pros and cons of osteopathic medicine vs going allopathic

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
csx

csx

Membership Revoked
Removed
10+ Year Member
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
1,074
Reaction score
204
jdubs...OMM/OMT excluded
Members don't see this ad.
 
Last edited:
Both are inferior to ND.

/thread
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I swear, do people intentionally reword DO vs MD threads so that they can avoid the built in search function?

Google DO vs MD, done. This is a topic that is far to common on SDN.
 
csx said:
jdubs...OMM/OMT excluded
Click to expand...


Sigh.. the way the AOA is dumbing down our degree right now by letting anybody open a DO school without ensuring quality, very soon the profession will take a hit.
 
Didierdrogba said:
Sigh.. the way the AOA is dumbing down our degree right now by letting anybody open a DO school without ensuring quality, very soon the profession will take a hit.
Click to expand...
To which school(s) are you referring?
 
Oo Cipher oO said:
*Sigh* Here we go.
Click to expand...

I'm really curious lol. I want to know which school that poster goes to and find out which school they are talking about. I'd like to know what current student from those schools think. I heard wcu is a fine school and so is rvu
 
wjs010 said:
I'm really curious lol. I want to know which school that poster goes to and find out which school they are talking about. I'd like to know what current student from those schools think. I heard wcu is a fine school and so is rvu
Click to expand...

Well, have you seen the list of all the proposed DO schools?
 
Damn it! another one of these threads? Lock this **** already.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
The education at DO schools, at least the better ones, is fine. The post graduate opportunities are numerous if you take the usmle and do about average. You'll probably have to apply to twice as many programs as a USMD with the same scores as you to get the same number of interviews. If you are not interested in any of the surgical sub-specialities (except orthopedics), derm, or radiation oncology, you'll likely not be disappointed. If you apply for DO friendly fields, like anesthesia and PM&R, it's realistic to match at a top program, and it really would not matter if you went to a DO or MD school.
 
cliquesh said:
The education at DO schools, at least the better ones, is fine. The post graduate opportunities are numerous if you take the usmle and do about average. You'll probably have to apply to twice as many programs as a USMD with the same scores as you to get the same number of interviews. If you are not interested in any of the surgical sub-specialities (except orthopedics), derm, or radiation oncology, you'll likely not be disappointed. If you apply for DO friendly fields, like anesthesia and PM&R, it's realistic to match at a top program, and it really would not matter if you went to a DO or MD school.
Click to expand...

Why is anesthesia DO friendly? Isn't it a very difficult and competitive specialty and thus should be a reach for DOs just like opht, ortho, surg., etc...?
 
pre med 2014 said:
Why is anesthesia DO friendly? Isn't it a very difficult and competitive specialty and thus should be a reach for DOs just like opht, ortho, surg., etc...?
Click to expand...

No, it's not super competitive. It's kind of in the middle in terms of stats, but the interest level in anesthesia is lower than other fields, like emergency medicine, which makes anesthesia even less competitive. Anesthesia does pay more than most specialties, however.

Of the roughly 1600 Acgme anesthesia spots offered this year, 170 of them were filled with DOs.

I applied to nearly 60 programs and got 40 something invites. It's not too bad.

I think radiology is about to become the new anesthesia in terms of DO friendliness, then Acgme general surgery will be next. Around 80 DOs matched Acgme radiology this year. 47 matched general surgery.
 
Last edited:
cliquesh said:
The education at DO schools, at least the better ones, is fine. The post graduate opportunities are numerous if you take the usmle and do about average. You'll probably have to apply to twice as many programs as a USMD with the same scores as you to get the same number of interviews. If you are not interested in any of the surgical sub-specialities (except orthopedics), derm, or radiation oncology, you'll likely not be disappointed. If you apply for DO friendly fields, like anesthesia and PM&R, it's realistic to match at a top program, and it really would not matter if you went to a DO or MD school.
Click to expand...

cliquesh said:
No, it's not super competitive. It's kind of in the middle in terms of stats, but the interest level in anesthesia is lower than other fields, like emergency medicine, which makes anesthesia even less competitive. Anesthesia does pay more than most specialties, however.

