Specialties vs Primary Care

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

thanecyan

Full Member
10+ Year Member
5+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2006
Messages
206
Reaction score
1
I've always heard that DO's are primarily geared towards primary care; however, as a psychology student, I have an interest in doing psychiatry as a specialty. How hard is it to get a psychiatry residency, graduating from a DO medical school?

Thanks

Members don't see this ad.
 
I've always heard that DO's are primarily geared towards primary care; however, as a psychology student, I have an interest in doing psychiatry as a specialty. How hard is it to get a psychiatry residency, graduating from a DO medical school?

Thanks

i thought psychiatry was considered primary care :confused:
 
I've always heard that DO's are primarily geared towards primary care; however, as a psychology student, I have an interest in doing psychiatry as a specialty. How hard is it to get a psychiatry residency, graduating from a DO medical school?

Thanks

psych is not very competitive. It should be a nonfactor... and yes it is primary care
 
Members don't see this ad :)
what about obstetrics and gynecology? Thats considered a form of a primary care field, right?
 
Family Medicine
Geriatrics
Internal Medicine
Ob/Gyn
Pediatrics
Psychaitry
sometimes Emergency Med. (considered primary only in Oklahoma i think)


however, different schools and organizations may have different lists. THe ones that are always primary care are IM, FM, and Peds
 
It's primary care? :laugh:

Sorry. I'm ignorant. I always thought primary care was:

Family Medicine
Internal Medicine
Ob/Gyn
Pediatrics


Thanks :thumbup:
 
It's primary care? :laugh:

Sorry. I'm ignorant. I always thought primary care was:

Family Medicine
Internal Medicine
Ob/Gyn
Pediatrics


Thanks :thumbup:


under some definitions it is, under others its not. But for most I think it is. Either way, getting a psych residency should not be very difficult.
 
Not hard....


I've always heard that DO's are primarily geared towards primary care; however, as a psychology student, I have an interest in doing psychiatry as a specialty. How hard is it to get a psychiatry residency, graduating from a DO medical school?

Thanks
 
I've even heard of General Surgery being referred to as primary care. I don't think I'd stretch the definition too much further (farther?) than that however.
 
Yeah, it seems to depend on who you ask.

The financial aid guru at Indiana University said that they consider only IM, FM and PEDS to be primary care for the purpose of their primary care scholarships, but that the U.S. Gov considers OB/GYN, PSYCH, IM, FM and PEDS primary for the purpose of tuition reimbursement in the Health Service Corps.
 
I am pretty sure there are interesting subspecialties inside of what might be considered primary care or internal medicine, too. Like pulmonary medicine, allergy - but I am not sure.
 
Going back to the initial question...How hard is it to get into a specialty care field from an osteopathic school? I have heard people say "just do well on the boards" but is it really that "easy"? Some schools must prepare students better than others. Which DO schools would be more oriented towards specialty care than others? DMU? KCUMB? Others?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Going back to the initial question...How hard is it to get into a specialty care field from an osteopathic school? I have heard people say "just do well on the boards" but is it really that "easy"? Some schools must prepare students better than others. Which DO schools would be more oriented towards specialty care than others? DMU? KCUMB? Others?
this is the usnews listing of % grads going to primary care by school....PCOM had among the lowest rates of primary care grads in the country including all MD and DO schools...

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/webextras/brief/sb_med_primarycare_brief.php

Note: You really can't read too much into these numbers though. No way to know if these rates indicate more grads wanting primary care vs. had an easier time matching into other specialties or any combination in between
 
Going back to the initial question...How hard is it to get into a specialty care field from an osteopathic school? I have heard people say "just do well on the boards" but is it really that "easy"? Some schools must prepare students better than others. Which DO schools would be more oriented towards specialty care than others? DMU? KCUMB? Others?

Part of DMU 2006 match list: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=3601060&highlight=2006+DMU+match#post3601060

Also, ignore the person that posted above me. Simply a 16 y/o troll. Just look at his previous posts, and you'll have enough reason to ignore him.
 
I am pretty sure there are interesting subspecialties inside of what might be considered primary care or internal medicine, too. Like pulmonary medicine, allergy - but I am not sure.

Cardiology is considered a subspecialty of internal med, but it hardly considered primary care. I am not sure what the deal is?
 
this is the usnews listing of % grads going to primary care by school....PCOM had among the lowest rates of primary care grads in the country including all MD and DO schools...

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/webextras/brief/sb_med_primarycare_brief.php

Note: You really can't read too much into these numbers though. No way to know if these rates indicate more grads wanting primary care vs. had an easier time matching into other specialties or any combination in between


So if i'm here applying to DO schools knowing that I want to go into a specialty care of some sort, should I not even be concerned about whether or not a school's student body matches into primary vs. specialty care (unless like 85% are going into primary care?) I just want to give myself the best opportunity as possible for entering a specialty care field, while also going to a DO school....And I don't know how to choose!


(maybe another topic for another day) but how can you tell a good match from a "bad" match list? I know you should look at the programs they match into and not the field necessarily, but even that seems to be helpful only to an extent.

I'm not sure how i'm going to pick between all these schools (assuming I get accepted).... :-/
 
So if i'm here applying to DO schools knowing that I want to go into a specialty care of some sort, should I not even be concerned about whether or not a school's student body matches into primary vs. specialty care (unless like 85% are going into primary care?) I just want to give myself the best opportunity as possible for entering a specialty care field, while also going to a DO school....And I don't know how to choose!


(maybe another topic for another day) but how can you tell a good match from a "bad" match list? I know you should look at the programs they match into and not the field necessarily, but even that seems to be helpful only to an extent.

I'm not sure how i'm going to pick between all these schools (assuming I get accepted).... :-/

Go wherever you would do best - meaning learn the most and do the best on your boards. What the rest of your class does is meaningless. However, location can play a part - residency programs sometimes like to accept students with a local connection, so if you're applying out of Kentucky vs. Cali or FL, that means less potential choices. Not really a big deal though. Look at the matchlists also and see where students are succesfull at getting whatever kind of residencies you want. All this is secondary to where you personally will do best (probably wherever you'll be happiest).
 
Top