DOs need better marketing

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Avonlea

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Just got off the phone with the folks, and geez, explaining the DO is getting really tiring. My folks are pretty conservative so explaining the merits of osteopathy is one thing, convincing is another.

I'm mighty proud of being a future DO. But boy, either AACOM is gonna need some help with a marketing department, or I'm going have to take a class on it myself.
 
I totally agree with you Avonlea! I've been trying to explain to my parents for the longest time that a DO IS a physician and can do everything that a MD does....but it just doesn't seem to sink in. For instance, the other day I was going on and on with examples of how DO's can specialize, do surgery, etc, etc. After all my ranting, my mom (who was nodding at me the whole time) asked me, "Well......do they prescribe medication?" Auuuggh! Just shoot me was what I was thinking. Anyway, I think my parents are finally coming around NOT because of all my explanations but because the family clinic where they've been going to for years just hired two new DOs. She happily flashed the clinic newsletter and said, "Look! These DOs are working along side MDs! They must be legit!" Sigh... This is the source of my reservations to be a DO...am I going to have to explain to people for the rest of my life that I am truly a doctor? Does anyone else have that issue?!?
 
Unfortunantely, DO students are definately going to have to be good educators on osteopathy. But, considering how little some of the general public knows about medicine in the first place, educating will be a big part of any doctor's job description. Best of luck to you. Having parents that never went to college period, I guess I'm used to them not really having a good handle about what goes on.
 
My mother kept asking me if I was going to apply to "real" 🙄 medical schools as well as osteopathic medical schools. At one point later she mentioned a really good doctor we'd seen when my father was in the military. He happened to be the chief of staff at the army hospital in berlin, germany. When I looked him up, I had to call my mother and gloat because his name is Dr. Ronald Blanck, DO and he went on to be the Surgeon General of the Army. And now, Dr. Blanck is the president of the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth. I said, "Mom is he enough of a 'real' doctor for you?" She hasn't bugged me since. 😀

WannabeDO
 
Yea, I think that the AOA needs to step it up a bit. I know that this type of thing is in effect, but it isn't reaching the "people" yet. There are truly some premeds at my college that have no idea what a DO is. I am lucky, my dad was treated by a DO in CA and loved it, so he's on board for the ride. I hope to make a difference as a physician. I would love to get involved in any way that I can. I think that it is just gonna take some gruntwork for a while.
 
Too bad my parents don't go to a clinic where there are DOs.. Their first hand knowledge is limited to their own doc (all MD), their dentist (says DOs are second rate), their podiatrist (who chose podiatry over going DO), and a family friend (MD oncologist who has never heard of the term DO in her life). Ahh, but that is life...

So I compliled a long email packed with all the things I've researched about osteopathy and sent it to my parents. No reply yet, as this experiment is still in progress.

Guidelines for educating parents about osteopathy (in lay person talk):
1) US News' ranking of best primary care medical schools.
3) AACOM website of DO vs. MD
4) Stanford faculty list (includes one DO)
5) Allopathic residency match with UCs, Baylor, and Ivy League schools highlighted.

I figure once I'm in the door, I can REALLY explain how all the above don't mean anything. I've always had a "let it go" mentality, but my parents are so worried. Is their a better way?The quest is ON.
 
Originally posted by Bmblee888
I totally agree with you Avonlea! I've been trying to explain to my parents for the longest time that a DO IS a physician and can do everything that a MD does....but it just doesn't seem to sink in. For instance, the other day I was going on and on with examples of how DO's can specialize, do surgery, etc, etc. After all my ranting, my mom (who was nodding at me the whole time) asked me, "Well......do they prescribe medication?" Auuuggh! Just shoot me was what I was thinking. Anyway, I think my parents are finally coming around NOT because of all my explanations but because the family clinic where they've been going to for years just hired two new DOs. She happily flashed the clinic newsletter and said, "Look! These DOs are working along side MDs! They must be legit!" Sigh... This is the source of my reservations to be a DO...am I going to have to explain to people for the rest of my life that I am truly a doctor? Does anyone else have that issue?!?
Click to expand...

I'm just going to tell people that I'm actually an MD, but they mispelled the letters on my white coat.

😀
 
Apparently, these ads recently appeared in People and US Weekly magazines. Has anyone seen them?

http://www.aoa-net.org/images/skydiverDO-100.jpg

http://www.aoa-net.org/images/mtnbikeDO-100.jpg

Osteopathic medicine is a young field. What it needs is more research to prove that OMM is an effective treatment. Once you start seeing articles documenting the efficacy of OMM in mainstream medical journals, people will WANT to know about osteopathic medicine. Ads won't do you much good if the jury is out regarding the efficacy of a treatment approach that the entire profession hangs its hat on.

