Help, my girlfriend is "super-DO"

[jason3278]

I am applying to DO schools this year, but my girlfriend just finished her first year at a large state-supported DO school. I am a bit worried because she has sort of turned into "super-DO". She thinks DOs are absolutely superior, that MDs don't treat patients holistically, she even jokingly ragged on an MD student on a student trip. Also, she's really gotten into cranial, and even has me trying to feel cranial rhythms. I personally don't know much about it, but from what I've read here, it seems shady.

Is this just a phase? Do a lot of DO students go through this, or should I be worried?

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[DO Sigma Nu guy]

I am applying to DO schools this year, but my girlfriend just finished her first year at a large state-supported DO school. I am a bit worried because she has sort of turned into "super-DO". She thinks DOs are absolutely superior, that MDs don't treat patients holistically, she even jokingly ragged on an MD student on a student trip. Also, she's really gotten into cranial, and even has me trying to feel cranial rhythms. I personally don't know much about it, but from what I've read here, it seems shady.

Is this just a phase? Do a lot of DO students go through this, or should I be worried?

Yea all DO's go through this phase. If you are one of the lucky few, the Justice League will surely get in contact and offer a position.

 

[Founder]

I am applying to DO schools this year, but my girlfriend just finished her first year at a large state-supported DO school. I am a bit worried because she has sort of turned into "super-DO". She thinks DOs are absolutely superior, that MDs don't treat patients holistically, she even jokingly ragged on an MD student on a student trip. Also, she's really gotten into cranial, and even has me trying to feel cranial rhythms. I personally don't know much about it, but from what I've read here, it seems shady.

Is this just a phase? Do a lot of DO students go through this, or should I be worried?

LOL, no. This whole competition is artificial. I don't feel DO's treat patients any differently than an MD. The "treat the whole patient" thing has me roll my eyes when I hear it. Any medical professional worth their weight in tongue depressors and stethoscopes will treat the whole person, the two letters after their name do not matter.

As for cranial if she can feel it good for her. All I can feel is the pulse in my fingers.

 

[cyclohexanol]

I am applying to DO schools this year, but my girlfriend just finished her first year at a large state-supported DO school. I am a bit worried because she has sort of turned into "super-DO". She thinks DOs are absolutely superior, that MDs don't treat patients holistically, she even jokingly ragged on an MD student on a student trip. Also, she's really gotten into cranial, and even has me trying to feel cranial rhythms. I personally don't know much about it, but from what I've read here, it seems shady.

Is this just a phase? Do a lot of DO students go through this, or should I be worried?

I'm sorry my friend, it is now a lost cause. She has crossed over to the quackery side and will not be coming back.

Is it a phase? Maybe. There is a spectrum of DOism in every class: there will be one or two in each class that are like your gf, the rest of the class will probably be split between thinking either 1) OMM has uses, but some things are BS (cranial, chapmans points, etc...) and that they have superior palpation and/or anatomy skills or 2) OMM is a waste of time and that they may or may not have superior palpation/anatomy skills.

I've seen some of my classmates bragging on their alleged superior palpation skills or anatomy knowledge. The rest of us (including myself) engage in epic lulz towards these people.

Personally, I never went through a superiority phase, and neither have most of my friends.

 

[DrWBD]

Your GF is succumbing to the quackery.
If she isn't cured after her clerkship rotations, she'll be a lost cause.

On the other hand, she'll probably be the president of the AOA someday.

 

[EastWestN2grt]

I'm sorry my friend, it is now a lost cause. She has crossed over to the quackery side and will not be coming back.

Is it a phase? Maybe. There is a spectrum of DOism in every class: there will be one or two in each class that are like your gf, the rest of the class will probably be split between thinking either 1) OMM has uses, but some things are BS (cranial, chapmans points, etc...) and that they have superior palpation and/or anatomy skills or 2) OMM is a waste of time and that they may or may not have superior palpation/anatomy skills.

I've seen some of my classmates bragging on their alleged superior palpation skills or anatomy knowledge. The rest of us (including myself) engage in epic lulz towards these people.

Personally, I never went through a superiority phase, and neither have most of my friends.

I second Cyclos comments. I would even say that individually you will frequently wax and wane in and out of the above 2 camps. For me the times when i usually feel OMT is a waste of time is when I am stressed about a upcoming test and have to stop studying to go and practice OMT. I quickly go back to camp 1, the minute the test is over, especially if i am getting OMT done on myself--cranial will put me to sleep on a table in 5 minutes ..AHHHHHH!!!!

The diehard OMT lovers are few in each class.

 

[It'sElectric]

Yea all DO's go through this phase. If you are one of the lucky few, the Justice League will surely get in contact and offer a position.

