Statistics/Insight on DO practice

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SamSt1

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Hi All

Just curious... as I've been researching more into carrib, vs allo in the US, vs DO as several different options, I've realized that to me they are an equal education and I know I'll turn out to be a great doctor regardless which path I take.

What I was wondering though, isn't how I'll turn out as a physician, but if anyone has any statistics on how we are perceived as a result of the letters after our name. Although I believe each is an equal education, how do our future patients view this? When I mention DO school to almost anyone I know, not involved in healthcare: friends in law school, graduate school, business, they say: well what is DO? A few of my friends have mentioned that when they go on Aetna Doc - Find they will purposely NOT choose a physician who is a DO and choose an MD regardless. Does anyone have any statistics or numbers for how much this actually effects the practice of DO's? Is it just something people might mention as an issue or is it actually an issue which alters the number of patients a DO might get? In fields such as emergency medicine, obviously whether or not a physician is a DO doesn't matter because the patient has no choice. But when patients choose, is there a sizeable difference? I hope not, but I was wondering if there are any numbers or statistics out there to relieve any curiosity I have.


And - If all you want to respond is, who cares what anyone else thinks as long as you are happy with your choice, please don't respond because that isn't what I am asking. This is a forum for information.
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You are proceeding from the assumption that people go shopping for their physician, like at a store or something. Not much of that goes on. You get referrals, and if you go to a medical group, they will just stick you with someone, often depending on what, exactly, it is you need done.

Posted via Mobile Device
 
In a saturated market of phsyicians people may pick and choose. That is not the case with most markets and healthcare though. Unless you're trying to open a private practice in Hollywood I don't see this as being an issue, even then I'm sure you'd be far from out of a job.
 
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This is a forum of pre-meds, and it's about the last place I'd look for an answer to these questions.

If I were doing journalism on these questions, I'd pick a selection of hospitals and clinics, not all in one location. I'd look at their physician rosters. I'd look for DOs to ask these questions of, and compare their answers to their MD colleagues, and to the MDs who work at facilities where there are no DOs. I'd be looking to collect at least 100 data points, and I'd be suspicious if I didn't have outliers who think everything's great and outliers who think everything sucks.

In lieu of doing journalism, I'd ask these questions of every doctor I run into. Since I'm a premed, and I do volunteering etc., I meet new docs every day, and lord knows I seek them out in public as well. So for this pre-DO, in reality, I've already got a data sample of 100 and growing. But I still only know about 4 DOs. So I keep asking.

Best of luck to you.
 
I'm curious, why the Deferement Drmidlife?
 
Who cares what anyone else thinks as long as you are happy with your choice.
 
DrMidlife said:
This is a forum of pre-meds, and it's about the last place I'd look for an answer to these questions.

If I were doing journalism on these questions, I'd pick a selection of hospitals and clinics, not all in one location. I'd look at their physician rosters. I'd look for DOs to ask these questions of, and compare their answers to their MD colleagues, and to the MDs who work at facilities where there are no DOs. I'd be looking to collect at least 100 data points, and I'd be suspicious if I didn't have outliers who think everything's great and outliers who think everything sucks.

In lieu of doing journalism, I'd ask these questions of every doctor I run into. Since I'm a premed, and I do volunteering etc., I meet new docs every day, and lord knows I seek them out in public as well. So for this pre-DO, in reality, I've already got a data sample of 100 and growing. But I still only know about 4 DOs. So I keep asking.

Best of luck to you.
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excellent response and great advice. thank you
 
SamSt1 said:
Hi All

Just curious... as I've been researching more into carrib, vs allo in the US, vs DO as several different options, I've realized that to me they are an equal education and I know I'll turn out to be a great doctor regardless which path I take.

What I was wondering though, isn't how I'll turn out as a physician, but if anyone has any statistics on how we are perceived as a result of the letters after our name. Although I believe each is an equal education, how do our future patients view this? When I mention DO school to almost anyone I know, not involved in healthcare: friends in law school, graduate school, business, they say: well what is DO? A few of my friends have mentioned that when they go on Aetna Doc - Find they will purposely NOT choose a physician who is a DO and choose an MD regardless. Does anyone have any statistics or numbers for how much this actually effects the practice of DO's? Is it just something people might mention as an issue or is it actually an issue which alters the number of patients a DO might get? In fields such as emergency medicine, obviously whether or not a physician is a DO doesn't matter because the patient has no choice. But when patients choose, is there a sizeable difference? I hope not, but I was wondering if there are any numbers or statistics out there to relieve any curiosity I have.


