Why DO?

Started by elegantorchid
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elegantorchid

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10+ Year Member
Hi guys I just wanted to know why you guys picked DO and maybe for current students what you feel about your program.

I'm a little bit undecided right now and I know I will insult some ppl when I say that for all practical purposes I'd rather be an MD than a DO. It just seems that MD gives you more options for specialization. I was not able to get into an MD school last cycle so this cycle I added DO schools as well. Clearly given the choice of not being a doctor vs being a DO doctor I would easily take the DO and hope that should I become interested in a specialty my DO credentials won't set me back.
 
Sure, MD schools give you more options in terms of specializing. But it's really all up to you to make it happen, regardless if you go to a DO school or MD school.

You are also eligible to apply to AOA residencies if you are a DO student. There are a lot of AOA residencies that specialize.
 
so you kinda see it as med school (DO/MD) is what you make of it? I guess I could see how that could be true.

also what do you guys think of carib MD vs DO in America?
 
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elegantorchid said:
so you kinda see it as med school (DO/MD) is what you make of it? I guess I could see how that could be true.
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There are lots of threads around SDN that will give you some understanding of osteopathic medicine. I would definetly get a good grasp on it, because your post definetly shows that D.O. is a back up option for you. Just a fair warning, slight ignorance towards osteopathy, or allopathy for that matter, will erupt a nice flame on SDN :meanie:.

Anyways, I hope you can find out more about osteopathy, I truly think that it will lead me to be the best physician I could possibly be. Just make sure you know why you want to be a physician regardless of MD/DO.

Good luck!
 
elegantorchid said:
Hi guys I just wanted to know why you guys picked DO and maybe for current students what you feel about your program.

I'm a little bit undecided right now and I know I will insult some ppl when I say that for all practical purposes I'd rather be an MD than a DO. It just seems that MD gives you more options for specialization. I was not able to get into an MD school last cycle so this cycle I added DO schools as well. Clearly given the choice of not being a doctor vs being a DO doctor I would easily take the DO and hope that should I become interested in a specialty my DO credentials won't set me back.
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As you learn more about osteopathic medicine, the difference is only philosophical although many will argue that it's not so. On a rare occasion, I've also met some MDs who share a similar philosophy. Personally, I prefer the osteopathic philosophy and the degree they confer has no bearing on my desire to become a physician someday.
 
DO is overwhelmingly greater the carib MD. You should search because a lot of information is on these threads. your post shows you starting with a bias for MD, which is fine, you may be in an area that isn't DO friendly. I live in Iowa and I want to practice in Iowa, so here, DO=MD for all practical purposes. Depending on where you want to practice, it may not be the same, but generally, they are equivalent in terms of practice rights in the hospital and specialization. I once read there was a KCUMB student who matched into integrated plastics. So it really is how you make it.

But if you really REALLY want to be an MD, and you are really hesitant about DO, go MD. You will be happier for it.
 
well generally speaking I think I have a fairly decent idea of the differene between an MD and a Do. I guess what I'm askign is more along the lines of what is it liek to be a DO from DO students. I have read a lot of the "technically DO/MD are teh same minus some perspectives on patient care" but what is it really like from exp? Is there a certain amount of discrimination? For example, I have read that DO's salaries are lower than MD's even if they were pretty much excatly the same otherwise.
 
elegantorchid said:
well generally speaking I think I have a fairly decent idea of the differene between an MD and a Do. I guess what I'm askign is more along the lines of what is it liek to be a DO from DO students. I have read a lot of the "technically DO/MD are teh same minus some perspectives on patient care" but what is it really like from exp? Is there a certain amount of discrimination? For example, I have read that DO's salaries are lower than MD's even if they were pretty much excatly the same otherwise.
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A neurosurgeon is a neurosurgeon. The salaries are the same.
 
elegantorchid said:
well generally speaking I think I have a fairly decent idea of the differene between an MD and a Do. I guess what I'm askign is more along the lines of what is it liek to be a DO from DO students. I have read a lot of the "technically DO/MD are teh same minus some perspectives on patient care" but what is it really like from exp? Is there a certain amount of discrimination? For example, I have read that DO's salaries are lower than MD's even if they were pretty much excatly the same otherwise.
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Completely not true. Salaries are exactly the same. However, some private practices sometimes post on their hiring requirements "MD only". But that's pretty rare.
 
