Question about specialties and being a DO

[DOdoc2B4]

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You're wrong, a DO can specialize in any medical specialty they wish; Nice try though.

The foot is not reserved for a 'doctor' of podiatry, just like the spine is not reserved for a 'doctor' of chiropracty. They are ancillary providers, DO and MD= physicians.

 

[JaggerPlate]

You're wrong, a DO can specialize in any medical specialty they wish; Nice try though.

The foot is not reserved for a 'doctor' of podiatry, just like the spine is not reserved for a 'doctor' of chiropracty. They are ancillary providers, DO and MD= physicians.

I really don't think there are fellowships/residencies in podiatry ... it's a completely separate school. You can go ortho and treat foot issues, but you wouldn't be a podiatrist.

 

[box29]

I really don't think there are fellowships/residencies in podiatry ... it's a completely separate school. You can go ortho and treat foot issues, but you wouldn't be a podiatrist.

Agree. As an ortho, one can do a foot & ankle fellowship after general orthopaedics residency and he/she would not be a podiatrist, but rather, an orthopaedic foot & ankle specialist, NOT podiatrist.

A podiatrist went to podiatric medical school, earned a doctorate in podiatric medicine (DPM), and did a residency in Podiatric Medicine & Surgery (PM&S 24 or 36).

An internist, peds, or FM doc would not consider themselves a podiatrist if they treated a general or simple foot or ankle problem. Like JaggerPlate mentioned above, there are no foot & ankle residencies/fellowships for those outside ortho. If your degree is a Doctorate of Medicine or Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine, you are a physician, and further defined by your specialty. If your degree is a Doctorate in Podiatric Medicine, you are a podiatrist or podiatric physician.

 

[box29]

A DO CAN SPECIALIZE IN......
Addiction Medicine
Anesthesiology
Asthma, Allergy & Immunology...

Podiatry...

Trauma Surgery
Urology
Vascular Surgery


-2007, AMA.org

found that in another thread

I would check your sources instead of just copying something from another thread from some poster on an anonymous forum.

Checking Freida and Opportunities - AOA does NOT list podiatry as available residencies and fellowships like Jag has mentioned.

Freida: http://www0.ama-assn.org/vapp/freida/srch/1,1239,,00.html
Opportunities-AOA: http://opportunities.osteopathic.org/search/search.cfm

You've also sparked a small discussion on the pod forum...

 

[JEWmongous]

You're wrong, a DO can specialize in any medical specialty they wish; Nice try though.

The foot is not reserved for a 'doctor' of podiatry, just like the spine is not reserved for a 'doctor' of chiropracty. They are ancillary providers, DO and MD= physicians.

No sorry, that's totally false information. As people already stated, DO's or MD's cannot "specialize" in podiatry or complete a podiatric medicine & surgery residency (PM & S 24/36). The closest route would be ortho with a foot and ankle fellowship. Box29 know what's going on. 👍

Just to add in, the pod surgical residencies will all be standardized to miminum 3 years in length in the near future. The majority of available residencies now are 3 years too. There are some fellowships available too (sports med, trauma, reconstructive surgery, wound care, etc).

Sorry about the rant, just wanted to let you all know about the field and where it is going.

 

[DOdoc2B4]

regardless Jew (TROLL), everything that a podiatrist does, a real physician can do. you can certainly go to an endocrinologist, primary care doc, and ortho foot and ankle if you're a diabetic instead of wasting time to see a midlevel provider.

even with these residencies you talk about, a podiatrist is still going to be a quasi-surgeon... do you ACTUALLY think that people think a foot doctor is a surgeon?...come on. podiatrists have so much MD/DO envy, its insane. heres a thought-

GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL, we can do EVERYTHING that podiatrists can do, and we have the training to back it up. I dont know of any physician worth his weight that would refer to a midlevel to chance skrewing a patient up with the wrong medication, or botching a surgery.