And - If all you want to respond is, who cares what anyone else thinks as long as you are happy with your choice, please don't respond because that isn't what I am asking. This is a forum for information.
Click to expand...

How the **** would anyone have statistics on how DOs in general are perceived??? There are good doctors and bad doctors, not just DOs and just MDs. No one is taking a national survey on physician choice intentions, and I really don't believe the thing about your friends.
 
MLT2MT2DO said:
I'm curious, why the Deferement Drmidlife?
Click to expand...

Breast cancer. I was diagnosed 9 days before I was to leave for Florida. Nova deferred me for a year, quite graciously. I am fairly certain that chemo will be easier than first year, anyway.

Not looking for sympathy here - I've simply found that it helps nobody for me to keep it a secret. Others who need more privacy feel differently, of course.
 
SamSt1 said:
Hi All

Just curious... as I've been researching more into carrib, vs allo in the US, vs DO as several different options, I've realized that to me they are an equal education and I know I'll turn out to be a great doctor regardless which path I take.

What I was wondering though, isn't how I'll turn out as a physician, but if anyone has any statistics on how we are perceived as a result of the letters after our name. Although I believe each is an equal education, how do our future patients view this? When I mention DO school to almost anyone I know, not involved in healthcare: friends in law school, graduate school, business, they say: well what is DO? A few of my friends have mentioned that when they go on Aetna Doc - Find they will purposely NOT choose a physician who is a DO and choose an MD regardless. Does anyone have any statistics or numbers for how much this actually effects the practice of DO's? Is it just something people might mention as an issue or is it actually an issue which alters the number of patients a DO might get? In fields such as emergency medicine, obviously whether or not a physician is a DO doesn't matter because the patient has no choice. But when patients choose, is there a sizeable difference? I hope not, but I was wondering if there are any numbers or statistics out there to relieve any curiosity I have.


And - If all you want to respond is, who cares what anyone else thinks as long as you are happy with your choice, please don't respond because that isn't what I am asking. This is a forum for information.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean, it is fairly easy to go on healthgrades and research the doctor, find out what school he goes to, degrees etc. I know a few people that do this, and it will hurt you if you go to the Caribbean anyway. If you are going to take time out of your schedule to see what degree the doctor has receive, might as well see who accredited it

Not many people do this though. Why care when they are only very few people that do this. Some people are snobs and dont even want go to a state MD grad, they want an "IVY" doc. You cant please everyone, and those people are very rare

I would really shadow a PCP DO and get the feel how it is like getting patients as a DO. He/She will have more insight on the situation than a pre-osteo, pre-carib thread.

Making good connections and having respect of your peers are important in getting patients. A lot of patients do come in by referrals.

No need to get nasty. This forum is here to help people. Many people can get turned away from osteopathic medicine if people are so defensive and appalled by every little thing.

Hope this helps,

DrMidlife said:
Breast cancer. I was diagnosed 9 days before I was to leave for Florida. Nova deferred me for a year, quite graciously. I am fairly certain that chemo will be easier than first year, anyway.

Not looking for sympathy here - I've simply found that it helps nobody for me to keep it a secret. Others who need more privacy feel differently, of course.
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Sorry to hear that, wish you the best
 
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In my opinion, you are much much better trained and prepared for residency going to an American DO school than rolling the dice for a foreign med school just to have MD behind your name.

I dont hear of case after case of DO grads taking 2-3-4 years to match into a residency. I am at an allopathic residency program, and my fellow DOs and I get constant comments on how excellent our undergrad medical training was and some have even *gasp* wished they had gone to DO school.

Those schools in the caribbean are there to make money, not train proficient docs. if you are very self-motivated, then you may do fine, but I personally know 2 friends who went down there and took 2-3 tries to even pass boards. its a gamble.
 
Disadvantages of Caribbean medical schools...

1. Extreme weed-out environment.
2. You have to live in the ****ing Caribbean. It sounds cool, but it would get old for most people.
 
SamSt1 said:
Hi All

Just curious... as I've been researching more into carrib, vs allo in the US, vs DO as several different options, I've realized that to me they are an equal education and I know I'll turn out to be a great doctor regardless which path I take.

