I think D.O.s perpetuate their own stereotypes

[PokerDoc]

Maybe im not phrasing that exactly right. But my primary care is a DO and i remember the first time i met with him he introduced himself as an internist and not a D.O. or giving any mention of his title. I asked him about this in my visit yesterday and he said he is proud of his degree, but avoids talking about it to his patients unless they ask because it always confuses them and creates discussion he would rather avoid in the interest of time.

Wouldn't the public's lack of knowledge about D.O.s be lessened if DOs themselves took the time to explain to their patients what they are all about?

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[ATrain]

Those who perpetuate stereotypes do so by using anecdotes of a few to describe a population. Does your story not do the same?

 

[Kateb4]

Maybe im not phrasing that exactly right. But my primary care is a DO and i remember the first time i met with him he introduced himself as an internist and not a D.O. or giving any mention of his title. I asked him about this in my visit yesterday and he said he is proud of his degree, but avoids talking about it to his patients unless they ask because it always confuses them and creates discussion he would rather avoid in the interest of time.

Wouldn't the public's lack of knowledge about D.O.s be lessened if DOs themselves took the time to explain to their patients what they are all about?

I agree with your doctor. He is an internist. Would a MD be required to introduce himself as an allopathic physician and go into the discussion of what that entails? My kids saw a NP at their peds office once, and she did not destinguish herself as a NP (I only knew she was afterwards because I took one of her cards). A physician is a physician and if every DO explained the DO/MD difference to each of their patients, I think that it may cause more confusion or segregation than just leaving it as is.

 

[nascardoc]

Maybe im not phrasing that exactly right. But my primary care is a DO and i remember the first time i met with him he introduced himself as an internist and not a D.O. or giving any mention of his title. I asked him about this in my visit yesterday and he said he is proud of his degree, but avoids talking about it to his patients unless they ask because it always confuses them and creates discussion he would rather avoid in the interest of time.

Wouldn't the public's lack of knowledge about D.O.s be lessened if DOs themselves took the time to explain to their patients what they are all about?

How many docs introduce themselves with their degree initials, regardless of MD or DO????

 

[PokerDoc]

Yeah i guess u guys are right, but i just think its weird that on one hand people complain that people dont know about DOs and on the other hand Dos arent really doing anything to change it

 

[box29]

Maybe im not phrasing that exactly right. But my primary care is a DO and i remember the first time i met with him he introduced himself as an internist and not a D.O. or giving any mention of his title.

I'm not sure what you are saying but he did state he is an internist. That is his title. As a physician who completed his residency in internal medicine and has completed his internal medicine board exams, he is indeed an internist. Whether or not he chooses to say he is a DO, IMO, is his prerogative. I think most will see that if they choose to look him up in their insurance's preferred network or by some other method.

I think his mentioning and explaining of a DO degree to those who ask is appropriate. This saves precious time for both the patient and him that could be better spent addressing the reason why the patient is there.

Is there anything wrong with the situation at hand? No, but others may think differently. From your post, it seems to me that you think your internist should be introducing himself as an osteopathic internist to help increase other's awareness of osteopathic medicine. It's a great idea but it's up to him whether or not he chooses to do so. Perhaps he could have brochures, printed by the AOA, in his office to explain his degree and osteopathic medicine.

This just like the AOA's call to medical students to introduce themselves as osteopathic medical students (OMS I-IV) instead of just medical students (MS I-IV). There are those students who choose to use the specific title and those who don't.

Wouldn't the public's lack of knowledge about D.O.s be lessened if DOs themselves took the time to explain to their patients what they are all about?

Sure, it would but one cannot expect all osteopathic physicians to do this for one reason or another. Why, who knows?

 

[prionsRbad]

How many docs introduce themselves with their degree initials, regardless of MD or DO????

Yeah, that would sound pretty awkward.

 

[Jack Daniel]

Maybe im not phrasing that exactly right. But my primary care is a DO and i remember the first time i met with him he introduced himself as an internist and not a D.O. or giving any mention of his title. I asked him about this in my visit yesterday and he said he is proud of his degree, but avoids talking about it to his patients unless they ask because it always confuses them and creates discussion he would rather avoid in the interest of time.

Wouldn't the public's lack of knowledge about D.O.s be lessened if DOs themselves took the time to explain to their patients what they are all about?

DO stereotypes are something like only going into primary care, being similar to a chiropractor, have trouble getting a good residency. Those are stereotypes.

I think you're just talking about DOs not educating the public about the DO degree.

 

[DredPiratRobrts]

This is how I imagine a typical conversation going...

Hey there, this is my friend DredPiratRobrts, he's a doctor.

Oh, what kind of doctor are you?

I'm a Cardiologist (Surgeon, OB/GYN, Emergency Physician, whatever...etc).

Oh wow, I have a friend in medical school who is interested in that...

Or, in a hospital setting, introducing myself as "Dr. Robrts, one of the surgical (or whatever) residents."

It's just natural. MDs dont introduce themselves like this, "I'm Dr. Smith, an allopathic emergency medical physician." No one does that, MD or DO. It sounds awkward.

The only people that are doing something weird or wrong are tools like the plastic surgeon who is calling himself an MD.

