Super-Official Caribb's vs DO

[UCLAreject]

What's up people? If you had to decide between going to the Caribbean or going the DO route, which would it be? I have a friend that is deciding between the two and I am not that familiar with either to be of much help. Thanks and good-luck to all those (like me) not accepted anywhere.

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[Phil Anthropist]

Whether or not it's your intent, by the end of this page you could very well have hearsay (Caribbean students can only go into primary care!), ridiculous anomalies that are stated as generalizations (I knew this Caribbean grad who matched ortho at an Ivy League and another guy who matched derm!!!), and best of all PISS WARS (you're a DO 'cause you weren't smart enough to get into an MD school! Yeah?! Well I hope you like hurricanes!!!)!!! YES!!!

If somehow it doesn't generate into a useless MD vs. DO war, I'll consider throwing in my two pennies.

 

[OSUdoc08]

What's up people? If you had to decide between going to the Caribbean or going the DO route, which would it be? I have a friend that is deciding between the two and I am not that familiar with either to be of much help. Thanks and good-luck to all those (like me) not accepted anywhere.

This topic has been discussed ad nauseum and can be found by doing a search of past posts.

DO's & MD's can be accepted into any ACGME residency and DO's can also apply for AOA residencies. Upon completion, both DO's and MD's can be easily licensed in any state. Foreign MD's are limited to ACGME residencies, and must compete with domestic DO's and MD's. Foreign MD's are at a known disadvantage in application to the residencies, even over DO applications. In addition, it is sometimes difficult to achieve licensure in certain states.

Also, note that MD's and DO's have high pass rates on their respective boards, and DO's have a much higher pass rate on the MD boards than do foreign medical graduates.

There is no need to begin an argument about this topic however, as these are objective facts that can be easily confirmed.

 

[dr.z]

Well, I think it depends on where your friend wants to be for next 4 years. You'll come out to be physician in the end, and it also depends whether your friend cares for M.D. or D.O. behind their name.

I'll most likely be attending D.O. school (yes I didn't get into allopathic school yet and I probably won't), but I chose not to goto Carribean or any other medical school outside of U.S. I have been told by my pre-med advisor and numerous physicians that it would be difficult for me to come back to U.S. to practice, and I didn't want to deal with that. I know there are many foreign trained physicians practicing at prestigious institutions as well, and I believe it depends on them rather than the degree or where the degree is from.

So my message to OP is to go where you really want to go, and work hard. Our ultimate goal should be the same (to provide best care possible for those in need).

 

[OnMyWayThere]

It's personal preference of what's more important to him/her/you... that's it. They have their significant differences. Learn OMM for 2 years and get tested on it on boards, even in the Physical Exam portion of 4th year? Much easier if you believe in it... Move out of the country? Etc. I'm sure he/she/you know the differences... so it's whats preferable to said student.. Now let's see how long this thread lasts before the mods close it.

 

[Phil Anthropist]

This topic has been discussed ad nauseum and can be found by doing a search of past posts.

DO's & MD's can be accepted into any ACGME residency and DO's can also apply for AOA residencies. Upon completion, both DO's and MD's can be easily licensed in any state. Foreign MD's are limited to ACGME residencies, and must compete with domestic DO's and MD's.

This may come across as misleading because this is true for ALL MDs, not just foreign ones. For clarification, US MDs can't go for AOA residencies either. If you're implying that Foreign MDs are at a lower priority than US MDs and US DOs, that's probably reasonable.

Foreign MD's are at a known disadvantage in application to the residencies, even over DO applications. In addition, it is sometimes difficult to achieve licensure in certain states.

These states typically include Texas, New York, and California.

Also, not that MD's and DO's have high pass rates on their respective boards, and DO's have a much higher pass rate on the MD boards than do foreign medical graduates.

The world of foreign medical education is vast. At some foreign schools, the pass rate for foreign medical students is higher than 75% which is above the passing rate for US DOs (~72%). But OVERALL, DOs kill the foreign first-time USMLE Step 1 pass rate for foreign medical students collectively (somewhere around 40-50% if I remember correctly).

