Are there any out there that aren't really really geared toward primary care? I believe in OMM and the osteopathic philosphy, but I don't want to go into primary care. I do want to work in a rural or semi-rural community though. So, I already know about 35% of DO's aren't specializing in primary care and they can practice all areas of medicine. My question is which schools have less of a focus on primary care as far as curriculum, if any.

TUCOM-NV looked like it might be one of them. It may focus a lot on primary care, I don't know, but they are the only school so far that I have seen that REQUIRES their 3rd and 4th years to do multiple surgical rotations. Anyone out there that is already in school that can give me some advice about the focus of their school's program?

On the other hand, PCSOM asks in their secondary personal statement why I should be accepted as a primary care physician. I'm guessing this is their main focus...

There are lots of DO schools that do not focus heavily on Primary care that graduate over 40% in some speciality. Off the top of my mind I can tell you that many from PCOM, NYCOM, TCOM, and DMU specialize, especially even surgery. Someone sent me the DMU matchlist for last year (Dont have the other schools but they are similar if not better):

From Des Moines University's 2006 Match List, (number of people listed as matching in that specialty)

1 - radiation oncology
1 - neurosurgery
3 - oto-facial plastic surgery
4 - diagnostic radiology
5 - PM & R
7 - orthopedic surgery
8 - anesthesiology

add in the 5 general surgery matches (1 to Johns Hopkins, 1 to Mayo in MN. ) - and there were 16 surgical matches alone. Class size of 180. I also believe that Emergency Medicine is counted as a primary care field at DMU (not sure) so there were plenty who matched into that as well. I hear PCOM has a very high specialty rate as well

Great! Thanks so much for the info!

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Thanks, I new there was a list somewhere...Yeah if you look closer to the bottom, Only 37% of PCOM graduates go into primary care, 45% of NYCOM, 46% of DMU, so these schools send over 50-60% of graduates to some specific specialty. So the schools I would avoid if I want to specialize are the one over 70% but all other schools will serve you fine as long as you have the right stats. Good Luck

Thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for!

Some years pcom and nycom graduate close to 75% specialties. The n.east part of the country is apparently very strong with DO's. In speciality med. it doesn't matter anyway where U practice. I would suggest any but the new schools if U wish to speciallize. That still leaves at least t20 schools to choose from. The new school will probably take two to three years to settle in with their cirriculums.