I can honestly say I never once went through this phase. I try and see those individuals who are hardcore OMMers as nothing more or less than someone who is hardcore opthalmology or pediatrics or whatever. They've found something they're really into (a specialty of sorts), so good for them.

 

[ceftazidime]

Don't worry, third year will knock some sense back into her.

 

[Toohotinvegas33]

1 comment, 2 questions

You should get rid of her.

Is she hot and can you post a pic?

Can you pm her phone #?

 

[Colbert]

Would you rather her be excited about what she's doing or pissed off about having to spend so much time doing it? I'm not saying she's right or she's wrong, I just think if she finds a lot of value in OMM then she should use it (speaking down about MDs is a different story).

 

[bkpa2med]

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Does she give good OMM?

 

[scpod]

I am applying to DO schools this year, but my girlfriend just finished her first year at a large state-supported DO school. I am a bit worried because she has sort of turned into "super-DO". She thinks DOs are absolutely superior, that MDs don't treat patients holistically, she even jokingly ragged on an MD student on a student trip. Also, she's really gotten into cranial, and even has me trying to feel cranial rhythms. I personally don't know much about it, but from what I've read here, it seems shady.

Is this just a phase? Do a lot of DO students go through this, or should I be worried?

I didn't know there was an osteopathic shool that taught crainial to first years. My advice is to stay away from that school and choose another.

However, OMM does have its benefits. My roommate fell asleep at his desk studying for the boards yesterday. When he woke up he was in pain and couldn't rotate his neck to the left. HVLA took a few seconds and he's fine now. If I was in MD school I'd have had no choice but to give him some ibuprofen, call him a whiny little sissy and told him to "tough it out". If only I could charge him for that .

 

[Founder]

So because a school teaches cranial to its first year students it should be avoided? Uh... no. I've taken the course and I don't really follow cranial. They offered it because they were trying to get us "familiar" with it. No one was expected to be able to feel CRI or be a pro at it. It was more focused on just getting familiar with the theory behind it. All I have felt at this point is the pulse on my fingertips.

I'm willing to keep an open mind about it, but I am a little pessimistic.

 

[scpod]

So because a school teaches cranial to its first year students it should be avoided?....I'm willing to keep an open mind about it, but I am a little pessimistic.

Perhaps a course on detecting sarcasm would be more fitting .

 

[ArcherM2]

Seriously, I think it is an absolute abomination to be even discussing cranial with first-year medical students. I mean it is a very dangerous super power to possess and someone will likely begin to drain CSF from their nares if performed by novices...

 

[DO Sigma Nu guy]

Seriously, I think it is an absolute abomination to be even discussing cranial with first-year medical students. I mean it is a very dangerous super power to possess and someone will likely begin to drain CSF from their nares if performed by novices...

 

[bth7]

I am applying to DO schools this year, but my girlfriend just finished her first year at a large state-supported DO school. I am a bit worried because she has sort of turned into "super-DO". She thinks DOs are absolutely superior, that MDs don't treat patients holistically, she even jokingly ragged on an MD student on a student trip. Also, she's really gotten into cranial, and even has me trying to feel cranial rhythms. I personally don't know much about it, but from what I've read here, it seems shady.

Is this just a phase? Do a lot of DO students go through this, or should I be worried?

Total phase. Very common. Peaks at end of 1st year. Holds or slowly weakens through second year. Plummets during 3rd year. Reverses in forth.

Someone should do a study on this actually.

 

[Iquitos]

I'm sorry my friend, it is now a lost cause. She has crossed over to the quackery side and will not be coming back.

Is it a phase? Maybe. There is a spectrum of DOism in every class: there will be one or two in each class that are like your gf, the rest of the class will probably be split between thinking either 1) OMM has uses, but some things are BS (cranial, chapmans points, etc...) and that they have superior palpation and/or anatomy skills or 2) OMM is a waste of time and that they may or may not have superior palpation/anatomy skills.

I've seen some of my classmates bragging on their alleged superior palpation skills or anatomy knowledge. The rest of us (including myself) engage in epic lulz towards these people.

Personally, I never went through a superiority phase, and neither have most of my friends.

I agree. I personally know a couple of hippies in my class that have a superiority complex as described above.

1 comment, 2 questions

You should get rid of her.

Is she hot and can you post a pic?

Can you pm her phone #?

I thought you were married

 

[drusso]

Total phase. Very common. Peaks at end of 1st year. Holds or slowly weakens through second year. Plummets during 3rd year. Reverses in forth.

Someone should do a study on this actually.

I almost did. Got as far as developing a validated instrument to measure osteopathic attitudes in DO students, but never did the second longitudinal part. Maybe someone will become inspired...

http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/abstract/103/9/429

 

[zmeister22]

Does she give good OMM?

Must not read your posts at work... I almost peed myself.

Once again, you have claimed a "hero" position in my heart.

