don't want to do family practice

[mdoclau]

Help me decide, I really don't want to do general practice I want to specialize I got into two DO schools and I am worried that I am not going to be able to specialize. What to do, do I try to defer a year and try for MD schools or just suck it up and go now and hope for the best Really confused

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[spicedmanna]

Help me decide, I really don't want to do general practice I want to specialize I got into two DO schools and I am worried that I am not going to be able to specialize. What to do, do I try to defer a year and try for MD schools or just suck it up and go now and hope for the best Really confused

You will definitely be able to specialize as a DO. Just look at the match lists of the two schools you received acceptances; you will see (if speciality is listed). Some DO schools are better known for producing specialists than others. However, you will be able to specialize no matter what school you attend. Really, though there are many factors at play, many of which depend on your own performance in school, on the boards, and who you meet and get to know during your rotations. I think that there are means to accomplish your goal, if it is reasonable. BTW, competitive specialities are competitive whether you are a DO or MD.

 

[Dr JPH]

Methinks this is a troll.

 

[mdoclau]

You will definitely able to specialize as a DO. Just look at the match lists of the two schools you received acceptances; you will see (if speciality is listed). Some DO schools are better known for producing specialists than others. However, you will be able to specialize no matter what school you attend. Really, though there are many factors at play, many of which depend on your own performance in school, on the boards, and who you meet and get to know during your rotations. I think that there are means to accomplish your goal, if it is reasonable. BTW, competitive specialities are competitive whether you are a DO or MD.

Thanks, I'm just really stressed about this and I feel that it is to late for any chances of md this year, although I am still waiting on Drexel

 

[dr.kicia]

Help me decide, I really don't want to do general practice I want to specialize I got into two DO schools and I am worried that I am not going to be able to specialize. What to do, do I try to defer a year and try for MD schools or just suck it up and go now and hope for the best Really confused

leave the spots for ppl who WANT to be a DO

and the fact if you specialize or not depends only on YOU...
bye bye troll

 

[JohnDO]

You have to do FP.

Or else.

(the aoa is watching you)

 

[Protease]

Not to sound harsh, but you are asking strangers if you should proceed to go into a Osteopathic school and you are concerned you will end up practicing in something you do not want. Then why did you apply in the first place?

Just so you know, whoever told you DOs are all primary care specialists has mislead you, you can specialize in any field you choose as long as you put the work into it, no matter if you go MD, DO, or FMG.

 

[tkim]

Help me decide, I really don't want to do general practice I want to specialize I got into two DO schools and I am worried that I am not going to be able to specialize. What to do, do I try to defer a year and try for MD schools or just suck it up and go now and hope for the best Really confused

Hi,

I read all the way back to your first post. Are still the mom of the applicant, or the applicant now? It's a little confusing because you're writing in the first person now.

 

[mdoclau]

Hi,

I read all the way back to your first post. Are still the mom of the applicant, or the applicant now? It's a little confusing because you're writing in the first person now.

I have taken over and I must say I have been on this site for some time now and I thought it was great advice ect, but I will tell you guys you are much to critical all I want is alittle advice and I am getting bashed. Thanks

 

[neurorat]

You have to do FP.

Or else.

(the aoa is watching you)

 

[jp104]

I have taken over and I must say I have been on this site for some time now and I thought it was great advice ect, but I will tell you guys you are much to critical all I want is alittle advice and I am getting bashed. Thanks

You would have been better served doing some research by looking at some of the school's matchlists. How could you even think that you would not able to match into specialities as a DO. Granted some osteopathic schools have a history of graduating primary care docs, but even then we're talking like 60%. Ask a ridiculous question....expect ridiculous answers

 

[spicedmanna]

You would have been better served doing some research by looking at some of the school's matchlists. How could you even think that you would not able to match into specialities as a DO. Granted some osteopathic schools have a history of graduating primary care docs, but even then we're talking like 60%. Ask a ridiculous question....expect ridiculous answers

Yeah, I agree with your assessment. I'm wondering how the OP even got DO acceptances without knowing that DO's can be specialists as well as FP's. That just seems like common knowledge to me. Oh well, I suppose anything is possible.

In any case, good luck, OP. My hope is that you choose the right school for you, whether DO or MD.