 

[spicedmanna]

regardless Jew (TROLL), everything that a podiatrist does, a real physician can do. you can certainly go to an endocrinologist, primary care doc, and ortho foot and ankle if you're a diabetic instead of wasting time to see a midlevel provider.

even with these residencies you talk about, a podiatrist is still going to be a quasi-surgeon... do you ACTUALLY think that people think a foot doctor is a surgeon?...come on. podiatrists have so much MD/DO envy, its insane. heres a thought-

GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL, we can do EVERYTHING that podiatrists can do, and we have the training to back it up. I dont know of any physician worth his weight that would refer to a midlevel to chance skrewing a patient up with the wrong medication, or botching a surgery.

You seem to be having a disproportionate reaction here. Why are you attacking DPM's? I'd recommend giving that chip on your shoulder a rest.

 

[homeboy]

Apparently you guys haven't seen the Seinfeld episode..."But you're not a REAL doctor..."

The term 'podiatric physician' is a joke.

Yes, podiatrists are technically doctors because they attend a 4-yr doctorate program, like a PhD is a doctor, a DPT is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, and (shiver) a Chiropracter is a doctor...but the term physician is inherent to Medical Doctors / Doctors of Osteopathy who learn & subsequently practice medicine, not foot care.

That reminds me of my first year of medical school at our white coat ceremony...the host was the dean of the DPM program, and he started off his speach with a 10 minute rant on how DPMs are 'real' doctors. Hilarious.

Podiatry school is an excuse to be called a doctor, just like all the other health professions are pushing to be 4-yr degrees so they can apply the term "doctor" to their CV.

Sure there are DPMs who do "residency" and do surgeries, but you're going to have to twist my arm pretty hard before I'm operated on by a DPM vs an Ortho Foot + Ankle specialist. Most just cut diabetic toe nails and saw off bunions...what a life. But hey, you get paid mad bank can get to call yourself a doctor, right? Why the hell else would anyone want to go to podiatry school...foot fetish?

This cracks me up almost as much as when Chiropracters parade around calling themselves "Dr. ___".

 

[Peptoboy]

Its funny how we always have posts about how we (D.O.'s) are not perceived correctly or not given a fair shake. Kind of ironic really that now you have a D.O. doing the same thing. By the way I believe after residency that Podiatrists are in fact "Foot and Ankle surgeons". The same way a Dentist can perform surgery in the mouth.🙂

 

[DOdoc2B4]

im just sick of midlevels parading around with their white coats trying to act like physicians...get over yourselves! podiatrists dont practice medicine, and are not surgeons, end of story.

 

[spicedmanna]

Its funny how we always have posts about how we (D.O.'s) are not perceived correctly or not given a fair shake. Kind of ironic really that now you have a D.O. doing the same thing. By the way I believe after residency that Podiatrists are in fact "Foot and Ankle surgeons". The same way a Dentist can perform surgery in the mouth.🙂

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem so ironic to me. I see this a lot and I'd be lying if I didn't say that it disappoints me. Some people just have such a chip on their shoulders. I think it may be some sort of inferiority complex, or simply a lack of confidence in their choice or themselves. There's no good reason to make others appear smaller than you, if you have a good sense of self-esteem. No, you'd focus on making yourself better, rather than making others appear worse than you.

 

[hamlinbeach]

im just sick of midlevels parading around with their white coats trying to act like physicians...get over yourselves! podiatrists dont practice medicine, and are not surgeons, end of story.

you can call us whatever you want, be we sure as hell are surgeons. we perform the majority of foot and ankle surgeries in the US.

 

[spicedmanna]

you can call us whatever you want, be we sure as hell are surgeons. we perform the majority of foot and ankle surgeries in the US.

That is arguable. With all due respect, I'd say it's more accurate to say that you perform surgeries. Surgeons are physicians (maybe with the exception of OMFS, where there is crossover with dentistry). In general, they went to medical school and did a surgical residency.

