Medic to DO

[Gatewayhoward]

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I was talking to tie VP of my ambulance company and that guy told me that being a paramedic, I'd have a better time as a DO than an MD. He said it was in a difference in the way DO's carry out patient assessments. Any validity to this?

 

[OSUdoc08]

I was talking to tie VP of my ambulance company and that guy told me that being a paramedic, I'd have a better time as a DO than an MD. He said it was in a difference in the way DO's carry out patient assessments. Any validity to this?

Although I find a large number of DO's as emergency medicine physicans & EMS medical directors, and I also find a large number of former paramedics becoming DO's (including myself and many of my coworkers,) I don't see any reason there would be a difference.

Although DO's have more training in assessing musculoskeletal disorders and soft tissue/fascia disorders, I don't see why your experience as a paramedic would have any relevance.

I do seriously recommend looking into becoming a DO either way, however.

 

[BklynWill]

I think the most relevant (yet also quite weak) commonality between osteopathic medicine and EMS is the focus on primary care medicine. I noticed that my EMT experience helped me very much in my primary care skills course. I assume that if I continue on to a primary care or other initial point-of-contact speciality, much like the rest of the decreasing majority of DO graduates, that my background in EMS may be beneficial.

Again, a weak commonality.