Why don't prestigious Universities offer DO degree?

[premedned]

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From researching other threads especially it seems that there is still an underlying bias against the DO degree, albeit being better than decades ago, there is still a stigma that persists.

I understand the disadvantages, such as a harder time matching into competitive specialties, most likely schooling in a rural environment, lack of research opportunities, usually not affiliated with teaching hospital and potentially inconsistent clinical training. However the end goal is still the same (ability to become a Physician).

What I have noticed when researching Medical schools to apply to is that all the bigger name brand "prestigious" Universities only offer Allopathic MD degrees, but not Osteopathic DO degree.

What I am trying to say is, I think that in order for DO to become equal to MD, more prestigious/name brand universities need to start offering DO programs.



Example is in the dental world, DDS = DMD. This is apparent in that places like Harvard offer DMD, and Columbia offer DDS



What do you guys think?

 

[FrkyBgStok]

I personally think that one of the major reasons is that the MD degree is generally an older degree and the prestigious universities are old universities. Sure DMU was created in 1898, but Harvard was created in the 1600s and columbia in the 1700s.

In addition, osteopathic schools still have a stigma. So if you are a prestigious university, and you have the opportunity to open up medical education, what are you going to choose?

Also, beating a dead horse.

 

[premedned]

Yeah, but with 20% of newly minted Physicians being DO isn't it becoming a more popular choice as a route to becoming a Physician?

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, I think for the stigma to go away, the bigger name universities would have to begin offering DO degrees

 

[Goro]

Yeah, but with 20% of newly minted Physicians being DO isn't it becoming a more popular choice as a route to becoming a Physician?

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, I think for the stigma to go away, the bigger name universities would have to begin offering DO degrees

Not all universities want to have a medical school (see, Rice).

Not all universities may have the 30 million dollars lying around which is what it takes to start a DO School.

They also might not be aware of the degree.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Prestigious schools don't give the DO degree because the DO degree is not prestigious.

DMD/DDS is not an analogous situation. The degrees are literally the same and all dental schools have the same accreditation. The DMD degree arose purely because Harvard wanted to get fancy with the name of the degree they gave.

 

[builderstorch]

Prestigious schools don't give the DO degree because the DO degree is not prestigious.

DMD/DDS is not an analogous situation. The degrees are literally the same and all dental schools have the same accreditation. The DMD degree arose purely because Harvard wanted to get fancy with the name of the degree they gave.

DO degree is not prestigious but a noob from the Carib with his fancy MD is.

 

[DrStephennmnm]

DO degree is not prestigious but a noob from the Carib with his fancy MD is.

Exactly, couldn't have said it better myself. MD > DO always in terms of prestige. If that's what you care about (prestige), then go MD (if you can get in that is). If you care about being a doctor and actually helping others, then it doesn't matter

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

DO degree is not prestigious but a noob from the Carib with his fancy MD is.

Exactly, couldn't have said it better myself. MD > DO always in terms of prestige. If that's what you care about (prestige), then go MD (if you can get in that is). If you care about being a doctor and actually helping others, then it doesn't matter

Lol no. No one says that. Carib MD isn’t prestigious either.

 

[hungrydoc710]

DO, MD, Carrib MD - make it anyway you can - so your bank account gets fat!

I'd care more about DO being 'less prestigous' to MD, if there was a descrepancy in pay. Since there isn't, I'm good.

Also, the helping people thing too is nice.

 

[Osminog]

Yeah, but with 20% of newly minted Physicians being DO isn't it becoming a more popular choice as a route to becoming a Physician?

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, I think for the stigma to go away, the bigger name universities would have to begin offering DO degrees

Prestigious universities will never launch DO schools. Why would top-ranked colleges with big endowments want to start a medical school that offers less-respected degrees that limit their students’ opportunities? Why would they want their medical schools to be considered peers with LECOM-Elmira and Burrell COM? Why would institutions with elite STEM departments and Nobel laureate science faculty want their medical students to learn craniosacral therapy and Chapman’s points?

The anti-DO stigma will only go away when the DO degree is abolished and when osteopathy is left to the history books and non-physician “holistic healers.” Until then, the DO path will always just serve as a backup for students who couldn’t gain the credentials to get into a US MD school. There’s nothing wrong with that, but we have to acknowledge that “DO” and “prestige” will never belong in the same sentence.

 

[DrStephennmnm]

Lol no. No one says that. Carib MD isn’t prestigious either.