Guys, let's not turn this into medicine vs. podiatry thread. We all know where these types of threads lead. 🙄

 

[hamlinbeach]

Apparently you guys haven't seen the Seinfeld episode..."But you're not a REAL doctor..."

The term 'podiatric physician' is a joke.

Yes, podiatrists are technically doctors because they attend a 4-yr doctorate program, like a PhD is a doctor, a DPT is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, and (shiver) a Chiropracter is a doctor...but the term physician is inherent to Medical Doctors / Doctors of Osteopathy who learn & subsequently practice medicine, not foot care.

That reminds me of my first year of medical school at our white coat ceremony...the host was the dean of the DPM program, and he started off his speach with a 10 minute rant on how DPMs are 'real' doctors. Hilarious.

Podiatry school is an excuse to be called a doctor, just like all the other health professions are pushing to be 4-yr degrees so they can apply the term "doctor" to their CV.

Sure there are DPMs who do "residency" and do surgeries, but you're going to have to twist my arm pretty hard before I'm operated on by a DPM vs an Ortho Foot + Ankle specialist. Most just cut diabetic toe nails and saw off bunions...what a life. But hey, you get paid mad bank can get to call yourself a doctor, right? Why the hell else would anyone want to go to podiatry school...foot fetish?

This cracks me up almost as much as when Chiropracters parade around calling themselves "Dr. ___".

podiatry school did not recently 'push' to get 4 year doctorates. its been around for a very long time. podiatry school was started in the early 1900's by M.D.s, as they saw a lack in medical management of the lower extremity within their own profession.

 

[homeboy]

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem so ironic to me. I see this a lot and I'd be lying if I didn't say that it disappoints me. Some people just have such a chip on their shoulders. I think it may be some sort of inferiority complex, or simply a lack of confidence in their choice or themselves. There's no good reason to make others appear smaller than you, if you have a good sense of self-esteem. No, you'd focus on making yourself better, rather than making others appear worse than you.

It's not a matter of me having an "inferiority complex" or "low self esteem"...I'm doing just fine...but for YEARS i've put up with DPMs and other providers getting high & mighty on themselves, and any chance I can get to put them in their place, I'll take it.

DPMs and chiros parading around calling themselves "physicians" and insisting you call them "doctor" is more of an inferiority complex than a physician calling them on it. People are too afraid to make judgements because they don't want to offend anyone.

And Hamilton Beach, I know DPMs have been around for a while...it was a general statement...the issue just surfaces more becuase everyone and their brother wants to be called "doctor" nowadays, so DPMs conveniently have to remind people every chance they get that podiatry school is a doctorate level degree...a la the dean of the DPM program at my school.

 

[165007]

im just sick of midlevels parading around with their white coats trying to act like physicians...get over yourselves! podiatrists dont practice medicine, and are not surgeons, end of story.

Ortho foot and ankle fellowships go unfilled every year, and guess who fill up some of these spots? DPMs!

 

[hamlinbeach]

It's not a matter of me having an "inferiority complex" or "low self esteem"...I'm doing just fine...but for YEARS i've put up with DPMs and other providers getting high & mighty on themselves, and any chance I can get to put them in their place, I'll take it.

DPMs and chiros parading around calling themselves "physicians" and insisting you call them "doctor" is more of an inferiority complex than a physician calling them on it. People are too afraid to make judgements because they don't want to offend anyone.

And Hamilton Beach, I know DPMs have been around for a while...it was a general statement...the issue just surfaces more becuase everyone and their brother wants to be called "doctor" nowadays, so DPMs conveniently have to remind people every chance they get that podiatry school is a doctorate level degree...a la the dean of the DPM program at my school.

yea in an anonymous online forum... get over yourself

 

[homeboy]

Ortho foot and ankle fellowships go unfilled every year, and guess who fill up some of these spots? DPMs!

Sure, just graduate from an accredited medical school, take COMLEX/USMLE step 1, 2, PE/CS, 3, and complete an AOA/ACGME approved residency for 4 or 5 yrs, and you can actually call it a Fellowship...otherwise, it's just leftovers.

