Osteopathic residency question

[PhenieMack]

Hello all,

I am considering a career as a DO because I like the idea of holistic healing and a whole-body approach, and I am also interested in patient care. There is one thing that worries me though, and hopefully some of you can give me some information.

What is the residency program like as a DO? Is it as intense as an MD? As long? As shiver-inducing? I read that allopathic residents work 80-100 hours per week, 30 hour shift, etc. Is that what an osteopthic residency is like? I ask not because I am lazy or want to skate through my work, but because I am a little older and want to start a family before I'm 35. I wouldn't mind doing a residency, but not at the expense of not having children.

If anyone knows what is like, please let me know! I'm also considering optometry because of the primary patient care aspect and shorter, less intense residency, and would like to figure out which would be a better fit.

Thanks!

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[Hernandez]

Hello all,

Thanks!

They're pretty much the same......

 

[DrMom]

no offense, but if you think DOs incorporate "holistic healing" you probably should do some more research. our training and treatments are the same as MDs, but we have more emphasis on musculoskeletal medicine. In practice, you'll see little if any difference between MDs and DOs.

And, yes, our residencies are just as intense and have the same kinds of hours.

 

[Hernandez]

no offense, but if you think DOs incorporate "holistic healing"

Oh I don't know about that DrMom, i bought some homeopathic anxiety medicine for Mushy's cats this week

 

[polynikesdb]

xxx

 

[Tired]

no offense, but if you think DOs incorporate "holistic healing" you probably should do some more research. our training and treatments are the same as MDs, but we have more emphasis on musculoskeletal medicine. In practice, you'll see little if any difference between MDs and DOs.

That was pretty much my experience (limited, admittedly) with DOs, though you'd never know it cruising through the Osteo and Pre-Osteo forums here.

 

[MR1]

I'm also considering optometry because of the primary patient care aspect and shorter, less intense residency, and would like to figure out which would be a better fit.

Thanks!

You may know this already and just mistyped but optometry doesn't require a residency. You go to 4 years of optometry school after undergrad and then are done. There are residencies available and I think most are only 1 year but they are definitely not required. As far as hours I think optom school is similar to medical school but neither is anything close to residency hours

Also allo and osteo residencies both have very similar hours that suck and some osteo grads do allo residencies anyway.

Lastly I don't know if you are a man or woman but both have babies during medical school AND residency, granted it does require sacrifice and an amazing spouse but it is doable (there are plenty of threads discussing this in the past)