For those who have graduated DO

[Mike MacKinnon]

---

Members do not see this ad.

This is NOT an MD v DO thread.

I have been working in the hospital for a long time with both DO's and MD's and truthfully, there is no difference in practice. Now having said that, i have also asked all the DO's had they felt any repression in their careers because they were DO's. Not one of them felt that way.

Now what i was wondering is if any of the people on this forum who have graduated had a different experience? In the 4 years i have been in the states working as an RN i have never met a DO who felt they were discriminated against or treated any differently.

I am not going to DO school because i dont have the grades to get into MD school. I have decided to goto (and only apply to) DO school because it fits who i am.

 

[redwings54]

Hey, I havent gone to medical school yet, but I am very much in favor of osteopathic schools and am only applying to them. I worked in a hospital as a phlebotomist where there were DO's, MD's, DO residents, MD residents and IMG residents and docs. I talked to many of them about where to apply and what I am looking into. I had MDs tell me that since I want to be a primary care doc that I should go DO. DOs that loved where they went and what they are doing now. I even asked DO residents and docs if there were any prejudices or if they would have gone MD if they had to do it over again and all of them said they hadnt felt any. Some even said they had patients seek them out for treatment. Suprisingly, the IMG residents and foreign docs even said to go DO because it is much easier living in the States and trying to get residencies.

So with all this and all the things that I love about osteopathic medicine (OMT, holistic philosophy, openness to alternative treatments), I am only applying to DO schools. I hope to get in this year and use what I learn to become a great DOCTOR, not just a great osteopath. Hope this helps a little.

 

[cfdavid]

This is a general statement, and not a slam against the OP. The OP has a good question/concern.

But, generally speaking, I've come to realize that the reason that practicing MD's and DO's don't seem to place as high an emphasis on the letters behind the name is because of the mutual respect of anyone that has gone through the process of studying hard, taking the MCAT, surviving med school and all the licensing exams, obtaining a good residency, surviving the residency years, and then studying some more for specialty certification.

After all that, I think it tends to eliminate any differences between MD's and DO's etc. The process, while different is some minor respects (OMM, COMLEX vs. USMLE etc.), is far more similar than different. Yet it's VERY different from most (i said most) other professional programs.

I think that's why there's an inherent respect amongst the MD and DO communities, in the real world.

The one major factor that an MD friend of mine just told me (like two days ago) was that where you train for your residency is very important to building your confidence level once you assume the full responsibilities of a practicing MD/DO. He indicated that he felt that his residency training really exposed him to a lot. This would be in contrast to a small teaching hospital etc. where a resident simply may not be exposed to as many, or as serious conditions.

However, my bud is a recently certified anesthesiologist, and so his perspective is shaped around his specialty. So, a FP, or general internist may benefit from an entirely different residency experience than someone doing surgery etc.

Just my two cents from a very recent conversation.

By the way, a partner in his group (they make partner after board cert) is a DO.

 

[Mike MacKinnon]

Well said

Awesome posts here. Nice to read some positive stuff for a change!

This is a general statement, and not a slam against the OP. The OP has a good question/concern.

But, generally speaking, I've come to realize that the reason that practicing MD's and DO's don't seem to place as high an emphasis on the letters behind the name is because of the mutual respect of anyone that has gone through the process of studying hard, taking the MCAT, surviving med school and all the licensing exams, obtaining a good residency, surviving the residency years, and then studying some more for specialty certification.

After all that, I think it tends to eliminate any differences between MD's and DO's etc. The process, while different is some minor respects (OMM, COMLEX vs. USMLE etc.), is far more similar than different. Yet it's VERY different from most (i said most) other professional programs.

I think that's why there's an inherent respect amongst the MD and DO communities, in the real world.

The one major factor that an MD friend of mine just told me (like two days ago) was that where you train for your residency is very important to building your confidence level once you assume the full responsibilities of a practicing MD/DO. He indicated that he felt that his residency training really exposed him to a lot. This would be in contrast to a small teaching hospital etc. where a resident simply may not be exposed to as many, or as serious conditions.

However, my bud is a recently certified anesthesiologist, and so his perspective is shaped around his specialty. So, a FP, or general internist may benefit from an entirely different residency experience than someone doing surgery etc.

Just my two cents from a very recent conversation.

By the way, a partner in his group (they make partner after board cert) is a DO.