DO? or NOT?

[RockMcat520]

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General questions:

Is it possible for a DO to become a neurosurgeon? What are the reasons students try to stay away from DO schools? any disadvantages?

 

[piii]

The people that go to DO schools are the ones who cant use a search bar

 

[ewax]

 

[ifnotnowwren]

I personally know of a DO neurosurgeon. Here are four in one location. http://studentnis.org/about-us/ So yes, it is possible and has been achieved by multiple people. If you want to be a neurosurgeon you are going to need to work your ass off, regardless of whether or not you are a DO or MD. I've encountered DOs in every speciality.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

The people that go to DO schools are the ones who cant use a search bar

Honestly this is a common problem, I suggest a correlation between search function use and ability to be accepted, thoughts?

(Heck with some of the other threads out there I might as well make this a thread in and of itself 😀)

 

[deleted407021]

The only NS in my town is a DO.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

To be honest it is probably significantly harder to become a neurosurgeon from a DO school. However becoming an NS from even an Ivy League MD school is extremely challenging.

So if you have the option between Md and Do, take MD. If not, your dream is still attainable as a DO.

Also remember that at the end of med school you may not be competitive for NS regardless of school.

 

[ChrisMack390]

PCOM has a neurosurg residency.

 

[Officer Farva]

Do. Or do not. There is no try.

 

[Dr. Death]

General questions:

Is it possible for a DO to become a neurosurgeon? What are the reasons students try to stay away from DO schools? any disadvantages?

1. Search bar
2. Because search bar
3. Search bar

Well looks like my work here is done

 

[Mad Jack]

You won't become a neurosurgeon regardless of the route you pick, but your chances would be far lower as a DO than an MD. Students prefer MD schools because they provide wider postgraduate opportunities and the degree us more widely recognized. DO schools will require you to work harder to get to the same place as your MD counterparts and will close a few of the higher tier doors out there entirely.

/thread

 

[Turkishking]

DO is more primary care.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

DO is more primary care.

While a higher percentage of DOs go into primary care, that is completely irrelevant here

 

[JustAPhD]

To DO, or to not DO, that is the search bar.

 

[ortnakas]

Objection, asked and answered.

 

[DNC127]

"Dr. Dickerman, D.O., Ph.D. has been voted as one of America’s Top Neurosurgeons year after year including 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. In American Way magazine Dr. Dickerman was voted by his peers as one of America’s Top Doctors. In 2011 Newsweek named Dr. Dickerman as one of the Top 15 Leaders in Neurosurgery" . -neurotexas.com

 

[whatever5]

You'd make it very difficult to be become a neurosurgeon by being a DO, which is already a very difficult thing to do.

 

[AlteredScale]

General questions:

Is it possible for a DO to become a neurosurgeon? What are the reasons students try to stay away from DO schools? any disadvantages?

Yes its possible. Yes its 100x harder than going into even the lowest of low tier MD schools. Why? Imo a huge part of it is most DO programs dont even have a Neurosurg department while many many MD schools have a strong program in NS. Having the home inst there not only gets you letters but gets you research opps and connections down the road. If you choose DO fot neurosurg or bust you better be ready for a huge huge obstacle to climb.

 

[Mad Jack]

"Dr. Dickerman, D.O., Ph.D. has been voted as one of America’s Top Neurosurgeons year after year including 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. In American Way magazine Dr. Dickerman was voted by his peers as one of America’s Top Doctors. In 2011 Newsweek named Dr. Dickerman as one of the Top 15 Leaders in Neurosurgery" . -neurotexas.com

A feat that is surely beyond someone that is unable to use the search function.

 

[Mad Jack]

Yes its possible. Yes its 100x harder than going into even the lowest of low tier MD schools. Why? Imo a huge part of it is most DO programs dont even have a Neurosurg department while many many MD schools have a strong program in NS. Having the home inst there not only gets you letters but gets you research opps and connections down the road. If you choose DO fot neurosurg or bust you better be ready for a huge huge obstacle to climb.

Another big problem is that many DO neurosurgeons people use as examples were trained in DO neurosurgery residencies, many of which are likely going to close due to the merger.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Summary of MD vs DO Differences