Osteopathic Awareness Campaign

[Doreen]

The Bozell Sawyer Miller Group (BSMG) has been hired for the osteopathic publicity campaign. This advertising company has brought us such campaigns as "Got Milk?" and "Pork: The Other White Meat." Let's hope that they do a good job informing the general public about osteopathic medicine. If this campaign doesn't work, then the degree should be changed (just here me out for one minute). The D.O. degree is different here in the U.S. from the other countries which causes much confusion. We provide something extra which should be differentiated from the other countries. I've heard statements that changing the degree will confuse the unaware general public but I don't agree. Look at the other professions:
Law: LLB vs. JD
Dentistry: DDS vs. DMD
Veterinary Medicine: DVM vs. VMD
The public is not confused about these changes so why would they be confused about osteopathic medicine which they hardly know anything about? I heard the proposed DOM degree but this has already been taken - Doctor of Oriental Medicine.
I know some of you might want to argue that maybe I must not be proud of osteopathic medicine, but I am very interested in this profession. I just think that if this campaign doesn't work, then the name should be changed.

Agreements / Disagreements?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[OldManDave]

My initial reaction is that your comments deserve consideration. Afterall, it the legal rights and entitlement to full-practice rights we all seek...the initials behind your name should be irrelevant. Merely changing those letters could be a possible solution, or at least a partial one, to ridding the profession of confusion with others.

I would like to hear someone with a dissenting view to weigh their views???




------------------
'Old Man Dave'
KCOM, Class of '03

 

[NickCVM]

If the public (future patients) is confused about what DO means or doubt a physician's capabilities just Bc/ he/she s'got DO after their name (instead of MD) - then, changing those initials could be a positive move. However, I believe that a "serious" study needs to be done 1st. Meaning that, it would be pointless to change our initials into something that might confuse the "PUBLIC" even more (ie. DOM, MOD etc..).

In my mind initials like DO/MD would explain to the public that we are not only medical doctors but also doctors of Osteopathy.
I'm perfectly happy with DO by the way BUT I have to admit that most people have no idea that DO's are qualified medical doctors.
--Nicolas--
WesternU'03

 

[prefontaine]

As a student that only applied to DO schools and one with a strong interest in OMT/OPP, I have slowly come to the conclusion that we may as well receive the MD degree or MD/DO. Why? The truth is that we are not THAT different or unique (other than being 'the best kept secret in healthcare'). Hell, I know more MDs that use manual medicine than DOs. They (the MDs) are often more open to OMT (in my experience).

I am grateful that I am able to enter the specialty of my choice, as a result of attending DO school. However, it is a profession that does not 'walk the talk' of the AOA partyline. If the osteopathic community did more than pay lip service to the osteopathic rhetoric, then the DO would be okay with me...but it does not.

Steve

 

[Nova2003]

Let's hope that the Bozell Sawyer Miller Group does a good job.

If not, what about: OMD (Osteopathic Medical Doctor)?

Nova2003

 

[prefontaine]

Not again! OMD is already in use...Oriental Medical Doctor. This OMD suggestion comes up repeatedly, must be the pre-med cookie cutter mindset.

 

[VM]

You are all missing the obvious letters:
M.D.O.
for osteopathic medical doctor or medical doctor of osteopathy (or osteopathic medicine) or whatever. I don't think there is anyone else out there with these initials. I quite frankly am sick of explaining to everyone I know now what a DO is and that DOs are REAL physicians. This would go a long way for me.

 

[summerb]

A discussion similar to this one came up a few months ago and someone said that the AOA is considering a change. So I wrote to the AOA to find out if this was in fact the case, and it absolutely is NOT under consideration. Just for everyone's information that was wondering.

I also am tired of explaining about DO, but on the other hand, I have gotten very positive responses after most of my explanations. And people that have heard of them usually have very positive opinions of them. It would, however, be nice not to have to get that initial "Oh, is that a bone doctor?"