 

[NyMets85]

This is a war that no one will win, it's arguing the unarguable... DOdoc (or whatever your name is), you are perfectly entitled to your opinion, but I as sure would never want to see a physician that is as closed minded and arrogant as you. I am perfectly proud of the training I am receiving at Podiatric Medical School (Podiatry school for those who dont think it is medical school) and am quite confident that I will be able to provide as good or even better medical care as any F&A Ortho. I turned down offers to go to American MD institutions for podiatry (like many of my colleagues) and have no regretted it for a minute. I take most of my classes with MDs and can say I am performing better in those same classes than 85% of those medical students. It is a shame that with the ever-growing diversity of professions in the health care field that we still have people like you who bicker and complain about it.

You are perfectly entitled to your opinion and in fact, I invite it, because it pushes me to work even harder to show people like you how wrong you actually are.

 

[hamlinbeach]

That is arguable. With all due respect, I'd say it's more accurate to say that you perform surgeries. Surgeons are physicians (maybe with the exception of OMFS, where there is crossover with dentistry). In general, they went to medical school and did a surgical residency.

Guys, let's not turn this into medicine vs. podiatry thread. We all know where these types of threads lead. 🙄

hey, im not trying to argue or 'defend podiatry' but if you don;t know what you are talking about, then don't say anything.

the term surgeon is not synonymous with physician. dentists who have no MD, but did the OMFS are surgeons. podiatrists are surgeons.

 

[homeboy]

This is a war that no one will win, it's arguing the unarguable... DOdoc (or whatever your name is), you are perfectly entitled to your opinion, but I as sure would never want to see a physician that is as closed minded and arrogant as you. I am perfectly proud of the training I am receiving at Podiatric Medical School (Podiatry school for those who dont think it is medical school) and am quite confident that I will be able to provide as good or even better medical care as any F&A Ortho. I turned down offers to go to American MD institutions for podiatry (like many of my colleagues) and have no regretted it for a minute. I take most of my classes with MDs and can say I am performing better in those same classes than 85% of those medical students. It is a shame that with the ever-growing diversity of professions in the health care field that we still have people like you who bicker and complain about it.

You are perfectly entitled to your opinion and in fact, I invite it, because it pushes me to work even harder to show people like you how wrong you actually are.

That's great, you're proud to be a podiatrist, but you're not a physician...and you didn't go to podiatric medical school, you went to podiatry school. Yes, shared classes with med students...for 1 or 2 yrs...then you continued your PODIATRIC training.

PAs do not go to physician assistant medical school, physical therapists not to physical therapy medical school, chiropracters not to chiropractic medical school, and physicians not to medical medical school...the qualifier medical implies you are learning the practice of MEDICINE, not a certain PORTION of medicine.

Not to be beat a dead horse, and you can have your opinion, but that's the fact.

 

[spicedmanna]

hey, im not trying to argue or 'defend podiatry' but if you don;t know what you are talking about, then don't say anything.

the term surgeon is not synonymous with physician. dentists who have no MD, but did the OMFS are surgeons. podiatrists are surgeons.

I included OMFS, an exception, in my example, but my understanding is that some OMFS coming from the primary dentistry route also obtain a medical degree during the program leading to OMFS. Anyway, you are right, I don't know enough about Podiatry to be comparing, so I'm going to take a back seat. Likewise, I suggest you do the same.

This is a stupid and fruitless discussion. I'd very much like to stop this, since it's leading to nowhere good. Suffice it to stay that we are all health care professionals who need to work together for the betterment of our patients.

 

[DOdoc2B4]

just go crawl back under your rocks, footsies. your not going to win this argument. NO ONE takes you seriously in the real world. just like a DC practices chiropracty, you practice podiatry. it is not medicine. it is cutting toenails of the elderly. and hamilton, FYI, shaving off a bunion or cutting out an ingrown toenail is not surgery.. when you knock a patient out and cut them open and remove ****, THAT is surgery. you are the one that needs to get over yourself. your profession is a joke just like chiropractic.