 

[bth7]

I almost did. Got as far as developing a validated instrument to measure osteopathic attitudes in DO students, but never did the second longitudinal part. Maybe someone will become inspired...

http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/abstract/103/9/429

Very, VERY, interested in finding a way to continue this important work.

bth

 

[Ferrismonk]

However, OMM does have its benefits. My roommate fell asleep at his desk studying for the boards yesterday. When he woke up he was in pain and couldn't rotate his neck to the left. HVLA took a few seconds and he's fine now. If I was in MD school I'd have had no choice but to give him some ibuprofen, call him a whiny little sissy and told him to "tough it out". If only I could charge him for that .

That's frickin hilarious.

 

[Old_Mil]

I am applying to DO schools this year, but my girlfriend just finished her first year at a large state-supported DO school. I am a bit worried because she has sort of turned into "super-DO". She thinks DOs are absolutely superior, that MDs don't treat patients holistically, she even jokingly ragged on an MD student on a student trip. Also, she's really gotten into cranial, and even has me trying to feel cranial rhythms. I personally don't know much about it, but from what I've read here, it seems shady.

Is this just a phase? Do a lot of DO students go through this, or should I be worried?

You should be worried. Very worried.

If you take cranial seriously, you are...well, an idiot.

 

[bth7]

You should be worried. Very worried.

If you take cranial seriously, you are...well, an idiot.

I like cranial, a lot, and I don't consider myself an idiot.

But maybe I'm missing something.

bth

 

[Old_Mil]

I like cranial, a lot, and I don't consider myself an idiot.

Most people who do, don't.

But maybe I'm missing something.

bth

Most people who do, are.

 

[bth7]

Most people who do, don't.
Most people who do, are.

Stating your personal beliefs about people, who you don't even know, as though they are proven facts, is not the way to counter a practice which you find unscientific.

"Most people who are interested in Cranial are idiots." ?

Do you also find it neccessary to label people who are into massage as "idiots?" There's not exactly scientific evidence to support that.

What about people who listen to The Beatles? Are they idiots? There's no scientific evident to support the notion that the Beatles are worth listening to.

How 'bout people who read Shakespeare? Is there any scientific evidence to support the efficacy of Shakespeare? Are they all idiots for wasting their time on an activity that hasn't been proven effective in a double-blinded trail?

People might be interested in learning and practicing an activity for reasons other than science and skepticism.

People might be interested in an activity just because they enjoy that activity.

That doesn't make them idiots; it just means they have a life.

bth

 

[San_Juan_Sun]

Do you also find it neccessary to label people who are into massage as "idiots?" There's not exactly scientific evidence to support that.

bth

Ironic that you use this argument, considering the lack of good evidence that supports cranial.

 

[bkpa2med]

[YOUTUBE]http://youtube.com/watch?v=mSHNJgjo8HI[/YOUTUBE]

 

[scpod]

Ironic that you use this argument, considering the lack of good evidence that supports cranial.

I'm not sure if you're suffering from argumentum ad populum or argumentum ad ignorantiam. While you may be in the majority, you haven't offered "proof" of your own assumption. Besides, you cannot logically assume that something is false simply because there is not evidence to prove it is true.

 

[San_Juan_Sun]

I'm not sure if you're suffering from argumentum ad populum or argumentum ad ignorantiam.

Just a few of my many afflictions.

While you may be in the majority, you haven't offered "proof" of your own assumption. Besides, you cannot logically assume that something is false simply because there is not evidence to prove it is true.

I don't have a study proving that the moon is, in fact, not made of cheese either. So what? I'm not advocating cranial, and I don't feel a need to meet any burden of proof here. I'm just pointing out of irony of cranio-philes complaining about unsubstantiated conjecture.

 

[bth7]

Ironic that you use this argument, considering the lack of good evidence that supports cranial.

Irony intentional.

 

[Moniker]

I am applying to DO schools this year, but my girlfriend just finished her first year at a large state-supported DO school. I am a bit worried because she has sort of turned into "super-DO". She thinks DOs are absolutely superior, that MDs don't treat patients holistically, she even jokingly ragged on an MD student on a student trip. Also, she's really gotten into cranial, and even has me trying to feel cranial rhythms. I personally don't know much about it, but from what I've read here, it seems shady.

Is this just a phase? Do a lot of DO students go through this, or should I be worried?

that sucks

 

[jmebb12]

I don't know about competition, but everyday I am happier that I choose osteopathic medicine over allopathic. I feel that I get more out of my D.O. education. Of course I have not gone to a MD program, but I have mulitple friends in them and compare my program to theirs.

