"well known" D.O. schools?

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pritomd

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What are some well-known DO schools? like, if someone asked me what I was doing, I could say "I'm going to med school at ___" and it wouldn't really raise any eyebrows.

I'm thinking:
Oklahoma State
West Virginia
Michigan State
Maybe VCOM if I call it Virginia Tech :laugh:

What else? Everyone uses abbreviations on this forum so I don't know what's really just a med school from a normal state school and what's something that a non D.O. informed person might say "what?" to.
 
That's misleading - West Virginia and Virginia Tech are both MD programs. MSU has both MD and DO programs. The OSU thing is fine. It's in extremely bad taste to mislead patients into thinking you have an MD when you don't.

What ever happened to having pride? Kids these days...
 
And I Was Like said:
That's misleading - West Virginia and Virginia Tech are both MD programs. MSU has both MD and DO programs. The OSU thing is fine. It's in extremely bad taste to mislead patients into thinking you have an MD when you don't.

What ever happened to having pride? Kids these days...
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Doesn't VT also partner with VCOM?
 
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And I Was Like said:
That's misleading - West Virginia and Virginia Tech are both MD programs. MSU has both MD and DO programs. The OSU thing is fine. It's in extremely bad taste to mislead patients into thinking you have an MD when you don't.

What ever happened to having pride? Kids these days...
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Kids these days are idiots
 
Poliscidoc said:
Doesn't VT also partner with VCOM?
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VCOM is located in a building of Virginia Tech, other than that to my knowledge they have no "partnership". Even if they did VT has a MD school so it's the same as saying you're an MSU student if you're an MSUCOM student it's misleading.

Like I said, people wonder why no one knows what a DO is, maybe it's because people like the OP intentionally hide the fact they're DOs.
 
SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS, Fo sho!
 
And I Was Like said:
VCOM is located in a building of Virginia Tech, other than that to my knowledge they have no "partnership". Even if they did VT has a MD school so it's the same as saying you're an MSU student if you're an MSUCOM student it's misleading.

Like I said, people wonder why no one knows what a DO is, maybe it's because people like the OP intentionally hide the fact they're DOs.
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Also why not say West Virginia. Unless you want to be a complete tool and say you go to The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.. Or course you would be the same tool that would say "The" Ohio State University....

Does it really matter what you call it? Tell them you go to medical school since there is no difference between DO and MD.
 
pritomd said:
What are some well-known DO schools? like, if someone asked me what I was doing, I could say "I'm going to med school at ___" and it wouldn't really raise any eyebrows.

I'm thinking:
Oklahoma State Works fine
West Virginia Nope. Thats misleading as its only half of the name and that half happens to be the name of a more popular other school
Michigan State Work fine
Maybe VCOM if I call it Virginia Tech :laugh: this one is misleading and factually incorrect

What else? Everyone uses abbreviations on this forum so I don't know what's really just a med school from a normal state school and what's something that a non D.O. informed person might say "what?" to.
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I would say that PCOM, UNECOM and the texas ones can be said without going into much detail. With that said: if you're adverse to explaining what the "COM" stands for, you might wanna get some pride in your degree. I'm no drink-the-DO-kool-aid blind supporter, but you gotta have some home team support. Dont go trying to play off your DO school as an MD one.
 
Poliscidoc said:
Also why not say West Virginia. Unless you want to be a complete tool and say you go to The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.. Or course you would be the same tool that would say "The" Ohio State University....
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Cause there is already a "West Virginia" and its significantly more well known and grants a MD degree
 
DocEspana said:
I would say that PCOM, UNECOM and the texas ones can be said without going into much detail. With that said: if you're adverse to explaining what the "COM" stands for, you might wanna get some pride in your degree. I'm no drink-the-DO-kool-aid blind supporter, but you gotta have some home team support. Dont go trying to play off your DO school as an MD one.
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I agree with this but are we explaining to random people or friends and relatives? I mean if this is a random conversation no need to beat your chest and rep for your school.
 
Poliscidoc said:
Also why not say West Virginia. Unless you want to be a complete tool and say you go to The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.. Or course you would be the same tool that would say "The" Ohio State University....

Does it really matter what you call it? Tell them you go to medical school since there is no difference between DO and MD.
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I would say WVSOM, to avoid confusing with WVU. For Michigan State, being in Michigan, if you say "I'm in med school at MSU" they will say which one? or Just assume it's the MD program. Which if your a DO student is wrong. If you say MSUCOM people know what you mean even those with no knowledge of medicine. Then again, Michigan is a big DO state.

Like I said, your DOs be proud of it!
 
Are you kidding me? This has to be one of the dumbest threads ive ever seen on SDN. You should have just held out and gone to an MD school if you feel the need to make it seem like you go to an MD school....jeez.
 
man i am glad i live in a DO friendly area. I would say (if I got in) DMU and they would look at me blankly, then I would say Des Moines University, and they would be all, "Oh ok, rock on."
 
