This might be old news to you, but I found this interesting

[angelic02]

I didn't know that osteopathic physicians outside of the United States and Canada were only allowed to practice osteopathy without drugs and surgery. Oh, well, I'm just expressing my wonders at the most trivial things in the world. Don't answer this.
I also didn't know that osteopaths in the UK and Australia have several different degree/certificate plans to lead to osteo. graduation.

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[San_Juan_Sun]

Sorry, that info isn't very accurate. Do a search for threads that have discussed this issue more in depth. Those threads have links to more reliable, nation by nation info.

 

[angelic02]

Actually, I went to the websites of the schools themselves.

 

[San_Juan_Sun]

I've never seen anything like that on any DO school's website. Care to cite some examples? I'd really be interested to see that.

BTW, have you had the chance to do a search like I suggested? Having lived in two countries (other than the US) I grateful that I'd be able to practice elsewhere as an osteopath.

 

[tuesday]

i'm interested in medical missions. the limitations of DOs vary from country to country. here's a good link. i hope it works!

http://www.studentdo.com/programs/international%20health/international%20health%20country%20summary.html

 

[drusso]

Tuesday has it right. International practice rights for US-trained vary on a country-by-country basis. Most do allow unlimited scope of practice to US-trained DO's.

 

[jhug]

super site tuesday! that should put all questions to rest.

 

[maysqrd]

In a recent pre-health club meeting at my school, the club president announced that he wasn't interested in a DO degree because "DO's are looked upon in most countries as less than a nurse. And, you can't practice medicine in South America as a DO." I personally took great offense to this and have been searching for a reference to send to the group email. THANK YOU Tuesday!! You just gave me the citation that I needed to prove this person wrong and that his comments are biased and unsubstantiated!!

 

[Nic_machiavelli]

Originally posted by maysqrd
In a recent pre-health club meeting at my school, the club president announced that he wasn't interested in a DO degree because "DO's are looked upon in most countries as less than a nurse. And, you can't practice medicine in South America as a DO." I personally took great offense to this and have been searching for a reference to send to the group email. THANK YOU Tuesday!! You just gave me the citation that I needed to prove this person wrong and that his comments are biased and unsubstantiated!!

What an dingus. I've been to 3rd World Countries and you're looked upon as a "Doctor" if you can treat a stomach ache with "bromo" antacid - that is if you can show kindness and respect for your "patient" while doing so. This pre-health club ***** had better stick to MD school - and hopefully away from patients.

If you are a DO candidate, contact a DO to shadow him/her now. Screw that club; it's wasting your time.

 

[maysqrd]

Yes Nic, he is a jerk. I've actually already been accepted to an osteopathic school and am very excited. This guy actually got up and said that AFTER the club advisor had announced and congratulated me for being accepted. Needless to say many intelligent student already know that he is full of s--- but I wanted to be able to send out a specific citation instead of just rambling as if I knew everything on the planet and make the same mistake he did by not having any evidence to back up my position. I just hate seeing young freshmans and sophmores actually listening to this jerk and not getting the full story. That is why I emailed the link to everyone at my school. It definately got attention.

 

[DOSouthpaw]

I have been to a few 3rd world countries and this is what's going on.

As far as practice rights go, there are occasions where MD's can get licensed to practice and DO's cannot, but guess what, just because MD's have access to a license, it doesn't mean they will get one. These countries already have a premium on jobs, so why would they give them to us as US citizens? It's really not a DO vs MD thing, but rather a "please don't come and take our jobs" kind of thing.

Next, if you want to come and set up shop and practice medicine in a 3rd world country for free or as a missionary and get paid by some group in the US, I don't care what kind of degree you have, MD, DO, RN, PA, whatever, if you have access to some aspirin, you will be the doc on the block.

Point is, if you want to help people, you can. If you want to move there and expect the people who live there, or their government to pay you, good luck no matter what kind of degree you have.

 

[Dr JPH]

Originally posted by DOSouthpaw
It's really not a DO vs MD thing, but rather a "please don't come and take our jobs" kind of thing.

Good point...most people are unaware of this fact.

People don't realize that just because another country recognizes the degree that you can just move there and set up shop. It takes a great deal of paperwork and legal issues.

This goes for DOs and MDs.

 

[maysqrd]

For that matter, the US is turning away foreign medical students applying for residency and even sending some residents back to their countries that had originally gained approval because of 9/11. This was reported to me during my interview at TUCOM and so not even our own country is giving up our "jobs" to non-citizens. If you are a US citizen and are considering applying to a foreign medical school, you may want to rethink it and just keep applying to US schools until you get in. Even if it takes 2-3 years.