I know wiki is not the best but

"... of the higher prestige and higher resident reimbursement salaries associated with MD programs"

in anycase the point was is there any other notable differences in being a DOvsMD besides the whole philosophical standpoint
 
elegantorchid said:
I know wiki is not the best but

"... of the higher prestige and higher resident reimbursement salaries associated with MD programs"
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Just read what everyone's typing. Typically in the PAST there has been a stigma against D.O.s, but you are defined by your abilities as a physician. The letters after your name mean next to nothing. There is a bit of a hurdle for DOs to specialize in competitive fields, but this is true of both MDs and DOs. If you work hard, you can be anything you want. Don't let your degree stop you from what you want to accomplish.

The only differences between MD and DO is that DO Curriculum places an emphasis on holistic approach (MDs can be holistic too) and the teaching of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, which MDs can also learn if they want to.
 
elegantorchid said:
I know wiki is not the best but

"... of the higher prestige and higher resident reimbursement salaries associated with MD programs"

in anycase the point was is there any other notable differences in being a DOvsMD besides the whole philosophical standpoint
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For example, I have read that DO's salaries are lower than MD's even if they were pretty much excatly the same otherwise.
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say that for all practical purposes I'd rather be an MD than a DO. It just seems that MD gives you more options for specialization. I was not able to get into an MD school last cycle so this cycle I added DO schools as well. Clearly given the choice of not being a doctor vs being a DO doctor I would easily take the DO and hope that should I become interested in a specialty my DO credentials won't set me back.
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Based on your posts, you would seem like someone who would be unhappy if you ended up going the DO route. There's nothing wrong with that - you just seem to have your heart set on an MD. I would suggest you either strengthen your application and try to get into a US MD next year, or apply to carib. Don't do something that will make you unhappy for the rest of your career. Unless you can come to terms with being a DO (not much to come to terms with, in my opinion. If you're not from a DO-friendly area, you're going to have to explain to pretty much everyone you talk to what a DO is, and that it is not alternative medicine....this has been my experience, at least), don't go DO.
 
elegantorchid said:
"... of the higher prestige and higher resident reimbursement salaries associated with MD programs"
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Reimbursement rates are identical for MDs and DOs by law. BTW the incoming AOA president was a member of the rate-setting committee for many years.
 
ksmajmudar said:
... don't go DO.
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This.

I'm not really sure why you even bothered applying to DO schools. You are clearly misinformed and you it seems like you have your heart set on the MD. There is nothing wrong with this BTW. You either need to research the osteopathic profession further, go to the Caribs, or strengthen your application for US MD schools for next year.

There is no sense in going to a DO school if you aren't going to be happy. Don't just do it to become a doctor. You will probably regret it in the future. Most of us are perfectly content with this degree. Others aren't. Some people have major beef with OMM. Others don't. DO (lol) some more research on the profession and see what your preference is.

Oh, and I also forgot to add that going DO has it drawbacks too. You need to search for these cons and decide if it is right for you.
 
Being a DO student is the exact same thing as being an MD student except for once a week I have to sit in a lab and pretend like I care about learning OMM. Being a med student blows no matter whether you are an MD student or a DO student..its all the same.

There? Is that what you are looking for?

The curriculum is the same. The reimbursement is the same. The job opportunities are more or less the same.

You will have a harder time matching into certain competitive specialties...but DOs also have their own residency programs.

