Friendly Question

[pharm1234]

This is not a post to insult anyone or to make anyone feel inferior and if you are comfortable with yourself and your abilities you probably won't feel either.

Has anyone talked to a DO that has told you he/she went the DO route instead of MD because of low stats or because the person didn't get admission into a MD school? The DO's that I have talked to never said that.
Are you in a DO school because of reasons mentioned above? If so do you admit it or do you put a different spin on it?

So why become a DO? It maybe the philosophy.
"D.O.s practice a "whole person" approach to medicine. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard your body as integrated whole.
Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive health care."
From AOA website: AOA "Osteopathy also focuses on promoting wellness, rather than treating symptoms of a disease...Osteopathy emphasizes preventative medicine, health, nutrition, and holistic care..."
From TPR website: TPR
But I understand that the philosophy is up to the doctor. You can have your own philosophy whether you are a MD or DO?

Others may choose DO because of OMM. This one is the only clear one that I see as far as a difference.

If you would like to share why you chose to become a DO I would appreciate that.

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[It'sElectric]

Has anyone talked to a DO that has told you he/she went the DO route instead of MD because of low stats or because the person didn't get admission into a MD school?

Are you in a DO school because of reasons mentioned above? How do you feel about your decision? If you are in DO school for the reasons mentioned above do you admit it or do you put a different spin on it?

If everyone could please ignore this post and refrain from making any sort of reply, that would be AWESOME.

Furthermore, can we get a mod to lock this thread??? It's clearly an attempt to flame and create a long and pointless pissing match. There is absolutely zero need for this thread.

 

[medhacker]

Has anyone talked to a DO that has told you he/she went the DO route instead of MD because of low stats or because the person didn't get admission into a MD school?

Are you in a DO school because of reasons mentioned above? How do you feel about your decision? If you are in DO school for the reasons mentioned above do you admit it or do you put a different spin on it?

None of your questions apply, however, it is a soul searching question and I doubt you will get many honest/straightforward answers to it.

 

[It'sElectric]

Pharm edited his original message in order to make it sound more inviting. Once again, everyone please ignore this.

 

[drusso]

This is not a post to insult anyone or to make anyone feel inferior and if you are comfortable with yourself and your abilities you probably won't feel either.

Has anyone talked to a DO that has told you he/she went the DO route instead of MD because of low stats or because the person didn't get admission into a MD school? The DO's that I have talked to never said that.
Are you in a DO school because of reasons mentioned above? If so do you admit it or do you put a different spin on it?

So why become a DO? It maybe the philosophy. But I hear that the philosophy is up to the doctor whether you are a MD or DO. Is that true?

Some because of OMM. This one is the only clear one that I see as far as a difference.

If you would like to share why you chose to become a DO I would appreciate that.

Look: I'm surprised that you haven't done a little more research on the topic before posting here. It's not like its 1985 and you have to go the card catalogue of your local library to find out information about osteopathic medicine. People write about and study this stuff. Do a literature search on the topic.

You're beginning to annoy people, not because your questions aren't valid, but because there is *SO* much information out there about the osteopathic profession, how DO's are trained, where DO schools are located, what the missions and philosophies are of each respective institution, the history and challenges of the profession, etc. Read the FAQs for SDN!

It should be obvious that people choose where to go to medical schools for a variety of reasons---cost, location, prestige, institutional mission, educational focus, where their significant other wants to live, etc. All the variables get plugged into everyone's unique regression equation and an answer spits out. For some its DO and for some its MD.

DO is school is different than MD school not so much in the way of "content," (with the exception of OMM and manual medicine) but more in the way of "process" (primary care focus, unique educational mission and professional identity, training venues, etc).

So, as an SDN moderator I'm going to warn you that if you want participate in these discussions, you're going to have do demonstrate that you've done a little more homework.

Perceptions of philosophic and practice differences between US osteopathic physicians and their allopathic counterparts

Do osteopathic physicians differ in patient interaction from allopathic physicians? An empirically derived approach.

