To all DO anesthesiologists who are AOA board certified

[Dejavu]

I'd higher you. You're skills sound hire than most. I don't want my new highers doing livers or taking care of sick patients anyway, those cases are too fancy. You can turn a room over? Done. Highered.

Well played, sir.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Dejavu]

I'm in a DO residency now and the graduates form our system haven't had any difficulties obtaining good jobs in good locations (last 2 are now in LA and Vegas). After speaking with a lot of attendings they have informed me that the DO residencies do a terrific job of teaching how to be a proficient provider since our case load is high (our facility each resident does about 1200 cases a year). In general we train at smaller community hospitals where turnover is key so we learn to be fast and efficient to allow the day to continue at a solid pace. We're able to run our rooms without needing to set up multiple drips and lines (unless the case deems that necessary). From what I've heard from highering practices, they like DO residents because they can handle thier own and they don't slow anybody down with turnover. That being said, we don't get a lot of the fancier more dramatic cases that you'll see at a large university facility, but then again, you'll have to work a facility like that post-grad to see those cases again. I'd say if you want to do anesthesia at a facility other than at a level 1-2 trauma center DO is just fine. If you want to do transplants and larger more risky, rare procedures than MD is the way to go. Personal story, my bro is a DO trained at Case Western. His group just highered an MD from Mayo who struggles with lap chole cases. Why,she didn't see a lot of that in residency. Give her a liver transplant and she kills it. Things to consider. Either way DOs have boards too and its not like those count for nothing. Board certified is board certified.

I am an attending at said Mayo, and I call BS on the part about the lap chole. I know better.

 

[jade002002]

AOA match isnt till Feb 11th

 

[rage_of_halone]

so... as a D.O. student who is interested in anesthesiology and up until now has basically heard "go ACGME or go home," any new thoughts regarding AOA-trained anesthesiologists and the job market?

 

[MaximusD]

I think the most pointed and relevant question to ask right now is will the DO residencies survive the oncoming ACGME accreditation process...?

 

[Colbare]

As a DO applicant this year I decided against any AOA residencies early on from advice by upperclassmen. One was told by family member anesthesiologists they wouldn't have hired him without having completed an ACGME residency. They tell him this after he matched ACGME. If you have the Step 1 scores then the choice is obvious unless there is some red flag on your application.

The only updates now are that those less qualified programs will probably disappear once they have to meet ACGME guidelines unless they find new funding. I think the best 2-3 AOA programs wouldn't be a bad alternative to straight ACGME match because they're likely to survive and improve with new accreditation.