Osteopathic Students: MS or OMS

[Deno]

So I come back to school this year to find out that some of the new second years have done more to their e-mail signatures aside from adding another "I". There are a group of them that now sign as OMS (osteopathic medical student)

Just curious if this is at any other schools, or maybe it came from the AOA? Any thoughts from anyone, are you an MS or an OMS, why?

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[Sharky]

I tend to sign it as MS. The O is just an adjective and you can include it if you wish to emphasize your osteopathicness. You don't see allopaths putting AMS so why should osteopaths put OMS.

 

[DrMom]

The only time I've referred to myself is when I'm at AOA meetings (they expect it). The rest of the time I'm just MS.

 

[raspberry swirl]

actually, the AOA is really pushing this year for osteopathic students to use the OMS designation. it came up at one of their conferences this summer. our sga was informed by our dean to encourage it among the student body . . . i think its a little weird, but whatever

 

[VentdependenT]

The AOA is all about usless jargon and semantics as a way of "distinguising" osteopaths from allopaths. Not very substantial in any way,

 

[BigSkyDreams]

The AOA is all about usless jargon and semantics as a way of "distinguising" osteopaths from allopaths. Not very substantial in any way,

Howdy,

The AOA tends to major in the minor.

 

[DrMom]

Howdy,

The AOA tends to major in the minor.

you hit the nail on the head

 

[raptor5]

I would prefer to be thought of as an equal or the same instead of different, maybe after I am done with med school (oops osteopathic school) and residency I will make it a point that I am an osteopath, but it is likely that the PD's and such that will rank me will be MD's and would rather assume to go under the radar. That was the longest sentence I ever typed.

 

[DrDad]

as much as I hate to say this.... this is SDN.... this is a possible decent presentation of world view that would be a good start for getting used to explaining what we believe, thinking, and DO.... so I see it as positive to try the OMS I thing out atleast once.... or twice....

I dont think it really matters here.... may confuse newbies a bit, but if they cannot figure it out..... well, lets just say I dont want them for my pathologist....

just random thoughts

DD

 

[docbill]

Once again.. I have to say WHO CARES!

 

[BamaAlum]

******ed, simply ******ed......

 

[DireWolf]

******ed, simply ******ed......

well played.

 

[eadysx]

I think it is interesting that many of you don?t seem to like the idea of adding an O and becoming an OMS, and that some of you could not care less. Personally I think the idea is a bit silly, but I see no harm in doing it. At the least, it may give you an opportunity to educate those that inquire about the osteopathic profession. Of course that being said, if you are not at all interested in doing ?education? about what a DO is, perhaps its best to leave it off. Now since I myself am only an OMS-I , perhaps I am missing something?..

E-

 

[docbill]

we should come up with a better name. Something more catchy.. rather then OMS

OPS (Osteop Phys School) = OPSI and OPSII... so on
OsteoMS or OsteMS... I would simply put DO candidate

okay.. I am not very talented.. but the WHO CARE I SCREAMED ABOVE STANDS.

What would really drive me nuts is those who don't put D.O. they just put Dr.

 

[Robz]

I'm an M1 and I'm going to be an M2 and then an M3 and finally an M4. NOTHING is going to change that in my mind.

Changing the titles means nothing. I basically am going to get the same training I wanted to get and personally I learned to fight battles that are worth fighting.

I am one for being proud of heritage but I am not one for trying to cause a divide in everything. I don't see any other medical schools having such an idenity crisis as the AOA seems to have at times. I also don't see allopathic students call themselves AMS why should osteopathic students go for OMS. I think it is a silly arguement.

Arguements I am more in order for are the establishment of good solid residencies, spreading the word on DO's in a good fashion such as mass media or such, and providing students with support to follow their dreams no matter which path they lead to.


