Specializing after DO

[brcleats12]

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I am wondering what sort of opportunities are open to DOs after medical school. Most seem to be within primary care. Are DOs able to compete with MDs for positions in specialties. Any imput would be greatly appreciated.

 

[laboholic]

I am wondering what sort of opportunities are open to DOs after medical school. Most seem to be within primary care. Are DOs able to compete with MDs for positions in specialties. Any imput would be greatly appreciated.

Opportunities are the same as MDs. DOs do compete with MDs and can match into any specialty. If you use the search function on the blue bar, you can find many discussions about this topic.

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

This is good news. I didn't know DOs could specialize.

 

[ShyRem]

Um.. have you looked at any match lists from DO schools? Many schools tell you what people matched into; thus you could see the specialties that the DOs are going into. Seems an easy solution.

 

[laboholic]

This is good news. I didn't know DOs could specialize.

They cant really, I just thought I would try and get more people to pursue the profession with a false sense of hope.

 

[Gotcha!]

They cant really, I just thought I would try and get more people to pursue the profession with a false sense of hope.

Wait- whats a DO? Is that like a Chiropractor?
😀
😉


Hehe Just kidding.

 

[wook]

Opportunities are the same as MDs. DOs do compete with MDs and can match into any specialty. If you use the search function on the blue bar, you can find many discussions about this topic.

Agreed, with caveat that some allopathic residencies are not DO friendly (as poster stated do a search). An example would be neurosurgery, but that would not preclude an osteopathic residency.

Wook

 

[Jack Daniel]

I am wondering what sort of opportunities are open to DOs after medical school. Most seem to be within primary care. Are DOs able to compete with MDs for positions in specialties. Any imput would be greatly appreciated.

School match lists are good sources of information, as ShyRem noted, but you can search the mother load yourself at: http://opportunities.aoa-net.org/index.htm

These are AOA programs, just for DOs. You'll see that non-primary care opportunities exist, too.

As there are not enough AOA funded programs to accomodate all the new DO graduates, some have to complete residency in a MD program--and they obviously compete with MDs in these programs.

 

[brcleats12]

Thanks. This is just an example of what I found:

Here's Touro-MI's match list for 2004

ALLOPATHIC MATCH RESULTS - CLASS OF 2004


Student
Location
Program

****3698 University of Michigan, MI Phys Medicine & Rehab
****3772 Chino Valley Medical Center, CA Family Practice
****6439 Bay Area Corpus Christi, TX Traditional Rotating
****7206 Medical University of South Carolina, SC Psychiatry
****4086 Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, VA Medicine - Preliminary
****9632 Swedish Medical Center, WA Family Practice/First Hill
****4924 University of Southern Florida College of Medicine, FL Pediatrics
****4595 Sutter Medical Center, CA Family Practice
****4586 Michigan State University, MI General Surgery
****0851 University of Arizona Affiliated Hospitals Psychiatry
****9717 Kaiser Permente, CA Pediatrics
****2026 Nassau University Medical Center, NY General Surgery
****3360 St. Josephs Mercy McComb, MI Emergency Medicine
****9795 University of Southern California, CA Internal Medicine
****5284 New York State University, NY Psychiatry
****8714 Alaska Family Practice Res, AK Family Practice
****6362 UC Irvine Medical Center, CA Pediatrics
****0740 Phoenix Baptist Hospital, AZ Family Practice
****9411 Stanislaus Health Services, CA Family Practice
****1615 San Joaquin General Hospital, CA Family Practice
****1510 Utah Valley Family Practice, UT Family Practice
****9268 Chino Valley Medical Center, CA Family Practice
****4398 University of Nevada Affiliated Hospitals, NV Pediatrics
****3855 Alameda County Medical Center, CA Emergency Medicine
****1929 Northeast Ohio College of Medicine, OH OB/BYN
****8976 Alameda County Medical Center, CA Internal Medicine
****3639 New York University School of Medicine, NY Phys Medicine & Rehab
****7784 Rush University Medical Center, IL Phys Medicine & Rehab
****9646 UCLA Medical Center, CA Family Medicine
****5013 Martin L King Jr/Drew Medical Center, CA Psychiatry
****5641 University of Texas HSC, TX Phys Medicine & Rehab
****2496 Stanislaus Health Services, CA Family Practice
****7158 UC San Diego Medical Center, CA Family Practice
****2130 Johns Hopkins Hospital, MD Phys Medicine & Rehab
****1909 UC Irvine Medical Center, CA Family Practice
****0678 Glendale Adventist, CA Family Practice
****0027 University of Nevada Affiliated Hospitals, NV Pediatrics
****6731 Virginia Commonwealth University Health Systems, VA Internal Medicine
****5716 University of New Mexico School of Medicine, NM Pedatrics
****4098 Memorial Fam Prac Res, TX Family Practice
****9875 UMDNJ-New Jersey Med, NJ Family Practice
****7062 UC San Francisco, CA Surgery-Preliminary
****5423 University of Hawaii Integ Ob/Gyn, HI OB/GYN
****5095 University of New Mexico SOM, NM Pediatrics
****4720 UC Irvine Medical Center, CA Internal Medicine
****7295 Albert Einstein Medical Center, PA Emergency Medicine
****9683 UMDNJ-New Jersey Med, NJ Pediatrics
****2299 UC Davis Medical Center, CA Anesthesiology
****8490 Exempla St. Joseph Hosp, CO Internal Medicine
****6976 Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, NC Family Practice
****8967 Good Samaritan Medical Center, NY Traditional Rotating
****8881 St. Josephs Hospital, AZ Pediatrics
****4845 Stanislaus Health Services, CA Family Practice
****1113 San Joaquin General Hospital, CA Family Practice
****4027 Exempla St. Joseph Hospital, CO Family Practice
****6393 University of Southern California, CA Emergency Medicine
****3497 St. Elizabeths Hospital, MA Internal Medicine
****3694 University of Rochester, Strong Memorial, NY Family Practice
****4722 Northside Hospital and Heart Institute, FL Phys Medicine & Rehab
****1831 St. Anthony Hospitals, CO Family Practice



