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- Dec 24, 2001
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Okay, premeds, I've got a question (and an answer) for you. Many of you are forever mentioning the almost universal fact that the GPA and MCAT scores of our students are inferior to our MD colleagues. So here is the question: why are DOs good doctors? Think about this question seriously. Why don't we have a two tiered medical system whereby there are MDs with their immaculate academic backgrounds practicing stellar medicine, and a lower tier with DOs who have less-than-stellar academic backgrounds practicing as poor quality physicians that no patient wants to see.
If academic performance is any indicator of intelligence and potential, why doesn't this two tiered system exist? Now, some premeds argue that it DOES, in fact, exist -- but only in their mind. To date there has been no studies demonstrating that DOs are involved in more litigation, are more prone to making medical errors, or otherwise practice poorer quality medicine. If such a trend was even suggested at any point in history, there is little doubt in my mind that an insurance company or public health organization would have published such data thus exposing osteopathic medicine as a lesser system and, perhaps, as a danger to the general welfare of the population. I have little doubt that such a publication would cause such a public outcry that it would spell the end for osteopathic medicine as we know it. And probably rightfully so.
But this hasn't happened. And I ask you, why hasn't it? Again, if academic performance is any indicator of intelligence and potential then why don't MD schools produce doctors that are so clearly superior to DOs that DOs would be either run out of business or otherwise professionally restricted by governing bodies? Why aren't there stories of DOs whose practices failed because no patients would seek their care. Why, instead, do DOs and MDs practice as legal and professional equals?
I'll tell you. Here is the answer, and many of you premed types are not going to like it.
The answer: Medicine is easy. Sorry folks, but it is true. I know we all love the admiration that our families and patients give us just because we are physicians. I know we all love the extremely large, intimidating books that sit on our shelves. But truthfully, from someone who has been to both graduate school and to medical school I can honestly say that medicine is, in fact, rather easy.
In medical school, no matter where you go, you get watered down courses. That's right, you get a watered down version of biochemistry which they rename medical biochemistry. The class should be renamed, "Here's an overview of what some biochemists have figured out, but don't worry you will never really utilize very much from this class." The same goes for microbiology, physiology, and many of the other courses in medical school. There are entire doctoral programs in biochemistry... entire programs in physiology, and so on. Folks, these are the tough programs. These are programs that demand intellectual processes beyond the ability to merely memorize esoteric facts.
So in conclusion, DOs are good doctors because medicine is fairly easy to teach and equally as easy to learn, when compared to other disciplines. All you need is a few PhDs who can teach some introductory courses, a few physicians who can give overviews of the different diseases of each body system, and a few hospitals which will allow students to spend time getting some practical experience.
I think most medical school graduates, on some level (conscious or not), have thought this at some point. Yes, we all lost sleep and worked long hours. The process was physically demanding... but intellectually? Not really. All we did was memorize and practice techniques over and over until we mastered them. We were never pushed to produce original thoughts and ideas. All in all, looking back, medical school wasn't very difficult. In fact, just about anyone could do it and emerge as a pretty good doctor, if they had the desire. Sure, some may get there faster than others, but with enough desire and discipline everyone gets to the goal line.
And that, my friends, is why DOs are good doctors. Simply, medicine is easy. When we, DOs and MDs, all stand at the other end of medical school wearing our long coats and our new titles, we all realize this fact on some level. And we recognize that we've all turned out pretty darn good, whether we admit it pubically or not.
If academic performance is any indicator of intelligence and potential, why doesn't this two tiered system exist? Now, some premeds argue that it DOES, in fact, exist -- but only in their mind. To date there has been no studies demonstrating that DOs are involved in more litigation, are more prone to making medical errors, or otherwise practice poorer quality medicine. If such a trend was even suggested at any point in history, there is little doubt in my mind that an insurance company or public health organization would have published such data thus exposing osteopathic medicine as a lesser system and, perhaps, as a danger to the general welfare of the population. I have little doubt that such a publication would cause such a public outcry that it would spell the end for osteopathic medicine as we know it. And probably rightfully so.
But this hasn't happened. And I ask you, why hasn't it? Again, if academic performance is any indicator of intelligence and potential then why don't MD schools produce doctors that are so clearly superior to DOs that DOs would be either run out of business or otherwise professionally restricted by governing bodies? Why aren't there stories of DOs whose practices failed because no patients would seek their care. Why, instead, do DOs and MDs practice as legal and professional equals?
I'll tell you. Here is the answer, and many of you premed types are not going to like it.
The answer: Medicine is easy. Sorry folks, but it is true. I know we all love the admiration that our families and patients give us just because we are physicians. I know we all love the extremely large, intimidating books that sit on our shelves. But truthfully, from someone who has been to both graduate school and to medical school I can honestly say that medicine is, in fact, rather easy.
In medical school, no matter where you go, you get watered down courses. That's right, you get a watered down version of biochemistry which they rename medical biochemistry. The class should be renamed, "Here's an overview of what some biochemists have figured out, but don't worry you will never really utilize very much from this class." The same goes for microbiology, physiology, and many of the other courses in medical school. There are entire doctoral programs in biochemistry... entire programs in physiology, and so on. Folks, these are the tough programs. These are programs that demand intellectual processes beyond the ability to merely memorize esoteric facts.
So in conclusion, DOs are good doctors because medicine is fairly easy to teach and equally as easy to learn, when compared to other disciplines. All you need is a few PhDs who can teach some introductory courses, a few physicians who can give overviews of the different diseases of each body system, and a few hospitals which will allow students to spend time getting some practical experience.
I think most medical school graduates, on some level (conscious or not), have thought this at some point. Yes, we all lost sleep and worked long hours. The process was physically demanding... but intellectually? Not really. All we did was memorize and practice techniques over and over until we mastered them. We were never pushed to produce original thoughts and ideas. All in all, looking back, medical school wasn't very difficult. In fact, just about anyone could do it and emerge as a pretty good doctor, if they had the desire. Sure, some may get there faster than others, but with enough desire and discipline everyone gets to the goal line.
And that, my friends, is why DOs are good doctors. Simply, medicine is easy. When we, DOs and MDs, all stand at the other end of medical school wearing our long coats and our new titles, we all realize this fact on some level. And we recognize that we've all turned out pretty darn good, whether we admit it pubically or not.