No one will ask an MD about their pedigree. They see MD and that's that. Most people don't even know that SGU/Ross are Caribbean schools, so as long as they don't say "I went to a Caribbean medical school" they will get lumped into the same category as US MD by most people in the general public

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

No one will ask an MD about their pedigree. They see MD and that's that. Most people don't even know that SGU/Ross are Caribbean schools, so as long as they don't say "I went to a Caribbean medical school" they will get lumped into the same category as US MD by most people in the general public

The general public doesn’t ask about DOs either.... hell, they don’t even recognize when the person they see for primary care is a nurse....

Lay person prestige is given to anyone who is a physician.

 

[DrStephennmnm]

The general public doesn’t ask about DOs either.... hell, they don’t even recognize when the person they see for primary care is a nurse....

Lay person prestige is given to anyone who is a physician.

Idk the place I work people definitely know the difference between a NP/PA and a doc (at least when they find out their title).
And that's not really what the thread is about. The thread is assuming the person already knows their title, hence the prestige of MD vs DO not Dr. vs Dr.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

And that's not really what the thread is about. The thread is assuming the person already knows their title, hence the prestige of MD vs DO not Dr. vs Dr.

I’m not really understanding what you’re getting at then. In that sense yes the DO is less prestigious, it’s true. More prestigious universities are not going to open DO schools for that reason.

 

[DrStephennmnm]

I’m not really understanding what you’re getting at then. In that sense yes the DO is less prestigious, it’s true. More prestigious universities are not going to open DO schools for that reason.

I'm saying MD > DO in terms of prestige

 

[DO2015CA]

I'm saying MD > DO in terms of prestige

And that’s just how it’s going to be to eternity. But life isn’t all about prestige.

 

[DrStephennmnm]

And that’s just how it’s going to be to eternity. But life isn’t all about prestige.

Tell that to some of the butt-hurt DOs

 

[DO2015CA]

From researching other threads especially it seems that there is still an underlying bias against the DO degree, albeit being better than decades ago, there is still a stigma that persists.

I understand the disadvantages, such as a harder time matching into competitive specialties, most likely schooling in a rural environment, lack of research opportunities, usually not affiliated with teaching hospital and potentially inconsistent clinical training. However the end goal is still the same (ability to become a Physician).

What I have noticed when researching Medical schools to apply to is that all the bigger name brand "prestigious" Universities only offer Allopathic MD degrees, but not Osteopathic DO degree.

What I am trying to say is, I think that in order for DO to become equal to MD, more prestigious/name brand universities need to start offering DO programs.



Example is in the dental world, DDS = DMD. This is apparent in that places like Harvard offer DMD, and Columbia offer DDS



What do you guys think?

because it’s not on their agenda to make the DO degree more prestigious. Why would it be?

 

[DO2015CA]

Tell that to some of the butt-hurt DOs

They’ll have to get over it. Or they won’t. That’s their cross to bear. There is so much more to life than prestige and career

 

[DrStephennmnm]

They’ll have to get over it. Or they won’t. That’s their cross to bear. There is so much more to life than prestige and career

I agree.

 

[builderstorch]

a doctor is a doctor and with it comes prestige. The DO dermatologist has more prestige than a MD family practitioner. At least with a DO degree you know he got his degree in America.

 

[builderstorch]

but I could be confusing prestige with respect

 

[DO2015CA]

a doctor is a doctor and with it comes prestige. The DO dermatologist has more prestige than a MD family practitioner. At least with a DO degree you know he got his degree in America.

But in reality who cares if they got the degree in America. There are plenty of European countries that have way more prestigious and respected schools than the US. Getting a degree in America means little as for quality of education and all to the ability to match to a residency program. After residency, it doesn’t matter which medical school they attended.

 

[harrislakers123]

Such a weird thread. DOs are always going to emphasize community based medicine and practice over research.

Where you train and what you train in have far greater importance and impact than the medical school you went to.

Of those obsessed with prestige, people who peaked at medical school will say med school name is critical. Those that peak at residency or fellowship will say those training institutions is critical.

Don’t get caught up in this game

 

[harrislakers123]

Some people say primary care is not prestigious. This is also poor thinking. Some think X is not as prestigious as Y, and Y is not as Z. There are so many factors behind why someone goes to a given medical school, residency, fellowship, field, etc.

Don’t have this mindset going into medicine. Your actions and contributions are the most important part that people, colleagues and patients care about.