Sometimes I wonder if maybe I should have at least applied to some MD schools, but then I realize that the only reason I feel that way is due to other people's opinions. I chose osteopathy based on things I'd read and experienced. And as for the people who don't like it, well, they won't be my patients anyway.

 

[Gregory Gulick]

Explain to me again, exactly what the MDO will accomplish for the profession?

NOW:

Premed: "I'm going to medical school."
Aunt Sally: "Great, so you're going to be an M.D.?"
Premed: "Uh, no. A D.O."
Aunt Sally: "What's that?"

THEN:

Premed: "I'm going to medical school."
Aunt Sally: "Great, so you're going to be an M.D.?"
Premed: "Uh, no. An M.D.O."
Aunt Sally: "What's that?"

Really, where does it get us? Now, I'm not thrilled that there are people out there who will question my competence to practice medicine based on the letters after my name. But I don't think that changing those letters to some new, still-unfamiliar degree designation will improve the situation at all.

In fact, it might make the confusion much worse. It would make the entire osteopathic profession look like we have an inferiority complex. How? People might suspect that the only way we can get patients is to attempt to fool them into thinking that we're M.D.s.

No thanks... give me the D.O. designation.

 

[VM]

Gregory, You bring up a great point about the M.D.O. idea I had. I was thinking more about when people see the letters after your name, and not when they ask you what a MDO is. Most people would see MDO and just think it was a special type of MD. But, you bring up a good point about it seeming like an inferiority complex or trying to trick people into thinking that it is an MD. My point was to avoid confusion. DOs are medical doctors, yes osteopathic medical doctors, but medical doctors (meaning we can use all therapeutic methods including drugs and surgery), nonetheless. My idea for MDO was to show that it is something EXTRA, and not something entirely different. The main confusion I see is that people do not know that DOs can use drugs, surgery, and everthing else an MD can use in addition to OMM. I have had to explain this to many people recently. My idea is not to trick people, but to avoid confusion.

 

[Henry]

Be proud to your DO degree, as you are proud of your Last Name.

Never change your name just because they don't know you or don't understand you. Explain as many times as you can.

For example, I bet a lot of us don't know what does HONDA stand for, but many of us may be driving it. Why, because the quality for HONDA makes you to select that car. Same here with our future title.

Your patient will know you because of your quality.

[This message has been edited by Henry (edited April 27, 1999).]

 

[VM]

Henry, I never said a DO isn't something to be proud of. I will be very proud to be a DO. It seems like with some of you, if anyone comes up with an idea that is not politically correct, you stomp it down or act like the poster has an inferiority complex about being a DO instead of an MD. Maybe its because you have the inferiority complex and are reading between the lines something that isn't there. By the way, I like Toyotas better than Hondas

 

[drusso]

First, the biggest problem with changing the degree is that it cuts things off just when the profession is (finally) gaining some momentum. I just got in the mail a flyer for a new text book on manual medicine published by one of the leading national PM&R groups. I was pleased to see that more than half of the chapters were written by DO's right along side MD's from very prestigious schools. The take home message is that the larger medical community is beginning to recognize our unique contributions to medicine.

Second, changing the degree designation is a very "allopathic" approach to the problem

The problem is a lack of national awareness of what the DO degree means. I like the new AOA tagline, but think that "DO means DOctor" would be more succinct and to the point. More people were aware of the DO designation at the turn of the century than are aware of it today. This is partly because this profession has endured active oppression from our (now) MD colleagues. This scrappy little profession has to fight for every inch of respect it has ever earned: If the AMA wasn't trying to shut down osteopathic hospitals, they were lobbying for legislation to criminalize osteopathic medical practice. I think most here are familiar with the old war stories...Well, those battles have already been won but the AOA sometimes behaves as if it is still 1957.

