I do believe there are many) are not enough to say it is a completely different type of medicine, which is what having initials other than MD implies.
I have to disagree with you when you say the lay public doesn't know the difference. I would argue that, in fact, when many see something other than MD, they think it is inferior.

I hope the moderator doesn't close this thread b/c I like to procrastinate.

 

[Dr JPH]

Believe it. I was dumbfounded myself since PCOM is all of 15 mins away. But there ya go.

I don't.

Penn has DOs on staff and in many of their residency programs.

Id be interested in knowing what department this doc was in.

 

[nvshelat]

I don't.

Penn has DOs on staff and in many of their residency programs.

Id be interested in knowing what department this doc was in.

Yes, I know. Their PMR department has a recent NYCOM grad. The physician was an assistant professor of emergency medicine

 

[newbie04]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Static Line
I think most of you are just SOUR GRAPES because you were too stupid to get into an MD institution, and you want to do everything you can to get MD behind your name. Quite frankly, you don't deserve MD behind your names because you weren't smart enough to earn it. You bunch of ingrates also don't deserve the DO behind your name either because you are not smart enough to realize something good when it slaps you in the face.

I can't belive some of you may be a colleague of mine. I will go find a bunch of MD's to work with so I don't have to work around a bunch of whinny, cry-baby DO's.

Moderator--Close this thread.

Moderator, ban this hater.

Wow, I sure hope I don't have you as a colleague. It is funny how this turned into a discussion about being "smart enough," which is completely asinine.

That's not what this is about at all.

BACK ON TOPIC: the President of the AOA is entertaining the possibility of a degree name change (which can be found on his blog). It must be a *real* issue if the "old school" leader of the AOA is fostering discussion on his blog about this very topic.

This could be a fruitful discussion without the childish attacks after every single post--it's getting old.

 

[Static Line]

Wow, I sure hope I don't have you as a colleague. It is funny how this turned into a discussion about being "smart enough," which is completely asinine.

That's not what this is about at all.

BACK ON TOPIC: the President of the AOA is entertaining the possibility of a degree name change (which can be found on his blog). It must be a *real* issue if the "old school" leader of the AOA is fostering discussion on his blog about this very topic.

This could be a fruitful discussion without the childish attacks after every single post--it's getting old.

I made my comments about smarts for one reason. I know what goes on at my school and the people who relish the thought of name change. These are the folks who are complaining about everything from OMM to the AOA and everything in between. They hate the fact that they are going to be DO's. Many will outright tell you that they wish they got into an MD school. Many at my school openly discuss how poor they did on the MCAT so I am not just guessing.

On the other hand, I know many others in my class who chose DO school for the manual, hands on skills they would learn here. They chose DO school, it wasn't a backseat for them. Others appreciate the DO philosophy although, other than lip service, I don't really see where it is truly an applicable practice. However, the common theme among them is that many of them are quite content with the DO name as I am.

My own personal opinion is that Strosneider is fielding many of these name change complaints at conferences etc... from those who wanted to be MD's but they couldn't compete for one reason or another at an allo institution. Usually MCAT is the reason. So this is their backdoor to a degree title that they really want. But they don't get it unless they run over other people who wanted to be here and like the DO name. Selfish.

True, I could tone it down a bit. I have a habit of calling a spade, a spade. I've been called to the bosses office many times because of it, and it hasn't changed me yet. I've never minced my words, and therfore you know where I am coming from. I too think this could be a fruitful discussion but those who want the name change need to come clean, fess up to what and why they want this name change. It certainly isn't because people don't know what a DO is. Do you think they'll know what an OMD, MDO or any of those other titles are? No! Will they ever. Likely not. People know two things: MD or Dr. That's it.

They see their Dentist-They call him Doctor
They see their Optometrist -They call him Doctor
They see their Podiatrist -They call him Doctor
Hell, They see their Chiro --They call him Doctor.

Every one of these people have doctorate level degrees with multiple initials after their names. No one is confused. They just call them doctor and trust their judgements.

They see their MD family physician--They call him Doctor
They see their DO family physician--They don't say, "what's a DO?"

The name change is all about prestige. DO doesn't sound as cool a MD, and most of these people can't handle that. Well they should have thought about it before applying to a DO school. They should have went to the Caribbean as they would be happier having MD behind their name.

 

[ceftazidime]

Wow, I didn't mean to stir up such deep seated rage within everyone about the DO designation. You all assume that I am one of those people that didn't get into MD school, so I am stuck with being a DO. Well let me tell you something - I was accepted to an allopathic school, but chose an osteopathic one for 2 reasons: 1) I was interested in learning OMM, and strongly believed in the osteopathic philosophy. 2) I wanted to stay within my home state.

