US DO vs Caribbean MD

[Ho0v-man]

Detroit? So he continued to train in a 3rd world country!

Being completely fair though, I think that’s actually a really good place to train in most fields.

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[Angus Avagadro]

Sure, probably not a terrible place to train, but it is not Ann Arbor, its Detroit after all. That's the reason for my 3rd world country comment

 

[sab3156]

Does anyone remember that guy who was on some ads for Ross (I think? or maybe SGU), and he was claiming things like "I'm doing surgery residency with people from Yale and Harvard", except I looked him up and it seemed he was in a prelim year and I think he had been dropped after that. I want to see that video again. I'm not sure what happened to that guy.

 

[Splenda88]

 

[zNoodlez]

Just saw this too, apparently, my new feed is now populated with Caribbean med school-related videos.

 

[DarkHorizon]

Detroit? So he continued to train in a 3rd world country!

Henry Ford surgery program is actually a pretty high powered program, and although known as a community program, has quite a few big hitters, not to mention the largest surgical ICU in the country. This guy has a chip on his shoulder and obviously wants to sell himself as a self promoter.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Henry Ford surgery program is actually a pretty high powered program, and although known as a community program, has quite a few big hitters, not to mention the largest surgical ICU in the country. This guy has a chip on his shoulder and obviously wants to sell himself as a self promoter.

And they have never taken a DO from my understanding, so that might be where this dude's bias comes from. The data doesn't back him up at all though and he looks like an idiot doubling down on such an easily refutable argument.

 

[DarkHorizon]

And they have never taken a DO from my understanding, so that might be where this dude's bias comes from. The data doesn't back him up at all though and he looks like an idiot doubling down on such an easily refutable argument.

Ford has interesting history. There was a whole osteopathic division up until this merger bicounty hospital initially and then at Henry Ford Macomb and Wyandotte. They even acquired Allegiance, even though that’s about 80 miles away. The other three divisions were strictly osteopathic until the merger. HF main did take some DOs in their IM and radiology programs and recently in emergency medicine.

surgery residents from osteopathic programs did spend quite a bit of time at HF main, especially on SICU.

 

[Splenda88]

Ford has interesting history. There was a whole osteopathic division up until this merger bicounty hospital initially and then at Henry Ford Macomb and Wyandotte. They even acquired Allegiance, even though that’s about 80 miles away. The other three divisions were strictly osteopathic until the merger. HF main did take some DOs in their IM and radiology programs and recently in emergency medicine.

surgery residents from osteopathic programs did spend quite a bit of time at HF main, especially on SICU.

HF has a very good IM program and the program has a good # of DO.

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Ford has interesting history. There was a whole osteopathic division up until this merger bicounty hospital initially and then at Henry Ford Macomb and Wyandotte. They even acquired Allegiance, even though that’s about 80 miles away. The other three divisions were strictly osteopathic until the merger. HF main did take some DOs in their IM and radiology programs and recently in emergency medicine.

surgery residents from osteopathic programs did spend quite a bit of time at HF main, especially on SICU.

They even have a DO in their OPTHO and OBGYN programs.. so much for that Youtuber's "anti DO" rant lmaoo

 

[KeikoTanaka]

Guys. If you take all the statistics, medical curriculum, and every single Medical School Factoid out of the equation - Moving to the Carribean for medical school is a nightmare and you should consider yourself blessed to have been accepted to a state-side DO school.

With the advent of climate change getting worse, you're going to have class cancellations due to Hurricanes, Floods, and Tropical Storms. Or maybe your classes don't get cancelled, maybe your whole school just gets washed away.
You're going to have to deal with a ton of bugs and animals that carry so many diseases.
The cost of living is SO high because everything you want will have to be imported from elsewhere.
My friend chose to live in a HOTEL because it was the nicest living arrangement he could find (He went to a Caribbean veterinarian school).
You'll be constantly worrying about going out and getting mugged as you'll be viewed as a "Rich American"

This shouldn't even be a discussion. Moving out of your country to get a degree should be viewed as a LAST RESORT. Even then I wouldn't do it, I would just bolster my application and spend another 2-3 years and re-apply if I was so dead-set on MD.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Guys. If you take all the statistics, medical curriculum, and every single Medical School Factoid out of the equation - Moving to the Carribean for medical school is a nightmare and you should consider yourself blessed to have been accepted to a state-side DO school.

