<p>I was currently accepted in NYIT's 7 Year B.S./D.O. Program, this program allows me to do a 3 year B.S. Degree and then automatically go to medical school without applying to it. However, the degree I will be recieving after I complete medical school will be a D.O. not an M.D. Is a big difference between those two degress? If there is, I'd rather go to a better college and get my B.S. in four years and apply to a medical school for another four years. However, doing this it is much harder to get into a Medical School and getting a M.D. Is the risk worth the reward, so should I stick with the D.O. program?</p>
<p>Would you mind being a pediatrician?</p>
<p>being a D.O. as opposed to an M.D. has nothing to do with being a pediatrician...
An M.D. is your classic doctor, in any field. A D.O. is a little more new age, seeking to prevent harm and illness instead of curing it, also in any field of medicine. They are also more focused on finding the source of pain/illness instead of covering it up with a prescription pain reliever, etc.
D.O.s have been on the rise over the past few years, and are plenty respected, but not quite as well known as M.Ds, obviously.
Basically what you want to do depends on your view of medicine is, and what you believe in...</p>
<p>I was currently accepted in NYIT's 7 Year B.S./D.O. Program, this program allows me to do a 3 year B.S. Degree and then automatically go to medical school without applying to it. However, the degree I will be recieving after I complete medical school will be a D.O. not an M.D. Is a big difference between those two degress? If there is, I'd rather go to a better college and get my B.S. in four years and apply to a medical school for another four years. Of course this is much harder, and therefore, is the risk worth the reward?</p>
<p>A D.O. degree allows you to do everything that an M.D. does however D.O.'s are often seen as second rate doctors by their contemporaries (M.D.'s) and some hospitals don't allow D.O.'s. Nevertheless, I feel that D.O.'s are just as qualified as M.D.'s and I even shadowed a D.O. who's a well respected ENT surgeon in my area. He told me that if you went to osteopathic medical school the competition is less and it's easier to land a more competitive residency. And yes, a D.O. can still apply to an allopathic residency and recieve the same exact training as an M.D. I applied to the nyit program too and they granted acceptance within 2 weeks and didnt even require an interview, seemed kinda sketchy for a med program. Anyways, best of luck with ur decision.</p>
<p>The only reason D.O.s have it tougher than MDs is the level of cartelization by the AMA. No other explanation is necessary.</p>
<p>Really, doctors are people too, and remember that 150 years ago, they were not the demi-gods of today.</p>
<p>MDs are hardly demigods (these days we barely get demi-paid) and DOs are fully recognized as MD equivalents by everyone I have ever trained with or worked with throughout the US.</p>
<p>Doctor, I respect your opinion, but I think that there's a reason why most people do not see DOs in the same light as MDs. While you may be seeing things from a beleagured POV, I still suggest that the average American places doctors (in terms of respect and trust) well above the vast majority of other trades and professions. Doctors demand, and receive, respect of the utmost kind. </p>
<p>Not to say they don't deserve it. However, in the US, where medicine is effectively cartelized by the AMA, you are bound to see some sort of diminishing of medical alternatives (DOs for example.) I for one never have been seen by a DO, but have heard only good. But, let's be honest, most people when they look into going to "medical school" are only interested in getting their MD. Those two letters mean a lot in our society.</p>
<p>People may be misinformed or underinformed, especially in regions where DOs schools are unknown, but a DO degree = MD degree. </p>
<p>I for one never doubt the reason for the trust and respect I receive every day; I was just musing about the decline in income. My profession is completely satisfying (though my business is not).</p>
<p>As for the AMA, I haven't been a member in a decade. Most docs I know are no longer members. The last time I was "asked" to join, I think the annual fee was about $500! That kind of spare change just isn't in most docs' budgets these days. They are a PAC with big mouths and a big budget, but I suspect a rather small active, dues-paying member base here.</p>
<p>I agree. The DO is = to the MD. I have no issue with that. I just think that the profession has largely been affected by the nature of the MD community. I mean, I often prefer to be seen by NPs when at school because they spend more time seeing me. </p>
<p>Nonetheless, I definitely feel that the medical community is in a state of distress, and see the need for change.</p>
<p>with that program, i know someone in it, if you decide you want to be an md after 3 yrs in the program and stay the fourth you can apply to medical school..so its kind of like you get the saftey in case you dont do as well as you hoped and you have the chance is your credentials are storng to apply to medical school..i'm not sure though i have heard a lot of negative things about nyit as a whole..not the program</p>
<p>UCLA: Spending time is worth a lot, but making the correct diagnosis the 1st time is priceless ;)</p>
<p>This is true. Perhaps the placebo effect is giving me a sense of relief? Nonetheless, I have had good experience with the NP staff at UCLA. </p>
<p>I think another problem with the DO community is that they simply do not have the PR machine that the MD community has. I think it's a shame, because DOs are wonderful practitioners (as I learn more about them.)</p>
<p>Maybe I should go into DO advocacy. Heh.</p>
<p>What is the difference in education. I mean in and allopathic vs osteopathic med school? Do DO's get to take extra classes or what? Also, do DO's have to take the same state medical examinations as MD's do? Is the education less expensive for a DO then and MD? and why is it that osteopathic med school are less selective?</p>
<p>To deal with the issue between the MD and the DO, I have to agree that D.O'.s are often times seen, fairly or unfairly, as not entirely equal to MD's. Now, of course, I am well aware that from a licensing and practice standpoint, DO's are of course fully equivalent, legally, to an MD. But simply from a marketing and perception standpoint, a lot of people (fairly or not) see MD's as basically being MD-lites. Like it or not, that's the reality of the situation. I know, I know, a bunch of you are going to object and say that the DO is fully equivalent to the MD, but I'm not talking about what the actual truth of the matter is, I'm only talking about what the perception of the matter is. </p>
<p>Personally, I suspect the real reason for all this is that, quite frankly, MD-granting schools are, on average, probably easier to get into than DO-granting schools. And the DO-granting group of schools certainly does not have any equivalent to the elite MD-granting schools like Harvard Med, Johns Hopkins, etc. No DO school has the stature and fame that Harvard or Johns Hopkins has. </p>
<p>If an elite MD-granting school like Harvard were to start offering DO's, then that would go a very long way to changing the perception of DO's. Either that, or if a group of DO-granting schools were to become just as selective as, or even more selective than places like Harvard or Johns Hopkins, or a more desirable place to go, then that would also go a long way towards changing the perception. For example, if there were people saying that they got into Harvard Med and Johns Hopkins but got rejected from "X" DO-granting school, or people were saying that they were going to Harvard as a second-choice, when their first choice is actually a DO-granting school, that would also go a very long way towards changing the perception.</p>
<p>Okay, but you can do the same residency as a DO right? Like I can be a trauma surgeon off of a DO degree correct?</p>
<p>yes, you can.</p>
<p>Oops - I made a typo. </p>
<p>When I said that "MD-granting schools are, on average, probably easier to get into than DO-granting schools", I obviously mean to say that "MD-granting schools are, on average, probably HARDER to get into than DO-granting schools"</p>