Job Prospect MD vs DO

[mathlegend]

Okay I read a lot about MD vs DO, so I know the main differences. (That there are almost none) But getting a job, do you have a better chance as a MD or DO? Since when I look at the doctors in my local hospitals, all are MDs.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Appless]

Okay I read a lot about MD vs DO, so I know the main differences. (That there are almost none) But getting a job, do you have a better chance as a MD or DO? Since when I look at the doctors in my local hospitals, all are MDs.

No pay is the same. They are all MDs because there are a 125 US MD schools and only like 30 DO schools, furthermore in cali there are only 2 DO schools and like 8 MD schools so they are not the majority. Also everyone and their mother wants to ccome to cali for residency and med school so you will see MDs over-represented. In some areas DOs are actually just as common. Being in cali you wont get a lot of DO exposure but thats just due to what i said above. Everything is literally the same between MD and DO outside of those 2 letters...and the inferiorty complex some have/bias some MDs may show against you.

 

[mathlegend]

Hm, so for finding jobs, such as in hospitals, the employers shouldn't be biased towards MDs, correct?

Before I kind of only wanted MD or DPM, but looking into DO, they seem to be more interesting than MDs...

 

[coffeebythelake]

Okay I read a lot about MD vs DO, so I know the main differences. (That there are almost none) But getting a job, do you have a better chance as a MD or DO? Since when I look at the doctors in my local hospitals, all are MDs.

Given the doctor shortage across the country i don't think most hospitals would care. if you're thinking about doing stuff abroad, it might be more difficult for DO's.

 

[DrMattOglesby]

Before I kind of only wanted MD or DPM, but looking into DO, they seem to be more interesting than MDs...

DOs and MDs have the nearly the exact same classes (cept OMM). The DO philosophy is played up because that is one of the historical differences that accounts for the different letters that we say after doctor's names today. In truth though, neither type of doctor is more holistic than the other. It simply comes down to the individual doctor in question and disregards degree designation.

 

[Optimator]

Given the doctor shortage across the country i don't think most hospitals would care.

Shortage or not, hospitals wouldn't care. DOs are physicians.

if you're thinking about doing stuff abroad, it might be more difficult for DO's.

Probably best not to speculate on something you don't know about, especially when the answer is easily found.

DOs have full practice rights in 44 countries.

 

[MossPoh]

Given the doctor shortage across the country i don't think most hospitals would care. if you're thinking about doing stuff abroad, it might be more difficult for DO's.

It depends what you mean by "abroad". If you mean live/work abroad for a life, then it will be tricky either degree for most people. If you are talking about medical missions then it isn't an issue. Different stuff goes into that.


No difference in jobs. Just like other things, concentrations of DOs versus MDs varies with region. Growing up in the midwest, land of the DOs, I'd say slightly less than half of our doctors were DOs. (I honestly had no clue some of them were until I checked their bio the other day) Now I am in north Florida and while I see them, it tends to be because I actively seek them out for curiosity sake. Hospitals look for board certification, good/safe numbers, recommendations, and all the other normal crap when hiring. Generally, a medical group wants to hire a compatible team member, unless they are desperate, then they want to hire anyone.

 

[Bacchus]

You should first ask yourself, podiatry or medicine. Then, if the answer is medicine, worry about getting into a school regardless of its degree. DOs tend to be segregated in different parts of the country. The northeast is a hotzone for DOs as is the midwest area.

 

[mathlegend]

Yea I'm not sure about pod or medicine. I still have time!

I guess I'll see how I do on SATs then decide what to do...

 

[Optimator]

Yea I'm not sure about pod or medicine. I still have time!

I guess I'll see how I do on SATs then decide what to do...

 

[coffeebythelake]

Probably best not to speculate on something you don't know about, especially when the answer is easily found. DOs have full practice rights in 44 countries.

I think you need to calm down, maybe try some breathing exercises. I said it might be MORE difficult for DO's to practice internationally compared to MD's, and it's true. There remain a number of countries where DO's have no practicing rights (FYI there are more than 44 countries in the world) or where they are limited to manipulation only. France, Ireland, Spain. Some provinces in Canada.

I'll be waiting for your easily found answers to refute this.

 

[NonTradMed]

Hiring preferences are based on many things, I'm thinking your ability to practice medicine will be more important than a degree that says you are qualified to do OMM. The re are reasons to pick MD over DO but hospital hiring is not one of them.