What I was wondering though, isn't how I'll turn out as a physician, but if anyone has any statistics on how we are perceived as a result of the letters after our name. Although I believe each is an equal education, how do our future patients view this? When I mention DO school to almost anyone I know, not involved in healthcare: friends in law school, graduate school, business, they say: well what is DO? A few of my friends have mentioned that when they go on Aetna Doc - Find they will purposely NOT choose a physician who is a DO and choose an MD regardless. Does anyone have any statistics or numbers for how much this actually effects the practice of DO's? Is it just something people might mention as an issue or is it actually an issue which alters the number of patients a DO might get? In fields such as emergency medicine, obviously whether or not a physician is a DO doesn't matter because the patient has no choice. But when patients choose, is there a sizeable difference? I hope not, but I was wondering if there are any numbers or statistics out there to relieve any curiosity I have.


And - If all you want to respond is, who cares what anyone else thinks as long as you are happy with your choice, please don't respond because that isn't what I am asking. This is a forum for information.
Click to expand...

The data you're asking for doesn't exist. And if it did, I probably wouldn't trust it. :D

While it would be interesting data, really, what respectable, reasonably unbiased organization would spend time and money to conduct a rigorous study about how people perceive MDs and DOs? Especially when there exists so many important health policy questions to pursue, what purpose is served by studying this?
 
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TexasTriathlete said:
You are proceeding from the assumption that people go shopping for their physician, like at a store or something. Not much of that goes on. You get referrals, and if you go to a medical group, they will just stick you with someone, often depending on what, exactly, it is you need done.

Posted via Mobile Device
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when i got insurance i shopped around. they had to be D.O. and do at least a little manipulation. i found a great one.
 
Some people shop around, but most business will come from referrals, and when people do go in the phone book to find a doc, they're typically going to look for someone nearby, unless its for some major issue.

And on top of that, a lot of people don't even know what a DO is, and they don't give it a second thought.

This is not something that concerns me.
 
The problem is that a lot of people don't know what a DO is so in their minds it must be lesser than an MD. While volunteering in the ER I brought this up and only one nurse out of five knew what a DO was (all of them had been working for 10-20 yrs in health care). So if people in health care don't even know how do you expect patients to know? In reality a lot of patients don't even know their physician is a DO. I would also consider that a lot of patients don't have a choice where to go (evil HMO plans for example). With many patients having wait lists of 1 to 2 months to even see the doc, the DO/MD marketing difference shouldn't even be noticeable. Of coarse I am but a lowly premed.
 
some good advice, some worthless responses, what you would expect from the internet!

but thanks to those who are intelligent/mature! this was helpful :)
 
**** man, get off your high horse already and shut the **** up.

Posted via Mobile Device
 
Maybe so, but I'm still right.

Posted via Mobile Device
 
a817 said:
I know what you mean, it is fairly easy to go on healthgrades and research the doctor, find out what school he goes to, degrees etc. I know a few people that do this, and it will hurt you if you go to the Caribbean anyway. If you are going to take time out of your schedule to see what degree the doctor has receive, might as well see who accredited it

Not many people do this though. Why care when they are only very few people that do this. Some people are snobs and dont even want go to a state MD grad, they want an "IVY" doc. You cant please everyone, and those people are very rare

I would really shadow a PCP DO and get the feel how it is like getting patients as a DO. He/She will have more insight on the situation than a pre-osteo, pre-carib thread.

Making good connections and having respect of your peers are important in getting patients. A lot of patients do come in by referrals.

No need to get nasty. This forum is here to help people. Many people can get turned away from osteopathic medicine if people are so defensive and appalled by every little thing.

Hope this helps,



Sorry to hear that, wish you the best
Click to expand...


Really great points. I've shadowed MD's who were both foreign grads and US grads at my schools affiliated hospital. I am definitely going to get on shadowing a DO asap!! Thanks a lot! :)
 
Doctor D said:
The problem is that a lot of people don't know what a DO is so in their minds it must be lesser than an MD. While volunteering in the ER I brought this up and only one nurse out of five knew what a DO was (all of them had been working for 10-20 yrs in health care). So if people in health care don't even know how do you expect patients to know? In reality a lot of patients don't even know their physician is a DO. I would also consider that a lot of patients don't have a choice where to go (evil HMO plans for example). With many patients having wait lists of 1 to 2 months to even see the doc, the DO/MD marketing difference shouldn't even be noticeable. Of coarse I am but a lowly premed.
Click to expand...

Funny,
Before I started this process I didn't know what a DO was either. The first time I heard about DO's was from an allopathic physician who recommended the path for an older student such as myself. I also didn't know you could get two different degrees to be a dentist. Life is full of little surprises, go figure
 
Gold 5 said:
Funny,
Before I started this process I didn't know what a DO was either. The first time I heard about DO's was from an allopathic physician who recommended the path for an older student such as myself. I also didn't know you could get two different degrees to be a dentist. Life is full of little surprises, go figure
Click to expand...