But who really cares about that anyway? I can almost guarantee you wont be competitive for those specialties that DOs have issues matching into (MD derm programs, rad onc, MD radiology, ophth). I know you want to think that you will be this uber awesome med student.....but no offense....you likely will not.
 
Well, you haven't gotten in MD cycle last year - why risk it again?

MD, DO, we're all medical students going through. Just avoid Caribbean MD if you can, that's another can of worms.

I was all set to go to a DO school, then I got taken off waitlist at an MD school. I would have been perfectly happy at the DO school, but I desired the increased flexibility that an MD would have with specialty residencies. I'll still have to work damn hard to match into one if I choose to do so.

Apply to both this cycle, and see where your cards fall. Either way, you're going to be a physician if you get in MD or DO. You seem to understand this yourself anyways, judging by your first post.
 
willen101383 said:
But who really cares about that anyway? I can almost guarantee you wont be competitive for those specialties that DOs have issues matching into (MD derm programs, rad onc, MD radiology, ophth). I know you want to think that you will be this uber awesome med student.....but no offense....you likely will not.
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At this point, as I'm drowning in the sea of information that's coming at me, I'm just content to be 'above average.' I think back to my pre-med days when I was secretly 'SURE' that I would be scoring 100% on EVERYTHING and can't help but laugh. I am not even gunning for a super-competitive residency or anything, but it's funny how so many pre-meds (myself, at one point, included) are so concerned with having trouble getting into one of 'those' programs when in all likelihood their chances of getting one of those spots are slim, regardless of the letters behind their name.

For most people, getting a DO instead of an MD will not make any difference as far as their career is concerned. It's all about how much effort you put into it, if the school is 'right' for you and how well you handle the pressure

And OP, don't go DO as a backup, you'll be miserable. It's hard enough to be successful when you're happy with your program, I couldn't imagine doing it if I didn't love what I was learning every day. You will HAVE to learn OMM, to pass the class, to pass the boards, so you better be able to at least enjoy it a little.
The rest of the classes are exactly the same as in MD school.
 
scrubbedup said:
At this point, as I'm drowning in the sea of information that's coming at me, I'm just content to be 'above average.' I think back to my pre-med days when I was secretly 'SURE' that I would be scoring 100% on EVERYTHING and can't help but laugh. I am not even gunning for a super-competitive residency or anything, but it's funny how so many pre-meds (myself, at one point, included) are so concerned with having trouble getting into one of 'those' programs when in all likelihood their chances of getting one of those spots are slim, regardless of the letters behind their name.

For most people, getting a DO instead of an MD will not make any difference as far as their career is concerned. It's all about how much effort you put into it, if the school is 'right' for you and how well you handle the pressure

And OP, don't go DO as a backup, you'll be miserable. It's hard enough to be successful when you're happy with your program, I couldn't imagine doing it if I didn't love what I was learning every day. You will HAVE to learn OMM, to pass the class, to pass the boards, so you better be able to at least enjoy it a little.
The rest of the classes are exactly the same as in MD school.
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YUP dude I have a ****in masters in clinical forensic medicine and I am nowhere near the top of my class. Happy with my grades generally but I just dont have it in me to have my life suck enough to get grades high enough that I will be competative at an allo rads program (nor would I EVER want to do rads). Everyone thinks they will be top dog...but trust me...you wont. Not even close. There are always going to be people who are more willing than you to give up every single other thing that makes their life meaningful for the sake of being in the top of their class.

As far as OMM goes. Its going to be a minor part of school most likely but its going to be a disproportionate PITA. Especially at schools like mine..which are quite allopathic...and thus the OMM depts will generally feel like second class citizens, and take it out on the students.


And to you scrubbed up..its week 9....keep ur head down and charge...the finishline is in sight. Then comes the hell that is CMBM 😉
 
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PCOM coming out in full force.

To the OP: I agree with my fellow PCOMers that OMM is something that I pretend to care about for lab once a week for 1.5 hours. I thought I'd be excited to learn it and so far I have not. One thing, however, that I know about OMM is that my palpatory skills are better than what they were.