Comparison of osteopathic and allopathic medical Schools' support for primary care.

Characteristics, satisfaction, and perceptions of patients receiving ambulatory healthcare from osteopathic physicians: a comparative national survey.

A national study of factors influencing the career choice of osteopathic and allopathic family physicians.

And finally, an oldie but goodie...

DO or MD...Which

 

[NewNick]

So why become a DO? It maybe the philosophy. But I hear that the philosophy is up to the doctor whether you are a MD or DO. Is that true?

What philosophy are you talking about ?

 

[pharm1234]

Look: I'm surprised that you haven't done a little more research on the topic before posting here...And finally, an oldie but goodie...

DO or MD...Which

Fair enough. I am sure I can be more educated about this. However I have done some research and have talked to DOs. Differences between MD and DO pointed out in written material and the real world do not always seem to correlate. I have directly heard from a DO that how a DO (I presume specialist or PCP) wants to practice is up to that person and that he/she may practice just like an MD . What does that mean? There is no difference in how they practice. Even written material sometimes minimizes the differences between MD and DO.

Here is an excerpt from http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/full/106/3/114
"In a 2001 survey of osteopathic physicians by Johnson et al,4 more than 50% of the respondents said they used OMT on less than 5% of their patients. The survey was the latest indication that osteopathic physicians have become more like allopathic physicians in all respects—fewer perform OMT, more prescribe drugs, and many perform surgery as a first option.

What has happened since the 1890s to make so many osteopathic physicians move so close to the allopathic medical system? Many osteopathic physicians are struggling for the answer to this question. Meanwhile, the leadership of the osteopathic medical profession has yet to clearly define the profession's uniqueness in modern medicine. A 2002 survey of osteopathic physicians by Johnson et al5 found that "not a single philosophic concept or resultant practice behavior had concurrence from more than a third of the respondents as distinguishing osteopathic from allopathic medicine." Johnson et al4 concluded that many osteopathic physicians, especially those who are recent graduates, no longer use OMT for a variety of reasons, including institutional barriers, negative professional attitudes, and lack of postgraduate training.

Osteopathic medicine is unique because patients have embraced osteopathic physicians for their pragmatism and communication skills. Osteopathic medicine owes its success to those patients who see beyond OMT. It is time for the leadership of the osteopathic medical profession to also look beyond OMT, or the real uniqueness of this profession will become lost. "

Where I get confused is some sources (such as the AOA website and others) mention how a DO is different from an MD and then I read or am told there is not much difference. Differences are maximized by some sources and minimized to almost none by others (written material and people). Do you see how that can leave one wondering what is unique (presently, not in the history) about being a DO? You mentioned some differences in the history, road of becoming a physician, location of schools and some others. True, those differences exist. I would say those are differences in history and in the road to becoming a physician not how you practice. If both DO and MD practice medicine the same way then what separtes the two when you compare specialist to specialist, PCP to PCP, surgeon to surgeon, etc.? This is what I am trying to find out. Is it pragmatism and communication skills as the author mentions? I am not sure. What is that inferring about MD's? Is it just the OMM (which may not be used extensively)? One problem in finding this out is there is contradicting information from reasonable sources about what separates one from the other and if there are any differences. Well I guess I will read some more. Thanks for the links.

 

[pharm1234]

What philosophy are you talking about ?

"D.O.s practice a "whole person" approach to medicine. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard your body as integrated whole.
Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive health care."
From AOA website: http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=ado_whatis

"Osteopathy also focuses on promoting wellness, rather than treating symptoms of a disease.
Osteopathy emphasizes preventative medicine, health, nutrition, and holistic care..."
From TPR website: http://www.princetonreview.com/medical/research/articles/decide/osteoMed.asp

 

[smileman]

think about DDS and DMD for dentistry.....its the same relationship.

 

[shttthttle]

Pharm, for the record I am an idealist and a part-time realist...