If these people who "just want an MD" cared so much about the letters, they would have went to a Carribean school to get an MD. The only plausible explanation is that they didn't really care about the letters that much from the beginning.

Somebody mentioned that I should be thankful to the profession that accepted me. And I am very thankful to the osteopathic medical profession and the college of osteopathic medicine that took me in. I am proud to be and osteopathic medical student, and cannot wait to get my degree in "doctor of osteopathic medicine". I did not come here to become a DO, I came here to be an osteopathic physician. (and no, JPHazelton, "OP" would not make sense because it's a doctorate degree). The actual letters "DO" are irrelevant to the fact that we will be physicians who are capable of diagnosing and treating with our hands. One might argue "so why do even care about changing it to MDO?" Well, because that better represents what we really are.

Somebody mentioned that changing to MDO could potentially confuse the people who already know what a DO is. And that is a good point. Another point that I'm surprised you geniuses have not brought up is the possibility that changing the designation could undermine the progress made in gaining worldwide recognition as fully-trained physicians. If that is indeed the case, then I would be content with holding onto an inaccurate moniker.

 

[JayneCobb]

Yes, callgirl probably does sound more appealing than hooker or *****, but they all mean the same thing. Changing the name doesn't really have any effect. MDs and DOs are both physicians. People who are sick want a physician...end of story.

👍

Well put. Leave the degree alone. If you want a MD, go to an allopathic school.

 

[CommanderRiker]

Riker, from the U.S.S. Enterprise here.

Merging the D.O. name with the M.D. one is the best option. All D.O.s should be given the option to have M.D. initials. It'll end all the confusion.

Riker out, planet City Alpha 3.

 

[ceftazidime]

Riker, the from U.S.S. Enterprise here.

Merging the D.O. name with the M.D. one is the best option. All D.O.s should be given the option to have M.D. initials. It'll end all the confusion.

Riker out, planet City Alpha 3.

Why would you want only "MD" initials if you learned osteopathic principles and practice over 4 years? If all you want is an MD, you should have went to an allopathic school. I'm being totally serious here... and I want to clarify my position. I do not want a merger so that DOs become MDs, I want the DO designation to improve to MDO.

 

[Dr JPH]

The physician was an assistant professor of emergency medicine

At PENN?

The same PENN that has at least one DO ER attending (that I know personally).

The same PENN that has at least 2 DO trauma surgery fellows (that I know personally).

I think you had better come up with another type of lie. This one has been exposed.

 

[Dr JPH]

If all you want is an MD, you should have went to an allopathic school.

He couldnt get in. The adcom at the MD school he interviewed at was a Klingon.

 

[nvshelat]

At PENN?

The same PENN that has at least one DO ER attending (that I know personally).

The same PENN that has at least 2 DO trauma surgery fellows (that I know personally).

I think you had better come up with another type of lie. This one has been exposed.

Dude I really don't understand why you have such a difficult time believing this. Your drama is really unecessary.
PENN is a rather large health care system. Offices in South Jersey are part of the PENN health care system, as is Presby. I was referring to HUP, maybe I should've clarified. Having done my undergrad at Penn, I consider Penn to be HUP. As you know, there are NO DO EM attendings at HUP. Trauma is a separate department. There is indeed one trauma FELLOW at HUP. There is also one DO at Presby.
I don't know, and didn't care to ask, what kind/how much interaction this particular HUP attending had with Trauma fellows and the attending at Presby. For all I know, she's more interested in research and scuba diving trauma than looking at initials of trauma fellows.
Chill out.

 

[Static Line]

Why would you want only "MD" initials if you learned osteopathic principles and practice over 4 years? If all you want is an MD, you should have went to an allopathic school. I'm being totally serious here... and I want to clarify my position. I do not want a merger so that DOs become MDs, I want the DO designation to improve to MDO.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this matter. Even if you did have an allopath acceptance and you didn't go, there are more in your camp who couldn't get near where you did. You genuinely believe that this designation would be an improvement, I think it will cause more confusion. Whatever the case, good luck in your career.

 

[Dr JPH]

Having done my undergrad at Penn,

🙂

 

[nvshelat]

🙂

Why are you assuming that I feel bad about myself?? JP, I really don't get it. Why do you run from everything so much? Moreover, why do you make it so obvious? Maybe thats why you're in surgery - the problems are so fixable.

