The following are 21 comments generated by the survey:
Med/Peds
Not a DO. However, if the students want this change, why not change the osteopathic schools to allopathic schools and merge the governing bodies?
Pediatrics
Interesting concept. DO's are qualified to sit for both MD and DO board exams yet an MD can only sit for the MD boards as they lack OMT training. Many DO's chose osteopathic training for personal reasons and may not want the MD designation however.
Family Medicine
A while back, California (IIRC) offered to convert its licensed DO's into MD's. Many refused the offer. BTW, I'm an MD myself. Also, in Texas, three board members are supposed to be DO's, who have a lot of political power in the state.
Family Medicine
In a strange turn of events, the local Osteopathic medical school in Fort Worth, TX will soon be adding a MD degree to their program:
Emergency Medicine
Am a DO. Think it's silly. The real issue is that these people want the MD, but in order appease the old guard (which they won't), they say they want to make it MD, DO, so as not to lose the 'osteopathic roots'. Bullshit.
I'm a physician. I don't discriminate nor scrutinize another physician's degree, as I hope they do the same for me. I base my opinion of physicians by what they know and how they treat patients. Of course, since I'm in the ED, patient's don't have a choice whether to see me as a provider or not, and perhaps DO's in private practice aren't getting as much patient traffic because not as many are familiar with DO. Maybe that's a valid concern. But correct me if I'm wrong, but a lot of patients come in from referrals, yes? So, if you present yourself to other physicians as someone who will take good care of your patient, then you should all the traffic you need.
Internal Medicine
The trouble with a DO MD is that is makes it seem like a higher-level of training. If someone wants to be a DO let it be; of course they will be confused with optometry outwest and there is a prejudice against DO; but good DO's are found everywhere there is work for the highest performing doc. We should change the terms osteopathy and allopathy; for homeopaths like these terms as they all seem similar.
Physical Medicine & Rehab
This is about the same thing as being called Dr. John Smith, MD. That annoys me.
Family Medicine
When my pop had a heart attack, the closest hospital happened to be a teaching hospital associated with the Forth Worth osteopathic school. He should not have survived, but did, for nearly two more decades. So I always reserve warm thoughts for my DO colleagues.
Osteopathy
This argument has been around for years. It does not clarify anything to patients by changing to MD/DO or MDO or anything else. You still have to explain your profession and your training to some patients, no matter what the degree other than MD. As physicians we teach our patients every day, this is just another 20 second spiel that you have to give.
Neurology
You know what is funny, this argument goes away once one starts residency and gets out of a DO faculty heavy mecca. I heard this during med school (DO), went to allopathic residency in a heavily weighted allopathic city, and have NEVER had an issue, and really have not had any DO vs. MD arguments until I came on here.
I have a waiting list for referrals, and honestly, maybe twice a year I have to explain how I am "different" from my MD partners. I think converting the degree to MD, DO is stupid. There is nothing different about my training except about 30mins per week for less than 20 months of OMT. Maybe there is a bit more of a "holistic approach" but aren't the allopathic schools teaching the same now? I was on faculty at a large urban (allopathic) university and it seemed so here at least. I am happy with my degree, see no benefit to changing it.
Pathology
Someone will make $$ and be able to setup boarding for the new md/do
Follow the $$
Emergency Medicine
Family Medicine
The only point that lends some credence to the MD-DO annotation is that Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom issue a DO degree that stands for “Diploma in Osteopathy,” and those who are granted this degree are limited to osteopathic manipulation practice instead of fully licensed physicians.
Surgery - General
It’s a false advertising. I am a MD, DDS because I went to BOTH med school and dental school.
Either switch to MD or keep it as DO.
Either switch to MD or keep it as DO.
Emergency Medicine
I once was a young DO student who also feared that my degree would be looked upon with disdain by future colleagues..................many, many years ago, perhaps this was the truth; but the reality of the last 25 years is just the opposite. For those who want to change the name of the degree, simply for the purpose of change and change alone, I say transfer to a MD institution and leave the DO to those of us who decided to seek that degree over the other........ I just see no real benefit to either profession for such an endeavor.
Family Medicine
Problems with the D.O. title: 1. People are stupid - "are you a bone doctor?" "are you an eye doctor?".
2. Troglodyte M.D.'s - "your training is inferior to mine, I'm better than you".
3. Troglodyte Institutions - "oh, we don't hire D.O.'s" (actual quote from a hospital administrator in the 1990's).
4. ..........
Internal Medicine
why don't we all call ourselves "MOFO"?
Emergency Medicine
all of UK, most of Canada, grant practice rights to US DOs. There's one DO working in Australia, so it would be on a case by case basis there.
Osteopathy
I became a DO by choice, not because I had no other options. Perhaps it is because I am in Missouri, but I do not have to explain what a DO is to most people. When I do it takes about 10 seconds: "We're like an MD and a chiropractor combined, but better." That is usually enough for most people, some are more interested and then I get to explain more detail...I don't feel embarrassed or anything, I'm always happy to educate!
Otolaryngology
Can I become a DNP? It might be worth more in the future.
Pediatrics
I am a DO. I am proud of my education and what I have done with it. When others unwittingly add an MD degree to my name, I correct them.
I agree with drbarks and others. Those who don't want a DO degree should transfer to an MD school.
When I was a student, there was still a lot of prejudice against osteopathic students in many allopathic hospitals. I knew there was little foundation in fact for most discrimination because of the excellent basic science education I received at Kirksville. (Please forgive me if I am repeating what I have said in other posts).
When I was a freshman at Kirskville, I tutored students from Harvard in biochemistry and gained their respect.
I spent much of my clinical training as a student at Doctors Hospital North in Columbus. The education there was outstanding. During one month of a surgical rotation I scrubbed every operation performed by Dr. Richard Bracken. I helped him save a patient who had shot himself in the aorta with a shotgun. He taught me even during this all night operation.
Dr. Bracken was the first osteopathic surgical resident to train at Columbus Children's Hospital. As a junior resident, he had much more surgical experience than most of the senior residents at the MD hospital.
Dr. Benjamin Cohen was the first osteopathic pediatrician to attend at Columbus Children's Hospital. He made brilliant rounds. I was his student and carried his ophthalmoscope and otoscope. Though he told me to keep my eyes and ears open and my mouth shut, I soon felt confident discussing patients and solving problems. I amazed my allopathic peers by producing multiple articles to support my differential diagnosis of each problem.
At the end of the month, the MD resident told Dr. Cohen, "Before I met you, I thought all DOs were dumb."
"That's funny," Dr. Cohen replied, "Before I met you, I thought all MDs were smart."
Years ago Doctors Hospital North and Doctors Hospital West, its satellite hospital, were amongst the finest small hospitals in the state. Ohio Health bought out these osteopathic hospitals and closed Doctors North. Today Doctors Hospital West is a predominantly osteopathic hospital in the decaying far west side of Columbus.
Last April Doctors Hospital (West) made the Thompson Reuters list of the nation's top 100 hospitals, whatever that means. The hospital is only a shadow of the now defunct Doctors Hospital North, from which it sprung.
My patients and most referring physicians couldn't care less whether my degree is DO or MD. They care more about my knowledge and skills and how I use them.
just do what you want
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