Why did I choose DO schools? I believe they foster an enviroment that promotes better patient-value care. I believe that you can practice anyway you like; but I would much rather be surrounded by teachers and colleagues that share similar beliefs as myself throughout my formal education. I can honestly, say I chose the DO route because I like the extra tool it provides and the philosophy.

There are people that go to DO school because they couldn't get into an allopathic school. Although this is a different reason then mine; I hope they turn out to represent the profession well. Everyone has different reasons...

The biggest tragedy in my opinion, is that pre-meds sometimes look down upon DO schools when compared with MD schools. Why? In my opinion, I believe that many pre-meds have no idea what a DO is, the accrediting process, etc. I remember explaining to two girls, both pre-meds, that yes in fact a DO is a doctor and no it is not the same as an LPN...whats the solution to this problem? More publicity at colleges, etc...(this whole paragraph is just an aside)

Finally, Pharm, I think you question is perfectly acceptable. I believe these boards offer a haven for those questions that people are not "supposed" ask. I hope my answer helps.

 

[Dotsero]

This is not a post to insult anyone or to make anyone feel inferior and if you are comfortable with yourself and your abilities you probably won't feel either.

Has anyone talked to a DO that has told you he/she went the DO route instead of MD because of low stats or because the person didn't get admission into a MD school? The DO's that I have talked to never said that.
Are you in a DO school because of reasons mentioned above? If so do you admit it or do you put a different spin on it?

So why become a DO? It maybe the philosophy. But I hear that the philosophy is up to the doctor whether you are a MD or DO. Is that true?

Some because of OMM. This one is the only clear one that I see as far as a difference.

If you would like to share why you chose to become a DO I would appreciate that.

I went DO because 1) I am a non-traditional student and DO schools have been historically more favorable toward the non-trad. 2) My stats were more competitive in DO then MD. I don't care what anyone says there really is no difference between DO or MD when it come to "treating the whole person". In the first year of school there has been no emphasis on treating the whole person. We have (just as the MDs) been drilled on science and facts. This is not surprising as a physician needs a certain knowledge base in order to be competent. All that holistic/whole person stuff is a part of who you are. If you don't have it when start in a DO med school, you will not have it when you graduate. The only real difference between MD and DO is the OMM.

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

I went to a DO school because my MCAT was good and my undergrad grades sucked.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I went to a DO school because my MCAT was good and my undergrad grades sucked.

 

[drusso]

The "trick" to understanding osteopathic medicine is to understand what a social movement is and how they work. Norman Gevitz explains this concept well in his books and articles. Social movements are simply groups of people who affiliate for a common purpose. Social movements can have varying degrees of cohesiveness; some individuals in the movement participate avidly and others reluctantly. Social movements form around "big ideas" like civil rights, labor laws, political philosophy and "small ideas" like supporting your favorite college sports team, creating a neighborhood recycling committee, or joining a bike club. Social movements wax and wane. Some go away after time because they fulfill their mission or because they burn out.

Osteopathic medicine is a social movement. It's gone through phases of development throughout its history. First, it was a radical reformation of allopathic medicine; next, it was a competitor against allopathic medicine; and now it is essentially a confederate of allopathic medicine. DO's and MD's unite on an overwhelming number of issues professionally and politically--patient safety and welfare, malpractice reform, reimbursement, public health, etc. Because DO's and MD's have so much in common in so many ways, you'll actually find more diversity *within* the respective groups (i.e. hardcore MDs and hardcore DO's) than between them!

Nevertheless, the early history of osteopathic medicine has irreversibly shaped the profession's current status. In case you haven't noticed, health care is a business: There is a lot of money on the line n osteopathic medicine (private schools, for-profit hospitals, successful physicians, research programs, residency programs, etc.) There are many people who put food on the table because of their work for or within the profession---medical school professors and administrators, hospital workers, lab assistants, nurses, front office people, political lobbyists, etc. So, I always laugh when some pre-med pipes up, "the two fields should just merge!" There is way to much money, turf, and politics on the line. There are lot of people who have to sign off on such a deal. Besides, prior attempts at mergers didn't work out so well...