OSTEOPATHIC MATCH RESULTS - CLASS OF 2004


Student
Location
Program

**987 Memorial Hospital, PA Traditional Rotating
**988 UNTHSCTCOM/Plaza Medical Center, TX Internal Medicine
**991 Pacific Hospital - Long Beach, CA Family Practice
**992 Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, CA OB/GYN
**994 Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, CA Traditional Rotating
**995 Sun Coast Hospital, FL Traditional Rotating
**996 Columbia Hospital, FL Family Practice
**997 Genesys Health Systems, MI Emergency Medicine
**999 Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital, MI Emergency Medicine
**026 Naval Hospital (San Diego), CA Traditional Rotating
**027 Wilson Memorial Regional Medical Center, NY Traditional Rotating
**030 Wilson Memorial Regional Medical Center, NY Family Practice
**035 Travis Air Force Base/Grant Medical Center, CA Traditional Rotating
**037 Garden City Hospital Osteopathic, MI Emergency Medicine
**100 Henry Ford HS/Horizon/Bi-County, MI Psychiatry
**102 Good Samaritan Hosp, NY OB/GYN
**110 Ingham Regional Medical Center, MI Phys Medicine & Rehab
**113 Good Samaritan Hosp, NY Pediatrics
**117 Northside Hospital & Heart Institute, FL Traditional Rotating
**122 Naval Hospital (Portsmouth), VA Traditional Rotating
**942 New York United Hosp, NY Traditional Rotating
**132 Doctors Hospital Medical Center, CA Family Practice
**125 Madigan Army Medical Center, WA Traditional Rotating
**127 Kennedy Memorial/Univeristy Medical, NJ Traditional Rotating
**961 Detroit Riverview, MI Internal Medicine
**131 Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital, MI Emergency Medicine
**137 Naval Hospital (San Diego), CA Traditional Rotating
**145 DCH Foundation Hospital, CA Traditional Rotating
**148 DCH Foundation Hospital, CA Family Practice
**993 Genesys Health Systems, MI Family Practice
**150 Palmetto General Hospital, FL Emergency Medicine
**157 Naval Hospital (Portsmouth), VA Traditional Rotating
**158 AZ GME Consortium, AZ Family Practice
**160 Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital, MI Diagnostic Radiology
**161 Pacific Hospital - Long Beach, CA Family Practice
**166 Grandview Hospital and Medical Center, OH Orthopedic Surgery

 

[dr.z]

This is good news. I didn't know DOs could specialize.

😱

 

[OSUdoc08]

I am wondering what sort of opportunities are open to DOs after medical school. Most seem to be within primary care. Are DOs able to compete with MDs for positions in specialties. Any imput would be greatly appreciated.

DO = MD

Everything is exactly the same after graduation.

 

[brcleats12]

DO = MD

Everything is exactly the same after graduation.

I heard that DOs need to take the allopathic USMLE though. That may be the only difference in order to secure allopathic residency positions.

