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Anyone?
MD out of state or DO in state.
- Thread starter Sharky
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i'd have to disagree w/millun.
look at the degree with AT LEAST w/the same importance as you look at the school.
if you don't see the value of OMTs and don't care for do philosophy why become a do?
it takes many extra of labs and studying to master OMM. is that something you want to do?
look at the degree with AT LEAST w/the same importance as you look at the school.
if you don't see the value of OMTs and don't care for do philosophy why become a do?
it takes many extra of labs and studying to master OMM. is that something you want to do?
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Gotta agree with DOapplicant on this one. The degree is part of what would make you happy or unhappy at the school so it is an integral part of the decision you have to make.
Can you talk with students from both schools to see what they think about the school & its training?
As to DOs being not widely known "especially in California," I seriously doubt that. CA has 2 Osteopathic schools, so there are DOs out in the community. It may be that patients don't note the difference, but that is common everywhere--patients just recognize Drs as Drs and often aren't concerned about that. Honestly, how many patients actually know what medical school their Dr went to?
Can you talk with students from both schools to see what they think about the school & its training?
As to DOs being not widely known "especially in California," I seriously doubt that. CA has 2 Osteopathic schools, so there are DOs out in the community. It may be that patients don't note the difference, but that is common everywhere--patients just recognize Drs as Drs and often aren't concerned about that. Honestly, how many patients actually know what medical school their Dr went to?
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Actually, Sharky has a really good point. I have lived in California all my life and have noticed that patients don't really know that there is another degree for physicians in California. BUT, as DrMOM pointed out, most patients in CA don't note the difference. I have found that even when a patient meets a DO they don't care about the letters after the name. They only care about the Dr. abbreviation in front of it. California is a breeding ground for new, alternative, holistic, eastern, western, northern, southern, any where kind of medicine. And as a result most everyone is very open to osteopathic medicine here.
My one question for Sharky to consider is where do you plan on practicing medicine? If you eventually want to practice in CA, then I would seriously consider staying with a CA school. The licensing bureaurocracy is much kinder to physicians that went to CA schools.
My one question for Sharky to consider is where do you plan on practicing medicine? If you eventually want to practice in CA, then I would seriously consider staying with a CA school. The licensing bureaurocracy is much kinder to physicians that went to CA schools.
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Sharky,
You will get few if any questions from your patients. The national statistic (and I blame the AOA for this) is that 1 out of every 10 people know what a DO is. This is simply to say that most people actually don't care. They just know that they go to see their Doctor. There are people who have been seeing their DO's for years and have no idea. I wouldn't worry. The good news is that it would be very rare for a patient to go somewhere else because you're a DO. Even better news is that there are a lot of informed people out there who actively seek out DO's. I have explained DO philosophy to everyone i know and have yet to find someone who disagrees with it. I am very convincing though.
You will get few if any questions from your patients. The national statistic (and I blame the AOA for this) is that 1 out of every 10 people know what a DO is. This is simply to say that most people actually don't care. They just know that they go to see their Doctor. There are people who have been seeing their DO's for years and have no idea. I wouldn't worry. The good news is that it would be very rare for a patient to go somewhere else because you're a DO. Even better news is that there are a lot of informed people out there who actively seek out DO's. I have explained DO philosophy to everyone i know and have yet to find someone who disagrees with it. I am very convincing though.
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Sharky,
It sounds like that maybe deep down your heart really lies with being an MD but DO would be fine too if that is the only way to be a doctor. If that is the case a question to ask might be how will I feel after 4 years of medical school to look at my name and see the letters DO instead of MD? Or another good is when I'm 80 will look back and regret that I could have chosen another route.
Good Luck!
It sounds like that maybe deep down your heart really lies with being an MD but DO would be fine too if that is the only way to be a doctor. If that is the case a question to ask might be how will I feel after 4 years of medical school to look at my name and see the letters DO instead of MD? Or another good is when I'm 80 will look back and regret that I could have chosen another route.
Good Luck!
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It sounds like you aren't interested in the DO philosophy and the possibilities of using OMM in your future practice.
My advice is go to the MD school and save the DO spot for somone who is interested in becoming an Osteopathic Physician.
There is nothing wrong with becoming an MD or DO, you will learn all you need to know in either route.
In the end, the only person that can decide is you. Do what is best for you. Sit down with your family and friends and have those close to you help in your decision.
Hope this helps,
Chisel
My advice is go to the MD school and save the DO spot for somone who is interested in becoming an Osteopathic Physician.