If you care to answer my original question/argument and more forward with the fact that you could be mistaken, that may move this thread beyond personal attacks.

 

[somnolent]

So European docs should change their degree as well if they want to practice here?

Don't in many instances they do change their "degree." I seen several times when a foreign trained doc is listed or advertised as an MD. Only when you look at their credentials do you see that they have a MB,BS. What's the difference of them doing it, and current DOs from following their lead.

Also, does anyone think that the whole initial debate came up when schools started conferring the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine instead of Doctor of Osteopathy? I bet nobody was yelling heresy when we changed the wording on the diplomas. I would argue that that is a more important distinction than the "DO", so why the hub-bub with this discussion.

And for the record I am all about the brevity. I understand both sides of the arguement, but three letters behind my name is too much. So my suggestion is MD*. The asterisk is in the spirit of Barry Bonds. Just kidding.

somnolent, DO

 

[Creightonite]

Well, MDO could also refer to and MD --> DO. I know some MDs that decided to do some DO training and begane to do non-traditional medicine.

 

[Dr JPH]

So my suggestion is MD*. The asterisk is in the spirit of Barry Bonds. Just kidding.

👍

 

[smq123]

B/c it's annoying to explain, and when I do explain, some people just don't buy the fact that I'm gonna be a real doctor. I even applied for a summer research position at Upenn (UPenn of all places!) where the doctor I would have been working with asked me if I was in a "four year" program. (My response was, yes I am in medical school).

Sure, that must be annoying. I understand where you're coming from.

But the thing is, even if you were an allopathic student, on your way to getting an MD, you'd still have to deal with other people's preconceived (and often erroneous) notions.

Ex #1: My sister is an MD. Sometimes, though, even though she walks into a patient's room wearing her stethoscope, her coat (with the letters "MD" after her name) and her hospital ID with the words "Physician" on it in big red letters, guess what the patient calls her?

Nurse.

Ex #2: Tell the average non-medical person that you're going to study pathology in your 2nd year of med school. I'll bet you that they'll say, "Hey, that sounds interesting! Just like CSI, huh?" (Umm...no.)

Ex #3: How many times have you heard other medical students say that "Oh, he's going into pathology because he has no social skills," or "I bet she went into peds because she couldn't get anything more competitive." Medical students really ought to know better, but they often don't.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is - yes, it's annoying, and yes, sometimes it'd be easier to wear a giant sign that clarified other people's misconceptions. But, you'll be faced with dealing with other people's misconceptions no matter what you're doing.

 

[nvshelat]

Sure, that must be annoying. I understand where you're coming from.

But the thing is, even if you were an allopathic student, on your way to getting an MD, you'd still have to deal with other people's preconceived (and often erroneous) notions.

Ex #1: My sister is an MD. Sometimes, though, even though she walks into a patient's room wearing her stethoscope, her coat (with the letters "MD" after her name) and her hospital ID with the words "Physician" on it in big red letters, guess what the patient calls her?

Nurse.

Ex #2: Tell the average non-medical person that you're going to study pathology in your 2nd year of med school. I'll bet you that they'll say, "Hey, that sounds interesting! Just like CSI, huh?" (Umm...no.)

Ex #3: How many times have you heard other medical students say that "Oh, he's going into pathology because he has no social skills," or "I bet she went into peds because she couldn't get anything more competitive." Medical students really ought to know better, but they often don't.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is - yes, it's annoying, and yes, sometimes it'd be easier to wear a giant sign that clarified other people's misconceptions. But, you'll be faced with dealing with other people's misconceptions no matter what you're doing.

Excellent point.

 

[DOSouthpaw]

I want to pose a question to the 27 or so people who voted for "MDO, OMD, etc"

Why did you chose to attend a DO school in the first place?

And, if your answer is "because its the same as an MD", then why push for the name change?

I just dont see the point.

If you chose the DO school over an MD school for another reason, then you knew you would be getting a DO degree.

I am amazed at the lack of general knowledge about osteopathic medicine, even by our 1st & 2nd year students.

I have actually heard first year DO students pronounce it "osteoPAthy" instead of "osteOpathy". Ive met students who didnt know they had to take the COMLEX and those who didnt realize we had our own residency programs.