I guess the AOA is trying to build osteopathic clinical research. More power to them.
 
the people who are in charge of the aacom suck. they think that korea and north korea are two different countries, and they still call China as "china, communist."

with that kinda mentality, how can you expect other pepole to pay respect to do professions?
 
They should ask Apollo Ono to be in a DO ad. I distinctly remember Ono's physician - a D.O., being mentioned as his personal physician who flew from Seattle during the Olypmics to treat him after his spill on the ice. Something to the effect of "he (Ono) felt his doctor's treatment helped him recover quickly." That's the kind of ad they need to run - one with 'star' recognition.

- Tae
 
Originally posted by tkim6599
They should ask Apollo Ono to be in a DO ad. I distinctly remember Ono's physician - a D.O., being mentioned as his personal physician who flew from Seattle during the Olypmics to treat him after his spill on the ice. Something to the effect of "he (Ono) felt his doctor's treatment helped him recover quickly." That's the kind of ad they need to run - one with 'star' recognition.

- Tae
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I agree 100%

The AOA missed out on a great opportunity to grab this guy and run (or skate) with him.
 
So far the marketing strategy of choice for the AOA is the ol' word of mouth method. I myself got the "word" from my excellent premed advisor. Unfortunately, you and I both know though that most undergrads aren't exposed to Osteopathy.

What ever happened to AOA's Y2k Campaign? Where are all the alumni/private contributions going? We need a mass media campaign, using entry points like Ono's coach, what not, and getting some real vocal trendsetters to catalyze the diffusion theory. What's Oprah up to these days? Picture it...Dr. Phil II, D.O.

And whats up with this "treating the person...yadda yadda"? Not only does this motto send fire up the wazoos of our fellow MD compatriots, which is so not cool, but it's not even the main pragmatic difference. We'll know OMM. Like JP said.
 
Originally posted by ItNeverEnds
Apparently, these ads recently appeared in People and US Weekly magazines. Has anyone seen them?

http://www.aoa-net.org/images/skydiverDO-100.jpg

http://www.aoa-net.org/images/mtnbikeDO-100.jpg
Click to expand...

These ads are great, but I think a lot of the negativity that is received by the ostopathic community and especially the aoa is due to this holier than thou "doctors treating people not just symptoms" attitude. I do believe that as a whole, the osteopathic education leads to more holistically thinking physicians, but to make such statements leads patients to believe that D.O.'s think that they are better than M.D.'s or that M.D.'s cannot treat patients but can only treat symptoms. I think the AOA needs to drop this slogan. They need to emphasize that D.O.'s have been innovating medical treatment since 1874, which leads to my second point:

Originally posted by ItNeverEnds
Osteopathic medicine is a young field.
Click to expand...

Osteopathic medicine is not young, it has been around for longer than most of our grandparents or even great grandparents for that matter. It is true that it has been in the mainstream for a short time, but that is only because of closed minded bureaucrats and medical doctors who were afraid of being challenged by a different way of thinking.

WannabeDO
 
After an awful three days, my agony is over. My dad finally got an "ok" from one of his MD docs about the legitimacy of DOs and he is not so worried about my DO business anymore. Wow, the power of an MD. My parents also went to the huge list of websites I emailed them and are now more aware of what osteopathy is. Now that I'm officially in med school, I'm already tasting what is to come...:clap: 🙄 😡 +pissed+ 😎 🙂 :clap:
 
That was my first reaction too, like "WHAT da... why am I being questioned"--especially now when I feel such a overwhelming sense of closure with this application process.

but I guess to answer your question, his doubt brought out a lot of doubt I've had, you know the whole "pre-med doubt". For the past year I flushed out being that narrow minded gotta-get-into-med-school crap that I was shaped into as an undergrad. I was free, but the phone called bugged cause I felt I was being sucked into it again. Still got some flushing to do. I know.
 
Some people have to appease their dads. I can see how it is frustrating to have to constantly convince people that you're going to be a "real" doctor as a D.O.

For our parents who doubt the osteopathic profession, maybe we should ask our parents' M.D. to tell them that osteopathic docs are "real" physicians. Websites can only go so far, but when the family doc is saying that D.O.'s are like M.D.'s, people may treat osteopathic medicine with more respect.
 
ROFL. I'm sorry, but to put out those stupid looking ads in order to "attain legitimacy"? give me a break folks.

