So in the end does D.O. I don’t mean to offend you in any way, but it would be appreciated if you could please stop talking about matters you do not understand. As a patient, here are my experiences. In my opinion I would stop judging people for where they attended medical school and judge them by the way they practice medicine. MyHeart is not a substitute for advice from a doctor. Mr. Darden has both true and grossly false statements. Choose traditional med school, grasshopper. I have no immediate health problems. have to live up to the same standards. Minimal expenses. MDs don’t want this to happen because then they’ll run out of business. Can you become both an M.D and a D.O? He would see me for all of 5 minutes, and write the scripts. But for to refer to a DO as a person who couldn’t get good grade to make the cut for MD program is BS, please you are retired and have some respect because you couldn’t be a DO or as a nurse you couldn’t gone further to become an NP. I am open to learning what an MD can do that a DO can’t – other than use the MD initials after their name. You have no idea what you are talking about. I have used both. As a social worker, I can’t tell you how important that is, to ask questions and to advocate for yourself in order to get the best care. and a 95th percentile MCAT score, I think that you need to reevaluate your “DOs don’t meet the MD standards” comment. But, in all honesty, neither track is more or less difficult. I am a DO that went to an MD residency. use and look at any thing that will help their patients. In the upcoming years it wouldn’t surprise me if the DO degree was unified into the MD degree or something like that. This coming from someone who interviews for an academic surgical residency. While this may not be practical, I personally only select DO’s to be my primary care doctor. Rest assured Mike, judging by the way you speak, none of us doctors would even want to place ourselves within 3 miles of creatures like you ;). I’m choosing the DO route because no matter what specialty I choose, I will have the foundation to practice general medicine and because we will be better trained at preventative medicine (as well as being equally trained in critical-care medicine). I would recommend you do some more research on OMM and what makes DOs different from MDs (because we really are pretty different despite what the article says). How would Mr. Darden treat the obese patient’s lymphedema? The main criteria they look at are: 1) board scores (USMLE, MD students or COMLEX, DO students). I can understand why. I was grateful that a DO school took me in and gave me the chance to become a doctor. He is Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) and is a member of the Amercan College of Ob/Gyn (FACOG) since 2002. The fact is that ALL medical schools, and hopefully ALL physicians use the latest data, studies, recommendations, and guidelines to help their medical decision making. One is a doctor, the other is not. However, the pain is much better because he shaved the discs off as much as possible without resorting to fusion of the vertebrae. Oh ALL-MIGHTY-Nurse please enlighten me on how this DOCTOR is wrong in writing this article? Sorry, no one believes you. I am trying to find out if he did anything wrong where I am concerned. The D.O. Meaning it’s all on you. 2) Where would you like to live? DOs are obviously not “underacheivers”; they want extra instruction in an area that MD students don’t care about. What I see differently in a DO is that they have a better bed-side-manner, spend time during visits to find the root cause of the issue/illness, and will use non-prescription medicine when necessary but knows when its the best choice. I worked for a DO and the last thing he was was holistic. The question was in regards to going to medical school – not joining a residency program. 4) What is the curriculum style (problem-based, systems-based, etc) and which type is more compatible with your learning style? I guess one could say you may not want to consider the opinion of a nurse who lacked the grades to get into osteopathic medicine. since I learned that the cause is more of what D.O.s focus on. I am having a very bad experience with a DO, I've shadowed both MD and DO family practice doctors and been with them when they have given yearly exams to women-I have never noticed any difference. 46 years in Health Care, Medic, RN, CRNA, and OR Supervisor. I couldn’t hold my head up and the ER docs didn’t have a clue. Dr. Do is on Doximity. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard your body as an integrated whole. As a patient , I will always choose my physicians are MD not DO. Andrew Taylor Still was the father of osteopathy. Either way, these two main criteria are determined by the way you perform in med school. Mr. Darden used the past to try to paint DO’s (or so it seemed to me) in a bad light. I am guessing this article was written by an MD, not a DO. Fort Worth ObGyn Office 3025 N. Tarrant Pkwy, Ste. Just because a person doesn’t score as highly on a test as someone else does not mean that person is less intelligent or didn’t work hard enough. D.O.’s are most prevalent in rural areas. Your email address will not be published. This makes these D.O.’s particularly dangerous. I pay for a good CPA to make sure I keep most of what I collect. Although some MD residency programs will accept the COMLEX test scores, most require DO students also take the USMLE in addition to the COMLEX. 