 

[JaggerPlate]

I think you need to calm down, maybe try some breathing exercises. I said it might be MORE difficult for DO's to practice internationally compared to MD's, and it's true. There remain a number of countries where DO's have no practicing rights (FYI there are more than 44 countries in the world) or where they are limited to manipulation only. France, Ireland, Spain. Some provinces in Canada.

I'll be waiting for your easily found answers to refute this.

DO = full practice rights in 44 countries, SGU ("best" caribbean school) = 39 countries (I think). Choice, again, seems obvious to me.

 

[Doctor Bob]

DO = full practice rights in 44 countries, SGU ("best" caribbean school) = 39 countries (I think). Choice, again, seems obvious to me.

And because I'm a big fan of throwing gas on a fire...

DO= US trained (so long as we're only talking about the physician brand)
MD= trained who-knows where in the world, also available online

But in all seriousness, it makes no difference.

 

[Maygyver]

I actually listened to someone on the admissions staff at OSU talk about MD and DO. He acknowledged that there is the stigma of DO's not being able to get MDs but says personally he can tell no difference when he works with DOs and MDs and can't tell them apart. There are certain specialties that are MD/DO only though, I believe.

 

[Doctor Bob]

There are certain specialties that are MD/DO only though, I believe.

There are no specialties that are only open to MDs.

There is one specialty that is only open to DOs. You can be board certified in OMM (osteopathic manipulative medicine) and you must be a DO to get that certification and even to do the residency.

 

[Maygyver]

There are no specialties that are only open to MDs.

There is one specialty that is only open to DOs. You can be board certified in OMM (osteopathic manipulative medicine) and you must be a DO to get that certification and even to do the residency.

Ah, that was the one I was thinking of. I remember him mentioning but I wasn't completely sure which.

 

[JaggerPlate]

And because I'm a big fan of throwing gas on a fire...

DO= US trained (so long as we're only talking about the physician brand)
MD= trained who-knows where in the world, also available online

But in all seriousness, it makes no difference.


(but the online thing is true)

I'd love to see a link to the MD online thing.

 

[JaggerPlate]

I actually listened to someone on the admissions staff at OSU talk about MD and DO. He acknowledged that there is the stigma of DO's not being able to get MDs but says personally he can tell no difference when he works with DOs and MDs and can't tell them apart. There are certain specialties that are MD/DO only though, I believe.

I really don't know about the stigma specifically being 'DOs couldn't get MDs.' I've personally known people who have been on MD waitlists, paid a DO deposit, then were taken off the MD waitlist and still just continued to go to the DO school. Technically, those people could have lost a portion of the deposit and gotten the MD just as easily as anyone else. I've also personally known people who have only applied to a few schools in their state a few MD out of state, gotten into a DO in their state and MD out of state, and attended the DO in state for location. There are honestly a lot of factors. I think people who completely ignore it and say that the majority of the people would attend either equally are foolish, but I also think it's just as incorrect to assume that everyone at a DO school didn't have MD hope and would jump on the MD bandwagon in a second.

 

[Doctor Bob]

I'd love to see a link to the MD online thing.

Hmm... It used to be at the International University of Health science in West Indies, but in searching for the link to post, it seems that the program has been pulled due to states in the U.S. refusing to license graduates of the program.

I guess I need to make sure all of my facts are up to date.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Hmm... It used to be at the International University of Health science in West Indies, but in searching for the link to post, it seems that the program has been pulled due to states in the U.S. refusing to license graduates of the program.

I guess I need to make sure all of my facts are up to date.

It could potentially exist ... but that doesn't mean you will have US (or anywhere else for that matter) practice rights.

 

[mkhuc]

Okay I read a lot about MD vs DO, so I know the main differences. (That there are almost none) But getting a job, do you have a better chance as a MD or DO? Since when I look at the doctors in my local hospitals, all are MDs.

You, my friend, need to take a stroll down to the osteopathic forums. Then you will eat from the tree of knowledge (like I have).

 

[link2swim06]

How about this MD=DO

 

[Darklord]

As a side note, at my local hospital and clinic, the number of NPs is astounding!

It's kind of scary.

 

[mathlegend]

NPs?

 

[Darklord]

nurse practitioner; come on Mathlegend, you could have googled that!

JK, it's all good.

 

[mathlegend]

Hehe... *blushes*

 

[Richie Truxillo]

As a DO soon to be PGY-2, I can tell you my mailbox is filled with multiple decent job offers every single day. So take that for what you will.