 

[Jack Daniel]

Help me decide, I really don't want to do general practice I want to specialize I got into two DO schools and I am worried that I am not going to be able to specialize. What to do, do I try to defer a year and try for MD schools or just suck it up and go now and hope for the best Really confused

Maybe you are a troll, maybe not. But, just for the record, 99% (if not all) of physicians--MDs or DOs specialize. A GP is someone who graduates medical school and only does a one-year internship.

No one does "general practice" anymore.

 

[HenryH]

Maybe you are a troll, maybe not. But, just for the record, 99% (if not all) of physicians--MDs or DOs specialize. A GP is someone who graduates medical school and only does a one-year internship.

No one does "general practice" anymore.

Really? I thought the GP residency was three years in length?

Please forgive my dumbness...

 

[JohnDO]

Really? I thought the GP residency was three years in length?

Please forgive my dumbness...

You're thinking FP. There isn't a GP residency.

 

[Jack Daniel]

Really? I thought the GP residency was three years in length?

Please forgive my dumbness...

As JohnDO posted above, perhaps you're thinking of family practice, which is 3 years. Family medicine is a specialty in itself.

Maybe the OP was lamenting the [false] perceptions that DOs only do primary care, which includes specialties of breadth like FM.

However, the OP may have a point. While DOs don't always go into primary care, according to USNEWS, 8 of the top 10 US medical schools with the most graduates entering primary care are DO schools.

 

[mdoclau]

As JohnDO posted above, perhaps you're thinking of family practice, which is 3 years. Family medicine is a specialty in itself.

Maybe the OP was lamenting the [false] perceptions that DOs only do primary care, which includes specialties of breadth like FM.

However, the OP may have a point. While DOs don't always go into primary care, according to USNEWS, 8 of the top 10 US medical schools with the most graduates entering primary care are DO schools.

Thanks all I am trying to say or ask is that I wanted to know my chances in specializing.

 

[cyclohexanol]

Thanks all I am trying to say or ask is that I wanted to know my chances in specializing.

1) You can specialize - period.

2) As has been said before many times, there are DOs represented in every specialty and subspecialty medicine offers.

3) The school you go to will not determine whether you specialize, that is up to you.

Nobody is going to sit here and say you have a 42.15782% chance of specializing by going to X school versus a 28.987234% chance of specializing by going to Y school.

 

[Rxbound]

Not in med school, but I work in a specialty hospital (cardiology), and we have a DO on staff. His profile is a good read. Check out www.arheart.com(look under "For and About Doctors").

 

[spicedmanna]

Not in med school, but I work in a specialty hospital (cardiology), and we have a DO on staff. His profile is a good read. Check out www.arheart.com(look under "For and About Doctors").

Yeah, he looks very accomplished; went to PCOM, probably through Army HPSP. I'm curious, however, why his hyperlinked name lists him as a DO, which he clearly is (attended PCOM), but his profile lists him as an MD. It's probably an honest mistake, given that he's the only DO on-staff. And, of course, it doesn't matter at all.

 

[Jack Daniel]

Not in med school, but I work in a specialty hospital (cardiology), and we have a DO on staff. His profile is a good read. Check out www.arheart.com(look under "For and About Doctors").

That's funny. When you click on his bio, it lists the degree after his name as M.D. However, when you read his bio, it says he graduated from PCOM.

 

[Jack Daniel]

Yeah, he looks very accomplished; went to PCOM, probably through Army HPSP. I'm curious, however, why his hyperlinked name lists him as a DO, which he clearly is (attended PCOM), but his profile lists him as an MD. It's probably an honest mistake, given that he's the only DO on-staff. And, of course, it doesn't matter at all.

Wow. You're fast.

 

[madscientist50]

Also dont forget that Internal Med is considered primary care, but if you do well in a IM residency you could specialize into cariology, endocrine, hematology/oncology, and more. Thats just the subspeciaties off of one type of primary care residency, into which many DOs do go. Like was said above if do your research talk to the schools and ask an informed question. In my opinion if your not adult enough to have known the answer to your first question in the thread, then how are you adult enough to know you want be a physician and want to go DO? I think you have more serious questions to ask yourself than " can I specialize?"