I think I saw in an email that they wanted the OMS but everyone calls us the meds or M1's. I like it and I'll use that nomenclature for my tenure. Lets get our efforts on more pressing objectives. (like healthcare expendatures)

 

[LukeWhite]

I think it is interesting that many of you don?t seem to like the idea of adding an O and becoming an OMS, and that some of you could not care less. Personally I think the idea is a bit silly, but I see no harm in doing it. At the least, it may give you an opportunity to educate those that inquire about the osteopathic profession. Of course that being said, if you are not at all interested in doing ?education? about what a DO is, perhaps its best to leave it off. Now since I myself am only an OMS-I , perhaps I am missing something?..

E-

eadysx,

It's mainly a problem of fixing a problem that doesn't exist. Which, in turns, leads people to question, "So, what was the problem in the first place?" The inevitable answer: We were a little insecure about our profession, and while we were palpating some really subtle cranial tides, someone said, "Hey, why not add an O?"

It's like the nouveau riche who pile on the gold jewelry--the AOA ladens us with so many acronyms that you'd think letters were going out of style. Why not just stick with simplicity and let the practice do the talking? Bureaucracies need a mission; the only way to maintain the integrity of the profession is to viciously attack any AOA idea that necessitates a change in email signature, business cards, or, say, hypothetically, a several-thousand-dollar mock physical exam.

 

[Fin-Nor]

m1-4 , cuz i want to be like robz

 

[docbill]

Lukewhite... I am sorry but I must say... your english is pretty darn good... too good for a chat board. You make people like me look bad... no commmmmas no anything... just . . . You on the other hand have all of these " , -- and a french english term "nouveau riche" ...

BUT.. I do agree with you.. hehehe

eadysx,

It's mainly a problem of fixing a problem that doesn't exist. Which, in turns, leads people to question, "So, what was the problem in the first place?" The inevitable answer: We were a little insecure about our profession, and while we were palpating some really subtle cranial tides, someone said, "Hey, why not add an O?"

It's like the nouveau riche who pile on the gold jewelry--the AOA ladens us with so many acronyms that you'd think letters were going out of style. Why not just stick with simplicity and let the practice do the talking? Bureaucracies need a mission; the only way to maintain the integrity of the profession is to viciously attack any AOA idea that necessitates a change in email signature, business cards, or, say, hypothetically, a several-thousand-dollar mock physical exam.

 

[Robz]

Bureaucracies need a mission; the only way to maintain the integrity of the profession is to viciously attack any AOA idea that necessitates a change in email signature, business cards, or, say, hypothetically, a several-thousand-dollar mock physical exam.

Its all medical students that need to take that damn exam. WOOOOoo step2 part b is such a great idea.

It was meant but our government to make sure all physicians have good patient interaction...problem is even the meanest person can be nice for a day. Geeesh....hopefully by the time I take it they will offer it more than just a few places.

 

[Robz]

m1-4 , cuz i want to be like robz

WOO HOO!

I'll pay ya next week!


(shouldn't you be studying biochem???)

 

[dr_almondjoy_do]

I feel that if we have to go from MS to OMS, then the people at AOA have to go from DO to MDO.

I think it's counterproductive for our "voice", the AOA, to spend time on this as opposed to educating the public on osteopathy or expanding research in the DO world. These are ways we stand out. Not by an extra letter by our names!

 

[LukeWhite]

Its all medical students that need to take that damn exam. WOOOOoo step2 part b is such a great idea.

It was meant but our government to make sure all physicians have good patient interaction...problem is even the meanest person can be nice for a day. Geeesh....hopefully by the time I take it they will offer it more than just a few places.

I was under the impression that it was an AOA attempt to keep up with the MD Joneses.

 

[NotShorty]

I'm an M1.

I feel that when you stand up and say "I'm special, don't look down on me" people look down on you and are mostly just annoyed that you brought it up.

Be a good rep for Osteopathy by being a good DO.

