Health Care Professionals Group

Do medical doctors (Osteopathic D.O.s) feel frustrated when they have to describe they are basically MDs?

-I will be attending a medical school (granting D.O. degree as opposed to M.D.). How much of it is a problem of patients viewing them not "real doctors" because the majority of the public only familiar with M.Ds? -Do residency programs look down upon DOs because DO residency programs are closed to MDs but not vice versa? -What is the general perception of DOs by their MD counterparts?

Public Comments

1. Many DO's I know are reluctant to admit that they feel ill at ease with those letters following their name. Many of my friends who are DO's are extremely bright and gifted clinicians and great people. Anyone in the medical field knows that DO's have that distinction because they couldn't get into allopathic school, so naturally, there is this stigma; much is self imposed by DO's as a matter of fact. DO's tend to be religated to primary care residencies (outside of DO only programmes). MD's with whom you'll work with, will treat you no differently than other physicians. When it comes to competitive specialties, DO's are, indeed, at a great disadvantage to their allopathic counterparts, frankly. I just wanted to be honest, I didn't want to sugar coat things for you. My honest opinion is that if I didn't get into a high level allopathic school, I'd simply not attempt to go to medical school.
2. I've been recruited by MD residencies even though I am in a DO program. Most people don't care who is taking care of them, as long as they are qualified. Some might ask, and I tell them. And despite what some arrogant people think, a lot of people choose the DO route. I have classmates who had 4.0s and GPAs in the 30s, and several others who already had graduate degrees. yep, that sure sounds like people who couldn't get into an MD school. You really get a better clinical training at my school. We go into rotations knowing procedures that MD students haven't seen yet. In fact, one of out clinical preceptors who takes students from the state MD school said "you notice a difference in the two schools. the MD students give you a list of things that the patient might have, the DO students tell you what they do have" I'll take the better training over the prestige.
3. I got something from Pikeville College of Osteopathic Medicine (a D.O. granting school in Kentucky) today. D.O. and M.D. are the two types of degrees medical doctors can receive to be certified. The process is the same, and no you will not be looked down upon, unless if you're specializing in surgery. However, D.O.'s focus on the health of the person in addition to treating disease. This includes stuff such as, respecting the patient's religious beliefs, preventive healthcare, etc.