 

[strawberryfield]

I didn't know there was an osteopathic shool that taught crainial to first years. My advice is to stay away from that school and choose another.

hahaha... KCOM does also, during the 2nd half of first year and they offer further training in a cranial elective for a week over summer break for the few and the proud who feel there's more to learn from it than just a CV4 ...

yeeesh...I am in the process of reviewing cranial again for boards

OP, I'm pretty sure the buzz dies down going into 2nd year when all the clinical courses come around, or at least it did for many of the "die hards" in my class.

 

[farnsworth]

I don't know about competition, but everyday I am happier that I choose osteopathic medicine over allopathic. I feel that I get more out of my D.O. education. Of course I have not gone to a MD program, but I have mulitple friends in them and compare my program to theirs.

For the record, every day I am happier that I chose allopathic medicine over osteopathic. I feel that I get more out of my M.D. education. Pretty sure the vast majority of M.D. students feel the same way. I'm not sure what you're hoping to accomplish by publicly reinforcing that we both are relieved we're not getting each others' (equivalent) degree, but there you go.

 

[Lamborghini1315]

For the record, every day I am happier that I chose allopathic medicine over osteopathic. I feel that I get more out of my M.D. education. Pretty sure the vast majority of M.D. students feel the same way. I'm not sure what you're hoping to accomplish by publicly reinforcing that we both are relieved we're not getting each others' (equivalent) degree, but there you go.

Your point? You didn't go to a DO school did you..plz if you did your opinion will be considered to be absolute. I agree you should be happy with your decision..infact i don't see anything wrong with the allopathic profession because we are taught the same things you are learning..how could we both hate that? However you don't learn what more we do and unfortunately now that makes you desperate to know our side of the story. If you are a DO and have some criticism toward specific things that concerns us i would go hmm may be there's a point but you my friend made an incomprehensible egotistical point. Let me reiterate i have all the respect in the world for my MD colleagues, i think you guys edge us on the residency front because of more opportunities, better programs but if you want to go head to head on competence, skill level, professionalism i am not sure if i can distinguish. Hopefully you realize that as a medical student and a future physician you shouldn't harbor the differences because you know there's none . One day hopefully the pre-med world will catch up to us...good luck!

 

[Lamborghini1315]

I don't know about competition, but everyday I am happier that I choose osteopathic medicine over allopathic. I feel that I get more out of my D.O. education. Of course I have not gone to a MD program, but I have mulitple friends in them and compare my program to theirs.

Similar to farnsworth this is an ignorant way to express oneself..sorry to be harsh. You don't know that...you would have been equally happier if you were in a MD school. Its easy to be biased..that's human nature. I think people should realize both professions produce physicians to serve a common purpose.

 

[farnsworth]

Your point? You didn't go to a DO school did you..plz if you did your opinion will be considered to be absolute. I agree you should be happy with your decision..infact i don't see anything wrong with the allopathic profession because we are taught the same things you are learning..how could we both hate that? However you don't learn what more we do and unfortunately now that makes you desperate to know our side of the story. If you are a DO and have some criticism toward specific things that concerns us i would go hmm may be there's a point but you my friend made an incomprehensible egotistical point. Let me reiterate i have all the respect in the world for my MD colleagues, i think you guys edge us on the residency front because of more opportunities, better programs but if you want to go head to head on competence, skill level, professionalism i am not sure if i can distinguish. Hopefully you realize that as a medical student and a future physician you shouldn't harbor the differences because you know there's none . One day hopefully the pre-med world will catch up to us...good luck!

If you were clever, you'd realize that I copy/pasted what he said and switched "DO" to "MD" and "osteopathic" to "allopathic" to prove a point. Based on your response, it looks like you missed the point of my post entirely, because your comments directly agree with my argument (that getting into a pissing contest about how glad we are that we aren't stuck with each others' degrees is pointless).

 

[Lamborghini1315]

If you were clever, you'd realize that I copy/pasted what he said and switched "DO" to "MD" and "osteopathic" to "allopathic" to prove a point. Based on your response, it looks like you missed the point of my post entirely, because your comments directly agree with my argument (that getting into a pissing contest about how glad we are that we aren't stuck with each others' degrees is pointless).

oops i guess i am glad to have someone else share my pov afterall

 

[Scorcher31]

It seems to be one of those things that when you dwell and dwell over a tough decision and you finally make it you subconsciously try to reaffirm your decision is the correct one. If I chose to go to Temple or PCOM instead of UMDNJ-SOM, I would have simply convinced myself how I made the right decision and that I am the happiest there (provided it didn’t result in an utter disaster of course). I have to agree any good MD or DO treats the whole patient, all that is is a good interview discussion to get into a school. She's going to make a lot of enemies later on with a superiority complex although it does seem to run rampant in the medical field. Just because allopaths used to give it to us back in the old days doesn’t mean we have any right to turn things around and be jerks now that I would say the vast majority of allopaths treat us as equals, as we should be.