So, the reasons why people affiliate with the movement are highly variable. I think that there is some "self-selection" involved. Think about the kind of pre-med who simply "can't imagine being doctor and not being an M.D." They are probably not going to do so well in the movement. As others have alluded, the movement tends to attract certain "sub-cultures" of pre-meds--either older, or from "non-traditional" backgrounds, or interested in more kind of "fringey" things, etc. They seem to find osteopathic medicine, get in a groove, and do quite well for themselves.

I think asking pre-meds or D.O. students to defend their choices or decisions about osteopathic medicine is kind of like watching an avid PC person argue with a Mac person about which computer platform is better. The arguments on each side are remarkably similiar:

PC: "It's the preferred global platform." (kind of like the MD degree)
PC: "You have more software choices." (kind of like residency opportunities)
etc, etc, etc.

At the end of the day, the Mac person says, "I can emulate a PC if want, I can run some software better than a PC, and I just like the it feels."

So there you go: DO's can specialize in anything they want (they even have their own residencies), they learn some unique skills (MSK medicine and OMM), but mostly they like the way it feels. Contrary to the imagination of some premeds, we don't go around with our heads hung low bemoaning the fact that we're not M.D.'s. I've not met anyone yet who has quit medicine because they were a D.O. and not an M.D...although I know both degree holders who have quit medicine for other, and exactly the same, reasons!

So, take home lessons:

1) Social movements (of any sort) seek to self-perpetuate---especially when there is money, jobs, or power on the line.
2) People affiliate with social movements for a variety of reasons some of which might actually run counter to the movement itself.
3) Social movement evolve and progress through stages of development and as they do so they try to maximize numbers 1 and 2 above.
4) Osteopathic medicine is no different than other kinds of social movements and is really just a special case example.

 

[Shinken]

Reasons why I like (no, love) osteopathic medicine and osteo med school:

1- I'm a nontrad student. My school supports that and there are many more like me so I don't feel totally surrounded by "kids".

2- My school encourages primary care, and even more so if you want primary care in rural or underserved areas. That fits my career plans nicely.

3- Most of my classmates are pretty laid back. My interview at an allopathic schools was pretty scary in terms of how the other interviewees were (and the interviewers were scary as well).

4- I personally enjoy how pissy some MDs get at how relatively "easy" it is to become a physician going the DO route. Less biochem, less embryo, more clinical emphasis, our very own, private, only-DOs-may-apply residencies from family med to ortho to neurosurgery to derm.

5- The DO profession has a "family" feel. Every time I go to a conference I bump into dozens of people I know, and the conferences are small and cozy and not huge like allopathic conferences. You don't get lost in a sea of unfamiliar faces. A minor thing, but cool nevertheless.

Reasons why I don't like my osteopathic med school:

1- It's relatively easier to get into, so we have some immature, lazy losers who just want to be called "doctor" and make money.

2- It's a DO school so we don't have the huge amounts of money that allopathic institutions have (for research, for example).

In case you were wondering, my MCAT scores were average and my GPA wasn't a killer. I decided to become a doctor after several years in the professional world, and I didn't go through college with a mindset to get the highest GPA possible. DO schools were more receptive about my situation (although I still got a couple of allopathic interviews...got waitlisted at one and declined the interview at the other).

Anyway, everyone has his/her reasons to choose a DO school.

By the way, great post drusso. I really enjoyed it.

 

[shttthttle]

((This was my first thread using only icons until I wrote this disclaimer...maybe next time..anyways, these are for the two previous posts))

 

[ImNoSuperman]

I chose DO because:
1. I too am a non-trad.
2. Last summer when I did research at my school I was absolutely amazed with how much they really care about their students and how much the current students cared about you, the future student. I had toured other schools and was made to feel like another head of cattle in the herd. Overall it was a great environment that seemes more like a big family and not a cattle auction.