Also, what will you regret more: being a DO and its associated 'stigma' or going Carib MD and its associated stigma.
 
TallScrubs said:
PCOM coming out in full force.

To the OP: I agree with my fellow PCOMers that OMM is something that I pretend to care about for lab once a week for 1.5 hours. I thought I'd be excited to learn it and so far I have not. One thing, however, that I know about OMM is that my palpatory skills are better than what they were.

Also, what will you regret more: being a DO and its associated 'stigma' or going Carib MD and its associated stigma.
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Good to see yall here! I def agree with u with regard to palpatory skills...but thats about the only good thing OMM has done for me. womp womp im mr negative as im on hour 12 of studying for GU/Ob on my birthday eve.
(just after i got done posting that I dont have it in me to study like a fiend anymore lol)
 
willen101383 said:
And to you scrubbed up..its week 9....keep ur head down and charge...the finishline is in sight. Then comes the hell that is CMBM 😉
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Anything, ANYTHING over histology. It's all a lie. They just take random slides and arbitrarily name them. I am convinced of this!!! 😕😕😕

One day at a time, I guess...one, long, day, at, a, time. 😀

As for OMM, I am quickly starting to see what you mean about that. It's kind of a shame, though, since I do enjoy learning the stuff...the fellows are helpful at least.
 
scrubbedup said:
Anything, ANYTHING over histology. It's all a lie. They just take random slides and arbitrarily name them. I am convinced of this!!! 😕😕😕

One day at a time, I guess...one, long, day, at, a, time. 😀

As for OMM, I am quickly starting to see what you mean about that. It's kind of a shame, though, since I do enjoy learning the stuff...the fellows are helpful at least.
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haha histo is such a small small small part of your overall SPOM grade its not going to hurt/help you that much! Chillax! 3 weeks until you never stink like a cadaver again. Memorize your histotimes and ride it out! But yeah histo is pretty pointless. Ive had the (dis)pleasure of taking it X3 now. Just gets you used to looking at slides for your path lectures in systems.

Yeah the fellows are helpful for sure and certain docs are great ahem noto and hobson...and the new guy I forget his name....but the rest just seem like they take pleasure in making your life miserable if you arent a budding A.T.
 
willen101383 said:
haha histo is such a small small small part of your overall SPOM grade its not going to hurt/help you that much! Chillax! 3 weeks until you never stink like a cadaver again. Memorize your histotimes and ride it out! But yeah histo is pretty pointless. Ive had the (dis)pleasure of taking it X3 now. Just gets you used to looking at slides for your path lectures in systems.

Yeah the fellows are helpful for sure and certain docs are great ahem noto and hobson...and the new guy I forget his name....but the rest just seem like they take pleasure in making your life miserable if you arent a budding A.T.
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👍
 
The line between MD and DO that distinguishes the type of care they give is disappearing. They are both becoming one with each other.

For DO though, the OMM stuff doesn't really do it for me. I shadowed one and I almost fell asleep every time he was with a patient. It was honestly a struggle to try to look interested. I would catch myself staring at the tie dye tapestries and wood relics in the office more than the patients. The only thing that kept me awake was our discussions on health care in between patients. I didn't understand the point of going through medical school and residency to practice a form of alternative medicine. What I did learn and value was his approach to patients.
 
I feel like OMM is getting a lot of bad rep on this thread. While I'm not in med school, observing a DO practicing OMM has everything to do with why I chose not to apply to an MD school. Obviously, its not for everyone, but I'm interested in learning it.
 
Gilligan26 said:
I feel like OMM is getting a lot of bad rep on this thread. While I'm not in med school, observing a DO practicing OMM has everything to do with why I chose not to apply to an MD school. Obviously, its not for everyone, but I'm interested in learning it.
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OMM has a bad rep because the people who teach and utilize it force it down everyone's throats like it is the best treatment on earth and everything works. Everything DOES NOT work. Some things do....but many things dont, and they still continue teaching it in DO schools. How are people going to take a treatment like cranial seriously when every single study out there has said it does nothing? (and yet OMM gurus still keep forcing it down throats). Furthermore, most modern day practitioners just dont have the time to practice OMM....and there arent really roles for it in many specialties.

