would it be unethical to...?

[Captain Sisko]

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So there's this website where premeds can sign up to get matched to a DO mentor for shadowing opportunities. I'm about 65% sure I'll be applying to allopathic schools only, it really depends on my March mcat exam.

Would it be wrong to sign up to shadow a DO to get clinical exposure even if I've little interest in osteopathic medicine? In my mind it feels a little underhanded, but part of me wants to try it out and see what that physical manipulation thing is about.

 

[MedPR]

So there's this website where premeds can sign up to get matched to a DO mentor for shadowing opportunities. I'm about 65% sure I'll be applying to allopathic schools only, it really depends on my March mcat exam.

Would it be wrong to sign up to shadow a DO to get clinical exposure even if I've little interest in osteopathic medicine? In my mind it feels a little underhanded, but part of me wants to try it out and see what that physical manipulation thing is about.

No, they're docs too. The majority of DOs practice exactly the same as MDs. There is no such thing as allopathic and osteopathic medicine. It's all just medicine.

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[xXIDaShizIXx]

No, they're docs too. The majority of DOs practice exactly the same as MDs. There is no such thing as allopathic and osteopathic medicine. It's all just medicine.

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This. I'm not sure what the problem would be.

 

[AestheticGod]

So there's this website where premeds can sign up to get matched to a DO mentor for shadowing opportunities. I'm about 65% sure I'll be applying to allopathic schools only, it really depends on my March mcat exam.

Would it be wrong to sign up to shadow a DO to get clinical exposure even if I've little interest in osteopathic medicine? In my mind it feels a little underhanded, but part of me wants to try it out and see what that physical manipulation thing is about.

Link site!!

 

[Doctor Strange]

Isn't that just AACOMAS?

 

[Geebeejay]

definitely not unethical, even if you were 99% sure you wouldn't do DO.

 

[Captain Sisko]

Link site!!

From the nontraditional forum

Given that there are tons of DO's in OH I'd try this site for shadowing: http://cf.osteopathic.org/iLearn/index.cfm?pageid=ment_exchange

Back when I was applying I lined up 1/2 a dozen shadowing gigs through this site. Had to turn down some I got so many responses. But other people have had mixed results depending on region. It's worth a try though.

 

[eefen]

Part of me wants to try it out and see what that physical manipulation thing is about.

This is a perfectly good reason. And 65% sure is by no means an anti-osteopathic stance. It's better to keep all of your options open until the last minute than to rule things out too early in the game. Even if you do end up traveling down the allopathic road, you will have a broader understanding of medicine because of this experience.

 

[WTEngel]

Not unethical. It could be a bit disingenuous if you were to go in and feign interest, gushing about how motivated you were to pursue a DO program...but it doesn't seem like that's your intention.

Like others have said, DOs are doctors too, and if you didn't know which type of physician you were shadowing, you likely wouldn't notice a difference in practice.

I'm sure you'll have a blast. Using a website like the one you posted is awesome, because all the physicians listed genuinely and actively want to have interested parties shadow them.

 

[Lollygag]

not unethical. It could be a bit disingenuous if you were to go in and feign interest, gushing about how motivated you were to pursue a do program...but it doesn't seem like that's your intention.

Like others have said, dos are doctors too, and if you didn't know which type of physician you were shadowing, you likely wouldn't notice a difference in practice.

I'm sure you'll have a blast. Using a website like the one you posted is awesome, because all the physicians listed genuinely and actively want to have interested parties shadow them.

+1

 

[Bangersandmash]

I shadowed a DO and two MDs on my application with no intention of ever applying DO. The allopathic school I interviewed at didn't even say a thing about it.

 

[Daneosaurus]

I shadowed a DO and two MDs on my application with no intention of ever applying DO. The allopathic school I interviewed at didn't even say a thing about it.

As well, they shouldn't have, from what I understand. DO's are physicians, too. Within the profession, they are generally treated the same as MD's.

 

[FSU2013]

Generally, if you have to ask - it's unethical.

But in this case, no it is not unethical. Not at all. If you worked with two docs in the same specialty and covered up there name tags you wouldn't know the difference. Just go do it. Besides, you may find out you are more interested in DO stuff.

 

[wholeheartedly]

I think you're ok. Hell I shadowed a bunch of allied health people as well as docs because that was part of the program. While I had no intention of becoming a nurse, dosimetrist, histotech, or rad tech I do think it was valuable to learn about those fields first hand.


You want to be a doc, you're trying to shadow a doc, learning about OMM might be interesting/valuable, so as long as they don't have a participation requirement that you HAVE to be interested in osteopathic and planning on applying to osteopathic programs, I think it's alright. The only downside is you might box out someone who is interested in applying osteopathic schools, but I'm not sure those programs are going to fill up to that extent.

 

[phikapdoctor]

If anything it will make you sure on "why M.D."It will broaden your perspective and you might even come to the conclusion that you like OMM.
All I see is positives.


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