Originally posted by mojo:
This post was interesting to me. "Osteopathic medical schools are... looking for individuals who truly want to be DO's and not MD-wannabes." Are there a lot of 'MD-wanabee's' in DO schools? What do you think about those kinds of people?
It is my experience that the student population at most DO schools can be broken down into thirds: one third of the class really wanted to go to a DO school, educated themselves about OMM, and had some personal experience with osteopathic medicine; the second third applied to both MD and DO schools and was pleased as punch to get in some place and have the opportunity to study medicine and become a physician; the final third applied to DO schools as back-ups only, didn't get into an MD school and resent being at a DO school.
That final third is an interesting group and I think worthy of research. I think that most (maybe approaching 90%), over time and with increasing experience in their clinical medical education, end-up becoming very comfortable with their "osteopathicness." Some of the best OMM fellows or OMM TA's I know, only got involved with OMT and teaching students as a way to "disprove" the validity of OMT. Then, perhaps they have an experience or treat a family member with some kind of musculoskeletal problem and begin to get interested in the whole process.
However, a minority of these students in the final third never really come around. They keep on resenting just about everything about their medical education and seem to find the energy to voice their complaints about it endlessly: The profession is TOO primary care-oriented; the profession is too narrow-minded and reactionary (a criticism often times not altogether without merit), OMM is waste of time--it's voodoo, it's placebo, it's just about touching patients--the two professions should merge, the public is confused by the difference between MD vs DO; there really is no difference between the allopathic and osteopathic approaches to patient care; there's too much philosophy; the philosophy is stupid and doesn't matter; osteopathic hospitals are weak training institutions; the tuition at DO schools is too high; the AOA is too oppressive; the list goes on and on and on and on...
It's my observation that what happens over time is that this very small (but vocal) minority becomes increasingly segregated from the rest of their classmates. They don't participate in very many class events, they don't hold club or student government positions, they certainly don't participate in OMM-related activities, in short, they don't have fun in medical school. They belly-ache...a lot.
Their situation has always struck me as kind of sad. That is why I (and other like-minded moderators or premedical advisors) tend to offer the same advice to premeds considering the whole DO vs MD dilemma: If, in your own mind, you really don't think that you'd be happy at a DO school, don't apply. Medical school is too long, too demanding, and too arduous an endeavor to wake-up every day and hate where you are or what you're learning. Go off-shore, apply only to MD-schools, consider PA or NP programs, whatever. It's just not worth it to be THAT miserable day in and day out.
[This message has been edited by drusso (edited 02-24-2001).]
