Question

[gibna]

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Is it true that DO's can't practice medicine overseas, and that they are an equivalent of a chiropracter in canada, europe, asia, and africa?
I am just wondering, because my cousin is thinking about doing DO but he is the kind of person who also wants to practice medicine in poor underdeveloped countries.

 

[oceandocDO]

DOs can practice with any of the aid groups like Doctors Without Borders and DOs even have their own abroad travelling aid group called DO Care. As far as setting up shop permanently, it depends on the country. In Canada it's dependent on province, but I think only 2 provinces are left that dont recognize the DO degree. Ontario announced this past fall it would fast track any american DO to Canadian licensure. In Europe, it depends on the country. Much of Eastern Europe allows full practice rights, England is the notable country that doesnt allow full practice rights because their "osteopaths" have lobbied very hard against letting US D.O.s into Britain, for american D.O.s are much more trained. Much of Asia, including China and Vietnam, allow full practice rights, as do most countries in South America. It's also important to note that many of the countries which dont grant permanent licensure to D.O.s dont offer it to American MDs either.

 

[maysqrd]

As oceandocDO stated above, these countries wouldn't grant permanent licensure to MD's either because this is a financial issue as opposed to which degree you hold, prejudice against DO's, etc. Countries that don't allow licensure do so because they don't want their countries $$ going to foreign residents. Most countries do not have the type of healthcare system that the US does, their governments fund many programs and these governments would rather have their $$ going to their own citizens. That is why you can still work in these countries if you are doing it on humanitarian efforts and not for pay.

 

[gibna]

Thanks for your replies. I thought it was common sense that you should be allowed to practice medicine abroad regardless of whether you are an MD or a DO. But this girl, who graduated from NYCOM, doing a fellowship in a lab, across the hall, in my school told me otherwise. She said that since osteopathic medicine is new they are only recognized as an equivalent of a chiropracter in England. So I assumed that it was the case all around the world, I even called up my cousin to advise him again going to Western next year because of his future goals.
Well I guess I should just not but into other people's business. And if he can practice medicine in a poor country with an affiliation of a non-profit organisation I think he should be set.
Well thanks again.

 

[jkhamlin]

Originally posted by gibna
She said that since osteopathic medicine is new they are only recognized as an equivalent of a chiropracter in England.

FYI:
It depends on what you call "new." Osteopathy is over 100 years old. If you look at the state of Allopathy 100 years ago, you might think that the current philosophy of Allopathy is new, too.

BTW, Chiropractic is an offshoot of Osteopathy. Its founder was a "magnetic healer" and a patient of A.T. Still. He used Still's ideas to found Chiropractic.

HTH

 

[DrMom]

Originally posted by gibna
She said that since osteopathic medicine is new they are only recognized as an equivalent of a chiropracter in England.

UK trained Osteopaths are have practice rights similar to chiropractors, but US trained Osteopaths can actually practice medicine in the UK. I have a friend (a DO gastroenterologist) who did a fellowship in England.