"Why DO"

[orangeman25]

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I haven't received any secondaries yet but this a question that I honestly have not prepared an answer for. I have shadowed both allopathic and osteopathic physicians and honestly cannot come up with differences in their philosophy or practice of medicine. I know there are differences but I cannot come up with them based on my experiences. Should I contact the DO I shadowed and ask him specific DO questions? Or should I go the route of internet and book resources to learn more about osteopathic medicine?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

All of the above.

 

[medickdb]

I haven't received any secondaries yet but this a question that I honestly have not prepared an answer for. I have shadowed both allopathic and osteopathic physicians and honestly cannot come up with differences in their philosophy or practice of medicine. I know there are differences but I cannot come up with them based on my experiences. Should I contact the DO I shadowed and ask him specific DO questions? Or should I go the route of internet and book resources to learn more about osteopathic medicine?

Read this book: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dos-norman-gevitz/1100305553?ean=9780801878343

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

If you have to ask you arent ready....

haha jk, I found what helped was to just pick a single point and really hone in on that. So for instance when I shadowed I truly did find that the DOs worked in preventative medicine more than the MDs in the same practice. I personally am a big fan of preventative medicine and coincidentally so are most DO schools. Combined that with an interest to learn OMT and practice rural and boom, why DO answered.

Other people catch on to all sorts of other stuff. Some really are fixed on the OMT idea (the only real tangible difference now adays). Others really focus on rural medicine. Others focus on the whole mind/body/spirit/holistic stuff (this can be dangerous though if you get too flowery - also dont ever say the word holistic). I am sure other people can come up with something. The idea is like not that there is necessarily a major difference that is like a wedge between the DOs and MDs. The idea is to find something that you are truly espoused to. Whether or not you saw MDs and DOs doing it is irrelevant. If you saw DOs doing it, and DOs have been your mentors/examples for wanting to become a physician, then that should be enough.

 

[koan]

When asked this question during interviews, I was completely honest and said that in shadowing both MD and DO physicians I had not seen many appreciable differences between them. That I regarded DO as one pathway to achieve my goal of becoming a physician, and that OMT would be another "tool in my toolbox". Didn't seem to ruffle any feathers.

You don't need to grasp for differences when few exist at this point. Also don't fall into the trap of pretending you are going to become a rural OMT family practice dude if what you really want is to become an ACGME-trained interventional cardiologist. If they ask what your goals are, just say "Well, I really enjoyed shadowing cardiologist Dr. X and may want to do that, but I realize many students change their mind along the way, so I'm keeping an open mind." Having been an interviewer, it is more obvious on the other side when an applicant is trying to "cater" their application.

 

[KanyeWes]

When asked this question during interviews, I was completely honest and said that in shadowing both MD and DO physicians I had not seen many appreciable differences between them. That I regarded DO as one pathway to achieve my goal of becoming a physician, and that OMT would be another "tool in my toolbox". Didn't seem to ruffle any feathers.

You don't need to grasp for differences when few exist at this point. Also don't fall into the trap of pretending you are going to become a rural OMT family practice dude if what you really want is to become an ACGME-trained interventional cardiologist. If they ask what your goals are, just say "Well, I really enjoyed shadowing cardiologist Dr. X and may want to do that, but I realize many students change their mind along the way, so I'm keeping an open mind." Having been an interviewer, it is more obvious on the other side when an applicant is trying to "cater" their application.

This

 

[orangeman25]

Thank you. From others I have spoken to, specifying why DO is not that important. If you have specific experiences, great. If not, an interest in medicine is really what they are looking for. Not sure if this is true but I definitely don't have the experiences to have an elaborate why DO answer. More about the combination of physicians I met, attributes they had, and my ability to be a licensed and practicing physician through this degree. Hope that's enough.

 

[DoctorSynthesis]

Read this book: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dos-norman-gevitz/1100305553?ean=9780801878343

Great advice. I was a at a do school and they also advised to read this book.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

Thank you. From others I have spoken to, specifying why DO is not that important. If you have specific experiences, great. If not, an interest in medicine is really what they are looking for. Not sure if this is true but I definitely don't have the experiences to have an elaborate why DO answer. More about the combination of physicians I met, attributes they had, and my ability to be a licensed and practicing physician through this degree. Hope that's enough.

Depends on the institution and interviewer. Do your research on the school! Have multiple ways to approach the question.

I had an interviewer who was a surgeon in California and he didn't care about this question. He just asked it and moved.

There is a very reputable school in the miDwest that is really into OMM and the osteopathic philosophy. The interviewers are basically huMan lie detectors. Don't even try to BS them. Unless you have a strong resolve for osteopathic medicine they will see right through you.

When you walk into the room you can usually tell how receptive they are to your answers. It's usually a big tell when the Physician is wearing a badge that says "OMM Professor".

