I have an MD (graduated 2003) and 3 years of residency (2 different specialties). I got distracted/overwhelmed by medical conditions and have been outside of clinical medicine for almost 9 years. I am wanting to get back into medicine. One option I considered was starting over. My question: can someone with an MD go back and get a DO (having been away from medicine for so long, the thought occurred to me that it could be useful starting over from the beginning)?
MD then DO
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I don't think repeating medical school (particularly the first two years) is going to help much with clinical medicine.
Maybe do a ""hospitalist"" fellowship in your specialty? Or just ask another attending to tag along for a few months.
Maybe do a ""hospitalist"" fellowship in your specialty? Or just ask another attending to tag along for a few months.
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Are your MD degree and residency trainings from a different country?
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No, you don't need to do this. You might consider trying to apply for an internship/pre-lim year at a new program or preventative medicine program. I would exhaust all other options before going to medical school again. The potential cost and length of time required is far too great.
Also, because its been so long since you've been out, you really should look into what it could take to get a medical license again from individual state medical boards. Some states have exams that they require for people who have been out of clinical medicine, whereas others will require USMLE steps within the last 7 yrs if you have not had a medical license in many years. If that is the case for you, you might consider studying USMLE board prep material to get the medical knowledge juices flowing, and you might even need to retake the Steps which would hopefully give you a bit more confidence in your knowledge base.
The next move will then be to get some more recent clinical experience for letters and then applying for an internship vs preventative medicine.
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As a TYR-PD, I have accepted two docs who have been out of medicine for some time to my program. Do not repeat medical school, there is no need. You are already a physician. what you should do, is show the PDs that you have regained your critical thinking skills by doing observerships, volunteer work, and doing a review course. Depending on the specialty you are interested in.
One of my interns successfully matched into a PGY-2 slot in Occupational Medicine, the other one is starting next month but they went back to school for RN and were working as an RN in a clinic until the director noted that their skills were much better than a typical RN and got the whole story. They then told the incoming intern that they need to complete their residency so they can return to the clinic as a doc.
Do not go back to school for a DO. Rather get yourself ready for residency.
One of my interns successfully matched into a PGY-2 slot in Occupational Medicine, the other one is starting next month but they went back to school for RN and were working as an RN in a clinic until the director noted that their skills were much better than a typical RN and got the whole story. They then told the incoming intern that they need to complete their residency so they can return to the clinic as a doc.
Do not go back to school for a DO. Rather get yourself ready for residency.
