What do you learn in M.D. that you don't in D.O.

[TheBiologist]

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Just curious, what is the difference between the two?

 

[FlavivirusProtease]

Just curious, what is the difference between the two?

I believe they have the exact same curriculum, with the difference being that DO schools take OMM and MD schools don't.

 

[Kingsmen2018]

A classic SDN MD v DO flame war in 3....2....1

 

[Mad Jack]

Generally you'll learn how to better function in a university medical center during your third year in MD vs DO school, that's about it

 

[libertyyne]

Some say MD's learn to be know-it-alls, Others say MDs only learn to treat organs not whole humans.

 

[FlavivirusProtease]

Some say MD's learn to be know-it-alls, Others say MDs only learn to treat organs not whole humans.

I'm just excited for my first semester's course in "How to belittle DO's"

 

[ciestar]

Some say MD's learn to be know-it-alls, Others say MDs only learn to treat organs not whole humans.

I’ve seen this on DO threads. MD’s apparently don’t do holistic medicine.

 

[libertyyne]

I'm just excited for my first semester's course in "How to belittle DO's"

dont forget to sign up for the terrible bedside manner seminar. It is a requirement for graduation.

 

[onyxbell]

I’ve seen this on DO threads. MD’s apparently don’t do holistic medicine.

Maybe the holisticity stops at admission?

 

[ciestar]

Anyway, OP, from my observations (I have a very close friend at a DO school, so we’ve discussed it), there isn’t a ton of difference. OMM is the HUGE one.

Another thing is the DO curriculum are there to prepare you for COMLEX (USMLE is a lot harder, but MD schools gear up to prepare your for step). I’ve never seen COMLEX questions, but from what I’ve read on SDN, they’re poorly written (even Goro says so...). Many DO schools don’t have rotations at academic centers which is probably a disadvantage as well.

 

[Kingsmen2018]

Im sure DOs take a course in "How to convince lay people that you are a real doctor"

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Jewish Dermatology

 

[libertyyne]

Jewish Dermatology

Ahem, Board certified Jewish dermatology.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

The pre-clinical years are the exact same, and the residencies are more or less the same now thanks to the merger.

Only major difference I’ve been able to appreciate is that DO schools are geared towards primary care, which means in practice your rotation sites will be more community based rather than academic hospital based.

For example our family med rotation takes place at the FM clinic within our large hospital. Vs the local DO school which has its rotators at private clinics or smaller private hospitals spread around the county.

This has the benefit of giving students a more accurate look at how primary care really functions in the community, but at the cost of having less control over rotation site quality & less diverse pathology.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

I reckon the difference would be that you would have more opportunity to become an academic physician as an M.D..
I don't know of any D.O program attached to a massive university hospital system, or a large Level 1 trauma center.

Of course many M.D schools aren't either, but a lot of them are.

That's why my goal is to get accepted to my state school, in state tuition, and it is attached to one I think the largest or 2nd largest trauma center in the state.
Any major MVA usually gets flown there.

I will totally go D.O though, but would prefer my state school.

 

[FlavivirusProtease]

Apparently if you're an MD, God himself descends from the heavens and anoints you as one of his chosen healers.

 

[BuckStrickland]

Kinda related, but Paul Starr has a great book on the history of the medical profession in the united states.
Did you know the main rival to allopathic med (sometimes even more powerful) in the 19th century was homeopathic medicine?

Also check this out:

"One form of verbal warfare used in retaliation by irregulars was the word "allopathy." ..."Allopathy" and "allopathic" were liberally employed as pejoratives by all irregular physicians of the nineteenth century, and the terms were considered highly offensive by those at whom they were directed. The generally uncomplaining acceptance of [the term] "allopathic medicine" by today's physicians is an indication of both a lack of awareness of the term's historical use and the recent thawing of relations between irregulars and allopaths"

 

[Lucca]

*drops wallet while paying for coffee*

Oh no....someone on SDN has started an MD v DO thread...

 

[Mwooster]

I’ve seen this on DO threads. MD’s apparently don’t do holistic medicine.

Correct; at my program, we strive for h o l i s t i c c medicine, with 2 C's

honest
open-minded
loving
impartial
sincere
teamwork
immunized
caring
compassionate

 

[theonlytycrane]

That you don’t have to learn OMM and that you don’t have to take 2 board exams to try to beat out other MD students from their residency spots


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[WedgeDawg]

Yep I'm gonna head this one off early

WedgeDawg's Summary of MD vs DO Differences

/thread

There is absolutely no one who can convince me that someone who has been on SDN for nearly 3 years has no idea how to find this information or ask questions less likely to devolve into a troll fest.