DO schools gay friendly?

[Tigrob939]

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I was wondering if there were any DO students who attends/have attended DO school (and hopefully someone from NYCOM can comment) that would know anything about being a gay DO student and what the environment in terms of that is like at school.

I have visted a few schools (both MD and DO) and it seemed that the DO schools had more conservative auras to them, which could be due to the fact that the MD schools were also universities with non-medicine and undergraduate programs.

Coming from a very liberal undergrad program, being "out" is not an issue. However, I don't know what being out is like in med school. Can people comment on this? Thanks.

 

[paramediclizard]

I was wondering if there were any DO students who attends/have attended DO school (and hopefully someone from NYCOM can comment) that would know anything about being a gay DO student and what the environment in terms of that is like at school.

I have visted a few schools (both MD and DO) and it seemed that the DO schools had more conservative auras to them, which could be due to the fact that the MD schools were also universities with non-medicine and undergraduate programs.

Coming from a very liberal undergrad program, being "out" is not an issue. However, I don't know what being out is like in med school. Can people comment on this? Thanks.

I am not a student currently, but I will be attending RVU's inagural class.

Having been blessed with a terrific relationship of over 7 years, I am out and proud and continue to be throughout medical school. I took the time to read the discrimination statements that are posted for every school prior to applying and only picked schools that specifically said that they don't discriminate against gays. Many schools I looked at had student organizations to promote GLBT awareness.

I don't know if this helps, as I am still a pre-med at this point, but it's my two cents.

Take care.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I'd think that you might be accepted a little better at a lot of DO programs, because they tend to have a slightly older student body than a lot of MD programs. This means more people who have spent time in the real world, and have probably had more interaction with gay people in a productive setting.

Of course, this won't be true across the board. There will always be people who just don't get it, and you're going to just have to not let them bother you, and take care of your business. Just remember that you're there to study medicine, not make friends. So just take care of business, and don't worry what anyone else thinks.

 

[madscientist50]

The gay students that I know at NSU seem to be accepted just fine by their fellow med students.

 

[LauraDO]

I agree with TT, I think at DO schools you will have an easier time in general because it is a bit of an older, more 'lived' student body and also probably less clique-y for that reason as well.

I would consider myself a pretty conservative person, but I would have no issue what so ever with having a gay man in my class, in fact I probably wouldn't have given it a second thought until you brought it up

In general I find the bigger deal you make about what your differences the bigger deal others do. Now if you are planning on walking around dressed in drag -ala Patrick Swayze in 'to won foo' then you might have a problem, less because of the gay issue and more because of mere professionalism....

 

[TexasTriathlete]

As far as I'm concerned, the GA-PCOM class of 2012 can consist of me, about 40 gay dudes, and about 40 hot chicks, and I would be just fine with that.

Or me and about 80 hot chicks.

 

[travoltage]

it all depends where you attend school....typically christian and southern med schools are more conservative, but i dont think many are open to having gay awareness at their programs, i think they are concerned about their image....no offense

 

[EEL08]

I loved To Wong Foo!! Great movie! 😀

 

[t-funk]

I loved To Wong Foo!! Great movie! 😀

I tried to but an extra in that movie but was rejected.

It is hard for me to believe that any school is going to be discriminatory toward gays or lesbians and I agree about DO schools being somewhat more older and mature. People should hopefully be too busy studying to care what anyone else is doing. I don't know of any specific schools that are more tolerant than others but even the conservative midwest is fairly tolerant of gays and lesbians in my experience.

 

[LauraDO]

I tried to but an extra in that movie but was rejected.

I would take that as a compliment!