 

[dpmPOD]

That's great, you're proud to be a podiatrist, but you're not a physician...and you didn't go to podiatric medical school, you went to podiatry school. Yes, shared classes with med students...for 1 or 2 yrs...then you continued your PODIATRIC training.

PAs do not go to physician assistant medical school, physical therapists not to physical therapy medical school, chiropracters not to chiropractic medical school, and physicians not to medical medical school...the qualifier medical implies you are learning the practice of MEDICINE, not a certain PORTION of medicine.

Not to be beat a dead horse, and you can have your opinion, but that's the fact.

Nothing to see here folks. Just another insecure, bitter D.O. who feels it necessary to belittle others in order to make himself feel better about his degree. Podiatrists are not "midlevels" by the way, just like D.O.'s aren't "chiropractors" like much of the public thinks. You obviously have no idea what podiatric training entails. Quit trolling.

 

[JEWmongous]

regardless Jew (TROLL), everything that a podiatrist does, a real physician can do. you can certainly go to an endocrinologist, primary care doc, and ortho foot and ankle if you're a diabetic instead of wasting time to see a midlevel provider.

even with these residencies you talk about, a podiatrist is still going to be a quasi-surgeon... do you ACTUALLY think that people think a foot doctor is a surgeon?...come on. podiatrists have so much MD/DO envy, its insane. heres a thought-

GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL, we can do EVERYTHING that podiatrists can do, and we have the training to back it up. I dont know of any physician worth his weight that would refer to a midlevel to chance skrewing a patient up with the wrong medication, or botching a surgery.

How is providing legit information trolling? You my friend, are an insecure twink.

 

[homeboy]

Nothing to see here folks. Just another insecure, bitter D.O. who feels it necessary to belittle others in order to make himself feel better about his degree. Podiatrists are not "midlevels" by the way, just like D.O.'s aren't "chiropractors" like much of the public thinks. You obviously have no idea what podiatric training entails. Quit trolling.

Trolling? I've been posting since my second year of MEDICAL school in the OSTEOPATHIC forum...you are the troll my friend.

I'd be saying the same thing if I were an MD, and I GUARANTEE if you brought this crap to the Allopathic forum, they'd tell you the same thing.

I never said podiatrists are midlevels, but I'll reiterate the following:

PAs do not go to physician assistant medical school, physical therapists not to physical therapy medical school, chiropracters not to chiropractic medical school, and physicians not to medical medical school...the qualifier medical implies you are learning the practice of MEDICINE, not a certain PORTION of medicine. Podiatrist = podiatric school.

And FYI there were podiatry students at my med school...I went to class with them during first year...and saw them in the hospitals 3rd and 4th yrs...I'm ok in the "what podiatry school entails" department.

At least you call it podiatric training, not podiatric medical school.

 

[Gryhu]

Suffice it to stay that we are all health care professionals who need to work together for the betterment of our patients.

Good point. 👍

 

[Peptoboy]

so I guess what this forum on "specialties" now amounts to is 2 D.O.'s that are insecure and want so badly to somehow be better than others and 3 podiatrist's who think that telling everyone that they are "surgeons"/"physicians" and aimlessly looking through Osteopathic forums will help people understand their profession better. This forum has turned SUPER-Good.

 

[homeboy]

so I guess what this forum on "specialties" now amounts to is 2 D.O.'s that are insecure and want so badly to somehow be better than others and 3 podiatrist's who think that telling everyone that they are "surgeons"/"physicians" and aimlessly looking through Osteopathic forums will help people understand their profession better. This forum has turned SUPER-Good.

Again, lame to defend your position by reducing the opposition to "insecure"...no inherent worth to that position.