Of the roughly 1600 Acgme anesthesia spots offered this year, 170 of them were filled with DOs.

I applied to nearly 60 programs and got 40 something invites. It's not too bad.

I think radiology is about to become the new anesthesia in terms of DO friendliness, then Acgme general surgery will be next. Around 80 DOs matched Acgme radiology this year. 47 matched general surgery.
Click to expand...

this is the kind of information I was looking.
 
Cliquesh always provides great information.

If you are interested in the more "competitive" specialties/ surg/ surg subspecialties, look at this link:

http://opportunities.osteopathic.or...essionid=f030a56e45dcc7fd4bc45a1d3676473a1746

It will give you a feel for the number of spots available for AOA residencies, which are available to only DOs at the moment. For instance, you will see you can still be a DO ENT surgeon if that is what your heart desires. You still have to be extremely competitive just like if you were going the MD route as an MD.
 
DrEnderW said:
Cliquesh always provides great information.

If you are interested in the more "competitive" specialties/ surg/ surg subspecialties, look at this link:

http://opportunities.osteopathic.or...essionid=f030a56e45dcc7fd4bc45a1d3676473a1746

It will give you a feel for the number of spots available for AOA residencies, which are available to only DOs at the moment. For instance, you will see you can still be a DO ENT surgeon if that is what your heart desires. You still have to be extremely competitive just like if you were going the MD route as an MD.
Click to expand...

I've heard ACGME General Surgery isn't farfatched for DOs either
 
darklabel said:
I've heard ACGME General Surgery isn't farfatched for DOs either
Click to expand...

Survivor DO would be the man to ask about that. He's very knowledgable on the subject and is always willing to share his $0.02.

For what it's worth as an incoming M1, I have read that as well.
 
DrEnderW said:
Survivor DO would be the man to ask about that. He's very knowledgable on the subject and is always willing to share his $0.02.

For what it's worth as an incoming M1, I have read that as well.
Click to expand...

That topic was beaten to death, resurrected, tortured like Jesus, suffocated and thrown to the lions like last month (2 threads at 3 pages each). No need to bring it up again. Just do a search.
 
DrEnderW said:
Survivor DO would be the man to ask about that. He's very knowledgable on the subject and is always willing to share his $0.02.

For what it's worth as an incoming M1, I have read that as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah, always appreciate his insights 👍

NontradCA said:
That topic was beaten to death, resurrected, tortured like Jesus, suffocated and thrown to the lions like last month (2 threads at 3 pages each). No need to bring it up again. Just do a search.
Click to expand...

+pissed+ :beat:
 
NontradCA said:
That topic was beaten to death, resurrected, tortured like Jesus, suffocated and thrown to the lions like last month (2 threads at 3 pages each). No need to bring it up again. Just do a search.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I loath these as much as the next guy and didn't plan on commenting. The OP posted again so I thought he deserved a shred of something helpful.
 
NontradCA said:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=998050

I think that one should be stickied in the MD v. DO threads up there. It was horrible.
Click to expand...

I was just kidding there, I wasn't really going into MD vs DO of the original post since it's terrible.

DrEnderW said:
Agreed. I loath these as much as the next guy and didn't plan on commenting. The OP posted again so I thought he deserved a shred of something helpful.
Click to expand...

Well, I mentioned ACGME vs AOA Surgery because I am currently interested in Gen Surgery, but I don't know if it matters between the two and the ramifications of going from one towards the other. I've seen that thread but it's basically MD vs DO. Also wanted to make this thread somewhat productive.
 
NurWollen said:
Anyone ever come across this ad while googling DO-related stuff?. It made laugh. Pretty blatant.
image.jpg
Click to expand...