It is my view that the profession has been playing defense for so long that it has forgotten how to truly advocate on its own behalf. Today DO's are welcomed into the AMA, pursue ACGME residencies, pracitice in mixed-staff hospitals, hold national leadership positions, etc. While there is still more advocacy needed, (A friend of mine got an email from a residency director at Duke who told him that their university by-laws prohibit them from accepting DO's into residency programs. They have been unsuccessful in changing them.)things are better today for DO's than they have ever been.

Finally, part of my reluctance to changing the degree designation is because that is EXACTLY what portions of organized allopathic medicine have wanted us to do for years...remember the California fiasco and $65 MD's? A monopoly is a very un-American thing: There are two degree designations recognized as complete physicians in the US, MD's and DO's. Choose what you like.

 

[OldManDave]

After reading all the posts here [omitting the bickering], I think "drusso" makes the strongest points thus far. I am not adverse to designation change. My goal is to become the best damned physician irresprective of my initials. The fact that our profession is now making such huge in-roads and finally re-gaining the highly deserved recognition and respect in the medical community that we seek. A change just might set us back significantly. I already know several people, my Mother incl, who refuse to have a GP who is not a DO.

I have decided, nothing against your proposal Doreen, to throw my towel in on the side of keeping the DO and doing my best to positively market our profession thru excellence & word-of-mouth.

A cardiologist acquintence of mine, who has counseled me some during the app process, acted rather funny when I told him I was admitted to KCOM. I just took it with a grain of salt, as the other Docs [all MDs by the way], with whom I have much more personal relationships, were almost as excited as I was about my YES letter. Later, the cardiologist told me he was concerned. He knows I also want to be a peds-cardiologist and he said it worried him that I wasn't going to a REAL medical school and that becoming a DO would present as a severe impediment to my reaching my goal. I tried to explain things to him...without success.

My conclusion, we all must accept that there is an "Old Guard" who probably will never change. However, MOST of the people out there merely have to be educated and SHOWN what DO is all about.

I think we should focus on doing our best [MDs and DOs]. And, we [DOs] need to promote ourselves as not something entirely different; but as excellent physicians with some extra tools.

What do you guys think?

------------------
'Old Man Dave'
KCOM, Class of '03

 

[Henry]

VM

May be we have disagreement in opinion but I definitely respect your opinion. I hope you felt the same way.

My gut feeling to this issue is changing the title will not bring us anywhere. This is what I really meant. So please don't get offended.

 

[Gregory Gulick]

VM, there is nothing politically incorrect about your idea. It is a proposal that has been suggested for many years and all proposals warrant consideration. Like YoungManDave (drusso)

suggests, the M.D.O. is reversing all of the strides we've made over the past 100 years. At least now, when people tell me that they've never heard of the D.O. degree I can offer my sarcastic, but highly effective, response: "We've been around for over 100 years, have you been living under a rock?" This usually results in their acknowledging that they know very little about medical education and then asking me to explain both the allopathic and osteopathic professions, which I gladly do by presenting them as relatively parallel professions and using few comparisons.

Something else I wanted to mention... The statement "be proud of your D.O. degree" comes up continually in this forum. And I think it rightfully points to a problem in this profession: a lack of pride in our education.

It seems that osteopathic students are expected to fall into the category of being discontent with their degree and, if given the opportunity, willing to swap it out for an M.D. degree. This appears to be the accepted state for an osteopathic medical student. Meanwhile, individuals like myself who are proudly choosing to become D.O.s are accused of being anti-M.D. or suffering from insecurity. Why is this case? Why can't we be pro-D.O. and not anti-M.D.?

So many of our problems stem from a lack of osteopathic pride. How do we fix this? I haven't a clue. Especially since this pride is stripped away before most students even enter their osteopathic medical schools.

Any thoughts?

[This message has been edited by Gregory Gulick (edited April 27, 1999).]

 

[VM]

drusso, OldManDave, and Gregory,
You all make extremely good points about the strides of the DO. I now would have to agree with you about not changing the degree. (See, I'm open-minded

)

 

[OsteoDOC]

Watching all this bickering about changing the D.O. always gives me a little chuckle. You people need to get over this..really!

