<p>Even though people who graduate from a D.O. school have the same qualifications as those who graduate from an M.D. school, why does it feel like people look at D.O. as being lower than or not as good as M.D.?</p>
<p>Because in some parts of the country people are not as familiar with DOs as they are in other parts of the country. For example, I grew up outside of Philadelphia–home to several very well regarded DO schools. People were quite familiar with DOs and how they practice. Where I currently live, there are fewer than 300 DOs in the entire state. Many [less well educated or well traveled] people have never heard of a DO and tend to confuse them with chiropractors.</p>
<p>Countries outside of the US, don’t have osteopatic programs–which can lead to confusion by individuals/families who have recently immigrated to the US.</p>
<p>There used to be perception that DOs were less well trained or were “dumber” (lower stats to get into DO), but that has been changing rapidly. Already there is near parity in the GPAs and MCAT scores for DO and MD applicants. In 2015 the residency match process for MDs and DOs will be unified with DOs and MDs training in the same programs.</p>
<p>This subject gets debated over and over in premed forums. MD schools are often perceived as being more prestigious because they are usually attached to universities and associated with large medical centers, while many/most DO schools are not. </p>
<p>I don’t think there is near parity with GPA and MCAT scores as it is commonly seen that those with high stats usually only apply to MD schools, those with “in between” stats might apply to a mix of MD and DO, and those with “lower” stats apply to all or mostly all DO schools. </p>
<p>That said, typically a student with both MD and DO acceptances will choose an MD school to attend. </p>
<p>Wowmom is right that the residency match process will soon be unified.</p>
<p>Wanted to add. I have nothing against DO’s. They learn the same things along with some “manipulation” stuff that I’m not familiar with (lol). Our family doctor is a DO, our dermo is a DO, and my cousin is a DO. All are very fine doctors.</p>
<p>From 2011 data:</p>
<p>DO mean MCAT =27, mean GPA =3.5</p>
<p>MD mean MCAT =31, mean GPA =3.67</p>
<p>Not that far apart…</p>
<p>I’d say the difference between 60%ile and 80%ile is pretty significant, but regardless I have no idea if MCAT scores correlate with doc skills or anything else for that matter. Who knows if one or the other ends up being the better doc at the end of the day.</p>
<p>This is very opinionated. But here it goes. I use to refuse to go to a D.O., until my M.D. stoped working for me and started working for the insurance company. I believe the art of medicine has essentially been reduced to blood tests and insurance guidelines. Anyway (My opinion) the quality of MD practice has been nuetered to be no different than that of a DO.</p>
<p>I’d say the difference between 60%ile and 80%ile is pretty significant</p>
<p>I agree. I think that is quite a difference. </p>
<p>*DO mean MCAT =27, mean GPA =3.5</p>
<p>MD mean MCAT =31, mean GPA =3.67*</p>
<p>Also, I don’t know if comparing GPA’s is fair. DO’s allow “grade replacement,” while MD’s do not. So, the DO GPA average of 3.5 is likely much lower if grade replacement wasn’t used. </p>
<p>That said, as I mentioned above, I have no problem going to a DO.</p>
<p>whether or not the difference is still warranted is a separate issue but my understanding is that there certainly was a time when the difference was real and that is going to take a while to shake off. The fact that DO students are still of a lower GPA/MCAT caliber and have lower residency match rates than MD students certainly isn’t helping.</p>
<p>I would still certainly recommend DO over a foreign MD and I wonder if there is a point where say the top 5 DO programs are better than the bottom X domestic MD schools.</p>
<p>In a similar vein, IWBB, I’d be interested to know how many students accepted to both programs ultimately chose DO. I’d also be interested to know how many students who are reapplicants originally only applied MD, and what their results are.</p>
<p>The fact is the brightest students (measured by MCATs, GPAs, match scores, etc etc) become MDs. If a prospect can get into an allopathic med school, he/she goes there. Osteopathic med schools are for those who can’t get into an MD school. If the DO schools can turn that around, they might get more respect. Some may say those measurements don’t speak to the quality of the physician, I’m not so sure. </p>
<p>In the old days the ‘philosophy’ of treatment was a big difference as well. DOs supposedly concerned themselves with the entire patient, not just a specific organ/system. In other words, they practiced a more wholistic approach.</p>
<p>While we’re on the subject, can somebody clarify this for me: I’ve been told that specialty training is identical. In other words, if one chooses to become an orthopedic surgeon, (regardless of the letters behind their name) they will finish the residency with identical training. Do DOs and MDs train alongside each other as residents?</p>
<p>Yes, they do.</p>
<p>There are two different residency systems. One is for DO graduates only, the other mixes them but is predominated by MDs.</p>
<p>Indeed but when you look at the total match rates, around 95% of MDs match somewhere compared to around 85% of DOs. I would bet certain specialties have an even greater difference.</p>
<p>True, it’s easier for osteopaths to match into less competitive specialties than into highly competitive ones. I’d be pretty surprised to see an ophthalmology resident who was a D.O. But it wouldn’t surprise me a bit to encounter a resident in internal medicine or family medicine or emergency medicine who had graduated from a college of osteopathic medicine.</p>
<p>*In a similar vein, IWBB, I’d be interested to know how many students accepted to both programs ultimately chose DO. I’d also be interested to know how many students who are reapplicants originally only applied MD, and what their results are.
*</p>
<p>This subject has come up many times on that “other” premed forum and the typical response is…“I’m going to go to the MD school.” The only exceptions were a very small number who chose the DO school because the DO school was in their hometown area and they didn’t want to relocate (married with kids, or similar situation).</p>
<p>DO is generally more primary care focused and easier to get into. Once you’re done you will be a physician either way. Most hospital staff doesn’t even know the difference between the two and if you are top of your class in either MD or DO you can match into competitive residencies.</p>
<p>yes to the OP</p>
<p>“why does it feel like people look at D.O. as being lower than or not as good as M.D.?” </p>
<p>It is because you are reading internet forums with very competitive students. If you go talk to doctors (outside of the ivory tower academic types) they will overwhelmingly regard their DO colleagues as peers and not anything less. All the doctors I’ve spent time with, primarily MDs, had nothing but good things to say about DOs.</p>
<p>Spouse and two siblings are MDs; they all work equally with DOs daily on a basis where nobody thinks anything about the other’s degrees. They’re all “doctor” and all practice medicine. Can’t address “perception” but the reality is that after residency, if you pass your boards and get licensed, DO or MD makes very little difference in the real world. Both are licensed by the same state licensing board, both have full rights, privileges, and responsibilities as physicians, and both have full and equal access to medical insurance reimbursement as licensed physicians.
Then again, many who post here only want to get into Harvard or JHU, and often ask about “lower-level” US allopathic medical schools which are “easier” to get into(trust me, ALL US allopathic medical schools are tough to get into)…</p>