"Top Tier" DO Schools

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Runzhouse

New Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2006
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
sorry guys but I am still kinda new to osteopathic medicine and I was wondering if there are "top-tier" Programs and more low-tier programs...I know the allopathic schools have their harvards and UPenns and was wondering if the osteopathic schools had the same type of distinction...I know the more established schools are probably better than the newer schools but I just wanted to see what ppl's opinions were...I have heard a lot about PCom and DMU along with others...
 
Unfortunately threads like these usually get ugly quickly. Try doing a search w/ such words as best, top, etc and osteopathic or DO in it and you'll come up w/ many threads on this exact topic. You can also try just looking through the last several pages of posts on this forum as this topic comes up frequently. You can gather info much quicker that way too....ie each thread on this topic will only have a handful of useful posts as most dissolve into pissing contests b/w people at different schools.
 
Pretty much any school you go to will be in the Top 25

wow...i didnt know that...lol:laugh: ....I know that people will be biased based on which schools they have been accepted to or actually matriculate but I was just wondering if there was some consensus on the top programs...I think everyone knows the rep of schools like harvard or UWash even though they matriculate elsewhere and being new to the osteopathic world I just wasnt sure if this was the same...maybe not as much?
 
Well, one of the distinctions that allo schools will have their 'top 25' is that they typically have higher MCAT/GPA scores...so you can gauge the 'tiers' of osteo schools by the same benchmark. Do a search and find out which schools have the highest MCAT scores and the like. Bear in mind that the Harvards and Johns Hopkins of the allopathic schools are there because of research, not so much because of their medical education. DO schools tend to be not so research based, so I find the 'top tier' moniker useless in that sense.

However, rule of thumb is that the older, more established schools will probably have the bigger reputations, which makes sense since they've been around long enough for more people to know them. If you want to be assured of a well known school, go to the more established one.
 
Oldest schools = PCOM, CCOM, ATSU...(how old is DMU?)


Well, one of the distinctions that allo schools will have their 'top 25' is that they typically have higher MCAT/GPA scores...so you can gauge the 'tiers' of osteo schools by the same benchmark. Do a search and find out which schools have the highest MCAT scores and the like. Bear in mind that the Harvards and Johns Hopkins of the allopathic schools are there because of research, not so much because of their medical education. DO schools tend to be not so research based, so I find the 'top tier' moniker useless in that sense.

However, rule of thumb is that the older, more established schools will probably have the bigger reputations, which makes sense since they've been around long enough for more people to know them. If you want to be assured of a well known school, go to the more established one.
 
Here's the correct listing:

KCOM 1892
DMUCOM 1898
PCOM 1899
CCOM 1900
KCUMB 1916
 
Here's the correct listing:

KCOM 1892
DMUCOM 1898
PCOM 1899
CCOM 1900
KCUMB 1916

good thing they never asked the on an exam. This is also the list that survived the flexner report that closed almost every medical school in the country (allopathic and osteopathic). toomany diploma mills
 
I dont see what the issue is here? DMU is obviously #1 in all aspects on how you rank medical schools except for price, its about average there.
 
I dont see what the issue is here? DMU is obviously #1 in all aspects on how you rank medical schools except for price, its about average there.
And they have JBone. :laugh:

Sorry...it's like a Monty Python album.....I just have to say it.
 
good thing they never asked the on an exam. This is also the list that survived the flexner report that closed almost every medical school in the country (allopathic and osteopathic). toomany diploma mills

Hey, thanks for bringing this up. I pride myself on my familiarity with medical history and yet I totally missed this somehow. It seems major, I wonder how I ever missed it. 😕
 
1874 - AT Still M.D. describes Osteopathy
1892 - American School of Osteopathy (Kirksville) began
1894 - First DO class graduated
1896 - State of Vermont is first to recognize Osteopathy
1898 - PCOM Founded
1900 - CCO founded by J Littlejohn M.D., D.O. Later becomes CCOM in 1970
1905 - DMU founded
1916 - Kansas City College founded
1955 - Illinois Supreme Court recognized D.O.s as equal to M.D.s
1966 - Michigan State and Texas Founded
1970 - Allopathic postdoc training opens to D.O.s

just FYI

Oh yea... 1955 - Fred Mitchell Sr. introduces Muscle Energy and gives first instruction in 1970
👍
 
