Need for DO

[5788401]

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Hi Everyone

Please excuse my ignorance. I am from Canada and we don`t really have schools for osteopathic medicine. We only have osteopaths and they don`t have the same responsibilities as MDs. But I have read that in the US, DO can pretty much do everything the MDs can and even do MD residency. I was just wondering about the job situation for DOs vs. MDs. I know everyone always talks about not having enough MDs and you can never not have a job if you want. But what`s the situation for DOs, is there a high demand and need for DOs from hospitals and clinics. Thanks very much.

 

[LesBois88]

For all intents and purposes, a DO is the same as an MD when it comes to the job market.

Also, to say that we need more physicians as a general statement isn't really fair- we do need more, however the needs are usually concentrated outside urban centers in the primary care fields.

 

[5788401]

Thanks. That`s good to know. I guess I`m just a bit confused about why there are 2 distinct paths for physicians in the US then if the DO can do everything the MD does. And why the GP and MCAT requirements are lower for DO schools if everything else is the same or similar in terms of residency, job market, and responsibilites. Anyone have suggestions...

 

[SLC]

Thanks. That`s good to know. I guess I`m just a bit confused about why there are 2 distinct paths for physicians in the US then if the DO can do everything the MD does. And why the GP and MCAT requirements are lower for DO schools if everything else is the same or similar in terms of residency, job market, and responsibilites. Anyone have suggestions...

It's not that the GPA and MCAT requirements are lower per-se. Many schools either don't post minimums, or have the same minimums (both MD and DO).

That being said, people who would not normally have a lot of luck with MD applications (mid 3's GPA, and Mid to upper 20's MCAT) have a reasonable shot at DO. This is due to the fact that DO schools tend to be more willing to look at other aspects of an applicant and put less emphasis on GPA and MCAT. There's still an awful lot of focus on GPA and MCAT, but it's less than MD schools. MD schools often have published minimum GPA's of 3.0, but everyone knows that an applicant with a 3.0 has an extremely small chance of actually being accepted. DO applicants with a 3.0 have an uphill battle to climb, but if they have other exceptional credentials (quality medical care experience, strong resume of extra curricular activities etc) they'll get a fair shake.


Additionally, DO's take extra training in manual medicine that MD's don't get. They have identical science and clinical curricula, but there's OMT training with DO's which the MD students don't take. This is why there are two distinct pathways, the DO's are different, and want to remain that way.

Read "The D.O.'s: Osteopathic Medicine in America" by Norman Gevitz, it's an interesting read which sheds light on the history of Osteopathic Medicine, and better explains the reasoning behind two distinct degrees that Physicians can hold.

SLC

 

[drctother]

Thanks. That`s good to know. I guess I`m just a bit confused about why there are 2 distinct paths for physicians in the US then if the DO can do everything the MD does. And why the GP and MCAT requirements are lower for DO schools if everything else is the same or similar in terms of residency, job market, and responsibilites. Anyone have suggestions...

Check out the Canadian thread. There is TONS of info for us (Im canadian as well) on there

 

[Bacchus]

Osteopaths =/= osteopathic physicians. The only real place in Canada where you can't be a DO is PEI and maybe Saskatchewan? There is a FAQ at the top of the page where I linked to the word file for practice rights in Canada. www.osteopathic.ca has a lot of information too.

 

[DocEspana]

Thanks. That`s good to know. I guess I`m just a bit confused about why there are 2 distinct paths for physicians in the US then if the DO can do everything the MD does. And why the GP and MCAT requirements are lower for DO schools if everything else is the same or similar in terms of residency, job market, and responsibilites. Anyone have suggestions...

Much simpler, less "fluff" answer.

MD degrees in the US have history back to 1765. Osteopathic medicine only dates back to 1892. It was started as a backlash against late 19th century physicians who were treating, more or less, with snake oils and heavy metals. The assumption was to do all you could without drugs first. For the first 35-45 years (based on when you want to call the turning point) DOs were a subset of physician which did a lot of good things, but because they were against the poor medicine of the 1890's, they fell behind the curve on the good medicine of the early and early-mid 1900's. Around the 1940's they got back on the bus with the rest of mainstream medicine, but by that time they were basically getting into the "we can do everything a MD can do" and "we can be mainstream" business almost 200 years after MDs did.

more history --> more prestige --> higher acceptance scores.

Many DO schools have higher acceptance criteria than the newest MD schools, but since they have a much much shorter history, it has taken them time to build up enough credibility and applicant interest to draw higher quality applicants. But that difference ends with the applicant criteria; the actual *education* once you are in is identical to the MD curriculum, with the addition of some education/indoctrination in the osteopathic techniques.

 

[5788401]

To those of you in DO schools. I would really appreciate some advice. I am considering DO schools because I like to eventually do FAM RES back in canada. But I don't have the stats to get into a MD school. I was just wondering if is there any stigmas associated with a DO in the states? It's not well know here in canada and every time I mention osteopathic medicine/holistic approach, people (even other doctors/ MD studnets) tell me it's for quakers (sorry don't wanna affend people but just quoting someone). I really think it's a good way to get into a MD residency if you can't get into MD schools right away but I don't wanna do 4 years of school and waste 300 K if the general public is not going to know what I'm talking about or think i'm like one of those hoslitic/quaker doctors...) Do you guys think Ireland or Australia med school is better for worse than DO schools?

 

[FrkyBgStok]

worse. the stigma is generally gone for all specialties and completely gone with family practice. however, i am not aware of international licensing in regards to DO and canada.

 

[techko]

To those of you in DO schools. I would really appreciate some advice. I am considering DO schools because I like to eventually do FAM RES back in canada. But I don't have the stats to get into a MD school. I was just wondering if is there any stigmas associated with a DO in the states? It's not well know here in canada and every time I mention osteopathic medicine/holistic approach, people (even other doctors/ MD studnets) tell me it's for quakers (sorry don't wanna affend people but just quoting someone). I really think it's a good way to get into a MD residency if you can't get into MD schools right away but I don't wanna do 4 years of school and waste 300 K if the general public is not going to know what I'm talking about or think i'm like one of those hoslitic/quaker doctors...) Do you guys think Ireland or Australia med school is better for worse than DO schools?

there was zero differentiation between do's and md's in the hospitals & clinics i've worked at...an anes do is the same as an anes md period

 

[5788401]

do they have to constantly explain to people what a DO / osteopathic doctor is?

 

[techko]

do they have to constantly explain to people what a DO / osteopathic doctor is?

not in a u.s. hospital... never seen it happen - most sick people don't even know or remember your name - they know the difference between a nurse and a doctor that's about it, and they know they're being taken care of - thats all.. . i worked for a do surgeon in private practice and he said he was asked once - the patient thought he was an eye doc.