Student thinking about D.O school

[sopear]

Hello, I just recently graduated with my Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science and have had a growing interest in more functional medicine. I am wondering what resources people may have used or would be nice to hear from students in Osteopath school to hear about experiences/advice. I will have to take some pre-req courses such as chemistry and physics before I even would take tests to get into medical school. What advice to people have as a good place to begin this path?
Thanks!

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[yanks26dmb]

Define (for yourself) what you mean by functional medicine. Why do you want to go to medical school? Why not PT school?

 

[Goro]

Read this book:
Med School Rx: Getting In, Getting Through, and Getting On with Doctoring Original Edition
by Walter Hartwig
ISBN-13: 978-1607140627
ISBN-10: 1607140624

 

[sopear]

Define (for yourself) what you mean by functional medicine. Why do you want to go to medical school? Why not PT school?

Functional Medicine as in more of a holistic approach to treating disease, etc. I have had many of my health issues of my own and have not received some improvement in answers until I have started to see integrative doctors. Right now I work at a natural supplement store where we carry professional line supplements - we have a few natural path's who practice in the store. I am very passionate about how nutrition affects the body as well, and know diet is a very elemental part in treating symptoms. I've considered PT school, but also know my interests go beyond just helping people changing their lives with just physical changes.

 

[Nietzsche's Barber]

Functional Medicine as in more of a holistic approach to treating disease, etc. I have had many of my health issues of my own and have not received some improvement in answers until I have started to see integrative doctors. Right now I work at a natural supplement store where we carry professional line supplements - we have a few natural path's who practice in the store. I am very passionate about how nutrition affects the body as well, and know diet is a very elemental part in treating symptoms. I've considered PT school, but also know my interests go beyond just helping people changing their lives with just physical changes.

1. If you want to do naturopathic medicine, stay away from MD/DO. MD/DO's are based in science.
2. The holistic 'viewpoint' that DO schools proclaim to have can be found at MD schools.
3. MD schools are also focusing more on nutrition (although, some schools are still severely lacking in this department). If you were to study nutrition in an academic center, however, the work you do at a supplement store would be harshly criticized, if not laughed at.

 

[yanks26dmb]

I would not talk about naturopathic or homeopathic medicine in my personal statement. But that's just me.

 

[Shotapp]

For future reference, refrain from using mambo jumbo words like holistic or functional whatever to any adcom because it really sounds toolish (not a word but you know what I mean) Take this with a big bag of salt as I am not a medical student yet

 

[sopear]

1. If you want to do naturopathic medicine, stay away from MD/DO. MD/DO's are based in science.
2. The holistic 'viewpoint' that DO schools proclaim to have can be found at MD schools.
3. MD schools are also focusing more on nutrition (although, some schools are still severely lacking in this department). If you were to study nutrition in an academic center, however, the work you do at a supplement store would be harshly criticized, if not laughed at.

Because we have a naturopath who practices where I am at, we carry lines that physicians prescribe - it is not closely aligned with GNC or Vitamin Shoppe in the least.

Are you yourself an MD or DO? What made you choose the path you are in?

 

[Nietzsche's Barber]

Because we have a naturopath who practices where I am at, we carry lines that physicians prescribe - it is not closely aligned with GNC or Vitamin Shoppe in the least.

Are you yourself an MD or DO? What made you choose the path you are in?

I am a MD student. Why I chose medicine? Several personal reasons...but some other reasons include my love of people, philosophy, ethics, and most importantly, my passion for serving those who are less fortunate than myself (as several social injustices truly bother me).

 

[sopear]

What made you choose MD versus DO?

 

[Nietzsche's Barber]

Better opportunities, rotations, specialty placement, cost, and name recognition in terms of both school and degree (I'd be lying if I didn't mention this).

If you have the opportunity to go MD over DO, you should do that. However, pursuing DO still allows you to fulfill your dream of helping others as a physician.

 

[yanks26dmb]

Because we have a naturopath who practices where I am at, we carry lines that physicians prescribe - it is not closely aligned with GNC or Vitamin Shoppe in the least.

Are you yourself an MD or DO? What made you choose the path you are in?

Just because a physician does or says something, doesn't mean it's good. I know physicians who are anti-vax. Being a physician and being an idiot aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.

 

[Nietzsche's Barber]

Just because a physician does or says something, doesn't mean it's good. I know physicians who are anti-vax. Being a physician and being an idiot aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.

Hahaha! I really like you.

I remember when I first became interested in medicine, one of the first doctors I shadowed told me, many times, that "just because you are a doctor does not, IN ANY WAY, mean that you are smart".

 

[Doctor or bust]

You shouldn't be able to be a doctor if you think that vaccines cause autism. If you are using science every day but only believe in some of it you aren't really doing your job. Opinions on a topic mean little in the face of empirical evidence.