Originally posted by (nicedream)
The OP asked about possible reasons for her experience that DO's seem to be more friendly overall than MD's.
I'm going to throw this argument out there to spur some discussion - I am not saying I necessarily feel this way.
It's a fact that most people that wind up going to DO schools did so because, in the end, they did not get into MD schools. I'm not saying that they regret that they didn't get into MD schools, or that MD schools are preferrable at all - but it's a simple fact. It's a fact that students accepted into DO schools have somewhat lower average GPA's and MCAT scores. The numbers certainly are not low, but they are lower than average MD numbers. It's a fact that DO school admission committees attach more weight to factors other than numbers when considering candidates - life experience, volunteer experience etc.
I believe that it could be correctly stated that most students going the DO route do not put the priority on grades that future MD's do. The lower numbers indicate time spent on other interests and activities. Most of these activities are likely social in nature, or at least involve more social interaction than studying and lab work. It could be argued then that DO's are, on the whole, friendlier than MD's because of the two professionals' inherent natures. Those going the DO route are more social in nature and less competetive, while those going the MD route are competetive overachievers.
Of course there are exceptions to everything. Plenty of people did their absolute best at achieving the highest grades possible and still did not have the numbers necessary for MD admission and became DO's - could it be said that such people, while overachievers, are also cognizant of people's limits, and are thus more empathetic, caring individuals? Maybe that's a stretch. I will say, however, that I have heard plenty of MD's and future MD's talk disparagingly, often in caustic terms, about other people's abilities - I have never heard a DO or future DO engage in such verbal attack.
Others still had the numbers to be accepted into MD schools, and were in fact accepted, but chose a DO school. There are many reasons why this choice may be made, too many to go into here - but these are the exception rather than the rule.
Again, I'm not making this argument, these are just some possible ideas I'm offering for discussion.