- Joined
- Feb 1, 2000
- Messages
- 111
- Reaction score
- 0
Okay, since I have been getting a few email asking similar questions about Canadians & Osteopathic Medicine I thought I share what I know.
I went to U of T for undergrad & will be going to LECOM in August
1. How does osteopathic medicine differ from chiropractice?
In the US, Doctors of Osteopathy are as qualified to practice medicine as their MD counterpart. The treatment philosophy and emphasis differs somewhat. D.O.'s view the body almost like a mechanical object i.e. a car. If one part of the body is not functioning chances are the rest of your body won't be working optimally as well. This is where manual manipulation is handy - fixing mechanical & non-mechanical defects. I won't get into the musculoskeletal & holistic aspect because those interested in osteopathy probably already know it.
Remember not to get confused between an osteopathic physician & an osteopath. In the US, an osteopathic physician have equivalent practice rights as an allopathic physician (MD) since their training are similar. However, an osteopath only does the manual manipulation and is not certified to practice medicine. This type of training is popular in Britain popularized by fellows such as Dr. Sutherland, a former student of Dr. Still.
I am aware of two schools of osteopathy, one in Toronto, Ontario http://www.ceo.edu/osteopathy/index.html (this is NOT an accredited school) & one in Quebec (you need French). Both operate under British style of Osteopathy. Thus, graduate are not fully trained in medicine and as such are not eligible to write the Qualifying Examinations of the Medical Coumcil of Canada (see links below)
The AOA, American Osteopathic Association, have been doing a terrible job promoting the profession. It is unfortunate that chiropractic is more well-known than osteopathic even though osteopathic predates chiropractic. This may change in the future BUT don't hold your breath given the AOA past record.
Chiropractors work only with their hands doing manual manipulation, similar to an osteopath. They can't do surgery or give drugs.
Your decision is - Do I want to be an osteopathic physician or an osteopath. Both have advantage & disadvantage
2. Out of the 19 accredited Osteopathic Medicine Colleges in U.S., which ones accept applicants from Canada? Which schools would you recommend a Canadian student apply to?
State funded schools generally don't take foreigners but some may. Most private school will take Canadians. Some may require you to have your transcript converted to American grades if your grading schemes are not on a 4.0 scale, like York University 10 point system. If your school does not list conversion to the 4.0 system, the school will tell you to go the World Educational Services to have it converted.
I applied to New Jersey, a state school, and they never told me that I was ineligible but rejected me very late in the game (In Febuary). State schools are harder to get in because greater competition due to the cheaper tuition for in-state resident.
Tuoro rejected me almost immediately (perhaps they don't like Canadian, like fellow poster: NAV)
Most private schools will take Canadians. I know New England looks on Canadians favourable. When I last asked they even accepted Grade 13 from Ontario as credit toward the pre-requisites.
LECOM (where I'll be), Pomona (Western U), Nova (Florida) will also accept Canadian as well AZCOM (from another poster. Any other Canucks want to add to the list?)
3. Would you be able to come back here to practice like an MD? Any possibilies for residencies up here?
Yes you can come back to Canada and practice like an MD. The rules differ for each province. In Ontario, you need to do the equivalency examination (to show your training is adequate) then pass the Qualifying examination Step I & II (equal to USMLE step I & II) to become a licentiate of the medical council of Canada. Depending on the Province you may need to do a residency to finally get your license and a billing number. Residency for foreigners are hard to come by in Ontario but this may change in the future because the newspapers are now crying about the coming shortage of docs. I know that Newfoundland, Saskatchewan & Manitoba are havens for IMG since most MD grads don't seem to want to practice there. The requirement is less strict than Ontario The situation may be similar in Alberta & B.C.
To be honest, the requirement in Ontario at least are simply professional barriers designed to keep foreign doctors out, especially those whose main language is not English. These are the ones who have trouble passing the clinical assessment and the exams. To put it briefly, imagine getting your medical training in English and then having to perform and write the exams in German. This is ONE of the reasons many IMG have trouble (not the only one though). If you go to a English speaking school, these exam should be easier to deal with.