 

[Green Doc]

It would appear to me, OP, that if MD schools have seemed perhaps more gay friendly, as you have stated, largely because of the institutions surrounding those schools (complete with undergrad/grad students and obligate trappings of college life), than the issue may be one more of location that DO vs. MD. My hunch is that any given MD or DO class is going to have an equal shot at being gay friendly. As other posters have mentioned, DO students may tend to be more civil with the experience of age (avg. 27 ?) and life experience, but this does not necessarily confer upon them a better chance of being truly gay friendly. So I personally think MD vs. DO because DO students are more gay friendly, or vice versa, should not be your deciding factor. It seems that if you made your choice solely based on this assumption than you'll be bound to be disappointed at some time or another. Now whether or not MD students are likely to be more clique-ish is another matter entirely. . . If location is indeed a deciding factor in your selection, than there are certainly schools (MSUCOM comes to mind) affiliated with large university settings. And then, of course, there are schools in cities with sizable gay populations and a better shot at an accepting populace on the whole. NYCOM, CCOM, UNECOM (Portland), TOURO-CA, and WesternCOM come to mind. Anyway, a very interesting question and one I hope you find some resolution on.

 

[DocInTraining06]

I know that TCOM is very GLBT friendly. There are many GLBT staff that work there. There was a problem during my first semester where someone in the class was sending me hate mail over a fake account. The school was very serious in taking care of the problem and worked very had to find the person and he/she was dismissed from the class. I have heard from other students, that on a couple of occasions a certain professor was trying to be funny and made a gay joke. It was reported and the professor had to apologize to the class the next day.
Over all I would say that you prolly won't have to worry about any institution being GLBT unfriendly, it's more the students. But that is the same for any situation no matter where you go.

 

[bth7]

I was wondering if there were any DO students who attends/have attended DO school (and hopefully someone from NYCOM can comment) that would know anything about being a gay DO student and what the environment in terms of that is like at school.

I have visted a few schools (both MD and DO) and it seemed that the DO schools had more conservative auras to them, which could be due to the fact that the MD schools were also universities with non-medicine and undergraduate programs.

Coming from a very liberal undergrad program, being "out" is not an issue. However, I don't know what being out is like in med school. Can people comment on this? Thanks.

A couple of resources for you:

American Medical Student Association's LGBT group
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA)

I'm gay, out and a third year DO student. Like you, I went to a very liberal undergraduate college and had become very accustomed to the assumption that everyone was like-minded on LGBT issues.

Med school, allopathic and osteopathic, will be different from your ungrad experience. Medicine attracts a healthy mix of liberal and conservative people, but the profession as a whole has a conservative slant, in my opinion.

To compare allopathic and osteopathic, my personal experience is that the DO world is one notch more conservative on this issue than the allopathic world. One example I can give you is to compare the American Medical Student Association (MD & DO students) and the Student Osteopathic Medical Association (DO only).

AMSA has a very active LGBT group, and works towards ending LGBT discrimination in medical school. (As you can see on the AMSA website.) SOMA, on the other hand, has no policy on LGBT health care or discrimination issues, nor does it even mention sexual orientation on its Minority Affairs website.

A similar difference exists between the American Medical Association (MD & DO membership) and the American Osteopathic Association (DO only). AMA has good policy on LGBT discrimination in medicine and a whole committee to address it. (link) The AOA doesn't mention LGBT issues anywhere on its website and has no policy whatsoever. The are other political differences in the two organizations as well. The AMA supports embryonic stem cell research. The AOA does not. (Though this is currently being heavily debated.)

Having said all that, my school (being in bay area) has an active LGBT group. I've met other LGBT DO students from many schools at the GLMA and AMSA conventions. As many others on the forum have attested to, I don't think you'll find a hostile climate at any osteopathic campus. Perhaps, just a few degrees cooler than one you're accustomed to.

Gay discrimination still exists at medical schools. The American Association of Medical Colleges (MD schools) just did a study on it. (link) Now, we just have to get the American Association of Osteopathic Medical Colleges to better acknowledge it too.

