Someone explain this to me

[DD214_DOC]

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Hey all! I'm currently a pre-DO student (only intend to apply to 4 MD schools, because of proximity) and was wondering how the matching is for DO students. I may be completely wrong, but this is what I get so far.

DO students must take the COMLEX, and are then eligible for DO-only residencies. If they elect to take the USMLE, on which DOs have only a 70% pass rate according to <b><a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/amnews/pick_03/prsa0616.htm">this article</a></b>, then they are eligible for allopathic residencies? Is that how it works? If so, what exactly is a "DO residency"?

I apologize for my ignorance, just trying to clear up a few things before I apply next summer! (PCOM here I come!)

 

[Claymore]

Not quite...I'll try to help.

All osteopathic students must take steps 1-3 of the COMLEX to become licensed, regardless of what residency they intend to enter. Students may elect to take the USMLE in addition to the COMLEX if they wish but this is not necessary.

All osteopathic students (since they take the COMLEX) are eligible for the osteopathic residency match if they so choose. However, all osteopathic students may also choose the allopathic match instead, and the USMLE is not required to match in an allopathic residency. It is certainly possible to match into an allopathic residency without taking the USMLE, provided your COMLEX scores are adequate. Good luck!

MS-2
Midwestern University-CCOM

 

[GoForIt]

I agree with Claymore with all the information he/she posted. I would like to add a couple of items:

You can apply for osteo residency and allo residency without taking the USMLE. The osteo residency matching result is announced in February, and the allo residency matching is announced in March. If you were matched with an osteo residency, you are bound to take it regardless what happens with your allo residency matching. AOA would not let you decline the osteo residency for the allo residency.

There are five states that require DOs to have a one year osteo internship in order to practice in the state. If you should want to practice in one of those states, you have no choice but to do a one year AOA approved internship. Similarly, you would have a very difficult time to get in any osteo specialty program without doing a osteo internship. I know many friends, for safety sake, do an osteo internship before they start their allo residency and specialty programs.

 

[DD214_DOC]

Thanks for the info. I guess my main concern, is are DO physicians limited to their selection of specialities in any way, aside from what limits MD's (low boards)?

I'm interested in either EM or Psych., and am curious at what obstacles lay ahead of me. (aside from getting into med school)

I have talked with many MD's and MD students, all of whom have basically said that passing the boards equals Psych. matching. What about EM?

 

[NUgirl]

Since I have not gone through med school or the match process yet, the information that I have heard may or may not be completely accurate.

Psychiatry is overall a noncompetative field as of right now, and both DO's and MD's can easily get into it. This also applies to peds, fam med, internal med, and OB/GYN.

EM is a much more competative field, but not nearly as competative as Radiology, Derm, Optho, etc. It is harder to get into than primary care, but it is VERY possible as a DO. On this forum, Quinn, who went to NOVA got an allopathic EM residency this year. He may be able to provide you with detailed info about this field.

There are DO's in every single specialty of medicine. It may be harder for them to achieve a highly competative allopathic residency position such as Dermatology, but is certainly not impossible. Derm is hard to get into regardless of degree, anyway. Also, a lot of DO grads CHOOSE to enter primary care, so that might also explain their low numbers in specialities.

 

[oceandocDO]

Regarding the 70% pass rate for D.O.s on the USMLE.... be careful about reading too much into that as Step I of the COMLEX and Step I of the USMLE are NOT the same test. The pass rate on the USMLE Step I is lower for D.O.s because the Step I USMLE tends to test some topics that are not stressed in D.O. curricula, such as biostatistics and behavioral medicine. The COMLEX is much more clinically based, almost too much so for this stage in our careers IMO. I guarantee, sit 100 MD students down in front of the COMLEX Step I, and the pass rate would be much less than 70%. Personally, haven taken both the COMLEX Step I and USMLE Step I, the USMLE was an easier test, granted that I studied the biostats, behavioral, and mechanistic biochem beforehand. The USMLE was more straightforward, more direct, less clinical, and most importantly, shorter. I could barely read the last 50 questions of COMLEX I. Too friggin long.

Notice, however, on Step III of the USMLE, which is more indicative of the actual bread and butter medicine which both physicians will be practicing soon after, D.O.s actually have a higher pass rate in 2002.

 

[Toejam]

This link may be of use:

http://medicine.wustl.edu/~residenc/outside/spec/lengthres.html

It's a little bit outdated, but I think it will approximate the competitiveness of the various residencies.

From what I understand, historically, Psych has never been very competitive. Neither has Family Medicine, Neurology, Rehab Medicine or Peds. Each year is different, though, so you can't rely on these stats. EM seems to be either moderately competitive or less moderate.

I've done a lot of reading on this topic and I've come away with some opinions. Generally, the more competitive residencies are specialties in which you will become a (relatively) wealthy physician (cardiac surgeon, derm, neurosurg, ortho, plastics). The less competitive ones like peds, family medicine and psychiatry are specialties where you earn less. Resident lifestyle is also important (general surgery is not as competitive as it used to be because of the totally brutal residency). These aren't the only reasons, but I think they are factored in.

 

[Nater44]

I'm applying this year and don't know nearly as much as the current DO students who post on this forum and are so helpful. If you check out emergency medicine residency programs on saem.org you'll see many DO's in allo residencies. In addition, there are a surprising number of DO's who are residency directors of Allo programs.

Does CA require an AOA internship?

 

[Dr JPH]

JKDMed

These guys have all answered pretty nicely.

I just want to commend you on doing the smart thing and ASKING QUESTIONS before jumping into something.

Or before knocking something down.

Good l uck with everything.