These are info concerning Ontario only - Does not necessarily apply to other Provinces
http://www.library.utoronto.ca/medicine/oimg/imgadmitreq.htm http://www.mcc.ca/dips.html
4. DO is not accredited in Canada. What is the best method to gain contact with a few DOs. (Yes, I'm willing to travel if I have to!)
My best suggestion is to call up a school you are interested in and ask them to send you a photocopy of the directory of osteopathic physicians in Canada (they should have it!) The admissions people from Tuoro in San Francisco gave me a list when I visited.
Otherwise, look in the yellow pages and call up a British Osteopath or an US DO physician if possible and make contact that way. You will that most are quite friendly and are willing to help out students. Having a Bristish DO write your recommendation is not detrimental because one wrote me a letter. Having a British DO show initiative & strong interest on your side, especially when there are so few osteopaths in Canada, (whether they are trained British or American style)
5. What gpa's and MCAT scores you might need for DO schools
In Canada the limiting factor to get into Medical school is grades. In the US, it is money you should worry about most and then GPA and MCAT. Anything above 3.2 and 26 MCAT coupled with extracurricular experiences (not necessarily all medically related) to show well-roundedness and you have a good shot. Needless to say, with those numbers around those, your application doesn't even make the first cut in Canada.
6. Where can I get Loans?
You can get Canada student Loans. I believe around $150 per week of school or approximate $6000-7000 per year. Check the government of Canada website
http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/hrib/learnlit/cslp/common/index.shtml
Provincial Loan won't kick in if you go out of Canada.
Private Loans - Check your local bank or these US banks for foreigner
http://www.iefc.com/links.html
7. There are several MCAT prep courses out there, which one/s offer you the best guidance?
Unfortunately, MCATs scores are given heavier weighting in the US. So you want to ace it. It really is personal preference. If you are lazy (aren't we all!) you may want to take the Kaplan/Prinction Review course because they lay everything out for you. Generally, Kaplan has an extensive library of exam questions that will help simulate testing conditions and according to some Kaplan's test is harder than the actual exam. Princeton generally focused on the main ideas & concepts needed to ace the exam. If I had to choose I would take Kaplan since they have been in the business for a long time and prep for other exams such as the USMLE.
If you are independent, get a good review book and old exams (1-3 years is okay but not too old) from friend or look in ads from those you are selling. I did not think paying $1500 for Kaplan was worth it when I can do it on my own.
8. I'm in the midst of writing a personal statement & I don't know how to include osteopathy into it.
I was also wondering how you went about writing your personal statement
Everyone's experience & motivations are different so there no one correct way to write the statement. Because of the space limitation, my strategy was to briefly write about why I choose osteopathic medicine & not allopathic (MD) or even another career and back that up with experiences that I have had (medically related or otherwise). I also highlighted the scarity of DO's & information about the profession in Canada because I believe that it would demonstrate how serious and motivated you are about the profession.
If you are having trouble think about why do want to go this route and what the struggles and rewards will be. Remember to make it interesting (include any unusual or exciting experiences) because usually a student, admission committee member or faculty will read it to screen for those they will invite for an interview. Don't give them any reason to put your application in the reject pile. A statement that stands out is more likely to get you an interview.
Learning more about the history of osteopathy may help. Don't fall into the trap of most student and simply rant on your statement.... I love the holistic philosophy of treating the person as a whole... etc... etc... that anyone trawling the net can cut and paste into their essay. You have to give plausible reasons and back that up with evidence to show you know what you are talking about.
For more info check this link: http://www.osteohome.com/links.html
Your university library should have some books on the topics. If not check the Journal of the American Osteopathic Assocation. Their website at http://www.am-osteo-assn.org/ has some online-article under publications but it only goes back a few years. I find the earlier articles were revealing of the profession than the current issues.
Give yourself alot of time to write the statement. It may be short, but the shorter it is the harder it is to express yourself within the set limit. It took me about 3 month to reach the final draft that no longer resembled the first. I started with the main ideas I wanted to get across, then arranged them in logical order (similar to writing a resume), then I re-wrote (add things & removed things, re-order, re-polished until I got tired of it. Generally worked on it about 1 hour per day for a few days & left it alone for a few days and return to repeat the whole process.
Good luck with your applications!
