TCOM – Offering the M.D. Degree

I think a good percentage of osteopathic doctors these days are doing allopathic residencies, (i think, i could be wrong), so if thats true, then just merge them and be done with it, i have a friend in a D.O. school who i always feel is trying to show me that its the same, when I obviously know its the same thing, in fact all of us in the caribbean are not there because we like the weater, if i could have gotten into a D.O. school in america, u think i would have suffered on thse third world pathetic islands for so long?

Interesting discussion.

I have the unique perspective on being a TCOM graduate, (early 90’s), who did an osteopathic residency in primary care, who served in the military, and now I am in a very large group practice/academic practice. As far as I know I am the only DO certified physician in our practice (1000+ docs). Most DOs in our group did allopathic residencies.

I wish I had not done an osteopathic residency. In fact, sometimes I get tired of explaining what a DO is. There is absolutely NO PRACTICAL DIFFERENCE between a DO and MD. Yes, I used to do a fair amount of manipulation in my primary care practice because I wanted to, I liked it and my patients liked it. It is just another tool in the toolbox. We don’t all have the same tools, but it is not that big of a deal.

My main problem with the osteopathic side of things is that to maintain my Board Certification, I have to pay the AOA $700+ per year. Not the ACOFP, the AOA. I am a member of the AMA, but don’t have to be. I HAVE to join the AOA. Not an option.

I feel that the AOA, and the whole “DOs are different” is just about justifying themselves and trying to preserve their turf, etc. In years past, MDs abd DOs were different. DOs did not always get the same quality education they do now. They had to have osteopathic hospitals since they were not allowed privileges and allopathic institutions. That has changed. I appreciate the effort of the last generation of DOs, but the landscape has changed. It is time to move on.

Oh, and by the way, I CHOSE to attend TCOM. It was the only school, allopathic or osteopathic, to which I applied. I believed in the quality of TCOM and the philosophy of osteopathic medicince. A holistic approach to care IS better. But it does not REQUIRE an osteopathic physician to deliver that care.

The M.D. school should be added at UNTHSC (TCOM). Then, the DO students who continue to graduate there should be offered the option degree of MD or MD,DO , as AT Still,MD,DO had requested he be called.

Majority of the DO students aren’t there cuz they chose to be. DO students are there either because they arent competitive enough for MD students so they apply to DO instead, or the other is that they just cant make it to MD schools even after applying so they chose DO instead… very few actually PLAN the DO school while in Undergrad….but either or… people I know that have gone to DO schools tend to enjoy is alot and they love it…so yeah…as far as this article…i totally want the TCOM to offer MD and DO both…just because that would be 150 more spots for applicants applying all over texas… =)

Alrite, so being a current student at TCOM I believe that I have more of a first-hand experience at the commotion that has risen due to the MD option. We have had several meetings with President Random about this and have given him our perspective. He did state for a fact that the MD option is being considered for more funding and also for more rotation spots for the students. They are trying to mimic wut Michigan has at their school with the MD and DO program. President Ransom claims that the MD option will benefit the DO program as well. JPS, which is our county hospital, will sign a contract with TCOM if they add the MD option just so they wouldn’t be considered an osteopathic hospital, although about 90% of the doctors working there are DOs. If a contract is signed with TCOM it will guarantee more rotation spots for the students. The students at TCOM, as well as me, have a fear that if the MD option is given at the school there will be competition between the students and the DO program will be overshadowed by the MD program. Also… DO students have more of the workload since we have to take OMM which is very, very, very time consuming (trust me, it is) so if they have an MD program at TCOM it will be unfair if they started comparing the MD students’ grades to the DO students’ grades since the MD students don’t have to take OMM. In my opinion and the opinion of most of the students at TCOM from first-hand experience is that having an MD option will cause TCOM to lose their essence and what the school is based upon. Dr. Dubin, the associate dean, claims that their focus will still be on primary care but somehow I don’t believe that will happen. I also disagree with UTSWstud about the difference between DOs and MDs being so minuscule. Yes, if you go into specialties there really isn’t much difference but if you look at primary care, the way DOs and MDs treat their patients is totally different in a lot of cases, but it also depends on which doctor you had the experience with. I hope my insight has cleared some stuff up. TCOM is already chaotic as it is with the DO program, adding an MD program will cause a mess, with the faculty and students.