Quite pathetic

It's stuff like this that makes me wonder where the admissions people are in all of this???? Why would someone apply to something he/she did not understand anything about; why would an admissions person let someone in that did not even know how to pronounce the name? I heard a lecture by Norman Gevitz (The author of The DOs in America) and he said that admissions people need to raise their standards at DO schools. They need to let people in that want to be DOs, not MDs, PhDs, or WannaBes (I'm a poet and don't know it). If that means less applicants, they great, I'm tired of the increase in the # of schools and class sizes as it is. That would kill two birds with one stone. 🙂

 

[DOSouthpaw]

Why would you want only "MD" initials if you learned osteopathic principles and practice over 4 years? If all you want is an MD, you should have went to an allopathic school. I'm being totally serious here... and I want to clarify my position. I do not want a merger so that DOs become MDs, I want the DO designation to improve to MDO.

I would say that the term DO is already an impovement over MD. If you read Still's works, you will find that he started Osteopathy to be an improvement of current medical "science". To change to a MDO or other would mean that we as DOs, started as inferior to MD, finally reached an equal status, and have now surpassed it. Which is not in the thinking of Still at all. We were, and still are, a more potent theraputic force than allopathy on many different fronts when applied as the founder intended. The question is, will we continue to be "better than" or just settle for "same as"?

 

[newbie04]

We were, and still are, a more potent theraputic force than allopathy on many different fronts when applied as the founder intended. The question is, will we continue to be "better than" or just settle for "same as"?

Now, this is just stupid. This just perpetuates the divide between DOs and MDs. One profession is not "better" than the other--after all, we are both physicians. Oh wait, we know how to diagnose with our hands. This doesn't make us better, it gives us the opportunity to treat differently. That's it. Treating differently does not equate to better.

Why do we try to rationalize that we are better physicians? It is pointless and fosters a "reverse discrimination" attitude that we, ourselves, had many DOs in the past fight for us.

This "one upping" our colleagues is unnecessary at best.

 

[ceftazidime]

I would say that the term DO is already an impovement over MD. If you read Still's works, you will find that he started Osteopathy to be an improvement of current medical "science"

I agree, or else he would not have started osteopathy in the first place. And at that time, medical science was indeed very poor. You had drugs like mercury that could easily kill you. But a lot has changed, and there are DOs doing cardiac stem-cell research, addiction medicine, interventional radiology, etc.

We were, and still are, a more potent theraputic force than allopathy on many different fronts when applied as the founder intended. The question is, will we continue to be "better than" or just settle for "same as"?

I agree. When people ask me "what is the difference between MD and DO", I tell them that we get additional training in non-invasive methods of diagnosis and treatment. I'm not saying that we're superior to MDs, just that we receive additional training in a field that they do not study, and nobody can deny that fact. So what better way to say we are equal plus something different, than to add an "M" to the more important part, "DO".

To change to a MDO or other would mean that we as DOs, started as inferior to MD, finally reached an equal status, and have now surpassed it

That's a good point. But what irks me is... the degree has already changed from "Doctor of Osteopathy" to "Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine" years ago. Nobody had a problem with that. But now, it's as if we're hiding the fact that we study medicine, by not including it in our letters. It just seems like the next logical step would to become MDOs in my opinion, and to not do so would be misrepresentation.

 

[ceftazidime]

I implore you all to take 1 minute to forget that there is such a thing as "MD". Pretend that DOs are the only types of fully-licensed physicians in this country.
Now, our degree says "Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine". Like all other degrees in existence, the major words (aside from "of") are represented by the abbreviation. For example, DVMs are Doctors of Veterinary Medicne, DPMs are Doctors of Podiatric Medicine, DMDs are Doctors of Dental Medicine. I challenge you to think of any degree (besides our own) where the major words are not represented by the initials. Now, (remember that there is no such as MD right now)... shouldn't we make the correction?

 

[Dr JPH]

Oh wait, we know how to diagnose with our hands. This doesn't make us better

Ummm...yes it does.

Treating differently does not equate to better.

Its not treating different. I dont do anything different than an MD, I do MORE. And that is better...when you can offer the patient more comprehensive care, that is better.

Why do we try to rationalize that we are better physicians?

Who would you rather have as your personal physician? The one who says "well, I have done all I can do...you are going to have to deal with the back pain or keep taking the pain meds I gave."

Or would you rather have the physician who can do OMM...do more, and thus offer more complete care.

I think that would be...well...better.