Lol. When you click the link: "1700+ MDs...but only one has ever practiced medicine on US soil."
 
wjs010 said:
I'm really curious lol. I want to know which school that poster goes to and find out which school they are talking about. I'd like to know what current student from those schools think. I heard wcu is a fine school and so is rvu
Click to expand...
He is talking about Liberty University.
NurWollen said:
Anyone ever come across this ad while googling DO-related stuff?. It made laugh. Pretty blatant.
image.jpg
Click to expand...
haha I have seen this and I laughed too
Mr Kenobi said:
Lol. When you click the link: "1700+ MDs...but only one has ever practiced medicine on US soil."
Click to expand...

That cant be true. My brother-in-law graduated from Saba, and they sent him on his rotations in the US, and he landed a US residency. He practiced for a little while in the US, but my wife's family is from Canada so he eventually went back there to practice. He does well for himself now, he is doing FM for a small town called Taber in Alberta and has a $300,000 take-home.
 
sterlingh87 said:
He is talking about Liberty University.

haha I have seen this and I laughed too


That cant be true. My brother-in-law graduated from Saba, and they sent him on his rotations in the US, and he landed a US residency. He practiced for a little while in the US, but my wife's family is from Canada so he eventually went back there to practice. He does well for himself now, he is doing FM for a small town called Taber in Alberta and has a $300,000 take-home.
Click to expand...

I knew someone from Taber in undergrad. Anyway $300k? Maybe single-payer healthcare ain't all that bad after all, lol.
 
NurWollen said:
I knew someone from Taber in undergrad. Anyway $300k? Maybe single-payer healthcare ain't all that bad after all, lol.
Click to expand...

Well he works in a small independently owned practice with three other doctors, so its not part of the whole socialist system out there. I guess there have been a lot of places like that popping up in the western part of Canada because their patients find they receive better care from them than the government clinics/hospitals.
 
sterlingh87 said:
Well he works in a small independently owned practice with three other doctors, so its not part of the whole socialist system out there. I guess there have been a lot of places like that popping up in the western part of Canada because their patients find they receive better care from them than the government clinics/hospitals.
Click to expand...

So is it like a cash-only deal? Interesting.
 
NurWollen said:
So is it like a cash-only deal? Interesting.
Click to expand...

No they take insurance. I honestly don't know the ins and outs of the system they are running, but he has talked about it now and again at family functions. From what I remember they can still take government insurance just like any practice here can take medicaid/medicare if they want. The practice is just owned by the doctors so its not a part of "government healthcare". I think the patients do pay some sort of copays for their care at the clinic, so its not just free to them like a government sponsored facility would be.
 
sterlingh87 said:
haha I have seen this and I laughed too

That cant be true. My brother-in-law graduated from Saba, and they sent him on his rotations in the US, and he landed a US residency. He practiced for a little while in the US, but my wife's family is from Canada so he eventually went back there to practice. He does well for himself now, he is doing FM for a small town called Taber in Alberta and has a $300,000 take-home.
Click to expand...
I was kidding.
 
Some people become MDs, others become DOs. If they are well educated, compassionate individuals, what does it matter? Working together to achieve the best patient care is what is important.


And the "do" in "doctor" is no coincidence, either. 😉 😛
 
Anicetus said:
I think we can all agree a higher percentage of DO's actually do primary care than MD's.

D.O. = Don't Operate 😛
Click to expand...

I've heard this. Is this due to the limited # of residency options or can this be attributed to something else?
 
csx said:
I've heard this. Is this due to the limited # of residency options or can this be attributed to something else?
Click to expand...

Osteopathic medical schools also nudge their students to enter and fill the gaps in primary care. Read any of their mission statements.
 
Starry said:
Osteopathic medical schools also nudge their students to enter and fill the gaps in primary care. Read any of their mission statements.
Click to expand...

Which is ridiculous considering primary care pays the least and their schools are the most expensive.