They never actually said they wanted to pretend to be MD... They were just wondering what schools people would know. I'm sorry but in most areas of the country, if you said I go to Midwestern or William Carey, people would have no idea what/where those schools are, so it would raise a lot of questions. Thats all the OP was asking.
 
denco88 said:
They never actually said they wanted to pretend to be MD... They were just wondering what schools people would know. I'm sorry but in most areas of the country, if you said I go to Midwestern or William Carey, people would have no idea what/where those schools are, so it would raise a lot of questions. Thats all the OP was asking.
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In most area's of the country people think you can become a doctor by getting a bachelor's degree, or a bunch of other ridiculous crap. But again, if I said I went to Louisville or Wake Forest or even Tulane, do you think most people will know where those are? Probably not, so this is a ridiculous reason for choosing a school, there are simply better things to base your decision off of.
 
serenade said:
In most area's of the country people think you can become a doctor by getting a bachelor's degree, or a bunch of other ridiculous crap. But again, if I said I went to Louisville or Wake Forest or even Tulane, do you think most people will know where those are? Probably not, so this is a ridiculous reason for choosing a school, there are simply better things to base your decision off of.
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Most people know where those schools are, also don't say "Midwestern" say CCOM, most people know where that is.

Like I said, I live in Michigan so most people know about DOs and are familiar with some of the schools. But, I feel if you were to say West Virginia (which is what people use to describe WVU), to describe WVSOM that's wrong, and misleading.
 
And I Was Like said:
Most people know where those schools are, also don't say "Midwestern" say CCOM, most people know where that is.

Like I said, I live in Michigan so most people know about DOs and are familiar with some of the schools. But, I feel if you were to say West Virginia (which is what people use to describe WVU), to describe WVSOM that's wrong, and misleading.
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Really? I think that you could probably go ask people in Philadelphia and say names like Drexel, Jefferson, and PCOM, and most of those people would probably not know they even existed.
 
serenade said:
In most area's of the country people think you can become a doctor by getting a bachelor's degree, or a bunch of other ridiculous crap. But again, if I said I went to Louisville or Wake Forest or even Tulane, do you think most people will know where those are? Probably not, so this is a ridiculous reason for choosing a school, there are simply better things to base your decision off of.
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You don't think most people would know where the University of Louisville is?
 
I'm from Michigan as well and it seems like most people I talk to only know about the DO school at Michigan State and not the MD school. I have heard this from professors at the U of M even.
 
ruiner said:
You don't think most people would know where the University of Louisville is?
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I doubt they'd know what state it was in, or any significant information about it including that they even had a medical school.
 
camierz said:
I'm from Michigan as well and it seems like most people I talk to only know about the DO school at Michigan State and not the MD school. I have heard this from professors at the U of M even.
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This is very true, especially if you're in Metro Detroit, mostly cause CHM has no clinical sites in SE Michigan, the closest is in Flint. Here people don't say two words about being a DO or an MD, they're just used to it. So maybe I'm spoiled.

I'm an entering MD student though, so like I said - I'm not the best source.

n = 1 as people would say.

The point I made in a previous thread still stands - there needs to be more advertisements about DOs from the AOA instead of a lot of thumb twirling that goes on.
 
serenade said:
Really? I think that you could probably go ask people in Philadelphia and say names like Drexel, Jefferson, and PCOM, and most of those people would probably not know they even existed.
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Dude i routinely get blank stares when I say I go to PCOM......then I say the school on city ave near target and that doesnt help despite the clear description of where PCOM is.

I LOVE how much credit pts/people are given here on SDN.

MOST PATIENTS KNOW NOTHING ABOUT MED SCHOOLS/THE PATHWAY/THE LOCATIONS ETC.
 
willen101383 said:
Dude i routinely get blank stares when I say I go to PCOM......then I say the school on city ave near target and that doesnt help despite the clear description of where PCOM is.

I LOVE how much credit pts/people are given here on SDN.

MOST PATIENTS KNOW NOTHING ABOUT MED SCHOOLS/THE PATHWAY/THE LOCATIONS ETC.
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Is that the patients fault or the lack of advertising by the school/AOA? I suspect the latter.
 
And I Was Like said:
Is that the patients fault or the lack of advertising by the school/AOA? I suspect the latter.
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Neither, the common person is an dolt who doesn't give two flying craps!! They care more about their own lives and things actually relevant to them...

Here let me put this in perspective, have you ever cared about your dentists education or dental schools? Do you know which one your dentist went to and other details?
 