If you have any other detailed question email me and mention Student Doctor.
[This message has been edited by cholecalciferol (edited 06-01-2000).]
I went to U of T for undergrad & will be going to LECOM in August
1. How does osteopathic medicine differ from chiropractice?
In the US, Doctors of Osteopathy are as qualified to practice medicine as their MD counterpart. The treatment philosophy and emphasis differs somewhat. D.O.'s view the body almost like a mechanical object i.e. a car. If one part of the body is not functioning chances are the rest of your body won't be working optimally as well. This is where manual manipulation is handy - fixing mechanical & non-mechanical defects. I won't get into the musculoskeletal & holistic aspect because those interested in osteopathy probably already know it.
Remember not to get confused between an osteopathic physician & an osteopath. In the US, an osteopathic physician have equivalent practice rights as an allopathic physician (MD) since their training are similar. However, an osteopath only does the manual manipulation and is not certified to practice medicine. This type of training is popular in Britain popularized by fellows such as Dr. Sutherland, a former student of Dr. Still.
I am aware of two schools of osteopathy, one in Toronto, Ontario http://www.ceo.edu/osteopathy/index.html (this is NOT an accredited school) & one in Quebec (you need French). Both operate under British style of Osteopathy. Thus, graduate are not fully trained in medicine and as such are not eligible to write the Qualifying Examinations of the Medical Coumcil of Canada (see links below)
The AOA, American Osteopathic Association, have been doing a terrible job promoting the profession. It is unfortunate that chiropractic is more well-known than osteopathic even though osteopathic predates chiropractic. This may change in the future BUT don't hold your breath given the AOA past record.
Chiropractors work only with their hands doing manual manipulation, similar to an osteopath. They can't do surgery or give drugs.
Your decision is - Do I want to be an osteopathic physician or an osteopath. Both have advantage & disadvantage
2. Out of the 19 accredited Osteopathic Medicine Colleges in U.S., which ones accept applicants from Canada? Which schools would you recommend a Canadian student apply to?
State funded schools generally don't take foreigners but some may. Most private school will take Canadians. Some may require you to have your transcript converted to American grades if your grading schemes are not on a 4.0 scale, like York University 10 point system. If your school does not list conversion to the 4.0 system, the school will tell you to go the World Educational Services to have it converted.
I applied to New Jersey, a state school, and they never told me that I was ineligible but rejected me very late in the game (In Febuary). State schools are harder to get in because greater competition due to the cheaper tuition for in-state resident.
Tuoro rejected me almost immediately (perhaps they don't like Canadian, like fellow poster: NAV)
Most private schools will take Canadians. I know New England looks on Canadians favourable. When I last asked they even accepted Grade 13 from Ontario as credit toward the pre-requisites.
LECOM (where I'll be), Pomona (Western U), Nova (Florida) will also accept Canadian as well AZCOM (from another poster. Any other Canucks want to add to the list?)
3. Would you be able to come back here to practice like an MD? Any possibilies for residencies up here?
Yes you can come back to Canada and practice like an MD. The rules differ for each province. In Ontario, you need to do the equivalency examination (to show your training is adequate) then pass the Qualifying examination Step I & II (equal to USMLE step I & II) to become a licentiate of the medical council of Canada. Depending on the Province you may need to do a residency to finally get your license and a billing number. Residency for foreigners are hard to come by in Ontario but this may change in the future because the newspapers are now crying about the coming shortage of docs. I know that Newfoundland, Saskatchewan & Manitoba are havens for IMG since most MD grads don't seem to want to practice there. The requirement is less strict than Ontario The situation may be similar in Alberta & B.C.
To be honest, the requirement in Ontario at least are simply professional barriers designed to keep foreign doctors out, especially those whose main language is not English. These are the ones who have trouble passing the clinical assessment and the exams. To put it briefly, imagine getting your medical training in English and then having to perform and write the exams in German. This is ONE of the reasons many IMG have trouble (not the only one though). If you go to a English speaking school, these exam should be easier to deal with.
These are info concerning Ontario only - Does not necessarily apply to other Provinces
http://www.library.utoronto.ca/medicine/oimg/imgadmitreq.htm http://www.mcc.ca/dips.html
4. DO is not accredited in Canada. What is the best method to gain contact with a few DOs. (Yes, I'm willing to travel if I have to!)
