DO/PhD

[FutureDoc01]

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Will a DO/PhD help obtain a neurosurgery residency or cardiothoracic surgery residency through the MD match. I know there are some DO's that are in MD neuro spots. There is one in NY for example.


From my research I have noted that one would need excellent scores like a 235 USMLE score and excellent grades.


Does anyone know of any research heavy DO schools or where I could go to find this information.

I saw that LECOM has a lot of research labs.

 

[WNT Signaling]

Will a DO/PhD help obtain a neurosurgery residency or cardiothoracic surgery residency through the MD match. I know there are some DO's that are in MD neuro spots. There is one in NY for example.


From my research I have noted that one would need excellent scores like a 235 USMLE score and excellent grades.


Does anyone know of any research heavy DO schools or where I could go to find this information.

I saw that LECOM has a lot of research labs.

There are none. If you want to do research, your best bet is to go allopathic


You should not do a PhD because you think it will help you get a residency; you should do a PhD because you are genuinely interested in research

 

[Black Adder]

Will a DO/PhD help obtain a neurosurgery residency or cardiothoracic surgery residency through the MD match. I know there are some DO's that are in MD neuro spots. There is one in NY for example.


From my research I have noted that one would need excellent scores like a 235 USMLE score and excellent grades.


Does anyone know of any research heavy DO schools or where I could go to find this information.

I saw that LECOM has a lot of research labs.

For competetive residencies like those, being published and especially having first authorships seems to almost be a requirment (from what I've been reading on here..).... and you will presumably have a few of those if you are pursueing a PhD. However, getting a PhD solely for the purpose of being competitive for residency sounds like a HORRIBLE idea if you arn't actually passionate about the research work that you will be doing. Are you seriously considering committing 4+ years of your life pursuing a PhD simply to pad your application for residency?

 

[FutureDoc01]

I want to be a cardiothoracic surgeon. I am willing to do what I have to get me there.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Will a DO/PhD help obtain a neurosurgery residency or cardiothoracic surgery residency through the MD match. I know there are some DO's that are in MD neuro spots. There is one in NY for example.


From my research I have noted that one would need excellent scores like a 235 USMLE score and excellent grades.


Does anyone know of any research heavy DO schools or where I could go to find this information.

I saw that LECOM has a lot of research labs.

http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2009v3.pdf
Look at page 131, independent applicants. To match neurosurg as an independent applicant you need a very, very high step 1 score. 230s has a match rate of <30%. Even >260 only has a 60% match rate. They do not break up the numbers by DOs vs FMGs vs IMGs so it is hard to tell exactly what is going on except to say that it is difficult to match.

All we know is that there was 1 neurosurg match in 2009 (most recent data)
http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2009v3.pdf
There is a chart somewhere that shows how many applied but I can't find it.


If you want to match neurosurgery, you need to go to a school that not only has a few neurosurgeons but that also has research going on in neurosurg. It's a good thing to look into.

There are none. If you want to do research, your best bet is to go allopathic


You should not do a PhD because you think it will help you get a residency; you should do a PhD because you are genuinely interested in research

While I agree, a PhD does help people match.

 

[bigyihoroi]

If you are so concerned about doing research to help you get into competitive residency, why not just join a lab and do research and get something published instead of spending an extra two years in school to get a Ph.D?

 

[FutureDoc01]

What does independent mean?

 

[Instatewaiter]

independent means not a US MD student

 

[st2205]

So you want to be a cardiothoracic surgeon or neurosurgeon and claim that you'll do anything to get there, except the osteopathic match? Is this correct?

 

[Honze55]

You and every other Pre-Med.

so true.

 

[FutureDoc01]

I don't understand the osteopathic match I guess! I heard that you had to move around to different hospitals and that it was harder to secure jobs after. I heard this was the case for anesthesiology residency.

 

[VCU07]

Why would it be harder to obtain a job afterwards? You want to be a CT surgeon? Possible as a DO? Absolutely. One of the CT surgeons at MCV is a DO (no PhD). There are also quite a few DO fellows there.

 

[Isoprop]

The CIB has a list of DO/PhD programs.

 

[st2205]

I don't understand the osteopathic match I guess! I heard that you had to move around to different hospitals and that it was harder to secure jobs after. I heard this was the case for anesthesiology residency.

Anesthesiology is the only one where there it is supposed that it's harder to find a job, but I've never realy seen any solid reason for this other than people like to say it because everyone else does. But again, I'm not into anesthesia and never cared to look into it.

As far as moving hospitals, that is a generalization as some programs are in the middle of nowhere (surgery at Northeast Regional in Kirksville) where they have to do rotations periodically in St. Louis or Kansas City. But if, for instance, you're doing neurosurgery at Doctors Hospital in Columbus, you won't be leaving Columbus for rotations. If I'm not mistaken, none of the neurosurgery residencies are in little podunk towns, so this is likely a non-issue.

 

[FutureDoc01]

I couldn't find any CT osteopathic residencies on the AOA website except for the 1 in NJ.

 

[KTownGT]

I couldn't find any CT osteopathic residencies on the AOA website except for the 1 in NJ.

I think it has been mentioned that many DO residencies lack even a website.

🙁

 

[FutureDoc01]

Exactly! The only CT one I found was in NJ according to that site!

 

[mic2377]

It is a good time to revise your career plans if you are truly serious about doing something like CT or Neurosurg. Remember, you will be competing with some of the FINEST medical students of your graduating class. I am talking 4.0/36 people, who knock out 100's on path tests for fun, and would rather spend every Friday afternoon in the library followed by every Friday night in the lab.

So, to answer your question, NO, doing a DO/PhD program will NOT help. The research base at DO schools is nonexistent in comparison to even lower-tier MD schools. I interviewed at both MD and DO schools, and this was my perspective from both a distance and during my visits.

Additionally, you are not likely to achieve the USMLE scores you need to match into a ACGME (MD) residency while going to a DO school. To do so you will likely need to be very self-motivated about your board prep. While this has been achieved it is atypical.