Best regards,

bth

One more link for ya: Gay group on OsteoBook

 

[PokerDoc]

i heard that all DO students are gay, so defiantly they are accepted!







jk.. in case anyone gets offended

 

[zmeister22]

As far as I'm concerned, the GA-PCOM class of 2012 can consist of me, about 40 gay dudes, and about 40 hot chicks, and I would be just fine with that.

Or me and about 80 hot chicks.

80? Dude. Whatever vitamin stuff you are on... I want some. Rock on TT.

 

[JaggerPlate]

i heard that all DO students are gay, so defiantly they are accepted!







jk.. in case anyone gets offended

.... Only by your spelling. Hahahah jk (for real)

 

[MossPoh]

Nope. All med schools HATE gays. Despise them. Better watch out. (note sarcasm)

I think nearly any school you'll be fine. I DO think that the region the school is in may have an effect with regards to outside population. If you were in one of the small midwest towns that many DO schools are in, well, you're going to have a lack of understanding and probably not much in the way of gay culture or support. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find students that will outright bias you. If they do then it is one of 3 reasons..1) They are complete tools and hateful b@stards. 2) Grew up in a super religious family and don't know any better, and 3) You take gay pride to the extremes and come into lecture on roller skates with pink hot pants and a leather harness waving a gay pride flag around while blowing into a kazoo...every day.

Since 3 probably won't happen (I really hope it doesn't..but more props to ya if it does), you are left with the other 2. NYCOM is in new york, a place like that will almost always have a lower percentage the hardcore southern baptist type in addition to a larger gay community. No school in their right mind will be gay unfriendly. It will result in a very painful lawsuit one day if they are. I know there should be morale reasons why they aren't, but sometimes it is more of a CYA move.

 

[paramediclizard]

A couple of resources for you:

American Medical Student Association's LGBT group
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA)

I'm gay, out and a third year DO student. Like you, I went to a very liberal undergraduate college and had become very accustomed to the assumption that everyone was like-minded on LGBT issues.

Med school, allopathic and osteopathic, will be different from your ungrad experience. Medicine attracts a healthy mix of liberal and conservative people, but the profession as a whole has a conservative slant, in my opinion.

To compare allopathic and osteopathic, my personal experience is that the DO world is one notch more conservative on this issue than the allopathic world. One example I can give you is to compare the American Medical Student Association (MD & DO students) and the Student Osteopathic Medical Association (DO only).

AMSA has a very active LGBT group, and works towards ending LGBT discrimination in medical school. (As you can see on the AMSA website.) SOMA, on the other hand, has no policy on LGBT health care or discrimination issues, nor does it even mention sexual orientation on its Minority Affairs website.

A similar difference exists between the American Medical Association (MD & DO membership) and the American Osteopathic Association (DO only). AMA has good policy on LGBT discrimination in medicine and a whole committee to address it. (link) The AOA doesn't mention LGBT issues anywhere on its website and has no policy whatsoever. The are other political differences in the two organizations as well. The AMA supports embryonic stem cell research. The AOA does not. (Though this is currently being heavily debated.)

Having said all that, my school (being in bay area) has an active LGBT group. I've met other LGBT DO students from many schools at the GLMA and AMSA conventions. As many others on the forum have attested to, I don't think you'll find a hostile climate at any osteopathic campus. Perhaps, just a few degrees cooler than one you're accustomed to.

Gay discrimination still exists at medical schools. The American Association of Medical Colleges (MD schools) just did a study on it. (link) Now, we just have to get the American Association of Osteopathic Medical Colleges to better acknowledge it too.

Best regards,

bth

One more link for ya: Gay group on OsteoBook

Thanks so much for the great information.

 

[MJB]

What exactly is "gay friendly"?

If you mean..."folks will stay out of my business as long as I don't cause problems", I simply can't see where you'd have any trouble....