Modern day DO students really dont care that much about OMM...and the OMM departments (at least at my school)/the AOA sense that...and do their best to threaten and inconvenience the students as much as possible. They are completely unreasonable, make ridiculous rules, and are just impossible to deal with.

That being said, if you want to learn/use OMM thats fine. It has its role for certain people, but dont look down on others for not wanting anything to do with it.
 
willen101383 said:
That being said, if you want to learn/use OMM thats fine. It has its role for certain people, but dont look down on others for not wanting anything to do with it.
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I didn't mean to come across that way and I in no way think this. I just meant for the OP to see that not everyone views OMM in a negative way.
 
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I agree with what most people are posting about doing what feels right to you. If you go to a med school that you aren't happy with, it's going to be the hardest 4 years of your life.

I prefer DO schools over MD but that's because I plan to go into primary care. The hardest part of making the decision is that I feel I will always have to defend myself to others about the equality of DO and MD. Also, as a DO, you can take the USMLE exam for MD's and apply for their residencies.

The only reason i would change my mind is if I had my mind set on a specialty. I do hear that some of the more competitive residencies are a bit harder if you are a DO. But again, it's what you make of it. Hospitals are great at selecting the best doctors regardless of the MD/DO title.
 
Gilligan26 said:
I didn't mean to come across that way and I in no way think this. I just meant for the OP to see that not everyone views OMM in a negative way.
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I understand...and didnt mean to hint that you would...that just seems to be how most people at my school (and many other schools) who are obsessed with OMM view others that dont care for it.

I remember bitching about something the OMM dept did on FB (not letting me go to my fiances surgery because I had lab...without making it an extreme inconvenience) and one of the SAAO (OMM club) dudes writes

"Well maybe you shouldnt have gone to a DO school then."

Attitudes like that are what I am talking about. Its like heresy for you to go to an DO school and discover that you dont like OMM in their eyes. They just seem completely and utterly unable to accept the fact that people may not like OMM despite being at a DO school.

I kept an open mind, I learned it, I dont like it. What is the problem? Same thing goes for ANY medical specialty...some people like X and some people dislike X.
 
so what excatly is it you guys dont' like about OMM anyways? just the fact that they force it on students?

I am actually interested in learning it. Everytime I talk about it with friends, they think I'm just learning to become a massage therapist haha.
 
For me, it's basically the way it's being taught. My main issue is with the fact that we spend more time listening than 'doing' in most of our labs and that is NOT helpful at all when you're trying to develop a skill (i.e. palpating those $*(% transverse processes). I'm sure my school-mates know what I'm talking about.

You may not like OMT, you may not use it ever again if you pick pretty much any specialty, but I can see how certain skills you gain through OMM labs can help you in your career.

Some people never get into it, and that's fine. But, unlike most other classes which only last a semester or a few weeks, you learn this stuff for 2 years, which is why I say, if you absolutely hate it and go into it without an open mind, you'll be miserable.
 
elegantorchid said:
so what excatly is it you guys dont' like about OMM anyways? just the fact that they force it on students?

I am actually interested in learning it. Everytime I talk about it with friends, they think I'm just learning to become a massage therapist haha.
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Its fine...in fact I always tell premeds to keep an open mind and pay no mind to me *****ing...because you really need to develop your own opinions toward it.

M2 year OMM isnt quite as bad as M1 because its mainly just techniques without all of the "OMM mysticism." If you leave out all of the magic'y stuff and explain things in terms of normal physiologic movement it would be a lot more palatable. Youll see once you get there...there is a lot of BS that gets thrown around first year....and as someone who has trained in the sciences for 8 years now its really hard to swallow that crap. Furthermore I just find it interesting that the OMM gurus make all these crazy claims without hard evidence to back anything up...and at the same time we have evidence based medicine fired at us from every angle from the mainstream guys.