-NS

 

[LukeWhite]

And while we're on the subject, did anyone else wonder how much the print run of those glossy "Put-DO's-on-TV" cards cost? I can think of a lot of ways to raise DO awareness; sending in preprinted postcards lobbying for conferring the degree on minor characters in Shows Involving Doctors seems like the work of an overly motivated executive assistant with too big a budget by half.

The financial discipline of osteopathy's governing bodies is appalling, but as the letter thing shows, it's maybe more reflective of a lack of overall mental discipline--it's easier to send the president on a tour castigating students for choosing allopathic residencies than it is to develop a plan to foster quality osteopathic ones, simpler to print cards asking that WB net docs be DOs than to establish truly innovative standards of care, easier to ask students to tack an O onto their initials than to concentrate on improving schools such that no student thinks twice about being self-conscious of the degree.

 

[DrMom]

Don't even get me started on the DOs-on-TV campaign

 

[DOrk]

Forget MS or OMS...just call me stud

 

[Globus P]

eadysx,

It's mainly a problem of fixing a problem that doesn't exist. Which, in turns, leads people to question, "So, what was the problem in the first place?" The inevitable answer: We were a little insecure about our profession, and while we were palpating some really subtle cranial tides, someone said, "Hey, why not add an O?"

It's like the nouveau riche who pile on the gold jewelry--the AOA ladens us with so many acronyms that you'd think letters were going out of style. Why not just stick with simplicity and let the practice do the talking? Bureaucracies need a mission; the only way to maintain the integrity of the profession is to viciously attack any AOA idea that necessitates a change in email signature, business cards, or, say, hypothetically, a several-thousand-dollar mock physical exam.

Well said Lukewhite!

 

[LukeWhite]

Shucks, if people from my own class keep up the compliments, I'll be emboldened to revolt, only to be quietly spirited away in the dead of night by the AOA Gestapo (That's the O-SS, incidentally).

I hear they're quite good at "manipulation."

 

[LovelyRita]

******ed, simply ******ed......

You're ******ed.

 

[Robz]

Don't even get me started on the DOs-on-TV campaign

Oooooooo OOOOOOhhh!

I wanna get you started!

he he he

seriously though I would love to hear your opinion on this....I saw the post cards and the money spent on it but I was seriously wondering if it was misguided.

Now a show on TLC/Discovery/discovery health/60 minutes on DO medical schools and/or DO in medicine (like a do residency hospital) I thought would be nice.

 

[Robz]

You're ******ed.

wow...not very nice.

 

[DrMom]

Oooooooo OOOOOOhhh!

I wanna get you started!

he he he

seriously though I would love to hear your opinion on this....I saw the post cards and the money spent on it but I was seriously wondering if it was misguided.

I think there are much better ways to promote osteopathic medicine. How would they even want one portrayed on shows like ER? Are they going to have them doing OMT in the ER? That'll only make more people think we're chiropractors.

Now a show on TLC/Discovery/discovery health/60 minutes on DO medical schools and/or DO in medicine (like a do residency hospital) I thought would be nice.

Something like this would be good...definitely better than fictional characters on medical dramas.

I just think that this is a silly campaign. We upcoming DOs have some serious issues (like decent resicency programs and issues with the match) and they're focused on DO's on primetime TV.

 

[LukeWhite]

I think there are much better ways to promote osteopathic medicine. How would they even want one portrayed on shows like ER? Are they going to have them doing OMT in the ER? That'll only make more people think we're chiropractors.

Actually, their little glossy note card suggests just such a scenario, going into some detail as to the type of patient that could come in with a musculoskeletal defect, with a subsequent recommendation (and expository discussion of) OMT techniques.

It reads like bad Harry Potter fanfic, with the exception that I had to pay for this.

 

[dkwyler94]

I first noted a student use OMS on a PPt presentation. I am a fourth year medical student, and it took me about 45 seconds of trying to figure out what it meant before I finally figured out that he was trying to stress he was a medical student at an osteopathic school.

