Any DO Spouses?

[seaside*bliss]

How does your SO feel about all of the DO treatments? Mine thinks a lot of it is "voodoo" (as he likes to call it!) He has treated me a few times by popping my neck/back, and other manipulations to ease pain. I think it is great; then again I didn't have to learn it all!

[MrsK]

Um, no. A D.O. does all the same stuff as an M.D. including prescribing drugs, performing surgery, as well as Osteopathic Manipulation. They do M.D. residencies too.

- Applicants to both D.O. and M.D. medical colleges typically have four-year undergraduate degrees with an emphasis on scientific courses.

- Both D.O.s and M.D.s complete four years of basic medical education.

- After medical school, both D.O.s and M.D.s obtain graduate medical education through such programs as internships and residencies. This training typically lasts three to six years and prepares D.O.s and M.D.s to practice a specialty.

- Both D.O.s and M.D.s can choose to practice in any specialty area of medicine-such as pediatrics, family practice, psychiatry, surgery or obstetrics.

- D.O.s and M.D.s must pass comparable examinations to obtain state licenses.

-D.O.s and M.D.s both practice in fully accredited and licensed health care facilities.

DrK is a D.O.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

So what I've always wondered is why are there two systems? I have seen both DOs and MDs in my life and feel like they both offered some things that the other did not.

Why don't they just combine all the material into one holistic education??

[MrsK]

I think we are heading in that direction. Traditionally DO training had stronger emphasis on the inter-relationship of the body's nerves, muscles, bones and organs, and applied a different philosophy to medical treatment. Also, traditionally minorities and women were able to study at DO colleges but not MD colleges.

[madeintaiwan]

The University of California, Irvine medical school used to be D.O. It became a M.D. school in the 60s when the state of CA ruled it illegal for D.O.'s to practice medicine in the state. DH's grandmother still refuses to see D.O. physicians.

[Meenah]

From what I have seen and experienced over the years is there really is no difference anymore.

My husband just finished his first year of DO school and he likes the manipulation part. Our family physicians are DO's and it really influenced him when he was choosing medical schools to apply to. They are not so well known as they comprise less than 10% of US physicians.

Probably each medical school has it's own personality and it seems that DO schools, as a group, share their own "osteopathic" personality. Plus the several hundred hours of manipulation training that the students get over the course of the first two years. I read a book on the history of osteopathic medicine and politics and personality figured into it a lot - just like everything else I guess.

I like to be on the receiving end of the treatments and I am trying to block out the idea that my husband is thinking of a one-year fellowship in manipulation that will add a year onto his training. The upside is that we wouldn't have to pay tuition for his last two years of school!

[Vishenka69]

From what I have seen and experienced over the years is there really is no difference anymore.

This has been my experience too. Several of our friends are DO's, as is our internist and none of them do any manipulation stuff at all. You'd never guess they went to DO schools.

I won't speak for other states/schools/areas but in NYC, the DO school is slightly easier to get into. Some of our friends whose MCAT scores weren't high enough for med schools went there. Once they were in though, the work load was the same as DH's.

[diggitydot]

Spouse of a DO here, too.

[bokelley]

Spouse of a DO, Des Moines University.. I call the manipulation his "witch doctor" stuff. It is by far his least favorite thing, and I am sure he will never use it once out of school.

[MrsK]

The manipulation stuff is a big deal in the beginning of DO school but then not so much later on depending on their specialities and especially if they do an MD residency. My brother is a DO and has his own family practice. He says he does some OMM but not often. DrK actually had to study up on OMM for his Step III exam because he hasn't done it in a while. I think he only applied it once in psychiatry and that was for a patient that complained of chronic pain.

...his least favorite thing, and I am sure he will never use it once out of school.

I bet he will be surprised when he can use it...
DW is a DO and she doesn't use MMT/OMT very often, but when she does, there is always a great response. She also gets requests from staff for 'adjustments'.

What do DOs do? Let see, mine was the assistant director of a Level 1 trauma center in downtown Columbus Ohio and Director of medical education for all the DO and MD residents in the ED. Now runs a residency program and is the the assistant director of the ED department at another hospital. Sooooo, they do everything an MD does.

[diggitydot]

She also gets requests from staff for 'adjustments'.

DH gets this, too. All. The. Time. He gets lots of practice, especially with all the sports medicine stuff he does. He uses most of the OMT stuff, well... that which makes sense, anyway. He pretty much hates cranial and views it as total crap.

Me? I loooooooooove OMT.

OMT-> <-Me

I've been his giddy little practice dummy since day one. But, I was also raised with DOs (mom was a nurse for an osteopath), so I'm very comfortable and familiar with the whole shebang.

[Deebs]

What do DOs do? Let see, mine was the assistant director of a Level 1 trauma center in downtown Columbus Ohio and Director of medical education for all the DO and MD residents in the ED. Now runs a residency program and is the the assistant director of the ED department at another hospital. Sooooo, they do everything an MD does.

In EM, there are some things that DOs have an advantage in, clinically. DH is always learning from his DO colleagues additional ways to relocate joints (he is an MD). He has a few tricks up his sleeve, but the DOs have more. In terms of job marketability (or hire-ability maybe?), again, in EM, there isn't a difference.