Ignorant MD experience

[fabiolablake]

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I just thought I would share with my fellow pre-osteopathic collegues the situation that I experienced today with an MD opthamologist. I have been seeing this guy for the past year and he has been very excited about my goal to become a doctor. I mentioned to him today that I was pursuing a career in osteopathic medicine and he wasn't so excited for me anymore. He told me that osteopathic medical school, was not considered medical school and they are looked down upon in the medical community. I explained to him my situation and he told me that I would be disadvantaged and upset that I didn't pursue an MD degree because I would always look back and realize I didn't get a thorough medical education. Apparently he wasn't too educated in osteopathic medicine. I just thought I would share this with you all. Take care.

Blake

 

[NDESTRUKT]

biases will always occur in life, no matter who you are or what you do...i guess that just shows the kind of things out there. it's not really that big a deal though, i mean people will ridicule where you went to college, or your race, or your looks - i mean if someone wants to say something about you, they'll find something.

my dad is an MD and the only allopathic institution i've applied to was his alma mater since i'm in state there. he doesn't necessarily discourage or encourage me to go DO but has made me aware of the biases that do exist. i think we're all aware of the fact that DO's are less known and there is a world of people that might look down on what a DO is, but obviously by doing what you always wanted to do or something you really want to do, you'll be fine.

i ended up working in aerospace engineering a lot of people thought it wasn't as good as say, the computer or semiconductor industry...but who cares right?

 

[DD214_DOC]

Ask that MD why he didn't attend Harvard or Yale, and tell him because of that he didn't get as thorough or as high of a quality medical education, and will be looked down upon by doctors who graduated from these "real" medical schools.

If he did graduate from Harvard or Yale, then just kick him in the knees and run!

 

[skypilot]

Originally posted by JKDMed

If he did graduate from Harvard or Yale, then just kick him in the knees and run!

 

[Dr JPH]

Originally posted by NDESTRUKT
go DO but has made me aware of the biases that do exist. i think we're all aware of the fact that DO's are less known and there is a world of people that might look down on what a DO is, but obviously by doing what you always wanted to do or something you really want to do, you'll be fine.

I think this is a really good way to look at the situation.

I applaud your father for at least not discouraging you. True, there are biases, but are these really tough obstacles or merely road cones that a few people will have to steer around?

I dont feel in ANY way that I will be hindered as a DO. In fact, I am quite confident that I will be just the opposite.

I feel that an osteopathic education will give me more tools for treatment, but just as important (especially if I stick with EM as my current goal) I will be a better diagnostician than those without the benefit of osteopathy in their repetoir.

Food for thought future DOs.

 

[calcrew14]

DO or MD, do you think a patient really trusts you that much? Hope that everyone has learned one of the very good lessons here. I myself have been told a much worse situation than this.

 

[MizzouDrWannabe]

I have been around a lot of doctors in my day. I've met some really crappy MD's and I've met some really crappy DO's. On the flip side, I've had some wonderful experiences with doctors from both schools. I think what it really comes down to is your own personality and how much you actually care about your patients as opposed to your pocketbook or your ego. I doubt most people could tell a DO from an MD if they didn't have the letters behind their name anyway. I really hope you didn't let this arrogant guy discourage you. And although it's true that there are a lot of biases still out there, there is also a growing number of people that recognize that osteopathy is a wonderful thing and has its place right along side any MD. That's my $.02 anyway.

 

[Doctor Peloncito]

To the OP:

I've only experienced this kind of bias from a medical professional twice in my life. The first was from a nonpracticing podiatrist , and the second was from a 92 year old MD radiologist. The podiatrist quietly and nondirectly rescinded his comments by profusely complementing a DO he later hired into his group. The radiologist was just an old fart who was set in his way and would nor could ever be dissuaded.

In my opinion, you can do one of two things. Encourage your ophthalmologist to pull his head out of his a$$ and do some research on the subject, or find a new ophthalmologist.

wbdo

 

[group_theory]

Originally posted by fabiolablake
He told me that osteopathic medical school, was not considered medical school and they are looked down upon in the medical community.

...

realize I didn't get a thorough medical education. Apparently he wasn't too educated in osteopathic medicine. I just thought I would share this with you all. Take care.

Blake

What a wonderful oppertunity to teach an MD what osteopathic medicine really is. I don't blame him for his bias - I mean, if you spent your entire professional life in the SDN pre-med forum, wouldn't you also be biased against DOs (and PhDs and PAs and NPs and PharmDs) also?

He seems like a nice guy (if you already have a nice relationship going). Ask him what you would miss out if you went to a DO school in lieu of an MD school. Show him the courses that DO students have to take. Stay in touch with him when you're in DO school, occasionally writing to him. Tell him about your hatred for anatomy, or the fact that "every cells look alike" in histology, or the feeling like your head is about to burst in pharmacology. Ask him for help when you get to the eye part of anatomy =)

Anyway, by showing him that you are having a wonderful (if not stressful) time, and letting him see the similarities between his medical education AND your osteopathic medical education, he'll see DOs in a different light.

The result: you have maintained a good friendship AND educated him about osteopathic medicine. That's a win for you, for him, and for osteopathic medicine =)

 

[friedcfood]

I talked with MD's and DO's and they all said the same thing. Once your working no one really cares what you are other than that you're a DOCTOR! You won't be stopped to ask if you're a M.D. or a D.O. I've talked with a medical director at a major medical center, who happens be a D.O.. The medical director said she never encountered any problems for being a D.O., however she did mention that the only time being a D.O. was a problem was when she applied to residencies. But that was some 25 years ago...and i'm sure D.O.'s has come a long way since then.