I'm not a DO hater, but when they put out stupid ads such as those "I can D.O. anything"...... :laugh:

On a more somber note..on a flight recently, I sat next to a lady who was the head of the nursing program at a top 10 university. We discussed medicine, and she brought up osteopathy..I said that I thought it was cool, but she retorted with:

"you know why they are called D.O. dont you?"
me: "um...ya....doc..."
*interrupts* "ever seen the simpsons?"
me: "yes.."
"you know when homer simpson says' DOH '? that's DO! :clap: :laugh:"

me: "um...haha"


I hadnt heard that one b4


Originally posted by ItNeverEnds
Apparently, these ads recently appeared in People and US Weekly magazines. Has anyone seen them?

http://www.aoa-net.org/images/skydiverDO-100.jpg

http://www.aoa-net.org/images/mtnbikeDO-100.jpg

Osteopathic medicine is a young field. What it needs is more research to prove that OMM is an effective treatment. Once you start seeing articles documenting the efficacy of OMM in mainstream medical journals, people will WANT to know about osteopathic medicine. Ads won't do you much good if the jury is out regarding the efficacy of a treatment approach that the entire profession hangs its hat on.

I guess the AOA is trying to build osteopathic clinical research. More power to them.
Click to expand...
 
I've have in my possession every episode in the 13 year series all of which have been watched multiple times and I assure you the two have no connection.

that wasn't funny, it was just plain dumb...

while we're on the topic, I do believe Dr. Nick is an MD... :laugh:
 
I am applying to med school next year, so obviously I have been looking into many things the last couple of years....
Anyway my mother did not know too much about DO's before I was going to an Osteopathic presentation. Well I informed her, gave her some literature they gave me, and knowing my mom she was on the internet for 8 hours that night. Ever since my mom is like you HAVE to be a DO. Whenever I talk about medical school she always reinforced the facts that I should be a DO. Surprisingly all of the sudden, she recognizes DO's. On television, through family members and friends. Her best friends doctor is a DO and she rants and raves about him even since my mom has been informed about osteopathic medicine.
My point is most people are readily available to be educated, people just need to educate them.
 
On the topic of education about osteopathy:

1) There is no better advertisement that a patient very satisfied with their physician. A D.O. should consider him/herself the greatest and most effective means of publicity.

2) "Times they are a changing" - Dylan. Mom and Dad's generation of M.D.s had much less interaction with D.O.s than ours will. The allopathic and osteopathic residencies are much more interwoven today - meaning that D.O.s and M.D.s in the future are much more likely to see eachother as peers. Think - how many of your friends will be M.D.s and how many have you already preached the montra of osteopathy too. I believe the generational ignorance to be fading - from experience. I work with a bunch of docs - the younger ones (in their 30s are much more encouraging of D.O.s than the older ones I work with - this being in CA which has a complicated hx of tension between M.D.s and D.O.s.

3) Agreed - A.O.A. needs to do more.

4) If the patient is satisfied who cares!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just us???)?

My thoughts
 
When I first heard of osteopathy I was 27. It made me curious. I grew up in a very small town in an isolated area of California and I grabbed a copy of the phone book when I went back for my high school reunion.

There aren't many doctor's in the area to begin with but "Wow!" I exclaimed when I realized that the most popular physician in town was a D.O. She was even my own mother's physician and delivered my younger brother! In the fifteen years that I had known (about) this doctor, I never knew that she was an osteopathic doctor.

Consequently, when I was asked what osteopathic doctors were by all of my friends (as I was bubbling over my acceptance letter), I just looked at them and said "You know Dr. So-and-So? Well, she is one." They said "But, she is a real doctor, like she delivers babies and stuff."

My reply, "Exactly!"
 
I don't see what the big deal about some crummy images burried on the AOA servers means about anything. I myself have never seen those posters before and doubt anyone else would've either if it hadn't been posted here. If it weren't for a friend I met two years ago I never even would've known osteopathic medicine existed, now I can't get enough!!!

I agree, actions speak louder than words...

DO's aren't going anywhere, there's a reason they've been around this long...
 
Reverend Mitchell and Senator Foraker.

Anyone who has read about the rise of osteopathy will remember these names. Both their children were successfully treated by A.T. Still where allopaths could not. It was really through influential people singing the praises of osteopathy that gave it the 'legitimacy' it needed to flourish and survive.

Arguably word of mouth would have given osteopathy its success, but nowhere as quickly as with influential and public figures lending their voice. These same people helped block legislative actions that would have crippled the osteopathic profession when it was its fledgling stages.

Having people who have been treated by osteopaths and are willing to sing its praises is still 'word of mouth' - but amplified by the power of media.

- Tae
 
Originally posted by H0mersimps0n
a Gevitz fan eh? 😀
Click to expand...

Yeah - reading him was essential for me. I didn't know all that much of the history of osteopathy, and his book truly illustrated how wierd and devisive medicine was/is.