3) Are research opportunities important to you? Depending on the accreditation body the residency will accept USMLE (step 1 and 2) or COMLEX (step 1 and 2) scores. Today there are five schools. DOs tendency to practice in rural areas as can be seen by the states with the largest growth in DOs – South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, North Carolina, Minnesota, Oregon, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Idaho. who sent me for therapy (as x-rays showed nothing, but before doing an MRI); updated him that it wasn’t helping and actually hurt during therapy and thereafter. I immediately became kyphotic. It is true that people who can’t make the cut for Medical School as an MD go into the DO field. more. Haha. Practicing in the broader area of women's reproductive health, gynecologists and obstetricians deal with a wider range of health issues than reproductive endocrinologists do. are both fully licensed physicians in all 50 states. Not in any way trying to discredit a Doc of Osteopathy… it just depends if you’re more solution-oriented or holistic-oriented in re: to bodily health. If the insurance can pay them (which mine does, depends on your level of coverage), then do whatever the hell you want. Hint: 2 points posterior to the base of your neck can lower down blood pressure. Gynaecology is the branch of medicine which deals with female organs female hormones and other issues.Obstetrics is a part of gynae which deals with only child birth related issues from conception to delivery. for a sinus infection, hypertension, or schizophrenia. Most of us take USMLE and move on to match in competitive ACGME residencies. As a retired RN from a University of California teaching institution, I find this article amusing. or D.O. The preclinical training is essentially the same otherwise. Always. My experience when I have had a DO as my PCP is the illness count stabilizes and sometimes the DO discovers reasons or underlying conditions that actually reduce chronic illnesses. And in general, which route seems more relevant to the speciality? People seem to have a lot of specific questions about the differences between MDs and DOs. During the visit we did diaphragm work, as well as some of the techniques listed in the article above. programs actually have lower acceptance rates than M.D. My first visit was great; she asked probing questions particularly about medications I have been taking and how long, etc. #2 It is true that >50% of graduating DOs will never use the manipulative techniques taught to them during their training. One can prescribe medication and perform surgery, the other cannot. How good was what she learned there? Well, you only come with ONE body and NO SPARE parts, so shouldn’t your health be your first priority? The diagnosis was kidney stones and the scan he ordered at the hospital revealed I had three. Ob/Gyn and Psych are some of the most prevalent specialties that DOs go into. But it really wouldn’t make much sense. So, you would not know where he/she got the MD. A BA simply means that the person took a foreign language in undergrad.. as for the rest, I believe it was already answered. The OP was not insulting doctors from other countries in general. You can go to the NRMP website and look at the statistics. The school I attend had a matriculating class average for GPA at a 3.6 and an MCAT of 506. My cardiologist is a DO. The only difference between DO and MD is that DO receive 300h of OMT training in the first 2 years of medical school. The truth of the matter is that an incredibly high percentage of doctors graduating from osteopathic programs could not get into highly respected medical schools in order to obtain an MD. I noticed that the Dr I liked the most (due to education, interests, and specialties) was a DO instead of a MD. Something I’m learning is that it’s not very important where you are for school (MD or DO, “prestigious” or not), but more so what you do with the experience. Allopathic medicine focuses on drugs and surgery; osteopathic is more wholistic, but also uses drugs and surgery. I worked for him for 6 years and ended up being fired due to my POTS symptoms but the possibiliy of that diagnosis never entered his mind. Both MD and DO schools are competitive. Anyone who says that DO students are, by virtue of the school they attend, beneath their MD counterparts in terms of intelligence, work ethic, or character is misinformed, and, with all due respect, you, sir, are ignorant. I have spent thousands of dollars trying to find help. Here’s where my memory is a bit fuzzy. No diagnosis, no treatment, Once discharged, I saw my MD, who ordered an X-ray. he is very stubborn and wont help me with any advices for a heart attack I had 3 months ago, I tell him about what happen ( heart attack), pain going to my jat and neck , pain to my shoulder and neck, the fact that my heart rate was for 2 months at 85 ( instead of 65) Both MD and DO physicians base diagnosis and treatment recommendations on scientifically-proven conclusions. Medical Doctors (MDs) in the United States attend medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). But if that isn’t you select another choice. While the numbers are fewer, there are DOs in very competitive specialties like Derm, Neuro, and Cardio. i have conjustive heart failure high blood pressure. Whether a doctor has an MD or a DO behind their name has no bearing on their worthiness or ability to be a doctor. programs. If you feel comfortable with this physician, there is little reason to go elsewhere as he was likely trained by MDs. I do have a comment though, good veterinarians Yeah I think I replied to you somewhere else…. Wonderful, just wonderful – unfortunately, I can not remember his name. seems like a very good fit for a person who takes an active interest in one’s own health. He went to a DO Neurosurgeon at University of Miami Hospital who was But for those of you against D.O.s.. For someone like myself, which medical school route would you suggest – MD or DO? Technically I’m not sure. My own story of why I went to DO school started with my undergrad. He did a vascular surgery fellowship. Any help is most welcome. In the end of the day you can be an excellent doctor either way, but you make an already grueling path more difficult if you don’t choose allopathic. D.O.’s are rapidly being assimilated into science based medicine and osteopathy is dying. If you are a chronically