I'd say the same thing to PT's calling themselves phsyicians, chiropracters insisting on me calling them doctor, and PAs who insist they went to "medical" school.

It's called defending your turf...if a bunch of non-physicians are going to come in a medical school forum, what do you expect? Everyone to just admit general healthcare equality and make initials, income, etc, equal regardless of training & legal scope of practice?

This thread has turned to what is was destined to turn into.

 

[DOdoc2B4]

and they're gone. good work everyone. and peptpboy, im not insecure, i just dont trust podiatry. its not proven medicine, just like chiropractic. the more we inform the public about things like this, the better we are all going to be. podiatry is a backdoor into getting called 'doctor' because they couldnt get in to medical schools. and what they learn puts patients at risk... if you need foot care, go to your primary care doc, they are trained in everything that a podiatrist is.

 

[Gryhu]

podiatry is a backdoor into getting called 'doctor' because they couldnt get in to medical schools.

Funny, isn't that what a lot of people say about D.O. students? Couldn't cut it out for allopathic? I just think thats ignorant.

Sure there are students that use podiatry as a "backdoor" to being called doctor, but the majority of students choose it over MD/DO schools. Just like there are some students thats use D.O. as a back up, or as you would say "backdoor" to being called doctor.

 

[DOdoc2B4]

Funny, isn't that what a lot of people say about D.O. students? Couldn't cut it out for allopathic? I just think thats ignorant.

Sure there are students that use podiatry as a "backdoor" to being called doctor, but the majority of students choose it over MD/DO schools. Just like there are some students thats use D.O. as a back up, or as you would say "backdoor" to being called doctor.

why are you attacking D.O. students? D.O. is 100% legally the same thing as an M.D. we aren't backdooring a thing. there is not ONE single podiatry student who got accepted to MEDICAL school, no way, no how. the profession is used as a backdoor to deluding oneself that they are physicians. they are not.

for the life of me, i cannot grasp why these midlevel providers think they are physicians.

 

[homeboy]

why are you attacking D.O. students? D.O. is 100% legally the same thing as an M.D. we aren't backdooring a thing. there is not ONE single podiatry student who got accepted to MEDICAL school, no way, no how. the profession is used as a backdoor to deluding oneself that they are physicians. they are not.

for the life of me, i cannot grasp why these midlevel providers think they are physicians.

Alright dude you need to chill. There's a difference between laying down the law and being an a**.

I'm sure there are podiatry students who got accepted into med school...bottom line, who cares: their decision doesn't validate the the inherent worth of the podiatric profession.

I had a relative who worked at a DPM school and can verify the low admissions standards, but that's not to say everyone had low scores/credentials, just like there are plenty of DO students with high MCATs who could have gone MD had they wanted to.

 

[Gryhu]

Im not attacking DO students at all. I was actually with you guys saying that some people are ignorant.

What I was saying is that some people don't think DOs are "real" doctors because they don't have the "coveted" MD after their name.

My opinion is, that whatever you may think of another medical profession, we should put our differences aside and try to provide the best service to our patients.

I'm done with this.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Wow ... super weird tangent. I honestly have way less problem with a pod calling themselves a Dr or a foot physician/surgeon, than I do CNAs, NPs, TECHS running around the hospital in white lab coats, and chiropractors calling themselves 'doctors' and advertising as primary care (shiver). Things like that are the only reason IMO that the DO needs to be MD, DO or MDo ... simply to solidify physician, not anything else.

 

[Peptoboy]

Wow ... super weird tangent. I honestly have way less problem with a pod calling themselves a Dr or a foot physician/surgeon, than I do CNAs, NPs, TECHS running around the hospital in white lab coats, and chiropractors calling themselves 'doctors' and advertising as primary care (shiver). Things like that are the only reason IMO that the DO needs to be MD, DO or MDo ... simply to solidify physician, not anything else.

