So, how difficult is it to get into an allopathic residency program for neurosurgery as a DO? I kno there are DO programs but I hear they're not all up to par with the MD programs. Is it even possible to get into MD programs if you do well on the boards and so forth?
MD neurosurgery and DO... please please help!
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yes it is very possible, but not easy
last year, i read of a DO from ccom matching into neurosurgery at suny
http://mwunet.midwestern.edu/academic/CCOMClinEd/clinicalEdDocs/StudentMatches_2007.pdf
last year, i read of a DO from ccom matching into neurosurgery at suny
http://mwunet.midwestern.edu/academic/CCOMClinEd/clinicalEdDocs/StudentMatches_2007.pdf
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If you do a search you'll find plenty of info on this, but i'll highlight the general consensus.
It is not impossible, but very, very, very difficult. I believe 3 DO's matched in the 2007 allo match...there weren't any this year.
Crush the boards, the average match score was 236, so if you're a DO, you might want to be hitting close to 250
. Research never hurts.
Rotate and kill the rotation at the site you're interested in.
Get great LOR
I'm not a NS resident, but am leaning in that direction. Not all the DO programs are sub-par, so don't write those off. it's not going to be an easy road if you are only considering allo; it's not going to be an easy road if you are only considereing osteo either. hope that helps
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If you do a search you'll find plenty of info on this, but i'll highlight the general consensus.
It is not impossible, but very, very, very difficult. I believe 3 DO's matched in the 2007 allo match...there weren't any this year.
Crush the boards, the average match score was 236, so if you're a DO, you might want to be hitting close to 250
Research never hurts.
Rotate and kill the rotation at the site you're interested in.
Get great LOR
I'm not a NS resident, but am leaning in that direction. Not all the DO programs are sub-par, so don't write those off. it's not going to be an easy road if you are only considering allo; it's not going to be an easy road if you are only considereing osteo either. hope that helps
DO residency programs are legally equivalent to MD ones. Basically, don't let that keep you from applying to them as well. if you feel you're lacking cases in a particular area of your scope -> do a fellowship year and make up for it.
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If you do a search you'll find plenty of info on this, but i'll highlight the general consensus.
It is not impossible, but very, very, very difficult. I believe 3 DO's matched in the 2007 allo match...there weren't any this year.
Crush the boards, the average match score was 236, so if you're a DO, you might want to be hitting close to 250
Research never hurts.
Rotate and kill the rotation at the site you're interested in.
Get great LOR
I'm not a NS resident, but am leaning in that direction. Not all the DO programs are sub-par, so don't write those off. it's not going to be an easy road if you are only considering allo; it's not going to be an easy road if you are only considereing osteo either. hope that helps
DO residency programs are legally equivalent to MD ones. So, basically if you're interested.. apply to both. If afterwards you feel you're lacking cases in a particular area of your scope -> do a fellowship.
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DO residency programs are legally equivalent to MD ones. So, basically if you're interested.. apply to both. If afterwards you feel you're lacking cases in a particular area of your scope -> do a fellowship.
I was not saying they weren't LEGALLY equivalent, i was implying that some osteo NS residencies aren't as good as allo, and some are. I would make the same statement for allo programs when comparing them. obviously institutions like Barrow or Hopkins are going to be more respected than others, albeit legally equivalent to them.
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I agree with you. Sorry, I ment to reply to the OP. I was simply pointing out that if getting into a Neurosurg program and becoming a neurosurgeon ment enough to him. He shouldn't worry about such things and just apply to both allo and osteo because in the end they allow you to do the exact same thing.. and if at the end of his program he did feel he was deficient in any area.. he would then have the option of doing a fellowship. That is all I wanted to point out.
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There is some truth to all of these statements. There are some very good DO programs. In fact, there are a couple that are better than most MD Programs. But there are too many DO programs that are just not up to standard. The sad part is the ACOS and AOA just don't care. They prefer quantity to quality. But don't take a MD program because it is MD. Go for the top DO programs and top MD programs if you want to be the best surgeon. If you are looking for a letter behind your name then take a crap MD program if that is all you can get. Otherwise follow the best regardless of MD or DO. The letter behind the name will not make the surgeon, just remember that.
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What does your residency have to do with the "letter behind your name?"
You're still a DO even if you do a MD residency.
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I keep hearing everyone saying that the quality of the D.O. NSx Residencies is disparate.
So, I have 3 questions:
1) CAN SOMEONE PLEASE LIST THE GOOD vs NOT-so-GOOD D.O. NEUROSURG RESIDENCIES???
Good Programs = ?
Not-so-Good Programs = ?
-and-
2) WHAT ALLO NEUROSURG PROGRAMS ARE OPEN TO D.O. APPLICANTS???
Before you answer, I am aware that 3-4 kids got into Allo Programs a year or 2 ago. Places like SUNY, and either Kentucky or Kansas (I forget).
I ask because there are some that are def open to D.O's but just haven't accepted one yet. (i.e. "UPitt has interviewed qualified DO candidates in the past", verbatim, according to Dr. Doug Kondziolka, UPitt's NeuroSurg PD)
-and-
3) HOW WILL THE ALLO vs. OSTEO NEUROSURG MATCH-TIMING* WORK NOW THAT SF MATCH NO LONGER DOES NEUROSURG (AND ERAS/NRMP DOES)???
MANY THANKS!
So, I have 3 questions:
1) CAN SOMEONE PLEASE LIST THE GOOD vs NOT-so-GOOD D.O. NEUROSURG RESIDENCIES???
Good Programs = ?
Not-so-Good Programs = ?
-and-
2) WHAT ALLO NEUROSURG PROGRAMS ARE OPEN TO D.O. APPLICANTS???
Before you answer, I am aware that 3-4 kids got into Allo Programs a year or 2 ago. Places like SUNY, and either Kentucky or Kansas (I forget).
I ask because there are some that are def open to D.O's but just haven't accepted one yet. (i.e. "UPitt has interviewed qualified DO candidates in the past", verbatim, according to Dr. Doug Kondziolka, UPitt's NeuroSurg PD)
-and-
3) HOW WILL THE ALLO vs. OSTEO NEUROSURG MATCH-TIMING* WORK NOW THAT SF MATCH NO LONGER DOES NEUROSURG (AND ERAS/NRMP DOES)???
MANY THANKS!
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I know it has been posted in other posts but North Shore University Hospital/Long Island Jewish is an excellent program. I also have heard that Virginia, Columbus, Bloomington are pretty good programs as well.
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i volunteer at bromenn hospital, actually in their neuroscience department and have meet some of the residents there. they are constantly working and constantly in surgery, its crazy...from what ive heard its a good program but most MD programs are better than it since bromenns program is relatively small...small i mean that they are limited to what they can see since they are a community hospital (but they do have a state of the art facility, very nice i must say..lots of invested money), and st louis, chicago, and indianapolis are 2 hrs each away, so majority of the cases i would assume go to bigger hospitals. as for the other programs, i have no idea