 

[NasPas]

Hey there, this is my friend DredPiratRobrts, he's a doctor.

I always thought your name was an anagram

these are some that i found
Dr Brads Ripe Tort
Dr Brad Ripest Rot
Dr Rabid Strep Rot
Dr Rabid Rest Port
Dr Beards Trip Rot

some without doctor

Brads Dirt Report
Darters Bird Port
******s Bird Port
Start Border Drip

 

[JaggerPlate]

I always thought your name was an anagram

these are some that i found
Dr Brads Ripe Tort
Dr Brad Ripest Rot
Dr Rabid Strep Rot
Dr Rabid Rest Port
Dr Beards Trip Rot

some without doctor

Brads Dirt Report
Darters Bird Port
******s Bird Port
Start Border Drip

I always figured it was from Princess Bride ...

 

[MossPoh]

I don't think I've ever had a doctor come up to me and go "Hi, I'm an MD/DO"

You identify with your speciality much more than your degree. I get the vibe that surgeons relate with being surgeons, internists with being internists, and radiologists with being radiologists. Why should it matter? Some people are proud of it, but that is the case with everything. Every school you go to from elementary through medical school will have people that are gungho and shooting school spirit out of their a$$, but you'll also have people on the other end of the spectrum. That goes with majors and overall degrees as well. I think I'd get irritated if the guy was like "Hi, I'm a DO. Did I mention I'm a DO? We're unique, but the same as MDs. Did I mention I'm a DO?

 

[KateGia]

I used to work with a nurse who answered the phone "Pxxxx Lxxxxx, RN." We all made fun of him behind his back a lot, as I would assume people would if someone was like "Hi, I'm Dr. Joe Schmoe, DO"

 

[Just Joshin]

Maybe im not phrasing that exactly right. But my primary care is a DO and i remember the first time i met with him he introduced himself as an internist and not a D.O. or giving any mention of his title. I asked him about this in my visit yesterday and he said he is proud of his degree, but avoids talking about it to his patients unless they ask because it always confuses them and creates discussion he would rather avoid in the interest of time.

Wouldn't the public's lack of knowledge about D.O.s be lessened if DOs themselves took the time to explain to their patients what they are all about?

I've never been to an MD who's introduced himself as an MD. They just say Dr. Why would you expect your primary care doctor to introduce himself by his degree instead of his title or specialty?

 

[Kateb4]

I used to work with a nurse who answered the phone "Pxxxx Lxxxxx, RN." We all made fun of him behind his back a lot, as I would assume people would if someone was like "Hi, I'm Dr. Joe Schmoe, DO"

Hmmm. Joe Schmoe DO has a nice ring to it though. If that were my name I may just answer the phone like that also!

 

[Chrissy]

Agree. This post is ridiculous. I would gladly concede that any doctor, MD or DO, who walks into exam room B and says "Hi there I'm John Doe MD" is an embarassment to not just doctors, but human beings...honestly.

It is very common, however, for doctors to see patients that a) they haven't seen before or b) are likely not to remember who you are (sadly this is quite common). In this case, they would appropriately introduce themselves as their specialty or partner/group affiliation.

 

[metalmd06]

I always figured it was from Princess Bride ...

Yes! Awesome flick! I used to watch it when I was home sick from school as a kid. 😀

 

[MDROCKSTAR]

I also see nothing wrong with what the original doctor stated. Most doctors have 15 minute time slots for patients and it wouldn't be efficient for the doctor to spend that time explaining what osteopathic medicine is. In reality, patients don't care whether you are an MD or a DO. They care that you take the time to listen to their problems and make an accurate diagnosis.


I am guilty of the same thing as your doctor in some regard... I tell people that I'll be going to medical school. I usually don't mention the whole osteopathic thing unless they have medical knowledge to avoid getting into the long drawn out conversation. It would be easier if somebody made a public service announcement on TV, or maybe having a DO on grey's anatomy.

 

[bcl2life]

I just spoke to someone about the physiology of OMM. Increased circulation and sympathetic nerve alteration. The person was really set out to call Osteopathy bogus due to its lack of scientific basis for its procedures. Even when I tried to explain to the best of knowledge the principles, I did not get recognition for the practice.

Although, this person was a first year medical student, I do not understand this person's complete lack of respect.

Any encounters like this.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

I used to work with a nurse who answered the phone "Pxxxx Lxxxxx, RN." We all made fun of him behind his back a lot, as I would assume people would if someone was like "Hi, I'm Dr. Joe Schmoe, DO"

I'm pretty sure Dr. Joe Schmoe will be made fun of behind his back more so because of his name

 

[MossPoh]

I'm pretty sure Dr. Joe Schmoe will be made fun of behind his back more so because of his name

I'm pretty sure that name would be awesome. I once met an obgyn who was "Dr. Scheide". Now, I find that funny. If you want to know why, then look it up in a german dictionary. I suggest dict.leo.org

 

[Powdermonkey]

I'm pretty sure that name would be awesome. I once met an obgyn who was "Dr. Scheide". Now, I find that funny. If you want to know why, then look it up in a german dictionary. I suggest dict.leo.org

Hahahaha!!! How funny... Silly Germans and their names.