If you, as someone entering the health field, didn't know about MD/DO and DDS/DMD ... imagine how clueless the general public is concerning these issues.
 
DrMidlife said:
Breast cancer. I was diagnosed 9 days before I was to leave for Florida. Nova deferred me for a year, quite graciously. I am fairly certain that chemo will be easier than first year, anyway.

Not looking for sympathy here - I've simply found that it helps nobody for me to keep it a secret. Others who need more privacy feel differently, of course.
Click to expand...

Of course you're not looking for sympathy, I asked and you told. Good luck in your fight, you seem to have been on such a long journey, I'm sure this is just one final test. I wish you the best of luck, you seem like "one of the good ones".
 
JaggerPlate said:
If you, as someone entering the health field, didn't know about MD/DO and DDS/DMD ... imagine how clueless the general public is concerning these issues.
Click to expand...


which is exactly why, unfortunately, from my experience, many people will elect to see an MD over a DO. Since they are (again, unfortunately) unaware of what a DO even is.

Which is why I was curious in the first place... every person I know shops around for their physician. Although no one here can provide me with statistics (as they don't exist), I hope it really doesn't make much of a difference in practice.
 
SamSt1 said:
which is exactly why, unfortunately, from my experience, many people will elect to see an MD over a DO. Since they are unaware of what a DO even is.
Click to expand...

This is the exact opposite of your point. People don't know who is an MD or a DO (besides the people who shop around or whatever which IS rare - most people get referrals/go to the doc their family/friends go to etc) and they just go to see a DOCTOR. So many people see DOs everyday and have no idea that they are a DO or aren't an MD or really care for that matter. I've never personally heard anyone who wouldn't see a DO, and have seen physicians myself and then found out way down the road they were DOs. Identical care.
 
JaggerPlate said:
This is the exact opposite of your point. People don't know who is an MD or a DO (besides the people who shop around or whatever which IS rare - most people get referrals/go to the doc their family/friends go to etc) and they just go to see a DOCTOR. So many people see DOs everyday and have no idea that they are a DO or aren't an MD or really care for that matter. I've never personally heard anyone who wouldn't see a DO, and have seen physicians myself and then found out way down the road they were DOs. Identical care.
Click to expand...

Just want to make it clear that I agree MD & DO = identical care. Your opinion is quite clear, and it's actually what I was hoping for. But I am definitely going to make sure I ask around physicians and see what their input is. Thanks
 
:caution: Danger, Will Robinson, Danger! This thread is getting dangerously close to an MD v. DO thread and if it continues in an argumentative or confrontational fashion it will be closed with infractions handed out appropriately. Be careful. There will be no further warnings. Danger, Will Robinson, Danger! :caution:
 
SamSt1 said:
Just want to make it clear that I agree MD & DO = identical care. Your opinion is quite clear, and it's actually what I was hoping for. But I am definitely going to make sure I ask around physicians and see what their input is. Thanks
Click to expand...

Ask physicians for sure, but I think you will find that the DO stigma or letters behind the name crisis really, REALLLY dies outside of SDN/pre meds. Most doctors probably think of themselves as physicians ... not MDs or DOs.
 
SamSt1 said:
which is exactly why, unfortunately, from my experience, many people will elect to see an MD over a DO.
Click to expand...

:laugh: And if I had to make a decision on what type of medicine I want to practice for the rest of my life, I would certainly ask a premed for his experiences and opinions .:laugh:


SamSt1 said:
every person I know shops around for their physician.
Click to expand...

Doesn't happen kiddo. If you need a cardiologist, you ask your PMD for a referral. In fact, many insurance plans actually require you to get a referral from your primary care physician rather than seeing a specialist directly on your own.

No doctor, MD or DO, has a lack of patients.
 
I had to get a physical for school.

I went to a DO.

I waited nearly an hour to see him.

His business seemed steady. (He seemed slow at getting patients all checked out).

I'm an MS1, and waiting in the waiting room I heard people discussing Osteopathic medicine. about 3 of the 4 or 5 people there were seeing this guy for 15+ years. The one guy was telling his kid how he used to go to him back when he was his kids age. and 'those osteopaths are the way to go'

I didn't say a thing about being in DO school, I just wanted to quietly observe the general public.

I was pleasantly surprised.