 

[DCDAWG]

I heard that DOs need to take the allopathic USMLE though. That may be the only difference in order to secure allopathic residency positions.

MDs need to take the allopathic USMLE also to secure an allopathic residency also.

 

[Taus]

Most don't require it and it is certainly not "needed" (especially for less competative fields)....but it does make it easier in a program directors mind to compare apples to apples......its basically the same material.....taking it isn't a big deal....

 

[Jackets19]

If my memory serves me right, I remember reading a comment where the person mentioned that there are not enough D.O. residency spots to accomodate all of the D.O. graduates. Are there any restrictions or limiting factors that come into play when a D.O. applies to both allopathic and osteopathic residencies?

Thanks

 

[Taus]

If my memory serves me right, I remember reading a comment where the person mentioned that there are not enough D.O. residency spots to accomodate all of the D.O. graduates. Are there any restrictions or limiting factors that come into play when a D.O. applies to both allopathic and osteopathic residencies?

Thanks

You can apply for both, but the DO match is around a month earlier.......so if you match in the DO match you will be pulled out of the MD match. You can't apply to both, get the results and then choose. The only way you can use both matches is if you are applying for a separate internship in one match and residency in the other.

 

[medhacker]

If my memory serves me right, I remember reading a comment where the person mentioned that there are not enough D.O. residency spots to accomodate all of the D.O. graduates.

Even so, a good number of osteopathic residencies go unfilled every year!

 

[OSUdoc08]

I heard that DOs need to take the allopathic USMLE though. That may be the only difference in order to secure allopathic residency positions.

Incorrect. You can take just the COMLEX.

 

[OSUdoc08]

If my memory serves me right, I remember reading a comment where the person mentioned that there are not enough D.O. residency spots to accomodate all of the D.O. graduates. Are there any restrictions or limiting factors that come into play when a D.O. applies to both allopathic and osteopathic residencies?

Thanks

There ARE enough spots, as long as you don't mind family medicine.

 

[Jack Daniel]

There ARE enough spots, as long as you don't mind family medicine.

Maybe so, but according to "Tips, Tactics, and Truths", a 2006 AOA publication, under the "Picking AOA Internship and Residency Programs or ACGME Programs" section on page 44:

"More osteopathic students graduate each year than there are funded AOA positions, so even if the AOA wanted to, they couldn't accommodate all graduating DOs. The AOA appreciates that ACGME programs are open to you."

Doesn't sound like there are enough spots to me. The document can be found at: http://portal.osteotech.org/portal/...ntrol=SetCommunity&CommunityID=601&PageID=556

 

[Neuro27]

On the match list above, what would be the difference between matching into Allopathic Emergency Medicine and Osteopathic Emergency Medicine?

 

[OSUdoc08]

On the match list above, what would be the difference between matching into Allopathic Emergency Medicine and Osteopathic Emergency Medicine?

AOA Residency (all are 4 years long = 1 year internship + 3 years residency)

vs.

ACGME Residency (most are 3 years long)

 

[Neuro27]

AOA Residency (all are 4 years long = 1 year internship + 3 years residency)

vs.

ACGME Residency (most are 3 years long)

besides the length, are there any pros and cons for each?

 

[FutureDocDO]

AOA Residency (all are 4 years long = 1 year internship + 3 years residency)

vs.

ACGME Residency (most are 3 years long)

I didn't know that. Good to know I don't have to waste a extra year of my life by doing ACGME residencies.

 

[Neuro27]

DO EM residency is longer than MD EM residency? I guess it's better to do MD EM residency then.

 

[beachbunny]

AOA Residency (all are 4 years long = 1 year internship + 3 years residency)

vs.

ACGME Residency (most are 3 years long)

Do you have to do a 1 year internship as an extra year for all AOA residencies, regardless of the specialty?

 

[Taus]

Do you have to do a 1 year internship as an extra year for all AOA residencies, regardless of the specialty?

absolutely not...people would be crazy to do that and most dont....however some specialties such as emergency medicine do have the extra year

 

[Jack Daniel]

besides the length, are there any pros and cons for each?

One of the biggest pros of an AOA internship and residency is that you can become AOA board certified, which is often needed if you ever have the desire to hold a leadership position in teaching or training osteopathic medical students/residents.

 

[OSUdoc08]

One of the biggest pros of an AOA internship and residency is that you can become AOA board certified, which is often needed if you ever have the desire to hold a leadership position in teaching or training osteopathic medical students/residents.

If that's your bag.