Thoughts on MDO and MDA.

[beBrave]

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This is the worst Idea I have ever seen argued. It's bad enough that people are confused with DO, messing with MD would cause way more headaches or even chaos. Just leave it alone, move on and focus on patient care.

 

[babdoc]

No problem. I certainly hope it doesn't affect us... but then the census can't predict what will happen to the population after a zombie apocalypse or if North Korea decides to get a little "frisky."

GIFSoup

 

[Ost3oclast]

This is the worst Idea I have ever seen argued. It's bad enough that people are confused with DO, messing with MD would cause way more headaches or even chaos. Just leave it alone, move on and focus on patient care.

This.

 

[TriagePreMed]

I hope this a joke? Nobody can actually believe that MD's and MD schools would change their license and and degrees to MDA?

The only reason there could ever be to change DO to MDO or some variation of it is to differentiate from the non-medically trained European and Australian osteopaths. Otherwise, it's a massive waste of time. Very few people in practice actually encounter problems with patients due to their DO initials, and even if it bothers you so much, just stitch "Dr. Name LastName" to your coat instead of "Name LastName, DO."

 

[DrZed]

Hmm, fair points were made all around. I kind of see more now why DOs don't want the name change, and why getting the MDs to change theirs wouldn't work either.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Hmm, fair points were made all around. I kind of see more now why DOs don't want the name change, and why getting the MDs to change theirs wouldn't work either.

How can it work? The MD degree has a long history and worldwide recognition. Why in the world would the entire US (perhaps worldwide?) MD community want to change their name, spend money re-stitching coats, buying new cards, making press releases, etc. because a subset of osteopaths may think that looks better?

Also, the majority of DO don't want to or care to change their degree because they either a) have some pride in it, and b) they don't find any necessary reason to do so. I certainly wouldn't want a degree change unless it's to differentiate from non-medically trained osteopaths. If I wanted an allopathic degree that badly, I could just head to the caribbean or another foreign country. I'll be grateful for the opportunity to learn medicine in the US under the osteopathic tradition.

 

[DrZed]

How can it work? The MD degree has a long history and worldwide recognition. Why in the world would the entire US (perhaps worldwide?) MD community want to change their name, spend money re-stitching coats, buying new cards, making press releases, etc. because a subset of osteopaths may think that looks better?

Also, the majority of DO don't want to or care to change their degree because they either a) have some pride in it, and b) they don't find any necessary reason to do so. I certainly wouldn't want a degree change unless it's to differentiate from non-medically trained osteopaths. If I wanted an allopathic degree that badly, I could just head to the caribbean or another foreign country. I'll be grateful for the opportunity to learn medicine in the US under the osteopathic tradition.

Agreed.

 

[River Rat]

this has got to be the ridiculous thing that i have ever heard suggested. we as a whole are largely irrelevant to how "allopaths" operate, they would die laughing if such a thing was proposed. case in point, they don't even refer to themselves as "allopaths", as it was originally a derogatory term. it'd be nice if some of us could follow their lead and take a page out of their book and just start identifying ourselves as "doctors" and not turn this whole thing into a d*** measuring contest. Honestly, are we going to feel happier now that we're MDO's and they're MDA's? The difference is still there, even though we're essentially the same entity nowadays. We all learn out of the same books. There's nothing revolutionary about "osteopathy." be confident in what you do, whatever you choose to do. its an enormous waste of time to pay any attention to a) what other people think of you, b) two letters that mean absolutely nothing more than what it means to you.

 

[NYDOC112]

How can it work? The MD degree has a long history and worldwide recognition. Why in the world would the entire US (perhaps worldwide?) MD community want to change their name, spend money re-stitching coats, buying new cards, making press releases, etc. because a subset of osteopaths may think that looks better?

Also, the majority of DO don't want to or care to change their degree because they either a) have some pride in it, and b) they don't find any necessary reason to do so. I certainly wouldn't want a degree change unless it's to differentiate from non-medically trained osteopaths. If I wanted an allopathic degree that badly, I could just head to the caribbean or another foreign country. I'll be grateful for the opportunity to learn medicine in the US under the osteopathic tradition.

I agree with most of your statement. Just want to point out the majority of the world does not use the MD degree. For instance in the UK the MD degree is a research degree similar to the PhD here. Many countries use either MBBS, or BM, Bch, BAO, MUDr etc...