Frustrated over AOA Accreditation

[PACtoDOC]

After looking very hard at FP programs all over the country, I must say that I feel that I have found the best of the best if you are looking for programs that are unopposed, rigorous, and rich in procedures and OB. And as a DO, having concurred the USMLE and COMLEX both, I really felt like I coudl now sit back, relax, and let the residencies sell themselves at the interview. But my problem now is once again with the old AOA/ACGME matches. The problem I am having is that my top 3 choices are all in California, and are all AOA residency programs with no AOA dual accreditation or intern year approved. However, my next 2 choices are in Pennsylvania, and one of them is dually accredited, while the other has an approved AOA internship. The two in Pa require DO's to enter the program through the AOA match even though they have ACGME accreditation, while the programs in Cali are ACGME only. This basically forces me to exclude my Pa programs because I am not willing to exclude my top 3 choices to enter the AOA match. And what sucks is that many FP programs across the country allow DO's to enter through ACGME while they may also offer an approved AOA internship. This is the real reason we need to have a dual match process. I mean maybe I would not have ended up at an AOA program seeing that my 4th and 5th choices were further down the list, but as it stands now, I certainly won't since I won't apply there. So if there was a dual match, there might exist around a 30% chance that I could end up in an AOA program, but forcing me to only go the ACGME route now makes that chance 0%. In my opinion, the AOA forces out its best graduates with this policy, and instead keeps the average grads who don't have the confidence to enter the ACGME match without at least attempting the AOA match for fear of having to scramble. So once again, the AOA seems to lag behind in changing policies that would better affect its grads. Anyone know how difficult a time I would have getting my ACGME California FP program approved as a waiver for my AOA intern year so I can get the dual credit for intern year?

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[deleted6669]

matt- don't sweat it, you will match into one of the 3 that you are applying to in california. I have seen your usmle/comlex and it is a nonissue.

 

[DOtobe]

I thought that there was going to be a joint match sometime in the near future?

Fortunately all of the FP programs I am applying to are dually accredited or applying for dual accreditation and thus I will match through the AOA match. It would be a lot easier if there was one match. Hopefully this will come to fruition sometime soon.

And I'm sure you'll be fine for any programs you apply to. I remember vaguely that you had great board scores. You'll be fine

 

[DrMom]

There is work being done on a joint match. If it happens, it looks like the earliest possible class to benefit is 2008, with a tiny chance of 2007.

 

[Cowboy DO]

This is the real reason we need to have a dual match process. I mean maybe I would not have ended up at an AOA program seeing that my 4th and 5th choices were further down the list, but as it stands now, I certainly won't since I won't apply there. So if there was a dual match, there might exist around a 30% chance that I could end up in an AOA program, but forcing me to only go the ACGME route now makes that chance 0%. In my opinion, the AOA forces out its best graduates with this policy, and instead keeps the average grads who don't have the confidence to enter the ACGME match without at least attempting the AOA match for fear of having to scramble. So once again, the AOA seems to lag behind in changing policies that would better affect its grads.

On the other side of the coin though, For every one PACDOC that only applies ACGME to make sure he matches to the best of his ability, there is probably one "ANTI-PACDOC" that will only apply AOA to make sure he matches at all (ie applying only acgme might leave him unmatched). Sure he could do both, but if he has a safety aoa program that he applies to then he will automatically be pulled from the acgme when he matches into that program ,so why bother?

If you let everyone apply to ACGME and AOA at the same time willy nilly with no consequences. Then alot of people are going to rank quite a few long shot ACGME programs above some AOA sure bets, and in theory maybe the ACGME programs will get their pick of the best DO graduates. In essence still leaving the "left overs" for the AOA programs. But maybe they deserve to if they have the better program.

Just a thought. I agree that a combined match is better for the students, but might not really be of any benifit to the AOA, or the profession at large.

Oh and by the way, i wouldnt worry too much about matching you seem to be a pretty strong candidate. But then again what do i know, im just an OMSII?