With the advent of climate change getting worse, you're going to have class cancellations due to Hurricanes, Floods, and Tropical Storms. Or maybe your classes don't get cancelled, maybe your whole school just gets washed away.
You're going to have to deal with a ton of bugs and animals that carry so many diseases.
The cost of living is SO high because everything you want will have to be imported from elsewhere.
My friend chose to live in a HOTEL because it was the nicest living arrangement he could find (He went to a Caribbean veterinarian school).
You'll be constantly worrying about going out and getting mugged as you'll be viewed as a "Rich American"

This shouldn't even be a discussion. Moving out of your country to get a degree should be viewed as a LAST RESORT. Even then I wouldn't do it, I would just bolster my application and spend another 2-3 years and re-apply if I was so dead-set on MD.

You make some good points. If I was going to roll the dice and attend med school in the Caribbean, I would not let climate change stop me. If you are that afraid of climate change, why attend med school at all , if according to AOC, we are all going to be dead in 12 yrs?

 

[KeikoTanaka]

You make some good points. If I was going to roll the dice and attend med school in the Caribbean, I would not let climate change stop me. If you are that afraid of climate change, why attend med school at all , if according to AOC, we are all going to be dead in 12 yrs?

I don't think climate change is THAT catastrophic and has not impacted us here in the U.S. that much. Nor do I think it will be some Day After Tomorrow thing happening over night like some theorize. But, as the Earth puts increasing pressures on humans for resources (Even without climate change, just pure waste in our society), I think being a Physician is actually a great/privileged thing to be that will be able to 1.) Help society through tough times and 2.) be insulated from economic stressors as healthcare has a universal and unlimited demand.

With that being said, disease spread and tropical storms are only getting way worse in recent years, and I theorize even higher frequency of storms in the future. I just wouldn't do it. Life is too good here in America.

There's so many other factors to consider too:
- Going home for holidays (depending on how far her DO school is from her family) can be disastrous, you'll be forced to fly.
- You'll always have to limit what you can bring as you cannot just simply rent a truck and drive cross-country
- You can't bring your car with you
- You'll be forced to rely on potentially dangerous/dirty public transportation (I hate cities in general and realize this is a feature even of American cities- but luckily most DO schools are rural so you'll rely pretty heavily on your car anyways)
- You'll have to change your diet completely in a time when you're already going to be the most stressed you've ever been (I moved 6 hours for my DO school but guess what? All the grocery stores have exactly what I need and there's amazing gyms everywhere - all the common American commodities are ubiquitous)
- You will be forced to move 3rd year back to the U.S. for clinical rotations (This seems like a plus, but consider that I am now studying 6 minutes from the hospital I am going to rotate through - I am already making connections in this town and making many friends who I don't need to leave next year)
- The physicians who work in my school see my academic progress and are also Physicians on our rotations and will be able to give even better letters of recommendations for me as they have actually gotten to know me
- When my grandpa got sick, I got in my car and drove home. You will be forced to buy a plane ticket to go home.

There are just sooooo many negatives to being forced to move internationally, and this doesn't even touch on all of them.

 

[DarkHorizon]

They even have a DO in their OPTHO and OBGYN programs.. so much for that Youtuber's "anti DO" rant lmaoo

to be fair, he graduated over 10 years ago. But I agree. He’s defending his training.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

I don't think climate change is THAT catastrophic and has not impacted us here in the U.S. that much. Nor do I think it will be some Day After Tomorrow thing happening over night like some theorize. But, as the Earth puts increasing pressures on humans for resources (Even without climate change, just pure waste in our society), I think being a Physician is actually a great/privileged thing to be that will be able to 1.) Help society through tough times and 2.) be insulated from economic stressors as healthcare has a universal and unlimited demand.

With that being said, disease spread and tropical storms are only getting way worse in recent years, and I theorize even higher frequency of storms in the future. I just wouldn't do it. Life is too good here in America.

There's so many other factors to consider too:
- Going home for holidays (depending on how far her DO school is from her family) can be disastrous, you'll be forced to fly.
- You'll always have to limit what you can bring as you cannot just simply rent a truck and drive cross-country
- You can't bring your car with you
- You'll be forced to rely on potentially dangerous/dirty public transportation (I hate cities in general and realize this is a feature even of American cities- but luckily most DO schools are rural so you'll rely pretty heavily on your car anyways)
- You'll have to change your diet completely in a time when you're already going to be the most stressed you've ever been (I moved 6 hours for my DO school but guess what? All the grocery stores have exactly what I need and there's amazing gyms everywhere - all the common American commodities are ubiquitous)
- You will be forced to move 3rd year back to the U.S. for clinical rotations (This seems like a plus, but consider that I am now studying 6 minutes from the hospital I am going to rotate through - I am already making connections in this town and making many friends who I don't need to leave next year)
- The physicians who work in my school see my academic progress and are also Physicians on our rotations and will be able to give even better letters of recommendations for me as they have actually gotten to know me
- When my grandpa got sick, I got in my car and drove home. You will be forced to buy a plane ticket to go home.