Truly interesting, the history of medicine. I didn't know that Hanneman and BU Med schools started out as homeopathic schools.

The things you learn ...

- Tae
 
Originally posted by tkim6599
Yeah - reading him was essential for me. I didn't know all that much of the history of osteopathy, and his book truly illustrated how wierd and devisive medicine was/is.

Truly interesting, the history of medicine. I didn't know that Hanneman and BU Med schools started out as homeopathic schools.

The things you learn ...

- Tae
Click to expand...

How about the line about the Graham Cracker!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
 
Hey gang. For those of you having trouble explaining what a D.O. is, here's my tactic that I use with certain populations... I call it the "Have you lived under a rock?" explanation:

In our country, medical knowledge is prized. Seriously, recall how evertime you got a cough your Aunt Betty would call you up and tell you what Dr. Kildare would do (often involving whiskey, yak hair, and some long-banned laxative). When lay persons possess medical knowledge, it makes them feel special. When they don't possess it, it makes them feel... well, stupid. So here's what I do.

Ignoramous: "What the heck is a D.O. anyway? Are you a real doctor?"

Gregory: "You haven't heard of D.O.s?"

Ignoramous: "Well, I've heard something like..."

Gregory: (Interrupting) "Seriously... you don't know ANYTHING about D.O.s?"

Ignoramous: "Well, I ... uh..."

Gregory: (Interrupting again) "You seem to know a lot about medical matters and I must say that I'm a bit suprised that you are not familiar with osteopathic medicine."

Ignoramous: "I, uh... well, you see..."

Gregory: (Interrupting again) "We've been around for over 120 years, we're not exactly new on the scene. Have you been living under a rock? I'm really surprised that you aren't familiar with us."

Ignoramous: "Oh, I see... Yeah, I knew D.O.s were real doctors, yeah... I knew that... ..."

Gregory: (Interrupting yet again) "It suprises me sometimes how even well read persons like yourself aren't familiar with something as simple as the definition of a physician."

Ignoramous: "No, seriously, I knew that... of course, D.O.s have been around forever... they can do everything, yeah..."

Gregory: "Now drop you pants and cough."

So anyways... I use this from time to time, and it works exceptionally well. The difference between using this and the "I'm just as good as an MD" tactic is that my strategy requires an ounce of confidence, whereas comparing yourself to an MD all the time makes it sound like you're insecure.

In the real world, nobody cares whether you are an M.D., D.O., M.B.B.S., or D.M. They just want you to get them well again... (or sue you).

Gregory Gulick, MS-IV
NSU-COM
 
I took a health concepts and illness class last year/semester that went all the way back to antiquity up till just a few years ago. We learned about all the major changes medicine went through, the people who spearheaded their own movements and changed medicine, in role that european (mainly German) medicine had on american physicians and osteopathic medicine was never mentioned.

Do I smell a term paper topic? Yup you guessed it, after looking for a book on osteopathy for three weeks I discovered Gevitz was not only the best but one of the only books out there.

Needless to say in the grand scheme of medicine, osteopathy was born when western medicine was going through some of its toughest times. Physicians were quarling and there was a push to return to harsher methods of treatment (mmm cupping and letting). By this time in medical history people were taking mercury for treatments for all kinds of things (you get the idea).

then came osteopathy circa 1880's. A combination of intelligent manipulation therapy and just plain not using methods like mercury was enough to increase patients quality of life and create a medicine that didn't make people sicker. The osteopathic mecca was formed (kirksville) and until the osteopaths started moving in on MD territory liscensing was a non-issue...

It appears that what happened to Still was representative of what society was going through with medicine, Still just did something about it with the skills he had.

I have an awesome paper (got an A) if anyone wants to read it, I think I actually might to back today and see what it says again. Good stuff...

I wrote that I thought Gevitz's book would've been a little better if he had the larger picture of what was happening to medicine when osteopathic medicine was born, it played a bigger roll in its survival than anyone thinks....
 
I just tell people that I am going to medical school. If they ask where I tell them where, if they have not heard of the school they don't usually care that much. The fact that you're going to be a doctor speaks for itself.
 
I have an awesome paper (got an A) if anyone wants to read it, I think I actually might to back today and see what it says again. Good stuff...

H0mersimps0n, I'd love to read that paper. Please PM me.
 
That last message was supposed to appear as a quote with a request attached. 🙄
 
wasn't mr. graham trying to replace peoples sexual desires with crackers or something? Thwarting sin or something like that...

ahh good ole Gevitz. Anyone from OU ever meet him?
 
Originally posted by tkim6599
Got rid of every damn one of 'em after reading the book.

- Tae
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I keep them around for my daughters, but my wife and I won't go near them 😉 :laugh:

WannabeDO
 
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