ill person you had better find yourself an experienced DO. examined me. it took me 4 months to recover, I am still having those pains at time and need help with medications and cardiac reinforcement , he refuse to give me any advice or help, I find this very rude, he is a DO and he is not nice at all, please reply with advice. Only see your Ob/Gyn? The DO wants to know why you have that symptom. It is a lot harder to be in the top 10% there. An OB is a medical doctor (MD), an DO is a doctor of osteopathy. Heart Blockage – Explained With Pictures! Honestly only an idiot would do whatever you suggested, as to do it he would have to: Its humorous for me to read these comments to this article. Too weak to do more than 80 measly hours of work a week. My wife was hospitalized for 3 months and we saw nearly 100 physicians, some were MDs, some DOs. I have had three back surgeries since 2017. Your comment makes it remarkably clear that you don’t know what osteopathic medical training entails or what a DO degree represents. But sir I think you are being grossly unjust to DO’s. The drug addicts and abusers have taken legitimate pain killers away from the elderly and those perceived as potential abusers – those with long hair or those that appear to be too hip, even when these people haven’t been to a Doctor in years. But seriously though, as the poster above me said, how much does undergraduate matter when comparing 2 doctors? ), In the United States, 67.4% of active physicians are M.D.s vs. 7.3% which are D.O.s (The remaining 24.2% received their degree from a medical school outside of the United States.). I suggest seeing who you “connect” more with, as this is the most important factor. Allopathic vs. Osteopathic: Two different philosophies. As these are the place where a medical student really learn his/her trade, not the school. behind their name. I don’t want them to feel like I don’t really care, or that I see a problem in front of me rather than a person. So I switched to an MD who graduated from Duke University Medical School and landed a residency at a top-notch medical center. I am hoping that a DO will be more helpful than my MD. Can a person with a D.O become a general practitioner? and M.D.) As it turns out my current internal medicine doctor (M.D. Ob-Gyns, as a profession, have a different reputation and set of skills. DO students take the Comprehensive Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX). The cold hard truth is that – in any scenario – a Medical Doctor (M.D.) It just does. This means they get the training they need and throw the unscientific, unproven massage techniques out of medicine. As you can see, DOs tend to practice in states dominated by rural communities. When the older generations were younger, in the mid 1900’s, the requirement to get into DO school was: be alive, have a pulse, and maybe possess the ability to walk and talk. Went to the pharmacy and asked if there was a drug interaction listed. (surgery? Just because someone scores higher on a test doesn’t mean they are smarter or have as much common sense or the will or desire to get results for their patients. Consumers are getting smarter – now addicted housewives or other pretenders go to “pain clinics“ since they are becoming the new legitimacy for drug addicts – some even have their own pharmacies – how convenient. students are not as competitive in test scores. Wow, why disrespect the nurses? old dogs, new tricks. When you are an MD though, you are competing with people who all did well in their undergraduate work and all test well. or D.O. Even some Caribbean doctors must be better than some US MD doctors. D.O.’s practice a “whole person”approach to medicine. Read more. No patient is asking for my MCAT score or my undergrad GPA because it is not relevant to the care I will provide. My husband and I certainly were. Spicing Up the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease…. Commenting on Daniel’s reply, MCAT scores aren’t considered when applying for residency. He checks out everything. Her response? This guy appears to have a successful practice despite the fact that you think he’s not a doctor. An OB-GYN is a doctor who specializes in obstetrics (pregnancy) and gynecology (female reproductive health). My physician, an MD, is retiring. The quality of care that you will receive from an M.D. Unless I am mistaken I think that it is spelled musculoskeletal not musckeloskeltial. The is beneficial for medicine and the patient. The craziest D.O.’s believe massage techniques can heal asthma and Parkinson’s. Hi Wayne, It sounds to me like you are in great hands. While Family Medicine, Peds, EM, and Internal Medicine are most prevalent, Ob/Gyn and Psych are right up there. Today, DOs are respected among MDs as equally capable and educated medical professionals. Patient needs. If you were aware of the process it takes to become a board certified physician, you would know that first, you attend a medical school…either MD or DO. What I mean, is that the DO appears to be more willing to be compassionate to the patient’s concerns and needs. Early medical education wasn’t as formalized as you might think. The averages for GPA are a 3.55 and MCAT of 508. The drug addicts and drug abusers along with the attorneys will continue to ruin the system that worked for many generations. Most people don’t care and usually respect the time and care it takes into becoming a DOCTOR. says don’t worry, it’ll get better. I went to my doctor with concerns of cancer, etc., anything else detrimental. I wouldn’t let either a DO or a US citizen/foreign degreed MD treat me. at a random local same day clinic. Or would that be over-simplification and presumptuous……. For the med students on here, you can’t ask others for what direction to take, this must be your decision. Since Obstetrics and Gynaecology involve both surgery and medicine, universities called it MS or MD as they felt. 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