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LOL "well known DO school" is another way of saying "****, if I gotta accept a DO degree, I might as well go to a college that someone can recognize"
 
serenade said:
Neither, the common person is an dolt who doesn't give two flying craps!! They care more about their own lives and things actually relevant to them...
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That's a poor outlook to have on people. It's our responsibility as physicians/educators to inform people. Furthermore, it's the responsibility of groups like the AMA and the AOA to educate the public. If the public is largely uninformed we have no one to blame but ourselves and our representative organizations.
 
And I Was Like said:
That's a poor outlook to have on people. It's our responsibility as physicians/educators to inform people. Furthermore, it's the responsibility of groups like the AMA and the AOA to educate the public. If the public is largely uninformed we have no one to blame but ourselves and our representative organizations.
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Sorry, I'm a pessimist about things like this. And anyways, I'm not going to really care if someone doesn't know about my medical school or whatever. I'd much rather they care about actually important things, like nutrition and why not getting vaccines is idiotic.

Honestly, you must be the most optimistic medical student I've ever met.
 
serenade said:
Sorry, I'm a pessimist about things like this. And anyways, I'm not going to really care if someone doesn't know about my medical school or whatever. I'd much rather they care about actually important things, like nutrition and why not getting vaccines is idiotic.

Honestly, you must be the most optimistic medical student I've ever met.
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👍
 
serenade said:
Sorry, I'm a pessimist about things like this. And anyways, I'm not going to really care if someone doesn't know about my medical school or whatever. I'd much rather they care about actually important things, like nutrition and why not getting vaccines is idiotic.

Honestly, you must be the most optimistic medical student I've ever met.
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No, I agree when people have issues with extremely important things like getting vaccines I do get very... bothered. Especially now that the major study people cite "connecting" autism and vaccines has been proven to be fake, and the author of which is going to be in GIGANTIC trouble.

The problem is, who advertises more? The pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine side? Every SINGLE TIME I see Jenny McCarthy she's talking about how bad vaccines are (and that her kid is cured of autism) and I think to myself... So people are going to take the advice of a former playboy playmate above that of a licensed physician/researcher?

I say this also acknowledging I find her to be hilarious and love her campaigning on other issues (gay rights, etc.). She should just stay out of the vaccine debate...

WOW, I went so off topic.

As to your last comment - it's not that I'm optimistic, it's just I as an individual don't want to have anything about me assumed because I'm a member of some arbitrary group. For example, assuming that because someone is gay they're sexually promiscuous. Therefore, I try not to judge others by the group to which they "belong". (outside of health-related statistics with scientific basis).
 
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And I Was Like said:
As to your last comment - it's not that I'm optimistic, it's just I as an individual don't want to have anything about me assumed because I'm a member of some arbitrary group. For example, assuming that because someone is gay their sexually promiscuous. Therefore, I try not to judge others by the group to which they "belong". (outside of health-related statistics with scientific basis).
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Ah, I can empathize with your sentiments, but don't get me wrong. I'm just making broad generalizations and likewise I don't like to judge people. But, when you see a lot of people really disregarding their health and not caring about doctors, it gets difficult.
 
I personally think that all the AOA cares about is maintaining a false distinction between MDs and DOs and ignoring the reality of what 21st century DO grads want. There are more urgent and pressing issues in medicine than the AOA insisting that DOs are better and different,like ya know healthcare reform/tort reform/skyrocketing student debt. But thats how the AOA likes to do things and will continue to do things. Oh well! Its pretty embarrassing to be represented by an organization that wants to keep you in the past, rather than advancing you into the future.
 
TCOM, top 20 for primary care. I supposed you could say its University of Texas college of medicine since you are scared of osteos.
 
I was just curious, that's all. Didn't mean to antagonize anyone or cause any unrest. I think some should calm down and not make assumptions about myself - I'm not trying to devalue D.O. at all.

True, saying stuff like that may be misleading, but it can help me avoid the convo, NOT cause I'd be ashamed of D.O. I hate the whole "so what are you doing" conversation piece and want it to be just a quick 2-3 exchanges, not an interrogation which might occur if I say I went to a school like Lincoln, Lake Erie, Pacific Northwest, Rocky Vista.

Also, this was for family friends and relatives, not patients.
 
elftown said:
:laugh:

That's so true. I often get blank stares when I say U.M.D.N.J. and we have three med schools.


Definitely not by the school. Have you seen PCOM? There are flags everywhere around that school and they use NBC Philadelphia across the street to get publicity whenever they can.
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QFT. Pretty much every other septa bus I see has PCOM grad programs advertised on the back. Its a very visible campus unless you never drive over that way (aka live under a rock b/c city ave is a pretty major thoroughfare).

