Thanks for the reply irish. I actually did do a little research on that and figured that out, but thanks for vindicating my findings. I have another question though that I can't find anywhere though. Why is it that people are so against going DO if they have the exact same residencies available to them and more (they have the allopathic residencies, the DO versions of every residency, and a few DO-specific residencies), and instead pursue a carribean or other international degree instead of applying DO if they don't get into allopathic? Honestly, is there THAT big of an advantage if you get an allopathic vs osteopathic degree that it's worth becoming an IMG and having a hard time securing a residency due to IMG bias just so that you can have MD instead of DO on your office wall?
No, honestly I think that you would be foolish to go to a Caribbean school now instead of getting a D.O. degree. If you become a D.O. and take the USMLE in addition to the COMLEX, do well, not very many programs are going to "discriminate" against your D.O. degree. And the ones that will, will "discriminate" against the M.D. from the Caribbean as well anyway. Yes, you may be asked more about your D.O. degree from patients some day than if you have a Caribbean M.D., but those are things you just have to deal with. A D.O. has to take this opportunity to educate the public that there are two types of physicians that are licensed to practice medicine in the U.S.
I have nothing against the Caribbean route either as long as you have exhausted all of your possibilities in the states. Some of the schools are very good, some are not. You have to do your research. If you go this route, you too can make it. You must score well on your USMLEs and apply widely. I have a friend who went to St. George's and she is an anesthesiologist making over $300,000 a year. She got into anesth when it was easier to get into. Not too many Caribbean grads get into good anesth programs now. And the ones that do went to the better Caribbean schools, and did well on the boards.
I have seen a trend in residencies in the last 3 or 4 years, where I see more D.O.s successfully enter competitive residencies than I see Caribbean M.D.s Check programs web sites that list their residents, and you will see what I mean.
However, I will state, and this is not to talk bad about the D.O. degree, that it is much easier still to get into a competitive residency (ACGME) with an M.D. degree. If there is an M.D. applying for these programs with equivalent boards, and credentials, personality, and work ethic, etc as a D.O. I still think the program will still take the M.D. I am not saying that is right, but I think it is still that way. Also, most programs have changed and will take a D.O. before they take a Caribbean grad. Look at it this way. Who do you think they will be more "proud of" when they show off their resident list in a superficial way. Once again, don't flame me, as I have absolutely no problem with the M.D., D.O., or Carribean M.D. degree. It is up to the individual and the individual programs to decide. At the end of the day, all will be physicians if the complete their requirements, and will work together during residency and in life.
