Osteopathic Physicians in Europe

[EBKame]

Hi. I actually grew up in Berlin, Germany and am now in my final year of undergrad at Miami Univ of Ohio. I'm applying to medical schools this year and I was just wondering whether anyone knows whether osteopathic physicians (D.O.s) are certified to practice in Europe. Can anyone help out?

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[DrMom]

Unfortunately, it is tough to get up-to-date info but here's a thread that discusses this issue. In the first post is a pdf file with the most recent info any of us have been able to confirm, but please read through the thread because there are some posts with additional information.

*btw: Germany gives full practice rights to DOs*

 

[BellKicker]

I didn't read the long thread but wouldn't it be weird if they weren't allowed to practice medicine? How many acronyms for medical degrees are there in the world? Hundreds? I can think of several in just a few northern European countries.

Why would DOs be any different?

 

[Miklos]

I didn't read the long thread but wouldn't it be weird if they weren't allowed to practice medicine? How many acronyms for medical degrees are there in the world? Hundreds? I can think of several in just a few northern European countries.

Why would DOs be any different?

Because D.O.s have only relatively recently gained full licensure rights in the U.S. See http://history.aoa-net.org/Recognition/laws.htm

 

[EBKame]

One of the major things that turns me away from osteopathic medicine is hurdles like these. If I were to get an MD degree I wouldn't even need to consider questions like these and I am slowly getting weary of hearing my younger siblings say I'm going to be a spine doctor. WTF! Then again, it will be at least another 7 years until I am fully licensed (hopefully EM phys.) and then another 5 years until I can consider downscaling to a German Physicians miniscule salary, so much can change. I think one simply needs to learn to block out other people's opinions outside of the medical field and focus on what matters to oneself.

 

[PathOne]

Problem is that in some countries DO is compared to a chiropractor, which isn't equivalent to an MD (or whatever else it's called). Do, however, also note that in most of Europe there's no formal system for accepting non-european docs. (MD or otherwise) and no standardized testing system like in the US. So it's basically up to the board of health in each country to make an assesment.
And while a US MD (or DO) is of course recognized as a comparable medical degree, some countries have fairly stringent requirements as to knowledge of the local language before they will license you. Also note, that a US board certification isn't automatically recognized in ANY European country (same is true for European BC's going to the US).

 

[OzDDS]

Problem is that in some countries DO is compared to a chiropractor, which isn't equivalent to an MD (or whatever else it's called). Do, however, also note that in most of Europe there's no formal system for accepting non-european docs. (MD or otherwise).

I wonder how much of that is changing because of the formation of the EU. I know that within Europe, medical graduates from member countries can now easily move and work within Europe. I think it is becoming more universally standardized.

 

[PathOne]

I wonder how much of that is changing because of the formation of the EU. I know that within Europe, medical graduates from member countries can now easily move and work within Europe. I think it is becoming more universally standardized.

I guess it would actually make sense to have some sort of pan-European standard exam, like USMLE and Boards exams, to test ALL applicants for licensure and specialist status. But as with anything requiring political agreement, that's probably not going to happen tomorrow. Also, while the legal framework is in place to work anywhere in Europe, it's still a minority that actually move to another country. There's still a longer way from the Netherlands to Germany than from New York to California, at least culturally

 

[Miklos]

There's still a longer way from the Netherlands to Germany than from New York to California, at least culturally

Well said.

Interestingly, you'll find many physicians from the new EU countries taking advantage of the recognition of their credentials. The local Hungarian medical newspapers are filled with ads for specialists and GPs alike for countries as diverse as Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and of course, the UK. The drive, of course, is primarily financial, as the docs earn far more in the old EU than at home.

 

[PathOne]

Yes. The NHS is very actively recruiting specialists all over Europe, and with a EU diploma and -citizenship you'll fly right in on the specialist and GMC registry, and have no problems with work permits or other Kafkasque bureaucratic intricacies.

Also read somewhere that Denmark has actually set up a language school somewhere in Poland to train and "import" specialists. They can earn more than 10x what they make at a private Polish clinic. And there's a lot of excellent docs in Eastern Europe, so it's certainly a traffic that's going to increase (and maybe in the process also improve working conditions for those remaining in Central & Eastern Europe).