DO school environment

[solie]

Hi all,

A few of my friends are in chiropractic school, and constantly complain about the "anti-MD" sentiments of many of their instructors. This attitude seems like a big insecurity thing on the part of those instructors if you ask me.

Anyway, I was wondering if any of you have seen any of this in DO schools? Any "we're better than they are" type stuff, comparing DO's to MD's? Any MD-bashing?

Is the atmosphere at some DO schools more like this than others?

It would be helpful to find out, so I don't end up in such an unfortunate environment one day.

Thanks for any comments!

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[BigSkyDreams]

Howdy,

S,
At least in my circle (KCOM), it never comes up. I just don't think anyone (except premeds and chiros(?)) really cares. The instructor don't make statements one way or the other.

We are (will) learning the same medical techniques used by the allopaths, but we are learning the body and how it functions in a very physical hands on level as well. This is allowing me to see and think about the structure and function on a practical (to me, that is) level.

I do't know about the other school.

 

[Yosh]

I am a MS1 at Western/COMP, and there is no mention of MD. vs. DO...none that I am aware of...we are different philosophies..with the same goal...to treat and help patients.

Once you are in med school...no one talks about MCAT, gpa, etc...except joking around....its all behind you...

At least that has been my experience...we are all going to be collegues...so why trash each other?

Best of luck out there....I have DC's in my class...and their knowledge of anatomy is AMAZING!!!! Its great to have 'em!!!

 

[Mr. happy clown guy]

There was alot of anti MD sentiment in my OMT class...as well as anti P.T. and definitely anti Chiropractic.

 

[B_ADAMS]

I haven't found that anyone (profs or students)really says anything about MD vs DO.

As a matter of fact, we have several MDs that teach at our school. Both are great people and the issue never comes.

We are learning the same material on the didactic level, except for the omt.

I don't feel there is any hostility.

 

[OldManDave]

As you progress in your medical education, you will discover that the MD vs DO debate chiefly rages within the confines of the traditional aged pre-meds and within the crusty old-farts of both the MD & DO ranks (the crusty old guys have been around long enough to hold prejudices from a time when there was real discrimination b/t the two).

You may also find some residual dissent in regions of the country where there are minimal numbers of DOs...this is based in ignorance. Sadly, it is not generally the patients, as they could usually care less about the initials behind your sig (if they can even read it)...it is generally from a few hold-out Docs who fear the encroachment, at least in my opinion -- based on casual observation & hear-say.

The same also holds true for the Doc vs DC thing. KCOM always has a few DC-students and DC to DO enrollees - I suspect this to be true in many DO & MD schools. Neither DCs nor DC-students were or are mutants or med school rejects. They are simply people who decided their original career track was not the best choice and opted for another route.

 

[Yosh]

I was just wondering what school the Happy Clown had/is attending...out of curiousity??

Not that I am expecting a response..but let's see...

I have friends at quite a few DO's schools...and have never heard of this "BASHING" that is sooo prominent at this person's school

 

[Mr. happy clown guy]

Yosh, I never called it "bashing". There were MANY sarcastic comments towards MD's by the "old school" people in the OMT departments. Such as "well if you were an allopath you would just give drugs and send them to PT" or "Most MD's would consider this psycho-somatic pain, but because we are DO's we know better" or "MD's look at medicine from a reductionist view and we as DO's should not"

More examples? Perhaps the constant "we treat the Whole patient" type of bantor we hear...who doesn't treat the whole patient??

It isn't bashing but rather constant reminders of sore feeling between old professions.

Open your ears and you will hear it.

By the way, I am not going to say where I went to school...it is a good school with fine professors and fine students.

 

[Yosh]

Ok...point taken..

I hear ya...but it is not a predominant theme or attitude that I have experienced as an Osteopathic student....

sure..at times it has been pointed out...an Allopath would prescribe meds here and thats it...where we would..engage this barrier..and manipulate this spinous process, but more for information where we differ...not "bashing" per say...

I guess it all depends on the presentation of the information and how it is taken...

I never got a negative vibe...nor people I know at other osteopathic schools...

Interesting though....

 

[BADunning]

Ben,

You should get out of here and study, you know blocks are Monday.

Oops, I just gave myself away. Gotta run!

 

[TCOM-2005]

The difference is only in name. Outside of an osteopathic academic environment the differences just don't exist to the extent we are lead to believe.