There is nothing wrong with becoming an MD or DO, you will learn all you need to know in either route.
In the end, the only person that can decide is you. Do what is best for you. Sit down with your family and friends and have those close to you help in your decision.
Hope this helps,
Chisel
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First thing, look at the degree.....let's say you go to that DO school near home, but you really dont want to be a DO, you are going to take a spot away from a true believer in osteopathic medicine, as well as being miserable yourself.........
If you conclude the degrees dont' matter to you, then start lookking at location and where you'd be happy, but
I'm pretty sure if you truly wanted to be a DO, there'd be no question......if you are in limbo, i'd say just do the MD, cause you'll be much happier.....
just so you know, i'm not trying to be mean about it, but this would be a very big decision, adn the degree can mean a lot to some people
nero
If you conclude the degrees dont' matter to you, then start lookking at location and where you'd be happy, but
I'm pretty sure if you truly wanted to be a DO, there'd be no question......if you are in limbo, i'd say just do the MD, cause you'll be much happier.....
just so you know, i'm not trying to be mean about it, but this would be a very big decision, adn the degree can mean a lot to some people
nero
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Go with the MD school. Moving out of Cali and into a new environment will stimulate your mind. Sure it will be hard at first but in the end you will broaden your horizons. Things are a little different on the east coast. Give it a try, if nothing else it will make you appreciate CA more. We are not all close minded monoethnic freaks as some think. As for where you practice just make sure that you do well on the boards and apply to all of the residencies in CA for your specialty. They will favor you slightly because you are from the state and they are always trying to keep outsideres like myself out. As for the difference between the degree I don't think that matters a whole lot. One poster said what about when you are eighty. When you are eighty (probably 2060) you will be more worried about your hips and bedsores than your degree and medical school will seem like an abstract joke. However, if your thoughts are lucid and you pass up the chance you might wonder why you never tried living somewhere more than 100 miles from home. Who knows you might like snow.
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Just my $.02
It is always important to look at the school...but in my opinion if you are allowed the opportunity you should pursue the MD degree.
New York will offer you access to different culture and new experiences.
The time will pass by, before you know it and you will be back in sunny CA..with your family...(if thats what you desire in the end)
CONGRATS!!!
GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is always important to look at the school...but in my opinion if you are allowed the opportunity you should pursue the MD degree.
New York will offer you access to different culture and new experiences.
The time will pass by, before you know it and you will be back in sunny CA..with your family...(if thats what you desire in the end)
CONGRATS!!!
GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sharky...
It's a tough call all around. You are right. The folks who "believe in the osteopathic philosophy over the allopathic philosophy" are the minority. Most DOs want to be competent physicians, and don't care one way or another what initials are after their name.
(Hold on a sec you purists out there.... I'm not saying that you're wrong, just that you are the minorty.)
If you want to do manipulation with an MD degree, you can. If you want to practice holistic medicine with an MD degree, you can. If you want to treat the "whole patient" with the MD degree, you can.
There are other reasons to go DO, but essentially, it comes down to what you want in life. I would definitely choose California over New York, but that's just me... sitting here in awful Kirksville weather.
It's a tough call all around. You are right. The folks who "believe in the osteopathic philosophy over the allopathic philosophy" are the minority. Most DOs want to be competent physicians, and don't care one way or another what initials are after their name.
(Hold on a sec you purists out there.... I'm not saying that you're wrong, just that you are the minorty.)
If you want to do manipulation with an MD degree, you can. If you want to practice holistic medicine with an MD degree, you can. If you want to treat the "whole patient" with the MD degree, you can.
There are other reasons to go DO, but essentially, it comes down to what you want in life. I would definitely choose California over New York, but that's just me... sitting here in awful Kirksville weather.
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Here's my take on it but correct me if I'm wrong...
If I were in your shoes, I would try to figure out if I really want to practice primary care. If I do, I would stay in CA and go DO. If I want to specialize, I would go MD. Of course, you can specialize as a DO but I get the impression that it's tougher to get the residency spots. There are relatively fewer DO residencies in non-primary care specialties and MD residencies seem to prefer a MD over a DO.
If I were in your shoes, I would try to figure out if I really want to practice primary care. If I do, I would stay in CA and go DO. If I want to specialize, I would go MD. Of course, you can specialize as a DO but I get the impression that it's tougher to get the residency spots. There are relatively fewer DO residencies in non-primary care specialties and MD residencies seem to prefer a MD over a DO.
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