My best suggestion is to call up a school you are interested in and ask them to send you a photocopy of the directory of osteopathic physicians in Canada (they should have it!) The admissions people from Tuoro in San Francisco gave me a list when I visited.
Otherwise, look in the yellow pages and call up a British Osteopath or an US DO physician if possible and make contact that way. You will that most are quite friendly and are willing to help out students. Having a Bristish DO write your recommendation is not detrimental because one wrote me a letter. Having a British DO show initiative & strong interest on your side, especially when there are so few osteopaths in Canada, (whether they are trained British or American style)
5. What gpa's and MCAT scores you might need for DO schools
In Canada the limiting factor to get into Medical school is grades. In the US, it is money you should worry about most and then GPA and MCAT. Anything above 3.2 and 26 MCAT coupled with extracurricular experiences (not necessarily all medically related) to show well-roundedness and you have a good shot. Needless to say, with those numbers around those, your application doesn't even make the first cut in Canada.
6. Where can I get Loans?
You can get Canada student Loans. I believe around $150 per week of school or approximate $6000-7000 per year. Check the government of Canada website
http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/hrib/learnlit/cslp/common/index.shtml
Provincial Loan won't kick in if you go out of Canada.
Private Loans - Check your local bank or these US banks for foreigner
http://www.iefc.com/links.html
7. There are several MCAT prep courses out there, which one/s offer you the best guidance?
Unfortunately, MCATs scores are given heavier weighting in the US. So you want to ace it. It really is personal preference. If you are lazy (aren't we all!) you may want to take the Kaplan/Prinction Review course because they lay everything out for you. Generally, Kaplan has an extensive library of exam questions that will help simulate testing conditions and according to some Kaplan's test is harder than the actual exam. Princeton generally focused on the main ideas & concepts needed to ace the exam. If I had to choose I would take Kaplan since they have been in the business for a long time and prep for other exams such as the USMLE.
If you are independent, get a good review book and old exams (1-3 years is okay but not too old) from friend or look in ads from those you are selling. I did not think paying $1500 for Kaplan was worth it when I can do it on my own.
8. I'm in the midst of writing a personal statement & I don't know how to include osteopathy into it.
I was also wondering how you went about writing your personal statement
Everyone's experience & motivations are different so there no one correct way to write the statement. Because of the space limitation, my strategy was to briefly write about why I choose osteopathic medicine & not allopathic (MD) or even another career and back that up with experiences that I have had (medically related or otherwise). I also highlighted the scarity of DO's & information about the profession in Canada because I believe that it would demonstrate how serious and motivated you are about the profession.
If you are having trouble think about why do want to go this route and what the struggles and rewards will be. Remember to make it interesting (include any unusual or exciting experiences) because usually a student, admission committee member or faculty will read it to screen for those they will invite for an interview. Don't give them any reason to put your application in the reject pile. A statement that stands out is more likely to get you an interview.
Learning more about the history of osteopathy may help. Don't fall into the trap of most student and simply rant on your statement.... I love the holistic philosophy of treating the person as a whole... etc... etc... that anyone trawling the net can cut and paste into their essay. You have to give plausible reasons and back that up with evidence to show you know what you are talking about.
For more info check this link: http://www.osteohome.com/links.html
Your university library should have some books on the topics. If not check the Journal of the American Osteopathic Assocation. Their website at http://www.am-osteo-assn.org/ has some online-article under publications but it only goes back a few years. I find the earlier articles were revealing of the profession than the current issues.
Give yourself alot of time to write the statement. It may be short, but the shorter it is the harder it is to express yourself within the set limit. It took me about 3 month to reach the final draft that no longer resembled the first. I started with the main ideas I wanted to get across, then arranged them in logical order (similar to writing a resume), then I re-wrote (add things & removed things, re-order, re-polished until I got tired of it. Generally worked on it about 1 hour per day for a few days & left it alone for a few days and return to repeat the whole process.
Good luck with your applications!
If you have any other detailed question email me and mention Student Doctor.
[This message has been edited by cholecalciferol (edited 06-01-2000).]