The conversation about this topic is always going on. Why? Probably fear of prejudice secondary to ignorance. You people want to know what prejudice is? Ask and African-American (no, I am not one) ask a Mexican-American? Ask an ethnic Albanian. So, what is one solution? Education. The AOA is now working on their "Unity Campain" but that isn't all that needs to be done. Not by a long shot. This is OUR profession! We should be proud of it and promote it any way we can. If that means explaining what a D.O. is a few minutes, then SO BE IT! Even better, take a group out to lunch and explain it to them and then right off the lunch and an advertising/business expense (the governament takes enough of our money already).

Let me ask everyone out there, the last time you were introduced to a physicians, did they introduce themselves as "John Doe. M.D." or as "I am Dr. Doe"? The reason, IT DOES NOT MATTER. All a patient wants to know is if you a physician and if you are going to care for them.

I have said it before and I will say it again, if you have ANY problems or worries about having D.O. after the end of your name, DO NOT GO TO AN OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOL....I repeat...DO NOT GO TO AN OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOL! (This is not to be yelling, just an emphasis).

Just my opinion...

Brandon A, MS4
Western University/COMP

 

[DOPhD student]

I have no comment regarding initial change. My personal sentiment is it will be or will not be changed regardless of whether I care or not. Just a point of interest in my opinion: the "DOs, physicians who treat patients, not just diseases" motto for the Unity Campaign is the dumbest, most ridiculous statement I ever heard. I have a very difficult time understanding what it means exactly. Imagine yourself strolling along and then get stopped by a pedestrian who wants to understanding that statement. I would be hard pressed to explain what kind of physician treats only diseases and not the patients (and all this for the purpose of contrasting ALL DOs who SUPPOSEDLY are the ONLY ones treating patients also). Aren't patients and their disease processes intertwined? If you're treating diseases, by whatever means, to alleviate ailments, then how can it be possible that you in the process not interact with and treat patients? Again, the AOA has not failed to amaze me with assinine rhetorics that will do nothing but amuse the educated mind and befuddle the less educated. I'm a third pissed, a third disappointed, and a third amused by these idiots that speak for us. No wonder why the DOs are the butts of the jokes if these guys represent our profession. Disclaimer: I cannot suggest any good succinct motto, but here's one to toss around: "Osteopathic Medicine - modern medicine and the hands-on approach serving your medical needs". At least this will not be a blatant lie and a fanciful claim of humanity exclusive to the DO profession since some DOs actually still lay hands on people. Unity Campaign - what a farce.

 

[rhillstr]

Well said guys. To even further the confusion imagine going to see an M.D./D.O.! It's working, go with it. Lastly it DOES matter to the patient. Why? Everyone wants the security of knowing that they are seeing someone who is competent to administer healthcare. Who in their right mind wouldn't?? It's up to us to inform the public what it means (AOA too!). A patient looking through a preferred provider list, not knowing what D.O. means could be afraid of making an appointment to see that wrong kind of doctor for their problems. If they are on the list a potential patient isn't too likely to question their competence. After all, what insurance company would deal with a liability? M.D.'s are now referring patients with back problems and such to D.O.'s it's on the move and it's gaining momentum.

 

[drusso]

Just a couple thoughts:

1) I remember when I was accepted to TCOM I approached a well known neurologist that I was working with at UCSF to share the good news. The reaction I recieved was much like the one OldManDave got: The man looked a little befuddled, blinked rapidly a number of times, then explained to me that DO's "didn't sit on the same pedestal as MD's did." That was actually what he said verbatim. He, too, threatened that my residency opportunities might be limited and that clinical research would be out of the question.