 

[Green Doc]

I know that TCOM is very GLBT friendly. There are many GLBT staff that work there. There was a problem during my first semester where someone in the class was sending me hate mail over a fake account. The school was very serious in taking care of the problem and worked very had to find the person and he/she was dismissed from the class. I have heard from other students, that on a couple of occasions a certain professor was trying to be funny and made a gay joke. It was reported and the professor had to apologize to the class the next day.
Over all I would say that you prolly won't have to worry about any institution being GLBT unfriendly, it's more the students. But that is the same for any situation no matter where you go.

I think gay friendly means that less instances like this occur, which according to the poster's description could hardly be attributed to "causing problems."

 

[paramediclizard]

What exactly is "gay friendly"?

If you mean..."folks will stay out of my business as long as I don't cause problems", I simply can't see where you'd have any trouble....

IMO, "gay friendly" doesn't have anything to due with harassment or people "staying out of my business as long as I don't cause problems."

It is about having supportive and positive people who accept and respect my lifestyle. It is showing the same tolerance and understanding for my differences that I show for your cultural, religious, racial or ethnic differences.

 

[LauraDO]

IMO, "gay friendly" doesn't have anything to due with harassment or people "staying out of my business as long as I don't cause problems."

It is about having supportive and positive people who accept and respect my lifestyle. It is showing the same tolerance and understanding for my differences that I show for your cultural, religious, racial or ethnic differences.

I think what Mitch was getting at is that if you want to be treated equally, you shouldn't have a problem, but if you want to be treated specially then.......

 

[paramediclizard]

I think what Mitch was getting at is that if you want to be treated equally, you shouldn't have a problem, but if you want to be treated specially then.......

I agree with you Laura...

No special tx, just don't harass or threaten folks in the GLBT community

 

[MJB]

Precisely what I was saying.

 

[t-funk]

I personally think that you, not only shouldn't have a problem, but would actually be able to find a sensitive, culturally aware population in any town that has at least a few houndred thousand people. I would assume that towns like Des Moines, Tulsa, or KC all have active gay communities and events where you would feel comfortable. I would highly doubt a town like Kirksville would though. I could only assume that community tolerance would spew over into the medical school environment although I could be wrong. Lincoln, NE (where I'm from) has a very active and supportive gay community and tolerance levels are quite high even though we are in the midwest. I have quite a few friends who are active in the community and I think that they feel just about as accepted as anyone else here.

 

[dd128]

Sorry just saw the title of the thread and chuckled. "Do schools happy friendly?" Looks like something you'd see from a chinese company trying to advertise in an american magazine.

 

[bth7]

What exactly is "gay friendly"?

If you mean..."folks will stay out of my business as long as I don't cause problems", I simply can't see where you'd have any trouble....

I guess for starters, being gay friendly means being free from any violence for being out.

Then it would be nice to not be laughed at, mocked or verbally harassed for being gay.

After that, it would mean a LGBT group on campus that I can use for social support.

I'd like to have my partner covered by my schools health insurance plan. To be able to being my partner to school events, as my partner and have people treat him with the same respect they'd treat anyone else's partner.

Ultimately, I like to have a curriculum at the school that acknowledges health care disparities between social and ethnic groups. LGBT people are an undeserved medical community, and I like my med school to help students address this issue.

That's what it means to me.

bth

 

[MossPoh]

I'd like to have my partner covered by my schools health insurance plan. To be able to being my partner to school events, as my partner and have people treat him with the same respect they'd treat anyone else's partner.

Ultimately, I like to have a curriculum at the school that acknowledges health care disparities between social and ethnic groups. LGBT people are an undeserved medical community, and I like my med school to help students address this issue.

bth

I'd probably treat your partner with more respect at a party. Sorry if it is a generalization, but gay couples are usually infinitely more fun/interesting than straight couples at parties.