1874 - AT Still M.D. describes Osteopathy
1892 - American School of Osteopathy (Kirksville) began
1894 - First DO class graduated
1896 - State of Vermont is first to recognize Osteopathy
1898 - PCOM Founded
1900 - CCO founded by J Littlejohn M.D., D.O. Later becomes CCOM in 1970
1905 - DMU founded
1916 - Kansas City College founded
1955 - Illinois Supreme Court recognized D.O.s as equal to M.D.s
1966 - Michigan State and Texas Founded
1970 - Allopathic postdoc training opens to D.O.s

just FYI

Oh yea... 1955 - Fred Mitchell Sr. introduces Muscle Energy and gives first instruction in 1970
👍


sorry, DMU was incorporated in 1898
 
1874 - AT Still M.D. describes Osteopathy
1892 - American School of Osteopathy (Kirksville) began
1894 - First DO class graduated
1896 - State of Vermont is first to recognize Osteopathy
1898 - PCOM Founded
1900 - CCO founded by J Littlejohn M.D., D.O. Later becomes CCOM in 1970
1905 - DMU founded
1916 - Kansas City College founded
1955 - Illinois Supreme Court recognized D.O.s as equal to M.D.s
1966 - Michigan State and Texas Founded
1970 - Allopathic postdoc training opens to D.O.s

just FYI

Oh yea... 1955 - Fred Mitchell Sr. introduces Muscle Energy and gives first instruction in 1970
👍


Not sure where you got that, but it's not exactly correct.
 
Thats what CCOM teaches us... says right here in our lab manual

CCOM is the best so I am obviously correct.
 
sorry, DMU was incorporated in 1898

Not technically, although they may claim it. The Southern School of Osteopathy, Franklin, KY. was founded in 1898. It consolidated with Still College of Osteopathy, which was founded in 1905. The name was changed to Des Moines Still College of Osteopathy in 1911, but there was no college of osteopathic medicine in Des Moines from 1898 to 1905.
 
Not technically, although they may claim it. The Southern School of Osteopathy, Franklin, KY. was founded in 1898. It consolidated with Still College of Osteopathy, which was founded in 1905. The name was changed to Des Moines Still College of Osteopathy in 1911, but there was no college of osteopathic medicine in Des Moines from 1898 to 1905.

For what it's worth, wikipedia states (yes i know...wikipedia is the ultimate arbitrator of conflicting/controversial facts):

"Des Moines University is the United States' second oldest osteopathic medical college and is located in Des Moines, Iowa. It features a College of Osteopathic Medicine, a College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, a physician assistant program, a physical therapy program, a postprofessional physical therapy program, a master of health care administration program, a master of public health program, and certification in gerontology."

Also, it's the program that counts and not the location, so if there were no osteopathic college in Des Moines between 1898-1905 the program was still in progress and then later moved...just my input👍
 
The first few years arent very clear but it does appear that something happened in 1898.... 🙄
 
For what it's worth, wikipedia states (yes i know...wikipedia is the ultimate arbitrator of conflicting/controversial facts):

"Des Moines University is the United States' second oldest osteopathic medical college and is located in Des Moines, Iowa. It features a College of Osteopathic Medicine, a College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, a physician assistant program, a physical therapy program, a postprofessional physical therapy program, a master of health care administration program, a master of public health program, and certification in gerontology."

Also, it's the program that counts and not the location, so if there were no osteopathic college in Des Moines between 1898-1905 the program was still in progress and then later moved...just my input👍

The program was started in 1898. What people need to understand is that osteopathic medicine today is hardly remnant of what it was when it first started. Thus, we're really kind of arguing nothing here, since 0 of these schools were "true" osteopathic medical schools as we see them today. No 4 year programs and almost entirely focused on anatomy and manipulation.
 