You have people going to their state MD school paying 20k tuition and become a optho, then you have all people who goto DO school who mostly become some sort of primary care with 40-60k tuition. They are cray.
 
Double my tuition, just so long as I get to be a doctor.
 
csx said:
I've heard this. Is this due to the limited # of residency options or can this be attributed to something else?
Click to expand...

Sigh.... I'll post the link again.

http://opportunities.osteopathic.or...essionid=f030bb4c435cee5d3e63615b3874d6c4c5d6

I don't understand what's so difficult about this concept. You can see for yourself there's a decent amount of positions when you factor in number of graduates and interest in surgery.

There are less DOs than MDs... there are less DO surgery residencies than MD residencies. However, because there are less DOs the average applicant/accepted ratio is "relatively" similar. It's not like 1000 DOs apply to gen surg and 1% get in (talking about AOA here).

See for yourself here for 2011:

http://legacy.touro.edu/med/docs/DO_GME_match_2011.pdf

As an example lets use 2011 DO neurosurgery match and compare to ACGME neurosurgery for 2013. There was about 0.5 positions per applicant for DO and 0.66 positions for MD (this is rough calculation based on match data).

So you can see for something like NS, you have to be very competitive in both MD and DO as there aren't many positions per applicant but it's relatively similar. This is also for a specialty where there aren't many DO residencies. I'm guessing the numbers would be tighter for ortho or gen surg.

Furthermore, there is some self-selection here and I bet less DOs are interested in surgery in general than MD students. You can become a surgeon of your choice as a DO. However, there are less DO surgeons than MDs, but this is a reflection of the smaller number of graduates, smaller number of residencies, and interest in surgery.
 
DrEnderW said:
Sigh.... I'll post the link again.

http://opportunities.osteopathic.or...essionid=f030bb4c435cee5d3e63615b3874d6c4c5d6

I don't understand what's so difficult about this concept. You can see for yourself there's a decent amount of positions when you factor in number of graduates and interest in surgery.

There are less DOs than MDs... there are less DO surgery residencies than MD residencies. However, because there are less DOs the average applicant/accepted ratio is "relatively" similar. It's not like 1000 DOs apply to gen surg and 1% get in (talking about AOA here).

See for yourself here for 2011:

http://legacy.touro.edu/med/docs/DO_GME_match_2011.pdf

As an example lets use 2011 DO neurosurgery match and compare to ACGME neurosurgery for 2013. There was about 0.5 positions per applicant for DO and 0.66 positions for MD (this is rough calculation based on match data).

So you can see for something like NS, you have to be very competitive in both MD and DO as there aren't many positions per applicant but it's relatively similar. This is also for a specialty where there aren't many DO residencies. I'm guessing the numbers would be tighter for ortho or gen surg.

Furthermore, there is some self-selection here and I bet less DOs are interested in surgery in general than MD students. You can become a surgeon of your choice as a DO. However, there are less DO surgeons than MDs, but this is a reflection of the smaller number of graduates, smaller number of residencies, and interest in surgery.
Click to expand...

Did you factor in that DO's may be applying for both ACGME alongside AOA general surgeries?
 
Anicetus said:
Did you factor in that DO's may be applying for both ACGME alongside AOA general surgeries?
Click to expand...

As I understand it, the AOA matches happen first. If you go for ACGME, you can't rank AOA.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Criscarter25
D’Youville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Replies
38
Views
5K
Goro
Goro
W
Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
Replies
2
Views
4K
Jball43
Jball43
M
Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
Replies
4
Views
3K
shiftleader23
S
E
SDN Article: Q&A: Amanda Griswold, Director of Admissions, Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine
Replies
0
Views
1K
Emil Chuck
E
wysdoc
  • Locked
  • Sticky
2024-2025 Alphabetic Index of Osteopathic School-Specific Discussion Threads
Replies
0
Views
10K
wysdoc
wysdoc
Top