There is no need to begin an argument about this topic however, as these are objective facts that can be easily confirmed.

The sad part is that many arguments on this topic are not objective at all. However, I'll concede that this topic has been discussed ad nauseam. The hard part is finding which information is accurate.

 

[Phil Anthropist]

Well, I think it depends on where your friend wants to be for next 4 years. You'll come out to be physician in the end, and it also depends whether your friend cares for M.D. or D.O. behind their name.

This may be somewhat misleading because the major Caribbean medical students do their clinicals (3rd and 4th years) in the US.

I'll most likely be attending D.O. school (yes I didn't get into allopathic school yet and I probably won't), but I chose not to goto Carribean or any other medical school outside of U.S. I have been told by my pre-med advisor and numerous physicians that it would be difficult for me to come back to U.S. to practice, and I didn't want to deal with that.

Congrats (I'm assuming) on your DO acceptances! Your pre-med advisor is somewhat misinformed. The students who pass their boards and get decent grades at the major Caribbean schools get US residencies without too much trouble. Whether they get the residencies they want is another issue...

I know there are many foreign trained physicians practicing at prestigious institutions as well, and I believe it depends on them rather than the degree or where the degree is from.

Well said. Also, the residency is what's really going to count...

So my message to OP is to go where you really want to go, and work hard. Our ultimate goal should be the same (to provide best care possible for those in need).

Agreed.

Now let's see how long this thread lasts before the mods close it.

 

[musiclink213]

me personally, i would go DO simply because i don't care about the letters after my name, and i wouldn't be able to deal with the potential of hurricanes and whatnot. i like having 4 seasons. so don't forget, location may also play a role in the decision.

 

[calisurfdoc]

I've personally be struggling w/ this decision for awhile as well, but what has helped me made the decision actually comes from three different physicians, a DO from Western, a MD from Ross, and a MD from SGU. I've spoken to all three recently to ask them if they had only the options of the three schools which one they would choose and unamiously, they all chose Western or any DO school. Their logic basically came down to three main factors, $$$, third-world vs. comforts of the US, and residency! Additionally, they all told me that the stigmas about DO have definately been diminished over the year and if I even had time to care about two little letters than I shouldn't become a physician. that's my two cents.

 

[Code Brown]

I've personally be struggling w/ this decision for awhile as well, but what has helped me made the decision actually comes from three different physicians, a DO from Western, a MD from Ross, and a MD from SGU. I've spoken to all three recently to ask them if they had only the options of the three schools which one they would choose and unamiously, they all chose Western or any DO school. Their logic basically came down to three main factors, $$$, third-world vs. comforts of the US, and residency! Additionally, they all told me that the stigmas about DO have definately been diminished over the year and if I even had time to care about two little letters than I shouldn't become a physician. that's my two cents.

I agree with the approach here. Ask the people in the field what they think, as all of us "experts" here on SDN don't always have all the answers .

 

[TexPre-Med]

TCOM tuition is $7500. Carib schools start around $25000 I believe. My choice = D.O.

 

[frank51]

TCOM tuition is $7500. Carib schools start around $25000 I believe. My choice = D.O.

Getting accepted to TCOM is almost just as difficult as getting accepted to most of the MD schools in Texas. I believe that their average GPA is ~3.6, MCAT 27.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Getting accepted to TCOM is almost just as difficult as getting accepted to most of the MD schools in Texas. I believe that their average GPA is ~3.6, MCAT 27.

Except for last year, when it went up to 3.7 and 28.

By the way, I interviewed at Baylor College of Medicine last year.

TCOM didn't give me the time of day.

 

[virilep]

just out of curiosity... what's the deal with the "super-official" i mean... c'mon ps. I'd go DO. only because of the third world and the money issues. I've also talked to residents now and they say that their DO counterparts know the same info, if not more of OMM.