How exactly does DO residency work? I know that Osteopathic residents are able to do residency with MDs. Must you score higher on your exams to be able to pursue this? And why are pre-med students recommended to go into a MD school rather than a DO school when it comes to specializing? Nobody really knows what they are going to do until their 3rd or 4th year. Am I right?

nobody would like to respond to this?

you have 3 years.. ****. relax. ALL you have to worry about now- studying, ENJOY college, relax. it will all fall into place. all you're doing is wasting time. The time you are spending googling medical school info. is time wasted- you can be at the movies... beach.. out.. studying.. eating.. DO school? dont worry about it.

Study,enjoy life, make friends, do activities you like that are safe and that will take your mind of your rigorous course load. dont worry about where your going or if you're getting in medical until JR yr.

ps. I used to be like you... haha

There are Osteopathic only residencies, and only DO's can apply for those. look at opportunities.osteopathic.org. They have ortho, EM, ENT, Plastics, Derm, etc.

Pre-med's are told to do MD if they want to specialize because the people who say this don't know what they are talking about. There are DO schools who send more people into specialty training than a lot of MD schools.

If a DO grad wants to complete a DO surgical residency, s/he only needs to complete (and do well on) the COMLEX boards. However, if a DO grad is applying for MD surgical residencies, s/he will be better served to also complete the USMLE boards -- and to score very well on them. I have DO friends who are currently in both MD and DO surgical residencies. Funny... they seem to be doing the same kinds of stuff!

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MS-4/6 @ Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria
M.S. (Health Sciences) - BYU / B.A. (German Language & Literature) - Oregon
Navy Hospital Corpsman (Fleet Marine Force) - 2nd MarDiv / 4th MarDiv
"I fight with the demons of doubt. With my exhaustion, with my past failures, with my injuries, with my anonymity, with the unrelenting voice that tells me to stop. But I am a fighter. And one thing is sure... I will be victorious."

All that has been said is basically true. But there are more considerations.

You have to look even further forward to hospital privileges and such. A surgeon without hospital privileges ain't really a surgeon.

There are caveates and limitations if you go DO. If you want to be a specialist it will help to take the USMLE and open up the ACGME residency option.

Yes, some DO schools do produce more specialists than others. But in the general case, MDs have an easier time of it.

Even in states where MDs and DOs gain the same license, there are sometimes differences in what they have to do to get that license....same with IMGs.

Best to study all aspects of it to realy understand it.

It isn't fair to pretend that going the DO route is exactly the same. It can and does present additional issues.

That said, in general DOs practice the same as MDs in the US and can be found in all settings and specialties.