Also, it's the program that counts and not the location, so if there were no osteopathic college in Des Moines between 1898-1905 the program was still in progress and then later moved...just my input👍

Let's go back just a second. Technically, there was the SS Still school from 1898 to 1902 that merged with Northwestern College of Osteopathy in Fargo, ND and later with American School of Osteopathy in 1905, which merged with Andrew Taylor Still College of Osteopathy and Surgery, Kirksville, MO, in June of 1924. DMU now claims to have simply renamed the school in 1905, which, if you believe them, would make them the second oldest.

In the end, I don't really give a damn. If it makes them happy to call themselves the second oldest school, then let them do it.
 
Let's go back just a second. Technically, there was the SS Still school from 1898 to 1902 that merged with Northwestern College of Osteopathy in Fargo, ND and later with American School of Osteopathy in 1905, which merged with Andrew Taylor Still College of Osteopathy and Surgery, Kirksville, MO, in June of 1924. DMU now claims to have simply renamed the school in 1905, which, if you believe them, would make them the second oldest.

In the end, I don't really give a damn. If it makes them happy to call themselves the second oldest school, then let them do it.

You know way to many details about osteopathic medicine.

Links???
 
seriously....who gives flying f*(k...

Where were you people when so many others relentlessly argued DO vs. MD vs. Chiro vs. The Incredible Hulk. Or the 6,389,298 other threads that went on aimlessly and made DOs look like a bunch of insecure *****s???

Also, since when was an accurate history not important? Yes, I know it's an unreasonable thing to ask, but it's not meaningless.
 
Where were you people when so many others relentlessly argued DO vs. MD vs. Chiro vs. The Incredible Hulk. Or the 6,389,298 other threads that went on aimlessly and made DOs look like a bunch of insecure *****s???

Also, since when was an accurate history not important? Yes, I know it's an unreasonable thing to ask, but it's not meaningless.

Yea, plus I heard it might be on the boards
 
Not technically, although they may claim it. The Southern School of Osteopathy, Franklin, KY. was founded in 1898. It consolidated with Still College of Osteopathy, which was founded in 1905. The name was changed to Des Moines Still College of Osteopathy in 1911, but there was no college of osteopathic medicine in Des Moines from 1898 to 1905.

He is right; damn history of medicine class! I don't know much about the consolidations but I do know about the Summer Still College. History can be fun. Did anyone know that there was an Osteopathic school in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania? I think don't think it lasted long but, Wilkes-Barre is city where my undergrad was. Now we are known as the birthplace of Breaking Benjamin! No one cares! HAHAH. I think I will end this by saying this was my break from studying for my histology exam tomorrow. They can call it cell biology all they want, but it is histology.
 
He is right; damn history of medicine class! I don't know much about the consolidations but I do know about the Summer Still College. History can be fun. Did anyone know that there was an Osteopathic school in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania? I think don't think it lasted long but, Wilkes-Barre is city where my undergrad was. Now we are known as the birthplace of Breaking Benjamin! No one cares! HAHAH. I think I will end this by saying this was my break from studying for my histology exam tomorrow. They can call it cell biology all they want, but it is histology.

I typically refuse to call it Cell Bio. It's histology...those dirty SOBs.
 
I typically refuse to call it Cell Bio. It's histology...those dirty SOBs.

I just hate that I am learning something I will never use in my life. I am interested in EM and yet I am learning how to read an F'in slide. That is what they have labs for. At least this set of lectures is more clinical.
 
Hey Pack, remember when I was completely wrong during our UMDNJ interview over which med schools were oldest.... yea.....

Yeah, I remember. I am curious where KCOM and PCOM stand in the order of established medical schools (osteo and allo), though. Does anyone have that history?
 
Here's the correct listing:

KCOM 1892
DMUCOM 1898
PCOM 1899
CCOM 1900
KCUMB 1916

Thanks, JP. I didn't intend for mine to be listed in chronological order, since I clearly didn't know the order.
 
Yeah, I remember. I am curious where KCOM and PCOM stand in the order of established medical schools (osteo and allo), though. Does anyone have that history?

1) The University of Pennsylvania- 1765
2) King's College (the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University)- 1768
3) Harvard- 1782

Ummmm...and there's a whole lot more before KCOM and PCOM 🙂
 
Top