If it took me this long to figure it out, what are they going to do with it when you sign your charts with OMS. Not that anyone reads it, but we are either M3-4 or MSIII-IV. As long as we are learning and practicing medicine, we are medical students.
David Wyler, MSIV

 

[VentdependenT]

Better yet why not open a new fancy osteopathic hospital, get research involved for grants, have a bunch of osteo med studs rotate there, open new residencies, let the allopaths git in on it too. The word of mouth would do a lot to bolster recognition.

Until we start boosting the quality of our available residencies, and yes perhaps the quantity, all these new grads will be going allo like myself. But why go through all that trouble when the AOA can simple occupy itself in tautalogical debates about the how to better distinguish ourselves from our allopathic counterparts. I myself can't find any nominal, let alone substantial, difference. Every medical student I have interacted with can't either. Go figure.

Venting

 

[dcratamt]

I think it is interesting that many of you don?t seem to like the idea of adding an O and becoming an OMS, and that some of you could not care less. Personally I think the idea is a bit silly, but I see no harm in doing it. At the least, it may give you an opportunity to educate those that inquire about the osteopathic profession. Of course that being said, if you are not at all interested in doing ?education? about what a DO is, perhaps its best to leave it off. Now since I myself am only an OMS-I , perhaps I am missing something?..

E-

I agree and think it is worth a try in order to educate people about the profession. That is something we want to do right? Sometimes I am not sure. People want the DO to be recognized but don't want to do anything different. "When you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got." In this case anonymity. I agree that the AOA is out of touch with things at times but it seems like they can't do anything right. From the looks of things people don't like the TV campaign nor do they like the OMS idea. I think what a lot of D.O. students would like is to pay 65 dollars for an exam in order to trade in their DO license for an MD license! If we had control of the AOA right now we would likely run a, "sit on your ass and whine" campaign.

 

[LukeWhite]

DC,

You're right to be unsure about whether we all want to educate the public about osteopathy. I can only speak for myself, but I imagine at least some agree wtih me: there's way too much "education" and not enough doing. If we're doing our job right and explaining the differences when appropriate, the profession will take care of itself nicely.

Think of osteopathy as a product. It's a unique product; it's venerable...a local brand, of sorts. Lots of potential. Unfortunately, like most local products, it's got some kinks and idosyncracies that have to be worked out before it's any good. A savvy marketer will take care of these before shouting the product's virtues from the rooftop. The AOA has chosen to put pretty much all of its resources, though, into advertising a flawed product. Too few residencies, too many vestiges of early-twentieth-century quackery.

These could be pretty easily ironed out with a little compromise and foresight. Instead, the AOA's determined to set osteopathy out as a perfect whole. The public sees through such ruses, and it ultimately does no good for the profession.

 

[docbill]

I guess you can argue the other side as well.

Go ask AOA why they decided to call it medical school and not Osteopathic school
Why they decided to call it Osteopathic Physician and not just Osteopath.

 

[cooldreams]

all of this quabble about letters is meaningless. we are docs/in trainging to be docs, and our goal is to learn and help ppl and various other smaller goals... the semantic value of vowel choice is insignificant here. perhaps once we get over it, so will everyone else?

 

[sophiejane]

I too am horrified at the DO/TV thing. It might even be a sign of Armageddon...

Anyway, I am letting the AOA know in a letter what I think.

Maybe you should all do the same.

Makes me sick to think what they spent on those expensive cards that are going to end up in an expensive trash can after they are seen by an overpaid secretary.

 

[WildcatDMD]

i really don't care about this, but it feels better wasting time on this than studying. but OMS is a common abbreviation for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, a dental specialty residency. OMS1 would designate a first year oral surgery resident..

 

[eadysx]

If we had control of the AOA right now we would likely run a, "sit on your ass and whine" campaign.

Yep, I'd say thats about right.

