Is it possible (and likely) to become an oncologist as a DO?

[Wolf77x]

I’m just curious. I’ve only ever met MDs but I’m leaning towards DO, but at the moment I wanna practice oncology. This could change, but I’m curious. Thanks

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[Faster Horses]

Try like hell to get into a US MD school... Your life will be magnitudes easier from your first day on campus until the day you retire from your practice regardless of speciality.

 

[Goro]

I’m just curious. I’ve only ever met MDs but I’m leaning towards DO, but at the moment I wanna practice oncology. This could change, but I’m curious. Thanks

A DO student went to a very good heme/onc residency on the East coast. It's doable.
And ask her too:

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[Wolf77x]

Thank you. Good luck to as well hope everything goes well!

 

[diesel2202]

I'm applying right now. Working on my list and getting rid of programs that never take DOs. I'm guessing the bias will always be there but overall it's probably achievable

Is this due to the credentials or the residency programs that they are coming from? The DOs I know who applied cards, GI, PCCM from strong university programs all matched and had significantly more interviews than those coming from smaller community programs. Also, best of luck with the application cycle.

 

[FPV_Flight]

Yes you can.. There's a few DO (ivy league, with more MD's) that are Hem/Onc board certified. Just need to match into a good residency program. Fellowships and paper matter the most.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Yes but it’s orders of magnitude for difficult. To put it into context, an average MD student from low tier school can easily match academic/university IM. DOs need to be better than average in terms of research, board scores, etc. Academic residency programs then make it much easier to match heme-one, cards, GI etc.

 

[itrinity]

Of course you can!! Get into a good residency program, shine and get a publication or some case reports with oncologists- that’s a sure way to boost your application. I went to an MD program, but MD but had at least 12 DOs in my residency program and in my current t heme/Onc fellowship we have at least 4 DOs, and everyone is on the same pedestal and only by initials can you tell who has what degree. The DOs comment their rotations in med school sucked (like being tasked with finding their own 4th year rotations and such) which seems to be a theme I got from at least 3 DOs when I was in residency, but I know there are good DO programs. I’d still go MD if I had to chose again.

 

[Ho0v-man]

yes. You have to work hard to get into an academic IM residency that sets you up well for this. But it’s realistic level work.

Get 50th percentile steps, do well on sub-Is and get good letters of rec +\- a little research. As long as you can do this and aren’t picky geographically, it’s fine.

SDN acts like getting into a university IM is a tall to nigh-impossible feat for DOs. And it’s certainly ridiculous for top programs and the most desirable locations. But just any academic IM program (or large community program with similar opportunities) is honestly not that big of a deal. The DOs who can’t do it are typically the ones who struggled academically and would have had problems at an MD school too and/or just restricted themselves to a handful of big cities.

 

[Doctoscope]

yes. You have to work hard to get into an academic IM residency that sets you up well for this. But it’s realistic level work.

Get 50th percentile steps, do well on sub-Is and get good letters of rec +\- a little research. As long as you can do this and aren’t picky geographically, it’s fine.

SDN acts like getting into a university IM is a tall to nigh-impossible feat for DOs. And it’s certainly ridiculous for top programs and the most desirable locations. But just any academic IM program (or large community program with similar opportunities) is honestly not that big of a deal. The DOs who can’t do it are typically the ones who struggled academically and would have had problems at an MD school too and/or just restricted themselves to a handful of big cities.

Do you think going to any academic IM program sets you up to match heme onc (assuming hard work in residency), as long as you’re flexible with location with fellowship as well?

 

[Ho0v-man]

Do you think going to any academic IM program sets you up to match heme onc (assuming hard work in residency), as long as you’re flexible with location with fellowship as well?

Yeah. If your only source of information is SDN, then you start to quickly believe that everyone who doesn’t train at a top 20 program is basically doomed to be a hospitalist but that’s not the case at all. Just look up fellowship match lists of academic programs in undesirable locales like Penn State, SLU, or Toledo. Heck even Geisinger can get you there.

The higher tier you go, the easier it is though with the top places basically guaranteeing you fall backwards into whatever you want. But most IM sub specialists didn’t train at these places so it’s silly to think you can’t be one if you don’t.