Petitioning the AOA

[DO-Riz]

HEy Guys
Im planning on applying to only MD psych programs, my question is have any of u petitioned the AOA to waive that osteo intern year requiremnt to practice in those fabled 5 states ( Id like to stay in Fl) and if so was it just a formality or did u guys encounter problems
All input greatly appreciated

Riz

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MadPuppy2005]

I just called the AOA today regarding that internship requirement. As you know , psychiatry PGY1 requires 6 months of psych, 2 months neuro, 4 months of IM/FP/ER/PEDS, etc.. my program is 4 months of IM. The problem of doing extra rotations such as surgery, OB, FP is you may not complete all your adult psych requirement for boards if you decide to go on for a fellowship such as child, I assume if you start child fellowship as PGY4, you need all adult psych requirement by end of PGY3 in order to get boarded in adult psych as well.

The AOA had told me they are pretty strict on getting all rotation requirement before they approve you. which doesn't make much sense to me to do ob and surgery in a psychiatry residency. I'm trying to get a group of us D.Os together to talk to the AOA and possibly negotiate as a group. It is a big chunk of people for the AOA to lose if we dont get approved. there is only like 3 AOA psych residencies compared to almost 200 in the AMA.

If someone else has anything to offer, please e-mail me or call me.

 

[Anasazi23]

Very related letter in the recent Journal of the American Osteopathic Association:

http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/full/105/3/124-a

 

[DO-Riz]

Hey Guys
Thanx for your thoughtful responses.... I find it worrisome that the AOA is being stringent on this matter. Like u said there are only 4 DO Psych residencies in this whole country!!!! Of course we are going to apply to MD programs.....thats just plain common sense. I like that idea of groups of people banding together and petitioning the AOA.....that seems like a reasonable approach. That article eloquently pointed out the short-sightedness and antiquity of thinking with some of the AOA board members. Hopefully things are moving in such a way that we see same changes in the future of our profession.
So when u apply for this hardship exception, cant u just say that u have family in a particular area and there were no DO residencies in that region? I have heard some people goto AOA sponsored meetings/conventions to show the AOA they "are still in tune with their profession." and that helps with the hardship exception. Anyways I just wanted to vent and discuss this topic as I feel it is imp to us DO future psychiatrists..........

Riz K