 

[Goro]

I’m not really understanding what you’re getting at then. In that sense yes the DO is less prestigious, it’s true. More prestigious universities are not going to open DO schools for that reason.

Indeed. If you look at the parent universities that open DO schools (say, William Carey, Lincoln, U New England) they're all small potatoes. To them, that means they can say "We have a medical school!"...but Rice, dePaw, Auburn? Nope. Just nope.

 

[Goro]

a doctor is a doctor and with it comes prestige. The DO dermatologist has more prestige than a MD family practitioner. At least with a DO degree you know he got his degree in America.

Only in the minds of naive, if not actually immature pre-meds.

 

[Dr. Vinnie Boombatz]

No one will ask an MD about their pedigree. They see MD and that's that. Most people don't even know that SGU/Ross are Caribbean schools, so as long as they don't say "I went to a Caribbean medical school" they will get lumped into the same category as US MD by most people in the general public

I have to strongly agree with this. I shadowed a pediatrician during undergrad. He's an MD and very well respected by the community and his patients. It wasn't until about a month ago that I found out he went to Ross. It doesn't make me think any less of him, but when patients see his name it says Dr. A, MD and that's something they understand. In the future when I'm seen as Dr. S, DO people might not understand that and will inevitably ask if "I'm a real doctor."

 

[deleted1005514]

Indeed. If you look at the parent universities that open DO schools (say, William Carey, Lincoln, U New England) they're all small potatoes. To them, that means they can say "We have a medical school!"...but Rice, dePaw, Auburn? Nope. Just nope.

Auburn has a DO school.

 

[Sleepingdoc]

MD degree is so prestigious that even the Caribbean schools, and other countries are offer MD degree and not a DO... Is MBBS less of a degree?? Please take this reply as it has a hint of sarcasm in it..., not a knock on Carribean or degrees offered in other countries.

Again with the premed's, there is a craze for the MD degree... but on what gods green earth do you think DO is less than MD. My advise is be a good doctor, if you are past this stage of immaturity of a bunch of premeds talking about what is "prestigious". And to the premed's who think MD is more prestigious than DO, please talk about it in your personal statement, and thats the reason why you are picking it, so we can figure out who you are and why you are choosing this profession is for the two letters that are added to your name.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Auburn has a DO school.

No they don’t. VCOM paying Auburn to let their students use some facilities does not equal Auburn having a DO school.

 

[DrStephennmnm]

MD degree is so prestigious that even the Caribbean schools, and other countries are offer MD degree and not a DO... Is MBBS less of a degree?? Please take this reply as it has a hint of sarcasm in it..., not a knock on Carribean or degrees offered in other countries.

Again with the premed's, there is a craze for the MD degree... but on what gods green earth do you think DO is less than MD. My advise is be a good doctor, if you are past this stage of immaturity of a bunch of premeds talking about what is "prestigious". And to the premed's who think MD is more prestigious than DO, please talk about it in your personal statement, and thats the reason why you are picking it, so we can figure out who you are and why you are choosing this profession is for the two letters that are added to your name.

Last time I checked the general public are not all premeds....

 

[DO2015CA]

Last time I checked the general public are not all premeds....

You are more likely to hear the prestige bs from colleagues than the general public. You will hear the occasional uninformed opinion but the vast majority of the public will not notice a difference or care. You will introduce yourself as Dr. and that’s all they will hear.

 

[deleted1005514]

No they don’t. VCOM paying Auburn to let their students use some facilities does not equal Auburn having a DO school.

I see...my misunderstanding

 

[DrStephennmnm]

You are more likely to hear the prestige bs from colleagues than the general public. You will hear the occasional uninformed opinion but the vast majority of the public will not notice a difference or care. You will introduce yourself as Dr. and that’s all they will hear.

Yes and I agree with that per my posts above. However, we are assuming the observer already knows the credentials. That being said, at least in my experience working in the healthcare field, everyone knows the MD degree while there are some who do not know the DO degree.

 

[Mad Jack]

Why don't prestigious restaurants offer flank steak?

 

[Butters Stotch]

You are more likely to hear the prestige bs from colleagues than the general public. You will hear the occasional uninformed opinion but the vast majority of the public will not notice a difference or care. You will introduce yourself as Dr. and that’s all they will hear.

In essence the only people that care about prestige are the people that care about prestige

 

[DO2015CA]

In essence the only people that care about prestige are the people that care about prestige

Bingo