Does it take longer to be a DO than an MD?

[KatieJune]

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Hi!

I have a question that has probably been asked before, but i'm not sure how to search for it.

My understanding is that after finishing school DO students complete an internship prior to residency. Does this add an extra year on? What if you choose to do an allopathic vs. an osteopathic residency - does that make a difference?

Thanks

 

[kahoo99]

no it's not an extra year

 

[dr.z]

Hi!

I have a question that has probably been asked before, but i'm not sure how to search for it.

My understanding is that after finishing school DO students complete an internship prior to residency. Does this add an extra year on? What if you choose to do an allopathic vs. an osteopathic residency - does that make a difference?

Thanks

I think internship depends on the state you want to practice in. Otherwise I think the time to completing the training will be same as MDs.

 

[OSUdoc08]

no it's not an extra year

Yes, it IS an extra year. There are 5 states that require a rotating internship prior to completing a residency. All osteopathic resdencies also require such internship.

Allopathic residencies do not require this internship, however if you do an allopathic residency, and want to practice in one of those 5 states, then you likley will need to do this internship.

This required internship does provide for more well-rounded training and produces better physicians, however.

 

[Dr JPH]

Slow down.

First of all, you need to go to the AOA website to learn more about this issue. Under the postdoctoral section you will find an explanation to some of your questions.

Now...there are 5 states which "require" an osteopathic internship in order to gain licensure there as a DO. These states are PA, WV, FL, OK and MI. Also, you must complete this internship year in order to gain acceptance to an osteopathic residency or become a DME of an osteopathic residency program.

Many post-doctoral programs in these states and others have an internship year "built in". These types of programs will NOT require that you complete an extra year. You must also realize that there are 3 types of internships: traditional rotating, specialty track and special emphasis.

Without getting into too much detail, just realize that in some cases the one year will count towards your residency (in which case you will enter the residency as a PGY-2) and in other cases, it wont and you will need to complete the full residency length following your internship year.

Many people petition the AOA every year for licensure in the 5 states who have NOT completed the osteopathic internship and many are granted licensure. To me, it seems like an outdated requirement that doesnt seem like it is going away any time soon.

The internship year, in my opinion, is beneficial for a few reasons. It gives undecided young doctors a chance to really find out what they want to do with their professional lives. It also makes you a more competitive applicant for residencies...you will be interviewing as a physician up against MS-IV's. I also think it will make you a better physician...more experience...my own opinion.

So thats the basics. Learn more about this issue and dont let it become a road block or decisive feature in your decision.

Also remember that many people here at SDN are eager to help, but not all of them have the full or correct answers. Be sure to talk to someone who knows the details of the issue.

Hope this helps.

 

[Bull's eye]

It is only an extra year in certain circumstances. Like you do a DO internship then go into MD Gen surg, in that case you have to repeat the MD gen surg internship. In MOST cases it is not an extra year. Example, you what to do Neurosurgery and you apply MD and DO. The residency is six or seven years for both MD's and DO's (depends on if there is a research year). For consistency's sake, let's pretend that you only applied to six year programs. DO.... 1 year internship 5 year residency. MD..... 1 year Gen Surg Internship 5 year residency. The confusion come from the nomenclature MD's call it all residency DO's call it Internship and residency like it is two separate entities. Don't understand why. Do not think that if you go DO you will lose a year. That will only happen if you do a DO internship year and your future MD residency does not accept it as their PGY-1 requirement. This rarely happens. Example, for personal reasons you MUST practice in FL (or one of the other 5 states) and you MUST do an MD surgical residency (or other MD residency that will not accept DO intern year as PGY-1). This representation is accurate and so is the previous poster about undecided med students.

 

[Fin-Nor]

Slow down.

First of all, you need to go to the AOA website to learn more about this issue. Under the postdoctoral section you will find an explanation to some of your questions...

as always, JP always seems to provide awesome replies.

what happened to your previous moderator status?

 

[OSUdoc08]

Slow down.

First of all, you need to go to the AOA website to learn more about this issue. Under the postdoctoral section you will find an explanation to some of your questions.

Now...there are 5 states which "require" an osteopathic internship in order to gain licensure there as a DO. These states are PA, WV, FL, OK and MI. Also, you must complete this internship year in order to gain acceptance to an osteopathic residency or become a DME of an osteopathic residency program.

Many post-doctoral programs in these states and others have an internship year "built in". These types of programs will NOT require that you complete an extra year. You must also realize that there are 3 types of internships: traditional rotating, specialty track and special emphasis.

The "built-in" internship is still an extra year for some specialties

For example, all osteopathic emergency medicine residencies are 4 years in the south central U.S.

In the same area, allopathic residencies are 3 years.

That first year for the osteopathic residency is considered "internship," whereas the first year of allopathic residency is simply "residency," and is equivalent to the second year of the osteopathic residency.

I cannot account for other specialties or regions. Perhaps others can.

Without getting into too much detail, just realize that in some cases the one year will count towards your residency (in which case you will enter the residency as a PGY-2) and in other cases, it wont and you will need to complete the full residency length following your internship year.

Many people petition the AOA every year for licensure in the 5 states who have NOT completed the osteopathic internship and many are granted licensure. To me, it seems like an outdated requirement that doesnt seem like it is going away any time soon.

This is not currently a guarantee, but odds may improve in the future. It is however bypassing an existing requirement, which should not be dismissed.

 

[DOtobe]

The "built in" year is not an extra year for FP (which I am applying for) and internal medicine. Most programs that offer an AOA internship link it to the FP or IM residencies in the hospital so that the intern year = PGY-1 year of an FP or IM residency.