I think such such a curriculum would be difficult and probably saved more for a particular residency. While it is a nice idea, there are plenty of groups that are underserved in the medical community. I guess I'm not totally sure what you mean though. HIV and Venereal diseases are prevalent in all communities to some degree, and everyone should learn that condoms and other contraceptives are good. Psychiatric issues originating from harassment? Once again, every group encounters such things. Hell, I'm a straight white male and encountered INTENSE harassment as a kid for my weight and being different...so much so it almost drove me to suicide. If it is a mental health thing though, then that should be brought upon the responsibility of psych rotations and residency programs. I am not doubting that you witness more of the community than me and in the ideal world it wouldn't be an issue. The fact is that every subsection of our society as its undeserved population and I don't see most med schools as trying to teach morales and beliefs as much as the science of the body.

I'm not sure I'd agree with Des Moines or any city over 100,000 being perfectly gay friendly either. Certain regions of the country are just a different beast, even if there is a gay club or two in the city. Growing up in a midwest town, I've witnessed this first hand. If you weren't a WASP (catholic was ok too) then you were pretty much singled out. My black friends, asian friends, gay friends, me (for being jewish) were all singled out at least a couple of times. Once my gay friends officially came out, they almost all moved to larger cities where it was more common. Getting a brick thrown through your window or messages written on your car does happen..it only takes 1 or 2 idiots. Even though we were in the midwest, they never went to des moines. 😉 They tended to migrate towards new york, boston, chicago, san francisco, LA, or any other larger city. It isn't just an american phenomena either. When you go to europe a lot of the gay community winds up in cities like London, or Berlin. There is a lot more tolerance in such a place (especially Berlin). I'm not saying it is impossible in smaller cities or the midwest/south, but I am saying to be a little more weary. No portion of the population should live in fear, but unfortunately one must be careful sometimes.

 

[EEL08]

Sorry guys but I have to point out that weary is not the same thing as wary and morales is not equal to morals. 😳

 

[t-funk]

Sorry guys but I have to point out that weary is not the same thing as wary and morales is not equal to morals. 😳

Oh EEL, I'm so glad you are here to lift my spirits. 😀
My homework has been a real downer today.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I know a girl whose last name is Morales. She is pretty hot.

 

[JasonUD]

I was wondering if there were any DO students who attends/have attended DO school (and hopefully someone from NYCOM can comment) that would know anything about being a gay DO student and what the environment in terms of that is like at school.

I have visted a few schools (both MD and DO) and it seemed that the DO schools had more conservative auras to them, which could be due to the fact that the MD schools were also universities with non-medicine and undergraduate programs.

Coming from a very liberal undergrad program, being "out" is not an issue. However, I don't know what being out is like in med school. Can people comment on this? Thanks.

I'm a second year at NYCOM and while I can't think of anyone who is openly gay in our class (there are a few on staff and faculty), I do feel that the student body and faculty at NYCOM would be very welcoming and open to any who is gay. Close to half of us NYCOMers are from the NYC metropolitan area, and people from that area as a whole tend to be very open to homosexuality. Our school is incredibly diverse and I would be shocked if being openly gay would cause any type of problems.

 

[EEL08]

Oh EEL, I'm so glad you are here to lift my spirits. 😀
My homework has been a real downer today.

I do aim to please. 😀 I'm just worried if I keep correcting people there will be an uprising and I will be banned from the boards forever. 😱 It's hard to help myself though because things like that tend to drive me crazy. Of course I'm definitely not perfect when it comes to spelling and grammar. Please don't hate me anyone!! 😳

 

[lilzelda2]

I'm a second year at NYCOM and while I can't think of anyone who is openly gay in our class (there are a few on staff and faculty), I do feel that the student body and faculty at NYCOM would be very welcoming and open to any who is gay. Close to half of us NYCOMers are from the NYC metropolitan area, and people from that area as a whole tend to be very open to homosexuality. Our school is incredibly diverse and I would be shocked if being openly gay would cause any type of problems.