I hope that helped your Question

PS in my healthcare provider insurance book, for most PCPs, there are more DOs in that book then MDs (granted I live in an area with a higher percentage of DOs I think, but its just some food for thought.)
 
DannMann99 said:
I had to get a physical for school.

I went to a DO.

I waited nearly an hour to see him.

His business seemed steady. (He seemed slow at getting patients all checked out).

I'm an MS1, and waiting in the waiting room I heard people discussing Osteopathic medicine. about 3 of the 4 or 5 people there were seeing this guy for 15+ years. The one guy was telling his kid how he used to go to him back when he was his kids age. and 'those osteopaths are the way to go'

I didn't say a thing about being in DO school, I just wanted to quietly observe the general public.

I was pleasantly surprised.

I hope that helped your Question

PS in my healthcare provider insurance book, for most PCPs, there are more DOs in that book then MDs (granted I live in an area with a higher percentage of DOs I think, but its just some food for thought.)
Click to expand...

do you mind if i ask what general area you live in?
 
DannMann99 said:
I had to get a physical for school.

I went to a DO.

I waited nearly an hour to see him.

His business seemed steady. (He seemed slow at getting patients all checked out).

I'm an MS1, and waiting in the waiting room I heard people discussing Osteopathic medicine. about 3 of the 4 or 5 people there were seeing this guy for 15+ years. The one guy was telling his kid how he used to go to him back when he was his kids age. and 'those osteopaths are the way to go'

I didn't say a thing about being in DO school, I just wanted to quietly observe the general public.

I was pleasantly surprised.

I hope that helped your Question

PS in my healthcare provider insurance book, for most PCPs, there are more DOs in that book then MDs (granted I live in an area with a higher percentage of DOs I think, but its just some food for thought.)
Click to expand...

thats really great to hear! thanks a lot man!
 
Sure.

I live in Pennsylvania, more specifically Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Poconos.

I've been working in EMS for a while around here also for another story, and have since seen 2 ER docs who I noticed had DO stitched into their scrubs/coats at the local hospital (fairly big hospital, serves all of our county and a few surrounding counties, its a level 2 tho)

But yea. I have aetna healthcare, for my area there are alot of DOs nearby that are PCPs (didnt look at specialists). And at that, I had to wait about 2-3 weeks to even see him! (I was alittle picky with my appt though.)

Not all things are rosy though. I remember being in undergrad and needing a physical to transfer to a new school. Was talking with my mom about it, and she said something like 'alot of these people have DO behind their name instead of MD, whats a DO?'

my response to her: 'probably someone who couldn't get into med school like a PA or something, I dont want to see a DO'

It's sad, but really I do imagine there being alot of people out there like me :( I think the AOA needs some kind of ad campaign. I want to see a DO on greys anat, or House damnit!
 
This is mostly an issue for PCPs since this is the physician most people will choose first when they get the catalogue from their insurance company, whereas visits to specialists tend to be arranged by referral. Since patients will see a PCP on an ongoing basis they want to select someone who's going to be the right fit for them. Unfortunately, selecting a PCP from a catalogue of 800 names is not usually done with the most scientific criteria in mind. People will generally have a preference for sex/ethnicity/age/schooling/degree. They will pick a physician by name based on these search parameters, even though this obviously doesn't tell you much about the quality of care they will receive. I know that one day someone will be looking through that catalogue and will not select my name because I'm a woman or because I have a foreign name or because I'm a DO. Conversely, there might be other people who will select me because I am a woman and a DO. Patient bias is something every physician will have to deal with to some extent. If you become a DO it's safe to say that some patients will avoid you because of it and some patients will seek you out because of it. Since I haven't heard of any starving DOs, I think it's safe to say there's enough of the latter to keep the electricity on in the practice.

There are various factors to consider when deciding between Caribbean and DO (which are discussed extensively on SDN), in the end you need to go where you are going to be happy, whether that be on an island earning an MD or in the US earning a DO. Four years from now both choices are going to lead to the same place. Good luck!
 
who cares what anyone else thinks as long as you are happy with your choice
 
GreenShirt said:
This is mostly an issue for PCPs since this is the physician most people will choose first when they get the catalogue from their insurance company, whereas visits to specialists tend to be arranged by referral. Since patients will see a PCP on an ongoing basis they want to select someone who's going to be the right fit for them. Unfortunately, selecting a PCP from a catalogue of 800 names is not usually done with the most scientific criteria in mind. People will generally have a preference for sex/ethnicity/age/schooling/degree. They will pick a physician by name based on these search parameters, even though this obviously doesn't tell you much about the quality of care they will receive. I know that one day someone will be looking through that catalogue and will not select my name because I'm a woman or because I have a foreign name or because I'm a DO. Conversely, there might be other people who will select me because I am a woman and a DO. Patient bias is something every physician will have to deal with to some extent. If you become a DO it's safe to say that some patients will avoid you because of it and some patients will seek you out because of it. Since I haven't heard of any starving DOs, I think it's safe to say there's enough of the latter to keep the electricity on in the practice.