👍Totally agree! good post

 

[homeboy]

Wow ... super weird tangent. I honestly have way less problem with a pod calling themselves a Dr or a foot physician/surgeon, than I do CNAs, NPs, TECHS running around the hospital in white lab coats, and chiropractors calling themselves 'doctors' and advertising as primary care (shiver). Things like that are the only reason IMO that the DO needs to be MD, DO or MDo ... simply to solidify physician, not anything else.

Plenty of people wear white coats, and plenty of physicians don't. Heck, at UF, even the med students wear long white coats.

If you're a PA in an ortho group, they want you to dress the part and convey a professional appearance...albeit your coat will say "PA"...

And hospitals in general want their professionals to appear so, whether you're a physician, podiatrist, PA, NP, what have you.

But yes, chiropracters advertising themselves as "doctors" (because of the technicality of having earned a 4 yr doctorate degree) is a sham, which is why physicians should call themselves physicians, not doctors (a general term). Don't get me started on chiropracters...the fact they can do x-rays is a thread in and of itself.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Plenty of people wear white coats, and plenty of physicians don't. Heck, at UF, even the med students wear long white coats.

If you're a PA in an ortho group, they want you to dress the part and convey a professional appearance...albeit your coat will say "PA"...

And hospitals in general want their professionals to appear so, whether you're a physician, podiatrist, PA, NP, what have you.

But yes, chiropracters advertising themselves as "doctors" (because of the technicality of having earned a 4 yr doctorate degree) is a sham, which is why physicians should call themselves physicians, not doctors (a general term). Don't get me started on chiropracters...the fact they can do x-rays is a thread in and of itself.

I was at a hospital recently with my grandmother (for some routine things) and the best way to tell who was actually a physician was to look for the person NOT wearing a white coat. Every freaaaking RN, PA, tech, etc was wearing a white coat and saw 2 docs, and ENT and a breast surgeon ... both not wearing coats.

 

[spicedmanna]

My opinion is, that whatever you may think of another medical profession, we should put our differences aside and try to provide the best service to our patients.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[diabeticfootdr]

and they're gone. good work everyone. and peptpboy, im not insecure, i just dont trust podiatry. its not proven medicine, just like chiropractic. the more we inform the public about things like this, the better we are all going to be. podiatry is a backdoor into getting called 'doctor' because they couldnt get in to medical schools. and what they learn puts patients at risk... if you need foot care, go to your primary care doc, they are trained in everything that a podiatrist is.

Podiatrists practice allopathic medicine (think about it and look up the definition before you spout off with rhetoric of how allopathic = MD, because it doesn't). Podiatrist prescribe antibiotics, drain abscesses, read x-rays and MRIs, perform surgery, and order physical therapy. Allopathic medicine, not some weird unproven medicine.

 

[diabeticfootdr]

I was at a hospital recently with my grandmother (for some routine things) and the best way to tell who was actually a physician was to look for the person NOT wearing a white coat. Every freaaaking RN, PA, tech, etc was wearing a white coat and saw 2 docs, and ENT and a breast surgeon ... both not wearing coats.

Interesting and this may become more common. Coats and ties have been shown to spread MRSA in recent reports. In the UK, they banned doctors from wearing ties in NHS hospitals.

 

[Peptoboy]

Podiatrists practice allopathic medicine (think about it and look up the definition before you spout off with rhetoric of how allopathic = MD, because it doesn't). Podiatrist prescribe antibiotics, drain abscesses, read x-rays and MRIs, perform surgery, and order physical therapy. Allopathic medicine, not some weird unproven medicine.

If I'm not mistaken, MD's are allopaths, DO's are osteopaths and DPM's are podiatrists. You all can sit and bicker all night long and share how good the one is compared to the other, but the fact of the matter is, nothing is changing and this is a D.O. forum so lets talk D.O. specialties!

 

[diabeticfootdr]

If I'm not mistaken, MD's are allopaths, DO's are osteopaths and DPM's are podiatrists. You all can sit and bicker all night long and share how good the one is compared to the other, but the fact of the matter is, nothing is changing and this is a D.O. forum so lets talk D.O. specialties!

