jobs after residencies (comp)

[zetabruin]

so i'm really stoked about attending western this upcoming august, and have sent in my deposit, but i had a general question for all those D.O.s that read these boards.

i already know western has an outstanding reputation especially in southern california and gets students into great residencies, but how easy is it to get jobs post residency? Does the competition end once you get a residency? i guess my question really is, are there employment issues for D.O.s once they go through all this schooling?

thanks guys, you're all extremely helpful

 

[235750]

Wow. I am surprised at your question for several reasons...firstly, why did you apply to medical school via the DO route if you didn't know the answer to this? It seems like this sort of research should come before applying to medical school.

Well, the answer is quite quick anyway. You are just as capable as any other physician so...just look online, in the classifieds in a medical journal, got to usajobs.gov to look for CDC, US armed forces, national guard...whatever. If there is a job opening for a physician you can apply for it. A job cannot deny you based on your DO degree. Period. DO= doctor.

There is a huge need for physicians. Being a DO you can practice in all 50 states as well as England, Scotland, Germany, Wales, Russia, Norway, all but one province in Canada, etc etc. Look here for more info

And please, do some research before making a big decision like this. You do yourself and your fellow students a disservice by not being an informed applicant.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

Wow. I am surprised at your question for several reasons...firstly, why did you apply to medical school via the DO route if you didn't know the answer to this? It seems like this sort of research should come before applying to medical school.

Well, the answer is quite quick anyway. You are just as capable as any other physician so...just look online, in the classifieds in a medical journal, got to usajobs.gov to look for CDC, US armed forces, national guard...whatever. If there is a job opening for a physician you can apply for it. A job cannot deny you based on your DO degree. Period. DO= doctor.

There is a huge need for physicians. Being a DO you can practice in all 50 states as well as England, Scotland, Germany, Wales, Russia, Norway, all but one province in Canada, etc etc. Look here for more info

And please, do some research before making a big decision like this. You do yourself and your fellow students a disservice by not being an informed applicant.

. I agree with this post. This is all I can say to the OP.

 

[Bacchus]

You can't be denied a job based on your degree. However, employers can always find something "wrong" with you so they don't have to hire you. The majority of DOs practice in DO-rich areas around the country. That doesn't mean however that you can't practice everywhere. You just have to get hired.

 

[ILikeFood]

so i'm really stoked about attending western this upcoming august, and have sent in my deposit, but i had a general question for all those D.O.s that read these boards.

i already know western has an outstanding reputation especially in southern california and gets students into great residencies, but how easy is it to get jobs post residency? Does the competition end once you get a residency? i guess my question really is, are there employment issues for D.O.s once they go through all this schooling?

thanks guys, you're all extremely helpful

Shadow some Western DO's and ask them.

 

[stonewall22]

If you do a quick search for physician employment you'll find that MANY of the jobs list MD or DO...I've only seen one listing, of all that I've looked at (and obviously I have seen a very small portion, so my sample size might be inadequate) that specifically said, "MD only"

FYI, all these jobs I've mentioned have been in the western United States, not traditionally DO rich areas, so in the east and midwest I'm sure you'll find the same thing.

There's way too much criticism on this board. Maybe you did your research, maybe not, but either way this is my best shot at an answer.

 

[gobruins2007]

if someone is going to be that ignorant to not want a DO, then you might not want to work for them anyways. as a side note, the DO I shadowed has her name badge with MD on it, and her coat says MD as well. Apparently, it was just an automatic format, so she quit correcting people on it. This isnt that pertinet, i just thought id tell you all.

 

[JamesBond15]

if someone is going to be that ignorant to not want a DO, then you might not want to work for them anyways. as a side note, the DO I shadowed has her name badge with MD on it, and her coat says MD as well. Apparently, it was just an automatic format, so she quit correcting people on it. This isnt that pertinet, i just thought id tell you all.

I saw a couple of DOs whose name tags said MD. Not sure whats up with that.

The lab coat thing is different however. Those aren't really "automatic". I saw one DO whose lab coat said "Dr. name" instead of "name DO". Interpret as you like.

 

[JamesBond15]

Shadow some Western DO's and ask them.

Yeah because that is so easy. Let me just open the phonebook and find a Western DO who I can bug.

Why even post if you aren't helping?

 

[CorduroyGlance]

Yeah because that is so easy. Let me just open the phonebook and find a Western DO who I can bug.

Why even post if you aren't helping?

Ummm....

http://www.osteopathic.org/YOM/mentor_search.htm

 

[stonewall22]

if someone is going to be that ignorant to not want a DO, then you might not want to work for them anyways. as a side note, the DO I shadowed has her name badge with MD on it, and her coat says MD as well. Apparently, it was just an automatic format, so she quit correcting people on it. This isnt that pertinet, i just thought id tell you all.