 

[DOSouthpaw]

I'm still disappointed that the name was changed from Doctor of Osteopathy to Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Osteopath to Osteopathic Physician. Why add the qualifier? Osteopathy is what Osteopathy is. There is no need to add Medicine to it other than to make someone feel better about themselves (the whole "same as" attitude) We don't do that to specialties in medicine. If you are a Cardiologist, does that mean you don't practice medicine because medicine is not in the name? No, a cardiologist does an internal medicine residency just like an internal medicine physician, but people understand that Cardiologists practice medicine even though it is not in the name; they are Cardiologists, not Cardiology Physicians, they practice Cardiology, not Cardiology Medicine. The same should hold true for an Osteopath here in the US, we are Osteopaths, not Osteopathic Physicians, we practice Osteopathy, not Osteopathic Medicine. It's all about being too lazy/embarrassed to explain to people what you do and a lack of leadership in the AOA to embrace what they are.

Of course, I do understand that part of the reason of the transition is because of practice rights issues. You can tell if you look at the laws in states that took a long time to accept DOs, they are refered to as Osteopathic Physicians, Osteopathic Medicine, and Osteopathic Medical School; as if that needed to take place in order to gain practice rights. The states where we caught on early, it is still refered to as Osteopathy, Osteopaths, and Osteopathic School by the licensing boards.

 

[DOSouthpaw]

Now, this is just stupid. This just perpetuates the divide between DOs and MDs. One profession is not "better" than the other--after all, we are both physicians. Oh wait, we know how to diagnose with our hands. This doesn't make us better, it gives us the opportunity to treat differently. That's it. Treating differently does not equate to better.

Why do we try to rationalize that we are better physicians? It is pointless and fosters a "reverse discrimination" attitude that we, ourselves, had many DOs in the past fight for us.

This "one upping" our colleagues is unnecessary at best.

If you will notice that I said we are a more potent theraputic force in some areas, not all. So as JP was talking about, that does make us better in many areas, while at the same time being equal in others. When applied as the founder intended, we are both different (as the AOA always tells us lol), and better (which we are not allowed to say because the AOA and it's self hate won't let us say).

 

[Dr JPH]

It's all about being too lazy/embarrassed to explain to people what you do and a lack of leadership in the AOA to embrace what they are.

Summation of the entire post. Well said.

 

[spicedmanna]

It's all about being too lazy/embarrassed to explain to people what you do and a lack of leadership in the AOA to embrace what they are.

Wow, well said. 👍

 

[DiscoFever]

What DOs need is better publicity, not a degree change.

 

[rddoms]

That's an epic "Thread - back from the dead" post!

 

[randomusername]

What DOs need is better publicity, not a degree change.

I've been saying the same thing about PAs lately. It seems like anybody not involved in healthcare thinks PA=medical assistant...

 

[Black Adder]

It's been a few days since I've seen one of these threads up. At least someone's been using the search function rather than creating a new one...

 

[JaggerPlate]

I vote for DO

 

[WADO]

I've been saying the same thing about PAs lately. It seems like anybody not involved in healthcare thinks PA=medical assistant...

The bigger difference with PAs, though, is that they seem to want to obtain more independence with the name change, which I do not agree with. What I've been hearing more of as of late is the change from physician "assistant" to "associate." WTF? Seriously? It's like a backdoor way of becoming a physician. Isn't a physician's associate another physician? Hilarious stuff.

Not related to what I had to say above but this thread is embarassing for DOs. Hopefully times have changed from when this thread was originally created and the concensus isn't a need for a change in the initials.

Cheers,

WADO

 

[FutureCTDoc]

None of the above, MB BCh BAO Bachelors of Medicine, Bachelors of Surgery Bachelors of the Art of Obstetrics. Save me 3 years and 100k let me do a direct admit bachelors in medicine like the rest of the world, integrate OMM/OMT into the curriculum.

 

[Bacchus]

Ha. PCOM's bannerboard outside on the front lawn advertises us pretty well. These sayings should be everywhere.

1) To find health should be the object of the doctor, anyone can find disease.
2) DOs practice in all specialties.
3) PCOM Geriatrics now makes house calls!
4) Become a fan of PCOM on facebook.

 

[mabish71DO]

Eliminate the nonexistent profession....osteopathic "principles and practice" is a bunch of BS and everyone knows it. We have the same title in the end "physician" so why add another layer of BS....we mostly train in allopathic programs anyway....its time to get rid of the old farts in the AOA and speak up that we want people to recognize the initials after our name...the ONLY way of doing that is having the option of having an MD after our name.

 

[Daniel565]

I actually see a lot of potential in being "different" from MDs. While I have the impression that both certainly provide the same level of care, if the AOA's really smart about it, I don't see why they can't turn this 'special-minority' label into an advantage. After all, DOs do have extra training.