I saw a few days before this meeting an article published in the journal Neurology by Micheal Olek, DO who was, at the time, finishing a fellowship in Multiple Sclerosis at Yale. I knew that this guy knew Dr. Olek, but suspected that he didn't know that he was a DO. I showed him the article with the DO designation highlighted and asked him if he knew that Dr. Olek was a DO. He looked puzzled stroked his chin and mumbled, "Mike's an osteopath??" Ever since that exchange he was very supportive of my endeavors and even started including "/DO", as in "MD/DO", in all correspondence that required the MD designation as short hand.

2) DO/PhD: I understand your reaction. However, keep in mind that this tagline wasn't brainstormed at an AOA board meeting. It actually arose out of independent focus groups conducted by the contracted firm. Of course it make no sense, Have you ever accused the general public of being very smart? The trick to advertising is telling people what they want to hear: If the public wants to hear that DO's treat "people not symptoms" then shout it out! It's cynical, but no one's ever accused me of being an optimist...

---dave

 

[Dr Dil]

It amazes me that the AOA has paid approximately 1 million dollars for this ad agency to come up with the tagline, "Osteopathic Medicine: treating patients, not just symptoms."

Why should our profession begin it's first nation-wide awareness campaign in it's 100-year history with such a negative campaign strategy? Obviously this tagline is aimed squarely at our allopathic colleagues' "supposed shortcomings." However, for those of us in the working world (not in an AOA office), this kind of statement just makes things more difficult when dealing with our MD counterparts. How embarrassing for the DO profession......

 

[OldManDave]

Brandon,

Look on the bright side...at least we're not bickering over the DO vs. MD issue...

------------------
'Old Man Dave'
KCOM, Class of '03

 

[SDN]

Let's see if we can do better than the AOA's million-dollar tagline.

Post your suggestions here!

Lee



------------------
Lee Burnett, DO
www.osteopathic.com

 

[summerb]

The day I interviewed at AZCOM the campaign representative from the AOA was there giving a presentation. He said that the two tag words that Osteopathic Medicine had been using: manipulation and touch, were not received well by the public (as concluded from research). They took surveys and found that, in general, females were very uncomfortable with the word manipulation, and males greatly disliked the idea of being touched. I mention this just for your awareness when describing Osteopathic Medicine to people.

As for the slogan, I agree with Dr. Dil that it really is focusing on the perceived shortcomings of our MD colleagues. That's not the direction I had hoped the campaign would go. One thing I think is very necessary in the slogan is to include "D.O." either instead of, or in addition to "Osteopathic Medicine." Why? Because I experienced that nurses and clerks quite often do not know what a Doctor of Osteopathy is. One time when I asked to see one at my HMO the clerk first thought I meant Orthopedics, then Gynocology, then Optometry. I kept saying "no, OSTEOPATHY" but she had no idea what I was talking about. She continued to ask the nurses and staff around her and nobody knew what I was asking for. Finally one nurse came by and asked "Do you mean a DO?" and I said yes. The clerk then said "Oh, a DO! Well why didn't you say so?" People in general don't always learn what the acronyms stand for because they usually don't have a need. Many don't even know exactly what MD stands for either, and they certainly are a minority if they know what allopathy is. Could most people spout off what SAT, IBM, or AAA stand for? Probably not, but they sure know what they are. It's the same with DO's. Thus I strongly feel that our initials NEED to be in the slogan, and that they can't just use "Osteopathic Medicine" because even people who know what DO's are might be confused.

I really like the "We put the DO in DOctor." Other ramblings: "When you need a DOctor, call a DO" or "DO: the other white coat" (although that's too much like "Pork: the other white meat").

 

[rhillstr]

I STRONGLY agree with the recent string of posts. One could look up osteopathy in the dictionary if they want but when the peruse a list of providers few understand D.O. The first time I saw it I thought it had something to do with dentistry (There was only one and I thought it was a misprint). D.O. must be recognized in the campaign, we need to not try to emphasize what we do differently or else it could be perceived as an attack against the allopathic profession! We should discuss things that people deal with all the time but can't be helped with meds such as back-ache, and sore joints. As long as we say, "Come see us for lower back pain. We might have the answer.", we aren't saying "M.D.'s can't help you. Leave them."