There are various factors to consider when deciding between Caribbean and DO (which are discussed extensively on SDN), in the end you need to go where you are going to be happy, whether that be on an island earning an MD or in the US earning a DO. Four years from now both choices are going to lead to the same place. Good luck!
Click to expand...


That is really fantastic insight. Thanks for your input! Good luck to you as well!
 
You guys are silly. If you want respect from the public, you should just wear a labcoat, and dispense medical advice while manning the cashier at your local Vitamin+Natural Supplement store.

If you want to be respected as a dermatologist, why go MD/DO when you can put on a white coat, stand around the perfume counter of a department store, and dispense advice on how to get rid of those various rashes
 
group_theory said:
You guys are silly. If you want respect from the public, you should just wear a labcoat, and dispense medical advice while manning the cashier at your local Vitamin+Natural Supplement store.

If you want to be respected as a dermatologist, why go MD/DO when you can put on a white coat, stand around the perfume counter of a department store, and dispense advice on how to get rid of those various rashes
Click to expand...

I'm sorry if you've misunderstood my posts- or took them the wrong way. In no way was it meant to be just about getting respect from the public. I really have just been interested in how the majority of patients decide in choosing between medical professionals, and how if effects medical practices, and whether or not there even is a difference.
 
Tired said:
Peer reviewed journals, medical schools, and the AOA don't meet your criteria?
Click to expand...

Not if their article is from 1988. In osteopathic years, that's ancient history. We might as well be talking about people's perceptions of Galen.
 
Short answer to the OP:

Your actual practice isn't going to be affected by where you went for school- MD, DO, carribean MD. However getting there is a different story.
 
In my town, there are roughly the same amount of DO's as MD's accepting new patients. My primary care doc is a DO, as is my grandparents' (different doctor). The hospital here has mostly MD's, though at least one DO in nearly every department. From what I remember on the list, of the MD's, two graduated from St. George's, a few graduated from other foreign medical schools and the rest were US.

So from a random town and random hospital, most doctors here are MDs, though for primary care, it's about even and no one seems to prefer MDs over DOs or vice versa. As many people have said, the two letters most people care about are 'Dr' rather than whichever two come after your name. All of the doctors appear to be just as busy and just as successful.
 
Tired said:
Were the 2003 and 2007 papers too old as well?
Click to expand...

I glanced over the phone survey from 2003 and their method seems a little ambiguous. What exactly qualifies as "aware". If you ask someone they may say they are aware even though they really think it is a chiropractor.
 
Tired said:
Were the 2003 and 2007 papers too old as well?
Click to expand...

Nope, they're much better.
I'm pained to see such research. Asking the general public if they know what a DO is, or what their perceptions of a DO are, the results wouldn't be a surprise to me. If college students can't even locate a country that's been in the news every single day since March 2003, I have no doubt people know nothing about DOs--which aside from those Hydroxy Cut commercials--show up in the media even less. I'm amazed we actually have studies that tell us this.
 
I have 2 MDs in my family. Both are my uncles(my father's brothers). One is a critical care neurologist and teaches at Loma Linda and the other is a lung doctor. They are both GREAT doctors and I admire them....but I want to be a DO. They respect my decision and only have good things to say about it.
 
SamSt1 said:
I'm sorry if you've misunderstood my posts- or took them the wrong way. In no way was it meant to be just about getting respect from the public. I really have just been interested in how the majority of patients decide in choosing between medical professionals, and how if effects medical practices, and whether or not there even is a difference.
Click to expand...

think of it this way, logically if there was discrimination against Dos in the general patient population, then the number of applicants to Do schools should have decreased over the last few years, because we assume that no one would want to have $200,000 dollars in debt and end up not making much money (the job outlook is not good if not many patients come to see you or trust you). With that said, there has been a striking increase in the number of applicants to the DO schools over the last few years (the tuition has also been increasing for some osteopathic schools). This means that probably the job outlook as an osteopathic physician is very good.
 
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