DO school more time consuming than MD school?

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keevwu

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DO students need to learn everything MD students learn + OMT. Before their first board exams, they have to prepare for both the COMLEX and the USMLE (assuming they want to apply to MD residencies). Is it fair to say that DO students have more work on their hands during their 4 years in medical school? Or are there concepts MDs learn that DOs don't that balance it out?

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OMM is definitely a time commitment but one that is relatively minimal. We're talking <5hrs a week for M1-M2 except prior to exams. The majority of that is in lab, which is essentially a study break to learn to MSK techniques and review anatomy. If you can't manage that with your schedule you have far greater problems.

Each school has it's ups and downs. For example, my school lacks in embryology while other schools may not be strong in other areas. The same can be said at any program at any level of education - med schools are not 100% homogenous (this is why you use board review material).

One advantage of OMM would be that you need essentially zero anatomy review for board prep. I would be careful saying DO students are learning more than MD students, especially if you're not developing laboratory or clinical research skills, which most MD programs have greater access to. That can have a big impact on your career. It's a area lacking in the DO world and is a primary reason OMM is considered alternative medicine by the mainstream community.
 
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OMM is definitely a time commitment but one that is relatively minimal. We're talking <5hrs a week for M1-M2 except prior to exams. The majority of that is in lab, which is essentially a study break to learn to MSK techniques and review anatomy. If you can't manage that with your schedule you have far greater problems.

Each school has it's ups and downs. For example, my school lacks in embryology while other schools may not be strong in other areas. The same can be said at any program at any level of education - med schools are not 100% homogenous (this is why you use board review material).

One advantage of OMM would be that you need essentially zero anatomy review for board prep. I would be careful saying DO students are learning more than MD students, especially if you're not developing laboratory or clinical research skills, which most MD programs have greater access to. That can have a big impact on your career. It's a area lacking in the DO world and is a primary reason OMM is considered alternative medicine by the mainstream community.
imho, do schools are lacking the most in research opportunities. That may or may not bother you, depending if you want primary care or a competitive specialty.

Also, 5 hours is significant. That is five hours that can be spent on other things, like research, serving the community, studying, networking, or just vegging out.
 
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Yes, but for the first two years only. OMT training during clinical years is minimal at DO schools, and OMS III/IVs and MS III/IVs are on a level playing field.

Interestingly, my 3rd year students constantly tell me that on rotations with students from a top 20 MD school (let's call it X-SOM), they're surprised that the XSOM students do not know how to talk to patients, while mine do.
DO students need to learn everything MD students learn + OMT. Before their first board exams, they have to prepare for both the COMLEX and the USMLE (assuming they want to apply to MD residencies). Is it fair to say that DO students have more work on their hands during their 4 years in medical school?

Some of my young MD faculty colleagues tell me that their Faculty liked to lecture about their research!
Or are there concepts MDs learn that DOs don't that balance it out?
 
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Yes, but for the first two years only. OMT training during clinical years is minimal at DO schools, and OMS III/IVs and MS III/IVs are on a level playing field.

Interestingly, my 3rd year students constantly tell me that on rotations with students from a top 20 MD school (let's call it X-SOM), they're surprised that the XSOM students do not know how to talk to patients, while mine do.
DO students need to learn everything MD students learn + OMT. Before their first board exams, they have to prepare for both the COMLEX and the USMLE (assuming they want to apply to MD residencies). Is it fair to say that DO students have more work on their hands during their 4 years in medical school?

Some of my young MD faculty colleagues tell me that their Faculty liked to lecture about their research!
Or are there concepts MDs learn that DOs don't that balance it out?

This right here. I work at a medical school and I all hear from students (Both MD and MD/PHD) is that half the stuff that they learn from some of these super specialized researchers is not even remotely board relevant. It is a constant struggle with the faculty and the students... Most of the researchers dont want to teach anyways, so when they do, they cater to something that they personally find more interesting, but it wastes a lot of time for the students.

I am sure you receive a healthy balance of important information and useless facts at both MD and DO institutions.
 
imho, do schools are lacking the most in research opportunities. That may or may not bother you, depending if you want primary care or a competitive specialty.

I completely agree.

Depending on what kind of career and specialty you want, I highly recommend for DO students to look at neighboring MD institutions/major hospitals and find projects with PIs that are publishing consistently in quality journals.
 
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imho, do schools are lacking the most in research opportunities. That may or may not bother you, depending if you want primary care or a competitive specialty.

Also, 5 hours is significant. That is five hours that can be spent on other things, like research, serving the community, studying, networking, or just vegging out.

It's more like 3 hours per week at my school. I hardly call that significant.
 
It's more like 3 hours per week at my school. I hardly call that significant.

Mine too , I'd say 3 is average. I added a couple for people spending time on lectures or reading DiGiovanna :lol::lol::lol:

Studying for practicals is the day before and tests are casually the weekend before.
 
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Mine too , I'd say 3 is average. I added a couple for people spending time on lectures or reading DiGiovanna :lol::lol::lol:

Studying for practicals is the day before and tests are casually the weekend before.

Haha, right on
 
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