M.D., D.O.?

[Kashue]

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I just got a card from a doctor, a family physician, who is

xxx xxxx M.D., D.O., FAAFP?

I'm wondering if he did his MD abroad and then came to the states to do his D.O..

It makes me wonder how can you hold two medical degrees? And is it legal to have two degrees?

 

[Naphtali]

The more important question is, WHY? If you already have a medical degree, why would you get another?

Naphtali

 

[BioMedResearch]

Most likely this individual earned an MD in a foreign country and then completed a DO in this country before completing an American Residency.

 

[modelcitizen]

Originally posted by Kashue
It makes me wonder how can you hold two medical degrees? And is it legal to have two degrees?

It's legal. How? Just as you said, he could have done his MD overseas, and then his DO here (at least one of the DO schools has a 2 or 3yr? program for this purpose). Likewise, at least one Caribbean school has an accelerated program for DO's to add an MD. In addition, Cali had a program a couple decades ago to rid the state of DO's by converting their degrees to MD degrees.

But more often than not, it's a DO who's just trying to squeeze the letters MD in there somewhere. And, as I found out as I searched for a DO to shadow, many DO's conveniently add "MD", and drop "DO." I won't speculate as to the legality of this.

 

[Adapt]

Or this person could have graduated from a DO school and attended a program in the caribbean that grants an MD degree to DOs after a year or so. This program does exist somewhere in the caribbean but I don't know where exactly.

I guess it's for DOs who really want that MD behind their name. Personally, I don't think it's worth it.

 

[Kashue]

oh yea, no MD vs DO in my thread.

 

[logos]

But more often than not, it's a DO who's just trying to squeeze the letters MD in there somewhere. And, as I found out as I searched for a DO to shadow, many DO's conveniently add "MD", and drop "DO." I won't speculate as to the legality of this.

Yeah..a lot this changing things goes on...for example...a lot of foreign trained docs aren't really MDs....its another degree...can't think of the name off hand (MBS?...something like that...)....but when they come here they usually just start putting MD because its the same thing for all intents and purposes.

 

[craig_rt]

a lot of foreign trained docs aren't really MDs

Here in Australia most universities confer a MB/BS degree (bachelor of medicine/bachelor of surgery), and some give B.Med (which is the same and does include surgery). Both of these degrees here then allow you to be registered by the medical board after your intern year. So as logos said - these are, for all intents and purposes, the same as an MD.

Craig

 

[hypersting]

Originally posted by logos
Yeah..a lot this changing things goes on...for example...a lot of foreign trained docs aren't really MDs....its another degree...can't think of the name off hand (MBS?...something like that...)....but when they come here they usually just start putting MD because its the same thing for all intents and purposes.

Yeah one is MBBS, there's other variations as well, but I think ECFMG grants them the "MD" that they use, although I'm not positive on this. In other countries based on the UK model, the MD degree is a post graduate degree (somewhat equivalent to a fellowship or residency here), while the MBBS is the undergraduate medical degree since they go to medical school after HS anyway.

 

[LaurieB]

There was a time when Osteo docs in California also got conferred with an M.D. designation:

http://history.aoa-net.org/Recognition/reccalif.htm

This might be the case with your doc.

 

[Echinoidea]

But more often than not, it's a DO who's just trying to squeeze the letters MD in there somewhere. And, as I found out as I searched for a DO to shadow, many DO's conveniently add "MD", and drop "DO." I won't speculate as to the legality of this.

You should probably contact the FBI, CIA, IRS, and John Ashcroft to recommend that they investigate this. Tell them you are a concerned pre-med student.

 

[modelcitizen]

Originally posted by Echinoidea
You should probably contact the FBI, CIA, IRS, and John Ashcroft to recommend that they investigate this. Tell them you are a concerned pre-med student.

Hello DO

 

[hypersting]

Originally posted by LaurieB
There was a time when Osteo docs in California also got conferred with an M.D. designation:

http://history.aoa-net.org/Recognition/reccalif.htm

This might be the case with your doc.

Taken from this link.

"The new school gave M.D. degrees to its faculty and to the D.O.s who agreed to the conversion. D.O.s were able to obtain an M.D. degree by attending 12 Saturday classes and paying $65. "

That is hilarious. I wish I could get my MD for $65 and 12 Saturdays. (This is not a rip on DOs as I'm sure they wouldn't even need those classes, but I found the whole idea of obtaining an MD for 65 bucks hilarious)

 

[Mikhail]

A lot of people don't know what D.O. means. That's why D.O.s put M.D. letters to shows that they are doctors. (if you come to Brooklyn, NY, you will see that ALL D.O.s have M.D. letters in ads in the newspapers and in their offices)

 

[Cowboy DO]

seriously? thats stupid and probably illegal

 

[edik]

My wife's uncle is a foreign med school graduate. When he came here, he had trouble passing USMLE (he was practicing as a psychiatrist for 15 years already). So he entered a DO school for 3 years, passed USMLE, and is now a second year resident.
So his title reads MD, DO.

 

[bikehorse]

Originally posted by modelcitizen
It's legal. How? Just as you said, he could have done his MD overseas, and then his DO here (at least one of the DO schools has a 2 or 3yr? program for this purpose). Likewise, at least one Caribbean school has an accelerated program for DO's to add an MD. In addition, Cali had a program a couple decades ago to rid the state of DO's by converting their degrees to MD degrees.

But more often than not, it's a DO who's just trying to squeeze the letters MD in there somewhere. And, as I found out as I searched for a DO to shadow, many DO's conveniently add "MD", and drop "DO." I won't speculate as to the legality of this.

Do you know what the name of this Caribbean school is?

 

[exmike]

Originally posted by bikehorse
Do you know what the name of this Caribbean school is?

suddenly interested. heehee

 

[Gibby Haynes]

There is a guy in our class that is a doctor from Russia, so I guess when he gets finished he can use MD, DO if he wants.

 

[modelcitizen]

Originally posted by bikehorse
Do you know what the name of this Caribbean school is?

i do.