We are all so immersed in the pathway to becoming a doctor that we neglect to remember that there is a whole world of other careers and lives out there. Do I know the best pathway to becoming a lawyer/psychologist/accountant/umpire NO. Yet there are probably people on the studentumpire.com bitching because nobody knows the best way to become an umpire. Nobody knows and or cares about how people become doctors. Most people cant stand being at the doctor and dont want to think about their education any more than they have to.
 
nicknickp3 said:
TCOM, top 20 for primary care. I supposed you could say its University of Texas college of medicine since you are scared of osteos.
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TCOM isn't University of Texas, it's University of North Texas.
 
serenade said:
Neither, the common person is an dolt who doesn't give two flying craps!! They care more about their own lives and things actually relevant to them...

Here let me put this in perspective, have you ever cared about your dentists education or dental schools? Do you know which one your dentist went to and other details?
Click to expand...

I actually do know where my dentist went. And my pediatrician from when I was younger. My doctor at the health center in college. All 3 of my orthopedic surgeons.
 
And I Was Like said:
I would say WVSOM, to avoid confusing with WVU. For Michigan State, being in Michigan, if you say "I'm in med school at MSU" they will say which one? or Just assume it's the MD program. Which if your a DO student is wrong. If you say MSUCOM people know what you mean even those with no knowledge of medicine. Then again, Michigan is a big DO state.

Like I said, your DOs be proud of it!
Click to expand...

lol I always assume DO when people say Michigan State. I've actually never met anyone from their MD program.
 
willen101383 said:
We are all so immersed in the pathway to becoming a doctor that we neglect to remember that there is a whole world of other careers and lives out there. Do I know the best pathway to becoming a lawyer/psychologist/accountant/umpire NO. Yet there are probably people on the studentumpire.com bitching because nobody knows the best way to become an umpire. Nobody knows and or cares about how people become doctors. Most people cant stand being at the doctor and dont want to think about their education any more than they have to.
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This.

I tend to find this to be primarily true with pre-meds that graduate college and go straight to med school at 22 y.o. . They have minimal work experience outside of being a student and for some reason, they think people actually know or care about how you become a doctor. Very few people outside of physicians know about what a medical education consists of or even know what medical school is! I know of many people who think medical school is for nurses and have no idea how to become a doctor. Remember that there are many, many jobs that we are ignorant about as well. The people obsessed with this minutiae need to get out of there house more.

And yes, there are people who don't even know what the MCAT is!!!:wow::wow: Shocker, I know!

Just another reason why I hate associating with pre-meds and their neuroticism....

P.S. I work at a teaching hospital with tons of medical students and they get **** on daily by everyone. Surprisingly, nobody bows before them because they are gonna be doctors someday.
 
Mbeas said:
This.

I tend to find this to be primarily true with pre-meds that graduate college and go straight to med school at 22 y.o. . They have minimal work experience outside of being a student and for some reason, they think people actually know or care about how you become a doctor. Very few people outside of physicians know about what a medical education consists of or even know what medical school is! I know of many people who think medical school is for nurses and have no idea how to become a doctor. Remember that there are many, many jobs that we are ignorant about as well. The people obsessed with this minutiae need to get out of there house more.

And yes, there are people who don't even know what the MCAT is!!!:wow::wow: Shocker, I know!

Just another reason why I hate associating with pre-meds and their neuroticism....

P.S. I work at a teaching hospital with tons of medical students and they get **** on daily by everyone. Surprisingly, nobody bows before them because they are gonna be doctors someday.
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Agreed. I worked for 5 years before med school (and am working this summer in my former clinical lab). Just like most legit MBA programs this should be a requirement for med school as well. It really helps put things into perspective. If you have to work your way up through the medical field you meet plenty of people and it helps you realize how vital the entire medical team is from receptionists to medical records to the lab to the nurses/MAs and finally to the doc. It would be way more difficult/impossible to run a practice without everyone under you...and a lot of premeds dont realize this.
 
EMT2ER-DOC said:
It doesn't hurt that the Philadelphia 76ers use their gym for practice and PCOM banners are all around.
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And it makes you feel good when you are throwin up some nice weight on flat bench in the gym and the 6ers players are watchin you haha.
 
20+ replies and no one has sarcastically mentioned Rocky Vista yet?? I'm disappointed, SDN members.
 
PCOM, Western University, Nova, MSU, Oklahoma State is good too.
 
serenade said:
In most area's of the country people think you can become a doctor by getting a bachelor's degree, or a bunch of other ridiculous crap. But again, if I said I went to Louisville or Wake Forest or even Tulane, do you think most people will know where those are? Probably not, so this is a ridiculous reason for choosing a school, there are simply better things to base your decision off of.
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Do you know what Divison I sports are? Have you ever seen one of these before?

116_large5.jpg
 
I think most of the DO schools are well known locally. So it depends on where you are from.
 
KTD said:
TCOM isn't University of Texas, it's University of North Texas.
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Amen. And thanks! 🙂

BTW, the president of the Texas Medical Board is a TCOM DO (and the previous president of the Texas Medical Board before him was a DO). Enough said.

Not to mention TCOM's 2010 pass rate for USMLE1: 94%
 
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