 

[ImNoSuperman]

P.S.

I agree with Shinken. Additionally, if you have a problem with it... tough ****! My education is just as good as the next guy's because it's what I do with the tools available to me that counts. When I get done at OUCOM and my friend/former classmate gets done at Mayo, we're both referred to as "Doctor." Period.

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

I cant figure out why people are so scared to say that.

 

[nvshelat]

Look: I'm surprised that you haven't done a little more research on the topic before posting here. It's not like its 1985 and you have to go the card catalogue of your local library to find out information about osteopathic medicine.

LOL. Wow, card catalogue. Jeez, I remember those. You had to pull them out of the little drawer and then go hunting in the right section, and inevitably the book wasn't there but hten magically when you showed the card to the librarian she would wave her librarian wand and the book would appear Whazam! out of thin air. Theres something to be said for the muscle and effort it took to retrieve books back in the day...

 

[OSUdoc08]

I cant figure out why people are so scared to say that.

I'm right with ya.

 

[WiscoDO]

I cant figure out why people are so scared to say that.

From the interviews I've had, the osteopathic schools seem to be more close-knit and friendly, and I personally like the DO philosophy towards medicine in general. However, I am not afraid either to say that my MCAT and GPA were good, not great, and I was being realistic when I was applying to med schools. I knew my scores were more competitive at DO schools, so I accordingly applied to more of them. I see nothing wrong with that. I view both degrees as being an equal physician and I don't care what the initals are.

 

[strawberryfield]

From the interviews I've had, the osteopathic schools seem to be more close-knit and friendly, and I personally like the DO philosophy towards medicine in general. However, I am not afraid either to say that my MCAT and GPA were good, not great, and I was being realistic when I was applying to med schools. I knew my scores were more competitive at DO schools, so I accordingly applied to more of them. I see nothing wrong with that. I view both degrees as being an equal physician and I don't care what the initals are.

I agree totally w/ this post, especially about the feeling more comfortable @ the schools w/ the friendliness and the more hollistic approach. My grades and MCAT scores were average for admission to some MD progs (I'd say "borderline") in that I was offered interviews to both types of programs, but ultimatley did not get any acceptances to MD programs. That being said, DO is the right path for me, I'll be more comfortable, I'm very looking forward to the emphasis on early clinicals (I love working w/ patients) and....I'm going going to be an amazing physician (or at least I hope so! ) On a side note, I'm rather excited to learn OMT!!

 

[FizbanZymogen]

I think a lot of individuals may miss the computer cut at M.D. schools becuase of grades or MCAT but once they discover or already decided to go D.O. they understand there is no difference except for OMT which many have mixed feelings about. Our cheif ED director at our local hospital is a D.O. and flat out admitted he couldn't get into an M.D. program becuase of his MCAT but is the best darn doctor on the floor here becuase his MCAT didn't mean *(&^#%!! That's my opinion.

 

[FizbanZymogen]

Oh as a side note, 10 years ago Macs really did suck. I am a network admin here at CWU and I won't touch a pre 2000 mac (anyone who maintains even a simple network will know what I am talking about). Having said that the only reason to buy a PC anymore for myself is to game (which I do quite heavily! BF2 anyone!) but that will quickly change this next month with the release of the Mac Pro which will allow me to drop in my ATi X1900 XTX into a Mac so I can have the best of the Mac and the games on my PC.

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

Oh as a side note, 10 years ago Macs really did suck. I am a network admin here at CWU and I won't touch a pre 2000 mac (anyone who maintains even a simple network will know what I am talking about). Having said that the only reason to buy a PC anymore for myself is to game (which I do quite heavily! BF2 anyone!) but that will quickly change this next month with the release of the Mac Pro which will allow me to drop in my ATi X1900 XTX into a Mac so I can have the best of the Mac and the games on my PC.

Wrong thread homes.

 

[xTinaBna]

This is not a post to insult anyone or to make anyone feel inferior and if you are comfortable with yourself and your abilities you probably won't feel either.