 

[prefontaine]

Just what is it that we should emphasize? OMT?

Who does OMT in Eugene, OR? For starters, two MDs, Dart and Peterson. Another MD, Steven Roy used to, but he left. When I lived there, NO DOs were doing OMT.

With a few weeks to go before graduation from DO school, I am still looking for our uniqueness.

 

[OsteoDOC]

Touche Dave....Touche

Brandon

 

[Sphenoid]

Let's face it,

The AOA is run by a bunch of politicians who are not, and have never been, in touch with the needs of the osteopathic profession.

The good ole boys club of osteopathy (a.k.a., the AOA board of trustees) lacks the intellect and the vision to create real change. Unfortunately, the system breeds itself. The next generation in ranks is not much better than the present one. I'm talking about the people involved in certain academic circles. (I would say that we are another generation behind).

These people are incensed with lifelong experiences of being put down by the allopathic community. In a way, they all suffer from an inferiority complex stemming from these traumatic experiences. I think this is the main reason why they are not fit to lead. They are unable to distinguish which opportunities are a better fit for progressing our interests. In a time when there is a glimmer of respect emerging from the allopathic community, the leaders are apathetic. In fact, I would go as far as saying that they are busily trying to spurn this attention. It seems that their hatred for the allopaths is what guides policy.

The AOA recently redefined the height of incompetence and absurdity by accepting the million dollar tagline "treating patients, not just symptoms". We are not in competition for dairy products, or profits. Maybe the ad agency does not realize that we are offending our allopathic colleagues with this phrase. That is regrettable considering how much money they are being paid. BUT the responsibility is ultimately AOA's for approving this phrase, and it is absolutely derelict of them to do so. Inherent in the statement is that allopaths treat just symptoms. How can anyone support such a statement? Most people out there have become physicians for the right reasons, allopathic and osteopathic. To suggest that they do not look at the patient they are treating is not only wrong but also inflammatory. I worry about this campaign damaging our recent graduates when they are seeking positions for practice and residency. This is not how the AOA should be looking out for our interests.


The ad agency and AOA seem to have missed the point of this campaign. We are not doing this for profit, this is about respect. If we offend our colleagues, how can we hope to gain such consideration?

 

[justwannabadoc]

May I suggest we write to the AOA and express our displeasure with what they have come up with. The web site with contact info is:

www.http://www.aoa-net.org/AOAGeneral/contact.htm

I don't know who would be the best person to address your e-mail to so you just send it to a couple if you're unsure. Please avoid the temptation not to take action because you feel powerless as an individual to effect any change. This mistake is made too frequently and what happens is no one does anything. If enough of us write in, should at the very least grab someone's attention. We need to let the AOA know that their future members do not want themselves to be represented by such a ridiculous slogan. Please, do your part and see if we can get this changed.

 

[rhillstr]

Something intruiging is happening in medicine. The allopathic and osteopathic schools of medicine are undergoing convergent evolution. M.D.'s are now being trained to evaluate people on the whole. I saw a specialist(M.D.)for my stomach and he started asking about how things were in my personal life. I felt he looked at the big picture. M.D.'s are training in their version of OMT. D.O. programs are becoming indistinguishable from M.D. programs. D.O.'s can gain AMA membership. After the attempted destruction of the profession, the "enemy" is now standing in front of us with open arms. The slogan is just wrong. We cannot just uproot AOA or tell them to stop being politicians. They may not realize or care that this may ruin the working relationship D.O.'s have developed with M.D.'s. Most of these guys have practice, and faced the prejudice. Educate the AOA to educate the public, but at all costs- preserve the building relationship between the two schools or else it's all for naught.
P.S. I am doing a proceptorship with Dr. George Larson who still uses OMT (when it is needed).

 

[cliff]

I checked out of at work today some other Bozzel projects. They do commercials for Chrysler Neon, Airtouch Cellular, Taylormade Golfclubs, and IHOP (International House of Pancakes). These are just a few of their accounts. I also talked to one of my friends in the advertising bus and he said they are pretty good. I was surprised by this answer.

