DO's in Rads

[osli]

This is more of a curiosity question, and one I'm sure I will find the answer to on my own during the next couple of years of med school, but what the hell... I'm an impatient bastard.

How does the DO bias in allo-rads programs compare to other competitive specialties? For instance, it is widely known that DO's wanting to go into ortho pretty much have to go for osteo residency programs; on the other hand, there are plenty of primary care, ER, and IM allo programs that routinely fill spots with DO's. Obviously those are less competitive and more abundant, so that is understandable. Other specialties like Derm are relatively difficult to make the DO-MD transition, others like general surgery maybe a little less so.

It wouldn't surprise me at all that in a competitive field like rads, a DO looking at allo programs is already at somewhat of a disadvantage, but all things considered, is it a serious disadvantage? Such as is the case of ortho... you know, happens to one or two people a year kind of thing?

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[Vince]

This is more of a curiosity question, and one I'm sure I will find the answer to on my own during the next couple of years of med school, but what the hell... I'm an impatient bastard.

How does the DO bias in allo-rads programs compare to other competitive specialties? For instance, it is widely known that DO's wanting to go into ortho pretty much have to go for osteo residency programs; on the other hand, there are plenty of primary care, ER, and IM allo programs that routinely fill spots with DO's. Obviously those are less competitive and more abundant, so that is understandable. Other specialties like Derm are relatively difficult to make the DO-MD transition, others like general surgery maybe a little less so.

It wouldn't surprise me at all that in a competitive field like rads, a DO looking at allo programs is already at somewhat of a disadvantage, but all things considered, is it a serious disadvantage? Such as is the case of ortho... you know, happens to one or two people a year kind of thing?

MD ortho programs are probably tougher to get into than MD Rads programs but it also depends on location. CA, Chicago, NY can be very competitive for Rads programs so you could argue that a MD Rads program in those areas is more competitive than a Ortho spot in the midwest somewhere, but on the whole I think MD ortho is pretty tough for DO's.

I am a DO who decided to go into Radiology, although I didn't realize that until my third year of medical school. It was difficult and there was DO bias out there but some programs looked beyond the intials behind my name and realized I would be a great resident in their program...or at least I hope so. I ended up in a great Radiology program, and although I will probably run into some DO bias over the next few years, it won't amount to much because I'm a hard worker and will study hard so that I know what I need to know.

I think there has to be something that helps you stand out as a DO vs. an MD when applying to these programs because some PD's don't want to "take a chance" on a DO when they can have an MD.

A guy in my class matched allopathic Ortho and he was in the top 5 in the class I think, if not #1, so you can do it but its a long hard road to get into competitive specialties as a DO.

If you are pre-med/pre-osteo and really think you want to go into competitive specialties like Radiology, Ophtho, Derm, Ortho, Rad Onc, or surgical specialties like Plastics, ENT, Urology, NeuroSx, etc. then you should go to MD school. I don't think I'd take a year off though if you have the opportunity to start at a DO school...just study hard and you can pull it off.

Vince, DO
PGY-2 Radiology

 

[osli]

Thanks for the comments and advice. I'm starting DO school this fall, and while I am certainly a long way from being decided on what I want to do I know that as a DO I am aware that if I'm interested in competitive specialties (and at least at this point, several of the most interesting ones are the more competitive) I should start making a strong case for myself early.

Your personal experience is encouraging. That of the ortho a little less so, but that's what I expected. Perhaps because there are so many osteo ortho spots there is a stronger bias there than in a lot of other fields. Who knows.

In any case, I hear you loud and clear on the MD advice... but I think it's a little late in my case. Being a non-trad student, and with some family history on the DO side, it was a quicker road into med school than banging my head into the MD wall for another year or two. My wife blessed our journey this year... asking her to sit in limbo for another year while I tried to go back and do the typical "pre-med" things to impress adcoms wasn't really an option. I do have a good track record in grades and test taking abilities... I just hope my personality proves compatible in those important clinical years.