Has anyone talked to a DO that has told you he/she went the DO route instead of MD because of low stats or because the person didn't get admission into a MD school? The DO's that I have talked to never said that.
Are you in a DO school because of reasons mentioned above? If so do you admit it or do you put a different spin on it?

So why become a DO? It maybe the philosophy.
"D.O.s practice a "whole person" approach to medicine. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard your body as integrated whole.
Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive health care."
From AOA website: AOA "Osteopathy also focuses on promoting wellness, rather than treating symptoms of a disease...Osteopathy emphasizes preventative medicine, health, nutrition, and holistic care..."
From TPR website: TPR
But I understand that the philosophy is up to the doctor. You can have your own philosophy whether you are a MD or DO?

Others may choose DO because of OMM. This one is the only clear one that I see as far as a difference.

If you would like to share why you chose to become a DO I would appreciate that.

i have an answer to why i will become a d.o....i've always known that i've wanted to do pediatrics...it doesn't matter what two letters are after my name, as long as i get to do what I love. Fate has decided that I have been accepted into the d.o. program, and i am just thankful to go to medical school period.

 

[FizbanZymogen]

Wrong thread homes.

Whoops! thanks buckeye

 

[EFD8216]

In my case, I am also a nontraditional student, but the most important reason was the way the school felt and prior experiences with DO's Vs MD's.

My GPA in undergrad was decent, but not exceptional and I did score decently well on the MCAT. I have been working in the fire service for the last eight years and always had a nagging "what if" so I tried and got in. I chose a DO program though because my father wound up having a heartattack after seeing a new DO who actually caught what was going on, followed up with my dad on the holiday weekend and actually cared. That was enough for me to sit down, buy a beer and talk with him. Did some research on DO's found Gevitz's book and went out and talked to some schools. Then I ran into one of the professors that said something that absolutely made sense to me and I was sold.

Thats my story of becoming a DO.

Jeremy

 

[Jack Daniel]

Then I ran into one of the professors that said something that absolutely made sense to me and I was sold.

You're such a tease....

 

[Scorcher31]

Pharm I see where you are coming from. The AMA has started to be much more accommodating toward DO students and you will seldom see an MD now a days who doesn’t believe in treating the whole person. Everyone knows preventative medicine, mental state, nutrition, and exercise are all important parts to healthcare. I really agree with you that the philosophy is dependent on the individual person. Honestly osteopathic schools are much closer to allopathic schools than you could possibly know aside from OMM. With that said here's an honest answer why I chose my osteopathic school. I am a traditional student. I had a very good gpa, an ok MCAT score and was accepted to two MD schools in Philadelphia and many DO schools. So here are the 5 reasons why I chose my school.

1. The interviewees, students, and the faculty were just much friendlier to me. Either they really wanted me or they were just generally interested in me as a person (I feel it was the later reason). I want people I can go out and have a good time with like in college, not people that are always at each others throats. Many of the people I interviewed with at the MD schools seemed really stuck up to me.

2. It cost me about $15,000 less a year to switch my residency to Jersey from PA and go to UMDNJ-SOM than it would if I went to any MD or DO Pennsylvania school I was accepted too. In the end, I will be about $70,000 less in debt, which to me is a good deal. I’ll put that money toward vacations and having a good time while I’m in school.

3. The school had a much better faculty to student ratio than most schools. There are only about 100 students in each grade. I figured it would be a nice change from Penn State where I went to college.

4. My school has an excellent board pass rate. Someone mentioned it was 100% last year, but I'm really not sure. Either way though I know it’s in the upper quartile and they have a board prep class built into the curriculum before the exam. To me that’s a big deal because I need to do well on the boards not just pass them.