The downside is that the "DO" label is used by many non-physicians, in a lot of other places (like Quebec), so I also see how the label could add slight unnecessary confusion for patients at a private practice outside the US.

While I didn't vote because I'm not a medical student yet, I feel that the advantages of having a different but equal degree plus OMT have the potential to far outweigh the disadvantages of the present "stigma," assuming the AOA has super PR. I also feel like if AACOM can beef up the matriculating stats to match or exceed that of AACME the stigma could-possibly-might fade away a little faster.

Sorry if I'm wayy off, I'd be happy to be corrected; after all, I'm just a pre-med😳.

 

[christina30]

Eliminate the nonexistent profession....osteopathic "principles and practice" is a bunch of BS and everyone knows it. We have the same title in the end "physician" so why add another layer of BS....we mostly train in allopathic programs anyway....its time to get rid of the old farts in the AOA and speak up that we want people to recognize the initials after our name...the ONLY way of doing that is having the option of having an MD after our name.

You may be embarrassed that you're becoming a DO rather than an MD, but speak for yourself.

All of the whiners in this thread should've just gone to the Caribbean - I'm tired of hearing about your insecurities.

Leave it as DO 🙂

 

[st2205]

I don't think I could stomach the thought of MDO. I think that kind of change would be only to appease those who feel somewhat inferior, which would be awesome because then they'd get a much stronger "MD, Jr." label.

 

[mabish71DO]

I actually see a lot of potential in being "different" from MDs. While I have the impression that both certainly provide the same level of care, if the AOA's really smart about it, I don't see why they can't turn this 'special-minority' label into an advantage. After all, DOs do have extra training.

The downside is that the "DO" label is used by many non-physicians, in a lot of other places (like Quebec), so I also see how the label could add slight unnecessary confusion for patients at a private practice outside the US.

While I didn't vote because I'm not a medical student yet, I feel that the advantages of having a different but equal degree plus OMT have the potential to far outweigh the disadvantages of the present "stigma," assuming the AOA has super PR. I also feel like if AACOM can beef up the matriculating stats to match or exceed that of AACME the stigma could-possibly-might fade away a little faster.

Sorry if I'm wayy off, I'd be happy to be corrected; after all, I'm just a pre-med😳.

The AOA claims we have "extra training" that somehow makes us better. The fact of the matter is it is the individual not the institution that makes a good doctor. The only thing OMT does is distract from other things you need to study for that are more important. Look up the stats on OMT and see how many people actually use it (I think its about 2% of DOs). Practically every other course you take in medical school is a base for building medical knowledge. OMT is the exception. You have to put up with the BS for two years....

 

[mabish71DO]

You may be embarrassed that you're becoming a DO rather than an MD, but speak for yourself.

All of the whiners in this thread should've just gone to the Caribbean - I'm tired of hearing about your insecurities.

Leave it as DO 🙂

Its not an insecurity...its a reality. There is no difference between the professions other than having to put up with OMM and sometimes take two boards. There is no such thing as an "osteopathic physician" in the real world other than perhaps the AT still worshipers. The fact is we all train to be physicians, period.

 

[Styria]

Practically every other course you take in medical school is a base for building medical knowledge.

If you're not using OMT as a base for building medical knowledge, that's your own loss.

 

[NYDOC112]

The ACGME has recently declared that the only people that can display MD are those that earned that degree, Foreign Grads, most of which earn a MBBS( Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) previously were automatically given an MD title in the US. Now foreign grads must use their degree of MBBS ONLY. This goes for ID tags, Introductions, White coats etc... This essentially set up a 3rd type of physician in the US, MD, DO and MBBS. Its makes no difference what you are named you do the same job, Those going to the Caribbean which have ties to Britain etc..., will no longer earn a MD but a MBBS. People will be confused about what a MBBS is also.

 

[hussamdein]

If you're not using OMT as a base for building medical knowledge, that's your own loss.

I have a bunch of DO friends doing their residency who would laugh at you right now for even thinking that...

 

[Bacchus]

The ACGME has recently declared that the only people that can display MD are those that earned that degree, Foreign Grads, most of which earn a MBBS( Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) previously were automatically given an MD title in the US. Now foreign grads must use their degree of MBBS ONLY. This goes for ID tags, Introductions, White coats etc... This essentially set up a 3rd type of physician in the US, MD, DO and MBBS. Its makes no difference what you are named you do the same job, Those going to the Caribbean which have ties to Britain etc..., will no longer earn a MD but a MBBS. People will be confused about what a MBBS is also.

Source?