There are just sooooo many negatives to being forced to move internationally, and this doesn't even touch on all of them.

1. You could have said this in your OP, but didn't. There is no argument that going to the Caribbean is a bad choice, especially for the reasons you now mention.

 

[KeikoTanaka]

1. You could have said this in your OP, but didn't. There is no argument that going to the Caribbean is a bad choice, especially for the reasons you now mention.

Sorry, I hope I am not coming off as argumentative! I am just kind of thinking of all the negatives, and these came into my head at this moment and not earlier. I've thought of these things before years ago when my husband and I were discussing our friend (the vet) going to his Caribbean school. We had a slew of reasons that it just didn't make sense to do it for us. But hey, everyone is different. For some people, they don't care about these things and have a ton of money and don't mind propping themselves up in a hotel for 2 years studying, but this would drive me insane.

 

[gonnif]

Just to reiterate, as I've said many times, before considering any offshore school applicant must go through at least two application cycles for both MD and DO with at least a year break in between (ie skip a cycle) for application repair and/or enhancement. the break is necessary to analyze and understand the weaknesses in an application. Repair may be as simple as reorganizing rewriting application or it may require postbacc, SMP, MCAT, or additional extracurricular such as clinical volunteering and other items. I strongly advise that no student should consider off shore schools until the above has been done.

While the Caribbean produces thousands of MDs a year who go on to successfully practicing medicine, many thousands more either do not graduate or do not get a residency position. That is the risk in going off shore

 

[shisong]

Sorry if i am restating what was stated, but as a DO who participated in the recent match, and the fact that USMLE is going P/F, I feel like DO is better route than Caribbean, even if it is the big 4. Step 1 was the big factor that IMG can use as a distinguishing factor, but now that it is P/F, the name of medical school is probably more important. in other words, instead of Step 1 being the rate limiting, it is probably MCAT now.

try for DO, even if its newer ones! best of luck

 

[samac]

I haven't been to the pre-med forums in like a year and I come back and it's like literally nothing has changed.

 

[Deecee2DO]

I've been doing research and asking current MD and DO doctors and even current med students and I really don't know which route to go. Can anyone please help me by giving me some advice?

This shouldnt even be a debate or a question. DO destroys caribe MD. DO>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Caribe MD like no comparison

 

[Isoval]

I haven't been to the pre-med forums in like a year and I come back and it's like literally nothing has changed.

I’m a new man!

 

[Deecee2DO]

Would you all say though in the long run Carribbean MD is better than DO? esp if one can make it through school to match day?

No. Just no. Never. It never was its not now and it never will be.

 

[Isoval]

No. Just no. Never. It never was its not now and it never will be.

To add to this:

I may have told you, once upon a time, that Caribbean was superior to DO, perhaps in the 1990s or early 2000s.

For the significant past, present, and foreseeable future, the DO degree has been, in mathematical terms, been approaching the “limit” of the MD degree and will continue to do so. The Caribbean MD degree, on the other hand, has lost and will continue to lose significant amounts of value; I never see the Caribbean degree making a comeback.

 

[Ho0v-man]

I haven't been to the pre-med forums in like a year and I come back and it's like literally nothing has changed.

“B-but do you think that the DO and MD degrees will ever MeRgE!? Because I go to a ToP tIeR dO sChOoL!! WhAt”S yOuR dO tIeR LIsT?”

At least the merger’s over...

 

[Whysoez]

“B-but do you think that the DO and MD degrees will ever MeRgE!? Because I go to a ToP tIeR dO sChOoL!! WhAt”S yOuR dO tIeR LIsT?”

At least the merger’s over...

I talked to some pre-meds a few months back. One of them brought up the merger in 2020 and argued that going to DO school is fine since after this year it will be merged with the MD anyway (i.e they thought merger means merging MD and DO degrees) lol.

 

[War of Arts]

go to offshore MD and give your DO seat to others if you do get admitted, but I assume 90% of time people ask this kind of question don't get into a DO program

 

[DexterMorganSK]

OP was last seen in Jan; I'm sure they got their question answered.

Closing!