<p>Just wondering, what kind of residencies can a D.O. feasibly get into? I heard that one can basically forget about ROAD if you do D.O, but what about other "less heralded" specialties such as neurology, or the difficult, but not ROAD-level difficulty fellowships like cardiology and gastroenterology? Also, since DOs can apply to both DO and MD versions of these residencies, could it be "smart" to go DO instead of MD so that you have more chances of landing a particular residency, even if it isn't in the most desirable region?</p>
<p>DO's can go into any specialties. There are DO equivalents of every allopathic specialty. Plus, if DO's elect to take the USMLE's, they are apply for MD specialties as well. </p>
<p>No, it would not be smart to choose a DO school simply because you think it'll give you a better shot at a specific residency. It won't. DO kids have their own boards so you'll have to take both DO and MD boards if you want to be eligible for osteopathic and allopathic residencies. The vast majority of students in DO schools do not take the USMLE and do not go to an allopathic residency.</p>
<p>What's ROAD?</p>
<p>^ i believe ROAD refers to residencies in radiology, ophthalmology, anesthesiology, and dermatology. all of which i have heard are very tough to go into</p>
<p>I'm also unsure why you, as a HS senior, would be worried about this stuff. Sometimes, you HSers worry about the strangest things.</p>
<p>^Gah. I hate how once everyone graduates from HS, they treat HSers like a different breed. You were in HS once...you know how it is.</p>
<p>Yeah but the point still stands that HSers shouldn't be worrying about this stuff. I'm a college sophomore and even I only selectively worry about certain things... I don't think my worrying will be in full bloom until sometime junior year. And I definitely did not worry about such things when I was in HS, knowing that it was a fruitless endeavor. I love saying that phrase... fruitless endeavor.</p>
<p>eh, maybe it was just me and my ignorance. I didn't know what ROAD was. I didn't even know what a DO was. I didn't know what the MCAT was scored out of until midway through my sophomore year (of college). I knew I had to get good grades and eventually a good MCAT score so that's what I focused on.</p>
<p>Sometimes I think there's too much focus on the logistics of the application process in this forum by HSers.</p>
<p>Sorry..I was just curious.</p>
<p>SHS, I don't think anyone has a problem with you being curious. But for a high school student (like the OP) to worry about getting into a certain residency, before they take a single course in college, seems a bit premature.</p>
<p>Honestly, worrying about your residency when you're in high school is like worrying about what kind of flowers you'll plant in your front yard at your first house-- it's too early to think about it.</p>
<p>Why does this thread have "the" in the front of the title?</p>
<p>Obviously to distinguish it from the many "A what can a D.O. be?" threads. This is "The" thread, a mark of exclusivity. I thought you'd know that, bdm. What was your VR again? ;)</p>
<p>^lol. maybe the op wants to apply to some bs/do programs and just wanted to know.</p>
<p>ROAD to the good life, little on-call and high pay, hence the reason they're getting tougher to get. </p>
<p>DOs often play 2nd fiddle to MDs in allopathic residencies, but if you're willing to go 2nd tier, which in the end doesn't matter that much, the DO route does not play that much of a difference. Difficulties arise when applying to the mayos and vandys, where in such programs they have never had an DO. (Visit studentdoctor.net forums for tons of threads on all this.)</p>
<p>Nothing magical happens at HS graduation. Freshman year is still too early. Sophomore year is too early. Junior year is too early. Senior year you should worry about it a little bit while selecting a school, should you be so lucky as to have multiple offers.</p>
<p>Then you put it away again. Because first year is too early. Worry about it a little when picking a summer job, then put it away again. Because second year is too early. Then third year is too early.</p>
<p>Then will come fourth year. And then it is time to pay attention.</p>
<p>to the OP- I'm not sure that's accurate that DOs have little chance to get into ROAD specialties. Remember, they have there own osteopathic residencies in those fields, in addition to allopathic ones if they elect to take the USMLE. ROAD is hard to get into either way, but I do not believe your at much of an advantage going to an allopathic vs ostepathic school</p>
<p>Do they have their own residencies in those fields? Is there a DO counterpart to every single MD residency?</p>
<p>DO's have residencies in every field but proportionally there may be fewer DO specialty spots available which would explain why a much higher percentage of DO's go into primary care.</p>
<p>The = Then (with a typo, they forgot the 'n')</p>