5. This reason might be a little off and actually it's more of an afterthought, but I want to go into ER or gen. surgery. By going to a DO school I have both DO and MD surgical residencies to apply to. Plus you can take the USMLE and the COMLEX and not show your USMLE scores if you don’t want to. Chances are with a small class and if a lot of student's are truly there for the focus on primary care, I can most likely get one of my school’s surgery slots provided I score well enough. It's also better for your confidence if you go into a school in the upper range of students selected as opposed to barely getting in at another school. That way when students are saying how great they are or how worried they are you can sit back, smile and be confident with yourself.

 

[DocGina]

[What has happened since the 1890s to make so many osteopathic physicians move so close to the allopathic medical system?]

Hi Pharm,

I have a great book for you to read if you seriously desire a better understanding; the book is called "The D.O.'s, Osteopathic Medicine in America" by Norman Gevitz. This book documents the origin and history of the osteopathic medicine. It is a quick read and personally, I found it emotionally moving which made it interesting (not your standard boring history book). You can find this book online via Amazon, or quite possibly at your local bookstore or library. I hope you have the time to read this, as I feel you will truly understand the difference between osteopathic and allopathic practices when you're done with the book. What I found most interesting after I read the book, was that osteopathic medicine was founded by A.T. Still, who was an M.D.! This may provide a brief explanation of why osteopathic medicine closely parallels allopathic medicine! However, it is my humble opinion that you need to read the book to get the entire picture. Best of luck to you and I hope you find the answers you're looking for.

 

[NKMU]

I applied only to DO schools because I was pretty sure I wouldn't get in to any MD schools. My undergrad science GPA sucked for a variety of reasons. My MCAT was ok though, 29q I think.

In the end I will get to be a doctor, and I think I'll be a good one. However, there are (and will be more) obstacles to stumble over because I went to a DO school. If I did it all over again I'd do a post-grad year (I took a year off anyway) and apply to MD schools. I don't necessarily think that DO programs are academically inferior once you get there for the first two years, but at MY clinical rotation site, there is a LOT to be desired.

 

[pharm1234]

Then I ran into one of the professors that said something that absolutely made sense to me and I was sold.

What was said?

 

[MD-To Be]

This is not a post to insult anyone or to make anyone feel inferior and if you are comfortable with yourself and your abilities you probably won't feel either.

Has anyone talked to a DO that has told you he/she went the DO route instead of MD because of low stats or because the person didn't get admission into a MD school? The DO's that I have talked to never said that.
Are you in a DO school because of reasons mentioned above? If so do you admit it or do you put a different spin on it?

So why become a DO? It maybe the philosophy.
"D.O.s practice a "whole person" approach to medicine. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard your body as integrated whole.
Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive health care."
From AOA website: AOA "Osteopathy also focuses on promoting wellness, rather than treating symptoms of a disease...Osteopathy emphasizes preventative medicine, health, nutrition, and holistic care..."
From TPR website: TPR
But I understand that the philosophy is up to the doctor. You can have your own philosophy whether you are a MD or DO?

Others may choose DO because of OMM. This one is the only clear one that I see as far as a difference.

If you would like to share why you chose to become a DO I would appreciate that.

An outright refusal to answer this simple question by so many is a clear indication of why osteopathic medicine continues to be so mis-understood. Granted, this person could have found this information out by doing some very basic research but, none the less, s/he came to an osteopathic forum to learn more about osteopathy.

I originally intended to enter into an osteopathic program and spent all of my time volunteering at osteopathic hospitals and shadowing osteopathic physicians but recently changed my mind and pursued an allopathic program to which I was accepted (WSU). My decision to leave a pursuit of osteopathic medicine was heavily influenced by the body of osteopathy's seemingly unwillingness to address these issues and openly discuss the principles of osteopathy. I wanted to become a DO because I love the osteopathic philsophy and primary care focus but it seems osteopathic physicians/advocates spend more time addressing the similarities between MDs and DOs instead of the differences (which is what makes osteopathic medicine unique).

