What are the advantages of choosing the MD match instead of DO?

[eyesfeeltired]

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I was browsing facebook and noticed two people who matched in ophthalmology and neurosurgery today with the DO match. Why would one choose to wait to match in an MD residency? what are the advantages and disadvantages?

 

[deleted407021]

Only DOs can rank AOA residencies, at this time. Both DO ophthalmology and NS residencies would be easier for a DO to match than their ACGME counterparts. Of course, other variables likely came into play as well, such as personal life circumstances, etc.

 

[igor_raptor]

Isn't the match being consolidated anyways? Are there still even going to be distinctions between AOA and ACGME programs anymore?

 

[eyesfeeltired]

Isn't the match being consolidated anyways? Are there still even going to be distinctions between AOA and ACGME programs anymore?

i guess so. Today was the AOA match and I hear the ACGME is in a month.

 

[igor_raptor]

i guess so. Today was the AOA match and I hear the ACGME is in a month.

I mean by 2020. They are still separate as far as I know.

 

[eyesfeeltired]

I mean by 2020. They are still separate as far as I know.

sorry i misread what you said. yes, it will be combined in 2020!

 

[FrkyBgStok]

few reasons. my specialty of choice has many midwest locations i can apply to and be competitive for, but the only midwest programs in the DO match are 500 miles away from my home. in addition, many acgme programs are associated with academic hospitals. there are very few DO academic based programs. there is also a little more prestige with the MD match. even though the training could be the same, University of X sounds better than Bunkydrop Community Hospital. Another program is that many of the programs in the DO world are small. Very small. In my specialty, the average program size in the DO match is 4-5 residents. In MD, you can get anywhere from 5 to 55 residents. So if you are looking for a huge amount of pathology, 30 residents per class may be desirable. Also, if you don't like OMM, the MD match lets you forget OMM after level 3. there can also be a ton of personal reasons.

but as stated above, this will all be irrelevant in a couple years.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

This is just information my cousin told me, he is just finishing up residency soon and is a DO. He said that the biggest reason he saw in his classmates who skipped the DO match usually was for location. Obviously this isn't the only reason but I could totally see how location plays a big part if there aren't any AOA programs in the area you want to live.

 

[j4pac]

If you are applying to a competitive residency, you would be an idiot to not give yourself as many options as possible. You need to apply to both DO and MD residencies. If you land tons of MD residency invites, only then you can risk not ranking a DO program. It is definitely a risk though.

 

[Goro]

To follow up on my learned colleague, the western US has fewer AOA residencies, and so this is a big issue with folks who want to stay closer to home and thus choose to go for ACGME residencies (like my students).

If you are applying to a competitive residency, you would be an idiot to not give yourself as many options as possible. You need to apply to both DO and MD residencies. If you land tons of MD residency invites, only then you can risk not ranking a DO program. It is definitely a risk though.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

If you're not in medical school now, then the question is irrelevant to you as there will not be an AOA match when you are matching.

Point being is that DOs are statistically at an enormous disadvantage in the MD match for a number of residencies and programs. This means that people who want to match these specialties need to apply for the AOA/DO match to have a real shot at a residency in their field. Likewise students who are frequently more uncompetitive and or are set on choosing a hospital for a location might use the AOA match over the MD match in which they would likely not do well in.

 

[statuspost3]

Is there any advantage in terms of hiring and employment after residency for doing an ACGME residency vs. a DO residency? Is a DO residency not as competitive in terms of finding jobs?

 

[cliquesh]

Is there any advantage in terms of hiring and employment after residency for doing an ACGME residency vs. a DO residency? Is a DO residency not as competitive in terms of finding jobs?

Ive heard its an issue for aoa anesthesia. I don't know if its really true or not, but its been posted here on SDN before. It's not like aoa trained anesthiologists can't find jobs. Its just certain groups or hospitals may not want them. I know an aoa urology resident who got numerous job offers. He took one in a popular city with a starting salary in the upper $400k.

It's really not going to be an issue anymore since all residences will acgme accredited in the near future.

 

[ArizonaVet480]

Isn't the match being consolidated anyways? Are there still even going to be distinctions between AOA and ACGME programs anymore?

have you figured this out? just curious as to the answer.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Isn't the match being consolidated anyways? Are there still even going to be distinctions between AOA and ACGME programs anymore?

The only ones that we can confirm that have a distinction are the ones that apply for osteopathic recognition, which not a lot of programs are doing.