Fellowships requiring "Dual-Boarded" DO?

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a friend of mine, a fellow DO, decided to take the USMLE step II in addition to the COMLEX because someone on one of her IM residency interviews told her that some MD cardiology fellowships require that DOs be "double-boarded". to me, the term double-boarded implies a physician who is board certified in two specialties, not someone who has taken the full battery of both COMLEX and USMLE exams. if a DO takes all three sets of USMLE exams, it doesn't make him or her "double boarded", just a DO who took extra tests ... i guess im confused about the terminology and why a fellowship would require that a DO had taken USMLE steps I, II, and III? (assuming the DO successfully completed an accredited residency and the specialty board exam)

 

[(nicedream)]

a friend of mine, a fellow DO, decided to take the USMLE step II in addition to the COMLEX because someone on one of her IM residency interviews told her that some MD cardiology fellowships require that DOs be "double-boarded". to me, the term double-boarded implies a physician who is board certified in two specialties, not someone who has taken the full battery of both COMLEX and USMLE exams. if a DO takes all three sets of USMLE exams, it doesn't make him or her "double boarded", just a DO who took extra tests ... i guess im confused about the terminology and why a fellowship would require that a DO had taken USMLE steps I, II, and III? (assuming the DO successfully completed an accredited residency and the specialty board exam)

The person that said "double-boarded" was probably just using the wrong term. Some may require Steps II and III just as some residencies require Step I?

 

[DOtobe]

Double boarded = taking the osteopathic and allopathic board certifications after residency. You can sit for both sets of boards if you are in a dually accredited program. I am in an ACGME/AOA family practice program, and I am planning on taking both sets of boards. So I will be boarded by both the ABFM and the ABOFP.

At least I'm assuming this is what your friend meant.