I agree, I don't think you will have any problem at NYCOM. Plus you can have tons of fun outside of school, the Village/Chelsea, Brooklyn. Hell I choose NYCOM b/c of its close proximity to christopher st, okay thats not true but I say go to NYCOM if you can't get into a MD school in the city.

I would stick to school near to big gay friendly cities. SF, Philly, NSUCOM.

 

[ShyRem]

coverage by your school's health insurance plan isn't up to the school or surrounding area, but up to the company providing the health insurance. I'd do some very heavy research there.

As for being more gay friendly -- we have some people in our class with same-sex partners. No one gives a gnat's behind (except for when they get all huffy with the military when the military gives their presentations - it's just rather disrespectful to be so confrontational about something the presenters haven't mentioned) as long as they don't care that others in their class like the opposite sex. Rather along the lines of "if you're comfortable with it, then so are we". Partners have come to meetings, had dinner at other students' houses, etc. And this in New England - the epitomy of nasty stuffiness IMHO.

I understand your question however. I've had some gay friends who were definitely not comfortable some places. I think you'd be better off visiting and getting the feel yourself. But if you're looking for a LARGE gay community to be a part of, I agree - stick to the big cities.

 

[ajk63]

coverage by your school's health insurance plan isn't up to the school or surrounding area, but up to the company providing the health insurance. I'd do some very heavy research there.

As for being more gay friendly -- we have some people in our class with same-sex partners. No one gives a gnat's behind (except for when they get all huffy with the military when the military gives their presentations - it's just rather disrespectful to be so confrontational about something the presenters haven't mentioned) as long as they don't care that others in their class like the opposite sex. Rather along the lines of "if you're comfortable with it, then so are we". Partners have come to meetings, had dinner at other students' houses, etc. And this in New England - the epitomy of nasty stuffiness IMHO.

I understand your question however. I've had some gay friends who were definitely not comfortable some places. I think you'd be better off visiting and getting the feel yourself. But if you're looking for a LARGE gay community to be a part of, I agree - stick to the big cities.

well...arguably it's also a bit disrespectful of the military to deny US citizens the right to openly serve in the military, regardless if someone has or has not brought it up. Activism can be uncomfortable. I doubt many civil rights movements were won solely with niceties and politeness. I hate when "they" get all upset about these things too. 🙄

 

[paramediclizard]

Precisely what I was saying.

I appreciate your clarification MJB. 👍

 

[ShyRem]

you're right, ajk, but it wasn't the right forum for the confrontation. Personally I disagree with the military policy (I don't think who someone partners with should matter at all), but the wrong forum can be very disrespectful.

Perhaps I just grew up differently. There are definitely ways you can slam someone while seeming to be very polite and respectful about it. (personally I find that much more satisfying - like having a contest of wits when the other party is totally unarmed.)

 

[ajk63]

you're right, ajk, but it wasn't the right forum for the confrontation. Personally I disagree with the military policy (I don't think who someone partners with should matter at all), but the wrong forum can be very disrespectful.

Perhaps I just grew up differently. There are definitely ways you can slam someone while seeming to be very polite and respectful about it. (personally I find that much more satisfying - like having a contest of wits when the other party is totally unarmed.)

No, I understand what you're saying, and to an extent I agree. I just find it's not always easy to find the right forum to discuss these matters, and I believe the more these items are brought up, the more they are at the forefront of people's consciousness, which (hopefully) increases the likelihood that someone will act. 👍

 

[MaximusD]

I don't really see how it should be an issue at PCOM. There is the LGBTA (or whatever combination of letters it is currently) but there's also a general feeling of acceptance. No one really goes out of their way to find out your sexuality anymore than they would go out of their way to find out anything else. In general, I haven't seen anything that would lead me to believe its tough to be gay at PCOM. If it's a concern, your questions would be better directed to these clubs at the schools of interest. Wish I could give you specifics, but the point of view is probably more valuable coming from someone who is, in fact, gay.

Good luck and i hope you aren't dissapointed with what you find.