A lot of OMM stuff goes against things I learned in graduate school so its just tough to believe things...ie cranial/degree of motion at the SI joint/pubic symphysis and what not.

Another thing that makes OMM teh suck...is just the fact that its one more thing you need to do. If you dont like it or are on the fence...do you really think that you want to have to truck down to campus to sit in lab for 1.5 hours on a thursday when you have a major exam on monday?? Your whole day of studying is basically shot because of having to go to lab...especially when it takes you 45 minutes to get to school like it does in my case. (I self study at home so having to go to campus totally throws my whole schedule off). Its just added stress that you really dont need when you are already stressed out.
 
I agree about people who like OMM to stop treating people who don't like it as second class citizens.

In all fairness, OMM is a very minor tool that might be helpful in very specific situations in a small percentage of patient population.

Can you all see how minor a role OMM plays in real world clinical medicine?

No it's not the greatest thing since penicillin, and it certainly isn't enough to distinguish DOs from MDs.

As a 3rd year, and having rotated with good amount of MD and DO attendings/residents so far, I can honestly say that I haven't met a single clinician who gives a flying you-know-what about OMM. I had one PM&R resident who thought OMM was helpful but he admitted that only in PM&R and it was helpful in a sense that it made him a better diagnostician as far as musculoskeletal system is concerned.

And to willen, I hope you asked the a-hole, who told you "shouldn't have gone to DO school", whether or not making fun of somebody on facebook like a 13 year old girl really boosts his self-esteem much more than when his mommy tells him that he is the prettiest daughter in the world?

I forget what the OP's question was...oh yeah, just get into a medical school. That's the toughest part about this process of becoming a doctor.
 
Rollo said:
I agree about people who like OMM to stop treating people who don't like it as second class citizens.

In all fairness, OMM is a very minor tool that might be helpful in very specific situations in a small percentage of patient population.

Can you all see how minor a role OMM plays in real world clinical medicine?

No it's not the greatest thing since penicillin, and it certainly isn't enough to distinguish DOs from MDs.

As a 3rd year, and having rotated with good amount of MD and DO attendings/residents so far, I can honestly say that I haven't met a single clinician who gives a flying you-know-what about OMM. I had one PM&R resident who thought OMM was helpful but he admitted that only in PM&R and it was helpful in a sense that it made him a better diagnostician as far as musculoskeletal system is concerned.

And to willen, I hope you asked the a-hole, who told you "shouldn't have gone to DO school", whether or not making fun of somebody on facebook like a 13 year old girl really boosts his self-esteem much more than when his mommy tells him that he is the prettiest daughter in the world?

I forget what the OP's question was...oh yeah, just get into a medical school. That's the toughest part about this process of becoming a doctor.
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👍 I let him know what I thought about his comment about one comment below 😀
 
how big of a role does your competence in OMM play towards grades and tests? many of you guys seem to dislike it so why not just kinda brush it off and do it half-assed.
 
elegantorchid said:
how big of a role does your competence in OMM play towards grades and tests? many of you guys seem to dislike it so why not just kinda brush it off and do it half-assed.
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OMM is its own class and has zero bearing on the rest of med school. In short I do brush it off as much as possible. They set the passing level at 80% at my school so you cant brush it off too much or you will A. have to remediate a failed practical...and if you have less than an 80% written average (very easy to do) you will have to remediate the course. I know multiple people who had 90+ practical averages yet were below 80 on the writtens and had to remediate the written portion of the course last summer. You fail ur remediation exam....then u dont pass M1 OMM. Rather than give the students who had <80 a week or two to prepare....they ruined their summers by making the exam like 2 days before classes started again this fall...so these people had to worry all summer about failing OMM. This is the kind of stuff I am talking about....
 