E-

 

[DireWolf]

You're ******ed.

I disagree. you are the ******ed one here.

 

[BamaAlum]

I disagree. you are the ******ed one here.

I completely agree with this assessment.

 

[LovelyRita]

I disagree. you are the ******ed one here.

No, you are. Both of you.

We
Todd
Did
= you.

 

[DOctorJay]

On a more serious note, I spoke with Dr. Beehler recently (past AOA president) and his contention is that we use the OMS after our names to help identify us in the clinical setting. When you do good work and write MS after your name people tend to assume that you're a medical student and probably allopathic. By distinguishing ourselves with the OMS we can hopefully get a little more credit for the good work we do.

These are his ideas but I thought it might be helpful to look at it this way.

-J

 

[LukeWhite]

Jay,

That explanation strikes me as absolutely emblematic of the attitude that keeps osteopathy on the fringes.

I certainly hope people would assume we're medical students. As for assuming we're allopathic, I doubt this crosses many minds. "Ah, he signs his name MS; he must be an allopathic med student."

No; reasonable clinicians have neither the time nor motivation to make that distinction on a regular basis. It's a distinction the AOA wants to force.

I, for one, think it would backfire if osteopathic students were inclined in large numbers to follow Dr Beehler's advice. While it's rather classic AOA to say that osteopathic students have an advantage on rotations, is there any indication this is the case? From the stats I've seen, admittedly spotty, there are pretty consistent instances in which osteopathic students make a poorer impression. If OMS is meant to set us apart in the minds of clinicians, I'm afraid it will be all too effective in giving them a reason why this or that student can't seem to perform simple tasks.

 

[Pooh Chong]

lukewhite gave an honest response. if OMS is supposed to help give the osteopathic an extra amount of credit because osteopathic students do so well over our allopathic counterparts then someone just made a huge stereotype based on a personal bias. There is more sway to the argument that osteopathic students may not be given the same weight as allopathic students, and it's not to our advantage.

 

[Pooh Chong]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=100002

the original post qoutes an email from a DO who at UPMC. Remember, this is coming from a DO who is the head of radiology residency at a prestigous medical center.

Here is a small exerpt:

"To say that D.O.s are believed inferior to M.D.s in the working world of health care is to paint with a very broad brush to say the least. However, when individuals are being considered for competitive postgraduate training opportunities at academic allopathic institutions, D.O.s are definitely at a disadvantage. There are some individuals in the academic allopathic world (and probably more than a few in osteopathic medicine as well) who believe that many (even most?) individuals who end up in an osteopathic medical school do so for the same reason some people end up attending medical school in the Caribbean - because they were rejected from M.D. schools. And let's face it - for some individuals this is indeed the case.

Hopefully, most people who pursue an osteopathic education do so because they find the osteopathic philosophy appealing. Because some people (even in my own institution) do feel this way, I believe osteopathic students and residents have to work that much harder to put their best efforts forward at all times. When we have the occasional resident who comes through our department who is not where he or she should be in terms of knowledge base, or worse, in terms of effort put forth, they may be looked at differently by some depending on the initials after their name. If their degree is M.D., a comment might be "dumb", or "geeze, he's lazy!". If the person is a D.O., the comment might be "Oh, he's a D.O." as if such behavior or performance is less surprising because less is expected of that person."

 

[StringBean]

i really don't care about this, but it feels better wasting time on this than studying. but OMS is a common abbreviation for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, a dental specialty residency. OMS1 would designate a first year oral surgery resident..

Just wondering why noone has responded to this comment. Why would osteopathic students want to use OMS if it's already being used by a dental specialty... it doesn't make sense! Osteopathic students go to medical school and are therefore medical students... MS. We are not Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons... OMS.

Oh, and BTW... I did have to consult OMS for some of my surgical patients on my surgical rotation. Now wouldn't it be confusing if I signed my request for an OMS consult by using "OMS III" after my name?