I like the "DO, the other white coat" line.

I decided to look up osteopath in my thesaurus. It was not a pleasant excercise. It is listed separate from the doctor heading and there is no listing in it other than osteopath. The point this demonstrates is that many references and people have not been updated or informed about what osteopathic medicine in the 90's is all about.

I honestly think it all comes to down to the individual and how we all market ourselves in the future. How you present yourself and describe your training and skills will ultimately define and determine what type of doctor you are. The DO/MD thing- ho hum.

Would someone please remind me where the phrase osteopathic medicine arose from. Thanks.

 

[DOGBOY]

Seems like many of you have an inferiority complex about being a DO. Does it really matter that much? You are going to be a physician and you have may of the same training opportunities that MD's have and I highly doubt many allopathic physicians are really going to pay much attention to the advertising campaign. Whatever the copy is the point is the public will hear about the profession. If you guys are all so knowledgeable about advertising why don't you go into the business?

Spenoid, I am glad you know exactly what the AOA is thinking. You seem very sure you have the ability to tap into the minds and feelings of people you don't know nor will ever meet. I am impressed

 

[drusso]

I think that people are being over-conscientious toward MD's with respect to how they will interpret the new tag-line. I doubt most will even notice it. Emphasizing that DO's treat whole patients does not necessarily mean that MD's do not. It's an exercise in logic, think about it...

The tagline, in principle, is not an exaggeration. There really does exist a core set of values, ideas, and principles in osteopathic medicine that, ostensibly, shape the way DO's go about taking care of people. Organized allopathic medicine has not articulated this the same way, if at all. It's not that what we say we do is so unique, it's that the osteopathic profession SAYS it, TEACHES it, and hopefully practices it. I know many osteopathically-minded MD's and I wouldn't begrudge them the distinction.

Finally, it's advertising people! This tagline is focus group manufactured. Has ANYTHING sensible, profound, or truthful ever come out of Madison Avenue focus groups? No! But, it's what patients *WANT* to hear. That's what advertising is all about...

Just in case you think that it is only the AOA who exaggerates it self-worth, let's look at the mission statement of the AMA (which they frequently publish in many high volume newspapers and magazines)and see if their words stack up to their actions:

AMA tagline:
Physicians dedicated to the health of America.

(All Americans? Or just those with private insurance? I don't see the AMA rallying for universal coverage...)

Core Purpose

To promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health.

(okay, that's pretty generic.)

Core Values

Leadership: the steward of medicine, caring advocates for patients, the profession and members.

(Steward of medicine? C'mon, now. Caring advocates for patients...maybe/maybe not. I think that if you're patient who has been the victim of malpractice the LAST organization you're going to turn to for help is the AMA...Which members, members with the MD degree or the DO degree? Is the AMA going to advocate for me when insurance won't reimburse on a claim for OMT in a post-motor vehicle accident patient complaining of dull, aching neck pain? I doubt it.)

Excellence in all we do: the highest quality of service, products and information.

(as long as the "highest quality" doesn't rackle the AMA's board trustees. Somewhere out there George Lundberg, MD is laughing...)

Integrity and ethical behavior: the basis for trust in all relationships and actions.

(Can you say "Sunbeam?"...)

--dave

[This message has been edited by drusso (edited April 29, 1999).]

[This message has been edited by drusso (edited April 29, 1999).]

 

[SDN]

DO, The Other White Coat.

Enjoy!

Lee

 

[Sphenoid]

Poochboy,

You should be impressed.

"the ability to to tap into the minds and feelings of people" comes through critical analysis and deep thought. And yes, I do know how to do that. It's one of the things they must have tried so hard to get through your head in college.

Also, I have met the leadership. They are a bunch of fat old geezers. When you get to school, they will show up every so often and speak to you. Then you will see for yourself.