My uncle is an MD, was in So Cal until about 8 years ago. He said he doesn't know if it's changed or not, but when he was there, DOs could legally use MD...he said the reasoning was that not very many people knew what a DO is. This seems a little silly to me, but maybe that's why she had MD...

 

[group_theory]

Hmmm ..

first zetabruin, congrats on your acceptances.

As for jobs after residency ... right now there is a huge physician shortages, with projected increase in physician shortages (most acutely in primary care but also found in specialities). You won't even be halfway through residency before you get multiple job offers and physicians recruiters emailing you/paging you/banging on your door.

Now if your heart is set on having a practice in a physician-saturated area (Manhattan in NYC, beverly hills, downtown SF, downtown DC, downtown Chicago, etc) - you will have a harder time finding a practice that is hiring new graduates (or even starting up your own practice since start-up cost will be more expensive in these areas)

What physician groups are looking for is someone who is reliable, smart, and can reduce their workload while at the same time increase their revenue. In this physician shortage situation, if someone wants to be bias against DOs, let them.

As for ad placements stating "MDs only" - the good majority of time that is placed to prevent non-physicians (PhDs) from applying for that position, instead of bias against DOs. This is especially true in academic centers when they have openning that requires both clinical responsibilities in addition to academic/research. Some physician recruitment firms are savy enough to realize the bias that "MD only" statement implies and have added "MD/DO only" or "MD or DO only".


As to the last part of your question - does the competition ends? NEVER.

You're working in a hospital competing against a rival hospital. You work in a group practice competing against another group. You are in a private practice competing to survive and thrive. You are competing with a high-school graduate on the other end of the phone who is wondering what the indications are for ICU admission on your multi-system organ failure patient before he pre-authorizes the admission. You're competing against the salesman on TV who states he can cure autism, cancer, arthritis, human stupidity without any side effects if you buy his products. You will be competing against saleswomen in department stores wearing white labcoats who will claim to know more about rashes than you do. You will be competing with your fellow physicians, complaining on who has the bigger med school loans, malpractice premiums, bigger college tuition bills for their kids, etc.

 

[chewsnuffles]

Yeah because that is so easy. Let me just open the phonebook and find a Western DO who I can bug.

lol... good reply - however, check out the website below, I found the WESTERN DO that I shadowed through that website

I think that us people on the west coast have a bit more of a reason for extra concern and I hope that others can understand that. If you are from the Michigan area and someone is asking "wtf is a DO" pronounced like "doe", then you would want to backhand them.

Over here on the pacific, it is hard to blame someone, because there are just so few of them period, with the exception of the areas which Western COM has infused or from east coast transplants.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I know three Western-COMP DO's. In Texas. One of them wrote me a letter of recommendation.

Sometimes, the person making the badges just assumes MD, so that's what they put on there. Sometimes, they will have "Dr. XXXXX" on their gear because they are tired of explaining something that really doesn't have an explanation.

As for getting a job, a lot of times, it will come down to who you know. I have personally never had a job where that wasn't the case.

So make good impressions on rotations and in residency. Being lazy or an ******* can come back to haunt you.

 

[RySerr21]

Yeah because that is so easy. Let me just open the phonebook and find a Western DO who I can bug.

Why even post if you aren't helping?

It seems like every DO in LA went to Western. Seriously. If you live in LA, whcih the OP does, it really is pretty easy. Two of the three DOs I shadowed went to western.

 

[ILikeFood]

Yeah because that is so easy. Let me just open the phonebook and find a Western DO who I can bug.

They're all over southern california.

Why even post if you aren't helping?

Because it amuses me. HA. HA.

 

[JaggerPlate]

My uncle is an MD, was in So Cal until about 8 years ago. He said he doesn't know if it's changed or not, but when he was there, DOs could legally use MD...he said the reasoning was that not very many people knew what a DO is. This seems a little silly to me, but maybe that's why she had MD...

Only if your uncle practiced between 1962 and like early 1970s. I highly doubt DOs can call themselves MDs in so Cal ... I have never heard of this before.

 

[Semicolon]

In NYC, I've seen a few DO's that have "name, MD" in front of their offices. It may just be to avoid confusion; at least that would be the only reason I can see.

 

[capitalfloog]

In NYC, I've seen a few DO's that have "name, MD" in front of their offices. It may just be to avoid confusion; at least that would be the only reason I can see.

Isn't that illegal?

 

[Semicolon]

Isn't that illegal?

I wish I knew. I've been wondering myself...

 

[RySerr21]

Isn't that illegal?

Yes, it is illegal.

 

[capitalfloog]

Yes, it is illegal.

Good. The last thing I want to see is MDs putting DO on their door.