You are mistaken. Allopathy is a term homeopaths gave to doctors who practice Westernized medicine. MDs don't often refer to themselves as allopaths, DOs and others call them allopaths. They call themselves, doctors.

Allopathy is a type of medicine practiced - Westernized, scientific approach. It is not a specific degree. DOs practice allopathic medicine too (probably most of their day). They also use osteopathic principles to treat disease and are thus, using osteopathy.

I'm not bickering about who is better, because frankly everyone has their place in the healthcare system. I'm correcting misinformation that podiatrists practice unproven methods.

Lee

 

[diabeticfootdr]

see this link for a more descriptive definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allopathic

 

[tkim]

see this link for a more descriptive definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allopathic

Anyone who read Gevitz would know this. Is this really the osteo forum?

 

[homeboy]

Sure pods practice allopathic medicine...so does every other mainstream health care professional. But the argument was not over what type of medicine podiatrists practice, but that in practicing allopathic medicine, they are still podiatrists, not podiatric physicians.

perhaps in some legal systems pods and other providers may legally apply the term 'physician' to their practice, but this is more the exception than the rule.

 

[bth7]

So I was wondering how hard it is typically for DOs to match into these fields. In all honesty, I really want to do Opthalmology (although I would be extremely happy still with neurology, gen surgery, or anesthesiology), but I know even if I have an MD that the odds will be against me to get into it. That's why I'm mostly wondering about the other fields, because, with the exception of anesthesiology, and cardiology, these fields are traditionally not too difficult to get into (so I think I'm being generally reasonable), but would being a DO put me at a significant disadvantage for anything besides Opthalmology?

Competitiveness for any field changes from year to year.

The biggest question is not what speciality, but do you want to go into an ACGME (allopathic) or a AOA (osteopathic) residency? You have the option of both as a DO, but I doubt more than a small handful of DO's have ever matched into an allopathic residency in Ophthalmology. As a DO grad, you are at a disadvantage for any competitive ACGME-residency at any well-regarding teaching hospital.

People will say "If you work hard in school, get great board scores, you can do whatever you want." That's what I thought too. But . . . that doesn't change the fact that you will be at a disadvantage and certain doors will in fact will be closed to you as a DO-grad. The main door that I'm speaking of is the door to competitive, well-regarding ACGME-residency programs in competitive specialties.

That's a hard truth to swallow.

It is a sad thing to see a bright young person go to a DO school hoping to make their dreams come true, only to find themselves, 4 years later, not able to achieve their goal only b/c of the letters after their name.

It is important to note, that there are in fact DO-residencies in many of the fields you mention. In my opinion, the quality of the training is not the same as an ACGME residency, and I think almost any physician you speak to would agree. But, if you can work around that fact, the training they offer is certainly adequate.

bth

 

[diabeticfootdr]

perhaps in some legal systems pods and other providers may legally apply the term 'physician' to their practice, but this is more the exception than the rule.

Sure, try Medicare

That's not an exception, it is the rule.

 

[bth7]

see this link for a more descriptive definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allopathic

Here's a much better link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Allopathic_medicine#Additional_references

 

[homeboy]

Sure, try Medicare

That's not an exception, it is the rule.

So the world of health insurance calls you a 'podiatric physician' for billing stratification. You're still a podiatrist, not a physician.

Next time you apply for a job, tell the hospital admin you're a 'physician'...their next question is "what specialty?"

"Well I'm a DPM."

..."Soooo you're a podiatrist?"

"Well, yes, I'm a podiatric physician."

"Sure, yea, ok...you're a podiatrist. I'm with physician recruiting. You'll have to contact someone in the podiatry department."

Anyway, the WHO states only those that attend the WHO Directory of Medical Schools can apply for medical licensure, and hence practice "medicine" (as opposed to "podiatric medicine", as the Bureau of Labor states).