yea the techniques are more useful than the theory.
many omm techniques are worth learning bc they're good to know and you can bill for them if you ever use them
the reason they make it 2yr is they want you to gain expertise in the techniques. ]]
everyone complains about how omm is taught butit really depends on your school.
the lingo is a pain in the rear but not hard to pass. not worth getting heartburn over.
however you feel about omm, remember the omm dept motto: "cooperate and graduate" lol
if you don't like omm, just treat it like pe: do what the coach says, have fun if you can, and move on - this is what most people do
bottom line: i wouldn't worry too much about omm.
 
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manubrium said:
yea the techniques are more useful than the theory.
many omm techniques are worth learning bc they're good to know and you can bill for them if you ever use them
the reason they make it 2yr is they want you to gain expertise in the techniques. ]]
everyone complains about how omm is taught butit really depends on your school.
the lingo is a pain in the rear but not hard to pass. not worth getting heartburn over.
however you feel about omm, remember the omm dept motto: "cooperate and graduate" lol
if you don't like omm, just treat it like pe: do what the coach says, have fun if you can, and move on - this is what most people do
bottom line: i wouldn't worry too much about omm.
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Yeah it's really not a big deal. A couple hours out of your life per week-that's it. I've gotta say, too-getting massaged by your classmates, especially if you're stressed out and tense from exams is a welcome plus. Maybe they know what they're doing after all...
 
munchymanRX said:
Yeah it's really not a big deal. A couple hours out of your life per week-that's it. I've gotta say, too-getting massaged by your classmates, especially if you're stressed out and tense from exams is a welcome plus. Maybe they know what they're doing after all...
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And definitely is a welcome when your partner is a hot girl...
 
Rollo said:
And definitely is a welcome when your partner is a hot girl...
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elegantorchid said:
oh wow now i'm really looking forward to it. free massages? yes please!
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2djvrsp.gif
 
As a D.O student, I love the philosophy behind OMM, which was the main reason I was interested in D.O schools in the first place. Willen is right, not everything works, or is a permanent fix, but when a technique does work, it's amazing. I've been to the OMM specialists here at PCOM for back pain and pulled muscles, and I can tell you a lot of what they have done for me helps (although sometimes only temporarily).

What I love about learning OMM is that it teaches me to think very anatomically and physiologically. Yeah, you have to memorize things, but trying to figure out OMM makes you think through things. It will always be a second tool in your toolbox, and you will never be afraid to touch a patient, that is for sure.

Biggest Downfalls:

We do the same requirements that any MD student will do, PLUS OMM, so most of the time, for most of us, OMM is always put on the back-burner. I don't go to OMM lectures, I don't usually do prep work before lab, I don't study for OMM until a few days before the exams (and never look at lectures other than this time), not because I am lazy, but because I am focusing on the other core material that is a bigger part of my GPA, and because after working on that, I like to have some semblance of a life. I always do fine on all of the practicals/exams, so it's not that it's not doable. You just have to decide if you want it on the back-burner all of the time. And then it is as least 20% of the COMLEX.

A lot of us won't use it in practice if we never become comfortable with it. I shadowed an amazing D.O in college who told me that the only reason he is good at manipulation (he is an ObGyn), is because his mentor during his residency used it all the time. So why learn something if you don't think you'll want to use it? I use little things on my friends/family all the time, so I am glad I am learning it.

Bottom line, it seems like you are most comfortable going the MD route, and want to know what it would be like to be a D.O student if you don't get into an MD program, and that's okay. A lot of students use D.O as a second choice, and it's actually smart because you save time and don't lose however many years of salary that it had taken you to get into an MD program, but if can't see yourself dealing with the downfalls, than I wouldn't waste your time applying/interviewing. I definitely don't have the time to do all of the research that my MD colleagues have time to do, so I am thankful we have both types of programs, because it is beneficial to have doctors with the different experiences and styles.
 
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