Quick questions to all you DOs to be

[mizzoudude]

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I am excited that I have found a profession that I will love. I did not realize that I wanted to be a physician until my 3rd year in school. My GPA is not so strong (3.29) and I got a 27 on the MCAT. Though I could do a post bacc or a masters and apply for M.D. I want to become a physician and I like the added bonus that D.O.'s can practice. I don't care what letters are after my name, I just want to practice because it is an awesome career.
I plan to apply and attend TUCOM-CA. I have a few questions about the D.O. med school process. Have you talked/worked along with M.D. students? Do you have comparable knowledge to treat and prevent illness? I mean, after I finish D.O. school, work extremely hard...will I have the knowledge to stand by top M.D.?

Another question is...is it easy to get top residencies from a school like TUCOM? I have seen the match lists, but I may want to do things such as eye surgery (optometry would be great). Does the D.O. status prevent me from getting a top residency in say optometric surgery?

Thanks for all your time. I am new to this board and I wish I had found it before. This is a plethora of information from those going through the same thing you are and those who have been through it. Awesome board/forum. Thanks again all.

 

[donvicious]

Briefly, you can do everything as a DO that you can as an MD.

This is a very common question and for a more detailed analysis I suggest you use the search function.

There are some that say DO's are discriminated against but I don't believe it. If you work hard you can get any residency you want. This applies to MD's too.

 

[cardiotonic]

I am excited that I have found a profession that I will love. I did not realize that I wanted to be a physician until my 3rd year in school. My GPA is not so strong (3.29) and I got a 27 on the MCAT. Though I could do a post bacc or a masters and apply for M.D. I want to become a physician and I like the added bonus that D.O.'s can practice. I don't care what letters are after my name, I just want to practice because it is an awesome career.
I plan to apply and attend TUCOM-CA. I have a few questions about the D.O. med school process. Have you talked/worked along with M.D. students? Do you have comparable knowledge to treat and prevent illness? I mean, after I finish D.O. school, work extremely hard...will I have the knowledge to stand by top M.D.?

Another question is...is it easy to get top residencies from a school like TUCOM? I have seen the match lists, but I may want to do things such as eye surgery (optometry would be great). Does the D.O. status prevent me from getting a top residency in say optometric surgery?

Thanks for all your time. I am new to this board and I wish I had found it before. This is a plethora of information from those going through the same thing you are and those who have been through it. Awesome board/forum. Thanks again all.

Hey mizzoudude, I'm an umsldude that has been accepted to TU-Nevada. To answer your questions, I think most would agree that the path of least resistance (in regards to discrimination) would be the allopathic route. However, if you truly believe in the osteopathic philosophy, are interested in OMM, or have any other inspirational reason to be a DO, then go DO. Follow your heart. As for the quality of education, I don't know for sure since I'm not officially a medical student yet, but I would think the majority of the people on this forum would say that the two are very similar. My personal opinion is that your education depends more on you than your school. For more specific answers I would try a search. Good luck with everything! Oh yah, don't rule out other DO schools, for instance TU-Nevada...it would be cool to have someone else from Missouri that goes there!

 

[dignan]

You don't have to be in love with the osteopathic philosophy to go to TUCOM any more than you have to love the allopathic philosophy to go to UCSF.
I'll be at TUCOM next year... I always thought I would end up at an allo school, but I'm pretty excited to be moving out to the bay area, not to mention I will be a doctor in four years.
In terms of residencies... my fate is still in my hands. The perceived disadvantage of being a D.O. in getting residencies will be my motivation to work my a$$ off for the next four years. Good luck, and definitely apply to more than one school.

 

[dignan]

an addendum to that last post: you don't have to be in love with the osteopathic philosophy, but you shouldn't hate it.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I am excited that I have found a profession that I will love. I did not realize that I wanted to be a physician until my 3rd year in school. My GPA is not so strong (3.29) and I got a 27 on the MCAT. Though I could do a post bacc or a masters and apply for M.D. I want to become a physician and I like the added bonus that D.O.'s can practice. I don't care what letters are after my name, I just want to practice because it is an awesome career.
I plan to apply and attend TUCOM-CA. I have a few questions about the D.O. med school process. Have you talked/worked along with M.D. students? Do you have comparable knowledge to treat and prevent illness? I mean, after I finish D.O. school, work extremely hard...will I have the knowledge to stand by top M.D.?

Another question is...is it easy to get top residencies from a school like TUCOM? I have seen the match lists, but I may want to do things such as eye surgery (optometry would be great). Does the D.O. status prevent me from getting a top residency in say optometric surgery?

Thanks for all your time. I am new to this board and I wish I had found it before. This is a plethora of information from those going through the same thing you are and those who have been through it. Awesome board/forum. Thanks again all.

If you want to do optometry, then you will need to go to an OD school, not a DO school. You would become a Doctor of Optometry. The only state that allows OD's to perform eye surgery is Oklahoma, but that WILL soon go away.

If, however, you would like to do opthalmology as a DO, then I know several DO opthalmologists, and see no problems there. You will be able to get a residency, if you do well enough on the boards, no matter where you go, and what your degree is.

I would advise that you apply to more than just that one DO school, however.

 

[dcratamt]

If you want to do optometry, then you will need to go to an OD school, not a DO school. You would become a Doctor of Optometry. The only state that allows OD's to perform eye surgery is Oklahoma, but that WILL soon go away.

If, however, you would like to do opthalmology as a DO, then I know several DO opthalmologists, and see no problems there. You will be able to get a residency, if you do well enough on the boards, no matter where you go, and what your degree is.

I would advise that you apply to more than just that one DO school, however.

I was gonna say the same thing.

 

[Dr JPH]

Do you have comparable knowledge to treat and prevent illness?

No.

I have more knowledge.