Why if osteopathic medicine continues to push to be equivalent to allopathic medicine would anyone want to become a DO besides the fact that the entrance requirements are usually more lax in that they accept lower GPAs and MCAT scores? If osteopathic medicine forfeits its desire to stand as an unique branch of medicine then it should assimilate into allopathic medicine and dissapear. On the other hand, osteopathic medicine can choose to advocate its unique principles and as such will attract applicants and patients intereted in ospteopathy not for its lower expectations but instead for its founding principles as established by Dr. A.T. Still.

 

[DrFeelgoodMD]

What was said?

i am also curious to know what was said...

 

[CatsandCradles]

An outright refusal to answer this simple question by so many is a clear indication of why osteopathic medicine continues to be so mis-understood. Granted, this person could have found this information out by doing some very basic research but, none the less, s/he came to an osteopathic forum to learn more about osteopathy.

I originally intended to enter into an osteopathic program and spent all of my time volunteering at osteopathic hospitals and shadowing osteopathic physicians but recently changed my mind and pursued an allopathic program to which I was accepted (WSU). My decision to leave a pursuit of osteopathic medicine was heavily influenced by the body of osteopathy's seemingly unwillingness to address these issues and openly discuss the principles of osteopathy. I wanted to become a DO because I love the osteopathic philsophy and primary care focus but it seems osteopathic physicians/advocates spend more time addressing the similarities between MDs and DOs instead of the differences (which is what makes osteopathic medicine unique).

Why if osteopathic medicine continues to push to be equivalent to allopathic medicine would anyone want to become a DO besides the fact that the entrance requirements are usually more lax in that they accept lower GPAs and MCAT scores? If osteopathic medicine forfeits its desire to stand as an unique branch of medicine then it should assimilate into allopathic medicine and dissapear. On the other hand, osteopathic medicine can choose to advocate its unique principles and as such will attract applicants and patients intereted in ospteopathy not for its lower expectations but instead for its founding principles as established by Dr. A.T. Still.

Interesting thoughts.

 

[Old_Mil]

Has anyone talked to a DO that has told you he/she went the DO route instead of MD because of low stats or because the person didn't get admission into a MD school? The DO's that I have talked to never said that.
Are you in a DO school because of reasons mentioned above? If so do you admit it or do you put a different spin on it?

I'm at our state's DO school because I liked the facilities, location, and staff. I was waitlisted at our state's MD school and just missed clearing off the waitlist, but I would have declined that admission to come here for the reasons just cited.

That having been said, I think it's inevitable that there are people in DO school because of low stats. Our average entering MCAT is 4 points lower than the average entering MCAT at Brand X. There's just no getting around that statistic. I'd imagine that the same would hold true if our GPA figures were compared.

Others may choose DO because of OMM. This one is the only clear one that I see as far as a difference.

While I'm sure they are out there, I don't know anyone who chose a DO school because they had a burning desire to learn OMT. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that the emphasis placed on OMT in DO school is a drawback; it takes class and study time from material of far greater clinical importance and as such probably compromises one's medical education overall.

 

[Hoberto]

No one has ever asked me why I chose an osteopathic school outside of SDN. I have been asked about southern Ohio, being away from my family, switching from engineering to medicine, what specialty I'm interested in, will I continue to do research and even what it's like to have my pets in such a small apartment. However, I have not once been asked why I chose an osteopathic school.

The idea that people have a burning desire to know if someone is a DO or an MD is only true amongst pre-meds.

That being said, my MCAT and GPA were average. I applied to both MD and DO schools, mainly targeting those within a few hours drive of my family. I was accepted to both MD and DO programs. I chose DO for reasons based entirely on the educational possibilities at the school. I considered the standard of equipment, facilities and faculty. I considered the region and cost-of-living which ultimately leads to my happiness while in school. I considered the clinical experiences planned and possible. I considered the amount of financial backing the school exhibits. I considered the technological standards of the schools. I didn't look at the mission statements of any organizations. I didn't consider the philosophies of the AOA and the AMA. I didn't look at the differences between DO and MD. I just want to be a damn good physician and I am attending the school that will help make that happen.