 

[bankaix808]

Depends on the institution and interviewer. Do your research on the school! Have multiple ways to approach the question.

I had an interviewer who was a surgeon in California and he didn't care about this question. He just asked it and moved.

There is a very reputable school in the miDwest that is really into OMM and the osteopathic philosophy. The interviewers are basically huMan lie detectors. Don't even try to BS them. Unless you have a strong resolve for osteopathic medicine they will see right through you.

When you walk into the room you can usually tell how receptive they are to your answers. It's usually a big tell when the Physician is wearing a badge that says "OMM Professor".

This.

Each school is different, but agree with chizled that you need an answer that is well-thought out, and not just prepared the night before or day of your interview, especially with the school he referenced.

Gevitz's book is a great read, and what you're going to come across these forum from students to adcom members, stay away from such buzz words that include "treat patients as a whole," or "of a more holistic approach." Interviewers, at any school, will see right through that BS.

Good luck!!!🙂

 

[trs88]

When asked this question during interviews, I was completely honest and said that in shadowing both MD and DO physicians I had not seen many appreciable differences between them. That I regarded DO as one pathway to achieve my goal of becoming a physician, and that OMT would be another "tool in my toolbox". Didn't seem to ruffle any feathers.

It's a good feeling knowing that someone else has that belief. In several of my secondaries, I had it as part of my answer for the Why DO questions.

 

[DrEnderW]

The best advice I can give is to work the osteo tenants and principles into experiences you've had to make a connection of why you share a similar passion.

If you're an athlete, use the body is an integrated system point and explain how you're passionate about about health and wellness. Nutrition works great in there too - hit self regulation and healing and you've lived and experienced that.

If you've spent time with a DO or been in a leadership role on a team or club, highlight how your experience taught your the importance of forging strong personal connections you hope to create with your patients. You've seen it succeed. That touches the physician-pt relationship ideal.

Maybe you did some basic science research, which at the molecular level is all about structure and function. That's core to molecular bio and relate that to how you're excited to extrapolate that to the scale of the musculoskeletal system and human body. Highlight the ridiculous need to push research by DOs forward and how your look to contribute.

Those are 3 examples that took 10 seconds. Think of your own experiences and relate everything major in your app to why DO fits for you. It will be personal, genuine, and well thought out.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

The best advice I can give is to work the osteo tenants and principles into experiences you've had to make a connection of why you share a similar passion.

If you're an athlete, use the body is an integrated system point and explain how you're passionate about about health and wellness. Nutrition works great in there too - hit self regulation and healing and you've lived and experienced that.

If you've spent time with a DO or been in a leadership role on a team or club, highlight how your experience taught your the importance of forging strong personal connections you hope to create with your patients. You've seen it succeed. That touches the physician-pt relationship ideal.

Maybe you did some basic science research, which at the molecular level is all about structure and function. That's core to molecular bio and relate that to how you're excited to extrapolate that to the scale of the musculoskeletal system and human body. Highlight the ridiculous need to push research by DOs forward and how your look to contribute.

Those are 3 examples that took 10 seconds. Think of your own experiences and relate everything major in your app to why DO fits for you. It will be personal, genuine, and well thought out.

Hey, no fair!

This is like handing out the exam key.

 

[orangeman25]

The best advice I can give is to work the osteo tenants and principles into experiences you've had to make a connection of why you share a similar passion.

If you're an athlete, use the body is an integrated system point and explain how you're passionate about about health and wellness. Nutrition works great in there too - hit self regulation and healing and you've lived and experienced that.

If you've spent time with a DO or been in a leadership role on a team or club, highlight how your experience taught your the importance of forging strong personal connections you hope to create with your patients. You've seen it succeed. That touches the physician-pt relationship ideal.

Maybe you did some basic science research, which at the molecular level is all about structure and function. That's core to molecular bio and relate that to how you're excited to extrapolate that to the scale of the musculoskeletal system and human body. Highlight the ridiculous need to push research by DOs forward and how your look to contribute.

Those are 3 examples that took 10 seconds. Think of your own experiences and relate everything major in your app to why DO fits for you. It will be personal, genuine, and well thought out.

This is good. Love the 4th paragraph. Thank you.

 

[Roxas]

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[razor]

This is probably the best description of my interview at DMU as well. I was lucky that I shadowed 2 DOs before this interview and was ready to tell them why medicine, why DO, and why DMU. I felt like I wasn't trying to butter them up in any way, which may have helped make up for any inadequacies in my app.

.

Definitely depends specifically on your interviewer. My DMU interviewers were a student and biochem professor. They weren't too bothered by my dodging the "why DO" question. At other schools you'll draw the short straw and get those physicians that are president of their state osteopathic organization and the whole interview revolves around osteopathic medicine.