Enough is enough

[MARK]

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Ok everyone. I have to issue some disclaimers before I make my statements. I truly enjoy this message board. I find that there is a great deal of useful information here, especially insightful remarks regarding certain medical schools etc etc. This message board is also good for students from each school to post their own forums. Similarly, there is much room to discuss the eithical and political medical issues of the United States. HOWEVER, I think that discussions that involve comparing the DO degree to the MD degree are useless. It seems that more often than not DO students are on this board griping about DO/MD politics, posting survey boards regarding "surveys" as to whether we would want an MD after our name also (STUPID), and other melodramatic, useless discussions that seek to - in essence - help us validate our future degree. LOOK EVERYONE - can we at least democratically consider to keep these conversations to a minimum as all I can see we are accomplishing nothing other than displaying insecurity and embarrasing ourselves in front of any allopathic students who may read our boards. IF there is any insecurities regarding the DO degree we should have all ironed those out in the app process, not well after the fact when we are in school. Let start having educated debates about AIDS, cancer, and community medicine and not about the MD / DO garbage politics. I realize this may upset some of you, and you may tell to just not read our boards anymore, but I enjoy them and will continue to participate. Folks, listen, enough is enough.
Mark

 

[togo]

If you succeed in your request then I want to shake your hand. Several of us have been expressing the same sentiment, to no avail, for quite some time.

 

[zilberman]

I totally agree with you, when i see DO/MD arguement i just dont read the text. It is useless and draws back all of osteopathic students.

 

[Future DOc]

You fail to mention that the MAJORITY of individuals posting those MD/DO issues are either Pre-Meds or insecure 1st years still wondering if they have made the right choice.

Like the previous post mentioned, I simply ignore it completely b/c its useless & a waste of our time. So, why bother....

I don't think you actually see current DO medical students posting to those useless posts. If so, its just to let the TRUTH be told.

Adults have to step in once in awhile when kids constantly fight about senseless things, right!?

Rob
MS III

 

[MARK]

I SEE WHAT YOU MEAN. IT IS TRUE THAT ALOT OF THESE POSTS ARE 1ST YEARS OR PRE-MEDS. HOWEVER, 1ST YEARS STILL HAVE NO EXCUSE THEY HAVE CHOSEN THIS PATH, AND THEY SHOULDNT CONTINUE TO EMBARASS US.

 

[JEF]

I too have chosen not to get hooked by the DO bashing posts or the ones that ask DO's to justify their existence. However, I have personally benefited from postings in response to legitimate premed questions about what DO's do and the limits of their practice. Because of the fact that DO's are in the minority in a country where the "majority rules", we need to be able to educate our patients and the public about what we do. Every DO needs to be able to provide this kind of education (in a non-defensive way) because it will come up. Some could view this as a negative aspect of being a DO and think that we have to prove ourselves and fight negative perceptions. However, a fundamental skill in being a doctor is knowing how to educate patients easily/effectively. We as DO's will have ample opportunities to develop our skills in educating others and if used in this way, we can be better doctors because of it.

 

[adismo]

There is a simple root cause to this.

I agree with the assertion that premeds and MSones are insecure, but my experience has shown some of them to be vicious. Here's a speculation, based on my personal observations, as to why this is so.

1. They are bitter for having to throw away their young adult years in pursuit of their or their parents' dreams.

2. They are vicious because they know they're smarter than most other people. Also, there is a mood going around that the world owes something to medstudents or docs.

I am not trying to dissect the psyche of medstudents everywhere, nor am i trying to flame at them. But i think this is scary. People have a right to think and to act as they wish and i do not think that other premeds or medstudents should conform to a prescribed thought pattern. Its just that many people want to be docs for the wrong reasons (and its not really money).

This is where DO bashing comes in. DO's are highly capable and caring docs that got to where they are with a lower GPA and MCAT. Imangine how the traditional establisment would take to the idea of mediocre students becoming highly capable doctors. Its a breach of their established norms. It also points out a major flaw in undergrad vs. medschool education (i.e. the hardest part is getting accepted into medschool). The DO establishment is an insult to the highly sensitive collective allopahtic ego. Anyway, that's how i see it.

 

[jmor702]

I'm taking the bait! "Lower GPAs and MCAT scores?" The implication being that DOs would have been MDs if their GPAs and MCAT scores were a little higher.

My GPA is only 3.75, but my science GPA is 4.0. That's after not only the prereq's, but also biochem and 2 semesters of physical chemistry.

I choose to be a DO, not because I wasn't smart to be an MD, but rather I want to be a DO and practice osteopathic medicine.

Thanks for listening

 

[mereNC]

a break from forum doldrums...

The Road Not Taken- Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood And sorry I could not travel both
And be one travel And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear, Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I?
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.


Go D.O.!!!!!

 

[Nanook]

jmor-

You have a 4.0 after two semsesters of P-chem?? You go, man!

My school distributes a bumper sticker that says: "Honk if you passed P-Chem!"

Good luck in your DO endeavors.

 

[DrSRBS]

Love the original idea behind this thread. I agree that we should get on with discussing issues of more importance!

------------------
Scott
MSUCOM Class of 2004

 

[adismo]

jmor,

no bait intended. my support of DO should have been your first clue.

i did not say DO is a second chance or back door to medicine, but i did imply that ost med tends to look past the numbers and see the person. it appears you have good numbers, but you also fished out a statement out of context. im applying solely for ost med too and am sorry u feel offended. my stats are not as good as yours, sorry maybe im just stupid like that...



[This message has been edited by adismo (edited 07-17-2000).]